Bugs, crashes, typos & bad taste

[krautbernd]

I can't recall a single case where some part of this map would be unavailable, and that would be a major problem, so excuse me for being a bit sceptical. I simply need an example to examine.

Under certain circumstances DARKSTORMMOUNTAIN_ALPHA  can generate inaccessbile areas:





The reason this usually doesn't happen is because two blocks (or rather a 2x2 block and a 1x1 block and any map block with a junction and alien spawn point) need to be generated in very specific positions (e.g. at the map edge, the 2x2 block in to the south of it). Forcing the game to spawn said blocks (the "lab" and the "t-shaped junction") makes this reproducible. Given my limited knowledge regarding map generation the blocks in question are (probably) STORMMOUNTAIN03 and STORMMOUNTAIN09 or whatever map file "blocks [03]" and "blocks [09]" equate to.

[Solarius Scorch]

Thanks. Indeed it may be a problem. I'm not sure how to solve it elegantly yet, though.

[krautbernd]

Managed to generate something similiar, but it did take quite a few tries:



As far as I can tell the problem is that the "air vent/duct" from the lab tile is not in line up (and does not connect) with those of the other tiles. This combined with the "air shaft" location of the T-Tile leads to the junction with the spawn point being cut off. Either align the shaft of the lab tile "correctly" or add/move the air shaft on the T-Tile so it connects to the rest of the vent/shaft network.

Misaligned shafts from lab:


Move/place additional air shaft on T-Tile:

[psavola]

What various holes? Hatches?

I can't recall a single case where some part of this map would be unavailable, and that would be a major problem, so excuse me for being a bit sceptical. I simply need an example to examine.

Here's a screenshot of visibility that IMO should not exist from an agent to an alien that is at the tile of the mouse cursor but one level up. There was also at least one similar case when the alien was somewhere in the direction where the mudranger is facing.

[Vakrug]

During my recent playthrough I never received "Message from M.A.G.M.A. no. 002". From the research tree it is hard to tell why, but my only guess is that I have never finished (successfully) "M.A.G.M.A. Lab" mission. Last time I just grabbed a zombie soldier and fled. "M.A.G.M.A. Lab" mission stopped appearing after I researched that soldier (not remember if it was alive or dead). You probably can guess how mush it screwed my playthrough...

[psavola]

github 3.0 infernalism description includes: "Such an agent gains a boost to many combat abilities, as well as psionic and trauma resistance, at the cost of mental instability caused by occasional brushes with alien, malevolent entities. Mental care is the key to keep them functional."

This is confusing or misleading.

I suppose "gaining psionic resistance" refers to +20 sanity, but I think psionic resistance (PST and PSK) is orthogonal to Sanity (which you may lose even when there is nothing psionic about the mission). So this should likely be reworded slightly.

Second, "At the cost of mental instability"and ""Mental care is the key" is also misleading and worse. Infernals lose 30 bravery and "mental care" (for example the sensorium and other facilities) has zero impact on bravery. The description sounds much more as if the intent was to reduce sanity rather than bravery (but the transformation actually increases sanity), but even this is a far stretch. In that case the text about mental care would also make more sense.

I'd suggest rewording the description or what the infernal transformation is actually doing.

The description would make much more sense if it read, for example, "Such an agent gains a boost to many combat abilities, as well as mental and trauma resistance, at the cost of bravery when dealing with brushes with alien, malevolent entities. Mental care is the key to keep them functional."

[Solarius Scorch]

During my recent playthrough I never received "Message from M.A.G.M.A. no. 002". From the research tree it is hard to tell why, but my only guess is that I have never finished (successfully) "M.A.G.M.A. Lab" mission. Last time I just grabbed a zombie soldier and fled. "M.A.G.M.A. Lab" mission stopped appearing after I researched that soldier (not remember if it was alive or dead). You probably can guess how mush it screwed my playthrough...

The mission will reappear as long as you don't have Message from M.A.G.M.A. no. 002 (which comes from finishing this mission). 50% chance per month.

github 3.0 infernalism description includes: "Such an agent gains a boost to many combat abilities, as well as psionic and trauma resistance, at the cost of mental instability caused by occasional brushes with alien, malevolent entities. Mental care is the key to keep them functional."

This is confusing or misleading.

I suppose "gaining psionic resistance" refers to +20 sanity, but I think psionic resistance (PST and PSK) is orthogonal to Sanity (which you may lose even when there is nothing psionic about the mission). So this should likely be reworded slightly.

It's not misleading; it's not about Sanity, it's not about Santa Claus, it's about psionic resistance directly (psiDefence).
You confused yourself.

Second, "At the cost of mental instability"and ""Mental care is the key" is also misleading and worse. Infernals lose 30 bravery and "mental care" (for example the sensorium and other facilities) has zero impact on bravery. The description sounds much more as if the intent was to reduce sanity rather than bravery (but the transformation actually increases sanity), but even this is a far stretch. In that case the text about mental care would also make more sense.

I disagree. Bravery in the x-Com context is about losing your shit in various ways. Sanity is about mental resilience.

I'd suggest rewording the description or what the infernal transformation is actually doing.

The description would make much more sense if it read, for example, "Such an agent gains a boost to many combat abilities, as well as mental and trauma resistance, at the cost of bravery when dealing with brushes with alien, malevolent entities. Mental care is the key to keep them functional."

I think it would be more misleading than it is now.

[Vakrug]

The mission will reappear as long as you don't have Message from M.A.G.M.A. no. 002 (which comes from finishing this mission). 50% chance per month.

