UFO Extender

[Kir'jaeden]

Unfortunately the last patch didn t resolve retaliator issues completely. If one delete a target base while the ship en route there is no crash, but if one delete the base a day before then game crashes as the ship appears (adr 455BCA err. C0000094)

 

See attached savegame(4.09). Base Caucasus is to be destroyed 5.09. Delete the base and speed up the game time.

GAME_9.rar

[Tycho]

Unfortunately the last patch didn t resolve retaliator issues completely. If one delete a target base while the ship en route there is no crash, but if one delete the base a day before then game crashes as the ship appears (adr 455BCA err. C0000094)

 

See attached savegame(4.09). Base Caucasus is to be destroyed 5.09. Delete the base and speed up the game time.

Without looking at the game data, I could imagine a scenario in which the newly created UFO is using the LOC.DAT entry of the just-removed base. (when creating a new object for the geoscape, the game will find the first unused LOC.DAT entry.) The database that tracks which bases have been found still points to the LOC.DAT entry of the old base. From this data is where the routine to create the UFO gets its destination. Thus setting the UFO's destination to a craft (itself!), not a base, and causing the plot-an-intercept routine to generate some strange data. This would probably occur with a standard battleship on a retaliation mission too. I confirmed that this is a problem in the original game but it never happened since not many people would remove a base to avoid a base attack. Congradulations, Kir, you're probably the first person to ever find this bug!

 

Update: I've worked out a fix for this.

Edited January 31, 2014 by Tycho

[LPhoenix]

Hi everyone!

 

Recently I've started playing with UFO again, and I started it with UFO extender (1.31.5) + xcomutils on superhuman.

I think I've found two bugs already:

1st: with "know thy enemy" on I had really strange missions. The smallest UFO landed, had a sectoid in it. With rifles I had to shoot it like 20-30 times untill it went down. It even panicked before going down! After I researched it's corpse, it wasn't easier to kill a sectoid! Without "know thy enemy" I could kill him with 1-3 shots, like normally.

 

2nd: with "alternate research tree=2" I researched heavy lasers first, than laser rifles. After completing the latter the game told me that I have a new research project available: avalance launcher!!! I assume it should've been laser pistol, so now I can't have the max damage on the other lasers because of this. Is there a way I could give myself the laser pistol project somehow?

 

BTW UFOpedia.org in the FAQ tells about the clip recover bug, but it doesn't tell how it can be fixed, like: put the following line after the [bug Fix] line in the UFOExtender.ini: "Recover Clips Fix=0"

[Tycho]

Hi everyone!

 

Recently I've started playing with UFO again, and I started it with UFO extender (1.31.5) + xcomutils on superhuman.

I think I've found two bugs already:

1st: with "know thy enemy" on I had really strange missions. The smallest UFO landed, had a sectoid in it. With rifles I had to shoot it like 20-30 times untill it went down. It even panicked before going down! After I researched it's corpse, it wasn't easier to kill a sectoid! Without "know thy enemy" I could kill him with 1-3 shots, like normally.

 

2nd: with "alternate research tree=2" I researched heavy lasers first, than laser rifles. After completing the latter the game told me that I have a new research project available: avalance launcher!!! I assume it should've been laser pistol, so now I can't have the max damage on the other lasers because of this. Is there a way I could give myself the laser pistol project somehow?

 

BTW UFOpedia.org in the FAQ tells about the clip recover bug, but it doesn't tell how it can be fixed, like: put the following line after the [bug Fix] line in the UFOExtender.ini: "Recover Clips Fix=0"

 

I'm unable to replicate your issues. On my system, most sectoids died from 2-3 hits. Have you tried to play a battle using "Know Thy Enemy" without using XcomUtil (Just as a troubleshooting step?) Some functions of XcomUtil and the Extender are incompatible (recover clips fix, being one.) and I first want to remove the Util from the factors. I suspect the Util's also causing the problem with the alternate laser tech. Are you using its alternate tech options under XcomUtil?

 

Most fixes are automatically enabled. If the line above was placed under the [bug Fix] section, it would disable the fix.

 

To fix the issue with the laser pistol, you would need to edit the RESEARCH.DAT file in the game folder of your saved game. UFOpaedia.org's section on the game files will give you the information on how to parse the file in an easy to understand format. You just need to locate the entry for the laser pistol and switch the "researched" byte to 1.

[LPhoenix]

I'm unable to replicate your issues. On my system, most sectoids died from 2-3 hits. Have you tried to play a battle using "Know Thy Enemy" without using XcomUtil (Just as a troubleshooting step?)

