[WIP] Tech-Com - Terminator series

[Yataka Shimaoka]

Looooooking nice!

[MKSheppard]

So I've got some ranks for TECH-COM:

Code: [Select]

###RANKS####

extraStrings:
  - type: en-US
    strings:
      STR_ROOKIE: "Private"
      STR_SQUADDIE: "Corporal"
      STR_SERGEANT: "Sergeant"
      STR_CAPTAIN: "Captain"
      STR_COLONEL: "Colonel"
      STR_COMMANDER: "General"
 
extraSprites:
  - type: BASEBITS.PCK
    files:
      42: Resources/UI/Rank_0.png
      43: Resources/UI/Rank_1.png
      44: Resources/UI/Rank_2.png
      45: Resources/UI/Rank_3.png
      46: Resources/UI/Rank_4.png
      47: Resources/UI/Rank_5.png
But they display incorrect palette in GeoScape/Baseview and they don't show up in Battlescape (the original UFO ranks do instead).

[MKSheppard]

In the Year of Darkness, 2029, the rulers of this planet devised the ultimate plan. They would reshape the Future by changing the Past. The plan required something that felt no pity. No pain. No fear. Something unstoppable. They created 'THE TERMINATOR'

[MKSheppard]

Got an intro cut scene now.

STR_TERM_INTRO_1: "During the Summer of 1999, war was the least on everyone's minds."
STR_TERM_INTRO_2: "The Warsaw Treaty for the Reduction of Arms had just been signed."
STR_TERM_INTRO_3: "Relations between the United States and Soviet Union were improving."
STR_TERM_INTRO_4: "Around 2:43 AM, Eastern Time on Tuesday, September 13, 1999..."
STR_TERM_INTRO_5: "Approximately 65% of all strategic weapons were suddenly launched."
STR_TERM_INTRO_6: "The survivors of the nuclear fire called the war Judgment Day."
STR_TERM_INTRO_7: "They lived only to face a new nightmare..."
STR_TERM_INTRO_8: "...the War Against The Machines."

[MKSheppard]

Here's how to create a cutscene file using PAINT SHOP PRO.

1.) Reduce file sizes to 320x200.

2.) Decrease Color Depth to X Colors

3.) Select:
Number of Colors: 250
Optimized Median Cut
Nearest Color

3.) IMAGE -> PALETTE -> EDIT PALETTE

4.) Select Palette Index 250, and use the following image to insert these colors into the palette.

#8cccb8
#68a498
#487c78
#2c5054
#14282c

They all have to be in that order. Because if you select the lead indexed color (250), it will pull the next several colors in the index to "build" the shading for the text.

5.) Save the file.

EDIT: Palette #0 is the background fill color for resolutions larger than 320x200. Set it to Black (0,0,0) for best quality.

[MKSheppard]

Request to move this to the Modding/Experiments forum.

[Yataka Shimaoka]

This is finally taking shape, so why not move it at the modding/experiments since this might actually become a megamod

[Wolfstarr]

Trying to work on this beauty

Skynet Centurion!

[Hobbes]

Great work on everything guys!

I've been on holidays and completely out of access to the internet for a week (which was rather nice) but I still managed to spend some of the time rethinking the whole Geoscape and wrote down a ton of notes.

Since this mod has gathered some attention lately, I've attached the work that me, chaosshade and IvanDogovich have made so far. It would be best to post it somewhere (Github?) if people start adding into it but I have almost zero experience with forks and etc.

I will also start coding into the ruleset the Geoscape changes I thought of, including:
* Resistance craft - V-22 (with different versions including radar and long range)
* Hunter-Killer (HKs) - aerial and ground versions, together with their patrol points
* missionScripts
* alienMissions
* alienDeployments

Basically nearly everything that involves the strategy layer. I had some new ideas that should be *interesting* to implement and turn the Geoscape more random (Skynet's HQ doesn't start always in North America for instance) and make Tech-Com base expansion as a requirement to win actually win the game. But, more on this will follow later

[Hobbes]

Well, we know that Terminators can be reprogrammed per T2 Canon:

What you could do is re-purpose the "Alien Containment" into "Cybernetic Containment" and have it consist of an EXTREMELY strong, airlocked faraday cage, to prevent any transmissions from getting into the room (or out), so that Skynet machines can be experimented on while active.

Before you have the Cybernetic Containment, they're too dangerous to keep around active, so they're burned out before entry to your base, lest they have a secret homing beacon to lead Skynet to you...

My idea is also to replace Psionics with Tech skills - once you research enough you'll get the equivalent of the Psi-Amp, which you will then be able to use to hack Terminator units. And have the Stun Rod replaced with something that can be use to capture Terminators, and even reprogram them once you get the appropriate tech, although there's an issue regarding overabuse by the player of captured Terminator units. And it would make sense for Skynet to deploy an anti-Terminator unit like the T-X.

[Hobbes]

extraStrings:
  - type: en-US
    strings:
      STR_ROOKIE: "Private"
      STR_SQUADDIE: "Corporal"
      STR_SERGEANT: "Sergeant"
      STR_CAPTAIN: "Captain"
      STR_COLONEL: "Colonel"
      STR_COMMANDER: "General"

Makes me wish it was possible to add Lieutenant and Major and their corresponding insignias

I actually don't see Tech-Com as a 4 star organization, which is related to my head canon about the timeline where it takes place, which is also related to the new missions I have been considering during my holidays.

[MKSheppard]

re: 4 stars, see pic from T2.

JC may be following semi-standard US paramilitary practice -- in the NYPD, the Chief of Department is a four star rank, while Deputy Chief is a one star rank.

[Yataka Shimaoka]

I am so definitely waiting for these series to come

[Wolfstarr]

I think I have some good stuff for the majority of the units with the exception of the endoskeleton, the sprite from my other post is ok but not the best I am working on something else but the unit editing isn't my forte.

I have workable sprites for a:

HWP sized HK1 the flying HK from rise of the machines
HWP sized The centurion spider type HK (this unit has a 20 frame walk cycle ... trying to convert it to 5 frames and not look crap is difficult lol)
HWP sized HK tank

My current ideas for other things are:

A small 1x1 flying drone
A cyborg conversion unit as per the dawn of fate game
An aerial HK adapted from the command and conquer flying orca unit
A partial endounit which when damaged spawns a skeletal endoskeleton
A couple of variants of the endoskeleton unit with differing resistances to weapons
Repurpose the stun damage for emp damage

Some of these have been ported from voxels so might need a bit of TLC from someone with a bit of artistic flair.

Love the hand ob work completed so far tho

[Yataka Shimaoka]

Shit, are those from C&C 2 Yuri's Revenge?