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

[krautbernd]

I'm sorry for butting in, and I haven't personally reached that point in the tech tree myself, but it seems the issue is this: To research weaker guns you need to get and research stronger guns( ...which then lead back to stronger guns you already have?). That seems less a quirk and more a logic and/or common sense error to me, as a player.

You need to reasearch recovered gauss weapons (i.e. gauss pistol/rifle...) to be able to research mass drivers to be able to research gauss weapons (i.e. the research topic) to enable production of gauss weapons. I think i understand how Solraius wants this to work, and it i'm all aboard as far as locking production of Gauss weapons is concerned.

The problem i have with the current research tree is that you can't research recovered mass driver weapons (which are reverse engineered from gauss weapons), but you can research recovered gauss weapons. I think i'm going to change this in my modded game by adding 'reverse engineer mass driver X' / 'design mass driver X' research topics (using lookups, since afaik you can't unlock a research topic that requires an item without actually having that item in store).

Also I'm watching a streamer going through XCF right now, and there seems to be either an error or unclear info on difference between napalm and incendiary grenades. If you judge those by ufopedia articles and stats, then incendiaries are better while given to the player first. They have higher damage and larger blast radius. BUT if you hold alt in inventory screen in-mission napalm shows MORE damage.

IIRC the incendiary grenade uses the UFO damage formula (0-200%) while the napalm grenade uses TFTD's damage formula (50-150%).

[Solarius Scorch]

I think i'm going to change this in my modded game by adding 'reverse engineer mass driver X' / 'design mass driver X' research topics (using lookups, since afaik you can't unlock a research topic that requires an item without actually having that item in store).

Since I want to revisit this anyway, would you mind sharing this mod?

IIRC the incendiary grenade uses the UFO damage formula (0-200%) while the napalm grenade uses TFTD's damage formula (50-150%).

Not really, the thing is that incendiary grenades deal normal fire damage (5-10), while napalm deals a lot more.

[krautbernd]

Since I want to revisit this anyway, would you mind sharing this mod?

Sure, but it's just going to be anything special - just some additional research topics, additional needItem entries and a changed mass_driver_prerequisites. No new ufopedia entries or anything.

BTW, i also have more 'in depth' (as in with ufopedia entry, tied to promotion, etc.) mod for the recruitment office and large workshop, among other things - want me to upload those too?

Not really, the thing is that incendiary grenades deal normal fire damage (5-10), while napalm deals a lot more.

My bad, i didn't take the different damage types into account. Incendiary is handled different from other types. But RandomType=2 is 50%-150% according to the ruleset reference.

EDIT:
See attachement for modified research topics. Still not happy with this since you'll probably end up with redundant research topics.

[DIhlo]

Not really, the thing is that incendiary grenades deal normal fire damage (5-10), while napalm deals a lot more.

It's probably better to make some kind of indication of that in-game. Because, if you look at ufopedia, now its like this: Incendiary grenade: Incendiary damage 60, radius -1 (and as you get them first you know after using them it's actually 5); Napalm grenade: Incendiary damage 40, radius 3. I can understand if those numbers can't be changed due to engine calculations or what not, but maybe add to the end of the description something like: Inceniary grenade - (5-10 fire damage), napalm grenade - (20-60 fire damage). So that people who only use in-game info can judge it's utility, without extensive testing.

[Solarius Scorch]

Sure, but it's just going to be anything special - just some additional research topics, additional needItem entries and a changed mass_driver_prerequisites. No new ufopedia entries or anything.

It's OK, small things are often good things. I'm not looking forward to any big changes here...

BTW, i also have more 'in depth' (as in with ufopedia entry, tied to promotion, etc.) mod for the recruitment office and large workshop, among other things - want me to upload those too?

The large workshop, maybe. But I can't see the point of a recruitment office - we're not launching Operation Overlord here.

My bad, i didn't take the different damage types into account. Incendiary is handled different from other types. But RandomType=2 is 50%-150% according to the ruleset reference.

Yeah, exactly.

EDIT:
See attachement for modified research topics. Still not happy with this since you'll probably end up with redundant research topics.

OK, I will try to have a look this weekend. Thanks!

It's probably better to make some kind of indication of that in-game. Because, if you look at ufopedia, now its like this: Incendiary grenade: Incendiary damage 60, radius -1 (and as you get them first you know after using them it's actually 5); Napalm grenade: Incendiary damage 40, radius 3. I can understand if those numbers can't be changed due to engine calculations or what not, but maybe add to the end of the description something like: Inceniary grenade - (5-10 fire damage), napalm grenade - (20-60 fire damage). So that people who only use in-game info can judge it's utility, without extensive testing.

Not sure how to do this without going savant on the numbers. That's why I thought the description was clear enough... What exactly is missing from it?

[nicedayright]

Presented without comment.

[Solarius Scorch]

Presented without comment.

Lol, time to camp I guess.

[krautbernd]

Presented without comment.

Also presented without comment (though Solarius might want to have a look at this).

[niculinux]

Taken from here

Yes, Dagon. As I understood the XCF, each cult has its own global zone of influence and preferred set of weapons. EXALT is mostly the Americas and thus US weapons. Black Lotus is East Asian, and they use an array of mostly Chinese/Japanese weaponry. Red Dawn is East Europe/Eurasian Russia, with Soviet weapons. Finally the Church of Dagon is Western-Central Europe/Africa/Middle-East, with said regions weapons. Hence the Galil, MG3 would fall on the later faction.[...]

I wonder if it may be planned a fifth faction, so that every contitent has its own "representative": more specifically i had in mind australia/australasia. Any future chance?

[Solarius Scorch]

Australia is deadly enough as it is.

[niculinux]

Australia is deadly enough as it is.

Or create another to "separate" Africa and Europe 

[krautbernd]

Also presented without comment (though Solarius might want to have a look at this).

Hate to bump the thread for this, but is this intended?

[Meridian]

Hate to bump the thread for this, but is this intended?

Maybe if you write some description?
I saw the original post and decided to just ignore it, because it didn't say anything.

[krautbernd]

I assumed Solarius would have a look, seeing how he also replied to the original post, which mine was a direct reply to. Apparently common pick axes are able to dig through UFO hulls.

[Solarius Scorch]

Yeah, I haven't commented because I didn't think it was a complaint.
I... guess it's possible, if your agent is stupidly strong.