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

[Arthanor]

Exactly, sometimes the USH is fun to use (ex.: katana) and it makes sense for enemies to use it, but it doesn't work as collectible in XCF because the items are too mundane for the setting and if barely any player is excited by the collection while others are annoyed by it, why make it so prominent (spam the new project every time you get a new item). And it is not optional: you need it to check to ensure it is indeed worse (or you ruleset dig which is bad form) and in case other projects might need the AK-47 or axe as a requirement.

Maybe you like collections just for achieving them and I respect that. Some people just are collectors (and I like collecting some stuff too, just not any kind of stuff that I could possibly collect). However, I think this unlikely occurrence of satisfying a rare collector player despite the setting is not worth the common occurence of people being jarred by having to research axes.

That is why I made the suggestion I made: Removing displeasure for the many is more important than the (mild at best, you're presumably not playing xcom to collect random digital USH and the real pleasure is in playing and killing aliebs) pleasure of the few.

Hell, as I offered before, I'm even up for writing the research stuff for my proposal into a mod to XCF, so IF people want to, they can research axes and do the collection of USH whole as an option. Or the opposite, if Solar implements my suggestion, I'm willing to write a mod to XCF  that would return the collection aspect for those who want it.

Normally I would agree it isn't as nice to buy a collection whole as it is to build it up yourself. But this is like a 2nd set of tools. You already have a good set (the weapons that aren't USH) and you need a 2nd, crappier and cheaper set for the cabin. I don't get excited by going to the hardware store and picking up a bottom of the line hammer one day, then the cheap saw another, etc even though I'm "building a set". I'll buy it all at once and be done with it because none of those items are special or exciting (and I'm not broke enough to be excited enough by buying cheap either. In this case we're swimming in money atm in XCF).

[Ragshak]

After Promotion II I really enjoy this mod. The main reason for this are: Dynamite, Smoke&Incendiary Granades and acess to Laboratory, Dragonfly and Workshop. Strike teams with Magnums* and backpacks full of dynamite gives smooth gameplay. More Scientists than 5 provided by H.Q. gives better feel of progression. More agents on the battlefield... hell, yes!

BUT before that ... It was quite painfull to go with another Stragne Monster mission and hunt all those mobs with no firepower and 4 squad members. Or figth against whole army of cult followers with only 4 agents.

Something should be done with early game - too much Stragne Monster mission and Cult activites, too less tools to deal with enemies, slow progresion.
Maybe add Molotov Coctail or some other area of effect item. Increase H.Q.Lab from 5 to 10. Add 5 working space to H.Q. so player could extract on the run all those plasma bloods and don't pile up bodies and waste storage in the name of future use. Allows to park several Vans at one location (Its kinda silly to go for outpost with only one Van and 4 agents).

*Prefered weapon for first few years of the game. Is Magnum OP?

Will probably take longer break from X Files and will return when new version shows up. This mod gave me so much fun and it was very refreshing experience. Thank you Solarius. Now I will try those naked mutants girls from XPiratez

[mrbiasha]

Oh, my! Solarius we never doubt you and your work (except cases when advanced rocket weaponry gets inaccessible)!

It seems that the discussion gets to the point where we find out that the current research system just works well enough for current purposes and changing it now would just mean a lot of unnecessary work. Not putting any pressure to you but in my opinion more new content is just much better than changing the existing.  All this research related stuff sounds more like fine tuning which would take place at the finishing stages of game development.

[Solarius Scorch]

I think I;ll introduce the new system in a small sample, which is M.A.G.M.A. weaponry. Basically, upon contact you'll receive a catalogue of their flag products, but you won't be able to buy them all yet. It's just a few items, so shouldn't be a problem either way.

In the meantime, I made the first Syndicate building:

[mrbiasha]

Syndicate is serious business - even a toilet has a secure door! Very nice looking, it will be an outpost?

And about weaponry: you make the contact research and you get a number of entries, but buying them will require additional research?

[Solarius Scorch]

Syndicate is serious business - even a toilet has a secure door! Very nice looking, it will be an outpost?

Sort of. It'll be a specific mission to stole some specific data, though I'll probably reuse it for other stuff too, since it's pretty poitnless to spend time on a map you'll only see once per campaign.

And about weaponry: you make the contact research and you get a number of entries, but buying them will require additional research?

With M.A.G.M.A., yes. Or more precisely, you'll do some optional missions for them, and they'll reward you with new designs.