Then I was extremely unlucky. Which is very unlikely.
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OK, I modified "missionScripts_XCOMFILES.rul" and updated zombieLab.executionOdds to 100.
Then I reloaded a game, skipped to the next month. (I deleted all alien mission to do that without warries.) No Magma Lab missions appeared in the save file.
The save file included.
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This is very strange. STR_MAGMA_MISSION_MAGMA_LAB is in "discovered" list. STR_MESSAGE_FROM_MAGMA_02 is not. I bet MiBs are involved...

[Vakrug]

Also, call me crazy, but swear I was able to research "Asuka 4000" only after I acquired "Tritanium Matrix". (Only after "Tritanim Matrix" I receive "Message from M.A.G.M.A.: Tritanium Ammo".) Can't prove that with save file.
BTW I played at 2.9 version (not 3.0). May be this was fixed.
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No, I am not crazy!

Code: [Select]

  - name: STR_ALLOYS_MANUFACTURING
    requiresBaseFunc: [STDLAB]
    cost: 200
    points: 100
    dependencies:
      - STR_TRITANIUM_MATRIX
      - STR_SENTIENT_ALGORYTHMS
      - STR_ADVANCED_AI
    listOrder: 1600
-------
  - name: STR_MESSAGE_FROM_MAGMA_ALLOY_AMMO
    cost: 2
    points: 10
    dependencies:
      - STR_ALLOY_AMMO
      - STR_ALLOYS_MANUFACTURING
      - STR_MAGMA_CONTACT
    listOrder: 300640
This different from https://xcf.trigramreactor.net/master/article/STR_MESSAGE_FROM_MAGMA_ALLOY_AMMO

Good thing that was fixed. I wanted to say "Asuka needs more love!"

[psavola]

In beyond the doom portal map, after doing it once, in the second run an enemy was generated in an area (near the cursor in the png) which doesn't appear to be accessible. I also tried a couple of hi-ex and digging with the pick-axe, I couldn't find a way to access it. I also tried to enable debug mode to verify the situation, but for some reason none of the OXC keywords appeared to work. I guess I'll have to edit the save to move the enemy to another position or something.

[Solarius Scorch]

Then I was extremely unlucky. Which is very unlikely.
------
OK, I modified "missionScripts_XCOMFILES.rul" and updated zombieLab.executionOdds to 100.
Then I reloaded a game, skipped to the next month. (I deleted all alien mission to do that without warries.) No Magma Lab missions appeared in the save file.
The save file included.
------
This is very strange. STR_MAGMA_MISSION_MAGMA_LAB is in "discovered" list. STR_MESSAGE_FROM_MAGMA_02 is not. I bet MiBs are involved...

I found the problem; the mission is interrupted if you research STR_ZOMBIE_IMPLANT. It's a subtle hole in the logic.

I'll fix it for the next version. For now, you can remove the line

Code: [Select]

     interruptResearch: STR_ZOMBIE_IMPLANT from the alienMissions_XCOMFILES.rul file. (There's only one such line.)
Or update from the GitHub.

In beyond the doom portal map, after doing it once, in the second run an enemy was generated in an area (near the cursor in the png) which doesn't appear to be accessible. I also tried a couple of hi-ex and digging with the pick-axe, I couldn't find a way to access it. I also tried to enable debug mode to verify the situation, but for some reason none of the OXC keywords appeared to work. I guess I'll have to edit the save to move the enemy to another position or something.

This is normal for catacombs-like maps, but the terrain's resilience is weird. Hmm, can you drop the save?

[psavola]

This is normal for catacombs-like maps, but the terrain's resilience is weird. Hmm, can you drop the save?

You probably missed it, the save was attached to the previous post.

If there is supposed to be only certain very specific points where the terrain is destructible, it is difficult to know which points those would be here. (In contrast, for example in the cyberweb lairs you can easily deduce this if this version of a lair is generated.) There also seem to be huge areas (especially in the upper level) which are inaccessible, so the player cannot really know where and how you would go about proceeding destroying the terrain. As there is 3 sanity loss per turn, it seems unreasonable to also require huge amount of digging.

[Solarius Scorch]

You probably missed it, the save was attached to the previous post.

Right, sorry.

If there is supposed to be only certain very specific points where the terrain is destructible, it is difficult to know which points those would be here. (In contrast, for example in the cyberweb lairs you can easily deduce this if this version of a lair is generated.) There also seem to be huge areas (especially in the upper level) which are inaccessible, so the player cannot really know where and how you would go about proceeding destroying the terrain. As there is 3 sanity loss per turn, it seems unreasonable to also require huge amount of digging.

Well, it was a VERY unfortunate map generation.
Unfortunately, it can't really be prevented, unless I make all blocks passable in all directions, which would make the terrain really dull... Carry laser/plasma cutters.

[psavola]

Is it intentional that Advanced Scout Drone does not have the anticamo capabilities that the regular Scout Drone has? This seems like an oversight. (Of course, not sure if the anticamo is really that crucial later as it is in the early game with the BL assassins.) But it strikes to me as strange that the advanced version is in some respect worse than the original.

[Solarius Scorch]

Is it intentional that Advanced Scout Drone does not have the anticamo capabilities that the regular Scout Drone has? This seems like an oversight. (Of course, not sure if the anticamo is really that crucial later as it is in the early game with the BL assassins.) But it strikes to me as strange that the advanced version is in some respect worse than the original.

Yes, it was my mistake. Thank you.