Playable alien and flyable UFO projects

[Droggarth]

It doesn't seem to have any information about the crash, only just the startup log.  When does the game crash?  Before you reach the main menu?  Or when you start an instance of the Battlescape with the new map?

The latter, when I select Firestorm as a craft and go into battlescape.

[ohartenstein23]

Can you upload all the files that you're working with to make the mod, including the new map file and the ruleset?

[Hobbes]

EDIT3: Frelling frell! About more than 10 years since I first played X-Com, still can't get my alien Scout, just crash, crash, crash and more crash. If you only had any idea how pissed off I am. So please... can somebody just do it for me as I get overly aggressive and unstable due to my own mental issues to a point I can't even mod and it pisses me off. Just tried another trick I thought would work and nope, crash (DAMNIT!!!).

We are not here to solve your mental issues - if you can't cope with modding because it affects your health, then you better find something else to do.

And I'm not here either to do somebody else's mod for them. I can give pointers but if you want something done, you do it yourself. If you can't accept this, see the end of the previous sentence.

I just tried editing the spawn points and I got a crash as well. I suspect it's related with the fact that the Small Scout is a special UFO for the engine and it can't properly place the UFO as an XCom craft. You can either design your own pod or figure out what is the issue with the Small Scout.

[Droggarth]

We are not here to solve your mental issues - if you can't cope with modding because it affects your health, then you better find something else to do.

And I'm not here either to do somebody else's mod for them. I can give pointers but if you want something done, you do it yourself. If you can't accept this, see the end of the previous sentence.

I just tried editing the spawn points and I got a crash as well. I suspect it's related with the fact that the Small Scout is a special UFO for the engine and it can't properly place the UFO as an XCom craft. You can either design your own pod or figure out what is the issue with the Small Scout.

I did not ask to solve mental issues (I only mentioned it because it's haltering me big time, just incase). I asked for modding help or get someone to do it. the previous seems to be the case here.

Thanks for making me think of making a new pod. Gonna try it with FIRES files. Also thanks for at least trying yourself what I tried.

--- posts merged ---

Woah, an entire nerve-racking day. Frellin' ow. At least.. no this is not at least. This is the next (bit minor but still) best thing:



Has an X-Com Elerium reactor in the middle and is mimicking both the Firestorm and the alien Medium Scout. Got it to only work by using already existing name of FIRES from the mod along with using the FIRES files as a base/template and apart from the node, I axed the cobbled together ugly thing by expanding it and making something IMO something far more enjoyable (to me at least).

This thread should still on go in pursuit of getting alien craft playable because I am just sick of this humans vs evil aliens trope.. nothing personal to someone, just some variety helps alot and yes, I know what X-Com is about, doesn't mean non-existance of playable aliens and no this is not up for an arguement (save it for someone else, I'm having none of it anymore), playable aliens or playable aliens.

Eh, don't let my seemingly aggressive behavior trouble you folk. I'm a bitter being by now and I can't help it much. The need to vent over this has been long coming for 10 or so years ago when I first saw that alien scout.

[Hobbes]

Eh, don't let my seemingly aggressive behavior trouble you folk. I'm a bitter being by now and I can't help it much. The need to vent over this has been long coming for 10 or so years ago when I first saw that alien scout.

My previous post was more like advice: this is a great modding community and with the right attitude you can do a lot of nice things with the help of some great people

It made me happy that you have already modded the Lightning - map designing has a few quirks but you'll either figure them out by yourself or just ask

I've been actually thinking and trying to figure out why the attempts to use the Small Scout haven't worked so far. I'm gonna to try to see if I can figure out this issue, I must be missing something. Also, for it to work, it will be necessary to add a specific map tile as an 'exit area' so that you can abort the mission, without losing your soldiers.

[Hobbes]

Success



The reason why it wasn't working was exactly that it was missing the 'exit area', so I changed the purple ground' properties to act as one (using MCD Edit). You can find all the required files on the attached post (the .MCD, .PCK and .TAB files go into the TERRAIN folder)

[Droggarth]

My previous post was more like advice: this is a great modding community and with the right attitude you can do a lot of nice things with the help of some great people

It made me happy that you have already modded the Lightning - map designing has a few quirks but you'll either figure them out by yourself or just ask

I've been actually thinking and trying to figure out why the attempts to use the Small Scout haven't worked so far. I'm gonna to try to see if I can figure out this issue, I must be missing something. Also, for it to work, it will be necessary to add a specific map tile as an 'exit area' so that you can abort the mission, without losing your soldiers.

Ah, whew. I didn't really know how the community here was even like. I just thought of diving into X-Com after a long while in the morning and the modding need jolted from there plus I refuse to let my mental issues drive me so much at this point as it has brought nothing but problems, no way am I gonna let those control me and what little mental screw-ups I had today, let's just say it has been MUCH worse in the past.