 

Hmm, I couldn't replicate my problem either with or without XcomUtil. My sectoids died from 2-3 hits too. I don't know what was with that sectoid before. I even tried with and without weak sectoids, but that only changes the weapons they have, am I right?

 

Some functions of XcomUtil and the Extender are incompatible (recover clips fix, being one.) and I first want to remove the Util from the factors. I suspect the Util's also causing the problem with the alternate laser tech. Are you using its alternate tech options under XcomUtil?

 

I wasn't using alternate tech options with XcomUtil. I attached a save without using XcomUtil, being 2 day before the Laser Rifle research finishes. There is the UFOExtender.ini in it too. The issue still happens!

 

Most fixes are automatically enabled. If the line above was placed under the [bug Fix] section, it would disable the fix.

 

I ment the issue with missing clips when XcomUtil and Extender is both used. Every single clip I send with the Skyranger goes mission, even if I don't use it. There is a mention on this in the FAQ:

• I don't recover clips in missions. // I am losing ammo in every mission.
  
• This usually occurs with people playing Extender and XcomUtil. Each has a different way to fix the partial-clips-lost issue and are incompatible.
  

There should be a line after this with something like: "If you want to use both Extender and XcomUtil at the same time, you should copy the "Recover Clips Fix=0" in the UFOExtender.ini after the "[bug Fix]" line. This should prevent the missing clips problem." (it really does)

 

To fix the issue with the laser pistol, you would need to edit the RESEARCH.DAT file in the game folder of your saved game. UFOpaedia.org's section on the game files will give you the information on how to parse the file in an easy to understand format. You just need to locate the entry for the laser pistol and switch the "researched" byte to 1.

 

Thx for the tip, this made my heavy lasers twice as powerful as before I hope those sectopods will be much easier to kill now.

game_1.zip

[Tycho]

Hmm, I couldn't replicate my problem either with or without XcomUtil. My sectoids died from 2-3 hits too. I don't know what was with that sectoid before. I even tried with and without weak sectoids, but that only changes the weapons they have, am I right?

 

I wasn't using alternate tech options with XcomUtil. I attached a save without using XcomUtil, being 2 day before the Laser Rifle research finishes. There is the UFOExtender.ini in it too. The issue still happens!

I guess that first sectoid must have had the red 'S' on his chest.

 

After looking at your files, I think I know what happened: I fixed the issue but didn't compile it correctly when I added the patch to the zip. Some old data was being added to the RESEARCH.DAT file by mistake.

 

I just released 1.31.8 with the fixes for the two errors found. Hopefully this will be the last bug fix for this version!

[LPhoenix]

Should this patch be working with the save I sent you? Because it doesn't

[Kir'jaeden]

I confirmed that this is a problem in the original game but it never happened since not many people would remove a base to avoid a base attack. Congradulations, Kir, you're probably the first person to ever find this bug!

Update: I've worked out a fix for this.

Since playing vanilla XCOM I have a habit to remove the first base due to it awful planning and continuous attacks.

I ve encountered such bug in TFTD too. Instead of crashing, the drednought is simply hanging over the base remains. In addition, aliens sent new drednoughts one by one and they hanging in group until downed.

It seems grav shield does not work against retaliator ship in new experimental patch. Is this planned?

[Kir'jaeden]

Here is a savegame. Base StrikeUSA is to be bombed next day (2.09.) The base has 8 fusion modules , 10 plasma ones + gravshield. Sell all blaster bombs from the base and wait for attack. Sometimes modules missed to many times and ship managed to destroy the base. But grav shield didnt work.

Error: after first retaliator ship appearing, small UFOs popping in North and America also have no transmission data despite of I use only transmission decoders.

Note: THere is no need for multiple "Not enough ammunition..." messages. If base run out of bombs, only one message would be enough.

GAME_7.rar

[Tycho]

Should this patch be working with the save I sent you? Because it doesn't

No. Your original problem is part of the saved game file now. However if you edit RESEARCH.DAT file and find the laser pistol entry, you'll see that the first three bytes are 64 2C 01. Change this to be 2C 01 00. That will fix the problem for your saved game.

[Tycho]

Since playing vanilla XCOM I have a habit to remove the first base due to it awful planning and continuous attacks.

I ve encountered such bug in TFTD too. Instead of crashing, the drednought is simply hanging over the base remains. In addition, aliens sent new drednoughts one by one and they hanging in group until downed.

It seems grav shield does not work against retaliator ship in new experimental patch. Is this planned?

Correct. The Grav Shield won't repel the base buster: too much mass at too high a speed. It repels Battleships because they are going slow and attempting to land. It also gives a defensive bonus to your modules when UFOs attack.

[Tycho]

Here is a savegame.

