AI rank and morale determining tactics (realism versus game spectrum)

[Piloter]

Terror mission: The aliens are confident, we're dealing with trained commandos, overwhelming orgazational and technological superiority. Goal to cause as much havoc as possible.

Pre-arrival, enemy troops would fan out individually, seek high spots for better fields of fire and less grouping.

Post-arrival, depending on rank in charge, they could either see the Xenonauts as civvies to be slaughtered and persist in single-unit tactics until the kill count starts to climb, morale drops, and they begin to regroup and find somewhere defensible. If the commander is higher ranking, instead of waiting for the cannon fodder to start going down, their units could start to regroup quickly (first couple turns) and attempt to establish sniper perches and flanking positions. This gives the player an excuse to USE those rockets they've been saving.

Landed UFO: The aliens are there for a reason, present in nominal quantities, and organized. There would be a perimeter around the UFO itself and fire support elements with the scouts, to protect them while they pick wild flowers, romance cattle, or whatever it is they're doing.

Post-arrival, the scouts would fall back toward the perimeter and the advance guard would attempt to advance, suppress, and neutralize. As the kill count starts to climb there would be a retreat (organized, if the highest-ranking officer can override the morale of aliens for longer, blind panic otherwise) back toward the defended perimeter. This might start to tie into an idea where if the aliens have uncontested access to the ship or engine room for X turns, they can take off again. You left an interceptor on combat-air-patrol when you landed the skyranger, right?

Crashed UFO: Depends on the highest-ranked officer whether they have enough presence of mind to establish a defensive perimeter (higher ranks = smarter positioning, higher terrain, covering fire, etc) and work to get the craft mobile again (landed turns x 1.5 to compensate for damage) or just all pull back to the engine room, hoping to get it airborne before the scary soldiers arrive, or (for very low-ranking officers, early-game) just run around randomly and shoot if they think they have a chance, but try to get away from their ship because it'll draw fire and they want to live.

I like the idea of the local strategic situation changing depending on who's there and for what, and depending how savvy your commanding counterpart is. Especially for that feeling when a sniper and a rocketeer take out the highest ranking alien behind enemy lines and their whole strategy starts falling apart. No, it's not fair, because they can't take you out--unless Chris lets us have avatars--but the point is to progress, not be stymied in one map for six hours because Sectoid Rommel over there read all our books.

[thothkins]

I agree some alien goals would be good and would help shape their tactics depending on ship integrity/mission type when taken down/ alien survivors.

A thought is a ticker to start once the UFO has crashed. It would represent the chances of the ship being repaired. If the player is lazy in getting there, then it may be able to take off again. It's complicated in that the crash survivors would have to be known to see if there is sufficient rank (as a substitute for technical knowledge) to repair the ship and get it to take off.

It lends itself to a scenario where the Xenonauts get there as repairs are being finalised. The aliens fall back to their ship, trying to hold off the Xenonauts as much as possible. There could either be a warning that the engines have started, allowing the player X turns to finish the mission. Then a simple mission briefing screen if it manages to take off.

Alternately, if no alien can repair a craft are missions to escape the map to cause higher amounts of infiltration to the country crashed in, or for terror as you've outlined.

[Piloter]

While I think that the aliens-repairing-their-whip concept is a magnificent concept as far as player involvement and stress ratcheting in general, I've been wrestling with how to implement it in a manner that's logical for the setting. If the player knows it from the start then you've just set up a game with a turn limit and that's not entirely fun. If you pop up a box halfway through--as Word Of God--how would the player have known this? Is there an option for aliens to surrender, depending on morale and intelligence and wanting to at least TRY to be an ambassador instead of a trophy on the wall of the autopsy room?

One possibility is having the mechanic work--leading to some nasty nonstandard mission-end screens for players who've taken a long time--but having completed research on UFO power sources include flavor text along the lines of "With more data on the exact operation of these craft, we have been able to design sensors to pinpoint the specific signature of an active source. All ground assault craft are being retrofitted as we speak--this time if the aliens get power back, we'll know about it in advance."

And from that point you get the countdown box.

Edit: I'm not sure 'escape the map' would be a good mission type, those little bastards could scatter off the tile edges before slow-and-cautious Xenonauts could get anywhere close. Sure, you might wind up playing the AC-130 Bofors minigame for a bit afterward, but...

Edited November 21, 2012 by Piloter

[Xcom Veteran]

Good point Piloter, thanks.

I hope we will have something like this in the game.

If some UFO can be repaired - small damages - Aliens can escape before Xenonauts will come in Chinok (You must send soldiers fast). They can also escape when we fighting on the ground. Someone should do random UFO fall (they go up in repaired UFO and crash because this is not working too good).

Aliens can also escape to other map - like two part base mission. It could be nice from time to time.

Aliens also should have some equipment on Landing missions - not weapons, but some strange for us stuff. You can or can't research it but it will do nothing for you . ust something like Aliens Food and Aliens Surgery in oryginal XCOM. Maybe Aliens will build something on the ground.

