Author Topic: Re: The X-Com Files - 3.2: The Colors of Sin  (Read 1949844 times)

Offline Solarius Scorch

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Re: The X-Com Files - 0.9.4: We Need a Bigger Gun
« Reply #2010 on: August 29, 2018, 09:41:18 pm »
Hello, I love the work on this mod - it's something I found not long ago and certainly a thing that I wanted to play since a very long time. (...)

Hello, and thank you for your kind words! Sorry for the delay, I have not had the time recently to check this thread. To my defence, my whole free time went into modding. ;)

I will skip the parts where the other members already gave a satisfactory answer/explanation. (Thanks, Krautbernd)


Some vehicles have no description or stats listed (private car for example) (...)

I've already added this a few days ago :)
If any vehicles are still missing, let me know.

Public Transport description is kinda inadequate. Works well for first two vehicles but then it fails to explain how I can travel overseas with a humvee or other such things. Maybe changing the entry to simply "Overseas transport" with description that even land vehicles use variety of civilian and contracted seafaring transporters to travel (with speed dependant on what they are to transport) would be more informative, as now it basically tells me what speed of a public car/van is (a thing I can check at their own entries).

I can create more smoke and mirrors, but in the end of the day it's still the same original engine stretched beyond its design. Maybe some day we can address it in a more systematic way (like some sort of realistic travel), but for now I think I'll leave it as is. Hopefully the new Pedia entries for vehicles will make things somewhat better.

I like the fluff research but perhaps add slight council rating to every research and write it in the researched thing (tiny bit, just council appreciating you furthering knowledge). Perhaps it is already so but sometimes I get otherwise interesting dossier but it feels like it's pointless, council doesn't care. A mention that council appreciated my cooperation with Interpol and other such groups would be good.

Hardly redundant. The fact that Interpol is notified may mean nothing for the council - Interpol is a different organization and they do not directly provide you any boons for cooperation, so it may very well be suggested that the dossiers etc are just fluff and no one cares about you pushing it further to the Interpol - you're doing that out of goodness of your heart.

We don't really have space for more text. I could change "Interpol" to something else (poor translators), but I don't think it's that much of a stretch to engage Interpol - presumably they are equipped to deal with these people. Sure it's an assumption, but I suppose we can leave things a little vague - as much as I would like to build a reasonable setting, it's a tactical game, not an RPG. Unless you think it's really stupid?

Far faster mundane item research

They can't be any faster without causing weird behaviour. (Ideally there would be 0 hours, but we can't have that.)

Decrease slightly armor on unarmored, human or not enemies

This was done as it was partially because of what was mentioned (damage rolls), but also because units in the game aren't complex shapes - they are cylinders with varying height. The armour and the roll together sort of simulate body structure (like being hit in a non-vital spot or the bullet going between your knees). Julian Gollop did it like this and I'm not one to argue with him about X-Com mechanics, it's too ingenious. ;)

Ghosts could look more human.

Sure they could, but they're not meant to. :D At least not these ones.
The entire ghost arc consists of one mission, let's discuss it when there is something substantial to talk about.

Could the part about solving highly exotic equations in psionic tech be reconsidered? It's interesting, it figures in well with the whole idea that world can be represented by math so by doing math you can affect the world but it doesn't explain how those equations actually change reality and if they're done subconsciously and can be done even by creatures completely unable to do math the scientist should have no idea there are any equations at all (...)

I was referring the fact that we solve highly complex equations all the time: when walking, throwing things, estimating distances, etc. Psi is no different, as it also is a very complex but subconsious process.

Speaking of the psiclones, they're kinda bad just as a panic weapon and often not worth inventory space. Maybe they could also allow an additional, more mundane stun/kinetic short-range attack? Kinda an alternative to tasers but quite stronger when used by psionically-inclined (of course usable only after relevant tech is discovered) - yet at the downside of how much harder to acquire they are and that only psionically gifted will benefit from them.

Not a bad idea per se, but might make actual stun weapons less useful. I'd like to hear more thought on this one.

X-Com psiclones probably also should be hidden till X-Com discovers how to use psionic/psychic abilities.

They already are. Though of course we can discuss whether it's the right place/moment to show them.

I am not sure what's the point of weapon slot on Humvee

Me too. :P
I'm experimenting with some ideas here, but for now it's pretty much just for show. thoguh it might give you a fighting chance if a light fighter attacks your Humvee. :P
A battlescape turret is an interesting idea, I will try to work on this, but no promises.

is it possible to make the tile rest of vehicle's equipment lands on sorta invulnerable to anything?

I'd strongly limit base building early game, when you're just a budding initiative even more than actual independant organization. Have the command facility come in two-story form with a bit of space for items, for the personnel (able to handle 15 people total, perhaps?), improvised lab and workshop as it does now to make it a tiny base seed all in itself, add a jail, animal pen and a small (new) one-tile hangar or two. Yes, just 4 - 5 small tiles but it'd make the future expansions more noticeable, helping the player see how their base grows. The rest, including things available by default like dedicated personnel quarters and storage, should be something one may want to invest in.

This is exactly what I have done. Sure, I could have gone further, but I believed it would be too far. Of course it's a matter of taste.

An important but neglected thing: more mission descriptions. When I send agents to investigate some sightings or reports, whoever reported it could at least give slight hint if it was many animals or some single huge one, or that they've seen some weird humanoids. Sometimes I land my craft just to be surrounded by zombies when I should've known they're zombies, given I just landed in the middle of a group of them.

