Some suggestions

[Bobit]

Okay Sol, that's faie.But I just want to note that my main point is Early Game Challenge, which you have responded positively to by reducing hunt frequency, and stating that hunt timers and increased retreat score penalties could be a good idea.

[krautbernd]

I'd be against hunt timers - as Solarius has stated, these are kind of clunky, and they don't really do anything for gameplay as far as  I can tell. Take the turn limit for crop circles/cattle mutilation for example - and now imagine it's not one or two farmers, but ten or twenty, and it's one of those cluttered slum/housing maps.

A turn limit simply doesn't work for these missions, as the enemy count as well as the map layout varies too much. You'd have to set the turn so high as to be pointless for smaller maps.

[Bobit]

Yes, the timer should be high. Timer being too high is the same as it not existing fmpov, so it doesn't really have  a downside except "feeling clunky".  I really don't care if things "feel clunky" if they increase depth.

[Solarius Scorch]

I'm not a big fan of timers and wouldn't be eager to implement them freely. I would rather use reinforcements mechanics, if they ever happen.

[X-Man]

I'm reading your posts, guys, and think what: if someone wants more hardcore, he could do his personal Hell by himself 
Just invent and use your own game rules and play. IMHO, 90% of mod's current stuff works fine and no need to be transformed in some way. Game mechanics is rather flexible and adaptable to different players' styles and skills. 'Hardcore' shouldn't become the main idea of this brilliant mod. I agree that some weapons need to be balanced, but there are nothing critical, I think.

As for me, I'd like to see more types of scenarios, more missions for hunting down dossiers, more USEFUL artifacts and more complicated, interesting and logically righteous way for gathering coordinates of Cydonia:
1) Defeating Syndicate should give us clue how to find Cydonia.
2) Defeating Advent's Government (and researching at least one alien brain) should be necessary too.
3) MIB arc. Oh... There is endless way to use it's potential, which is useless now. Covert operations, outposts, labs, bases, unique techs, persons and artifacts... And the main base, of course, which should be captured for gathering another part of Cydonias's puzzle. 

[Solarius Scorch]

As for me, I'd like to see more types of scenarios, more missions for hunting down dossiers, more USEFUL artifacts and more complicated, interesting and logically righteous way for gathering coordinates of Cydonia:

I agree, missions and dossiers etc. are never too many (well, at least not yet).

1) Defeating Syndicate should give us clue how to find Cydonia.

Well, this one doesn't make much sense, as Syndicate wouldn't know anything about this.

2) Defeating Advent's Government (and researching at least one alien brain) should be necessary too.

I thought the same, but what if there are no infiltrations?

3) MIB arc. Oh... There is endless way to use it's potential, which is useless now. Covert operations, outposts, labs, bases, unique techs, persons and artifacts... And the main base, of course, which should be captured for gathering another part of Cydonias's puzzle. 

Yes

[X-Man]

Well, this one doesn't make much sense, as Syndicate wouldn't know anything about this.

Why not? Syndicate is subordinating to aliens, isn't it? Why not to make some mighty alien which commands all this structure from behind? Or make some super-secret data which is crucial for Syndicate's top boss[es]? For example: once upon a time, in a middle of XX century) the founders of Syndicate have found an old UFO's wreckage and collect there some alien artifacts, corpses and data containers. They have studied all these things for years and finally decoded info from alien data containers which provided them info about alien techs and plans. And from this time Syndicate became a plot of evil". (I could write more detailed scenario, but my knowledges in English are not so good).

Basing on current mod's factions, the general chain of Cydonia's Puzzle, IMHO, should be look like this: http://prntscr.com/p2b365

If making smth like this, Alien Commanders should be removed from Floating Lab UFOs and from the attacking parties to our base. Assaulting ground alien base and capturing it's commander should be crucial. In current version we can just ignore all alien bases and fly away to Cydonia's fest

I thought the same, but what if there are no infiltrations?

Could it be really possible? I'm playing the 3rd campaign (0.9.9c, 0.9.9d and now 0.9.9e) in a row and every time the first infiltration was made at the end of January 1999. The second differs from February to April. If the chance of avoiding (aborting) infiltrations is currently exist now, so it should be decreased to zero due to necessity of researching of alien brain for Cydonia's quest

[X-Man]

I've modified the tree. Look at this http://prntscr.com/p2h5oa

The logical chain is:
Each faction contains a part of knowledge about aliens. Collecting these clues drives our scientists to overwhelming discovery (Martial Solution) – the main base of aliens is on Mars! But how to reach it? This question opens next chain of researching which leads us to possibility of capturing and interrogating alien commander (contains knowledge about coordinates of main base – the key to location of Cydonia) and studying alien brain (contains knowledge about structure of main base – the key to destruction of Cydonia). These final parts of the puzzle give us possibility to construct some kind of ‘fake key’ or ‘de-cryptor’, which could help us to fly unharmed through Cydonia’s defense complex (the mix of air, mental and gravity defenses). 