Error: after first retaliator ship appearing, small UFOs popping in North and America also have no transmission data despite of I use only transmission decoders.

Note: THere is no need for multiple "Not enough ammunition..." messages. If base run out of bombs, only one message would be enough.

I couldn't reproduce your issue: I ran your saved game and was getting hyperwave info for all ships except the base-busters. I am puzzled since the code is really specific as to what ship not to provide hyperwave info about: Only a "supply ship" and only those flagged to be a base-buster. Even the code that reveals the ship as soon as it is spawned has the same conditions.

 

I managed to limit the "Not enough ammunition" messages to one time only. Thanks for the feedback!

[mercy]

Good job! I'm trying out with a new game.

[Kir'jaeden]

Here is an issue of unresolved UFO types

1st appeared at South Pole (game 3)

2nd appeared amidst Pacific ocean (game 6)

note: all radars are HWDs

if one send craft to intercept it, soon "UFO lost" message will appear, but the alien vessel stays still on map. Even if the vessel approaches to bases, HWD would not work and UFO type stays still unresolved .

May be the issue depends on PC and OS?

my system : XP SP3, AMD Sempron 3500+ 512 RAM

GAME_3.rar

GAME_6.rar

[Tycho]

Here is an issue of unresolved UFO types

1st appeared at South Pole (game 3)

2nd appeared amidst Pacific ocean (game 6)

note: all radars are HWDs

Thanks for the saved games. Because of them, I managed to figure out the circumstances where this issue occurs and fixed it.

 

Good job! I'm trying out with a new game.

It's been a while, Mercy! I thought you had completely given up Extender for other options.

[KennyZloj]

After destroying the alien base in debriefing i saw this text: "Ship investigation revealed that the Alien Food UFO was on an Damage Capacity mission in Power Sources". Is it a bug?

[Tycho]

After destroying the alien base in debriefing i saw this text: "Ship investigation revealed that the Alien Food UFO was on an Damage Capacity mission in Power Sources". Is it a bug?

Yeah. You shouldn't be getting those messages on anything except alien craft missions. Thanks for the feedback!

[KennyZloj]

Another bug report. Pressing the hotkey "down arrow" in the battlescape to fly selected unit down (soldier with flying suit an example) provides game crash with text: "XCOM crashed at 0x4260A2 with error 0x0000005 trying to access 0x0000000A".

[Tycho]

Another bug report. Pressing the hotkey "down arrow" in the battlescape to fly selected unit down (soldier with flying suit an example) provides game crash with text: "XCOM crashed at 0x4260A2 with error 0x0000005 trying to access 0x0000000A".

Does this error occur even if you select the unit with the mouse or use the tab key? The error at the offset given in the message occurs because the global variable that has the current unit's UNITPOS address has not been set. The program wants to check the byte A for that unit but has the wrong information (or no information).

 

This apparently has been an issue since Seb implemented the shortcuts. I'll look into it but it might be a while.

[Tycho]

Patch 1.31.9 has been posted.

 

Version 1.31.5

* full version *

• No crash when researching a medic
  
• The aspect ratio is easier to set: Just use common ratio terminology (16:10, 16:9, 4:3, etc.)
  
• Players will be taken to the base editor screen before the equip phase to manage what items are available for the soldiers in base defence missions.
  
• Appropriate walls now block fire and smoke for both propagation and explosion effects. This also fixes the problem with a blaster bomb's explosion extending past the north and west walls of a UFO as well.
  
• Correct sound for the Mind Probe used.
  
• Terror mission scoring focuses on civilians: Each civilian is worth [1008 / (num of civilians spawned)].
  
• The Aliens score for each base increases the longer that base is active.
  
• Fixed the problem of throwing items indoors and under overhangs with high strength characters.
  
• Changes to UFO attacking bases and Base Defense missions:
  
  • The type of ship making a base attack depends on game time.
    
  • UFOs attack base defenses.
    
  • Fusion Defense requires Blaster Bombs to be available in base stores. Missile Defense will spend money. Laser and Plasma Defenses have no requirements.
    
  • Ability to deactivate base defenses by clicking the right mouse.
    
  • Aliens will attempt to eliminate rather than continually try to invade an X-Com base after failed attempts to do so.
    

• Some tweaks to the Tactical AI mod to make aliens use grenades more. Some alien’s behavior in Terror missions adjusted slightly.
  
• Aliens will now stop attacking the area of a target if it is killed by the previous attack.
  
• New limits in the Heavy Laser mod for the special attacks: each attack form imparts a different "recharge time" before either of them can be used again.
  
• With the EU2012 Item Rules mod, the chance for a weapon to remain after the alien is killed has been reduced.
  
