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

[Solarius Scorch]

Speaking of: Perhaps this has been fixed already, but I noticed some of the EXALT units, particularly Goons, have visual bugs on their paper-dolls seen in the Battlescape. Sadly I cannot provide pics right now, but I believe they had a weird, glitched green thing where their secondary weapon should be (usually it happened when they had a pistol and something else in the other hand).

No idea what it's about, sorry. I'd need a proper report, with a save or a pic.

Cool, early flying scouts!

Eh? What scouts?

BFG was already a thing in Piratez, I suppose the graphic was copy-pasted, unless it's slightly different.

It's exactly the same. But the weapon works differently.

Island of Dr. Alpha... Aka, not-Moreau?

Precisely.

I'm not sure what do you mean with "aliens reacting in different ways". Can they destroy your bases by missile strikes ala Piratez or not yet?

Nothing as drastic, there's simply a range of standard alien missions they pick at random instead of having just one response. The most common are Alien Flyby and Alien Retaliation, but there are more.

I also already built multiple HQs in the same base. Will this prevent me from updating them to Advanced HQs once I update?

You were never allowed to do so. If you did it, it was through some loophole. So in short, I have no idea and don't really care how it works.

Also, as for the revived weapons: I haven't tried much yet, but IMO there's the issue that by the time you unlock them, you're probably close enough to unlock Black Ops guns, which makes most of them redundant.

Depends; sometimes yes, but it's not guaranteed.

Also, BlackOps weapons are mostly something else, there isn't a BlackOps OXCW or a BlackOps Jackhammer. I think.

The only possible exception might be the Pancor Shotgun. The grenade-launching rifle seems cool on paper, but it's too heavy and lacks an aimed mode IIRC.

I keep hearing it's OP...

[HT]

Eh? What scouts?

The bats, I mean.

You were never allowed to do so. If you did it, it was through some loophole. So in short, I have no idea and don't really care how it works.

Depends; sometimes yes, but it's not guaranteed.

To be fair, I don't exactly remember how I managed to build 2 HQs in a base, only that I just did. As for the Black Ops weapons, once you get Promotion 2, you unlock Black Ops as a research topic, which already opens a bunch of usable BO weapons IIRC, so you can get them early. The major obstacle to getting them is their price.
 

I keep hearing it's OP...

You mean the Jackhammer, or the OXCW rifle? I have to try either, I only judged from stats.

[Solarius Scorch]

The bats, I mean.

Oh... Of course.

To be fair, I don't exactly remember how I managed to build 2 HQs in a base, only that I just did.

Yeah, TBH it was a bitch to do right.

As for the Black Ops weapons, once you get Promotion 2, you unlock Black Ops as a research topic, which already opens a bunch of usable BO weapons IIRC, so you can get them early. The major obstacle to getting them is their price.

I started a new campaign, so we'll see
 

You mean the Jackhammer, or the OXCW rifle? I have to try either, I only judged from stats.

I meant the OXCW. I haven't had any particular feedback on the Pancor Jackhammer.

[HT]

Do you play your own mod regularly? Don't you get tired of it? After all, you already know what's new in every update. 
 
Either way, after checking the XCF wiki, I confirmed you don't even need Promotion 2 to unlock Black Ops weaponry, "only" to have "All staff contacted" and "Non-standard weapons", topics which you should have unlocked by then. Afterwards, you research "Contact: BO", and you're given a list of "basic" BO weaponry to acquire, such as the pistol and the shotgun. Despite their price, they're still better than most of the cult stuff you get. The OXCW rifle also requires you to unlock the topics that deal with buying weaponry from the EXALT cult, as it needs the same ammo used by the M16 and company, but the OXCW itself doesn't let you buy said ammo by default, only the explosive rounds. On the other hand, chances are you'll want to use that rifle for the explosive rounds anyway.
I'll have to check later, once I download the new update and such.

