Milestone 5.32.0 Released! (Experimental)

[Chris]

This update is also only accessible by switching to our Experimental branches (instructions on how to do so here) - although please be aware they have slower load times and worse performance than normal builds due to the extra logging they contain!

Gameplay Changes:

• Alien Base missions will no longer re-randomise the map and aliens present if you abort a mission and return to that same particular base.
• On the Experimental branch, the game has now been set to crash immediately when the game UI gets into a corrupted state. Previously the game would not crash immediately, but the corrupted UI would sometimes lead to further problems that eventually do cause a crash (at which point it is very hard to identify the original source of the corruption). Hopefully this will allow us to find and fix those issues.

Bugfixes:

• Fixed an AI turn crash that could occur if an evacuating civilian was mind controlled before they evacuated.
• Fixed pressing Space on the Geoscape not correctly centring the camera on the map like it used to.
• Attempted a fix for areas of the map and UFOs sometimes not revealing from the shroud when you move soldiers.
• Fixed a minor issue where partially visible multi-tile objects could sometimes be incorrectly hidden after loading a save.

[Skitso]

7 hours ago, Chris said:

• Alien Base missions will no longer re-randomise the map and aliens present if you abort a mission and return to that same particular base.

Great improvement! 

Now you could really push alien base enemy numbers higher as players are able to make multiple assaults there.

[Chris]

3 hours ago, Skitso said:

Great improvement! 

Now you could really push alien base enemy numbers higher as players are able to make multiple assaults there.

To be clear, the alien crews don't re-randomise to have other races after a battle like was happening previously. However, casualties suffered by the aliens are still reset after a battle to prevent the missions being cheesed.

[Skitso]

8 hours ago, Chris said:

To be clear, the alien crews don't re-randomise to have other races after a battle like was happening previously. However, casualties suffered by the aliens are still reset after a battle to prevent the missions being cheesed.

If it's easy to implement, the game should definitely save the remaining alien numbers. Cheesing could be avoided by aliens launching base resupply missions right after the aborted alien base mission. This would feel a lot more dynamic and player would be given a chance to prevent the base getting filled with new aliens.

[cwamartin]

On 5/17/2025 at 5:39 AM, Skitso said:

If it's easy to implement, the game should definitely save the remaining alien numbers. Cheesing could be avoided by aliens launching base resupply missions right after the aborted alien base mission. This would feel a lot more dynamic and player would be given a chance to prevent the base getting filled with new aliens.

I agree with this wholeheartedly.  Going to a base and losing many troops to wipe out all but, say 10 aliens, return to Xenonauts base, pick up new troops and immediately return to the alien base only to discover it is suddenly fully staffed again is a bit disappointing!  The number of aliens should stay the same until they are resupplied and then they go up by, say 1/2 of the full number so that if 2 resupply ships get through the base is fully restaffed.  You could also have a default whereby whether any resupply ships get through or not the aliens re-staff their base after a full month has passed.

 

FWIW, I also liked the system in X1 where the aliens first established an outpost, then a base, then a fortress.  That also could be dependent on resupply ships. Sufficient ships getting through cause the size and number of aliens to increase from outpost to fortress. Conversely, for each month no supply ships get through the dynamic goes backwards from a fortress to a base to an outpost (but doesn't get smaller than that.)

Maybe this is Mod territory, but it would be a very cool dynamic if it could be implemented.

[pwd]

Perhaps they should redouble their defences in this scenario, both in terms of personnel in the station and defences against approaching ships. The first line of their defence is concealment, so once they are alerted to that being compromised, they should react.

How long do they take to launch a resupply mission? Not sure if there is anything to indicate how long it takes them to launch missions before they appear on the map. Or how adaptable missions are. Should UFOs that appear be diverted to protect the compromised base, for example?