UFO Extender

[Echelon117]

A couple of my own mod ideas/alterations to a few already existing features:

 

I have a couple of mod ideas that I would love to see made and possibly incorporated into UFO Extender or XcomUtil.

 

1.) Starting base: No workshop or laboratory along with no scientists and engineers, you must build and hire these out of your money.

 

2.) Alien Technology Research: "You cannot research Plasma Rifle until you have researched Plasma Pistol!" You cannot research Heavy Plasma until you have researched Plasma Rifle!" So it is a slower progression up the ranks of plasma technology as each weapon unlocks the technological secrets to its more advanced successor.

"You cannot reproduce Alien Alloys until you have researched Alien Power Source". (For the moulding of high stregth alien alloy)

"You cannot research any elerium using technology until you first research elerium."

 

So if you are using XcomUtil and have the "Alternative Laser Weapons" enabled Lasers now require Elerium-115.. So rather than having laser weapons right off the bat to research you must first research Elerium-115

 

3.) Alien Arsenal. I think that Sectoids should only carry plasma pistols, especially on simple reconnaissance missions.

The idea of a 4 foot Sectoid carrying a Heavy Plasma that is bigger than he is seems silly. (Increasing plasma pistol damage might be needed here to balance out game play).

Floaters should carry mainly pistols and the occasional Plasma Rifle, they also appear to be too weak to be lugging around enormous Heavy Plasma guns.

Snakeman would carry Rifles.

 

I think the only two races that should ever have heavy plasmas are the Mutons and Ethereals. Mutons for the obvious reason that they are massive beings, Ethereals because their mind over matter psionic powers can assist their atrophied muscles.

 

By the time you encounter the Muton you'll only still be limited to average weapons technology while they hold the big guns. This will FORCE you to be much more strategic if you want to bring one of these green skinned behemoths down. Have you ever tried killing a Muton with a laser rifle or even a standard rifle on Superhuman? Very, very difficult.

 

The other idea behind this is that you won't encounter the best and most destructible weapons from mission one. You'll be forced to take on much larger UFO's and bases to acquire the best technology.

 

4.) Alien weapons self dustruct: Alien weapons can only be recovered when an alien is captured alive. So, this seems to already be implemented in the "EU2012 Item Rules" mod, however it should be a 100% chance that the weapons self dustruct when the Alien is killed.

 

5.) Realistic UFO Interceptions: UFOs are too easy to shoot down.. Smaller craft go down too easy from missiles and their defences are very weak. Why would an agressive Alien species here to invade equip their ships with very weak weapons? A shot from a UFO, even a smaller one, should inflict great damage on the default interceptor craft.

Perhaps 3 successful shots maximum from smaller and medium UFOs should destroy the Interceptor. This gives more emphasis on researching and upgrading aircraft, a more cautious approach to dealing with UFOs, and is simply realistic! Were talking Super advanced technology vs bows and arrows here!

 

6.) Ultimate XCOM Goal: In order to gain direct information about the Alien homebase on Cydonia you MUST capture an Ethereal Commander. Any other ranking alien species simply won't or can't part with that information.

[mercy]

using Battlescape Delay=20 or any number in UFOExtender.ini switches off detection of ALL hotkeys in v1.30. Please revise.

 

;Battlescape Delay=20 commenting out the line restores the working of hotkeys.

[blackops]

Hi Tycho, thank you for your awesome mod! I'm back for more X-COM and I'm glad you're still updating your mod!! I'm excited to play X-COM again, but I'm curious of what I need to do about the .INI file. I'm following these instructions:

 

https://www.ufopaedia...(1994)_Extended

 

I'm asking because I'm at the part where I download the .INI file from here:

 

https://www.ufopaedia...ExtendedINI.txt

 

Instructions want me to replace the .INI file from the latest UFOLoader.zip with the .INI on that page. So I'm replacing the newest .INI file with an old .INI file from 30 August 2012? That's what the installation instructions have me doing.

