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

[Dioxine]

Shameless plug: my version gets to Ethereals only in 2002, but they’re really scary now. As in, can see you through walls, have psi-stats far beyond human (so virtually immune to your psi), able to stun you instead of mind control, which is arguably worse than MC.

Be careful with buffing their Psi Power too much, Solar already went that route in FMP and it wasn't fun to play at all (get mindfucked no matter what or go 100% tanks yo), since how the psi equations work (quadratic attack, linear defense). Going above circa 4000 psi (Power * Skill) is venturing into game-breaking territory, at least w/o tweaking how defence works.

Also, how did you make that stun? As an extra attack from their psi weapon? I'm curious since I didn't try that out yet.

As a word of advice, better make your changes a separate mod. Else you'll get fucked as Solar updates his files (not to even mention your changes will quickly become useless to anyone but yourself). It's a higher energy & time investment upfront, but saves a ton of trouble later. I made the same mistake as you did when tweaking the 40k mod.

[Juku121]

Be careful with buffing their Psi Power too much, Solar already went that route in FMP and it wasn't fun to play at all (get mindfucked no matter what or go 100% tanks yo), since how the psi equations work (quadratic attack, linear defense). Going above circa 4000 psi (Power * Skill) is venturing into game-breaking territory, at least w/o tweaking how defence works.

Right now, it’s 3000 for soldiers and 5000-6000 for top end guys. Promoting the use of tanks is actually an unintended side effect I quite like. But the psi system has also undergone some changes: dedicated psi-troopers with special equipment max out at 2250, and ALL psi is distance-based and requires energy. So you do have tools to mitigate their power somewhat.

Also, how did you make that stun? As an extra attack from their psi weapon? I'm curious since I didn't try that out yet.

Yes, exactly as Yankes outlines in his documentation. I have a special copy of the Black Lotus Flame Glove for direct damage, and the Ethereal leadership has their own counterpart as well, so I didn’t want to make a lethal psi-attack. I think it all works well: the player does not get a lot of use out of stun, since it’s shorter-ranged and less reliable than other ranged stun weapons. But it’s highly disrupting in Alien hands, yet can be managed with medi-kits etc, so not quite instakill territory.

As a word of advice, better make your changes a separate mod. Else you'll get fucked as Solar updates his files (not to even mention your changes will quickly become useless to anyone but yourself). It's a higher energy & time investment upfront, but saves a ton of trouble later. I made the same mistake as you did when tweaking the 40k mod.

That’s what I was rambling about on the last page and what the page 17 version essentially is, isn’t it? The problem is, it’s hard to parse for changes and diverges from the original in a number of places, so Solarius (understandably) did not want to try incorporating anything major and picked only some low-hanging fruit. I think there’s more of those still available, e.g. soldier icons for equip screen and UFOpedia entries for enemy stats, but that’s the whole point behind my trying to enlist … alpha-testers, right? 

[Nord]

I made different engine for MiB vessels, maybe you`l like it.

[Solarius Scorch]

Simple. Manufacturing option, one live unit needed, one dead produced.

Yeah, you are correct. I was referring to the ever-changing way of dealing with living aliens (and researched items ), I think some versions allow killing aliens or something, so I was hoping for a cleaner solution... But Piratez have butchery and it's perfectly fine, so I guess I can too.

That’s what I was rambling about on the last page and what the page 17 version essentially is, isn’t it? The problem is, it’s hard to parse for changes and diverges from the original in a number of places, so Solarius (understandably) did not want to try incorporating anything major and picked only some low-hanging fruit. I think there’s more of those still available, e.g. soldier icons for equip screen and UFOpedia entries for enemy stats, but that’s the whole point behind my trying to enlist … alpha-testers, right? 

Yeah, part of the point is that our versions are so hard to compare. WinMerge helps a little, but not everything is in the same order, so ultimately it's way too much work. I'm not in the polishing phase yet, so yeah, I'm cherry-picking. But I do realize I'll have to do the proper stuff at some point, like writing armour stats.

I made different engine for MiB vessels, maybe you`l like it.

I like it! Taken.

But I'll experiment with colours and maybe make another version. For now it stays, it looks very good.


EDIT:

Version 0.4 has been released.

- Most enemies can now surrender (new code by Meridian, as always).
- Added dedicated Hybrid faction (with no Sectoids).
- Added Hybrid Experimental Farm mission.
- Added Holiday Resort Attack mission.
- Added Hybrid Agent mission.
- Added more Crop Circles missions.
- Added Madman Rampage missions.
- Added Spider Nest mission.
- Added Werewolves (sprites by Nord).
- Added Werecats (based on the same sprite).
- Added Chempistol and Chemogun.
- Added Shiv.
- Added Bone Club and other junk.
- Added small ranks icons.
- Added stats for armours.
- Added new Men in Black vessel engine (sprite by Nord).
- Added an article on the EXALT brainer and the Sorcerer of Dagon, as life forms.
- Rebalanced the odds for some events.
- Pushed some alien races to appear later than before.
- Stims are generally stronger.
- Zombies give Energetic Blood Plasma now.
- Improved nodes for Polar maps to allow more spawns.
- Re-ordered lists.
- Some new helpful Ufopaedia articles.
- Fixed a bug with Avalanche missiles being impossible to buy.
- Fixed a bug with Tank/Rocket Launcher available for manufacture too early.
- Fixed a critical problem with hacking alien data slates.
- Fixed a small problem with spritesheets size.
- Fixed wrong picture for the Giant Spider (was displaying Giant Spider Queen instead).
- Fixed a bug with Bio-Exo Suit allowed on infiltration missions.