I'm open to suggestions, I honestly don't know what should be clarified further. (Emphasis on "should" - I like surprises.)

Also, a bit more peculiar items and loot at cult places? Having a couple of dead farmer corpses/'bone' items at a cult of Dagon's (to simulate sacrifices) or a madman's diary would be an interesting gimmick. Same for a stash of BlackOps ammo magazines/guns for variety of rifles at EXALT outposts. A shipment of drugs at Red Dawn's or documents giving easy interrogation-like info on dossiers etc at Black Lotus. And so on.

All in due time. Beautifying existing missions is not high on my list, since I focus on making stuff which is actually really needed.

Speaking of bones, boomboxes and other such items - they also should be almost immediately identified in research (span of hours if possible). It doesn't take often more than a glance to figure out an item such as a cellphone, yet alone too much tests by a dedicated researcher (and that's what we have - professional researchers we dedicate to study a thing). Some of them maybe could be an optional prerequisite to some research as well, or allow additional boons (like allowing bigger variety of smaller weapons in covert missions when police IDs are researched).

Technical limitations, but also the Chief Accountant explains straight away why it takes so long.

Oh, by the way, yeah. Most of the clips you have in game aren't clips, they're magazines. It's a bit pedantic and I know many people do not differentiate (it's not a big deal for me either) but I know some more technically-inclined would make such an amateur mistake in official item listing/reports/descriptions of special ops organization immersion-killing.

Gollop didn't care, so I'm not going to care either. :P To be honest I don't really know the difference myself, so I would not touch this anyway.

Rather than developing many arcs, consider polishing current ones.

Eh, maybe someday. I don't make new arcs just because I had an urge; most of these were planned since the beginning a few years ago (except for the Zombie arc, this was totally unplanned).

Also, some sort of end-game "the world is saved" I hope will not depend on win over any particular group but on keeping all of them either eliminated or scattered. I also hope they won't be all connected. Right now, it seems that all weird creatures, gangs/cults are somehow stemming from aliens. I don't mind some connection but I also would enjoy if a lot of it would be just "Earth is a much stranger place and there's a lot of weird to it beside alien visitations".

Don't worry, it's much more complex than that. :)

Consider making flashlights less expensive (seriously, a couple of thousands for even a super professional and sturdy spec ops grade maglight or whatever is a stretch) but add some automatically working armor-clipped ones (give light even when not held in hand) that should be crafted at a small expense of time and funds for example after the first promotion.

Hey hey, you wanna get me strangled or what? :P Shining like a Christmas tree is often a bad thing, I can't force personal light on the players
And night is actually advantageous in most situations.

CLike I've said, awesome idea of sending small teams to handle small sightings of weird stuff, using human weapons. I'd like more of it thorough the game.

Got it! I will keep making more. I like them too.

Some items found during the mission aren't brought to X-Com. While I can understand the logic behind not grabbing every surf board in a beach resort, having them be worth a few hundred dollars and sellable as a loot would be good. Or brought to bash eldritch abominations with on another mission, I don't judge.

You have to draw the line somewhere. If you're grabbing surf boards, why not chairs? TVs? Lamp posts? You get my point. :D

Alternatively, consider allowing some unprocessable items that bring no benefit to left for the council salvage teams to dispose of in general. If those farmer corpses yield nothing useful, I shouldn't need to take and then pay a lot of cash to get rid of them. The NPCs already died during my mission and the council penalized me for it in the scores. Same for the single, random bones and other such stuff that has no monetary value, leads me to no technological discoveries, cannot be used in any form, just saps either storage space of money.

It's meant to be a nuisance... Not sure what is wrong here?

During "military fighting against the monsters" mission, add some military. All I've ever seen was police

Wat????
This isn't how it works...

Parapsychology in general probably could start a bit earlier, especially if you'll introduce ghosts into early game. Currently it's kinda weird because my scientists keep mentioning in their live specimen research that some enemies, including animals seem to have supernatural abilities, but we didn't even study existence of those. Parapsychology doesn't add any in-game benefits anyway, is merely one of the prerequisities for other research topics IIRC so it shouldn't be too bad (the Parapsychology prerequistes could be moved into Metapsychology tech to have it still appear at the point in the game it's at).

Purely arbitrary. I could make it an end game tech which requires the Psi-Amp and Ethereal Commander and whatever, and it would still be legit. It is there because I've decided it should be there, for many balance-related reasons.

Aforementioned article mentioning ethereals - must be above my confidentiality access rights since I didn't see an ethereal - would be nice for council to share all they know about those if they are aware of their existence and I got enough promotions to be global humanity defense force. Combat analysis and autopsies may be a stretch (plus, after all, it's not assured council has that data) but some fluff article at the third promotion along the lines of "it's time to declassify the last bits of knowledge this council has about aliens themselves - we know of such and such, known for this or that, we dealt with them in such particular ways". No particular details, just certain idea and a warning that the data may be outdated or we may be dealing with a different beast altogether this time.

The thing is, a significant part the Council hates X-Com and wants it dead, and most of it doesn't really consider it worth their attention. This is sort of spoiler territory, but sdince it's not really in the game yet, I'll mention it.
To sum up: the Council as a whole is not your friend.

I'd also enjoy a better name underlining global position of X-Com. Maybe "X-Com: Global Paranormal Defense Initiative"?

On which stage?

