Secondary Objectives for Terror Missions

[Snarks]

At the moment, terror missions are bit of a shooting gallery. You put your guys in cover (probably near the Charlie) and then shoot the aliens who will charge at you. Now this is fine if it doesn't happen all the time, but since it seems to, you lose out the exploration element. It seems like you really don't really get to explore the maps on terror missions.

I suggest that a "VIP" spawns somewhere on the map (maybe in a way that'll keep them semi-safe, perhaps with a pair of local forces). To cut down on sprite work, maybe have them be highlighted. If the VIP lives, the Xenonauts get a bonus to their points. If he dies, then it could incur a penalty or maybe even none if we feel that it's too much to expect the player to reach the VIP. It may also be worth making this "VIP" event random so you don't always get one during a terror mission.

Alternatively, we could have a "Macguffin cache" that spawns somewhere on the map. If the player has a Xenonauts next to it, then the player gets some bonus points.

While civilians and local forces are technically secondary objectives, they tend to die so quickly and are worth so little points that they don't really incentivise the players to do much about them.

Anyways, the purpose of the secondary objectives is to get the player to do some exploration and movement.

Edited September 11, 2013 by Snarks

[thothkins]

I'm all for expanding the secondary objectives.

But if the aliens are like some of the other threads I've seen, then the VIP is on his own

I'd imagine it's more likely it will get balanced than a whole new set of objectives coming. I'm thinking of the number of days to launch if they want it done for Christmas

Pvt Tommy Timpkinson: It's be all over by Christmas chaps! Lord Kitchener said so!

Sgt thothkins: Have you ever heard of friendly fire, Tommy? Now start bailing the water out of the *!*$ trench.

[StellarRat]

I still think Christmas is an ambitious release date. The bug report section is pretty long still and some of them are CTDs and game killers. However, the last couple major versions (18, 19) have shown a lot of progress.

[DNK]

It'd be nice if you could just get civilians to follow your units, so you could "rescue" them and take them out of the combat zone (into the dropship or a secure building).

[GizmoGomez]

It'd be nice if you could just get civilians to follow your units, so you could "rescue" them and take them out of the combat zone (into the dropship or a secure building).

Been suggested, not gonna happen.

Would be cool, though.

What kind of realistic (as in, ones that Chris may actually go for) secondary objectives could we have for terror missions?

[Snarks]

Well, the ones I already suggested can be made realistic. VIP can be: a general, a politician, a renown scientist, etc.

Macguffin cache could be: classified intelligence, prototype schematics, deciphered alien transmissions, a nuclear device, etc.

Other potential secondary objectives:

1) Wounded personnel. You have to use your medkit to heal them. Maybe have them die after a dozen turns if not treated. Fluff reason: Wounded civilians have been spotted in the area requesting medical assistance. Attempt to reach the wounded survivors and apply first aid.

2) Alien communication array. Use explosives to blow up an alien device. Fluff reason: The aliens are broadcasting information relating to local forces and Xenonaut activities. Destroying them as soon as possible will reduce alien intel regarding Xenonauts capabilities.

3) Alien infiltrator. Kill a special Caesan unit that will hide or avoid the Xenonauts. Fluff reason: Intelligence have reported that an alien masquerading as a high level official (or alternatively, intelligence have suggested that an alien infiltrator) has been spotted in the area. Eliminate the target before they can escape.

Now logic-wise, the cache objective makes little sense since the Xenonauts would just secure them after the battle anyways. So that one is a bit iffy although we can come up with some reason to make it more realistic. The VIP one is automatically accomplished if the VIP lives. All the other ones have time sensitive reasons attached for them to make sense. I.e. Wounded will bleed out by the end of the battle. Alien communications array will have broadcasted important intel by the end of the mission. Alien infiltrator would have managed to escape the area. We can leave out the masquerading as an official part and just have it ambiguous.

I think these objectives can add some variety. We have some blow stuff-up type objective, an assassination objective, a healing objective, a defend the VIP objective, and a secure a location objective. Now we should also consider whether or not multiple objectives can appear or if we only want one per mission or a chance of having only one per mission.

Edit: I've got an idea for a plausible MacGuffin cache. This one is easy too. Alien spacecraft spawns somewhere on the map and you have to keep a Xenonaut inside of it until the mission ends. Fluff reason: An alien spacecraft has been spotted in the area. Secure the craft before it evacuates the premise.