• Lowered the delay for the slower time rates on the Geoscape Clock mod. People reported too much mouse lag with the initial settings. The clock run faster at those settings.
  
• In the Alterernate Research Tree mod:
  
• New addition to "Know Thy Enemy":
  
  • = 2: Damage potential for craft weapons depend on knowledge of UFO weaknessess: until an alien engineer can provide data on a particular UFO, the damage range for weapons is (0-100%). After an alien engineer provides X-com with data, the damage range for that UFO goes to 25~125%. & Damage to aliens affected by autopsy status.
    

• Human Limits: Scientiests and engineers only work in twelve hours shifts. The project menu will assign two people per mouse click but only one space will be needed between them.
  
• Alternate Research Tree:
  
  • =1
    
    • 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 Etherals can give the required technology to unlock Psionics.
      
    • Improved detectors after the correct technologies have been researched or can be produced.
      
    • Psionic evaluation of soldiers without the need for Psi Lab, with certain technologies researched in conjunction with Sectoids.
      

    [*]=2 : Alternate progression 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.
      
    • Special fire modes for the Heavy Laser, if that mod is enabled, are available when the laser pistol research is complete.
      

1.31.9

* requires full version of 1.31*

• Can ALT-TAB from full-screen mode or minimize a windowed game.
  
• Harvest and infiltration missions can now occur in Russia [new games only].
  
• Hull points on "base-buster" lowered and determined by the game's difficulty level.
  
• Fusion ball defenses each use 6 blaster bombs on superhuman difficulty or 4 on genius.
  
• Fixed issues related to the retaliation battleships or the base-busters attempting to attack a base that was manually removed by the player after the base was detected.
  
• The "Alternate Laser Tech" mod will correctly unlock the Laser Pistol when research completes on the Laser Rifle. All laser tech times have been balanced: a shorter time is needed to research the heavy laser but longer to research laser pistol.
  
• "Wreck Analysis" mod will only provide information on UFO missions. Information provided based on a chance for each intact navigation module recovered.
  
• Hyperwave information is blocked only for the "base-buster".
  

Edited March 2, 2014 by Tycho

[Kir'jaeden]

Despite of these awesome "base busters" I managed to hold aliens at bay. 15-20 plasma modules would destroy any Retaliator, Avenger fleet would deal with anything else. Though they subverted all countries except Russia(they do not even try it), aliens switched to retaliation missions mostly + rare terror missions. Also they do not build bases anymore. Elerium for Avenger fueling could be taken from small ships landing during reconessaince missions or downed battleships. 4 workshops churning out laser canons allow me forget about money at all. This situation could last forever. Alien attrition startegy fails.

I note the last patch allow harvesting and infiltration missions on Russia (I wonder why it was denied) but as it described the patch affect only new games.

Some minor bug: "stores" list on StrikeUSA base show some text from ufopaedia

Note:If base defences could destroy Retaliator without gravshield, they could destroy everything else. Hence gravshiled becomes obsolete.

game_1.rar

[Tycho]

Despite of these awesome "base busters" I managed to hold aliens at bay. 15-20 plasma modules would destroy any Retaliator, Avenger fleet would deal with anything else. Though they subverted all countries except Russia(they do not even try it), aliens switched to retaliation missions mostly + rare terror missions. Also they do not build bases anymore. Elerium for Avenger fueling could be taken from small ships landing during reconessaince missions or downed battleships. 4 workshops churning out laser canons allow me forget about money at all. This situation could last forever. Alien attrition startegy fails.

Of course. There is nothing to require the player to complete the final mission leading to the unrealistic "endless war" scenario. The player can rely on the selling of items (especially laser cannons) to make the council income unnecessary. In addition the state of the world has no effect on the price of items.

Some minor bug: "stores" list on StrikeUSA base show some text from ufopaedia

Note:If base defences could destroy Retaliator without gravshield, they could destroy everything else. Hence gravshiled becomes obsolete.

Do you recall when did the text errors in base stores started? The problem is that there are three unused entries in BASE.DAT (B6 B8 BA) but they had data in them. The inventory screen was attempting to get text strings for these "items". I have no idea how these entries got populated. Since no other bases have the same problem, I don't think there is a bug in a routine (it might be data corruption?)

[Echelon117]

With the new patcher, I cannot launch any aircraft. The box to 'select target' does not appear

[Tycho]

With the new patcher, I cannot launch any aircraft. The box to 'select target' does not appear

Its a problem with the craft ready state. I changed it to disallow launches when craft are damaged. However, I made a mistake on the offsets. It will be fixed in the next release.

[Kir'jaeden]

 

 

Do you recall when did the text errors in base stores started?

Certainly when the latest patch applied. I didn't remember exactly what I did