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

[psavola]

There are personal loadouts per soldier, but only one per, and you still need to load them manually.
..
I tend to use specialised ships with their own troops because of that. Kinda expensive, though.

You can use F5 to save equipment templates and F9 to load them. These work both on the soldier equip screens and on craft screens.

If you have multiple crafts and many bases, or you want to have vastly different kinds of equipment per mission, craft templates might be for you. Soldier templates can be used to have different equipment for various soldier roles or different kinds of missions (in XCF in particular 'crop circles' or 'environment' missions could use a different template than 'real' missions', for example).

Managing the templates takes some time, but if you like template-based equipping (either soldiers or crafts), there are plenty of ways to do that.

[Juku121]

I assumed saved soldier/craft loadouts were a given and not sufficient. I use them, and they're good, but not good enough.

The problem with saved templates is that you have to change the loadouts manually for each agent. Which is a pain to do for more more than a few agents, especially since you now have to figure out what their new role/loadout is (only one universal soldier-specific loadout, sadly). I imagine this is also HH's problem.

Crop circles aren't too different. Undercover, underwater, sewers, space/Dimension X, these are the main culprits.

[HelmetHair]

You can use F5 to save equipment templates and F9 to load them. These work both on the soldier equip screens and on craft screens.

If you have multiple crafts and many bases, or you want to have vastly different kinds of equipment per mission, craft templates might be for you. Soldier templates can be used to have different equipment for various soldier roles or different kinds of missions (in XCF in particular 'crop circles' or 'environment' missions could use a different template than 'real' missions', for example).

Managing the templates takes some time, but if you like template-based equipping (either soldiers or crafts), there are plenty of ways to do that.

Ok, i'll experiment some more in my workflow and see if that helps.

I assumed saved soldier/craft loadouts were a given and not sufficient. I use them, and they're good, but not good enough.

The problem with saved templates is that you have to change the loadouts manually for each agent. Which is a pain to do for more more than a few agents, especially since you now have to figure out what their new role/loadout is (only one universal soldier-specific loadout, sadly). I imagine this is also HH's problem.

Crop circles aren't too different. Undercover, underwater, sewers, space/Dimension X, these are the main culprits.

Yep, You are both correct variously in my opinion.

If I could define an algorithm via a script to handle how I like loadouts, then it would be great.

So, I hit "Best equip to algorith" or something or define a hotkey and it simply equip the agent as I see fit according requirements as defined.... I dunno, call it a mission profile loadout or whatever. a set of buttons or keys to operate it would be great.

so let's say I'm going to deal with some cultists...

I have all the equipment in the van or whatever...

I press the template button for "non lethal" in QD and all my agents get a tazer or electric club in the QD slot.

I press the "Primary weapon loadout" and all my agents are equipped with an MP5 and two magazines

etc. etc.

the point is to have easy to use tools that you can configure to speed up the process of equipping a lot of troops to the tactical situation to player prefrence and incorporate it into their workflow to remove tedium.... Better needle and all that.

I could make a mockup and show the logic of the process flow in a chart... I'm not sure if I'm being clear.

Thanks guys!

[psavola]

I press the template button for "non lethal" in QD and all my agents get a tazer or electric club in the QD slot.

I press the "Primary weapon loadout" and all my agents are equipped with an MP5 and two magazines

etc. etc.

the point is to have easy to use tools that you can configure to speed up the process of equipping a lot of troops to the tactical situation to player prefrence and incorporate it into their workflow to remove tedium.... Better needle and all that.

How is that different from saving an equipment template with MP5 and two magazines + electric club in QD slot, saving it to slot 1, and then when equipping the soldiers, just pressing '1' to get the loadout for you?

The templates are more cumbersome when/if you want 5 different kinds of layouts for your guys, but not in the scenario you describe.

If your real scenario is that you're equipping different gun on each agent but want the QD be the same (or have two combinations), the situation is trickier but if the situation repeats all the time, maybe you just need a specific loadout for this. Just replacing the gun is very fast with shortcuts (CTRL-click  to drop or auto-equip). What OXCE could improve on is where the extra magazines are automatically put (Brutal-AI source-mod improves this).

[HelmetHair]

Can you swap two vehicles in flight without having to use an empty hanger? I just tried it and it did not work.

Oversight, purposeful, or am I just doing it wrong lol?

[psavola]

No, you can't directly. OXCE engine limitation.

But if you have a third base with an open hangar, you can do essentially the same thing if it's reachable from another base. First fly-transfer a craft from the first base there (intercept - choose the craft and  base - transfer). Now that the first base has an open hangar, transfer the second craft from the second base to the first. After that you can immediately swap the destination of the first craft to the second base.

[Juku121]

Can you swap two vehicles in flight without having to use an empty hanger?

