[TC][OXCE][I.D.T.] Terminator: Tech-Comm - Alpha

[Hobbes]

We're starting again with the storage limit exceeded. 202/200 this time. The ability to buy smoke and other grenades would be good too, or is that part of a bigger plan?

I've updated the download link. List of changes:
* Increased initial storage capacity to 250
* Grenade, Smoke Grenade and Incendiary Grenade can now be purchased

The bigger plan will be to restrict what you can purchase since you'll have to scavenge most of your material from missions. But that still requires implementation/changes of game mechanics so it won't be something near.

Next updates should be about mission development. And more base stuff

[efrenespartano]

I've fixed both bugs, the soldier body parts and the New Battle error.

And I've also added NPC Resistance fighters, in addition to new rank icons

Download link on first post has been updated.

Glad you're enjoying

Thank you for fixing the armors, they are OK now.

The Resistance fighters are awesome! 
They fight hard and they have good weapons, one girl flew a couple of T-600 with a M202 FLASH. Even I've found one soldier with a M25A1.

They only appear on ""Civilian Defense" missions?

[efrenespartano]

Wrong image dimensions on my case, most likely his as well.

Just uploaded another update - Base Defense is now working, although base building and facilities aren't finished yet and I haven't had time to add the sprites for the new facilities. Tech-Com bases are now on the surface.

Starting base now consists of:
* Access Lift (20x20)
* Housing (20x20)
* Stores (20x20)
* 3 Hangars
* Missile Defense + Grav Shield + Small Radar

I can´t play Base Defense yet. 

[Hobbes]

They only appear on ""Civilian Defense" missions?

Only because I haven't added unarmed civilians - they'll be removed from Civilian Defense missions later. They appear on Resistance Support, Resistance Defense and Base Defense missions.

I can´t play Base Defense yet. 

Hit 'Randomize" (bottom right on New Battle screen) - it will reload the base defense layout from the starting base, then try again

Here's a pic of Base Defense btw

[Hobbes]

I can´t play Base Defense yet. 

Hit 'Randomize" (bottom right on New Battle screen) - it will reload the base defense layout from the starting base, then try again

[efrenespartano]

Hit 'Randomize" (bottom right on New Battle screen) - it will reload the base defense layout from the starting base, then try again

Totally worked!

Only because I haven't added unarmed civilians - they'll be removed from Civilian Defense missions later. They appear on Resistance Support, Resistance Defense and Base Defense missions.

It's a nice feature, actually. It's fun to play with them.

[Hobbes]

Now that the alpha hype and workload are both going away, time to discuss the future of this mod project.

While the alpha introduces basic gameplay, it is missing more than half or 2/3s of the content of the original game, and it will take many months until most features are more complete, can be implemented or are even considered.

The good part is that the essential of the mod, which is air and ground combat, is working, despite being incomplete. And I'd like to ask a couple of questions to everyone who has tried the alpha to help evaluate it:
* What change from the original did you liked the most?
* What did you disliked the most?

I'm also going to make some design documentation, regarding ideas for all the missing aspects (research, manufacture, etc.) and possible directions for combat/air, so that those can be discussed.

[Gordonmull]

I tried the base defence and wow was that brutal. 12 killed. I think I'd take a different approach next time, make use of the tunnels more and fight a more defensive battle, however with some of my men cut off, even that wouldn't be so easy.

Change that I like most: Excellent choice of campaign setting that really suits the game engine and the ability to have a more realistic air war

Dislike: The many pilots, crew etc in the base means quite a lot of micromanagement to the point of being a bit overwhelming.

I've updated the download link. List of changes:
The bigger plan will be to restrict what you can purchase since you'll have to scavenge most of your material from missions. But that still requires implementation/changes of game mechanics so it won't be something near.

This sounds like an interesting way to do things. It is much more motivating to go on missions if its not just another bug-hunt.

I'm going to try a resistance mission today. Sounds like it's going to be fun.

[efrenespartano]

The good part is that the essential of the mod, which is air and ground combat, is working, despite being incomplete. And I'd like to ask a couple of questions to everyone who has tried the alpha to help evaluate it:

* What change from the original did you liked the most?

Greetings, Hobbes! One of my favorite changes is the intense air combat. It's so exciting, I'm enjoying very much this. I just couldn't send my transports alone, the HKs down them almost always.

