Re: The X-Com Files - 3.5: Whispers In The Dark

[Arctic]

Yeah, haven't done them yet. EXALT is a late addition...

You're right! Fixed.

Just made the Ufopadia page. See the attachment.

That actually looks really good - I honestly wouldn't mind if the other vehicles looked like this. It's authentic and resembles the original X-Com UFOPaedia images, and besides that it's easy to churn them out.

[Hobbes]

Well in that case, have the image itself. Sharing is caring

(dirty Photoshop job...)

I think the version I use is a bit longer but who cares, lol, thank you

[Arctic]

On another note, I think it would make a lot more sense to say that the Mudranger is an amphibious all-terrain APC, and you drove instead of airdropping it - it would explain why it can carry so many people, why it can go over water, and, crucially, why it has such a short range.

[Solarius Scorch]

On another note, I think it would make a lot more sense to say that the Mudranger is an amphibious all-terrain APC, and you drove instead of airdropping it - it would explain why it can carry so many people, why it can go over water, and, crucially, why it has such a short range.

I guess it makes sense. Thanks

[Arctic]

Maybe you could even have ground-air AA weapons.

[yrizoud]

Woohoo, I restarted and apparently it is possible to get some much easier xeno encounters, with sometimes 1, 2 or 4 specimens. Any new opponent is frightful, no matter the number.
Horrible invasions still happen though
I'm in middle of September, and with 4 hangars I just successfully answered 5 simultaneous sightings.
Attached screenshots (paranormal-spoiler-free) :
001: A possibly less visible X-van
002: This door is not a door. Impossible to open it
003: A weird circular radius, visible when you show radar ranges (R key)

[Solarius Scorch]

I'm in middle of September, and with 4 hangars I just successfully answered 5 simultaneous sightings.

Good, that's how you roll!

Attached screenshots (paranormal-spoiler-free) :
001: A possibly less visible X-van

Yeah, but it's a bit plain. X-Com always had the logo on their vehicles, so I'm keeping with the tradition. It's not like people will recognize it.

002: This door is not a door. Impossible to open it

Ouch. I think I'll change this wall to something that doesn't look like a door.

003: A weird circular radius, visible when you show radar ranges (R key)

Ah yeah, I forgot to increase the range to cover the entire globe, thanks.

[Xtendo-com]

002: This door is not a door. Impossible to open it

It's may be also a feature like door with broken lock, so you should broke a door. But pathfinding will reveal that fake door.

[Solarius Scorch]

It's may be also a feature like door with broken lock, so you should broke a door. But pathfinding will reveal that fake door.

Yeah, it's too cheap.
I think I'll release a bugfix now, why not.

EDIT: Version 0.1.1 uploaded. I fixed (hopefully) all reported bugs, rebuilt listOrders (for now, only for items; took me half a day) and added a few weapons. Details in the first post.

[yrizoud]

Fortunately I had one captured dynamite - I really wanted to question to the locked-up guy.
My September activity ended up being a 10-12 continuous streak of mostly doable missions. I got 12 wounded agents, and bagged 10 different species (5 alive) 
I did catch a single, hmm, "warm" enemy. I was lucky enough to find him in a forest, where his shots go very wild. It was an epic fight, since I had nothing stronger than .45s, and in the end, the majority of the map was gone.
The transport system works extremely well as a gameplay element. The fact that it requires a 2x2 "hangar" is a bit strange, a 1x1 "briefing room" would be more suitable IMO.
One alien lifeforms unlocked the vanilla "alien origins" project, I don't know if it's intended.
My only gripes so far:
Medikit with only 3 heals is really not much. I often expended two full medikits per mission.
Some big research topics do nothing other than unlock more research topics. It's a bit of a downer to gain nothing concrete, no matter how small (hired xenobiologist could have contacts to buy a few things).
The "tone" of some ufopedia characters seems a bit out of character, I rather expected some "serious-sounding" people.

[Solarius Scorch]

Fortunately I had one captured dynamite - I really wanted to question to the locked-up guy.
My September activity ended up being a 10-12 continuous streak of mostly doable missions. I got 12 wounded agents, and bagged 10 different species (5 alive) 

You're doing very well. May I ask which difficulty?