Anyhow, while I was messing with the Small Scout. It did occur to me a few times that there must be something more, something that MapView doesn't seem to offer or is somewhere abstractly hidden away, from what I've seen in landed scout encounters is that the alien in question always roams about somewhere on the map. So the alien crafts lack the important data for things like X-Com items, spawns, exits, etc, indeed. One other idea I have is pallet merging UFO1 sprites and stuff with LIGHTNIN and then building the pod from scratch, kinda what I just did with the FIRES stuff from XcomUtil_Fighter_Transports mod folder as the custom Lightning craft there already has a smaller map area. Hence why I think MapView is clumsy/outdated (doesn't seem to even allow to select custom crafts).

As for my customized Lightning model, I'm probably gonna change a few tidbits later on but for now. Awesome and thanks!

Woah.. just as I was to post this. Double awesome. Definitely, gonna investigate the files. Much appreciated!

Yup! It works! A million thanks and in turn you just motivated me past one of my mental issues, or one of the mental blocks really. Woah, I had MCDEdit installed all this time and some how I completely managed to over look the number values of things like gravlifts and whatnot. Right under my nose and I had I used the program about 4-6 times. Mind blown.

[Hobbes]

Anyhow, while I was messing with the Small Scout. It did occur to me a few times that there must be something more, something that MapView doesn't seem to offer or is somewhere abstractly hidden away, from what I've seen in landed scout encounters is that the alien in question always roams about somewhere on the map. So the alien crafts lack the important data for things like X-Com items, spawns, exits, etc, indeed. One other idea I have is pallet merging UFO1 sprites and stuff with LIGHTNIN and then building the pod from scratch, kinda what I just did with the FIRES stuff from XcomUtil_Fighter_Transports mod folder as the custom Lightning craft there already has a smaller map area. Hence why I think MapView is clumsy/outdated (doesn't seem to even allow to select custom crafts).

To properly edit maps/terrain you need both MapView and MCD Edit (version 1.17g). MapView allows you to change the disposition of the map "tiles", which are technically known as MCD entries, and also to edit the route nodes used by the engine/AI. Each entry is either ground, walls or objects, and you use MCD Edit to modify their properties.

You have 2 ways of adding custom crafts/maps to MapView. First is choose Edit -> Paths -> Map Files tab and then create new Groups/Subgroups and add to them the .MAP/RMP files. The 2nd way is by manually editing the MapEdit.dat file using Notepad/Notepad++ (latter is recommended). For the MCD files you'll need to manually edit the Images.dat file. Both .dat files can be found in the /settings subfolder which is located where you installed MapView.

And yeah, MapView has issues but for the past 15 years it has been the only tool available to edit map files, and it still works because of the work of some awesome people updating it

[Droggarth]

Thank you so much. Like I said, you just motivated me into modding X-Com further and push myself past my own mental problems today. Just learned/figured out how to add existing or new map entries to MapView. Looking at non-garbled unaltered UFO1A right now, for some reason it is UFO_01a there by default and is missing the UFO1 entry (hence the garbled mish-mash of walls), think my patched dos install of X-Com might be interfering with that a bit, not sure. Definitely helps to have a updated MapView from the forums as some of the features that were originally missing weren't there yet so I was a bit biased due to old ugly memory of it I guess.

Alrighty, triple awesome. Got the pod to show up with all its own data in MapView, I see what you did with the nodes, I wasn't as through as I was just copying the default crafts and failing and I think I see why. Also good to know that lifts in fact do work for X-Com craft too. That is.. just so much awesome. I been.. I'm speechless. I been wanting and then needing for years to somehow mod the thing in or at least get some basic knowledge to do it myself as the more complicated things are the more prominent my mental health gets and its the main reason I just have so much struggle with modding when I really want to and things are seemingly overly complicated, eh. Just speaking of a fact and not seeking advice for that as yesterday/today made me overcome a major obstacle.

Thank you, Hobbes. From the bottom of my heart.

To commemorate this truly momentous occasion of you finally getting the alien small scout to actually be a separate craft which means a great deal to me since childhood. Cue the music:

Spoiler:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u2W1Wi2U9sQ

Around 2000-2003 was the time I first saw/played X-Com. So yeah, more than 10 years ago since I wanted that alien craft. Means a lot to me.

Alrighty, another update about an hour later. Couldn't resist. Had to replicated what you did to know for sure if I had gotten it too eventually. Used both MCDEdit and MapView to turn UFO1 and its counterpart UFO1A files into a functioning useable alien craft in game with its own nickname "Fhyr". Reverse engineered the Pod so to speak. So much feeling like 1812 Overture Finale music. Again thanks!

[ivandogovich]

To properly edit maps/terrain you need both MapView and MCD Edit (version 1.17g).

@ Hobbes:  is there a reason why you recommended 1.17g, instead of 1.17i, the latest version?  Was it an oversight, or is there something better about the previous version?

Also: @ Droggarth.  Just a little introduction.  Hobbes is probably one of the most experienced map makers in the community and knows the ins and outs to an incredible degree (Also a long time curator of the Terrain Pack, and now author of the Area 51 mod). .  Hellrazor is another prolific map modder, with great attention to detail and the ability to spot bugs and make improvements in maps.  He would be a great person to learn from, and may be able to help you over new hurdles that you may run into.  Hellrazor has his own Hard Mod Difficulty mod, but he continually tinkers with maps.

