Jump to content

X:CE 0.34 Release Candidate


llunak

Recommended Posts

In the downloads section you can find release candidate 4 of X:CE version 0.34.

This is an unstable release, intended to test changes before a final 0.34 release. Please join the testing (see below for specific areas which especially need testing). Use of an unstable release for actual play is at your own risk.


Installation:

  • In the game launcher, use "Modding Tools" to install the base X:CE mod (it may take a while, you will get a confirmation dialog when the installation is done). Note that if you use the Xenonauts 1.5x release as a base, the newly installed mod will not show in the list, ignore this.
  • Exit the launcher.
  • Run X:CE's game executable instead of the base game's executable. It is possible to run it directly from assets/mods/xce and it is not anymore necessary to copy it anywhere (it may be useful to create a desktop shortcut to simplify accessing it though). If you do copy the .exe files, you may need to copy .dll files as well.
  • Verify in the launcher that it is the correct version.
  • Install the X:CE mod pack using "Modding Tools" in the launcher, this will install the X:CE settings and balance mods as well as a selection of community mods. Adjust which mods are active if wanted (selected mods should be already activated automatically).
  • On first game start you may get a dialog warning about X:CE mods not being activated correctly or in the correct priority order, simply confirm that you want it to be fixed automatically.

Changes since 0.34 RC3:

  • Include names of used mods when creating a save file and warn if some of them are missing when loading the save.
  • Fix automatic activation of manually installed mods.
  • Even landed UFOs slightly damage ground at their landing site.
  • Damage random objects inside crashed UFOs.

Changes since 0.34 RC2:

  • Improved startup speed of the game and map editor tools. Game launcher and main game window should show sooner.
  • Support for automatic enabling of language pack mods as necessary.
  • French translation mods are included with the mod pack.
  • Game can now be launched with "-load [savename]" argument, which will automatically load the saved game.
  • If the game is launched with -quickbattle, -aircmbt or -load arguments, the game launcher is skipped; in the case of -quickbattle and -load, also the main game menu is skipped. Note that since the game launcher does some initialization such as enabling mods by default, this will not be performed in these cases; the game should be launched normally first if this is required. Moreover, if a mod is installed in a folder that does not match its name, the game will abort on startup, even if it normally would launch (such mod install should only be possible if done manually, as the installation using "Modding Tools" in the game launcher does not create a problem; fix the problem manually).
  • Added integrity checking to loading of save files. The game also should not try to load saves with features that it does not know (i.e. from a future newer version).
  • As a result, saves from X:CE 0.34 are not usable from older versions. Use saveCompatibility in gameconfig.xml .
  • Soldiers that enter ground combat already injured now have their maximum HP shown properly, instead of setting the shown maximum HP to the HP available at the start of the ground combat.
  • Fixed the buttons for reordering soldiers in a dropship in the soldier equipment view to actually work.
  • Added few new semi-random forest maps.
  • The map layout editor now properly previews also submaps that use linked submaps.
  • Radar dishes in Xenonaut bases should not obscure units.

Changes since 0.34 RC1:

  • Fixed a bug introduced in 0.34 RC1 that sometimes made instant researches actually take very long to finish (updating to 0.34 RC2 is not enough to fix saves from 0.34 RC1 if they include such researches).
  • Fixed shooting on very large maps sometimes using very strange trajectories.
  • The format of maptypes.xml has been changed to use XML attributes rather than XML element contents. Any maptypes.xml files created for 0.34 RC1 are not compatible and need to be updated.
  • Besides new dropship/UFO types it is now possible to specify in maptypes.xml also their fallback spawn points. Since maps by default support only the stock dropship/UFO types, this allows using those maps even for new dropship/UFO types, as long as the fallback dropship/UFO type has the same submap size.
  • As an exception to the rule that all files under maps/ and tiles/ get automatic MODMERGE="replace" if not explicitly specified, mapinfo.xml files are treated normally (since they should usually be merged together from all mods).
  • The format of mapinfo.xml has been changed to use XML attributes rather than XML elements content. All mapinfo.xml files created for 0.34 RC1 are not compatible and need to be updated.
  • Added the posibility to mark maps as random in mapinfo.xml; random maps get lower priority than normal maps when choosing a map for ground combat, so that custom maps are very likely to be used first, and custom maps are more likely to be selected only when most custom maps have been already used.
  • All maps in the 3 random map pack mods from kabill have been marked as random and the mods are now enabled by default.
  • Improve game and ground combat load times especially if a larger number of mods is active.
  • In the UFO-detected dialog, show terrain type for landed UFOs.
  • Fixed yet another bug that made it possible for recently used maps to be used again sooner than they should be.
  • Fixed position of some Shrike tiles.
  • The 'Modding Tools' dialog in the game launcher now has a 'Default Setup' button that resets status and order of all mods to the default state, as if the game was launched for the first time, i.e. the default X:CE mod setup.
  • Clicking column headers in the 'Modding Tools' dialog in the game launcher now sorts by that column.