[dorsidwarf]

So, what's the deal with Chupacabras? They used to die almost guaranteed in a single shot, yet now the damn things are STILL running from all the way across the screen, killing my agents instantly turn 2, despite 360-degree automatic covering fire, except now it doesnt even take multiple of the things.
Like, there's no fear of them here, no nothing, just line up my best soldiers and watch the least fun enemy I've seen in the game knock them over.
If a civvie mission is chupacabras we just evac instantly because even if somehow we were to beat the creatures which can move like 20 tiles, shrug off auto fire, and make enough attacks on an armored agent to instakill him, we lose points for each of the braindead citizens they murder offscreen. Its tactically more sound to just evac immediately because a rating of 0 is better than what you're going to get with 30 dead civvies.

Is there some tactic to fighting these, or are they just the bullshit "Now your best team are dead they had no chance whatsoever and no play by you could have changed this in the slightest except for running away turn 1 before you ever saw a foe" enemy they seem to be.

edit: I just lost two sergeants on the same turn to the same one, it spawned behind a tree in such a way that nobody could see it, nobody even got a reaction shot because all the TU had been spent mowing down the ones who were in murder range who COULD be seen.

edit edit: save scummed to set up a killzone to get that turn 2 murder one, he walked straight across two agents fields of view who had near-full TU, neither fired a shot, and casually executed my sniper

[Solarius Scorch]

What can I say? They are nasty, fight them only if you are prepared well enough. But I assure you that their stats were left untouched since I made them.

[dorsidwarf]

Oh, I turned off the TFD damage thing, so my weapons were capable of doing no damage.

But you don't usually know you'll be facing them turn 1 - they almost universally start out of sight except in the open wilds maps. And then because they know where you are they swarm your guys and they're in melee t2 onwards, where they shred through armor like tissue. As the first or second enemy you'll ever encounter. 

[Solarius Scorch]

Oh, I turned off the TFD damage thing, so my weapons were capable of doing no damage.

As it's supposed to be!

But you don't usually know you'll be facing them turn 1 - they almost universally start out of sight except in the open wilds maps. And then because they know where you are they swarm your guys and they're in melee t2 onwards, where they shred through armor like tissue. As the first or second enemy you'll ever encounter.

Yes, well, at least they don't appear in big numbers any more... But yes, you can still get slaughtered. Cars and vans are cheap to replace though, same with starting items and agents, so next time you'll know better.

I thought many times if chupacabras could maybe use a nerf, but the truth is I like them as they are: deadly but killable.

In other news, new faces incoming!



I think I should make a release soon or something.

EDIT: I'm also struggling with a new armour, still not really happy with it... Help would be appreciated, I can provide .psd.



(Arms and legs were taken from XOps' work.)

EDIT: Finished this new armour:



It's basically an advanced version of Personal Armour. A bit less resistant to plasma, but overall much stronger (and heavier). And it's totally cybernetic!

[dorsidwarf]

I love how the new armor looks, Solarius!


Also, I seem to be stuck in a research hole at the moment. I'm fighting (with immense losses) aliens and MiB murder forces with their tanks, I have a huge stockpile of alien and laser weapons but am unable to research them, or even buy basic explosives. My only option for explosives is scavenged from cult bases and proximity grenades, and theres basically no research possible. Did I somehow miss a tech item?

[Solarius Scorch]

I love how the new armor looks, Solarius!

Thanks!

Also, I seem to be stuck in a research hole at the moment. I'm fighting (with immense losses) aliens and MiB murder forces with their tanks, I have a huge stockpile of alien and laser weapons but am unable to research them, or even buy basic explosives. My only option for explosives is scavenged from cult bases and proximity grenades, and theres basically no research possible. Did I somehow miss a tech item?

0.5 should solve most of your problems. I just want to playtest it a little more. Plus new content appears all the time... Like this thingy here:



Cuteranger!

[arrakis69ct]

Wooow nice skyranger

Enviado desde mi ECOO E04 3GB mediante Tapatalk

[D3LTA WAV3]

Are you ever gonna make a smaller hanger or a garage for cars like the public van and car? It seems really overkill to require 4 blocks of space in my base for a vehicle that isn't actually there or is much much smaller than the actual hanger.

[Solarius Scorch]

Are you ever gonna make a smaller hanger or a garage for cars like the public van and car? It seems really overkill to require 4 blocks of space in my base for a vehicle that isn't actually there or is much much smaller than the actual hanger.

I won't, because 1) the code doesn't allow that, and it's not important enough for me to bug people to code it for me, and 2) I've heard many times how awesome storing a car in a hangar is and that space is good. So, no.