[hellrazor]

Hi Droggarth,
welcome to our little community here. Unfortunately we still do lack a proper How to Section for useing the map view. It can be quiete tedious to use.
Feel free to ask questions if you like. Sometimes they also have been answered.
So searching never hurts.
Route Nodes for example are a important part in map making, because they control the aliens movement patterns.

I wrote a description about them here, is the screenshot still visible?

If you have question feel free to ask ahead. For specific question also feel free to catch me on the IRC. Ot

[Droggarth]

Also: @ Droggarth.  Just a little introduction.  Hobbes is probably one of the most experienced map makers in the community and knows the ins and outs to an incredible degree (Also a long time curator of the Terrain Pack, and now author of the Area 51 mod). .  Hellrazor is another prolific map modder, with great attention to detail and the ability to spot bugs and make improvements in maps.  He would be a great person to learn from, and may be able to help you over new hurdles that you may run into.  Hellrazor has his own Hard Mod Difficulty mod, but he continually tinkers with maps.

This is quite some impressive news for me, last time I modded X-Com was years ago, it was less than ideal and there wasn't much info going about and if there were any on the websites I still ran into some problems for the things I needed to do but still managing to use a XComApoc tool to make a soldier (or was it armor? can't remember) to a permanent Anthropod was quite an achievement for me to the point I've forgotten how I even did as it was seemingly irreversible.

Heh, think I saw some of your beginning videos of X-Com 1 and TFtD a few years ago, memory is in the grey due to meds I was taking. Found something calming and yet entertaining to watch X-Com let's plays on Youtube especially when around the corner was a bunch of aliens ready to trigger-happy with the plasma and oh dear, did those moments crack me up, even in my own plays in X-Com and TFtD, I find that one corner with a party and I'm not invited and go "yikes..".

Anyhow, good to meet you folks and thanks for mentioning/introducing the two guys more. As far as map making goes my main interest is in spaceships and things that are alien and fly, just happens that the ships in X-Com games usually are stationary map pieces in battlescape but still awesome.

Hi Droggarth,
welcome to our little community here. Unfortunately we still do lack a proper How to Section for useing the map view. It can be quiete tedious to use.
Feel free to ask questions if you like. Sometimes they also have been answered.
So searching never hurts.
Route Nodes for example are a important part in map making, because they control the aliens movement patterns.

I wrote a description about them here, is the screenshot still visible?

If you have question feel free to ask ahead. For specific question also feel free to catch me on the IRC. Ot

Hi, Hellrazor. Aye, was kind of noticing that with the nodes on the Abductor and its grav lifts. Sad to say though but the screenshot(s?) in your post are not visible.
Never used IRC but when something comes up, I'll just dive into it and ask. Anyhow, I really should get some sleep because this modding frenzy kept me up from yestarday morning to today's morning.

[hellrazor]

This is quite some impressive news for me, last time I modded X-Com was years ago, it was less than ideal and there wasn't much info going about and if there were any on the websites I still ran into some problems for the things I needed to do but still managing to use a XComApoc tool to make a soldier (or was it armor? can't remember) to a permanent Anthropod was quite an achievement for me to the point I've forgotten how I even did as it was seemingly irreversible.

Heh, think I saw some of your beginning videos of X-Com 1 and TFtD a few years ago, memory is in the grey due to meds I was taking. Found something calming and yet entertaining to watch X-Com let's plays on Youtube especially when around the corner was a bunch of aliens ready to trigger-happy with the plasma and oh dear, did those moments crack me up, even in my own plays in X-Com and TFtD, I find that one corner with a party and I'm not invited and go "yikes..".

Anyhow, good to meet you folks and thanks for mentioning/introducing the two guys more. As far as map making goes my main interest is in spaceships and things that are alien and fly, just happens that the ships in X-Com games usually are stationary map pieces in battlescape but still awesome.

Hi, Hellrazor. Aye, was kind of noticing that with the nodes on the Abductor and its grav lifts. Sad to say though but the screenshot(s?) in your post are not visible.
Never used IRC but when something comes up, I'll just dive into it and ask. Anyhow, I really should get some sleep because this modding frenzy kept me up from yestarday morning to today's morning.

Jeah I linked them in from dropbox, which for some reasons didn't seemed to work properly...

[Droggarth]

Ah. Curious about what those pictures showed. I myself did a few more polishes to the useable small scout outside of battlescape. Mainly added an ufopaedia entry and three images where need be but I ran into this with one of them:

How it should appear:


The issue:

How it appears wrong with sprite id of 22 (only non-crashing sprite id). Sprite in that picture is a different version of the sprite I made, that's why the shadow textures are missing but that's beside the point as the colors appear all white and not grey and purple.

Ack, the tiny retro one is barely seen so here's a close up view:

[Yankes]

What palette and editor you used? one of it could messup your graphic.