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

[Freudian Slipper]

Is there any reason to build radars (or an extra HQ, I guess) before the invasion actually starts? I guess I could try to down some of the UFOs I expect are around, but that seems problematic with my tech (six months in).

[psavola]

Is there any reason to build radars (or an extra HQ, I guess) before the invasion actually starts? I guess I could try to down some of the UFOs I expect are around, but that seems problematic with my tech (six months in).

Attempting to shoot is not really worth all that it requires. There are some missions where the aliens land before the invasion. You won't likely get to those in time unless they land nearby. There's a chance that the military shoot down UFO and you might get a crack at a mission anyway. All in all, before the invasion the much needed money is better spent on other topics (especially more researchers and research facilities, more bases to expand the coverage and provide for more research).

[Juku121]

I guess you could try to intercept some rare cult missions that do show up on the globe, or try to tail the occasional UFO in hopes of getting the landing site. Your interceptors are likely to be pretty anemic, though, and trying to assault a UFO with a carful of agents isn't all that much better. Unless it's a moon lander, which might be doable.

I guess the more important bit is not to forget to build a radar network before the invasion starts, because it takes time and, more importantly, money.


A second HQ won't help much with radar coverage, since the detection chance is as low as it gets. It's much more useful as an extra lab, and overpriced even then.

[psavola]

Speaking of transformations. Protean revival decreases all the physical stats by 10 %. Do I parse this right that you can then train on the missions  the stats back up to the maximum?

[Freudian Slipper]

Thanks for the answers, that was helpful. Which means it's time for more questions!

The game has been spawning a lot of Black Lotus missions, and a few lucky stuns (and death rookies), means that I have "The Root of all Evil" available in July 97. I still have a lot of dossiers to interrogate out of BL members, and selling them into slavery collecting Interpol rewards for them and nicking their cash legally seizing their assets is a good source of money.

Do I "kill" Black Lotus if I do the mission? Will it respawn if I ignore it? The low despawning penalty makes me think that I can ignore it safely, but I'd rather check.

EDIT: Also, I haven't seen a thread for questions, I hope it's ok to ask them here.

[Juku121]

Doing the Black Lotus jungle shrine does not kill the cult, it's one way to start killing it by capturing their goddess' avatar. It will respawn as long as you don't successfully complete it, and it looks like it will continue doing so even if the rest of the cult is destroyed. Which is kinda strange.



You can make your own topic for questions, but this thread also works. Heh, you can even start an 'all questions go here thread' and try to make it stick, if you wish. That's how the Piratez 'little questions' thread got its start.

[Bandaid]

I started playing this mod again, had played the 2.5 version. Installed the 3.3, ah, its not working. Took a closer look, ah I need to install a new version of ufo extended. Installed that. Game loads, no bugs found so far while running a 2.5 version savegame.

What I am trying to say here is that I have less trouble and more user friendly behavior by a free mod using parts of a game which is decades old then by multiple modern games puplishers. Though I guess part of the credit belongs to the makers of ufo extended of course.

And unlike lots of modern releases you can feel the soul behind this mod/game.

Given the fact that I have fun (and frustration occasionally, looking at you pilot who landed right next to the enemy hideout!" on the level of top tier games like Planescape Torment or Vampire Bloodlines (also modded of course) I found it only fair to join the patreon.

So thanks for your work and please continue working on this fantastic mod.

[Warface]

Update: Wiped out all 11 manors, researching lasers from a crashed UFO, and just cleared a Black Lotus forward base (Thank you Scout Drones!).

edit: How are you guys fighting the ranged ghosts in the early game?

[psavola]

edit: How are you guys fighting the ranged ghosts in the early game?

First, take down the cultists to avoid nasty surprises. Then scout forward with a few people who have at least heavy tactical suit (a vest with a shield if not available). That will draw poltergeists' shots so you can remember from which direction the shots came from. Rush to close combat range with the heavy tactical suit guys, or after spotting (for example with a motion scanner), throw grenades or dynamites from the back lines at the location (roughly two dynamites will stun or kill a poltergeist).

An alternative tactic is to (also) use a scout drone for spotting, and then try to withdraw behind the tactical suit people, but this way the drone almost always it ends up getting wrecked. So this is only viable if you were lucky enough Ao get so many alenium shards that you have enough AI units to spare when waiting for the AI restoration duration.

A second alternative is to also employ a few untrained disposable dogs (which are not even supposed to survive the mission; I suppose bats would be even better for this due to higher TU but I never bothered with them) which do the scouting (and dying) and if by some miracle they are not shot, they can sniff out the poltergeists.

In the early game, I'd skip Haunted Houses and just do Haunted Farms, which have far fewer enemies so the situation is more manageable.

[Marrik]

First, take down the cultists to avoid nasty surprises. Then scout forward with a few people who have at least heavy tactical suit (a vest with a shield if not available). That will draw poltergeists' shots so you can remember from which direction the shots came from. Rush to close combat range with the heavy tactical suit guys, or after spotting (for example with a motion scanner), throw grenades or dynamites from the back lines at the location (roughly two dynamites will stun or kill a poltergeist).

An alternative tactic is to (also) use a scout drone for spotting, and then try to withdraw behind the tactical suit people, but this way the drone almost always it ends up getting wrecked. So this is only viable if you were lucky enough Ao get so many alenium shards that you have enough AI units to spare when waiting for the AI restoration duration.

A second alternative is to also employ a few untrained disposable dogs (which are not even supposed to survive the mission; I suppose bats would be even better for this due to higher TU but I never bothered with them) which do the scouting (and dying) and if by some miracle they are not shot, they can sniff out the poltergeists.

In the early game, I'd skip Haunted Houses and just do Haunted Farms, which have far fewer enemies so the situation is more manageable.

With heavy casualties, and whatever energy weapons I was lucky enough to get from Osiron crates, and Taser Cannons for everyone else (and one or two snipers for killing the gun-wielding cultists)

[Warface]

I guess I'll be putting ghosts off for a bit until I get energy weapons. The despawn penalty is only 50. Hope it doesn't snowball into something that potentially borks my game. 

[Xylon666Darkstar]

Alien Drone chassis for my AI units worked great for me with their laser weapons vs ghosts.

[Solarius Scorch]

Speaking of transformations. Protean revival decreases all the physical stats by 10 %. Do I parse this right that you can then train on the missions  the stats back up to the maximum?

Yes, you can retrain them.

[Chuckebaby]

Had an Arbiter craft mission yesterday. OMG, coolest craft ever. One of the toughest missions as well. Like 8 to 12 Sectopods. These are really enjoyable missions. Tough but tons of fun.
Great job on those.

[Fiskun1]

If an agent is hit by an incendiary grenade, how do you put out the flames so that he does not lose health?