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

[vadracas]

Xcomfan, There are several(8 or so) arcs in this mod with a full vanilla campaign's length and much more flavor. Plus, there are multiple others currently in development. Plus, the alien invasion is like 4 vanilla campaigns on it's own.


There is plenty to unlock, more sensible content is always amazing, but there is literally no point in locking things arbitrarily instead of doing so in a way that makes sense, like this mod does.

[xcomfan]

Ok, just my 2 cents

[Solarius Scorch]

I really like this idea. In fact, I wouldn't mind some sort of one-time guaranteed random events for various bigger changes in the world in general. Stuff like foreshadowing of certain events informing one that council/player received intel about this or that (rare creature, some sightings, special mission or new type of it being unlocked/disappearing).

Examples such as:

Spoiler:

"An important antarctic research station stopped responding to any attempts of communication. While currently there's no reports of any discernible threats approaching its area, rumors claim that the Council is conerned. You will be provided with actionable information once it will be deemed necessary" a few days before The Thing event, or
"A vast cave system reaching deep into Earth's crust was discovered in [area]. Jumbled rumors of dangerous creatures are currently investigated by the Council's intelligence networks." some time after researching the whole underground shebang

could add quite much to the narrative and a bit more of insight into X-Com - Council relations.

It's a neat idea, I'll note it down.

I'll admit I'm not very far at all, but I thought up something this morning exactly along these lines:
The mod's all about red tape, but who is causing all that red tape? Why do you HAVE to eliminate at least one cult before you can research promotion III? Well what I figured is that the UN bureaucrats are effectively deadlocked due to cult interference prior to the elimination of at least one. With evidence to back up the corruption of a handful of certain UN officials, their non-cult allies distance themselves quickly and throw their support behind XCOM. So even if the other cults are around, the deadlock is ended and enough of a majority now exists for all restrictions to be jettisoned. Pretty simple explanation.

Would be nice if something along those lines unlocked along with Promotion I, II, and III. Partial text from a meeting or recorded phone call about why XCOM is being so heavily stonewalled, even if you drag  a sectoid corpse right in front of them.

This is already rather covered, and will be expanded upon.

I don't think it's about red tape and traitorous council so much as it is about funding and trust by the time you reach Promo II->III.

You could say it's both
(It's complicated.)

[Slaughter]

X-COM facing so much red tape makes sense if you think about it from a juridical-intelligence perspective.

X-COM is something never seen in world history : A beyond top-secret worldwide intelligence agency slash investigation bureau slash black ops special forces military outfit.

Jurisprudence: Every single inch of Earth's surface.

Its FBI + CIA + NKVD + Interpol + Special Forces. Also, the capability of research in every area of science and manufacturing equipment.

Imagine, if you will, in a normal context, the FBI caught five guys armed to the teeth in New York, shooting a bunch of "perfectly innocent civilians." With assault rifles and military explosives. One guy is from Iran, the other is from Russia, forth is from China, fifth is from Venezuela. All your data says those guys served the police/military/intelligence agencies of those countries.

Something like X-COM would be a legal and international law nightmare.



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[Thermite]

X-COM facing so much red tape makes sense if you think about it from a juridical-intelligence perspective.

X-COM is something never seen in world history : A beyond top-secret worldwide intelligence agency slash investigation bureau slash black ops special forces military outfit.

Jurisprudence: Every single inch of Earth's surface.

Its FBI + CIA + NKVD + Interpol + Special Forces. Also, the capability of research in every area of science and manufacturing equipment.

Imagine, if you will, in a normal context, the FBI caught five guys armed to the teeth in New York, shooting a bunch of "perfectly innocent civilians." With assault rifles and military explosives. One guy is from Iran, the other is from Russia, forth is from China, fifth is from Venezuela. All your data says those guys served the police/military/intelligence agencies of those countries.

Something like X-COM would be a legal and international law nightmare.



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Without considering all the politics behind that chaos. Imagine the fighting and finger pointing that would happen in the global political stage, I bet wars would be fought over because of the incident.

[LuigiWhatif]

Are the Gertrude Ellison and Dr Hadriex missions one-chance-only?  The text didn't seem to say they were but the after I didn't complete the Ellison mission it hasn't shown up again and now I'm a little worried.  The Hadriex mission just spawned outside my dragonfly's range and I want to know if I can wait for it to spawn in a better place.

[Solarius Scorch]

Are the Gertrude Ellison and Dr Hadriex missions one-chance-only?  The text didn't seem to say they were but the after I didn't complete the Ellison mission it hasn't shown up again and now I'm a little worried.  The Hadriex mission just spawned outside my dragonfly's range and I want to know if I can wait for it to spawn in a better place.

Yes, both are one-time only.

Don't worry though, they are not essential for game completion.

EDIT:

Version 1.4 has been released.