Changes summary:

  • X:CE is now shipped with only one large mod pack .zip file that includes both the X:CE settings and balance mods and well as a selection of community mods.
  • Restored Community Map Pack, Skitso's Ultimate Megamix Map Pack 2000 and Skitso's Alien Booster Pack map packs are now shipped with X:CE, as well as the Skitso's Improved Tile Art Pack mod.
  • Explosives now do not necessarily cause overdamage. Each item has only a chance to do overdamage, the higher the more powerful the explosive is.
  • Added incendiary grenades and rockets, and sebillians have shooting accuracy affected by fires similarly to how other units are affected by smoke.
  • Damage, smoke and fire are now generated around crashed UFOs in order to make them more like they have actually crashed.

General improvements:

  • Jump pack now allows hovering over non-walkable terrain such as water.
  • Damage, smoke and fire are now generated around crashed UFOs in order to make them more like they have actually crashed (EnhanceCrashSites in config.xml). The 'Enhanced Crash Sites' mod that did this manually is most probably not compatible with this feature and should be disabled.
  • Allow reordering soldiers in a dropship in the soldier equip view.
  • Added keyboard shortcuts for centering view on next/previous spotted alien (not assigned by default).

UI:

  • The 'Activate' button in 'Modding Tools' in launcher goes before 'Delete Mod', and the 'Add New Mod' button has been moved next to the other buttons.
  • When installing a mod in would overwrite an already existing mod, show versions of both in the dialog asking for overwrite.
  • Pressing number keys in base views switches between bases.
  • Scrolling mouse wheel down in ground combat now goes to the next soldier, not previous.
  • Added accelerators to buttons in the game launcher and map editors.

Balance:

  • Explosives now do not necessarily cause overdamage. Each item has only a chance to do overdamage, the higher the more powerful the explosive is. Items on the ground are still always destroyed by explosives. This should make (especially early game) grenades more useful.
  • UFOs should be less likely to give up on chasing a faster interceptor in the air combat.
  • UFOs now have a separate evasive roll speed setting that is independent from Xenonaut interceptors evasive roll speed, as the higher difficulty values made it difficult for UFOs to dodge light missiles.
  • Sebillians have shooting accuracy affected by fires similarly to how other units are affected by smoke (fireAccuracyPenalty in aiprops.xml). Unlike with smoke, fire affects accuracy even in tiles around it.
  • Added incendiary grenades and rockets. They can be used as normal weapons, for illumination or defense against Sebillians.
  • When patrolling, airplanes fly at 50% of their maximum speed, making them able to patrol for longer (airPatrolFuelBurnRate in gameconfig.xml).
  • Aliens will not target Xenonaut bases for attacks until they start showing activity, giving them a grace period to become defensible.
  • Damage taken from bleeding wounds now has a one turn delay before it takes effect, making it possible to heal soldiers that have been wounded to near death during an alien turn.

General fixes:

