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

[Chuckebaby]

And so, without further ado, I'm really happy to announce that version 2.8 has been released.

Nice thanks a bunch man. Gonna finish a campaign I'm doing now (almost finished the second time around playing this). I'll start a new one with this new version. Again, can't express enough gratitude toward all involved (to you bro and Dioxine, others).

[PPQ]

Is it save compatible?

[Lone Wolf]

Is it possible to update a campaign playing on a previous version to the newest version?  I have a campaign that I started last February that I have played intermittently over the past year and I don't want to loose my progress.  I probably know the answer to this, but do I have to start a new campaign if I want to play 2.8?   

Also, does the new MIB mission lead to the potential elimination of the faction like how you can permanently wipe out the cults and such?   

[Juku121]

Is it save compatible?

Is it possible to update a campaign playing on a previous version to the newest version?

In theory, yes. In practice, at least your laser sniper rifles will undergo a downgrade. There might or might not be a few more similar issues, but hopefully nothing critical unless you try a really old save.

I have a campaign that I started last February that I have played intermittently over the past year and I don't want to loose my progress.  I probably know the answer to this, but do I have to start a new campaign if I want to play 2.8?   

I don't think there's a hard requirement to restart, or at least you should be able to save-edit yourself out of any technical difficulties.

Is it something like 2.3 that you were playing? What's your progress like? Were you fighting manors? These came along in 2.3 and were probably the biggest change in a long while.

You'll miss out on some rejiggering of the early game stuff, so a restart will definitely get you a few new experiences, but I don't know if it's truly enough to lose e.g. three years of progress over.

In fact, I think I saw some streamers go from 2.1 to 2.7 in one fell swoop and though they did run into some issues with non-existent missions or regions that needed save editing to overcome (not to mention figuring out once again that OXCE is a separate thing and no, 7.0 is too old ), it was eminently doable.

Also, does the new MIB mission lead to the potential elimination of the faction like how you can permanently wipe out the cults and such?

Not that I can tell. You do get to do a major plot-critical mission against them, but they are not getting disbanded or anything like that.

[Lone Wolf]

Yes, I am on 2.3.  I'm very far in the game at this point (May 2001), I have wiped out the cults, cyberweb, syndicate, creatures, and everything in the shogg.  I'm very far along the apocalypse and UAC storylines, but less so on the undead and barely anything with the deep.  As for aliens...I have no idea.  I already did the control center for the Hybrids (I consider them wiped out at this point, though I still get missions for them), and I am barely along the MIB storyline.  I'm not sure about any others...there were a few one off missions like the Asylum, or the cruise ship or those M.A.G.M.A missions which I did, but I don't know if you can call those arcs. 

Basically, I'm pretty far along and am in the late game.  I just got lasers, guass, and sentinel craft so...I'm close to being done? 

I guess I can try updating then.  Thanks for the help!

[Solarius Scorch]

Sorry. You want to move these bits to a separate topic? Or I can just spoiler these parts of my posts.

Another thread is fine.

I can move some posts from here, if need be.

Is it save compatible?

Is it possible to update a campaign playing on a previous version to the newest version?  I have a campaign that I started last February that I have played intermittently over the past year and I don't want to loose my progress.  I probably know the answer to this, but do I have to start a new campaign if I want to play 2.8?

Like Juku said, yes, barring the laser rifle issue (old laser rifles turning into new laser rifles which need ammo packs). I don't think there are any other exceptions.

Also, does the new MIB mission lead to the potential elimination of the faction like how you can permanently wipe out the cults and such?

No, and I don't think you ever will have the option.

[Juku121]

Another thread is fine.

I can move some posts from here, if need be.

Made a new thread and cleaned up my posts. If you want to move, edit or remove some, feel free.

[Solarius Scorch]

Made a new thread and cleaned up my posts. If you want to move, edit or remove some, feel free.

It's all right, thank you.

[Chuckebaby]

Yes, I am on 2.3.  I'm very far in the game at this point (May 2001), I have wiped out the cults, cyberweb, syndicate, creatures, and everything in the shogg.  I'm very far along the apocalypse and UAC storylines, but less so on the undead and barely anything with the deep.  As for aliens...I have no idea.  I already did the control center for the Hybrids (I consider them wiped out at this point, though I still get missions for them), and I am barely along the MIB storyline.  I'm not sure about any others...there were a few one off missions like the Asylum, or the cruise ship or those M.A.G.M.A missions which I did, but I don't know if you can call those arcs. 

Basically, I'm pretty far along and am in the late game.  I just got lasers, guass, and sentinel craft so...I'm close to being done? 

