Research live aliens in UFO/EU

[xxbbcc]

I'm playing OpenXCom / UFO/EU with UFO Redux installed and I'm using the latest nightly build (openxcom_git_master_2016_05_11_1842.zip). The past ~16 nightly builds already had this issue - I don't know about before because I only discovered OpenXCom recently when GOG put UFO on sale.

I have several bases with Alien Containment and each has multiple live aliens. When I bring up the research screen, I don't get any of the live aliens as research options. I don't know if this is a bug in OpenXCom or if it's caused by UFO Redux - is this a known issue? If necessary, I can provide a saved game that shows the problem.

If I remember right, in the original (DOS) UFO, all live aliens could be researched, as many times as they were captured.

[Solarius Scorch]

Hi,
They don't appear on the Research screen if you can't learn anything new from them - which means, if you have already researched this type of alien and they don't have anything left to say, you can't research them.
Do you think it might be the case?

[xxbbcc]

Thank you for your response. That could possibly be the case - the ones I have in Alien Containment have all been researched before (I *think* - not sure) but it's still pretty confusing. It may be a good idea to somehow mention this in the research dialog.

[Hobbes]

Thank you for your response. That could possibly be the case - the ones I have in Alien Containment have all been researched before (I *think* - not sure) but it's still pretty confusing. It may be a good idea to somehow mention this in the research dialog.

Can you post a saved game?

[ivandogovich]

Generally there are three types of aliens that give you multiple research options: Engineers, Navigators/Squad Leaders, and Medics.  These all have "get one free" techs that they reveal. 

Engineers give techs about enemy ships.
Navigators/Squad Leaders give info on enemy missions.
Medics give info on enemy lifeforms/combatants.

Other captives will often not show up on the research list after an initial interrogation has they no longer have anything to say.  This is consistent with the original 1994 dos game.

[xxbbcc]

Generally there are three types of aliens that give you multiple research options: Engineers, Navigators/Squad Leaders, and Medics.  These all have "get one free" techs that they reveal. 

Other captives will often not show up on the research list after an initial interrogation has they no longer have anything to say.  This is consistent with the original 1994 dos game.

I didn't realize this is how it worked in the original game - I don't recall being able to check Alien Containment in the original UFO in the first place so I may have assumed that all live aliens could've been researched. As you explain it, it even makes sense but the game doesn't show anything on the UI to this effect. (In Alien Containment it'd be useful to somehow mark aliens that won't be researchable again so that their space can be freed up.) By the way, Alien Containment allows storing more than 10 live aliens - I don't know if this is on purpose or not.

Can you post a saved game?

I added LiveAlienResearch.7z. This has my game options, a saved game and my custom changes to the rules of UFO:EU and UFO Redux. UFO Redux itself is not included because the file size would've been too big even compressed but you probably have access to version 0.8j.

[Hobbes]

By the way, Alien Containment allows storing more than 10 live aliens - I don't know if this is on purpose or not.

IIRC, the limit was 10 live aliens of each race on the original

I added LiveAlienResearch.7z. This has my game options, a saved game and my custom changes to the rules of UFO:EU and UFO Redux. UFO Redux itself is not included because the file size would've been too big even compressed but you probably have access to version 0.8j.

Just had a look at the file (I don't have 0.8j currently installed it crashes on 0.9) - can you research the Sectoid Navigator on your first base?

Your modifications can also be the source of the issue

[xxbbcc]

IIRC, the limit was 10 live aliens of each race on the original

Wasn't it 10 total? I remember having aliens die after battles when returning to a base with a full Alien Containment facility in the original game. I always thought the limit was a hard 10.

Just had a look at the file (I don't have 0.8j currently installed it crashes on 0.9) - can you research the Sectoid Navigator on your first base?

Yes, I can. I cannot, however, research the Sectoid Leader and I thought that would be researchable. ivandogovich mentioned being able to research squad leaders more than once.

Your modifications can also be the source of the issue

Are you saying this just in general or did you see something specific in there? My changes are only adding a few items and teaking a fuw rules changed by UFO Redux (which is a topic I meant to contact you about later on when I played through the game with Redux once - I didn't get around to this yet, obviously).

[Warboy1982]

to clarify: vanilla imposed no limit on live alien captures.

[ivandogovich]

...I cannot, however, research the Sectoid Leader and I thought that would be researchable. ivandogovich mentioned being able to research squad leaders more than once.

Squad Leaders were ranks from Terror from the Deep.  I think they took the place of navigators on some races. 

Your Sectoid Leader will only ever give you a few Leader Techs, in UFO. 

Bottomline: If you have a captive in your containment, but there is no corresponding research topic, you have:
a. Already researched all of the techs that they would reveal
or
b. Do not have an unlocking tech for anything else they may reveal.

If you would like a good break down of the topic: https://www.ufopaedia.org/index.php/Live_Alien_Research

[Hobbes]

Are you saying this just in general or did you see something specific in there? My changes are only adding a few items and teaking a fuw rules changed by UFO Redux (which is a topic I meant to contact you about later on when I played through the game with Redux once - I didn't get around to this yet, obviously).

Just saying in general

It isn't the case here but errors are expected when tweaking with rulesets

[xxbbcc]

Thank you all for the responses - I appreciate the detail and the help. It's entirely possible that my expectations came from old memories of the vanilla game (my freshest memory of vanilla UFO is ~2 years old). Based on what you said, it makes sense that research doesn't show up.

I'd recommend updating the UI to show this (either using a generic message) or specifically marking aliens that won't generate more research. (If you point me in the right direction, I may even do this myself but real life commitments may make this a slow change.)