  • Fixed installing of large .zip mods not to be horribly slow.
  • Fixed drawing of multi-tile objects to not show through walls in some cases.
  • Fixed aliens sometimes immediately closing door after running through it.
  • Fixed calculation of TU cost for stairs.
  • Alien plasma rifle research now depends on alien plasma pistol research, as the two Xenopedia articles should be read in that order. This should not alter game balance in any way.
  • Do not show instant researches in the laboratory view as items to research.
  • When shooting, do not turn a unit if that would cancel the unit's around-the-corner peeking, as that could make the unit lose sight of the target.
  • Fixed (again) remembering of recently used ground combat maps. Especially with the map packs, it should be now very unlikely to encounter a specific map twice during a single playthrough.
  • Fix showing of medals in the soldier equip view.
  • Show cover indicators also for UFO walls.
  • Do not show 'no soldiers at base' in the soldier equip view if a transport has only a vehicle loaded.
  • Make pathfinding try to avoid dangerous tiles such as those on fire.
  • Fix hiding/showing of fires after loading a ground combat save.
  • Update fire sound when visibility of fires changes.
  • Changing an interceptor weapon in the airplane equip view no longer automatically rearms it, but the airplane will need to be normally rearmed as if it has returned from a mission.
  • When a building that has not been finished yet is upgraded, do not automatically finish it.
  • Do not pay maintenance for ordered soldiers that have no arrived yet.
  • Fix scientists to be properly removed from research when a base is removed (such as when destroyed by aliens).
  • Fix sort order of some columns in the memorial wall, and make rank a separate column.
  • Fix a possible crash when selecting a flare to throw.
  • Reset TU to 0 even if a berserking soldier does not hold a weapon to fire.
  • "Instant" researches have their time to show doubled in order to avoid them getting shown before a dropship from the mission returns back to base (which technically isn't a problem, as item recovery after ground combat is done by other personnel, but it still looked a bit strange; instantResearchesPopupDelay in gameconfig.xml).
  • "Instant" researches have their time to show slightly randomized (instantResearchesPopupDelayVariation in gameconfig.xml), in order to avoid getting several new Xenopedia articles at once (easily up to 4 with Lore+ active).
  • Avoid a possible crash when transferring soldiers.
  • Do not record destroying an alien base by destroying power core as a failed alien base assault in the memorial wall.
  • Fixed active status of installed mods to not be reset to initial state after a new mod is installed.
  • Do not alter priority of mods when upgrading them.

Mods:

Maps:

  • Adjusted terror maps to always have at least some cover available around their landing zones.
  • Soviettown terror maps are now used also for European countries in the Soviet Union region.
  • Cars in soviettown terror maps shouldn't drive on the left.
  • Adjusted tiles for Chinook to better match what the helicopter looks like, making it possible to walk and shooting through some tiles where it visually should be possible.
  • Adjusted dropships to remove less cover around the immediate landing zone.

Modding:

  • It is now possible to include several mods in one .zip mod file. The X:CE settings and balance mods are shipped now this way together with all community mods included with X:CE. Technically, now the .zip file is searched for modinfo.xml files and each directory with such a file is considered to be a mod. Such files are of course not usable by older versions of the game.
  • All files under maps/ and tiles/ now automatically get MODMERGE="replace" at the toplevel XML element if not specified. This makes it easier to create map pack mods, as maps and props provided by mods automatically replace base game items, without requiring MODMERGE commands (which the map editing tools do not support).
  • List of map types for UFOs, dropships and alien bases is no longer hardcoded and can be specified in assets/maptypes.xml .
  • Using -modinfo command line switch for Xenonauts.exe now does not log info about the base xce mod, as that spams loginfo.txt and is generally not useful for modders. Use -modinfoxce if this info should be included.

Mapping:

  • Submaps now can link (include) other submaps, even recursively. This should greatly improve mapping capabilities by both removing duplication (simply create one submap and make several submaps refer to it, instead of duplicating the contents) and by allowing more randomness in maps (if a submap is used instead of having a hardcoded content, each of the submap variants is randomly chosen as is the usual case with submap variations). Unlike normal submap usage, where one submap replaces objects for a specific tile from another submap, objects from several includes submaps are all added in this case.
  • All UFO submap have been reworded to use linked submaps in order to avoid duplication and allow greater flexibility (for example, there can be variations in the damaged UFO hull image if multiple submaps are placed in maps/ufos/shared/ufotype/hull_damaged).
  • Reduced height of the submap editor dialog to make it fit better smaller resolutions.
  • Added 'Hide UFO Hull' button to the submap editor.
  • The button in submap editor's resolution dialog is now a default button (so hitting Enter pushes it).
  • It is possible to specify in mapinfo.xml which maps should be ignored (used e.g. by Skitso's Alien Base Booster Pack mod to "delete" maps from the base game).
  • Mouse wheel in the submap editor changes floor level.
  • Added a checkbox in the submap editor to show only the currently selected floor level.
  • Made 'Show only ground tiles' in submap editor show other props very faintly (the same way the show-roof-ground button in ground combat works).
  • Fixed redrawing of multi-tile props in the submap editor.

Testing

Please test this release candidate. The areas that especially need testing are

  • The mod pack provided.
  • Incendiary weapons.
  • Linked submaps (mapping).

Compatibility

Save games from X:CE 0.34 are not compatible with X:CE 0.33. Use the saveCompatibility option in gameconfig.xml in order to create saves for older versions. Note that older versions of the game may still fail to load such a save if they do not have all information available (e.g. missing the Lore+ mod that provides some researches, or the save includes soldiers carrying incendiary grenades that are not present in older game versions).

