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

[AlicePaws]

Two off-topic questions...

1) What's the recommendation for updating mid-campaign? I've got a 1.7 going that's in the first year of the invasion. Do I stick to 1.7 or is updating to 1.8 recommended?
2) Googled but came up with nothing... what's up with the Skymarshall and tanks? I can't get it off that thing! Sure, it can't hit a damn thing, but... it's a tank! I want it!

Edit: huh. the issue with the Skymarshall and my tank seems to maybe be map specific.

The Skymarshall thing is indeed a map specific thing, it seems to be a small rock, I used the cannon (NOT the explosive one, I don't recommend that so close to your items and troops) and it cleared up the obstruction

[misha_cilantro]

The Skymarshall thing is indeed a map specific thing, it seems to be a small rock, I used the cannon (NOT the explosive one, I don't recommend that so close to your items and troops) and it cleared up the obstruction

Ah beans thanks for the warning! I did actually blast the ground until I could move without ever considering my gear O..o I'll... see if anything got blown up and restore if it did. Thanks for the warning.

You can go ahead and update to 1.8. Just make sure to get the latest OXCE.

Okay, I updated and it seems good. The only weirdness is that I had an Alien Embassy mission on the map. It's still there, with a missing string, and I can do it without keys now. Should I do it? Go in and abort? Hack it out of the save file somehow??

[Solarius Scorch]

Okay, I updated and it seems good. The only weirdness is that I had an Alien Embassy mission on the map. It's still there, with a missing string, and I can do it without keys now. Should I do it? Go in and abort? Hack it out of the save file somehow??

Yeah, we left the relevant code in, so old saves aren't broken. It just won't appear in the future.

You can do the mission if you like. Personally, I'd just remove it from the save as an old feature, but it shouldn't cause any issues.

[hipsu]

Just raided my first STR_ALIEN_BIG_BASE_ aka Colony aka former Embassy.

My two cents for the political debate: I think it could be fun if, after a country withdraws, some sort of resistance faction would emerge. But the Alien Embassy/Colony is keeping them busy. Destroy the Colony and while you wouldn't get the country back, you'd start to get care packages from the resistance or something. What that would be, I dunno. Radar boost within that country at least, helps finding proper bases there. Maybe money (obviously less than what the country gave while still on board). Equipment maybe but could be a nuisance if it's obsolete... Anyways, I think something fun could be done here.

And if you ever decide there should be a way to get a country back, supporting the resistance with some escalating missions would be the way to go. Or supporting with costly research/manufacturing projects that trades time and money towards getting the country back...

[AlicePaws]

A few questions:

1) Are there any reasons as to why the clinics are so inconsistent? do they have a specific trigger? I've done 3 runs and in my current one I haven't had a single clinic mission pop up, and I already have the hybrid circuitry thing that lets you recruit hybrids, the last two campaigns I did have them occur regularly (both shady and sinister), I don't believe I had this happen before 1.8

2) Do MIB bases spawn more of their UFO's or missions?

3) Is there somewhere where I can read what each of the different UFO missions do?

4) Are sectopods my only option for alien electronics? I remember getting them from some missions but I cant recall which exactly, and I havent been getting them from UFO's or disassemblies

* An observation: I am not sure if this is just on my end or an OXCE thing rather than XCF but since the last update some of the HIDDEN MOVEMENT for the AI really tank my framerate or stutter a lot (I'm not entirely sure what the correct term is), again its more of an observation rather than a question

[krautbernd]

4) Are sectopods my only option for alien electronics? I remember getting them from some missions but I cant recall which exactly, and I havent been getting them from UFO's or disassemblies

No, you can get the from disassembling certain power armors and other (robotic) alien units. If you don't care about spoilers you can search the manufacture.rul for alien electronics to find out which ones. IIRC you can also recover them as loot from some cult related missions.

