The Ghost Ship

[anothrgamer1234]

I got this long before I had access to lasers or anything even remotely effective against ghosts, and due to the sheer size of the map I've gone over 60+ turns without being able to clear it due to one cultist or ghost JUST! NOT! SHOWING! UP! Short of hoping the mission reappears when I can send a larger squad with more weapons and more sanity, is there a way to clear it more easily?  And at that matter is the Hadriex Gun even worth the hassle?

I feel it wouldn't be half as problematic if only the map itself were about half the size it is now. There's simply no way to scour the whole 7-layer map with only 5 agents (the best I have access to now- the mission is out of helicopter range although I can't imagine having a 6th agent would help much).

[anothrgamer1234]

I forgot to mention another thing in my state of frustration: this mission spawned before I even researched Cover: Scientists, so I never played through the asylum mission where ghosts were supposed to be introduced. Is that supposed to happen?

[Solarius Scorch]

OK, I will make this mission only appear after the Asylum is completed successfully. Especially since it's a one time mission.

[anothrgamer1234]

OK, I will make this mission only appear after the Asylum is completed successfully. Especially since it's a one time mission.

Many thanks. I had a feeling that it was virtually unwinnable in my current state. Plus, how could I have captured one of the Ancient Sea Ghosts without the Ghost Pen?

[Solarius Scorch]

The problem is that these ghost missions are just a stub; there are literally two missions in the whole game, both one time only. So it's pretty much impossible to research them properly.

Things will be improved after I make more missions... Or in fact a proper arc

[anothrgamer1234]

Again, thanks.

As I said earlier, the size of the map was also a big issue- there's so much space for enemies to move around and go out of sight range even as a day mission that it becomes an infuriating game of hide and seek. And because the mission drains sanity, there's functionally a time limit as well that creates a situation where everyone's too panicked to even begin searching for the last enemy.

Also, just to clarify- by "one time mission", do you mean that if it despawns it'll never reappear again? Or does it just mean that you can only attempt it once?

[Solarius Scorch]

Again, thanks.

As I said earlier, the size of the map was also a big issue- there's so much space for enemies to move around and go out of sight range even as a day mission that it becomes an infuriating game of hide and seek. And because the mission drains sanity, there's functionally a time limit as well that creates a situation where everyone's too panicked to even begin searching for the last enemy.

Yeah I realize that, but I can;t really do anything about this short of making another map, and that's way too much work for one mission, sorry. (Ships are big and complex.)

Also, just to clarify- by "one time mission", do you mean that if it despawns it'll never reappear again? Or does it just mean that you can only attempt it once?

The ghost ship only comes up once, whether you complete it or not.

The asylum keeps showing up until you beat it.

[anothrgamer1234]

Yeah I realize that, but I can;t really do anything about this short of making another map, and that's way too much work for one mission, sorry. (Ships are big and complex.)

The ghost ship only comes up once, whether you complete it or not.

The asylum keeps showing up until you beat it.

Thanks for clearing that up. Anyway, maybe something like that "bug hunt mode" I sporadically see when a monster hunt mission takes a very long time (at least I think that's the mechanic, I'm not sure about the trigger) could mitigate the map size issue, as could making making more aggressive so they chase my agents down rather than scattering at random. There's bound to be some kind of workaround that doesn't involve modifying the map, right?

[Solarius Scorch]

Thanks for clearing that up. Anyway, maybe something like that "bug hunt mode" I sporadically see when a monster hunt mission takes a very long time (at least I think that's the mechanic, I'm not sure about the trigger) could mitigate the map size issue, as could making making more aggressive so they chase my agents down rather than scattering at random. There's bound to be some kind of workaround that doesn't involve modifying the map, right?

There might be a way. I'll check.

EDIT: Nope, sorry, this seems to be a global setting. (Except bughuntMinTurn, this is something I could apply to one mission only, but it doesn't make sense without other tweaks.)

[anothrgamer1234]

There might be a way. I'll check.

EDIT: Nope, sorry, this seems to be a global setting. (Except bughuntMinTurn, this is something I could apply to one mission only, but it doesn't make sense without other tweaks.)

Weird, I recall that the bug hunt mode activated much earlier on different maps, so I'm not sure why it didn't trigger for me on that one. I restarted my game since I first posted this topic and haven't seen the ghost ship mission appear this time, but if it does I'll send you the save if you need it.

[justaround]

For future reference, I certainly wouldn't mind small "Haunting" missions. Something simple like early game Strange Creatures, except with some single ghost on a small map of some ruined house, cementary, farm and whatnot (probably some of the already existing maps could be repurposed for it). It could also help kickstart the whole arc and give players a reason and a way to build ghost tank before Asylum/Ship, with ghosts, if there's yet not much new content to be gained from their interrogation, perhaps teaching about the use of some psi items as well as stuff like period weapons in case of pirates (sabers etc). Interrogation probably should require basic parapsychology research first, though - at the same time with stuff like ectoplasm leading to it.

[krautbernd]

Weird, I recall that the bug hunt mode activated much earlier on different maps, so I'm not sure why it didn't trigger for me on that one.

FYI Bug hunt mode activation also depends on enemy numbers, rank and panicking/moral state.

[betatester]

The ghost ship could be an ancient ship, like in Pirates of the Caribbean instead of a modern cruise liner. => much smaller
An idea for very big maps, the possibility to send several teams at once (I know its hard, but iy could solve the boring side of very big maps like the cruise boat or the vampire castle)
Some ideas for the ghost arc:
 ghost vs Etheral mission ? We are the true Etherals of this world get out of here !!!! same as with the mummy/zombie arc ?
An ambulance instead of a van ?

[Solarius Scorch]

For future reference, I certainly wouldn't mind small "Haunting" missions. Something simple like early game Strange Creatures, except with some single ghost on a small map of some ruined house, cementary, farm and whatnot (probably some of the already existing maps could be repurposed for it). It could also help kickstart the whole arc and give players a reason and a way to build ghost tank before Asylum/Ship, with ghosts, if there's yet not much new content to be gained from their interrogation, perhaps teaching about the use of some psi items as well as stuff like period weapons in case of pirates (sabers etc). Interrogation probably should require basic parapsychology research first, though - at the same time with stuff like ectoplasm leading to it.

I wouldn't mind it myself, in fact that was more or less the plan

But it's a whole new arc with lots of new creatures and weapons, and it is not a priority. If someone wants to give it a try, I'll be happy to lend a hand.

The ghost ship could be an ancient ship, like in Pirates of the Caribbean instead of a modern cruise liner. => much smaller

Yeah, can't wait to see this map, I hope someone makes it soon!

An idea for very big maps, the possibility to send several teams at once (I know its hard, but iy could solve the boring side of very big maps like the cruise boat or the vampire castle)

Well, we have our crafts. That's the only option. (Besides base defence.)

Some ideas for the ghost arc:
 ghost vs Etheral mission ? We are the true Etherals of this world get out of here !!!! same as with the mummy/zombie arc ?

OK, whom do we side with?

An ambulance instead of a van ?

But why? It attracts more attention and has no special advantages. Maybe for some special scenario, where you impersonate paramedics...

[betatester]

The ambulance it's for ecto 01 of ghostbusters.

Maybe in ghost mission we can have all the dead Xcom operatives on our side...