[FULL MOD] UFO & TFTD Rework (silent update: Jan 1, 2017)

[Solarius Scorch]

I already made a cthulhoid:



It's not perfect for the role, but I can share the resources if you like.

[Orz]

For now, for O-TFTD there is only a new race:

Yes, I'm just waiting/looking for adequate UFOpedia images (both for live specimen and autopsy) to go along with it. It seems this is the problem with adding new TFTD aliens: they need good UFOpedia pics (whereas UFO/EU aliens just use their respective ragdolls, which are simpler/easier to make).

An example of what Carcharodon could look like (pic found online, slightly edited/pixelated by me to fit the game):

I already made a cthulhoid:



It's not perfect for the role, but I can share the resources if you like.

That actually looks pretty good! (I always imagined them with bigger/more bulbous heads, though.) If the robe could be edited a little to make them less reminscent of UFO's Ethereals that'd be great. Otherwise it could be used as is it is. I'm assuming you have the complete sprite set with bigobs, floorobs and all that to go along with it? What about UFOpedia pics?

[Solarius Scorch]

(whereas UFO/EU aliens just use their respective ragdolls, which are simpler/easier to make).

That actually looks pretty good! (I always imagined them with bigger heads, though.) If the cape could be edited a little to make them less reminscent of UFO's Ethereals that'd be great. Otherwise it could be used as is it is. I'm assuming you have the complete sprite set with bigobs, floorobs and all that to go along with it? What about UFOpedia pics?

Oh yeah, I made them for the upcoming X-Com Files mod. I can share it when I'm back home.

[Orz]

(whereas UFO/EU aliens just use their respective ragdolls, which are simpler/easier to make).

I meant: alien inventory sprites are taken from the UFOpedia entries. They are "easier" to make than TFTD in the sense that they are just the alien's full body frontal shot standing upright against the same clinical background. TFTD alien are more "artistic" (like the X-Com armors) and have custom backgrounds.

[Solarius Scorch]

I meant: alien inventory sprites are taken from the UFOpedia entries. They are "easier" to make than TFTD in the sense that they are just the alien's full body frontal shot standing upright against the same clinical background. TFTD alien are more "artistic" (like the X-Com armors) and have custom backgrounds.

Ah, yeah, well, right. Though I find the "X-Com 1" style a good enough solution, and much easier to do. I like nice pictures like everyone else, but for viewing races I prefer uniformity.

Also adding my Sorcerer of Dagon sprites, as promised. (No autopsy picture.)

[hellrazor]

HF with the UFO collection.
If i find time i will add even more variants, i can either find some were or will do on my own.

[Orz]

HF with the UFO collection.

Absolutely!

Ah, yeah, well, right. Though I find the "X-Com 1" style a good enough solution, and much easier to do. I like nice pictures like everyone else, but for viewing races I prefer uniformity.

Also adding my Sorcerer of Dagon sprites, as promised. (No autopsy picture.)

Thanks. Perhaps someone more skilled than I will do the finishing touches! I, for one, am reluctant to include a new unit/race without at the very least TFTD matching-style UFOpedia pics. Rummaging through Dioxine's X-Piratez resources yesterday I came across this smexy guy who could also work nicely as the potential candidate for TFTD's 5th race template:



Of course, it would need a couple touch-ups as well. Namely: a squid/tentacle face, a greenish or purplish skin-tone, and tentacle arms while we're at it!

Just throwing ideas.

FYI: I am regularly updating this mod. Downloads updated in the OP. Just don't wanna be constantly BUMPing this thread. So for those few who've been downloading it with the intention to actually play it, be sure to have the latest version up to date for all the m'Orz fun!

--- posts merged ---

FYI: I've been making consistent updates to both UFO/EU & TFTD mods since version 1.0. These various little changes are listed under the changelog here. Download links also updated on first post. I'll probably wanna clean things up a bit later so it's all easier to read (i.e. less of a massive wall of text), but for the time being: I feel pretty satisfied with how both games play out and shall therefore take a little rest now.

[wsmithjr]

This looks very interesting and I will definitely check it out.

Any future plans for adding some more variety in terms of weapons and the like?

Thanks for sharing.

[Eddie]

Just read the changelog and the to do. I agree that getting alien UFO/USO don't get researched enough, because there is no benefit. So maybe make them a prerequisite to research new xcom craft. There might be a problem in doing this though, as autopsies you get from a medic don't unlock research. The same mechanic might applie for alien UFO/USO.

[Dioxine]

That's because medics give autopsies, which isn't the same as corpse research (which is the proper prerequisite). It won't be a problem with UFOs/USOs since there are no hidden topics to them.