And the weapons and the armors are awesome, they seemed very Future War-ish.

* What did you disliked the most?

Well, it's quite hard to hunt the few remaining Terminators in the city maps, especially when you have few troops. And the Base Defense is very very hard, I've lost a few battles. Haha I know, that's the propose of this mod, being hard to resemble the toughness of the War Against The Machines.

Otherwise, this mod is very good, keep up with the great job.


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[Gordonmull]

Just came up against this CTD when assaulting a Skynet Lab

https://imgur.com/lrejM02

[Hobbes]

Dislike: The many pilots, crew etc in the base means quite a lot of micromanagement to the point of being a bit overwhelming.

That is interesting, specially since I was considering to add two different types of soldiers, the specialist and the technician, who could also do research/manufacture, with the technician being the only soldier type capable to use the equivalent of psionics. But this is just a idea for the moment.

Short of removing pilots altogether, there are a couple of other things I can do to reduce the workload - reduce the number of starting craft (which I already did to 6) and reduce the number of crew required for each ship (1-2 pilots max).

I'll keep this issue in mind on the future, thanks.

This sounds like an interesting way to do things. It is much more motivating to go on missions if its not just another bug-hunt.

I'm going to try a resistance mission today. Sounds like it's going to be fun.

Well, it's quite hard to hunt the few remaining Terminators in the city maps, especially when you have few troops. And the Base Defense is very very hard, I've lost a few battles. Haha I know, that's the propose of this mod, being hard to resemble the toughness of the War Against The Machines.

Yeah, but it's not its propose to just punish the player and piss him/her off. If something is too overwhelming just let me know. And remember that difficulty level determines the number of terminators present on missions.

Base Defense is hard to propose, but you can also avoid by building missile sites - a couple of those plus the targeting radar should destroy the HKs that attempt to assault your base.

Just came up against this CTD when assaulting a Skynet Lab

https://imgur.com/lrejM02

Got it and fixed it.

I'll wrap up a few things and update the download version later. Meridian has also added more features to air combat, namely HKs can now escort other HKs, and the mod will add those as well.

Thank you all for your replies

[Gordonmull]

That is interesting, specially since I was considering to add two different types of soldiers, the specialist and the technician, who could also do research/manufacture, with the technician being the only soldier type capable to use the equivalent of psionics. But this is just a idea for the moment.

Short of removing pilots altogether, there are a couple of other things I can do to reduce the workload - reduce the number of starting craft (which I already did to 6) and reduce the number of crew required for each ship (1-2 pilots max).

I'll keep this issue in mind on the future, thanks.

I'm not saying that it's not a worthwhile sacrifice! Could some kind of XcomUtil-like statstring system be used to automatically add a string on personnel purchase or game start to designate pilots (and base staff, in time) but leaving soldiers without one? That would save a heap of work at game start and when recovering from the Terminators knocking on the front door.

 

[Hobbes]

I'm not saying that it's not a worthwhile sacrifice! Could some kind of XcomUtil-like statstring system be used to automatically add a string on personnel purchase or game start to designate pilots (and base staff, in time) but leaving soldiers without one? That would save a heap of work at game start and when recovering from the Terminators knocking on the front door.

One feature I asked already to Meridian was if it would be possible to sort the Personnel list by pilots/non-pilots, to more easily find them. Would that help?

[ohartenstein23]

You could also try making separate name files for the pilots, such as making all pilots only have the first name "Pilot" or adding "Pilot " to the beginning of every first name.  Or, since you have pilots wearing different armor from regular soldiers, you can look at the soldiers' armors to see which are the pilots and which aren't.

[efrenespartano]

You could also try making separate name files for the pilots, such as making all pilots only have the first name "Pilot" or adding "Pilot " to the beginning of every first name.  Or, since you have pilots wearing different armor from regular soldiers, you can look at the soldiers' armors to see which are the pilots and which aren't.

Actually, that's a good idea. I name my pilots "Lt Blair Williams", "Cpt Steve Rogers" and stuff like that, just to know that they ARE pilots.

One feature I asked already to Meridian was if it would be possible to sort the Personnel list by pilots/non-pilots, to more easily find them. Would that help?

Yep, that will help!

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