I did catch a single, hmm, "warm" enemy. I was lucky enough to find him in a forest, where his shots go very wild. It was an epic fight, since I had nothing stronger than .45s, and in the end, the majority of the map was gone.

I really can't figure out what it was. Did it literally breathe fire? If so, then I know.

The transport system works extremely well as a gameplay element. The fact that it requires a 2x2 "hangar" is a bit strange, a 1x1 "briefing room" would be more suitable IMO.

That's not really doable at this point, a transporter must be a physical vehicle which needs to have a garage of sorts. And only big garages are possible.

One alien lifeforms unlocked the vanilla "alien origins" project, I don't know if it's intended.

I don't know either. Still balancing such things.

My only gripes so far:
Medikit with only 3 heals is really not much. I often expended two full medikits per mission.

As intended, otherwise why research?

Some big research topics do nothing other than unlock more research topics. It's a bit of a downer to gain nothing concrete, no matter how small (hired xenobiologist could have contacts to buy a few things).

What things? Seriously, I want ideas.

The "tone" of some ufopedia characters seems a bit out of character, I rather expected some "serious-sounding" people.

But serious people are rarely serious! Only idiots who pretend to be serious are serious all the time.
No, really. They are professionals, but X-Com attracts weirdos. Just look at the agents' faces...

[Arctic]

Could always ask to get alternate hangars in OXC.

[ivandogovich]

Could always ask to get alternate hangars in OXC.

A long standing request....
Yep, been asked before.  I believe one of the challenges is rendering the 1X1 hangar/garage in the Battlescape (and populating the craft into it).  My understanding is that current hard coding in the engine sets all hangars/craft holding facitilites has 2X2s.

Maybe a great coder will come along and change that, but I don't think the primary dev team is interested.

[yrizoud]

If base defense doesn't happen in XCOM Files, no problem of 2x2 hangar + vehicle.

You're doing very well. May I ask which difficulty?

The middle one - but after my first catastrophic campaign (20 dead in 2 months) I save often 

Did it literally breathe fire?

Tracking it in forest and tall grass wasn't a problem
Medical equipment : The upgrade does not feel like an upgrade. Since it's one-shot use, you spend a lot of time picking things from pockets to heal a character with 3 wounds, and you can forget about throwing the complete kit around.
About characters : The way I see it, weirdos are dead-serious in their obsession. The funny ones are unententional, they are the ones who don't realize that other people don't share the same passionated opinions Ex: "What, you do don't like metal music ? It's because you never heard the right one. You HAVE to listen to this, NOW. So? So?"
By the way, autopsies and interrogations seem to be extremely long. The first time you have a new specimen, you're happy, but by the time the lab can start processing it, you often have faced the same kind several times. In early campaign I tried to catch a corpse or live specimen and flee, even if it cost me one or two agents, but now it really doesn't look like a good trade.

[Solarius Scorch]

If base defense doesn't happen in XCOM Files, no problem of 2x2 hangar + vehicle.

Well it does happen later, but the point is, some people want smaller hangars for various reasons. I'm kinda on the fence here myself.

The middle one - but after my first catastrophic campaign (20 dead in 2 months) I save often 

No worries, me too.

Medical equipment : The upgrade does not feel like an upgrade. Since it's one-shot use, you spend a lot of time picking things from pockets to heal a character with 3 wounds, and you can forget about throwing the complete kit around.

Yeah, this one's not really an upgrade, more of a complimentary kit. Keep digging

About characters : The way I see it, weirdos are dead-serious in their obsession. The funny ones are unententional, they are the ones who don't realize that other people don't share the same passionated opinions Ex: "What, you do don't like metal music ? It's because you never heard the right one. You HAVE to listen to this, NOW. So? So?"

Maaaaaybe. But it's just to add some comic relief to the otherwise hardcore mod.

By the way, autopsies and interrogations seem to be extremely long. The first time you have a new specimen, you're happy, but by the time the lab can start processing it, you often have faced the same kind several times. In early campaign I tried to catch a corpse or live specimen and flee, even if it cost me one or two agents, but now it really doesn't look like a good trade.

Believe me, it pays off. The research is slow, yes, and I will keep balancing it, but I think it works for now.