Is stumbling upon outposts and bases of eradicated (with confirmation through confirmed research) faction intentional? On one hand I can understand if some small pockets are still functional, but on the other I was told that it's now a matter of council shock trooper squads/cleaners so should I still be getting those? Not that I mind, more of the loot and whatnot. I just hope not doing those missions doesn't impact my ranking negatively either.

This should not be happening. Have you seen something like this? How long after the faction is destroyed?

Some research seems unrealistically gated. For example, I can study the corpses of trooper zombies but I cannot check their chips till I will interrogate Osiron boss. I can acquire certain rifles from various cults/gangs but I cannot study them, despite them lying there gathering dust in my storage because they require promotion level higher than what I have (in some cases despite them being outdated models/alternatives to guns I already employ in my squads!) and in general, I'd like a bit more fluidity here.

Show me a game with more fluidity. :P
Do you really think I wouldn't have done that if it was possible? :)

I'd really recommend letting one acquire a corpse after a study on a live monster/non-human enemy. It's weird I cannot simply dissect some creature because I previously looked at how it behaved when alive.

Good point, but it's not easy to do. So for now I've decided to ignore it, as it's a very rare situation to have a living creature but not a dead one.

I wouldn't mind it if certain unique creature analysis could be acquired through other sources, though. For example, secret documents or research notes could be a loot item that provides certain research (...)

There are already multiple sources, though most are only available in later game.

At the same time, I wouldn't mind if there'd be alternative technologies stemming from the more rare of findings. Aside from mundane weapons employed by various cults/groups, the weapon progression is pretty linear. But what if after studying some particularly interesting strange lifeform which one may but doesn't have to encounter one can develop new interesting weapon alternative?

Yes, I have a few ideas already. Will work at it when I have time.

Speaking of dossiers and other such stuff - it seems there's nowhere can I check if a particular apprehended type of a person has still something to give. I see that certain cult/gang members offer no option to be interrogated but I cannot easily compare what they provide since other higher ranked members can still be interrogated, there's still dossiers they can give etc.

I understand the tech tree viewer is not good enough for you. But what exactly is missing? What info should be added and where? I'm open for suggestions.

I need help with the T'Leth arc. I did look what I still need for the Atlantis mission to spawn, and progressing backwards trough research topics ended at Tasoth Creation Data Pad. I get Deep One Rituals, Deep One City and Deep One Village missions from time to time, but none of them has it.
Also, I have yet to see a Tasoth. (In this game)

You need to research "Terror from The Deep". It requires interrogating an Aquatoid Squad Leader.

Offline Mathel

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Re: The X-Com Files - 0.9.4: We Need a Bigger Gun
« Reply #2011 on: August 30, 2018, 12:39:24 pm »
Quote from: justaround on August 28, 2018, 04:57:47 pm
Is stumbling upon outposts and bases of eradicated (with confirmation through confirmed research) faction intentional? On one hand I can understand if some small pockets are still functional, but on the other I was told that it's now a matter of council shock trooper squads/cleaners so should I still be getting those? Not that I mind, more of the loot and whatnot. I just hope not doing those missions doesn't impact my ranking negatively either.

This should not be happening. Have you seen something like this? How long after the faction is destroyed?

Cyberweb lair, 2 months after taking down the Drednaught.

In MissionScripts there are 3 definitions of it.
Code: [Select]
  - type: CyberwebLair
    firstMonth: 0
    executionOdds: 10
    missionWeights:
      0:
        STR_CYBERWEB_LAIR: 100
    regionWeights:
      0:
        STR_CYBERWEB_REGION: 100
    researchTriggers:
      STR_DURATHREAD_ORIGINS: true
    useTable: false
    startDelay: 20
    randomDelay: 43500

  - type: CyberwebLair1
    firstMonth: 0
    executionOdds: 25
    missionWeights:
      0:
        STR_CYBERWEB_LAIR: 100
    regionWeights:
      0:
        STR_CYBERWEB_REGION: 100
    researchTriggers:
      STR_DURATHREAD_ORIGINS: true
      STR_CYBERWEB_DIMENSIONAL_PORTAL_TAKEN: false
    useTable: false
    startDelay: 20
    randomDelay: 43500

  - type: CyberwebLair2
    firstMonth: 0
    executionOdds: 25
    missionWeights:
      0:
        STR_CYBERWEB_LAIR: 100
    regionWeights:
      0:
        STR_CYBERWEB_REGION: 100
    researchTriggers:
      STR_DURATHREAD_ORIGINS: true
      STR_CYBERWEB_DIMENSIONAL_PORTAL_TAKEN: false
    useTable: false
    startDelay: 20
    randomDelay: 43500


The first one does never stop.

You need to research "Terror from The Deep". It requires interrogating an Aquatoid Squad Leader.

I have long since researched it. Perhaps the Tasoth Factory got crowded out by other missions so far.

Offline tkzv

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Re: The X-Com Files - 0.9.4: We Need a Bigger Gun
« Reply #2012 on: September 01, 2018, 02:25:27 am »
I'd really recommend letting one acquire a corpse after a study on a live monster/non-human enemy. It's weird I cannot simply dissect some creature because I previously looked at how it behaved when alive. It disappears afer that and I assume I don't simply let it go free so probably it did end up dead. Let me have the corpse. Given how certain missions and unique creatures in them are very hard to stumble upon twice (spider queen, certain strange life mission creatures, other such stuff) it only makes it more troublesome when I am forced to get living and dead specimen separately.
I think there was some parameter in options to imitate Apocalypse behaviour, where a research yielded a corpse.