Like every round version number, it is more beta than not, so bug reports are appreciated. Also please be advised that some missions are time-limited, but this mechanic doesn't work yet as it needs later nightly, but it'll probably be fixed soon.

EDIT 2:

Meridian reported a serious bug with the surrender mechanics. I'll post a patched version when the fix is ready.

[Nord]

Hi. I am not a real painter, so dont expect much. But here is some slightly improved ufopedia images. Maybe i can redact zombies later...

[Solarius Scorch]

Hi. I am not a real painter, so dont expect much. But here is some slightly improved ufopedia images. Maybe i can redact zombies later...

Thanks! All of them definitely look much better. I'll add them to the next release, which hopefully will be very soon because of the surrender bug.

As for the Hybrids, I want to redo them, so your work might be in vain... But on the other hand the Ufopaedia page looks acceptable now, thanks to you, so maybe I'll just change the sprite. I think it was my first sprite for OXC and it is a train wreck.

EDIT:

0.4b was uploaded.

It contains a fix for the surrendering bug and some improved Ufopedia pics by Nord.

[Nord]

Get a CTD when trying to read ufopedia article "Eliminate Exalt".
Log:
[01-11-2016 12:10:55]   [FATAL]   A fatal error has occurred: code 0xc0000005
[01-11-2016 12:10:55]   [FATAL]   SymFromAddr failed: 487
...
[01-11-2016 12:10:55]   [FATAL]   SymFromAddr failed: 487
[01-11-2016 12:10:55]   [FATAL]   0x752033b8 BaseThreadInitThunk (SymGetLineFromAddr64 failed: 487)
[01-11-2016 12:10:55]   [FATAL]   0x773b9e6f RtlInitializeExceptionChain (SymGetLineFromAddr64 failed: 487)
[01-11-2016 12:10:55]   [FATAL]   0x773b9e6f RtlInitializeExceptionChain (SymGetLineFromAddr64 failed: 487)
[01-11-2016 12:10:56]   [FATAL]   Crash dump generated at E:\Arch\G\Openxcom\OpenXcom_XFiles\user\01-11-2016_12-10-55.dmp
[01-11-2016 12:11:00]   [FATAL]   OpenXcom has crashed: code 0xc0000005

[Solarius Scorch]

Damn, you're right. I'll have to release yet another version. :/

You can fix it by adding this to the item.rul:

Code: [Select]

  - type: STR_DESTROY_EXALT
    bigSprite: 299
    weight: 0
    invWidth: 2
    invHeight: 3

Or you can download the new version 0.4c I just posted, which has no other changes.

By the way, my next objective is reacting to the feedback on 0.4, especially regarding early game balance and the new missions. So I'm counting on you all!
Otherwise I plan to concentrate on the Syndicate. At this point it's the terrain graphics, since no suitable terrain exists. I've already started making a corporate building tileset (mainly by stealing from every possible existing terrain of course), but it's a huge task and won't be finished soon. So I'll work on it in the background, between more urgent things.

[Nord]

Thanks.
I wanted to write a post like "Too easy, need more armored enemies!!!"... aaaand... terror with sectopods and chryssalids. No survivors. Well done.

[Solarius Scorch]

I wanted to write a post like "Too easy, need more armored enemies!!!"... aaaand... terror with sectopods and chryssalids. No survivors. Well done.

Can you tell me what month it was?

[Nord]

14 april 1999

[Solarius Scorch]

14 april 1999

That's pretty early... I'll check if it's OK.

[Nord]

Yup, i have not researched laser or better weapons, so... so i found uber-weapon: blackops heavy minigun. It can kill sectopod by one autoshot. So it can kill ANYONE by one autoshot, i think. Maybe little nerf will be useful.

[Solarius Scorch]

Yup, i have not researched laser or better weapons, so... so i found uber-weapon: blackops heavy minigun. It can kill sectopod by one autoshot. So it can kill ANYONE by one autoshot, i think. Maybe little nerf will be useful.

You know, it's the first time I've heard of anyone using this weapon. And I think it's properly balanced; I'd rather give a buff to the Sectopod. I plan to buff the aliens anyway somewhat.

[Nord]

As you wish.
Offtop question about "startingconditions": I saw Meridian post "Soldiers, which won't fit in the replacement craft, won't be available during the mission at all." What if all soldiers won't fit?