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

[Solarius Scorch]

Thx and great work. If you want and when i have free time i want translate to spanish similar i do in fmp.....

Translations are always welcome.
However, there may be changes to the already existing texts, so bear this in mind.

[Arthanor]

Nice! Looking forward to trying it and thanks for taking in the feedback

[Nord]

Found two more unpleasant bugs (aside of missing strings): When avalanche researched, one can buy launchers, but not missiles. Second - when research HWP technology (common one), there rocket hwp can be manufactured (without proper research).
And minor questions:
 - where is ufopedia pages about avalanche and stinger?
 - i can not find where to mount craft laser canon. Maybe you can add some craft weapon slots help?
 - research explosive and incendary ammunitions adding something? Because i can not find any difference (maybe not researched proper weapons?)
Thanks for your work, by the way. Wery interesting new game you got here. ;-)

[Solarius Scorch]

Found two more unpleasant bugs (aside of missing strings): When avalanche researched, one can buy launchers, but not missiles. Second - when research HWP technology (common one), there rocket hwp can be manufactured (without proper research).

Thanks, both were glaring bugs from where I was trying to revolutionize the tech tree. Luckily, easy to fix.

And minor questions:
 - where is ufopedia pages about avalanche and stinger?

It was a part of this bug I mentioned.

- i can not find where to mount craft laser canon. Maybe you can add some craft weapon slots help?

OK, good point. I'll do it when I'm done with overhauling the planes. Lightning is probably the first plane with a beam weapon slot.

- research explosive and incendary ammunitions adding something? Because i can not find any difference (maybe not researched proper weapons?)

Yes, most likely. Because it adds new ammo for Heavy Cannon, Auto-Cannon, Tactical Sniper Rifle and such.

Thanks for your work, by the way. Wery interesting new game you got here. ;-)

Thanks! And sorry about this mess...

[Nord]

Also, if you plan to add more "concealed" missions, can be useful a new "civilian" armorsuit. And there durathread goes in. And let my thoughts run free... How about superfiber in aircraft hull... Defect-free carbon fiber can be really 10-100 times tougher than steel.

Upd: Beta-version of werewolf sprite, as promised (maked from muton). A bit ugly, but...
Ufopedia and inventory images will be later,when i gain access to photoshop.

[Arthanor]

That looks really cool! Nice work!

@Solarius:
I've researched Alien Origins (and manged to get Promotion III in November! Go XCom! Go!). The text is a bit weird. The only aliens I've encountered were terror units (reapers, silacoids, maybe something else) and it sounds like my guys actually talked to one of them. I have no clue how someone gets "they have a base of operation in the solar system" from a reaper.. Maybe there could be a "Alien Lifeforms" topic or something, which would replace Alien Origins as a pre-req for Promotion III, and Alien Origins as something that one gets only from.. sentient/humanoid/non-terror units aliens? That way, it would be more believable that you communicated somehow.

[Solarius Scorch]

@Nord:

Wow... It looks promising! I'll get back to you with a review later. MIND BLOWN
How did you manage to sprite these legs?! It's marvellous!

That looks really cool! Nice work!

@Solarius:
I've researched Alien Origins (and manged to get Promotion III in November! Go XCom! Go!). The text is a bit weird. The only aliens I've encountered were terror units (reapers, silacoids, maybe something else) and it sounds like my guys actually talked to one of them. I have no clue how someone gets "they have a base of operation in the solar system" from a reaper.. Maybe there could be a "Alien Lifeforms" topic or something, which would replace Alien Origins as a pre-req for Promotion III, and Alien Origins as something that one gets only from.. sentient/humanoid/non-terror units aliens? That way, it would be more believable that you communicated somehow.

Yeah, I've been thinking the same, the Alien Origins as they are now are more of a placeholder. I'll get to it soon.

In the meantime, I made some new missions you're all gonna love! Expect some crazy terrorists, hybrid farms and cloned secret agents!

EDIT: I added the "alien lifeforms" research and then recalled that there is also the "Alien Biology" topic. Do we need both?

[Kjotleik]

EDIT: I added the "alien lifeforms" research and then recalled that there is also the "Alien Biology" topic. Do we need both?

Well. Depends on what you want.

ALIEN LIFEFORMS
"We've interrogated the aliens. Their behaviour is like so-and-so and they organize their societies like so-and-so. This is what makes their minds tick...babbleon..."

ALIEN BIOLOGY
"We've examined the physiology of the aliens. Their bodies functions like so-and-so. They breed/procreate like so-and-so. This is what makes their bodies tick...babbleon..."


