[DONE][Suggestion] Interrupting ongoing Alien Mission with research trigger

[Finnik]

I`d like to discuss the idea of an adjusting game engine to handle the alien mission, that was already spawned with mission script, should be interrupted with research trigger, that was already spawned with mission script. We can disable mission generation with researchTriggers in mission scripts, but as they are processed monthly, it can't determine, if a mission should appear to player midmonth if he or she achieves trigger. So, for example, in XCF when a player terminates alien cult he can still get spawned missions sites with it, and it looks like a bug to a player.
I've made a video demonstration of my idea and commit code changes to my github repo https://github.com/FinnikXCF/OpenXcom/commit/fa887ae1b768cabbf18cf2d79b40a73dd03ed430

Please, let me know what are you thinking about it

[Meridian]

it doesn't remove the UFOs, they continue their business even after the research and can for example land or create a terror site

[Finnik]

it doesn't remove the UFOs, they continue their business even after the research and can for example land or create a terror site

Yes, I think it could be too invasive change to the code. Also it quite unrealistic that your scientist just evaporates UFOs. Though I think, it's also doable change.
But my first motivation was missions with terror sites, like in XCF.

[Meridian]

Well, your scientists stopping terror sites is just as unrealistic as evaporating UFOs

I think stopping them at the end of the month feels much better, more natural, since it is disconnected from the research... at least for the player.

But that's just my opinion, feedback welcome.

[Solarius Scorch]

I agree about the UFOs, but for terror sites, it's a different matter. For example in XCF, your job is to fight and destroy various cults and other sinister organizations, usually culminating in storming their HQ. It feels weird if you just completely destroyed their structure two weeks ago and they still go about their business as normal, because it's still the same month.
I realize my example is not super strong, since you can explain it away with "there are still uncovered cells which carried the operation" etc., and often you'd be right. But at other times not really, when the enemy in question for whatever reason functions more like the droid army from the prequel trilogy of Star Wars - once you kill the brain, you kill the entire network.
So while it's a limitation I can work around, or write around, sometimes it's not that easy and may feel forced to the player.

[Nord]

Remember Jellymen bases.

[Finnik]

When I played XCF for the first time it appears to me like a bug, most of starting cults termination described as killing very center of some network... Also, termination research is not like discovery, but more like players decision to press the button.

[Meridian]

Also, termination research is not like discovery, but more like players decision to press the button.

Yup, that's the real issue.

[Finnik]

Its only way to mod such mechanic - make research project, as mission scripts don't respect anything else, that player can affect. Though, I think it would be nice and doable change if they can respect if the player has some item (but its different topic, that I've already posted).

[tkzv]

When I played XCF for the first time it appears to me like a bug, most of starting cults termination described as killing very center of some network... Also, termination research is not like discovery, but more like players decision to press the button.

Its only way to mod such mechanic - make research project, as mission scripts don't respect anything else, that player can affect. Though, I think it would be nice and doable change if they can respect if the player has some item (but its different topic, that I've already posted).

That is more jarring for Cyberweb HQ, where you can get multiple copies of a unique craft. Stated to be unique several times. (AFAIK, there's an ugly workaround now.)

[Meridian]

Added.
(Missions are removed once daily... immediately after the daily research is processed)

Syntax:

Code: [Select]

alienMissions:
  - type: STR_ALIEN_HARVEST
    interruptResearch: STR_RED_BUTTON_PRESSED


[Finnik]

Cool, thanks for adding! 
One thing I would like to discuss here - I understand its lower researches checks, but what about researches, that could come from deployments?
Tho, it's a minor thing, as the window for it is very small...

[Nord]

Added.
(Missions are removed once daily... immediately after the daily research is processed)

Syntax:

Code: [Select]

alienMissions:
  - type: STR_ALIEN_HARVEST
    interruptResearch: STR_RED_BUTTON_PRESSED


Can i ask about removing bases?

[Meridian]

Can i ask about removing bases?

Removing bases when?

[Solarius Scorch]

Many thanks for adding this, Meridian!