[thothkins]

If the player knows it from the start then you've just set up a game with a turn limit and that's not entirely fun.

Assuming craft repair is something the aliens could even attempt...

- I imagine that it would only be for craft that have received minor damage. It would a low % of craft capable of repairing in the time.

- Craft that you've shot down with minimal damage may take off from the Geoscape and escape

- Research into the craft/ alloys could show how easily the materials could be repaired. A sentence on the Xenopaedia could reinforce this.

- Alien interrogation could also provide clues into the capability of the aliens to manipulate their technology.

- pop it in the manual

If you pop up a box halfway through--as Word Of God--how would the player have known this?

Hopefully hinted at from the above, but something hinted at in the hidden movement/ alien turn to show that work is being carried out on the ship.

I'm imagining that this would be very bright/noisy as the aliens tried to jury-rig something.

An alternate Hidden Movement screen when it starts perhaps. There would be a bit of word of god I guess, but that's surprise for you. I'll call it added-suspense

Is there an option for aliens to surrender, depending on morale and intelligence and wanting to at least TRY to be an ambassador instead of a trophy on the wall of the autopsy room?

Unfortunately word of what really happens in Xenonaut interrogation rooms got out and they will fight to the last. That's why containment isn't a base facility. The aliens fall under extraordinary rendition

Alien factions would be interesting though... but it depends what the overall story is, and if they are capable of such things - See Ethereal/Sectoid mental domination in XCOM1994 for example.

One possibility is having the mechanic work--leading to some nasty nonstandard mission-end screens for players who've taken a long time--but having completed research on UFO power sources include flavor text

A debriefing/mission end screen telling you that the aliens were trying to restart their ship when you managed to get to them would be an idea.

I'm not sure 'escape the map' would be a good mission type, those little bastards could scatter off the tile edges before slow-and-cautious Xenonauts could get anywhere close.

hmmm, it is a problem there. I guess it does become a sort of timed mission. From the Chinook approach, you're told that the aliens are pushing away form the UFO (flying against FOW a bit there). Ah well, food for thought.

Edited November 22, 2012 by Gauddlike
fixed quotes

[Piloter]

Assuming craft repair is something the aliens could even attempt...

- I imagine that it would only be for craft that have received minor damage. It would a low % of craft capable of repairing in the time.

- Craft that you've shot down with minimal damage may take off from the Geoscape and escape

- Research into the craft/ alloys could show how easily the materials could be repaired. A sentence on the Xenopaedia could reinforce this.

- Alien interrogation could also provide clues into the capability of the aliens to manipulate their technology.

- pop it in the manual

Drawing a distinction, in other words, between races that are basically just shoved into a scout UFO and sent down on autopilot, with their only instructions being "Screw some stuff up, when you're done press the BIG RED BUTTON and for Zuul's sake don't touch any other controls!"--IE Mutons or terror units, versus the ones that are familiar with the systems and actually could conduct field repairs; sectoids and floaters and etc?

This opens up another interesting possibility. As the game currently stands (and EU94), any un-assaulted crashed UFO WILL disappear eventually. If we assume that the starting, grunt-infantry races can't fix their transport, this would have them stay on the map for a longer period of time, allowing starting players to stand a better chance of getting to them, and possibly generating a 'rescue' mission of another UFO with a more advanced crew to land near the crash site, loiter, and then when it takes off both UFOs are gone. This way, as new races come in, crashed UFOs would have to be intercepted first thing instead of being timed for daylight or put off for manufacturing completions. This could also introduce the idea of aliens being able to (as the game goes on) progressively repair their craft IF they're in it and working on it, instead of out trying to Serve Man.

I'm imagining that this would be very bright/noisy as the aliens tried to jury-rig something.

If the engine supports full-bright lighting, this would be very easy. It'd make the UFO light up like mad at night, and oversaturate/wash out the tiles during the day. Very, very hard to miss. Whether it's centered in the engine room or applied around the entire craft is a gameplay decision, doesn't do much good to have it just in the engine room if you can't breach random craft walls.

An alternate Hidden Movement screen when it starts perhaps. There would be a bit of word of god I guess, but that's surprise for you. I'll call it added-suspense

What are your thoughts on making this visually distinct (barring giant red letters) against the cycling screens that have been suggested?

Unfortunately word of what really happens in Xenonaut interrogation rooms got out and they will fight to the last.

"One forty-five caliber automatic; two boxes of ammunition; four days' concentrated emergency rations; one drug issue containing antibiotics, morphine, vitamin pills, pep pills, sleeping pills, tranquilizer pills; one miniature combination Sectoid phrase book and UFOpedia; one hundred dollars of Elerium-115; one hundred dollars of Zrbite; nine packs of chewing gum; one issue of prophylactics; three lipsticks; three pair of nylon stockings. Shoot, a fella' could have a pretty good weekend in Area 51 with all that stuff."

Edited November 23, 2012 by Piloter
More Quoths than a Poe raven.