[Kidd]

This has been a fantastic Mod to play...so much has gone into it.  Thanks for your work.
I'm getting an error message after installing 1.8 stating:

" (DognameCyr/ZZZ_Doge.nam) requested file not found "

Funny though, when I started the game, just on a whim, I chose YES on using Cyrillic Names and the Mod works fine.  But I have a list of Agent names that I can't actually read, LOL.  When I try to run the Mod without using "Cyrillic Names", I get the above error message.  I looked through the folders and couldn't find the file mentioned above, so is it possible that it was simply left out of this version? 

Thanks again for such a great Mod.  I remember first playing the original X-Com Ufo Defense back in the mid 1990s. 

[hipsu]

Did you update the Progress-o-meter?

[Solarius Scorch]

Do you play your own mod regularly? Don't you get tired of it? After all, you already know what's new in every update. 

Honestly? I play far from enough... It's true that you can have too much of a good thing
 

Either way, after checking the XCF wiki, I confirmed you don't even need Promotion 2 to unlock Black Ops weaponry, "only" to have "All staff contacted" and "Non-standard weapons", topics which you should have unlocked by then. Afterwards, you research "Contact: BO", and you're given a list of "basic" BO weaponry to acquire, such as the pistol and the shotgun. Despite their price, they're still better than most of the cult stuff you get. The OXCW rifle also requires you to unlock the topics that deal with buying weaponry from the EXALT cult, as it needs the same ammo used by the M16 and company, but the OXCW itself doesn't let you buy said ammo by default, only the explosive rounds. On the other hand, chances are you'll want to use that rifle for the explosive rounds anyway.
I'll have to check later, once I download the new update and such.

Okay, but what of it? Are you saying that the restricted weapons aren't worth using?

This has been a fantastic Mod to play...so much has gone into it.  Thanks for your work.

Thank you!

I'm getting an error message after installing 1.8 stating:

" (DognameCyr/ZZZ_Doge.nam) requested file not found "

Funny though, when I started the game, just on a whim, I chose YES on using Cyrillic Names and the Mod works fine.  But I have a list of Agent names that I can't actually read, LOL.  When I try to run the Mod without using "Cyrillic Names", I get the above error message.  I looked through the folders and couldn't find the file mentioned above, so is it possible that it was simply left out of this version?

That's very strange, since I haven't touched the DogNameCyr (or the entire Cyrillics submod) in a long time. Sorry, I can't think of any reason it wouldn't work. I'll ask other players on Discord, but perhaps it's just some installation issue.

Thanks again for such a great Mod.  I remember first playing the original X-Com Ufo Defense back in the mid 1990s.

Same. High five!

Did you update the Progress-o-meter?

I knew I missed something.
Do we even still need this? Most arcs are now complete...

[HT]

Okay, but what of it? Are you saying that the restricted weapons aren't worth using?

Revived*, you probably meant.

No, my point was that IMO the BO weapons should be moved to Promotion 2 or even 3, as they're too easy to unlock and makes unlocking the Cult Dealers research topic and the Revived Weapons somewhat pointless, as you're already have access than the stuff the cults have, if very pricey.
They're supposed to be super-elite gear, so being locked behind Promotion 2 minimum would make sense to me. I'm already Prom. 2 in my campaign, so no issues in my case. 

Do we even still need this? Most arcs are now complete...
Okay, but what of it? Are you saying that the restricted weapons aren't worth using?

Really? Yeah, it seems so. The Doom arc is done, yay! Will there be a Doomguy cameo or an easter egg at some point, if there isn't one already?

Now, the MIB arc hopefully is the next one.

[Solarius Scorch]

Revived*, you probably meant.

Right.

No, my point was that IMO the BO weapons should be moved to Promotion 2 or even 3, as they're too easy to unlock (...)

Seriously? After 5 or 6 years of complaints that they come too late and are therefore useless?
I've done some exxxxtreme backflips to make them accessible earlier...

