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Secret LOS modes for testing!


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So, we've been thinking about the way line of sight works in Xenonauts and comparing it to the original game. We've got a couple of special modes for you guys to play with.

Activating them requires opening config.xml (in /assets/) with notepad or another text editor, and finding the lines:

<PersistentLOS>0</PersistentLOS>

<OriginalMode>0</OriginalMode>

Changing either 0 to a 1 will activate that mode. Please only activate one at a time.

PersistentLOS is named somewhat misleadingly, because it actually disables the persistent LOS that the game uses by default. The only things visible is what units currently have in their vision cone - so turning a unit means the area they are no longer looking at falls back under the fog-of-war. The same should happen if a unit is killed or a door is closed etc.

OriginalMode uses the above system, but adds an extra complication: the fog of war is not actually shown. Any terrain that has been revealed remains revealed permanently, but you've got no idea where the aliens and civilians are unless you're looking directly at them. This is called OriginalMode because it's actually how the original X-Com works.

Feel free to try either or both and let me know what you think of them.

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Only done 2 missions so far with OriginalLOS, so way too early to make proper impressions, but I must say it's really useful to have civvies, because when an alien or a civvie first blinks out, you think "is that a bug?" It isn't until you get a trooper to do a double take and notice that civvies and aliens blink out of sight when they are out of sight that you realise that this isn't a bug.

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I think this kind of thing would be great for a simple option in the options menu. While it influences the Balance somewhat, it doesn't do so heavily and it's always a good thing to give players more customization for their game in this kind of game.

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I dont think originalmode is a good idea. I didn't in the original x-com either.

I want to know what I can see and what I cannot see. Everything being "revealed" and then units only showing up in a cone of vision is too confusing... Which squares do I have vision in?

I think PeristantLOS is the way to go though.

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I have tested these and I simply love the peristent mode. It just feels so much more logical. The current system in the game has always felt wrong and unrealistic to me.

There are few small bugs in it though. When a unit dies, it doesn't refresh the it's FoW until someone else moves. Also, closing a UFO door works much better now as you can't see whats happening inside after that but the adjacent tiles inside the door are still in FoW until end of the AI's turn.

Edited by Skitso
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Could this just be left in the code for people to chose?

I do like the visual cleanliness of the original view. The beauty of the original mode is on Xcom it required less processing power, not really an issue on new computers but the in game view is still a lot prettier. I can see myself switching modes depending on my mood.

For those that struggle with the sight lines would it be possible to do a very light haze to make the clear vision cones obvious?

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I'm still doing missions with OriginalLOS, I'll try persistent when I get to Corvettes. What I would say is that Original so far feels like the kind of vision mode that masochi... *ahem* hardcore enthusiasts will pick up saying "this is the only way to play the game!".

EDIT: I can see the appeal - it is quite hard to guess the FOV without a handy cone, and some might argue that's all for the better. But.. eh, I dunno.

EDIT 2: I will say that the best "gotcha!" moments I have from the game so far have been from Original, in a jump scare, "where the fuck did you come from???" kind of way. And, and I haven't been able to play my old game with Hunters of zipping forwards, spotting some poor zeeb, zipping away and slotting him with a sniper.

Edited by Max_Caine
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New post rather than double post.

I've now had the opportunity to extensively play with Original and Persistent, and I would say hands down Persistent is the way to go. As has already been noted, Original has a clean elegance to it and I can definatly see people migrating from Persistent to Original. Peristent is messier, but those cones of vision really change the way I perceive how my soliders perceive the battlefield. I have no idea how you'd make it cleaner, given the limitations of the engine. But yah, Persistent is the way to go, no question about it.

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I test this two LOS modes and in my opinion is that the game is not suited for non of them. Both LOS modes has different unbalance handicap for the main elements in game, the aliens and the player.

The Original mode is pain for the player, is like soldier has alzheimer and can't remember where is the aliens. In other hand Persistent Mode bring some benefits for the Processor and let the game run more quicker, alien's turns speed up and civilians move in the fog. The main problem with persistent mode is for the AI, the current config and settings of behavior of aliens suffer too much in this mode, units behave like they are blind and don't let him react good enough to considered an AI... is more like BI (Blind Inteligence).

In my opinion, if aliens has more arc of view and range, they can properly to Persistent mode.

For now, the current LOS Mode of the game (Which don't have a name) is good enough for players and Alien's AI.

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Does either of these setting influence the AI at all?

No; not directly as the AI uses a lot of inferencing on where you are. It never used the "global LOS" for this, only the actual LOS of the squad.

So, unless this got bugged in the process of implementation, there should be no consequences.

Edited by Gijs-Jan
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