Solarius, if I'm wrong, is it possible to give each monster a 0-workhours and 0-cost processing option "Slaughter Reaper/Zombie/Muckstar..." ?

Speaking of dossiers and other such stuff - it seems there's nowhere can I check if a particular apprehended type of a person has still something to give. I see that certain cult/gang members offer no option to be interrogated but I cannot easily compare what they provide since other higher ranked members can still be interrogated, there's still dossiers they can give etc.
To clarify. Middle-click a prisoner or press "q" in Geoscape and type the prisoner type — this will show what he can give and what you already have. If you disabled spoilers, the information is unavailable until you research this type of prisoner at least once.



We don't really have space for more text. I could change "Interpol" to something else (poor translators), but I don't think it's that much of a stretch to engage Interpol - presumably they are equipped to deal with these people. Sure it's an assumption, but I suppose we can leave things a little vague - as much as I would like to build a reasonable setting, it's a tactical game, not an RPG. Unless you think it's really stupid?
I think, Interpol is the best variant. In real life one of its primary purposes is delivering information about criminals at large to police services of countries where they may be hiding. If X-COM wants to delegate low-priority targets to local police and remain hidden, it makes sense to send the information to Interpol via its office in one of the funding countries.

Gollop didn't care, so I'm not going to care either. :P To be honest I don't really know the difference myself, so I would not touch this anyway.
The correct way, as I understand it: X-COM buys guns, buys empty magazines, buys bulk boxes of ammo, some of which is packed into clips, and some isn't; between missions operatives fill magazines (which is quicker with clips); on the missions they use prepared magazines, but if they've got too much free time, they can spend it filling empty magazines.

Pros: purists' satisfaction, more sensible alternative to default "throw away the clip after shooting once". Cons: I don't think the engine supports it. Or ever will. Besides, there'd be 2 separate mechanics for bullet and ray weapons.

You have to draw the line somewhere. If you're grabbing surf boards, why not chairs? TVs? Lamp posts? You get my point. :D
By the way, how many useless objects are there in the missions? I once found a lot of useless stuff like old clothes in zombie catacombs, but didn't pay attention on other maps.

And an additional error with texts. There is a file "Language\pl.yml" and there seems to be a redundant "Ruleset\PL.txt".

Offline Solarius Scorch

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Re: The X-Com Files - 0.9.4: We Need a Bigger Gun
« Reply #2013 on: September 02, 2018, 12:13:40 pm »
The first one does never stop.

Yes, they're still out there and may happen occasionally.

I have long since researched it. Perhaps the Tasoth Factory got crowded out by other missions so far.

Missions of this type don't crowd out one another.
I can't say what is wrong, if anything. But I know people have completed this arc, so it probably isn't broken.

Solarius, if I'm wrong, is it possible to give each monster a 0-workhours and 0-cost processing option "Slaughter Reaper/Zombie/Muckstar..." ?

Yeah, it's possible. It's just work.

By the way, how many useless objects are there in the missions? I once found a lot of useless stuff like old clothes in zombie catacombs, but didn't pay attention on other maps.

Well, I don't have a counter... But most (if not all) of it is in the caves.

And an additional error with texts. There is a file "Language\pl.yml" and there seems to be a redundant "Ruleset\PL.txt".

PL.txt is inactive and harmless. It can be removed, but I'm keeping some notes there. :P


Offline TheSHEEEP

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Re: The X-Com Files - 0.9.4: We Need a Bigger Gun
« Reply #2014 on: September 04, 2018, 01:13:17 pm »
I cannot seem to get this mod installed.

When I put the mod into the mods folder, select X-Com Files in the mods selection and restart, it restarts, but cancels with an error:
Quote
Unknow require STR_ZOMBIE_STRIX_TERRORIST in production STR_BLOOD_PLASMA_EXTRACTION_STRIX_LIVING