What is the relation between X:CE 0.34 and Xenonauts 1.5x?

  • Xenonauts 1.5x releases have been based on an older X:CE version than 0.34 and thus do not contain all these fixes. Also some X:CE changes have intentionally not been incorporated. See Xenonauts 1.5x release announcements for details.
  • X:CE 0.34 should contain all relevant Xenonauts 1.5x fixes and new features.
Edited by llunak
Link to comment
Share on other sites

"Furies, Terror, and Dreadnoughts. A fix for late game UFOs attacking Xenonaut bases too soon is included."

Where is that fix? As far as I was aware it is not 100% confirmed fixed yet and there is no new version available on the download page here:

http://www.goldhawkinteractive.com/forums/downloads.php?do=file&id=2

Also is their any news on this bug:

http://www.goldhawkinteractive.com/forums/showthread.php/13269-UFO-roof-cutaway-failing-on-occasion

It seems that it is not just related to Enhanced Crash sites after all as the poster does not have that mod installed.

One final thing, was this addressed in this version of X:CE?

http://www.goldhawkinteractive.com/forums/showthread.php/13270-Parts-of-Charlie-can-be-shoot-and-walked-through-XCE-0-33-HF2

Your continued support for this game is exemplary.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Wow, this version is for map makers mostly as i see and i see many good easy ways to do it.

1. "Sebillians have shooting accuracy affected by fires similarly to how other units are affected by smoke (fireAccuracyPenalty in aiprops.xml)." is a great idea. I checked the mod files and i saw that you used the command noSmokeAccuracyPenalty="1" inside XCE and used fireAccuracyPenalty="1" at xce balance. So if someone uses only XCE and no balance, his sebs will be immune smoke ad fire together.

2. I looked to the incendiary weapon and incendiary smoke code. As i know "fire" is hardcoded and we cannot create other kind of fires. So at the weapon code smoke chance is 0 but at your gas code your new incendiary smoke got new commands about fire itself. So this gas code effects the "fire" from the weapon, am i right? Because gas wont show up because it's chance is 0. So i can use this new commands at my all explosive weapons or for new incendiary weapons i created?

3. Is new UFO mapping system effecting oldschool made new UFOs at mods? Can i use old mapping system and Ufo's with this together? My question is; should i redo all my UFO replications (copied ufos but different names and crews) at XCE 34?

Thx!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

"Furies, Terror, and Dreadnoughts. A fix for late game UFOs attacking Xenonaut bases too soon is included."

Where is that fix? As far as I was aware it is not 100% confirmed fixed yet and there is no new version available on the download page here:

There: http://www.goldhawkinteractive.com/forums/showthread.php/11009-FTD-Mod?p=152471&viewfull=1#post152471 . That should fix the problem as far as I can tell.

Also is their any news on this bug:

http://www.goldhawkinteractive.com/forums/showthread.php/13269-UFO-roof-cutaway-failing-on-occasion

It seems that it is not just related to Enhanced Crash sites after all as the poster does not have that mod installed.

I've never seen the problem myself, so I do assume it's triggered by Enhanced Crash Sites unless proven otherwise.

I think so, but why don't you try yourself and tell me :) ?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

So if someone uses only XCE and no balance, his sebs will be immune smoke ad fire together.

As has always been the case with Sebiliians so far.

2. I looked to the incendiary weapon and incendiary smoke code. As i know "fire" is hardcoded and we cannot create other kind of fires. So at the weapon code smoke chance is 0 but at your gas code your new incendiary smoke got new commands about fire itself. So this gas code effects the "fire" from the weapon, am i right? Because gas wont show up because it's chance is 0. So i can use this new commands at my all explosive weapons or for new incendiary weapons i created?

I'm not sure I understand entirely, but gas_gc.xml controls both smoke and fire from specific sources, and you can mod it any way you want.

3. Is new UFO mapping system effecting oldschool made new UFOs at mods? Can i use old mapping system and Ufo's with this together? My question is; should i redo all my UFO replications (copied ufos but different names and crews) at XCE 34?

I don't know what you mean by "UFO mapping system". If you are talking about UFO submaps, then any mod doing modifications there (presumably the brute force way of putting in a whole modified submap) will simply replace the new base submap, negating all these changes. Reworking any such UFO modifications to only provide the actual changes is advisable (I intend to alter UFO hulls a bit so that they better fit the tile grid). And crews are specified in ufocontents/ , which is completely unrelated to this.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I... i still don't know many things about this game moding commands. I did not know and i never saw that kind of gas commands before and i did not notice about sebs no smoke penalty command.

