A mission idea

[SteamXCOM]

Actually steam, I was thinking just a copy of how piratez did it, with different types of enemies armed or unarmed, with some giving positive points for killing (alliens) and some giving a NEGATIVE point value for killing (little kids charging you with knives, or mothers with shotguns).  It actually works pretty well, you need to carefully plan out reaction fire, and calculate who to shoot, who to hesitate on, and when to risk non fatal take downs.

THAT is pretty good idea and I agree with what you suggest
 and since it already exists in another mod, it might not be to difficult to implement here

[tkzv]

More ideas on that invisible asteroid.

Research item: "Alien Staging Area" or "Alien Refuelling Station".

Prerequisites: all typical UFO types (no Envoy and other special types):
      - STR_SMALL_SCOUT
      - STR_MEDIUM_SCOUT
      - STR_LARGE_SCOUT
      - STR_HARVESTER
      - STR_ABDUCTOR
      - STR_TERROR_SHIP
      - STR_BATTLESHIP
      - STR_SUPPLY_SHIP
      - STR_SENTRY_SHIP
      - STR_FIGHTER_SHIP
      - STR_LAB_SHIP
      - STR_EXCAVATOR

Ufopaedia text:
All UFOs we've downed had their elerium reserves filled to the brim. Our research indicates they all uses some artificial or natural satellite of Earth as a refuelling station and rendezvous point. To reliably triangulate this invisible satellite we need Hyperwave Decoders at 8 bases.

There's also a chance that some space agency has already discovered this satellite, but is covering it up. If only we knew where to look...
The number of required decoders may be lower than 8, but triangulation requires at least 3 Maybe conventional radars can be employed too.

The following item is either unlocked by having 8 decoders after having researched "Alien Refuelling Station" or is given randomly for researching a decoded cartridge:
Research item: Pelops

Ufopaedia text:
Pelops is an asteroid orbiting Sun in 1:1 resonance with Earth, making it a quasi-satellite. Due to its unusual black colour it is virtually undetectable by optic telescopes. Aliens have placed a fuel depot there, which they occasionally resupply. It can be raided by any of our elerium-powered ships, but we expect it to be heavily guarded by robots and booby-trapped.

Size: 100 x 100 x 200 m
Distance to Earth: <2.5 million km
There may be a random event "Pelops fuel depot restocked" after which any ship can be sent to raid it for a while, or it can be available at any time.

I envision the mission itself as something similar to the surface part of Cydonia mission, only without the "sphinx", with black terrain (does it need a new set of tiles, or would changing the texture suffice?) and with no underground entrance. Protected by holodrones, cyberdisks and sectopods. The containers that hold eleruium detonate randomly, destroying their contents. The player may break containers with plasma(?) fire and pick elerium or kill all guards and get elerium from all unexploded containers. Only space-capable weapons are allowed.

Mission name: "Asteroid Raid"

Mission Briefing:
Our approach has triggered the self-destruct sequence of elerium containers. Some of them will explode every turn until none is left. Eliminate all guard robots and you will be able to disarm the remaining containers. To abort the mission return X-Com operatives to the vehicle and click on the 'Abort Mission' icon.

[Solarius Scorch]

I'm glad to see these ideas accumulate. Not doing anything with them yet, but one day I will.

[mumble]

Any chance we could get a VIP rescue sort of thing like one of the missions in xcom enemy unknown? Perhaps a spawn point for xcom, spawn point for cultists, and spawn point for VIP's and security, and trying to rescue the VIP before hes killed.

Also, What if zombie parasites were connected with a drug outbreak? Like zombies outbreak in the slums because a dirt cheap "drug" is being sold and converting drug addicts into literal zombies... Would be interesting to see, particularly if it involved gangers and ghetto people fighting zombies in the streets in a police no go zone. It would also better explain the large zombie presence in the world.

[Solarius Scorch]

Any chance we could get a VIP rescue sort of thing like one of the missions in xcom enemy unknown? Perhaps a spawn point for xcom, spawn point for cultists, and spawn point for VIP's and security, and trying to rescue the VIP before hes killed.

We can't have a spawn point for VIP, potential nodes are shared with enemies.
But otherwise there are already several such missions.

Also, What if zombie parasites were connected with a drug outbreak? Like zombies outbreak in the slums because a dirt cheap "drug" is being sold and converting drug addicts into literal zombies... Would be interesting to see, particularly if it involved gangers and ghetto people fighting zombies in the streets in a police no go zone. It would also better explain the large zombie presence in the world.

