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

[Arthanor]

Thanks Arthanor, I was wondering myself which one would be easiest. If I were to choose, I'd probably say Dagon, but as you said, they can be troublesome too. EXALT has tough basic troops, which is why I don't like fighting them, so I'm a bit surprised you haven't complained about that. (On the other hand, Dagon and Red Dawn people have less armour, but generally more health too.)

I don't know why, but I've never had issues killing EXALT. I can't say for sure, but maybe their health+armor is lower than for the other factions? Although it's usually not the basic soldiers that give trouble (those a chumps, with crap stats and crap weapons), it's the higher ups that get annoying if they don't go down because they have the weapons and accuracy to take you down. Actually, I remember one van team that had to run away with 3 wounded, 2 unconscious because of the first EXALT enforcer I met. That guy was a pistol sniper! But I thought that was fair. I'd have gone after the church of Dagon too, but after the first attempt where I killed the sorcerer, they never showed up again. Generally I'd rank it: EXALT&Church/Red Dawn/.../.../Black Lotus

Also, complain?! comment, criticize, sure, but I only complain about assassins

Also this post from Yankes' thread:

Yeah, or just shoot everyone like usual.

It's a fairly interesting idea though! The bomb would have to be indestructible too, but okay - this can be done. I'd do it, if only for the sake of having a bottomless pit, something like 30 levels deep, to throw stuff I want to get rid off.

Yeah, you'd need a "hard enforced" survival win condition where you have to actually wait those extra turns even if there are no enemies left on the map.

Alternatively, you could have a "bomb disposal" mission with a 0 TU enemy that actually is the bomb. If you kill it, it blows up like a cyberdisc but way worse and destroys everything. If you don't kill it, mission doesn't end and you lose on T25 (fluffed as bomb blew up, everybody died). Only way to win is to "stun" the bomb with a specific "bomb disarming gizmo" that does stun damage and requires 100% TUs, but against plasma/laser/hacking resistance. Give the bomb 100% resist to stun so you can't use other means of stunning and pick a damage type for the gizmo that has no other way of applying stun so you can't cheat by bringing a "laser stunner" instead of the gizmo. Stunning the bomb requires multiple applications of the gizmo, to represent the agent(s) working on disarming it.

Gah but that doesn't really work since you'd also need to kill all enemies before T25 in order to not lose, instead of just the bomb. Can you spawn units in a specific spot? You could... spawn the bomb unit on top of a bomb item which comes pre-primed and kills everybody in 25 turns, then make the victory condition survival to turn 26 (only manageable if you stun the bomb unit, and disarm the bomb item by taking it in your inventory to un-prime it like a grenade) and the other enemies you don't care about.

So convoluted for such a simple game mission idea..

[Solarius Scorch]

Yeah, setting mission conditions isn't good in X-Com. I mean, it got significantly better when compared to vanilla, but still far from perfect...

I wonder if we should make a wishlist for new mission conditions somewhere...

[Arthanor]

lol I'm just the quartermaster of a dead armory (and mod player/critic(/complainer? ) If I were one of our major mod makers, I might dare bother Meridian

[Solarius Scorch]

lol I'm just the quartermaster of a dead armory (and mod player/critic(/complainer? ) If I were one of our major mod makers, I might dare bother Meridian

You know full well, you're being a little coquette now, just gimme your ideas Maybe we'll have a new thread actually.

EDIT: Discussion on mission conditions continues here.

[Ragshak]

Please, add few flashligths and elecroflares from the beginning. Nigths are really dark here and not always transfer will arrive before first mission.

[Solarius Scorch]

Please, add few flashligths and elecroflares from the beginning. Nigths are really dark here and not always transfer will arrive before first mission.

OK, sure. Maybe not flares, but flashlights are fine.

Though I feel the need to point out that it's also the best way to get shot.

[Ragshak]

Few hours into the game.

I feel really underpowered from the start - especially against strange monsers. I do take Logistic as a first reaearch to bring extra manpower. I also have to take tons of amunnition to actually be able to kill everything. Some missions take a huge amounts of turns, because there are like 19-20 mobs (Superhuman difficulty if thats the case). Sometimes creature can be one shooted; another time it take 5 shoots to kill it (XCom baby!). After awhile it become so annoying that I tend to abandon mission after scoring few kills.
Maybe some early explosives? Molotov coctail? I am not far. Got Promotion rank I and Nitro Rifle + Magnum + Shotgun.

Dogs. They use Morale to fuel their abillity to scan but with their low Bravery they often Panic or go Berserk. Solution would be to set their Bravery to 100. With their low Health it would be really nice to set their TU to 80 as descripted in UFOpedia.

After a few months what to do with cash? Got 3 Gym running to train soldiers. Should I build another base or HQ facillity to get extra 5 lab room? Got Xeno and Reasearch recruitment but did not unlocekd Laboratory yet (No spoilers please).

It is really stragne for me to see reaserch topics like "Axe", "Wooden Club" etc. Those techs are really fast to reaserch but why they are there? 5 scientists need one day to figure what Axe is for?
Another problem with reaserach is that I am unable to figure out which tech is fast to reasearch and which is not. As a general rule starting techs take long time. Looted weapons take around day to unlock. My suggestion would be as follow:
!) Renamne "Axe" like tech to "Weapon analyse: Axe" so it would be know that this only for UFOpedia and market unlock
2) For weapons concepts like Lasers it would go "Weapon concept: Laser Weapons" and it would be know that it will take forever to reaserch
3) There could be more tags "Theory: [tech name]", "Advenced Theory: [tech name]"

Because of slow reaserch progression, way too many many Cult/Stragne monster missions and some lack in firepower game becomes not so smooth and enjoyable as it could be.