 

Please Tycho or someone help me, I want to play this right now!! I also notice the latest .INI from the UFOLoader.zip has all your latest features. Do I have to use the older .INI because the latest features are bugged? That's the only thing I can think of if that page I'm going by isn't outdated.

[Tycho]

The INI on the UFO_Extended page is out of date. Use the INI that comes with the zip. The most important features to set are the correct video options. Most people need to use D3D these days. Use a simple text editor (notepad) to open and set any options. Its up to you, if you want to play in a window or with HQ4X enabled. Some options are already enabled. Check the wiki page for the installation instructions and details on all the mods: https://www.ufopaedia.org/index.php?title=UFOextender.

[blackops]

Thanks for your help, Tycho! I'm enjoying the new features

 

I have a minor problem. I enabled HQx4 in the .INI file, started the game, and a window pops up telling me I can't play with HQx4 turned on, so it disables HQx4 and the game starts. It said something along the lines of "Cannot texture HQx4 in some low resolution. Disabling HQx4." I press continue and enjoy anyways.

The res listed isn't what my Laptop is rolling with so I have no idea how to fix this. I'd love to try out HQx4 and see if it's a completely new look.

 

Thanks for your continued support of this amazing mod Tycho!

[Tycho]

using Battlescape Delay=20 or any number in UFOExtender.ini switches off detection of ALL hotkeys in v1.30. Please revise.

 

;Battlescape Delay=20 commenting out the line restores the working of hotkeys.

 

Thanks for the report. I found the source of the problem and will have a fix in the next release.

[mercy]

Thanks for the report. I found the source of the problem and will have a fix in the next release.

 

Good job! Can't wait till the next release. Your AI implementation is the best, thank You!!

[Tycho]

Good job! Can't wait till the next release. Your AI implementation is the best, thank You!!

 

Thanks for the compliment but I really can't take the credit for the AI changes. Kyrub was gracious enough to allow me to implement some of his code in the Extender.

 

Thanks for your help, Tycho! I'm enjoying the new features

 

I have a minor problem. I enabled HQx4 in the .INI file, started the game, and a window pops up telling me I can't play with HQx4 turned on, so it disables HQx4 and the game starts. It said something along the lines of "Cannot texture HQx4 in some low resolution. Disabling HQx4." I press continue and enjoy anyways.

The res listed isn't what my Laptop is rolling with so I have no idea how to fix this. I'd love to try out HQx4 and see if it's a completely new look.

 

Thanks for your continued support of this amazing mod Tycho!

 

That code was written by Seb and I still don't understand it completely myself. I have the same problem as well. I use an old laptop (wasn't old when I bought it) and can't implement HQ4X. I've tinkered with the code but don't have a solution as yet.

[blackops]

That code was written by Seb and I still don't understand it completely myself. I have the same problem as well. I use an old laptop (wasn't old when I bought it) and can't implement HQ4X. I've tinkered with the code but don't have a solution as yet.

That's all right, I'm fine with vanilla. So what's going on with the next update? Can you give us a little peak on new features you're working on?

[mercy]

Waiting patiently. The AI is really good in this one. That makes UFO Extender a top notch dramatic experience. Plus now that in the upcoming 1.31 the Battlescape animations will be nice slower it will be a heaven to play. I like all additions, especially the awesome shortcuts and firing speed is really good, allowing for fast, cruel gameplay.

[Tycho]

That's all right, I'm fine with vanilla. So what's going on with the next update? Can you give us a little peak on new features you're working on?

• fixes for all the reported problems.
  
• A couple of small changes to the AI which will make the aliens a little more aggressive in using grenades and change the behavior of some aliens in regards to Terror Missions.
  
• Fixed the smoke propagation routine so that all walls can block smoke properly.
  
• Enough people are interested in the limits on engineers and scientists that I'll see about that.
  
