Final Xenopedia and strings

[Gam]

For the developers:

When do you think we will have the final Xenopedia and Strings files?

We are at a good point with the translation and it would be good to know when they will be available so we can do a final cleanup.

Thanks

Gam

[Chris]

The current Xenopedia text is being edited but forms quite a good basis already. Probably V19 will have the final Xenopedia in it, but it'll mostly just be adjusting word order and stuff I'd have thought.

[Jim McMaster]

Pleased to see such is still quite under construction Chris.

As mentioned in a previous post;

(I have no doubt these have been compiled by multiple people, & am sorry if this comes off poorly.)

While overall well done so far, (again; please take this in the vein it's meant) ..several of the 'reports' sound plebian.

They lack 'official' prose, have multiple misspellings, & rely on hyperbole & other misuse of the English language that wouldn't be present today, & dare I say; even less so in 1979 (yes, I was around & quite aware during those years)

They should be scientific and/or technical reports of a very specific nature. Regarding not only the aliens, but equipment. "suppositions" & generalities, especially in speech & capabilities would be kept to a minimum, & would appear only as a post-script to otherwise nearly clinical data.

(As a 'for instance'; there are ways to state gaps in, or outright lack of information in such a way that makes it clear you were doing your job, but that your team doesn't have the time or the resources to properly report on a situation at this time, these are not done, instead relying on 'personal hypothesis' that sound decidedly un-official.) as such I feel the Xenopaedia & the like is in need of substantial polish before it is sent into the firestorm of public opinion representing the minds behind the game.

As part of the community that enjoyed the previous Xcom titles when they came out, I am fascinated by the work you have done to this point. It is without a doubt a monumental undertaking, & my hat is off to you good sir(s)

Make NO mistake, your work is a gem in my eyes, I want you to be a fraking MILLIONAIRE off of this title alone, you deserve it for having the bollucks to even attempt such a game in the face of AAA titles such as are offered.

If there is ever ANYthing I can do to be of assistance, I would be pleased to be at your service. (Spellchecking? basic fact-checking to insure data is on target?)

Either way, you've no doubt got several already working on such.

Here's to a good game, & to Xenonaughts Terror from the Deep as your sequel~ !

~Bronco Jim

EMTIII/Paramedic Anchorage, Alaska

[GizmoGomez]

I can be a spell checker, fact checker, basic science technobabble checker as well.

I would enjoy that a lot, actually.

You wouldn't even need to implement my ideas/corrections if you didn't like them.

Maybe just sending the strings file via a dropbox link would work best; I don't have the game installed at the moment (still waiting on v18 Stable Mac )

[Gam]

Perfect.

Chris,

Is it possible to activate all the research and xenopedia in the game so we can check how the translation appears?

Also, is it possible to have a saved game with (or to trigger) the final mission? There are some strings that are specific for that and we can't check them otherwise.

thanks

Gam

[Chris]

(I have no doubt these have been compiled by multiple people, & am sorry if this comes off poorly.)

While overall well done so far, (again; please take this in the vein it's meant) ..several of the 'reports' sound plebian.

They lack 'official' prose, have multiple misspellings, & rely on hyperbole & other misuse of the English language that wouldn't be present today, & dare I say; even less so in 1979 (yes, I was around & quite aware during those years)

They should be scientific and/or technical reports of a very specific nature. Regarding not only the aliens, but equipment. "suppositions" & generalities, especially in speech & capabilities would be kept to a minimum, & would appear only as a post-script to otherwise nearly clinical data.

(As a 'for instance'; there are ways to state gaps in, or outright lack of information in such a way that makes it clear you were doing your job, but that your team doesn't have the time or the resources to properly report on a situation at this time, these are not done, instead relying on 'personal hypothesis' that sound decidedly un-official.) as such I feel the Xenopaedia & the like is in need of substantial polish before it is sent into the firestorm of public opinion representing the minds behind the game.

This might make an interesting mod, but it's not how I intend to do the Xenopedia. The Xenopedia research descriptions are meant to be for the benefit of sci-fi enjoying player rather than actual military reports. You already get to experience the aliens' military capacities in the ground combat, so these reports are just as much for flavour and personal player interest as they are for actual useful battlefield information.

Your mileage may vary, of course, but you're literally the first person I have ever seen complain about them talking too much about non-military things whereas I've seen a few people commenting that they like the backstory and lore around each race.

[Chris]

Gam - yes, it's in /scripts/_basebuilt.lua

[Jim McMaster]

I understand. Alot of people liked Brent Spiner's character in Independence Day.

I didn't buy him.

( I am however buying three more copies of this game to send to friends whom loved Xcom & TFTD; I meant no disrespect at all Chris! Please believe that! )

Edited June 8, 2013 by Jim McMaster
Re-mention I truly like the game, enough to support & promote it to others

[Jim McMaster]

This might make an interesting mod, but it's not how I intend to do the Xenopedia. The Xenopedia research descriptions are meant to be for the benefit of sci-fi enjoying player rather than actual military reports. You already get to experience the aliens' military capacities in the ground combat, so these reports are just as much for flavour and personal player interest as they are for actual useful battlefield information.

Your mileage may vary, of course, but you're literally the first person I have ever seen complain about them talking too much about non-military things whereas I've seen a few people commenting that they like the backstory and lore around each race.

I think I have a greater understanding as to why I got such a ...cool...reception with this idea.

It's already been done. but in a DIFFERENT x-com 'homage'. A freeware called "UFO:Alien Invasion" Their UFOpaedia is well thought out; & quite well composed.

[thothkins]

There are a number of mods around at the moment, Jim. An option would be, as Chris suggested, creating your own reports for the research topics and making them available to the forums.

As with pretty much everything else in the game, different people prefer different approaches. I'm sure your efforts would be be appreciated.

As for a cool response, at least you got one. I have a post out there I spent ages putting together. Views but no replies. Not even out of pity

[Targe]

I think I have a greater understanding as to why I got such a ...cool...reception with this idea.

It's already been done. but in a DIFFERENT x-com 'homage'. A freeware called "UFO:Alien Invasion" Their UFOpaedia is well thought out; & quite well composed.

Ouch!

Just make your own copy and write it yourself, Jim! Thats what Im doing.

And incidentally, declassified reports from the ACTUAL CIA and airforce from the 1970s are often just as poorly written, and full of spelling mistakes (no spell checker on those old typewriters)

I think Chris has done a fantastic job overall, and is rightly proud of his creative writing, so please, more tact.

[David_Blake]

Ouch!

Just make your own copy and write it yourself, Jim! Thats what Im doing.

And incidentally, declassified reports from the ACTUAL CIA and airforce from the 1970s are often just as poorly written, and full of spelling mistakes (no spell checker on those old typewriters)

I think Chris has done a fantastic job overall, and is rightly proud of his creative writing, so please, more tact.

Agreed, the writing is awesome. I also think it deserves some good proofreading, which seems to be taken care of. Unless we're changing all the fonts to the old typewriter font. Then the spelling mistakes should stay.