I guess I can try updating then.  Thanks for the help!

You need to interrogate the little green people man (catch live aliens). That is the way you will progress. Well that and through research.
If you still haven't finished the other cults, you may not have caught a boss. If you have then you need to catch some high ranking aliens (medics, engineers and most importantly.. Commanders.

Once you do that you'll open up research for

Spoiler:

Lunar missions

That's all I'm gonna say for now.

[Lone Wolf]

Huh...never having the option to wipe out MIB never occurred to me.  My original plan was to steadily wipe out each faction one by one until only the aliens are left.  I guess that is not happening...

As for captures, yes I have captured a bunch of them, but I do need to do more.  Much more.   

[Lone Wolf]

Since everyone is being so helpful I figured I would ask a few more questions.

1. How long does it take for you to finish an xfiles campaign?  I don't mean in game years, I mean IRL.  It seems like I have been playing this campaign for a long time, and while I don't regret it I also plan to play xpiratez at some point and I hear it is just as massive as this one, if not more.  I also want to check out a few of the other mods like the Halo one, or x-chronicles.  I'm judging how long it might take to finish since it might take years to play them all at this point.

2. How many missions a month do you average normally?  10? 15? 20?  I imagine less in the early game obviously, but when you really get rolling what would everyone say is normal?  I assault a lot of crashed UFOs (or landed) each month on top of all the other ones that spawn so I am anywhere from 10-20.  Is this normal, or am I doing a lot more than I need to? 

[Juku121]

How long does it take for you to finish an xfiles campaign?

Well over a year. Maybe even two. Though I don't play it to the exclusion of everything else.

How many missions a month do you average normally? 

20-40. My last three months were 39, 35 and 27.

Is this normal, or am I doing a lot more than I need to? 

Do you feel you need the loot? And do you enjoy the tactical missions? If not, crash sites are not important. Landings eat some of your score, but not huge amounts.

If you feel the game is dragging on, skipping some missions or debugging yourself through the tedious ones is the way to go, IMO.

[Vakrug]

I also plan to play xpiratez at some point and I hear it is just as massive as this one, if not more.

Xpiratez is at least 5 times longer than XComFiles! Keep that in mind when you start to think that a "finish line" is on the horizon. And due to codexes you are advised to play Xpiratez at least 4 times! Yes, one must dedicate a life to this mod!

EDIT: I take back words about "Xpiratez is 5 times longer than XComFiles". It is still probably longer, but not that much. Also right now (after recent update) in order to progress further in XComFiles you need some luck with randomness...

[Lone Wolf]

Well over a year. Maybe even two. Though I don't play it to the exclusion of everything else.

Damn, I guess I am normal then.  If Xfiles takes that long to finish then I guess I am doing ok.

Do you feel you need the loot? And do you enjoy the tactical missions? If not, crash sites are not important. Landings eat some of your score, but not huge amounts.

If you feel the game is dragging on, skipping some missions or debugging yourself through the tedious ones is the way to go, IMO.

No way I need the loot...I have over 100 million in the bank at this point and I have even spent a few months pulling BS strategies just because I've run out of things to really spend the money on.  I am at the point to where X-com can just watch piles of money burn and laugh while doing it.  I don't even bother selling a lot of the loot and I just stock endless amounts of elirum, alloys, and plasma guns in one of my warehouses.  I have so many scientists and engineers that research and production are of no consequence and I have over 200 soldiers under my command (is there a force limit like in the original?   I think it was 256 troops?).  The UFO landing/crash missions are getting tedious so I think Juku is right about skipping or debugging my way through those.  That is what I ended up having to do in the Imperial Guard campaign of the 40k mod since there were so many missions and bases popping up that it just got to be too much.  Thanks for the advice!

Xpiratez is at least 5 times longer than XComFiles!

Holy shit. 

And due to codexes you are advised to play Xpiratez at least 4 times!

5 x 4 is 20...so 20 times longer than XComFiles.  What are these codexes and their frightening power?!  I think I'm going to have to comprise a list of questions and move over to the Xpiratez forum when I get ready to start the campaign.  When I entered XComFiles I had no idea what I was going into so I figure I might as well do some research before jumping into something that I won't finish until almost double my current lifespan. 

[lirukdatan]

With the new update I can only select from about 10 faces, rest do not show up.

I also had this issue, but managed to fix it.
Open the file "vars_XCOMFILES.rul" in a text editor such as Notepad++.
In line 28 - "maxLookVariant: 17" change the number to "174"

Looks like it was a typo.