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

[Juku121]

Well, shooting down UFOs is it's own thing, and doesn't need to be touched IMO.

I'm speaking about script-based retaliation. Doesn't that take the race from the mission, which is 'RetalRaces', and which does not have much difference between early and late game? All the new retaliation variants share the same list, and that one has Mutons on it from October '98.

[Solarius Scorch]

I'm speaking about script-based retaliation. Doesn't that take the race from the mission, which is 'RetalRaces', and which does not have much difference between early and late game? All the new retaliation variants share the same list, and that one has Mutons on it from October '98.

Yes, all scripted missions respect their races entry. That's why it exists.
So, Mutons are possible from 10.1998 onwards. These will be small retaliations (Sentry or Saboteur), with the vanilla retaliation (in a Battleship) available from month 30 (small chance initially).

[Juku121]

Well, what I was proposing is to show some (more) mercy and remove even small Muton-crewed (or other big bad aliens) from the very early retaliations. Kinda like the mission escalation itself, but also for the races.

[Solarius Scorch]

Well, what I was proposing is to show some (more) mercy and remove even small Muton-crewed (or other big bad aliens) from the very early retaliations. Kinda like the mission escalation itself, but also for the races.

But I can't remove them any further... Or maybe I don't understand your point. Can you be more specific?

[Juku121]

Script-based retaliations:

October 1999: Gazers!, Waspites, Sectoids, Snakemen (and a chance of Chryssalids on non-Sentry ships!), Mutons, Cerebreals, Floaters, Chasers.

December 2001: Same, plus a chance of some Ethereals.

I propose making a few more tiers (like the 'add Ethereals' one) there and allowing only something like Sectoids, Floaters and Chasers to come after X-Com really early.

[psavola]

It should be trivial to change this, just modify alienMissions file at STR_ALIEN_RETALIATION which defines "RetalRaces". The definition already has an entry for early-game scripted retaliation (starting from month 0) and late-game retaliation (starting from month 46), but currently the content appears to be identical. Adding more variance to this, as the months pass by, could be a good thing.

For example, the following definion (from STR_ALIEN_HARVEST) could give ideas of how it could be changed.

      0:
          STR_SECTOID: 30
          STR_FLOATER: 30
          STR_CHASER: 30
      22:
          STR_SECTOID: 20
          STR_FLOATER: 30
          STR_CHASER: 30
          STR_SNAKEMAN: 10
          STR_SNAKEMAN_SALAMANDRON: 10

[krautbernd]

Question:

Are haunted house/farm missions slated to continue forever or do you plan to tie them to some specific research/mission trigger so the player can chose to permanentely disable them via a "final solution", akin to the monster missions?

[Solarius Scorch]

OK, added a bit more tiers to the retaliation races. I hope this will make things a bit more forgiving.

Are haunted house/farm missions slated to continue forever or do you plan to tie them to some specific research/mission trigger so the player can chose to permanentely disable them via a "final solution", akin to the monster missions?

They will end, yes. But for now there is no proper point of removal.

[Anvarito]

Hi, why does a Dragonfly have light around it? isn't that a big hindrance in night missions? is it possible that you will remove this in the future?

[Juku121]

The Dragonfly secretly wishes to be a Firefly.

Yes, it's a hindrance. And AFAIR it was designed as such.

[Solarius Scorch]

Lights are there to emphasise its civilian role, and various abstract issues related to that. It's a crude method, but hey, as long as it works.

On the other hand, Dragonfly is allowed on some missions where military craft aren't.

[psavola]

On Dimension X outpost defense missions the mission description includes a warning "If we don't, the Council will be severely disappointed." and briefing text "If we don't protect the facilities, the base will have to be rebuilt, which will reflect badly on our reputation."

It makes sense that there should be a penalty for aborting an outpost defense mission.

However, as far as I can see, the abort penalty is 50 points and that's it. With this kind of description, I suppose the abort penalty should be at least 500 points - or the text about severe disappointment or some such should be removed.

The mission can be on the tougher side, depending on the spawns and which directions the enemies are facing at start. So the abort penalty should not be extremely high.

[Anvarito]

Lights are there to emphasise its civilian role, and various abstract issues related to that. It's a crude method, but hey, as long as it works.

On the other hand, Dragonfly is allowed on some missions where military craft aren't.

Thanks for the explanation) this explains a lot. I also have a question - there is an area under the dragonfly right along its contour where it is dark, will this area be considered completely darkened?

[krautbernd]

Я случайно процитировал не тот пост!! пожалуйста, простите меня, мой вопрос касался поста именно выше этого

You can edit your posts, no need to create a new one just for a correction 

[Fiskun1]

Periodically, I get different messages about monster activity in different countries, as a result of which I get negative points. Can I somehow change this with my actions? Can we expect messages that will have a positive effect?
And then there are various funny messages from the staff, like problems with sewage. Is it just humor, or do they influence something?