The X-Com Files: Idea Proving Grounds

[Juku121]

I've decided to create a separate thread for my personal modifications to the X-Com Files. Strictly speaking, with more support it would become a submod, but I'm not able to put in the effort right now (tracking down credits, updating, tracking bugs etc is not terribly fun and takes time I currently really don't have).

Instead, I'm putting this out as a source of inspiration and an attempt to garner support for including some changes in Solarius' master version. So the primary goal of this thread is to get enough people to look at or play the 'mod', identify changes they like enough to see them in the X-Com Files proper and post your ideas and preferences here. Then I can lobby Solarius with popular support and playtesting in my favor. 

I already made a half-hearted attempt earlier, but my changes are extensive enough and the ruleset structure is by now sufficiently different that it's just too much to expect Solarius to work through all the files. And I'd prefer him continuing to focus on adding new arcs and ideas, not burning out on WinMerge. 

The secondary goal is to get some minor playtesting and provide people who've already gone through a good part of the X-Com Files with an alternative playthrough.

So here it is:

The X-Com Files (Juku121 edition)

&

X-Com Files Music Selection

What you need to get started:

• A basic setup compatible with the X-Com Files; e.g. XCF 0.4c, later versions will probably work as well until something major changes in the file structure.
• Meridian's OXCE+ 2016-11-06 (or later, if backwards compatibility is maintained).
• Rename, delete etc the XComFiles mod directory in /user/mods/ and replace it with the one from the archive.
• Optionally, put the music and Daylight Indicator mods also in /user/mods/.

While the changes are somewhat more 'alpha' than the parent mod, I don't think there are enough bugs to make the experience noticeably worse than the XCF itself. So bug reports are welcome, but not a priority, especially since quite a few are going to be shared with the master mod anyway.

An overview of the changes and some recommendations for people who decide to start an actual playthrough are attached.

[Dr.Crowley]

Seems like nobody was interested in this thread. Anyway I used your music compilation with master version of XComFiles and found out that it fits very good there. I'd like to see full credits but it's not necessary because I want to know where GMTACTIC2 came from. When I heard it first time in Durathread Factory Mission I was like "OH CRAP" - it felt almost like I'm storming Red Dawn HQ

[Juku121]

I'd like to see full credits but it's not necessary because I want to know where GMTACTIC2 came from.

I think my main sources were various remastered music mods (including those for TFTD) available here,  and Xenonauts. GMTACTIC2 is the sixth daytime combat track from Gifty’s Music Addon for Xenonauts.

[niculinux]

Juku121, a silly (maybe) question: does your version goes along the changes with the most updated version of  xcom files?

[Juku121]

Sorry, I haven't been here for a while and missed the question.

No, this version is seriously outdated, in all possible ways (re OXCE+, XCF proper and my personal intermediate versions).

Solarius has taken a few ideas from it, there are a number of others still elaborated in the readme files and I fully intend to update it to some "current" XCF version ... eventually. I hope that happens before we get to version 1.0.

I just hit a spot where modding was starting to resemble work too much and took a break. Right now, my free time's been taken by JA2, so it could take a while to get back to X-Com.

In the meanwhile, at least you can pilfer some music from it, like Dr.Crowley did.