[GRUNCHmitCH]

Öi Solarius,

I´m trying to write something to thank you ( and everyone who helped with this) for letting me relive the experience of playing ufo back then... literally can´t find the words though, so I´ll just go for it:

You complete me and I love you

[Solarius Scorch]

My two cents for the political debate: I think it could be fun if, after a country withdraws, some sort of resistance faction would emerge. But the Alien Embassy/Colony is keeping them busy. Destroy the Colony and while you wouldn't get the country back, you'd start to get care packages from the resistance or something. What that would be, I dunno. Radar boost within that country at least, helps finding proper bases there. Maybe money (obviously less than what the country gave while still on board). Equipment maybe but could be a nuisance if it's obsolete... Anyways, I think something fun could be done here.

And if you ever decide there should be a way to get a country back, supporting the resistance with some escalating missions would be the way to go. Or supporting with costly research/manufacturing projects that trades time and money towards getting the country back...

Sounds like a fun module, but quite complex on both the base code and the content...

1) Are there any reasons as to why the clinics are so inconsistent? do they have a specific trigger? I've done 3 runs and in my current one I haven't had a single clinic mission pop up, and I already have the hybrid circuitry thing that lets you recruit hybrids, the last two campaigns I did have them occur regularly (both shady and sinister), I don't believe I had this happen before 1.8

Clinics were removed, therefore irrelevant. Anyway, they don't influence hybrid recruitment.

2) Do MIB bases spawn more of their UFO's or missions?

Right now, all bases are the same, regardless of race/faction.

3) Is there somewhere where I can read what each of the different UFO missions do?

Articles on the missions, including vanilla ones. There's nothing else.

* An observation: I am not sure if this is just on my end or an OXCE thing rather than XCF but since the last update some of the HIDDEN MOVEMENT for the AI really tank my framerate or stutter a lot (I'm not entirely sure what the correct term is), again its more of an observation rather than a question

I really don't think that's the case.

Öi Solarius,

I´m trying to write something to thank you ( and everyone who helped with this) for letting me relive the experience of playing ufo back then... literally can´t find the words though, so I´ll just go for it:

You complete me and I love you

You're breathtaking!

[AlicePaws]

Gotcha, thanks Solarius! this mod's amazing 

[krautbernd]

Just a small nitpick - all the tavern raid missions have an abort penalty, even those where the informant is nowhere to be found. Wouldn't it be prudent in that case for X-Com to stage a tactical retreat, seeing how your agents are (in most cases) not wearing armor and the primary target (extracting the informant) can not be accomplished?

[Solarius Scorch]

Just a small nitpick - all the tavern raid missions have an abort penalty, even those where the informant is nowhere to be found. Wouldn't it be prudent in that case for X-Com to stage a tactical retreat, seeing how your agents are (in most cases) not wearing armor and the primary target (extracting the informant) can not be accomplished?

Well, it's subject to interpretation. Basically, you failed the mission even before it started, so now you either make up for it by "solving the case", or you'll have no defence from the pricks on the Council.

[krautbernd]

Isn't that a bit contrived though, seeing how you only get a penalty of 15 when you abort and your contact has been "taken" by the MIB? On that account, shouldn't you get a penalty for killing the MIB in that case too (seeing how they also act on the councils instructions)?

[Solarius Scorch]

Isn't that a bit contrived though, seeing how you only get a penalty of 15 when you abort and your contact has been "taken" by the MIB? On that account, shouldn't you get a penalty for killing the MIB in that case too (seeing how they also act on the councils instructions)?

It is a little contrived, but what would you propose? To remove abort penalties from the versions with MiB?

[krautbernd]

It is a little contrived, but what would you propose? To remove abort penalties from the versions with MiB?

No, I'd instead redistribute abort penalties for the the other versions - especially the ones where you have an actual chance to extract the target (though for the one that auto-resolves after one turn this would be mostly cosmetic). The council being pricks or not, I'd wager they can and would differentiate between X-Com not being able to meet the target and failing to extract him if he is actually at the location indicated.

[Solarius Scorch]

No, I'd instead redistribute abort penalties for the the other versions - especially the ones where you have an actual chance to extract the target (though for the one that auto-resolves after one turn this would be mostly cosmetic). The council being pricks or not, I'd wager they can and would differentiate between X-Com not being able to meet the target and failing to extract him if he is actually at the location indicated.

So, only apply the penalty if the guy is present?