• an alternate tech tree that requires engineers to be interrogated to achieve some of the major technologies.
  

[Echelon117]

• Enough people are interested in the limits on engineers and scientists that I'll see about that
  
• an alternate tech tree that requires engineers to be interrogated to achieve some of the major technologies.
  

 

Brilliant!

[mercy]

• fixes for all the reported problems.
  
• A couple of small changes to the AI which will make the aliens a little more aggressive in using grenades and change the behavior of some aliens in regards to Terror Missions.
  
• Fixed the smoke propagation routine so that all walls can block smoke properly.
  
• Enough people are interested in the limits on engineers and scientists that I'll see about that.
  
• an alternate tech tree that requires engineers to be interrogated to achieve some of the major technologies.
  

 

These are great changes! Takes UFO Extender to a new level. Waiting patiently and excited!

[Tycho]

just a quick update on features for the next release:

• Fixed the smoke and fire propagation routines so that all appropriate walls will block these effects. I've also fixed the explosion routine so that fire and smoke are blocked by walls. This also fixes the problem with a blaster bomb's explosion extending past the north and west walls as well.
  
• Fixed the crash when researching a medic.
  
• Closed the immediate-abort exploit on Terror Missions: The majority of the score is focused on the civilians. Now, they are each worth 1008 / (num of civilians spawned).
  
• A few AI improvements in regards to grenade use and behavior in Terror missions.
  
• Human limits for research and production: Scientiests and engineers work in twelve hours shifts. The assignment screen will assign two people per mouse click but only one space will be needed between them.
  

Edited July 7, 2013 by Tycho

[mercy]

You have done a lot of work, I'm impressed!

[Azrael Strife]

How exactly are you doing these modifications? Are you modifying the disassembled exe?

 

Amazing job!

[Tycho]

How exactly are you doing these modifications? Are you modifying the disassembled exe?

 

Amazing job!

I've used IDA to disassemble UFO Defense.exe. Once I've located a point in the code, I will write new code either in assembly or C++ and have Seb's loader insert a hook into the virtual memory image of the executable. In this way, I'm not changing the actual executable at all.

[Echelon117]

just a quick update:

• Fixed the smoke and fire propagation routines so that all appropriate walls will block these effects. I've also fixed the explosion routine so that fire and smoke are blocked by walls. This also fixes the problem with a blaster bomb's explosion extending past the north and west walls as well.
  
• Fixed the crash when researching a medic.
  
• Closed the immediate-abort exploit on Terror Missions: The majority of the score is focused on the civilians. Now, they are each worth 1008 / (num of civilians spawned).
  
• Several items require interrorgating an appropriate alien species/rank after researching the technology.
  
• Working on research and production human limits: trying to work the code so that two engineers or scientists will be assigned per mouse click but only one space will be used.
  

 

Is this update available to download now or are you just letting everyone know that this has been done and will be in the next release?

[Tycho]

Is this update available to download now or are you just letting everyone know that this has been done and will be in the next release?

 

I'm just letting everyone know what will be included in the next release. Sorry for the confusion.

[Tycho]

just a quick update on features for the next release:

• Fixed the smoke and fire propagation routines so that all appropriate walls will block these effects. I've also fixed the explosion routine so that fire and smoke are blocked by walls. This also fixes the problem with a blaster bomb's explosion extending past the north and west walls as well.
  
• Fixed the crash when researching a medic.
  
• Revised an old fix for aliens attacking base locations, which caused an unintended side effect: Aliens keep attacking until TUs exhausted. Now, aliens will now stop attacking the area of a target if it is killed by the initial attack(s).
  
• Change the way the Heavy Laser mod limits the use of the special attack forms: each one has a different "recharge" penalty assigned to it, instead of using the owner's energy units. In this period neither attack form can be used again.
  
• New addition to "Know Thy Enemy". Damage range is changed for unknown UFOs (0-100%). After an alien engineer provides X-com with schematics, the damage range for that UFO goes to 25~125%.
  