[Orz]

Any future plans for adding some more variety in terms of weapons and the like?
Thanks for sharing.

Hmm, not in terms of new weapons, don't think. I wanted to keep the vanilla feel as much as possible. If anything, the aliens deserve a little more weapon variety, but those additions can't break the game balance either. The thing with adding new weapons is that they often render some of the old ones pretty useless (imbalance). Given the choice, I would rather prefer if everything had at least some utility/niche/specialty.

Other little changes and improvements should probably be added as time goes on, but for the most part (and for the time being), it's all pretty much done. What TFTD is still sorely lacking is a Cthulhu-themed end-game race, and that's the "major" thing missing. Other than that, definitely more SUB variations as well as the still-pending alternate Coelacanth/Gauss re-color to go along with Tank/Laser, but that's about it in terms of big additions. (OK, maybe add Caclinite's "protoplasm" spawn unit upon death too, but that's kinda under development/testing at the moment.) Oh, and of course: HQ Sounds like UFO/EU!

Speaking of missing stuff, this thread could use some pics:

Mag. Ion Armor flying on land (land spritesheet was previously missing orange "grav-pack" on land):



New corpse sprites for Diving Suit and Plastic Aqua Armor (vanilla sprites were all white with mismatching gloves/boots):



"Conventional" Family line (new Pistol sprite):



Laser Family line (new Pistol & Rifle sprite as well as matching colors):



Plasma Family line (new Pistol sprite as well as matching colors):



And Calcinite's tentative "protoform" showcase:



ADDENDUM
Also, how about a Deep One reskin? They always looked so dull and boring in their usual "grey" tone. Well, now they look like Smurfs!



TFTD mod just updated, BTW.

PS: Also, just 'tween you and I—don't tell anybody—but difficulty for beginner/experienced levels increased slightly. Just Aim & Armor multipliers, though. I mean, 0.5/1.0 for UFO/EU and 0.4/0.7 for TFTD was too much a handicap for the aliens. Them poor guys can barely hit a thing and get killed almost with lousy Pistols even! 0.8/0.9 seemed more fair

[GrossorMD]

You know, I was looking at the rulesets, and I was thinking that I like the idea of making sonic/plasma the ones without ammo limits (although with higher encumberance. and possibly no autofire/worse accuracy), instead of laser/gauss. It kind of makes sense that the more useful guns appear later on...

[Orz]

You know, I was looking at the rulesets, and I was thinking that I like the idea of making sonic/plasma the ones without ammo limits (although with higher encumberance. and possibly no autofire/worse accuracy), instead of laser/gauss. It kind of makes sense that the more useful guns appear later on...

That's exactly what I had originally done. It might be brought up in the future, but ultimately, the reason why it was changed back was because I begun to miss the reloading feel of all weapons. Don't know, it somehow made them feel more "tangible" and "personal." Plus, I was getting the same feedback from a couple other users here. Laser, however, definitely needed to be just like Gauss. 

Tentative new reskin of Plastic Aqua Armor for next update. Literally tried dozens of recolors and dark blue/musky green doesn't look good. Black and white were the last two remaining candidates. I wanted to go with white since I felt it would fit TFTD's "swimming pool party with plastic water guns" style better, and I was very leery of black, but black seems to better match the inventory sprites (and not even I can deny those glossy, obsidian-looking black helmets sure look sleek!):





ADDENDUM

Also: Torpedo Launcher restyle. Now each torpedo has more of a "unique" feel to it, like UFO/EU. (May miniaturize Small Torpedo alongside Small Rocket later, but it's good for now.)

[GrossorMD]

I could probably bear laser being like gauss more easily than gauss being like gauss, tbh. Shipping line missions are terrible in that regard.

Actually TFTD's two-stage mission bloat is pretty broken in general. TBH I think it should stick to alien base defenses and the like. Certainly not terror missions...

[Xeno Wiper]

Speaking of missing stuff, this thread could use some pics:


Mag. Ion Armor flying on land (land spritesheet was previously missing orange "grav-pack" on land):

OH NO, PONYTAILS ARE GONE! 

 

New corpse sprites for Diving Suit and Plastic Aqua Armor (vanilla sprites were all white with mismatching gloves/boots):

Have you ditched that dark green plastic? Was it still similar with diving?

Tentative new reskin of Plastic Aqua Armor for next update. Literally tried dozens of recolors and dark blue/musky green doesn't look good. Black and white were the last two remaining candidates. I wanted to go with white since I felt it would fit TFTD's "swimming pool party with plastic water guns" style better, and I was very leery of black, but black seems to better match the inventory sprites (and not even I can deny those glossy, obsidian-looking black helmets sure look sleek!):

Was that black helmet based on its own inv dolls img?