[TrashMan]

No, it's not fair, because they can't take you out--unless Chris lets us have avatars--but the point is to progress, not be stymied in one map for six hours because Sectoid Rommel over there read all our books.

Hahahaha....Sectoid Rommel.

Wait.....

IT ALL MAKES SENSE NOW!!!!

[Mordobb]

Many good ideas in there!!!

UFO repair/self destroy :

I like it very much!!! How haven t i thought of that!!!

Its simple, its effective, its fun and give a sense of urgency, and bring new kind of mission:

It also draw to another subject:

UFO rescue team !!!

Ufo downed, VIP subject surviving trigger rescue ship.

So from time to time we would see a UFO squadron get down to rescue the downed. UFO would patrol (same way i patrol landed UFO) and if personnel carrier ship land you suddenly may have to deal with a second team on the map.....What a mess!!! AWESOME!!!!

And it wed perfectly with the new air combat system!!! And would give us a reason patrol downed ship.

Now this mean some AI tweak and trick (By AI read - Alien stay alive and need to reach Rescue UFO while others attack our squad. And by some, read "i don' t have the minimum idea how freaking hard would it beto implement such)

This also mean larger map are needed and need to be though with 2 alien spaceship of varied sizes + Chinook and whatever comes after on our side.

Maybe a mere sentence in the briefing would remember us that the ufo suffered minor external damage and can try to escape so speed is recomended.

Ingame it could be a mere spool up sound during a 2 rounds and pronto.

But if he take off and i am patrolling i want a chance to shoot it down a second time.(second time no freaking "light damage" on the ufo please)

The other explanatin for UFO dispearing of world map for no reason could be self destruction. Self destruction could happen ingame when aliens are able to and if power source is intact. 2 or 3 rounds of warning (so we can get the hell out and not be caught in blast ) diferent sound cue (UFO this time could glow).

This also would make approaching an alien ship much more loathsome and time would become a decisive factor, right now we can ever be lazy in the battlefield. and remembe this wouldn t be the major cenario, just randomic rare to unusual events)

I prefer this to surrendering. I like the Hive concept of TFTD, EU, ID4, Apocalipse.

Let the interrogation for the captured in battlefield, the aliens are disposed to die (maybe a survival issue for some of the species.)

As for AI tactics, i won t comment...i know nothing about AI programing.

All i can say is: It would be very very nice.

[Piloter]

But if he take off and i am patrolling i want a chance to shoot it down a second time.(second time no freaking "light damage" on the ufo please)

A good point. If a UFO does take off while there's a CAP active, first of all there should ALWAYS be an intercept screen. No matter how fast the UFO is, it'll take time to gain speed and elevation. Even if your entire squadron suddenly has to pull a 6 G eyeballs-in half-loop and half-roll out, they should be able to get within range to start an intercept action before it can outspeed them.

The UFO would start with damage equal to what it had when it landed, and when shot down for a second time would have at least one damage category bump if not two. (light to major, major to serious, serious to catastrophic, catastrophic to destroyed).

I'm also trying to think how the knock-on effects from mission completion would be handled. The initial failed capture mission would end in a draw, I think, where you'd tally all the aliens and equipment that were killed OUTSIDE the UFO, but the second one if successful should give you a minor funding bonus in that country for dogged pursuit. That sort of thing makes headlines.

Should it be possible for a sufficiently high-ranking crew or big ship to escape another time? Every category more damage should lower the odds, but it could be dramatic as hell to chase a battleship (or equivalent) across three desperate crash-landings before finally subduing it. Alien morale should also pretty much take a 50% hit on the second (and subsequent) assaults. "Why won't they just let us go?!"

[Mordobb]

Would you let go someone trying to destroy your race or world ?

Also, each time an ufo is crashed, it shall not have more Aliens than he had when he took off, that mean some tracking.

it also mean some AI work on a rush off from the aliens battling to try to get inside the UFO before it take off. (No one left behind.. my ass)

Let see:

Ufo Repaired = UFO going up:

= draw point are counted anyway but no bonus for subdued UFO, IF you can finish off the aliens that could not take off.

Such knowing they would die would not flee, they would fight to the last.

Rest is as today, maybe a bonus for not letting a UFO get off.

Now a weirdness... UFO start take off with Soldiers inside, what does happen ?

2 battles one inside the UFO for its control...(same map) but battle cenário are cutoff by UFO closed door ?

Could be fun.

Ufo only take off if:

Door closed + No soldier inside.

Or are soldiers inside the UFO simply considered Abducted ? (they would fight till defeat or win i think, i would)

In game speaking map is finished only when outside and inside UFO fights are solved, which mean, the same way it works today.

UFO self Destructed:

A blast occur as an explosion but with a wider range, anyone getting cought get damage and die (or not)...

Resume mission end as today, without the bonus of subdued UFO.

I think its feasable, and probably not averly complicated (but for the alien count memory when the ufo take off and is downed maybe)