Not sure... You need at least partially grown parasite to overtake a human. But maybe something can be arranged.

[tkzv]

Not sure... You need at least partially grown parasite to overtake a human. But maybe something can be arranged.

What about energy? A zombie gets a limited doze of plasma and the only way to get more is to eat other zombies. If an infected only gets a drop of contaminated blood, the doze would probably be too small for anything and the zombie would die from starvation before X-COM arrives.

Now, if someone distributes this stuff disguised as cheap drugs, there's enough energy and you get a zombie outbreak in a big city. The question is: who would do it? Hybrids are obvious culprits, but that may get boring.

Can it be the Syndicate? What for? How about getting more zombies for their experiments?

Can any of the 4 starting "cults" do it?

How about cultists of Apocalypse? Would Luchadors try to make more food for themselves?

[mumble]

Maybe people are injecting pure zombie blood / eating zombie flesh in ghettos for an insane high / performance enhancement, which expedites the zombification process?...

[Solarius Scorch]

What about energy? A zombie gets a limited doze of plasma and the only way to get more is to eat other zombies. If an infected only gets a drop of contaminated blood, the doze would probably be too small for anything and the zombie would die from starvation before X-COM arrives.

Now, if someone distributes this stuff disguised as cheap drugs, there's enough energy and you get a zombie outbreak in a big city. The question is: who would do it? Hybrids are obvious culprits, but that may get boring.

Can it be the Syndicate? What for? How about getting more zombies for their experiments?

Can any of the 4 starting "cults" do it?

How about cultists of Apocalypse? Would Luchadors try to make more food for themselves?

That would be rather hard to do intentionally, since plasma itself is mostly harmless to people. Someone would have to also distribute the parasite. I'm not saying it's impossible, but I'm not sure anyone would go to such lengths for... well, not sure why.

I can imagine some corporation or government institution breeding zombies in a lab for research purposes. In fact, M.A.G.M.A. seems to be in the business. But general populace? Too complicated and not much of an incentive apart from sewing chaos (Cult of Apocalypse!).

Maybe people are injecting pure zombie blood / eating zombie flesh in ghettos for an insane high / performance enhancement, which expedites the zombification process?...

Well, Luchadores do just that, as Mumble mentioned. The results... vary.

[tkzv]

How about synthetic ellerium? It even fits the canon. Of course, it's a dead end. (Or is it?)

Element-115 Synthesis.

Earth nuclear physics has already come as far as synthesizing element 112. After seeing our data on ellerium and knowing that the isotope 299 is long-lived enough, our partners in JINR, GSI and RIKEN came up with several synthetic pathways and tried them all in a matter of weeks. This part was a success.

Unfortunately, the obtained isotope possesses none of the useful properties of ellerium. Even the atomic mass is slightly lower. Looks like we need a different isomer, and are still clueless about how to make it.

Still, this was a big achievement for Earth science. I heard they were going to name the element Moscovium.

--- posts merged ---

How about roadside ambushes and highway robbery? X-COM agents travel far and wide. Surely, a group of rich foreigners in a good car would grab attention of wrong kinds of people. What if somebody decides to rob them?

This would turn some missions into two-parters. The first part only triggers if the transport is a public/private car, van or jeep and in certain regions. Or would it require to make 2 missions: high-chance 1-parter and low-chance 2-parter?

If the mission is a zombie hunt, the attackers can be Luchadores. If it's a monster hunt, there can be cavemen, motormen or westmen. If it's Osiron or Red Dawn there can be lowest-level thugs making a bit of cash on the side. Alternatively, there can be some unaffiliated bandits, but interrogating them would reveal the encounter wasn't entirely random -- somebody suggested for them to wait there. Like the Apocalypse cult.

Now that I thought about roadside ambushes, this may add variety to cult safehouse/outpost/base missions. Beat the ambush quickly enough, and the 2nd part becomes easier: some enemies start unarmed (but can pick weapons). Take too long, and they arm themselves better, and higher-ups may evacuate with money and valuables. If this isn't doable with the engine, it can be done like that: if you can't beat the ambush in 10 turns, everybody still conscious runs away, no 2nd part. Same for undercover missions against Osiron and Syndicate, only in the slums instead of wilderness.

[Solarius Scorch]

How about synthetic ellerium? It even fits the canon. Of course, it's a dead end. (Or is it?)