The log file itself confirms this:
Code: [Select]
[04-09-2018_12-56-13] [INFO] Data folder is:
[04-09-2018_12-56-13] [INFO] Data search is:
[04-09-2018_12-56-13] [INFO] - /home/thesheeep/.local/share/openxcom/
[04-09-2018_12-56-13] [INFO] - /usr/share/ubuntu/openxcom/
[04-09-2018_12-56-13] [INFO] - /usr/local/share/openxcom/
[04-09-2018_12-56-13] [INFO] - /usr/share/openxcom/
[04-09-2018_12-56-13] [INFO] - /var/lib/snapd/desktop/openxcom/
[04-09-2018_12-56-13] [INFO] - /var/lib/snapd/desktop/openxcom/
[04-09-2018_12-56-13] [INFO] - /usr/local/share/openxcom/
[04-09-2018_12-56-13] [INFO] - /usr/share/openxcom/
[04-09-2018_12-56-13] [INFO] - ./
[04-09-2018_12-56-13] [INFO] User folder is: /home/thesheeep/.local/share/openxcom/
[04-09-2018_12-56-13] [INFO] Config folder is: /home/thesheeep/.config/openxcom/
[04-09-2018_12-56-13] [INFO] Options loaded successfully.
[04-09-2018_12-56-13] [INFO] SDL initialized successfully.
[04-09-2018_12-56-14] [INFO] SDL_mixer initialized successfully.
[04-09-2018_12-56-14] [INFO] requested file not found: openxcom.png
[04-09-2018_12-56-14] [INFO] Attempting to set display to 1920x1080x8...
[04-09-2018_12-56-14] [INFO] Display set to 1920x1080x8.
[04-09-2018_12-56-14] [INFO] Loading data...
[04-09-2018_12-56-14] [INFO] Scanning standard mods in 'standard'...
[04-09-2018_12-56-14] [INFO] Scanning user mods in '/home/thesheeep/.local/share/openxcom/mods'...
[04-09-2018_12-56-14] [INFO] Mapping resource files...
[04-09-2018_12-56-14] [INFO] Resources files mapped successfully.
[04-09-2018_12-56-14] [INFO] Loading rulesets...
[04-09-2018_12-56-14] [INFO] Loading rulesets...
[04-09-2018_12-56-14] [INFO] Loading fonts... Font.dat
[04-09-2018_12-56-14] [INFO] Loading extra resources from ruleset...
[04-09-2018_12-56-14] [INFO] Loading custom palettes from ruleset...
[04-09-2018_12-56-14] [INFO] Making palette backups...
[04-09-2018_12-56-14] [INFO] Data loaded successfully.
[04-09-2018_12-56-14] [INFO] Loading language...
[04-09-2018_12-56-14] [INFO] Language loaded successfully.
[04-09-2018_12-56-14] [INFO] OpenXcom started successfully!
[04-09-2018_12-56-14] [INFO] Using software scaling routine. For best results, try an OpenGL filter.
[04-09-2018_12-56-37] [INFO] Mapping resource files...
[04-09-2018_12-56-37] [INFO] Resources files mapped successfully.
[04-09-2018_12-56-37] [INFO] Attempting to set display to 1920x1080x8...
[04-09-2018_12-56-37] [INFO] Display set to 1920x1080x8.
[04-09-2018_12-56-37] [INFO] SDL_mixer initialized successfully.
[04-09-2018_12-56-37] [INFO] Loading data...
[04-09-2018_12-56-37] [INFO] Scanning standard mods in 'standard'...
[04-09-2018_12-56-37] [INFO] Scanning user mods in '/home/thesheeep/.local/share/openxcom/mods'...
[04-09-2018_12-56-37] [INFO] reservedSpace for: piratez is: 3
[04-09-2018_12-56-37] [INFO] reservedSpace for: x-com-files is: 2
[04-09-2018_12-56-37] [INFO] reservedSpace for: xcom1 updated to: 2
[04-09-2018_12-56-37] [INFO] Mapping resource files...
[04-09-2018_12-56-37] [INFO] Resources files mapped successfully.
[04-09-2018_12-56-37] [INFO] Loading rulesets...
[04-09-2018_12-56-37] [INFO] Loading rulesets...
[04-09-2018_12-56-41] [ERROR] Unknow reserch STR_TROLLIUM
[04-09-2018_12-56-41] [ERROR] Unknow reserch STR_REPTOID_MEDIC
[04-09-2018_12-56-41] [ERROR] Unknow reserch STR_TROLLIUM
[04-09-2018_12-56-41] [ERROR] Unknow reserch STR_TROLLIUM
..... (a lot of these)
[04-09-2018_12-56-41] [ERROR] Unknow reserch STR_TROLLIUM
[04-09-2018_12-56-41] [ERROR] Unknow reserch STR_TROLLIUM
[04-09-2018_12-56-41] [ERROR] Unknow require STR_ZOMBIE_STRIX_TERRORIST in production STR_BLOOD_PLASMA_EXTRACTION_STRIX_LIVING

I'm not sure if this is a bug or I did something about the installation wrong - if this is a bug, feel free to move it to the bug reports.
As a note, this is a self-built OpenXcomExPlus version (August 31 2018, to be precise, the very latest) and Piratez itself works just fine with it. And the error messages do not really look like some version mismatch.
Is there anything more to do than to copy the X-Com Files mod to the user folder's "mods" folder and select it in the mods list?
« Last Edit: September 04, 2018, 01:15:26 pm by TheSHEEEP »

Offline Niewiem

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Re: The X-Com Files - 0.9.4: We Need a Bigger Gun
« Reply #2015 on: September 04, 2018, 01:52:28 pm »
The mod has openxcom extended in itself. You should
a) unpack
b) copy original UFO to Xcom Files
c) run xcom files

Offline ohartenstein23

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Re: The X-Com Files - 0.9.4: We Need a Bigger Gun
« Reply #2016 on: September 04, 2018, 02:13:44 pm »
 Okay, the first issue you're running into is that there is no 31 August OXCE+ version - you pulled the code from Meridian's WIP branch to merge in OXCE 4.0. You need to grab the latest code from his oxce3.5-plus-proto branch.

Second, it looks like you're somehow loading XCF on top of Piratez - I don't know how, but you need to disable Piratez before loading up XCF.

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Re: The X-Com Files - 0.9.4: We Need a Bigger Gun
« Reply #2017 on: September 04, 2018, 02:53:01 pm »
The mod has openxcom extended in itself. You should
a) unpack
b) copy original UFO to Xcom Files
c) run xcom files
I'm running on linux (as a look at the log could have told you ;) ). Afaik, there is no prepackaged linux version of any mod.
The website with the linux builds of OXCE seems to be down.

Okay, the first issue you're running into is that there is no 31 August OXCE+ version - you pulled the code from Meridian's WIP branch to merge in OXCE 4.0. You need to grab the latest code from his oxce3.5-plus-proto branch.
I'll try that, thanks!