Edited September 12, 2013 by Snarks

[Elydo]

There was an early idea of having local forces defending an object on the map, like a landmark or monument. You'd get a better result if it was still standing once the mission completed. Haven't heard anything about it recently.

[Nino]

You could have local forces protect a VIP in a bunker and you have to relieve them or something? Like if the guys are killed and the aliens start shooting up the bunker and it only lasts a few turns.

[tycho]

It'd be nice if you could just get civilians to follow your units, so you could "rescue" them and take them out of the combat zone (into the dropship or a secure building).

There is one way: stun and move them them to a safe place.

Edited November 28, 2013 by tycho
addedd quoatation

[FruitBasket]

Since these are terror missions, the aliens would also focus on property damage. Maybe some bomb defusal secondary objective. Or some sort of alien-arsonist at work which we have to eliminate.

[ventuswings]

I'm actually wondering if some of this secondary objectives can naturally be accomplished by making special, friendly-filled terror map like one enclosed in this reply, where:

GREEN = Civilian spawn point

BLUE = Soldier spawn point

RED = Alien spawn point

The idea is that all civilians (and soldiers guarding them) are concentrated in two or three shelters, which hopefully alien AI upon seeing them starts to move in. Civilians and soldier AI seem decent enough that there wouldn't outright jump out of the buildings if there are threat nearby.

This is second version considering current Sebilian AI where entire force seem to rush for Xenonauts upon discovery. When aliens nearby first shelter engage Xenonauts, entire Sebilians on the map should try to move toward them (as in current version) but will have to move through two other shelters in order to do so, forcing them to engage the other two shelters:

Concept behind this briefly made example is that one shelter would have decent number of civilians, but most poorly defended. Both three sides would be besieged but one side would have Charlie next to it so Xenonauts can quickly move into reinforce.

Shelter on top left of the map have least amount of civilians and therefore expandable, but if player wants to save them Xenonauts can take the alley right above the map, fighting past few aliens entrenched on one building nearby but still do not having to walk through the center street occupied by full alien force.

There would be another major shelter right opposite the map where Xenonauts will actually have to fight through the map to reach. In consideration for its isolation, the shelter is defended by most amount of soldiers and only have two of its side exposed but is expected to fall with all inhabitants dead unless foolhardily rushed for (score from civilians saved from two other shelters would offset the point loss).

Interesting thing with this multiple shelter design is that player will be forced to split his squad if he/she wish to obtain the optimal result.

To my knowledge, terror map like this hasn't made yet so I am extremely interested in how map like this will play out (I'm pretty sure it will not work exactly like expected). Also point value from saved/killed civilians will actually have to be significant for this "secondary objective" to have more than thematic effect.

Edited November 29, 2013 by ventuswings

[Ryodan]

The VIP missions from the firaxis xcom were good if you could look past aliens magically dropping from the sky (but thats a whole other discussion ). I thought they added a needed twist to missions. More mission types or secondary objectives are a great thing to keep game play from feeling so repetitive.

I especially liked the random secondary objective idea so you don't even know what your in for until you arrive, and its secondary objective so if you don't get it it's not a big deal. Currently I don't enjoy terror missions at all but I've read that is going to be addressed so if they are balanced the objectives could keep them interesting.

[TomAce]

The VIP missions from the firaxis xcom were good if you could look past aliens magically dropping from the sky (but thats a whole other discussion ). I thought they added a needed twist to missions. More mission types or secondary objectives are a great thing to keep game play from feeling so repetitive.

I especially liked the random secondary objective idea so you don't even know what your in for until you arrive, and its secondary objective so if you don't get it it's not a big deal. Currently I don't enjoy terror missions at all but I've read that is going to be addressed so if they are balanced the objectives could keep them interesting.

I totally agree, we should have some more diverse mission types and I see that many people have come up with some very interesting ideas, even brilliant ones. Way better than the ones I came up with...

That part someone said about "stunning civilians, putting them into inventory and bringing them to a safe zone" is real old-school X-COM style thinking and a great way around the problem of civilian rescue.

[winterwolves]

Different missions would be nice. Just for a bit of variety.

Escort missions would be good. You could just give the player control of a civilian, and have to get them to the charlie.

Meatgrinder missions with a turn limit, but unlimited aliens. Survive to win!

Hold objectives for a set number of turns.

Pick up objectives and return them to the charlie.

Stuff like that.