PS!
While we're on the subject. If ever somebody introduces new damageTypes (DT_11 etc), it would be nice with at least three different STUN-damageTypes.
DT_STUN - Biological. Works on humans and hybrids (better on humans, slightly worse on hybrids)
DT_STUN2 - Biological. Works on aliens and hybrids (better on aliens, slightly worse on hybrids)
DT_STUN3 - Electrical (EMP). Works on robotic/powered-mechanical enemies. AND on armours depending on an internal power-source. Such as Power Armour, Flying Armour, Juggernaut Suits, Stormtrooper Suits.

Now that I think about it, those new damageTypes could be implemented in regular OpenXCom, working with standard FMP as well (I hope).

[ohartenstein23]

New damage types have certainly been suggested to Meridian and Yankes for new features in OXCE, it's kinda low priority from what I gather though.  You can certainly do a lot with damageAlter in the meantime.  For example, you could set one of the biological stun types as acid damage (unarmored humans are more susceptible), and make it do 0 health damage and 100% stun damage.  Or the reverse method is possible, keep the damage type as stun, it just uses the target's armor's acid resistance.  The EMP stun could go against plasma or laser resistance (since either deals with strong EM fields).

[Nord]

How did you manage to sprite these legs?! It's marvellous

By hands of course. :-)  Please, check animation order. I saw strange artifacts when try do it myself.
And question for future: you can create immovable unit by rulesets? So he can shoot, but can not go?

[Arthanor]

Yes, either give it 0 stamina so it can't walk, or only two TUs and make firing cost 50% so it can turn 45 degrees and fire, fire twice or turn 90 degrees.

@Solarius: I think you can have alien life form as a kind of basic information tech, whereas alien origins tells a bit of where they come from and their society and alien biology deals more with how their body functions.

Sort of in order:
- Lifeforms: We've looked at some dead and live ones and they all share thsee traits that allow us to recognize them as truly alien.
- Biology: Their bodies work like that, they depend on this environment and if we want to keep them alive better we need that. If we have that we can keep and properly interrogate the sentient/humanoid ones.
- Origins: They come from somewhere else and to know more we need to talk to their leader.

[Solarius Scorch]

OK, I cleaned up some things that you reported, added some new stuff, soon I'll release 0.4.

I made a placeholder for the Werewolf Ufopaedia picture, do you people think it's OK enough?



(I know it's small. Well, I dare you to walk up to a werewolf and take a better picture.)

EDIT:

Now that I look at him, he looks more like a werecat...

EDIT:

I also had some fun from a Minotaur stole from zDoom forums, got something like this:



I don't want to go too far with petting zoo people, but he turned so well, I'd like to actually see him in the game. (If I had a sprite.)

[Arthanor]

It does look a bit like a "were-mountain lion/wolf" hybrid. Just need a bit more angular of a snout to make it look more canine than feline I think.

Nice minotaur, but.. I can't really see where it'd fit I guess with the Doom stuff?

Also, what's up with the BlackOps shotgun? "listOrder: " I bumped all the ammo down by one to make a spot between the shotgun and its ammo and make a spot at 2251 for it.

Finally, I've made a ruleset for "advanced ammo", which has 10% armor piercing and 15% stun for military weapons, 10% extra armor and 20% stun damage when using hunting weapons. But honestly, I haven't seen much of an effect...

[Solarius Scorch]

It does look a bit like a "were-mountain lion/wolf" hybrid. Just need a bit more angular of a snout to make it look more canine than feline I think.

How about a wolfman for temperate climates, and a panthorr for jungles?

Nice minotaur, but.. I can't really see where it'd fit I guess with the Doom stuff?

Doom lore is actually quite tight, so I don't think I can get away with making completely new units... I was thinking some sort of a monster mission (or just a normal hunt), but... well, as you said, it could be too much. I'm trying different ideas though.

Also, what's up with the BlackOps shotgun? "listOrder: " I bumped all the ammo down by one to make a spot between the shotgun and its ammo and make a spot at 2251 for it.

Many items don't have listOrder at this point, they're still being done. The next version will be mostly complete. For now, strange positions on lists may happen.

Finally, I've made a ruleset for "advanced ammo", which has 10% armor piercing and 15% stun for military weapons, 10% extra armor and 20% stun damage when using hunting weapons. But honestly, I haven't seen much of an effect...

Cool, keep trying. I'm actually looking forward to your results.

[Arthanor]

Temperate werewolf works fine too I think the color also plays as we're so used to grey werewolves.

Maybe EXALT or some other faction who likes to mess around with human DNA decided to make their own minotaurs for fun/security/enforcement. Arguably, when you're busting in the hideout of a rival gang who's been playing on your turf, it's hard to rival the impact of an actual minotaur!

I'm keeping trying. Nov. 1998 now and pretty much have access to all the basic stuff, plus a few things like motion scanners. Working on skyrangers and then going on the offensive once more. I'll try some more stun and see how I can achieve ~15% survival.