Edit: That was the problem, indeed.
Mod seems to run well now.

Second, it looks like you're somehow loading XCF on top of Piratez - I don't know how, but you need to disable Piratez before loading up XCF.
I don't. It is disabled in the config file.
I think it appears in the log merely because it exists in the files (it shows in the line before that it now scans the folders, so I guess that's just the output that it is found), but isn't loaded.
« Last Edit: September 04, 2018, 03:11:36 pm by TheSHEEEP »

Offline Moon_Dew

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Re: The X-Com Files - 0.9.4: We Need a Bigger Gun
« Reply #2018 on: September 07, 2018, 07:58:55 pm »
Latest build has the "Floater Legionnaire Autopsy" research topic available from the start, even those there is no Floater Legionnaire corpse in the inventory.  Don't know why no one has said anything about it yet.

Offline Thunderwing280

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Re: The X-Com Files - 0.9.4: We Need a Bigger Gun
« Reply #2019 on: September 07, 2018, 08:01:16 pm »
Latest build has the "Floater Legionnaire Autopsy" research topic available from the start, even those there is no Floater Legionnaire corpse in the inventory.  Don't know why no one has said anything about it yet.
That has already been mentioned a while ago, I thought it was fixed?

Offline Moon_Dew

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Re: The X-Com Files - 0.9.4: We Need a Bigger Gun
« Reply #2020 on: September 07, 2018, 08:04:46 pm »
Nope, unless the link to the fixed version isn't in the original post.

Offline Niewiem

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Re: The X-Com Files - 0.9.4: We Need a Bigger Gun
« Reply #2021 on: September 07, 2018, 10:53:44 pm »
From what I see it is version 0.9.4c which should have this problem fixed...
Using post from discord you could also try replacing those files from attachment

Offline Moon_Dew

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Re: The X-Com Files - 0.9.4: We Need a Bigger Gun
« Reply #2022 on: September 08, 2018, 05:11:21 am »
Nope, didn't work.

Offline deltatree4

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Re: The X-Com Files - 0.9.4: We Need a Bigger Gun
« Reply #2023 on: September 08, 2018, 03:29:09 pm »
Hi I love your mod and i would like to suggest you a type of mission:  "Sneaky INFILTRATION", basically you have to infiltrate to a civilian complex to steal data(or else, even kidnap someone) . No deadly weapons allowed, it focus much more on stealth, it would be interesting to have more equipment to allow you to succeed (armor to improve stealth but debuff other parameters, for balance.)

keep up with the good work.

Offline justaround

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Re: The X-Com Files - 0.9.4: We Need a Bigger Gun
« Reply #2024 on: September 09, 2018, 02:20:18 pm »

Hello, and thank you for your kind words! Sorry for the delay, I have not had the time recently to check this thread. To my defence, my whole free time went into modding. ;)
Hello. It's not a problem. I udnerstand that not only people may be busy, those posts of mine may be daunting. As you see, it took me a few days to get back to you, though partially it was because I played the game some more, got a dozen of more issues.

I will skip the parts where the other members already gave a satisfactory answer/explanation. (Thanks, Krautbernd)

I am thankful for Krautbernd's input as well, though I hope you've checked those bits they answered as well as some answers are only partial - and while I don't require you to answer those I want to make sure you did check them out.

Hopefully the new Pedia entries for vehicles will make things somewhat better.

Looking forward to it!

We don't really have space for more text. I could change "Interpol" to something else (poor translators), but I don't think it's that much of a stretch to engage Interpol - presumably they are equipped to deal with these people. Sure it's an assumption, but I suppose we can leave things a little vague - as much as I would like to build a reasonable setting, it's a tactical game, not an RPG. Unless you think it's really stupid?

No, it's not, I actually like the fluff so it's not my issue either. I just would like to have it underlined as something that actually impacts the works of the council and my organization. Even one more fluff entry coming with any dossier that "Such information, while only tangentially connected to our work, will make the council slightly more favorable in our monthly performance reviews." would do.

That being said, I'd avoid going too far with references. Mention of Xenonauts organization was fun (though it'd be good to have missions to retrieve some of their equipment and data from various caches and other such places) but STALKER's Strelok was a bit on the nose with very random "carries metallic objects on him". Also, it'd be good to stick to one style of presentation - some are real pictures, some are clearly 3D models and of various quality at that. Certainly, I'd prefer fluff and dossier for tiny, non-compulsory one-two-time missions that give certain small benefits (like aforementioned raiding caches for tools and resources or simply researching preserved databanks for data of defunct anti-alien organisations).

They can't be any faster without causing weird behaviour. (Ideally there would be 0 hours, but we can't have that.)

It's fine, as long as it gets assuredly researched by minimal-sized research team the closest midnight report comes around.

This was done as it was partially because of what was mentioned (damage rolls), but also because units in the game aren't complex shapes - they are cylinders with varying height. The armour and the roll together sort of simulate body structure (like being hit in a non-vital spot or the bullet going between your knees). Julian Gollop did it like this and I'm not one to argue with him about X-Com mechanics, it's too ingenious. ;)

But I don't mind mechanics at all, merely stats, which can be adjusted so while they'll take mechanics into account, on average they'll ensure the enemies will be less bulletproof when repeatedly hit or hit with a weapon that deals seemingly unavoidable damage (like explosives).

