orlinos

Works like a charm, thanks!

The game loads and main menu opens, but I cannot use any of the options - they "click" but the menu does not roll out. Even clicking "exit" does completely nothing, I had to ALT+F4 to quit. Bad day for humans, good for aliens. ;-)

Hm, something is wrong with the exe - the game just crashes after pushing "Play" in the launcher. I turned off all mods, except XCE - still crashed. I used the exe from RC2 and it ran just fine, no crashes. I am using Steam version of vanilla, with mods installed manually.

Maybe there are just too many names for the game to handle? I had the sam result before, when I cleaned up the file myself. Crashed less but still crashed. Might be worth it to check it out after limiting the list.

I tried removing non-ASCII characters - using http://textmechanic.com/Remove-Letter-Accents.html and RegEx search in Notepad++ [^\x00-\x7F]+ It seems crashes are recurring less often but they still do. Also, I tried deactivating all other mods (including Khall's More Portraits) and it still crashes. We need to do something about it, since I really love these new names.

Steelgonads - I just checked, I get crashes from time to time too. I looked through your file and started wondering: Does Xenonauts engine like a diacritic mark in a name? It might explain why it SOMETIMES - but not always - crashes during starting a new game - when it generates the names. BTW, it's true that the list is monumental and a great addition to Xenonauts.

I did some experiments - I do not know how the hidden_block_spectre.xml file in xce\tiles\dropships\chinook is supposed to work, but I think it doesn't. I modified the Chinook cabin spectres so the default cabin again has visibilityScore="0.000" bulletScore="0.000" That solved the problem for now, I hope I did not break anything important by such tinkering. ;-)

A problem spotted: Parts of Charlie can be shoot and walked through XCE 0.33 HF2

As can be seen in attached screenshots, after installing XCE 0.33 HF2 - it is possible to shoot through and also go through the Charlie. I checked - it's enough to bring back 0.33 HF1 and the problem dissapears even when restoring the same save (so I guess some spectres got changed?). Only the "pilot" part of Charlie is affected, the soldier part is still solid.

Right! A few additional mods I recommend - which only enhance, but do not change the vanilla experience. 1) Skitso's improved tile art pack - I believe it's best to just copy its content to the main game folder, since it does not work well with modular moding. Check out the screenshots if you want to decide if you like the subtle changes it introduces. 2) Restored Community Map Pack - even more maps, but be careful, some of them are pretty deadly even to experienced soldiers. I still live in horror after one visit to the warehouse on the water and after crossing a bridge while being assaulted by multiple Reapers and sniped by a lonely Sebillian camping in a school... 3) Ambience Forest - more sounds in forest maps. There are even more mods, haven't tried them all, since I yet need to finish the vanilla game. ;-) If you are afraid of breaking something while experimenting with mods - you can just copy the whole Xenonauts folder and install folders into the copy. Have fun!

X:CE 0.33 HF1, definitely. "Hidden movement" is speeding things up a lot - which is important for me, with my cautious approach. Interface improvements work great. AI hides, snipe-camps, strikes from the shadows and massacres poor Xenonauts like hell. ;-) Since door opening action now allows for reflex shots - you can make great traps and shoot damn sebilians running out for a walk from the spaceship or opening a building door. Mind you - this works both ways, so I advise breaching UFO doors with rockets, C4 and avoiding direct contact with aliens, until you thin their ranks.

We both posted almost at the same time, Podesta, cool walkthrough. I would also add few tips: 1) Invest in C4 - invaluable for breaching UFOs and, along with rockets, capable of opening new assault paths and blowing cover. It's sometimes better to blow up a hole in a wall and to spray the aliens from a distance than to risk assault. 2) In the beginning, when there is no armor to increase weight, I equip all riflemen with shotguns. "I like to keep them for close encounters". Just remember, that superb, elite Xenonauts are capable of missing even when being one tile away from their target, so I always assault building using two. Often with a shield to open doors and scout for them, so they can fully use their TUs. 3) I've been also experimenting with a Grenadier custom role. He has a rifle in his backpack (and can act as a backup rifleman) and in his hands holds a pistol and a flashbang or a grenade. Jolding a pistol or a shotgun makes a Xenonaut less susceptible to reflex shots. You can also hold a pistol only and then choose a grenade to throw when necessary - it's still less TUs than throwing a grenade when holding a 2-handed weapon. I also tried giving him a pistol with a shotgun (a dedicated close-combat unit) - but he had nothing to do when fighting in long range.

1) The squad has regrouped in solid cover outside the UFO. 2) The machinegunner has breached the door (since the squad had no rockets or C4). Four aliens still alive. 3) Aliens are hiding, machinegunner is suppressing them. 4) At this point I believe at least one alien has died due to lead poisoning. 5) Another got killed by squad's only shotgunner, the rest of the team is providing support. 6) The squad is very careful and slow. 7) The machinegunner has opened another door. 8) A purple alien has decided to come out and play. The shotgunner was eager to have some fun with him. 9) Getting ready to assault, with shotgunner controlling the corridor and rifleman preparing to throw flashbangs. 10) Here you are, mister alien! 11) BANG!

Here are the multiple save files from each step with full save (at Geoscape) after winning with no losses. Pictures are coming soon.

If I were you, at this point I would just close the door and retreat to rearrange the troops. Myself, I find it much safer to breach the doors first with a rocket or C4 (a high-TU soldier with a shield can even drop it in front of a door after setting a timer and escape). Then I can either safely gas the aliens (if stun rocket is available), rocket the inside to destroy some cover and shoot them with my sniper etc. That should limit their numbers enough for me to get inside. You should use the well as cover for two of your men but maybe C4 the trees and bushes in front to empty the space. Also, I cannot recommend shield-pistol soldiers enough. Before breaching, I usually try to arrange the space arround the UFO in such a way, that my sniper and machinegun/rocket specialist can operate safely from heavy cover and my rifle or shotgun soldier slowly encircle the UFO from both sides, always hiding behind crouched shield soldiers. Obviously these are not the only tactics available. But just opening the door and assaulting the inside is extremely risky, especially if there is more than one alien. Even after succeding, your men will run out of TUs for reflex shots and will be killed by an alien rushing from the next room. Good luck!