Is possible to rename "Soldier" at purchase screen to "Agent"?
Is possible to rename "Aliens" at the battle summary screen to "Enemies"?

Flashligths are cool addition. And stunning with them is funny as hell BUT is it possible to place some street ligths durning urban map missions? It would be really cool.

Dont get me wrong.  I post mostly thing which I think should be improved. List of thing I like and love in this overhaul is much longer

Edit: Mission with Abducted Farmers. Don't like the concept of wiping whole team becase 10 turns have passed.  After that time UFO will arrive to abduct farmers? What is the story behind this ?

PS Got wipe out by pack of Chupacabras

[Solarius Scorch]

I feel really underpowered from the start - especially against strange monsers. I do take Logistic as a first reaearch to bring extra manpower. I also have to take tons of amunnition to actually be able to kill everything. Some missions take a huge amounts of turns, because there are like 19-20 mobs (Superhuman difficulty if thats the case). Sometimes creature can be one shooted; another time it take 5 shoots to kill it (XCom baby!). After awhile it become so annoying that I tend to abandon mission after scoring few kills.
Maybe some early explosives? Molotov coctail? I am not far. Got Promotion rank I and Nitro Rifle + Magnum + Shotgun.

Yeah, things like Zombies are made partially to enable certain tactics that needed much love. And they're quite difficult if you don't adapt. Sure, they take many turns, but it's not a speedy game most of the time.

Dogs. They use Morale to fuel their abillity to scan but with their low Bravery they often Panic or go Berserk. Solution would be to set their Bravery to 100. With their low Health it would be really nice to set their TU to 80 as descripted in UFOpedia.

Their Bravery quickly goes up though. Consider it training the dog to not get distracted by every fly on the battlefield.

After a few months what to do with cash? Got 3 Gym running to train soldiers. Should I build another base or HQ facillity to get extra 5 lab room? Got Xeno and Reasearch recruitment but did not unlocekd Laboratory yet (No spoilers please).

Yeah, yeah, the cash is obscene. I really need to do something about it, I know!

It is really stragne for me to see reaserch topics like "Axe", "Wooden Club" etc. Those techs are really fast to reaserch but why they are there? 5 scientists need one day to figure what Axe is for?

Not what an axe is, but what this particular Ax is. But I understand it's a bit... abstract. Would you have a suggestion how to word it better?

Another problem with reaserach is that I am unable to figure out which tech is fast to reasearch and which is not. As a general rule starting techs take long time. Looted weapons take around day to unlock. My suggestion would be as follow:
!) Renamne "Axe" like tech to "Weapon analyse: Axe" so it would be know that this only for UFOpedia and market unlock
2) For weapons concepts like Lasers it would go "Weapon concept: Laser Weapons" and it would be know that it will take forever to reaserch
3) There could be more tags "Theory: [tech name]", "Advenced Theory: [tech name]"

Maybe someday, but it's a lot of work (really) for not that much gain. So, not a priority.

Because of slow reaserch progression, way too many many Cult/Stragne monster missions and some lack in firepower game becomes not so smooth and enjoyable as it could be.

Sure, it's an alpha after all; I take suggestions well.

Is possible to rename "Soldier" at purchase screen to "Agent"?

I thought I did...? Can you post a screenshot?

Is possible to rename "Aliens" at the battle summary screen to "Enemies"?

I guess. Would need to track down the strings...

Flashligths are cool addition. And stunning with them is funny as hell BUT is it possible to place some street ligths durning urban map missions? It would be really cool.

But... but there are lights. Not on all maps of course, but there are some where there are streets.

Dont get me wrong.  I post mostly thing which I think should be improved. List of thing I like and love in this overhaul is much longer

Sure, and you have some good points!

Edit: Mission with Abducted Farmers. Don't like the concept of wiping whole team becase 10 turns have passed.  After that time UFO will arrive to abduct farmers? What is the story behind this ?

OK, I'll work on the briefing. (In short, MiBs of some sort are coming, because they've also heard of the guy...)

PS Got wipe out by pack of Chupacabras

Yeah, they're the worst...
Thank you very much for your thoughts!

[Ragshak]

Qucik sceenshot.

[Solarius Scorch]

I swear it's not showing on my end.

Well, perhaps I fixed it at some point already... Thanks for the report!

[Slaughter]

Finally got the will and time to try this fantastic mod

Decided for the lulz to do a blind Let's Play on RPGCodex forum, take a look if you feel it

https://rpgcodex.net/forums/index.php?threads/lets-play-the-x-com-files-0-4-2-alpha-blind.112132/#post-4841084

Much lulz is being had

[Nord]

Solarius, look at these two. If it's okay, then later will be autopsia.

[Solarius Scorch]

They're perfect. Perfect! Thank you so much!

And yes, autopsy pics are very much needed, since I have no idea how to make it at a sufficient quality.
Also please check your private messages

[kazek]

Qucik sceenshot.

Maybe you are using en_UK strings? As far as I know Sol writes this mod only for en_US.

[Ragshak]

Now have few minutes to write.

About dogs. They are early game tool. They take away one party member slot (and early this is a huge handicap). Their survivability isnt great. They cant train at Gym neither at Animal Pen. Idea of using Morale as mana pool was geat but it bring issues with games core mechanic. It is your mod  and your design decision but for sake of game tests and balance you could just try to pump them a little bit for peroid of few next versions and see what feedback you will get. If 100 Bravery is too high lets try 50 +/-10.

About "Axe"-like reaserch. As I mentioned - renaming at least those fast techs.

When do you plan to realese next version or update? I am eager to restart and try again but would rather wait for new build/version.