How about not double-posting

But to the point: E-115 is in fact artificial (at least in the canon XCF shares with Piratez), but it is generally easier to develop other energy sources (like fusion) than to make Elerium from scratch. This will be addressed more decisively in the future, but M.A.G.M.A. already has some elements of it (experimental reactors).

How about roadside ambushes and highway robbery? X-COM agents travel far and wide. Surely, a group of rich foreigners in a good car would grab attention of wrong kinds of people. What if somebody decides to rob them?

It's a fun concept. But what if X-Com travels in a helicopter? Or an Avenger? So not really practical, unless you have an idea how to solve it.

[tkzv]

How about not double-posting

Two my posts in the same thread? I didn't realize it was a problem. I'll stop.

By the way, if somebody starts answering my post and I change it, does the forum engine display a warning?

But to the point: E-115 is in fact artificial (at least in the canon XCF shares with Piratez),

I haven't reached that point yet By canon I meant the TFTD manual, where artificial element 115 was created around 2004, but proved useless.

but it is generally easier to develop other energy sources (like fusion) than to make Elerium from scratch.

That's the idea. But somebody has to try to know that.

It's a fun concept. But what if X-Com travels in a helicopter? Or an Avenger? So not really practical, unless you have an idea how to solve it.

I suggested that it only happens for early missions — before flight training — and for undercover missions.

Flight training requires only 1st promotion and military envoy, therefore flying craft can be used in any mission except cult apprehension. Is it possible to check the craft upon arrival? Or does the type of mission have to be generated when the marker appears?

If the latter, then only undercover missions remain. And I don't think that such things should happen on the way to mountain or seaside resort. What does this leave? Osiron and Syndicate?

P.S. I checked the *.rul files. There are "STAKEOUT" and "INFILTRATION". What is the difference? Other that allowing Hummer, helicopters and Dragonfly for infiltration.

[Solarius Scorch]

By the way, if somebody starts answering my post and I change it, does the forum engine display a warning?

I think it should. I don't know, though.

I haven't reached that point yet By canon I meant the TFTD manual, where artificial element 115 was created around 2004, but proved useless.

Yeah, likely too expensive to make.

That's the idea. But somebody has to try to know that.
 I suggested that it only happens for early missions — before flight training — and for undercover missions.

That someone is M.A.G.M.A., and quite possibly every single one of the Great Fac- eh, sorry, I've almost spoiled some plot.

Flight training requires only 1st promotion and military envoy, therefore flying craft can be used in any mission except cult apprehension. Is it possible to check the craft upon arrival? Or does the type of mission have to be generated when the marker appears?

No, we can't check the craft upon arrival. And the mission is determined at the start of month, with location, faction and everything.

If the latter, then only undercover missions remain. And I don't think that such things should happen on the way to mountain or seaside resort. What does this leave? Osiron and Syndicate?

Maybe... Or we could simply turn these missions off after we get Basic Flight.

P.S. I checked the *.rul files. There are "STAKEOUT" and "INFILTRATION". What is the difference? Other that allowing Hummer, helicopters and Dragonfly for infiltration.

They're just different. Stakeout is for observation and entering, while infiltration is about blending in.

[tkzv]

Yeah, likely too expensive to make.

No, that wasn't the problem. The synthesized element didn't have the properties of the one aliens used. Thus the need to dive for UFO remains, which transformed X-COM to an underwater salvaging company, and later the formation of mining colonies on Mars and beyond.

I went with the idea that humans synthesized the most stable isomer of the required isotope, but alien technologies use some excited metastable isomer. It may be created by some other process and may even form naturally somehow, but the transition between the two isomers is "forbidden", i.e. highly improbable to near-impossible.

[Solarius Scorch]

No, that wasn't the problem. The synthesized element didn't have the properties of the one aliens used. Thus the need to dive for UFO remains, which transformed X-COM to an underwater salvaging company, and later the formation of mining colonies on Mars and beyond.

I went with the idea that humans synthesized the most stable isomer of the required isotope, but alien technologies use some excited metastable isomer. It may be created by some other process and may even form naturally somehow, but the transition between the two isomers is "forbidden", i.e. highly improbable to near-impossible.

Yes, it certainly makes sense. So in fact only the aliens (Ethereals?) can make full-fledged Elerium.

[tkzv]

Speaking of scientific theories, has anybody mentioned (about Cyberweb arc) that lone red dwarfs don't normally go nova? If their universe is old enough, and the dwarf is big enough, it may expand to a red giant, but that isn't a nova according to Wikipedia.