• Closed the immediate-abort exploit on Terror Missions: The majority of the score is focused on the civilians. Now, they are each worth 1008 / (num of civilians spawned).
  
• A few AI improvements in regards to grenade use. Alien behavior in Terror missions adjusted slightly.
  
• Human limits for research and production: Scientiests and engineers work in twelve hours shifts. The assignment screen will assign two people per mouse click but only one space will be needed between them.
  
• Alternate Tech Tree:
  
  • Laser cannon requires research into E-115 and UFO power to produce and E-115 is a production material.
    
  • Plasma weapons and Blaster Bombs require "help" from various alien engineers to obtain the knowledge to produce.
    
  • Hyperwave may require multiple species navigators to be interrogated in order to be finally unlocked. (depending on game difficulty)
    
  • Only a Etheral can give the required technology to unlock Psionics.
    

  [*]Alternate Tech option: More realistic research model for Laser weapons:

  • The first breakthrough allows the production of Heavy Lasers but damage is minimal.
    
  • Each new level researched allows a new item to be made and increases the damage for the prevous stage(s) items.
    

  [*]Possibility of having other ships make a base attack, depending on game time.

  [*]UFOs respond to being attacked by base defenses.

  [*]Fusion Defense requires Blaster Bombs to be available in base stores. Missile Defense will spend money. Laser and Plasma unchanged.

  [*]Ability to bypass base defenses by right-clicking on the mouse.

  [*]In a Base Defense mission, players will be taken to the base editor screen before equipping to manage what items are available for the soldiers.

Edited July 18, 2013 by Tycho

[AMX]

I just had a thought:

Would it be feasible to filter the Hyperwave information, so we only get info if we also have the appropriate topic researched?

That should make alien Engineers and Medics more valuable...

[Tycho]

I just had a thought:

Would it be feasible to filter the Hyperwave information, so we only get info if we also have the appropriate topic researched?

That should make alien Engineers and Medics more valuable...

Anything is possible but I'll need to locate the code and analyze it. I'll take a look but it will probably happen after I release the next version (unless I just happen to come across it and it's pretty easy to understand.)

[Echelon117]

Those changes sound absolutely great! Love the alternate tech tree.. I was wondering if maybe all laser weapons should require prior research into E-115? And also, just an idea, is it possible to make smaller UFO's weapons a little stonger? I always thought they were WAY too easy to shoot down, and their weapons too weak against normal interceptors.

 

Of course I understand you cannot make all requests a functioning feature so entirely up to you. Either way I cannot wait for the added difficulty in the next update.

[Tycho]

Those changes sound absolutely great! Love the alternate tech tree.. I was wondering if maybe all laser weapons should require prior research into E-115? And also, just an idea, is it possible to make smaller UFO's weapons a little stonger? I always thought they were WAY too easy to shoot down, and their weapons too weak against normal interceptors.

 

Of course I understand you cannot make all requests a functioning feature so entirely up to you. Either way I cannot wait for the added difficulty in the next update.

 

Logically, you would think so but I didn't want to limit the player's options for research too much at the beginning, so I opted to only make Elerium and UFO Power a req for the cannon since the flavor text specifically mentions it using anti-matter as a fuel source. I did have the idea of making laser research and production follow a more realistic path: The first item that could be produced would be the heavy laser but with the damage capacity of the pistol, developing the next "generation" of laser tech would yield the laser rifle, which does the damage of the pistol and the heavy gets bumped up to do the damage of the rifle. Once pistol is developed, everything is back to normal.

[Echelon117]

I actually really like the sound of that alternate laser tech progression rather than making all laser weapons require E-115. I would definitely put my vote up for that.

 

My main reason for wanting an alternate laser tech tree/requirements and progression was I found it silly and too easy that moderatley powerful and highly effective laser technology was available to be researched and produced from day 1