[krautbernd]

I can't find any mention in the lore about the Syndicate cooperating or having any prior knowledge about the aliens, yet alone a possible connection to Mars/Cydonia. As far as I can tell they are exclusively interested in 'uplifting'(?) humanity, genetic experimentation and causing chaos using monsters to further their goals. Even the Syndicate CEO isn't extraterrestial in origin, or modified using alien technology - it's an 'enhanced' human, modified by exotic chemicals.

Is there any information I'm missing concerning the Syndicate having connections to the aliens?

[X-Man]

I can't find any mention in the lore about the Syndicate cooperating or having any prior knowledge about the aliens, yet alone a possible connection to Mars/Cydonia. As far as I can tell they are exclusively interested in 'uplifting'(?) humanity, genetic experimentation and causing chaos using monsters to further their goals. Even the Syndicate CEO isn't extraterrestial in origin, or modified using alien technology - it's an 'enhanced' human, modified by exotic chemicals.

Is there any information I'm missing concerning the Syndicate having connections to the aliens?

I'm not arguing about CURRENT lore. Read my previous post here about modified Syndicate's lore. It was olny a suggestion to creator of the mod.

[krautbernd]

I'm not arguing about CURRENT lore. Read my previous post here about modified Syndicate's lore. It was olny a suggestion to creator of the mod.

So this

Why not? Syndicate is subordinating to aliens, isn't it? Why not to make some mighty alien which commands all this structure from behind?

wasn't about current lore? Because to me it sounds like you're basing your suggestions around this. Again, I have been unable to substantiate any of this. I'm asking whether or not I've missed something while browsing the language file. Your suggestions only make sense if there's some established connection between the aliens and the syndicate, and as far as I can tell there isn't one. Their goal is connected to genetic modification and enhancement of of terrestial creatures. They are not in contact or subordinate to the aliens as far as I can tell.

[X-Man]

wasn't about current lore? Because to me it sounds like you're basing your suggestions around this. Again, I have been unable to substantiate any of this. I'm asking whether or not I've missed something while browsing the language file. Your suggestions only make sense if there's some established connection between the aliens and the syndicate, and as far as I can tell there isn't one. Their goal is connected to genetic modification and enhancement of of terrestial creatures. They are not in contact or subordinate to the aliens as far as I can tell.

Ok, I understood you, thanks. Let's wait for Sol's words.

[Solarius Scorch]

Why not? Syndicate is subordinating to aliens, isn't it?

We're in the spoiler territory, but

Spoiler:

no, it definitely isn't controlled by the aliens. Their connections lead elsewhere.

They have amassed some secret knowledge related to exotic biology, and seem to probably know the aliens exist, but they don't have much information on them, and certainly aren't directly controlled by them.

What you're describing fits the Men in Black better. I'm planning to develop them over time,

so I'd be interested in hearing your ideas.

Basing on current mod's factions, the general chain of Cydonia's Puzzle, IMHO, should be look like this: http://prntscr.com/p2b365

Interesting, I appreciate it, but right now I'm in the process of overhauling this part of the mod (which is why I haven't rekeased anything for ov er a month), so a lot of things will change. I like your approach, though; will think about it further.

Could it be really possible? I'm playing the 3rd campaign (0.9.9c, 0.9.9d and now 0.9.9e) in a row and every time the first infiltration was made at the end of January 1999. The second differs from February to April. If the chance of avoiding (aborting) infiltrations is currently exist now, so it should be decreased to zero due to necessity of researching of alien brain for Cydonia's quest

Well, sure it's possible, if you play too well.

[X-Man]

We're in the spoiler territory

Whops I'll write you in PM next time about it 

Well, sure it's possible, if you play too well.

Hmpf... I don't know how to stop very large UFO in the early of 1999  Or I'm just a piece of noobster 


And... Ok, I give up about Syndicate But still I like this faction - it is very conformable with "conspiracy issues".
In a far prospective it would be nice to see global arc which includes Syndicate, MAGMA and UAC (and BlackOps as a "younger brother"). Something about "corporative wars".

[Solarius Scorch]

Well, the reality is, much depends on RNG. If you don't get any random infiltrations, then you must worry only about cleaning up early cults on time.

Corporate wars are a neat idea, maybe I'll expand this part when I have the time. I definitely want to do more stuff with the UAC, since it doesn't make much sense as of now - there are no explanations for its connections to the Cult of Apocalypse, and no limits on you appropriating their designs.