The entire ghost arc consists of one mission, let's discuss it when there is something substantial to talk about.

Alright, though that may be something for you to consider to add in the basic "weird creature sighted" mission. A ghost.

I was referring the fact that we solve highly complex equations all the time: when walking, throwing things, estimating distances, etc. Psi is no different, as it also is a very complex but subconsious process.

Sure, understood, but then there are two issues - one is the researcher presenting it as a new concept while it's theoretical merely representation of things that are already happening (in which case they should simply say that it's not equations but some sort of effect caused by trained subconscious mind of a psionic-able individual affected by an effort of conscious will) otherwise it's like explaining to a person that using a gun or even a toilet depends on solving a set of complex equations - sure, it does in that context, but it doesn't really help. The second is that it ties it more with a body/brain mechanic than with any paranormal ability.
Not a bad idea per se, but might make actual stun weapons less useful. I'd like to hear more thought on this one.

True, but that's why I prsented it in such particular way - making sure it's merely a tool a psionics able individuals can use well, we don't phase out current stun weapons at all, but provide alternative for some of the characters.

They already are. Though of course we can discuss whether it's the right place/moment to show them.

That's the problem. In my campaign they were shown up among ufopedia artifacts despite me not even researching psiclones themselves. Thus, reporting it as a bug.

I'm open to suggestions, I honestly don't know what should be clarified further. (Emphasis on "should" - I like surprises.)

Sure. I am thinking of adjusting mission descriptions depending on what enemies spawn. When I click detail, I'd like to know if what was seen was some single big creature (spawning single fenrir wolf, a shambler etc), many oversized animals (rats, spiders, scorpions, beetles), diseased humanoid or humanoids (zombie, with distinction whether it's a single one or a group of them) or some absolutely alien creatures (muckstars, abominations).

Speaking of muckstars.
Spoiler:
Muckstars move with a sound of someone slurping something through a straw. Please, no slurping muckstars. They levitate, like some drones and floaters. Long enough round and the slurping grows really bothersome.

Technical limitations, but also the Chief Accountant explains straight away why it takes so long.

I understand, though again - I think just making the value low enough that it'll be done after several hours waiting for the closest midnight report would be enough.

Gollop didn't care, so I'm not going to care either. :P To be honest I don't really know the difference myself, so I would not touch this anyway.

But, isn't a mistake a mistake even when Gollop commits it? I mean, part of OpenXCOM isn't to merely make the game work on new OS, but to fix many things Gollop left messed up since as great as the guy's contribution is, he's still human. Anyway, it's really up to you as like I've said, the issue isn't big. The difference is realyl simple and immediately understood once you google it - clip is a little strip you put cartridges ("bullets") on, magazine is the box with the cartridges you put into the gun (sometimes already having that strip). Generally, skimming through this will explain it all.

Eh, maybe someday. I don't make new arcs just because I had an urge; most of these were planned since the beginning a few years ago

But.. wait. Isn't the fact that you working on things you've planned earlier actually meaning that you're polishing/building/improving things now? Why "maybe someday" then? I am confused.

Hey hey, you wanna get me strangled or what? :P Shining like a Christmas tree is often a bad thing, I can't force personal light on the players
And night is actually advantageous in most situations.

I fully understand, but even making more use of those inbuilt, toggleable suit lights feature Krautbernd mentions that's already in game would be fully satisfying. Currently nothing seems to really use them to degree even as great as what I can achieve by having my cellphone screen lit up - I understand regular suits, kevlar vests and leather coats may not have those, but exosuits, actual sci-fi armors etc all could have inbuilt toggleable light and have it comparable with actual flashlight. Also, still, flashlights could use price reduction. Even really quality ones don't cost as much as a proper gun IRL :P

You have to draw the line somewhere. If you're grabbing surf boards, why not chairs? TVs? Lamp posts? You get my point. :D

True, but it's kinda mine as well! Currently there's no consistency and agents often grab items at random. They will grab human sacrifice and dead farmers corpses but won't do anything with them (first is sellable for a lot fo cash for some reason, the other you have to pay a lot of cash to get rid of despite already being penalized in cash by the council) but won't do the same with random corpses in spider infested mines or other civilian corpses, they will grab bones and skulls (some will net you a bit of cash, some you have to actually pay, again, to get rid of which is kinda weird and unfair) but won't grab those leather bags filled with whatever or piles of gore. Generally, it's all inconsistent and makes no sense.


It's meant to be a nuisance... Not sure what is wrong here?

The fact it's kinda arbitrarily unfair. Most of the corpses council takes care of, some they for whatever reason - like aforementioned sacrifices - are even valuable. But then at random, council cleaners go on a strike and declare you have to grab and take a corpse of random farmer with you, then pay out of your own pocket to get rid of it despite the fact that the farmer dying is already penalizing you (negative points in mission review and thus council performance review at the end of the month). Such nuisance is unfair and may be even seen as insulting. Plus, again, lack of consistency. Either the council members are professionals or they're not working at all - they should clean any corpses and remains not directly connected to the case and important as some clue or material for XCOM operations. Again, exactly as how you wrote it:

You have to draw the line somewhere. If you're grabbing surf boards, why not chairs? TVs? Lamp posts? You get my point. :D

Where I'd like to kindly ask, maybe the line should be drawn at regular corpses that cannot be studied or other such remains that are just regular pieces of bone and whatnot of no practical value? Especially when they're arbitrarily "this corpse of some regular guy we will buy off you for a ton of money but that one, nuh-uh, I dislike their face, we will only let you get rid of if you pay us a ton of money".