- New units: Gillman Hero, Skeleton, Lich, Wizkid Rocket Drone.
- New weapons: X-Com Assault Plasma, USP Match (both graphics by Brain_322), Throwing Axes, Spear, Thunder Arcer.
- New items: Handcuffs (by Kozinsky, including handcuffing mechanics), Criminal Records, Dino Egg, Dino Egg Shell.
- New AI chassis: Rocket Drone.
- New terrains: Winter Forest and Winter Marsh (based on tilesets from Bullet Designer and Efrenespartano).
- New missions: Shady Tavern (in 5 variants), Trading with The Wizkids, Cavemen Camping, Dreamscape Necromancer's Dungeon.
- New Ufopedia articles related to the Cult of Apocalypse.
- Black Lotus rationale (by Dragor).
- New facilities: Rat Farm, Sensorium.
- New concept: Strange Creature Breeding (based on concept and sub-mod by Thermite).
- New road maps for Urban Low (by Finnik).
- 2 new Dimension X Base buildings (by Wolverin).
- 7 new events (5 by Sherris, 2 by SparroHawc; all with minor adjustments).
- New Staff Input. New Geoscape theme (from the Amiga AGA version of the original game).
- Monster Terrors will no longer happen after researching Monsters: Final Solution.
- Large Alien Drone can now be disassemblied.
- Improved SCANGs (by Dioxine).
- Psi Defense now depends on Bravery and morale (for good or bad).
- More Swarmids on their paperdoll.
- Enhanced Power Armor and Enforcer graphics (by Wolverin).
- Juggernaut is a bit more resistant to melee attacks.
- New HWP Fusion Bomb sprite (by Brain_322).
- Improved EXALT Master an Bullfrog graphics (by Kato).
- Improved Large Workshop sprite (by Kato).
- Changed Dr. Hadriex' dossier picture, as it was too recognizable.
- Halved Sanity recovery.
- Tritanium is more expensive to produce.
- Electric attacks will no longer provoke self-destruction.
- Ski Resort will not happen after all 4 beginning cults have been resolved.
- Less enemies on the Moon for lower difficulties.
- Added Armored Cars to the Red Dawn HQ.
- Fiddled with Cult of Apocalypse gangs equipment on some missions.
- Sniper rifles never roll low for damage.
- Buffed Sectopod weapon.
- UAC Pistol rebalanced, now works like the UAC Rifle.
- Knockout Grenade is buffed and available earlier.
- Cell Phone can now be used to beat up people.
- Psi-Amp costs slightly tweaked.
- Moved Gillman's electric attack to a special weapon.
- Shotgun batons are no longer AoE.
- Fixed Psiclone damage type.
- Fixed Taser Cannon showing in the Pedia before it's researched.
- Fixed Alien Embassy map generation.
- Flipped vanilla pistol sprite to match other pistols.
- Fixed Scorpoid death animation.
- Various fixes (many thanks to Emil J. Schroeder for help).

[xcomfan]

A new version! I was just to post, how about a random event about corrupted xcom agents? Might be similar to xpiratez "fungus outbreak" that implies some ation from the player; for eg "selling" the officer causes -100.000$ per each of them, researching might also be involved, for exaple researching an "internal anti corruprion commission"

[Doc]

- Added Armored Cars to the Red Dawn HQ.

 

(Good idea! It was a little too easy to rush the entrance and just drop explosives)

[Solarius Scorch]

A new version! I was just to post, how about a random event about corrupted xcom agents?

What's wrong with The Turncoat? Do you mean something else?

(Good idea! It was a little too easy to rush the entrance and just drop explosives)

Yeah, a lot of people said it was too easy now.

[xcomfan]

What's wrong with The Turncoat? Do you mean something else?

Oh i did not know about that...it'a new feature?

[Slaughter]

Yay, new version!

Feels good to see my little input there.

Hah, I always knew you could beat someone up with one of those ancient brickphones of the 90s! Mother owned one of those in... 1998 I think? Geez those things were heavy and enormous. Made those early 2000s phones look sleek and light.

Signs of the Apocalypse! Sounds omnious! But hey, what about the arc tracker at the OP? Update?

So... How I update my current running game?

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[nicedayright]

As a firearm autism moment, the pedia entry for the AKM is incorrect about the calibre. The AKM still uses 7.62x39 rather than 5.45x39 as noted.

[Bonakva]

Hmm, I'm playing version 1.4. I investigated the purchase of Grenade Launcher. Grenades have appeared,
but there is no Grenade Launcher.

[nicedayright]

Hmm, I'm playing version 1.4. I investigated the purchase of Grenade Launcher. Grenades have appeared,
but there is no Grenade Launcher.

Make sure you have Promotion II and explosives license. For anything confusing, try hitting Q on the geoscape and searching the tech tree, which shows prerequisites. Some people consider that cheating, but I'm honestly not sure how I'd live without it.