I checked the UFO subsystem and it looks working. I hope some UFO makers hype about this and create nice layouts.

New ufo crash sites look cool too. You bring very nice ideas again.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I was thinking how to add about 20+ new ufos to the all mappacks and will share the same idea here. This is a real life saver to mods with new ufos.

One question about base. What happens if i add a new base? The game got a mechanic about updating the bases in time and as i know all the bases starts as "small". So if i add a x base, what could happen? Maybe a larger one or a small but special one..

Link to comment
Share on other sites

One question about base. What happens if i add a new base? The game got a mechanic about updating the bases in time and as i know all the bases starts as "small". So if i add a x base, what could happen? Maybe a larger one or a small but special one..

The game has small/medium/large hardcoded, see "ALIEN BASE LEVEL UP THRESHOLDS" in gameconfig.xml . So maptypes.xml is more for bases of more races.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Sebillians have shooting accuracy affected by fires similarly to how other units are affected by smoke (fireAccuracyPenalty in aiprops.xml). Unlike with smoke, fire affects accuracy even in tiles around it.

  • Added incendiary grenades and rockets. They can be used as normal weapons, for illumination or defense against Sebillians.

I get that it makes sense lore-wise, however gameplay-wise, why add a counter against Sebillians when they already have low accuracy?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I get that it makes sense lore-wise, however gameplay-wise, why add a counter against Sebillians when they already have low accuracy?

It's a nice touch and adding something to play for modders too. It's a choice too, just make it 0 at settings or balance and it wont change your game play. Even with low acc, it's nice to have something tactical against them..

Link to comment
Share on other sites

hi ilunak, nice improvements since the last time i was here, but i got a small problem bro, if i click on those "up" and "down" buttons on the equipment screen wich i think is used to order the soldiers in the craft, after i click anyone of those, the game kind of freeze, i mean, the game keep running but im unable to click on any element of the screen with a result (the minibar of screens for example), i am able to log out into the map scren by pressing escape a few times, and is funny because my click still interacts with the game (if i mouse over a region, then it highlights it border, but im unable to do anything), and the only thing i can do is wait until the game ctd and give me a error, am i doing something wrong?, im pretty sure i followed all your instructions...

anyone had this problem before?, or is just me?, the other stuff seems to runs smoothly (ground combats,research, etc).

ps: hi there dragues, how is everything going pal, i have to say xdivision looks pretty sick, im already downloading it :D

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I get that it makes sense lore-wise, however gameplay-wise, why add a counter against Sebillians when they already have low accuracy?

Their accuracy is lower than other aliens but it's still not low enough that you can rely on them not hitting. Indeed, if you use a lot of smoke (and you probably should), Sebillians generally will have the highest accuracy because they're not affected. So I think having some counter against them is a good change and it's still not as good as being able to use smoke as you can't move through it safely.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Their accuracy is lower than other aliens but it's still not low enough that you can rely on them not hitting. Indeed, if you use a lot of smoke (and you probably should), Sebillians generally will have the highest accuracy because they're not affected. So I think having some counter against them is a good change and it's still not as good as being able to use smoke as you can't move through it safely.

I understand, I just don't think they are so overpowered that warrants a counter the game originally didn't have. And IMO it just adds complexity for complexity's sake, players will have a new type of grenade/rocket to think about before engaging ground combat yet the strategy will not change much.

In any case I'm not going to argue much, I'll see about opting out.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Dumberro question - are mods from CE 0.34 RC backward compatibile? Can I download this pack and use few of them with my 0.33 hf (have fun :) ) 2?

Probably. Some of them are unmodified original mods, so they should work the same way, the ones with X:CE modifications have mostly small fixes or adjustments for new 0.34 features. I don't know for sure though.

if i click on those "up" and "down" buttons on the equipment screen wich i think is used to order the soldiers in the craft, after i click anyone of those, the game kind of freeze

Fixed, thanks.

Their accuracy is lower than other aliens but it's still not low enough that you can rely on them not hitting. Indeed, if you use a lot of smoke (and you probably should), Sebillians generally will have the highest accuracy because they're not affected. So I think having some counter against them is a good change and it's still not as good as being able to use smoke as you can't move through it safely.

Worse, you shouldn't throw them under your soldier's feet :).

Link to comment
Share on other sites

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.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

×
×
  • Create New...