Just some questions for modders and players that may be helpful to everyone.

1. I would like my best/officer soldiers in diff colored armor. If I wanted to add basic armor in grey (I have the sprites to do it) I would add it to the armour_gc and the armor I guess, and what other files?

2. If I wanted to add a vehicle, use the existing sprites, just re-color them, besides vehicles and vehicles_gc, what other files do I have to add the information to?

3. If I wanted to add an m103 grenade launcher to my m-16s, I can make the pics for it and the grenade ammo, but can more than one ammo be assigned to a weapon, and how if it can? You would not have both ammo in the gun at the same time, you would load and shoot the grenade.

4. Just for my own knowledge and sanity, why would the best soldiers in the world go to even their first missions with NO armor at all, just skimpy clothing? Even if the armor of their time did nothing to energy weapons, it is still a combat zone and it would help agains explosions or friendly fire, or what ever.

5. Can the AI handle the aliens having a ground vehicle to attack you with? And if I added a special alien or vehicle for them, is their a post that I could read to help?

If you know of a post that can help that would be great, as my searches have only produced parts of the info I need.

STILL CAN NOT FIND THE OPTION TO MAKE XENO FIGHTER JETS CRASH PERM! AND NOT GET RECOVERED, ANYONE KNOW WHERE THIS IS?

Thank you...

1. It would need to be in items.xml as well. You'd also need to set up the spritesheets for the weapons (which I assume you've done based on what you've posted) and you'd need to update the soldier_spectre.xml files (I think they're called that) in each of the armour/weapon combo files so that the file paths go to the correct place. You'll also need images for the equip soldier screen. Might be worth having a look at my Armour Resource Pack or SkianDestiny's armour mod (I forget what it's called).

2. Ugh, vehicles are a bit complicated. You need to add in images for the drop ship and the garage screen for each possible weapon type with the correct codes for weapon types for both. You need to change the vehicle_spectre files to path to the right place as per armour. And you need to add an entry in items as well. Maybe look at LordJulian's extra vehicle mod or my Armoured Assault mod as these might help.

3. Bit hazy on this. It can be done I think, but it doesn't work very well due to UI issues. Also, the weapon won't work like a grenade launcher but a direct-fire weapon (i.e. no arc). And you can't set suppression separately from the ammo type.

4. Because there's no point wearing heavy armour when there's next to no chance that it will actually do anything? No point running around encumbered when 95% of the time the armour is going to do nothing.

5. Best bet would be to add it as a drone (medium or heavy, as that would be appropriately sized I guess). Don't see why that wouldn't work.

I am very interested in finding an answer to question 3 as i want to make a mod that adds a few different ammo types such as AP, WP and HEAP rounds. i tried having a look at rockets but i couldn't work out how they were added so the launcher can fire all types.

I am very interested in finding an answer to question 3 as i want to make a mod that adds a few different ammo types such as AP, WP and HEAP rounds. i tried having a look at rockets but i couldn't work out how they were added so the launcher can fire all types.

Well, I'm not into modding (yet), but I think it might have some relation to the fact that the rockets aren't on the regular ammo screen.

If I start modding, my first attempt will be an advanced ammo research for the ballistic rifles (Electroshock rounds), to make them a situationally useful alternative mid to late game, so I'm reading a bit to prepare for that, the situation is similar, I think.

Well, I'm not into modding (yet), but I think it might have some relation to the fact that the rockets aren't on the regular ammo screen.

If I start modding, my first attempt will be an advanced ammo research for the ballistic rifles (Electroshock rounds), to make them a situationally useful alternative mid to late game, so I'm reading a bit to prepare for that, the situation is similar, I think.

Yeah, the UI is the main issue with them. I'm also not sure how well the game deals with multiple ammo types per se - rockets are set up differently to other ammo types and this might therefore cause some issues as well.

Aside, but if you're interested in doing a ballistic weapon upgrade, you'd probably be best off just having a flat upgrade to basic weapons' ammo rather than having it as an alternative as that will erase any problems trying to deal with multiple ammo types.

Yeah, the UI is the main issue with them. I'm also not sure how well the game deals with multiple ammo types per se - rockets are set up differently to other ammo types and this might therefore cause some issues as well.

Aside, but if you're interested in doing a ballistic weapon upgrade, you'd probably be best off just having a flat upgrade to basic weapons' ammo rather than having it as an alternative as that will erase any problems trying to deal with multiple ammo types.

That's the thing, I don't want a straigtforward upgrade, I want to give them enough versatility to be a viable option. It would be something similar to the dart gun mod (but with great damage vs androns and drones), but just as an alternative ammo instead of an extra weapon.

If you have the choice of equiping your last soldier with yet another laser/plasma weapon or using a not-so-good ballistic weapon with an extra mag that just incapacitates the enemy it might make the setup choice a little bit less linear.

I'm in no hurry to even begin making it, I have some exams coming my way, so I have enough time to fiddle around and check if it's even possible.

Now that I think about it, laser and plasma weapon mags are the same for all of them... I'll check how's that done and I might find a clue.