I eagerly await your tales of managing aircraft with a garment hook.



But, yeah, two-way swaps are not supported. Frankly, the whole 'craft transfer via flight' thing is borderline cheaty to me, since it also instantly transfers ground staff, fuel, supplies, logistics, soldiers on board and their logistics, etc. With zero cost, unlike base transfers. Meridian has a somewhat similar opinion.

But one can't deny the functionality is already mostly there, it's just the extra hangar and perhaps some 'ignoreInCraftEquip' flags that stand in the way.

[Meridian]

No, you can't directly. OXCE engine limitation.

Feature, not limitation.

What OXCE could improve on is where the extra magazines are automatically put (Brutal-AI source-mod improves this).

I'd say BAI actually makes it worse.
It's too hardcoded and too one-person-preference.

There is a request for OXCE for something similar: https://openxcom.org/forum/index.php/topic,7868.0.html
I may even get to it, before my xmas vacation ends.

[Chuckebaby]

You can use F5 to save equipment templates and F9 to load them. These work both on the soldier equip screens and on craft screens.

What does the SAVE+ do in F5 ?

[Juku121]

Saves your armour, too.

[Belcanzor]

Is there a way for strip armor from Sindicate Security and/or MIB Enforcer?
The Cyberweb robot captured "alive" can be reprogrammed?

I just found Kitsune, amazing.

[Solarius Scorch]

Is there a way for strip armor from Sindicate Security and/or MIB Enforcer?

No, not right now anyway.

The Cyberweb robot captured "alive" can be reprogrammed?

No, although I'm considering something like that.

I just found Kitsune, amazing.

It is.

Aaaaaaand X-Com Files 3.2 has been released. Happy New Year, people!

- New missions: Den of Villainy (terrain by Brain_322), The Exorcism, Environmental Alert with Men in Black.
- New outfit: Clergy (most graphics by Dioxine).
- New unit: M.A.G.M.A. Representative.
- New item category: Religious Gear.
- New Ufopaedia articles and research tree adjustments.
- 4 new Caves maps (3 by Dioxine).
- New Junkfarm map (by Dioxine).
- More general enemy base destruction message.
- Increased Hovertanks' night vision range.
- Excluded Assault Suit, Power Suit, Flying Suit and Stormtrooper Armor from underwater missions.
- Gillman Hero gives Power Armor instead.
- Chasers have dodge.
- Overhauled civilians' dodge values.
- Position Markers now actually have anti-camouflage.
- MiB Commanders yield Personal Armor on research.
- Increased chances for Mysterious Parcel from Syndicate to 100%.
- Improved Car, Luxury Car and Van sprites (by 0xEBJC).
- Improved Fenrir, Werecat, Black Werecat and Shambler sprites (by ImpMontezuma).
- Improved Fat Tourist and Bikini Babe sprites (by Osobist).
- Improved Celatid paperdoll (by Mikkoi).
- Improved Mongorn Fist sprite (by Dioxine).
- Improved Colt Commando sprite (by Alex_D).
- Added description to the M.A.G.M.A. Chainsawbot Blade.
- Reclamation of Aether Laboratory map is bigger (to fit any craft).
- Hybrid convoys no longer travel on the globe.
- Bats are excluded from science-themed missions.
- Renamed Durathread Vest for dogs to Durathread Gear.
- MiB Commander drops Damaged Personal Armor.
- MiB Lunar Base awards Spacer.
- Enabled Osiron Goon Disguise article.
- Moved Scientist's Data Floppy from Vincent's pocket to a table.
- Fixed Trident capacity (from 14 to 15) and interior.
- Fixed Sonic Shotgun Focused Clip manufacturing prerequisites.
- Fixed .308 cal Sniper Rifle's minimum range.
- Fixed Haunted Farm terrains.
- Fixed some cars' height.
- Fixed destroyed streetlight height.
- Fixed cult retaliations.
- Fixed UAC Aerospace Lab roof.
- Fixed Caves, Cargo Ship and CYBERPIPES walking sounds and SCANGs (by Dioxine).
- Fixed MiB Engineering Ship lift.
- Minor fixes.

As usual, many thanks to everyone who helped making this release richer: ImpMontezuma (better monster paperdolls), Osobist (better civilian sprites), 0xEBJC (better vehicle sprites), Mikkoi (better Celatid paperdoll), Alex D. (better weapon sprite), Dioxine (outfits, maps) and Brain_322 (nightclub terrain).

[the nomad]

Sweet! And Happy New Year!

[donk]

Is it possible to update your current game to the new version or will stuff break?

[psavola]

I have played a campaign or two with various 3.2 snapshots for months (updating now and then) and I have not noticed any problems. You should be fine.