Really? Yeah, it seems so. The Doom arc is done, yay! Will there be a Doomguy cameo or an easter egg at some point, if there isn't one already?

I doubt it, he hasn't been born yet...

Maybe some day, but I don't want to do this just just for the meme/cameo. Doom demons are pretty bad already.

Now, the MIB arc hopefully is the next one.

Yes, along with actual aliens.

[Kidd]

Did you update the Progress-o-meter?

Hmmm...I'm sorry, but I don't know what that means.  I searched around a bit, but couldn't figure it out.  I'm a bit of an amateur at this.

[thisnameismeta]

Do the changes to alien embassies now mean it's impossible to reclaim lost countries? I'd be a bit sad if that was no longer possible.

[Fomka]

...
Also, as for the revived weapons: I haven't tried much yet, but IMO there's the issue that by the time you unlock them, you're probably close enough to unlock Black Ops guns, which makes most of them redundant.
...

What are those revived weapons?

G11 is now a revived weapon.

Congratulations on new version!

[HT]

Seriously? After 5 or 6 years of complaints that they come too late and are therefore useless?
I've done some exxxxtreme backflips to make them accessible earlier...

Uh, okay then, I guess everyone has a different opinion. Since I've been playing this mod for... How long has it been, 5 years already? The point is that I know which gear is best and thus rush for certain items ASAP.

I doubt it, he hasn't been born yet...

What about the classic Doom armor model then? Since all of the UAC stuff is around already, and it's a thing in Piratez, perhaps you can port it as special armor of sorts.

Yes, along with actual aliens.

You mean, besides all of the aliens already a thing since forever? 

What are those revived weapons?

Special weapons you unlock after researching the "Revived Weapons" Topic, of variable usefulness, as you need to be Promotion 2 minimum to get the first one to unlock. After you do so, you can buy them as usual. I dunno if cultists use them.
 

That reminds me: Does researching the "'x weapon' Acquisition" research topics give you any points for scoring purposes? They only take one day usually, since it's mostly taking care of the red tape, but the game still counts them as research topics.

[Mrvex]

You mean, besides all of the aliens already a thing since forever?

 alien arc is almost vanilla when i brought up the complain about the RNG, capture rullet being quite boring and infuriating thing that ruins the gradual progression of gear that was somewhat consistent throughout the game. And this is probably my only largest gripe with the mod that mid to late game isnt as fun as the early game.

Well, Solarius said it himself

Maybe when there is an arc, and not just one big placeholder working like vanilla.

I hope it'll happen

The idea is to have less generic missions and more storyline. But I don't have a clear vision yet.

Alot of the tech are also chain-linked to each other or through advanced laboratory, so even if you unlocked 4 of them, you wont be able to make them till you unlock another techs to be able to make the laboratory. This leads to mass-gear unlock which instantly starts to render each other obsolete because the moment you finish the research, its direct upgrade shows up. I have yet to get powerarmour AND not get Juggernaut after the research is done, the only reason to ever make powerarmour would be economic, but usually by the time you can make juggernaut armour, you wont have a shortage of aqua plastics.

[Mathel]

 alien arc is almost vanilla when i brought up the complain about the RNG, capture rullet being quite boring and infuriating thing that ruins the gradual progression of gear that was somewhat consistent throughout the game. And this is probably my only largest gripe with the mod that mid to late game isnt as fun as the early game.

Well, Solarius said it himself
Alot of the tech are also chain-linked to each other or through advanced laboratory, so even if you unlocked 4 of them, you wont be able to make them till you unlock another techs to be able to make the laboratory. This leads to mass-gear unlock which instantly starts to render each other obsolete because the moment you finish the research, its direct upgrade shows up. I have yet to get powerarmour AND not get Juggernaut after the research is done, the only reason to ever make powerarmour would be economic, but usually by the time you can make juggernaut armour, you wont have a shortage of aqua plastics.

You might have a shortage of electronics thought. Juggernauts now cost Alien Electronics.