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

[Stone Lake]

It's base -> agents -> transformations from dropdown.
Also, I recommend matrix or discord for stuff like this.

[PPQ]

It's base -> agents -> transformations from dropdown.
Also, I recommend matrix or discord for stuff like this.

I can't use discord since I don't want to register my real world phone number to an internet company unless I absolutely have to. And matrix is great but it takes forever to load for me. Like, I wish there was a way to download the matrix and have it work offline so that it does not have to recalculate the whole thing every time I open a new tab.

EDIT: Looking at it now he seems to have made the wiki open up much quicker. It's still a chore but like, at least it's 2-3 seconds of waiting vs the 15+ that it used to be a year ago. And no, it's not my internet or my PC as neither have changed in that time.

[Nerro]

FYI, Matrix and the wiki are 2 different things.
Matrix is an open source discution plateform.

And regarding the wiki, you are right, the speed was greatly improved some time ago.

[PPQ]

Is there a way to make a certain type of enemy spawn more often? I can't seem to figure out how the spawning code works.

[Juku121]

'lowQty', 'highQty', 'dQty'. Unless you have something more specific in mind.

[Solarius Scorch]

Guys, I agree that the Ethereal part is not the best right now. It's functional, but generic, and I am aware of this. I simply haven't made anything better yet, but I hope to do so eventually.

Also from the story perspective, I'm not "fully convinced" that the idea of learning about MIB lunar base can be squeezed out of MIBs on earth (and you already can do other missions on moon, like UAC moon base), but you can only infiltrate it once you obtain the keys to alien-MIB communications from ethereal commander (shouldn't the MIB commander be able to tell you the same things). While this is framed in the story as "posing as the other side", going to the MIB Lunar Base mission does not require any technology where your craft would actually masquarade as an alien craft in a manner that would make sense. (In order for it to make sense, the prerequisite should actually be obtaining and learning to use a live space fight capable alien craft and riding THAT to the MIB moon base, a bit similar to how in TWoTS mod you need a third-party alien infiltration craft to get to T'Leth)

These are valid points.

I'm not going to make a new craft just for that (mimicking a UFO), it is a bit too heavy-handed. But I'll think of adding some cloaking tech to help your Lightning/Avenger pass for an Ethereal ship.

I can't use discord since I don't want to register my real world phone number to an internet company unless I absolutely have to. And matrix is great but it takes forever to load for me. Like, I wish there was a way to download the matrix and have it work offline so that it does not have to recalculate the whole thing every time I open a new tab.

From my experience, Matrix is especially temperamental if you use it across muliple devices, or only use it sparingly. I have it open most of the time and works like a charm.

[Vakrug]

Guys, I agree that the Ethereal part is not the best right now. It's functional, but generic, and I am aware of this. I simply haven't made anything better yet, but I hope to do so eventually.

The most straightforward solution would be some sort of alternative acquisition path. In X-Piratez, for example, you can buy faction leaders, although that is too straightforward.
Specifically for "Important Ethereal" I envision something like "Important Ethereal Ship Luring Beacon" that a player can eventually craft (using tons of resources, maybe including live Ethereals), then research it, then the percentage of "Important Ethereal Ship" mission appearance chance per month becomes 100%.
Something similar (manufacturing + research) should be done with Mib Leaders. May be some sort of multipart disinformation champagne to eventually trigger Mib base construction.

[Akamashi]

It feels strange. I just managed to kill everyone on the 3rd attempt and finish the mission of the MIB lunar base. The evidence, alas, was destroyed by the explosion of some kind of scenery. I can fight again. But how can there be a second lunar base on the moon if it is unique in lore? If I won the previous one completely.

[Solarius Scorch]

The most straightforward solution would be some sort of alternative acquisition path. In X-Piratez, for example, you can buy faction leaders, although that is too straightforward.
Specifically for "Important Ethereal" I envision something like "Important Ethereal Ship Luring Beacon" that a player can eventually craft (using tons of resources, maybe including live Ethereals), then research it, then the percentage of "Important Ethereal Ship" mission appearance chance per month becomes 100%.
Something similar (manufacturing + research) should be done with Mib Leaders. May be some sort of multipart disinformation champagne to eventually trigger Mib base construction.

That's part of it, but I meant much more, like a couple of late game arcs.

We'll see how it goes.

It feels strange. I just managed to kill everyone on the 3rd attempt and finish the mission of the MIB lunar base. The evidence, alas, was destroyed by the explosion of some kind of scenery. I can fight again. But how can there be a second lunar base on the moon if it is unique in lore? If I won the previous one completely.

It's probably the same base...

[amokk_gw]

I'm stuck and don't know how to proceed. Running version 3.1.

I've done all research and I am basically waiting for Ethereal to show up. I think I need an Ethereal Legate to get to Cydonia or Bust. I've got the commander research done, I've got plasma and fusion weapon research done.

Is there anything I need to do as a prerequisite for Ethereal to appear?

[psavola]

It sounds as if you have not completed the MIB Moon Base and alien orbital missions yet either, i.e. what you need is to get the ethereal commander (and possibly even the MIB commander). Because for cydonia, you need ethereal grand master, which is gated behind those missions and should be straightforward to get once you have gone down the ethereal commander research tree.

See some instructions on obtaining ethereal commander earlier in this thread: https://openxcom.org/forum/index.php/topic,4595.msg161139.html#msg161139

In XCF there is really no point to research non-ethereal alien commander. It just has 15 % chance of triggering alien retaliation missions and opens nothing.

[amokk_gw]

I haven't seen an Ethereal commander either. The highest I've seen is a Leader in a mixed race mission. I've not yet seen a single UFO with Ethereal as the race. Also I have not seen a MIB commander yet. I think I've done all the MiB missions that occured so far, but I could be mistaken there.

[psavola]

The most reliable way to get MIB commander is shooting down MIB ships, and tthus triggering MIB retaliation against your bases. The final phase spawns a very large Strike Ship which includes the commander. You might want to shoot it down if it seems like it might target a base that could not deal with it. The other alternative is the MIB Outpost mission, but the chance of it spawning is only 3 % once you have completed its requirements.

You'll need special tactics to maximise the chance to get ethereal commander as well. The best bet is after you've obtained MIB commander, because researching it triggers ethereal retaliation missions, where some ships have the commander. Look at the previous link to see how to best get one.

The last parts of the game can be extremely RNG-grindy and to preserve your sanity you may need to skip a lot of useless missions. Usually I've just gotten bored and stopped playing the campaign, and after some time started a new one.

[amokk_gw]

Okay so I gotta get a MiB commander first. I think I've seen the battle ship, but for some reason even a simple railgun on my tormentor completly destroys it instead of just grounding it. Not sure what's going on there.

[Akamashi]

I haven't seen an Ethereal commander either. The highest I've seen is a Leader in a mixed race mission. I've not yet seen a single UFO with Ethereal as the race. Also I have not seen a MIB commander yet. I think I've done all the MiB missions that occured so far, but I could be mistaken there.

It is ok. I spent the whole gaming year purposefully hunting for the ethereal commander. He is on the UFO-arbiter. But I play the ironman superhuman. And 75% of the downed UFO-arbiter did not suit me immediately upon arrival. It was very stuffy and tedious. But I was able to get it.