Wat????
This isn't how it works...

Yes, it shouldn't, which is why I mention it! Maybe it was my mistake because I know there are separate missions for police and for military (though questionably, some of them, like the one with vampire knights, it should be military taking care of). Will report again if I'll stumble upon mission name-police/army mismatch?

Purely arbitrary. I could make it an end game tech which requires the Psi-Amp and Ethereal Commander and whatever, and it would still be legit. It is there because I've decided it should be there, for many balance-related reasons.

Sure, just making suggestion how it could be moved around to be good, though admittedly, if you had balance reasons I am not aware of, it may be that my suggestion would make things worse (though it was made with balance in mind as well, restructured in a way that'd wouldn't impact current order of access to items while providing basics of fluff knowledge for the content already available).

To sum up: the Council as a whole is not your friend.

True. I prefer to think of them as an employer, potentially reluctant at that. But they generally are pleased with my progress at least in some direction and are paying me more for it, so probably ensuring that data directly related to my work is not hidden, especially when I get Promotion III making me a global defense initiative - would benefit them as well.

On which stage?

Aforementioned third (last?) one? It's a nitpick, just a matter fo taste - I'd just like to have the global aspect of it underlined.

This should not be happening. Have you seen something like this? How long after the faction is destroyed?

Pretty sure it was Cult of Dagon, about a month (maybe just a few days less/more) since researching getting rid of them tech. Possibly also Cyberweb, but they seem to be already reported since my last post.
Edit: I've read around about how mechanics of setting up/deleting missions works. Will report it again if I'll confirm it was longer than a month and thus the mission shouldn't be scheduled at all.

Show me a game with more fluidity. :P

Is that a challenge?  ;)

Do you really think I wouldn't have done that if it was possible? :)

But the thing is, you CAN do it! At least in case of research, some of the gating is absolutely unnecessary and doesn't even exist in the base game! For example, one require tomb guardians to research vampire knight and then related topics. But they're all sentient, able to talk and so one should just be able to interrogate either the moment they get them, with same results and an access to various techs. Given I got myself vampire knights literally in-game years before stumbling upon a tomb guardian first, shouldn't I be able to just interrogate those vampire knights? If it's meant to be gated, maybe a tech requiring interrogation of both tomb guadian and a vampire knight would do (though I don't see why - sure, it may skip some content but one type of monster isn't weaker than the other so the right to interrogate them is won freely)? Also, why "vampire knight"? They're zombies, so even if it's just a nickname, not actual categorization of the monster, it's kinda misleading.

Anyway, such fluidity seems to be gated in other places as well. For example, some military-grade equipment I can use, other requires certain promotion despite being worse and outdated in comparison to modern stuff while being civilian-grade (you can legally buy it in certain countries IRL without additional permits). Same with alien tech. Sonic weapons and plasma ones I got long before working with laser (I believe the first ever alien whom I killed that dropped a plasma pistol). But it's again, years in game, with my men running around in cyber armors and flying in alien-tech-adjusted Skymarshals together with their psionic field hybrid compatriots fighting mutons, cyberdiscs and whatnot and those sonic and plasma guns still just rot in my storage. I mean, I got those weapons, I got them long time ago, shouldn't I be able to at least research them somewhat? I understand if I'd get a red-tape fluff of insufficient gear allowance from the council or other such stuff if I am not meant to use them but I fought aliens using them and got them fairly, sometimes at the price of lives - so it is balanced that I'd get to use them as well, at least after getting Promotion III.

So yeah, a lot of it can be made less gated/more fluid. From such tech and gear considerations, to stuff like interrogations, where I understand sometimes only specific type of alien possess specific knowledge, but the interrogation times and results are sometimes very inconsistent (some enemies take much longer to interrogate than others, very similar ones who shouldn't be more resistant etc).

Good point, but it's not easy to do. So for now I've decided to ignore it, as it's a very rare situation to have a living creature but not a dead one.

But.. it is very easy to do. Even I can do it, just let me turn currently-blocked option "Retain interrogate aliens" (which leaves their dead bodies after interrogation) on in advanced options!

There are already multiple sources, though most are only available in later game.

True, and I think it's awesome thing you've done - I'd just hope for more such stuff at all stages of the game, sometimes even as a goal of some small mission, even if it's not vital to pushing the plot forward :P

Yes, I have a few ideas already. Will work at it when I have time.

Sure - looking forward to it! But like I've ranted earlier, a lot of linearity could be simply improved by not gating various things. Mixing improvement of that with various balancing (better weapons much more expensive to stock with ammo, some weapons good but cannot be made, only scavenged, some better in one stat but worse in the other) should take care of it as well!

I understand the tech tree viewer is not good enough for you. But what exactly is missing? What info should be added and where? I'm open for suggestions.

It's not as much tree viewer as some things that do not appear in various places but should. Most item/people listings in workshop on 'info' middle-click does not tell me what are the stats of the item (giving me ufopedia item entry) but provides me with a topic and requirements as if I'd left-click the same item. I cannot check info in base information > stores on any item or personnel. I'd like to be able to see what information is left to be extracted from some captured gangster/cultist/alien outside of actually choosing them as a research topic for interrogation.

Next post - (more, as some was mentioned in this post as well) new stuff (character limit reached).
« Last Edit: September 10, 2018, 12:08:07 pm by justaround »