Muskrat

In previous game's (pre-launch) this strategy was very effective. In my current 0.27 CE game, I have noticed alien's tend to target the soldier behind the shield unit a lot more, making this strategy of advancing using a shield unit less viable. Possible due to AI update? Also, does the shield only cover the center cell, or does it cover all 3 cells across the front, a least to some extent? I seem to be getting hit a lot more from a slight angle than I remember. All this seems to be making the shield a lot less worth-while.

No working for me. Not compatible with CE for some reason? I followed instructions but the hidden movement screen still comes up, and still says alien turn. Edit: Ok, I sort of got it working, but the text is showing up as "######"

Oops, missed that.

Even if the soldier was outside the 18 tile range for that Ceasean, if another enemy could see your soldier, he could be shot. Just like how you can use forward soldier's to spot for your sniper's.

Noticed in 0.27 that an open window is not recognized as cover by the cursor indicator. Not sure if it is actually acting as cover, and just not indicated, or if it actually isn't providing any cover.

So there are 2 parts to this post. 1 is how do we make stat progression modable, the other is what my idea for a mod might be. My intention with the mod would be to make stat progression automatic based on role - no jumping through hoops. The idea was the stat progression would be balanced based on class need. But you are right you could just choose role based on what stat you want to up right now. Tieing it to equipment would be better. The reason I show other conditions is because I think CE should not change vanilla intent for stat progression, just allow a mod to change it. I really like your idea kabill, the question is how do we adjust the game code to allow mods that kind of flexibility to make changes like that?

I'm not sure how feasible this is to do, but I figured I'd start a thread to get a discussion going. To me, the Vanilla stat progression system is very gamey, and I'd love to be able to mod a system that is more natural - and less open to abuse. I believe this system is hard-coded, however. The current system almost forces you to play a certain way, or you handicap soldier's later on (making sure to to use all TU's each turn to "train" TU's, always loading soldier's up in their encumbrance point to "train" strength, etc). If you don't you end up with soldier's who care barely wear armor and carry a weapon, or who are low on TU's vs other's because they don't move as much (sniper's), and thus can't keep up. It also makes some stat's, like bravery, hard to train. It's also able to be abused where if you "play the game" you end up with super soldier's by the end. What I am envisioning is setting up stat gain in an xml file, with field's for each role (the tricky part would be how to accommodate custom roles - possibly link to icon type?), and condition's for stat gain set up. The initial setting's could mimic the current Vanilla system, but now it can be modified. My thought for the mod would be a more natural system linked to soldier role, and possibly promotion. For instance: A Rifleman might gain +2 Health, +1 TU, +1 Accuracy per mission, and +3 Strength, +3 Reflexes, and +5 Bravery per promotion. So the field's most used by that soldier increase quickly, while the other's go at a slower pace. The +N could vary per stat also. Obvious this would need to be balanced over the course of a game, but that would be modder responsibility. You could also keep condition's similar to Vanilla, or change how the conditions are applied. A psuedo-code example might be something like: for <role> and <stat> if <cond 1>&(<cond 2>or<cond 3>)&...<cond n> then <effect> Where <role> = all, rifleman, heavy, scout, etc <stat> = str, acc, rfx, brv, hp, tu <cond n> = set list of possible conditions, like PerMission, PerPromotion, EveryNSteps(N), Capacity>N%(N), ReactionShotNTimes(N), WoundedNHP(N) etc.. where (N) is a variable to be entered. <effect> = +1, +2, +3, etc.. Please let me know thoughts.

Yeah, my point was really: it's a legitimate strategy, the game mechanic is fine and puts an appropriate penalty for carrying the gear. If someone wants to employ that strategy why limit it? It's not game breaking. Who are we to judge that they are "wrong". Seems to me programming effort is better spent elsewhere. As for you point about a soldier carrying it..generally they do what they are told. If they are told bring 100lbs of extra gear they will. Its not abnormal to hear veterans talk about stuff like that. There is a point where a soldier with free will may abandon it, but in xenonaughts every soldier perfectly follows orders....until they berserk or flee....

Is this so different than say, paratroopers in WW2 making a jump with 150lbs strapped to their bodies, barely able to move? Granted xenonaughts is modeled after more of a surgical strike team, but it's a legit, real world tactic to overload soldiers on entrance to a battlefield, and establish an operations post to deposite those supplies. In game terms, I'm not really sure of the advantage. I've never run through my inventory on a mission, and needed resupply during the mission, and it replenishes each mission. The only benefit maybe wanting to swap gear out for an assault on a ufo, vs whats used to clear the town. Which again is a legit reason to bring extra supplies. The down side is the mission becomes more tedious.

Xenonaut's uses a hybrid system. "Soft" action's like moving, opening door's, etc I believe are fixed, while "hard" action's like shooting, and throwing grenade's are percentage based. So you can do all those little maneuvering action's, while limiting your ability to deal excessive damage though too many action's. I'm not sure what you're trying to achieve by imposing a lower "limit". The percentages were set up to balance the amount of action's possible in a turn. The only impact you would have, would be to allow MORE action's, and thus affect the game balance in your favor. Currently if it take's 60% to fire a rifle your experienced soldier can still do more with his remaining 40% than a rookie. Ability to maneuver and still shoot should not be underestimated.

Possibly a simple mod - make the effect take place at the end of each turn, instead of the beginning.

Have you ever tried to shoot down a bush/wall/etc IRL? Take's a lot of bullet's.

No dev feedback on this? Some of these are pretty significant game play concerns for me. Especially #1 and 2.

Rank's in Xenunauts don't really indicate rank - as in job role, but experience level. I'd rather have them be something more descriptive (Recruit, Rookie, Soldier, Veteran, etc..), or just eliminate that title all together, and have rank be an independent, player controlled function. You can already tell experience by how much they've improved, stat wise. It's too late to change it for release, but maybe a patch later? I'd limit rank for soldier's to Lieutenant, or Captain, and allow the player to promote. Maybe something simple like Private, Sargent, Lieutenant. Basically, you have have 1 Lieutenant for every 10 or 12 soldier's, 2 Sargent's, and the rest are privates - trying to simulate a realistic squad structure. Rank give's a higher moral bonus when in the vicinity of soldier's, but also a higher panic when wounded or killed. The player can choose who to promote to what ranks. I'd require all rank positions to be filled. Promoting a soldier gives a bonus to bravery, demoting a HIGHER penalty to bravery (so you end up worse off) to simulate effect on moral.

Are you sure it's not an Aerial Terror Site? (need to send fighters)