Auto airstrike expiring UFO crash sites!

[vaultdweller]

The player has to decide if they want to work through the sites and decide which are going to be hit by an air strike and which they will leave alone to send ground missions to.

That is a choice between doing a ground mission, or not doing a ground mission. It is not a choice between airstriking or not airstriking. A "choice" between getting something and getting nothing is not a choice.

[Chris]

This isn't a high priority feature, but I don't see any particular reason why we shouldn't implement it. There's not really any gameplay reason why the player should be obliged to click the airstrike every time (though I don't see any reason to remove the airstrike button on the pop-up either).

[vaultdweller]

This isn't a high priority feature, but I don't see any particular reason why we shouldn't implement it. There's not really any gameplay reason why the player should be obliged to click the airstrike every time (though I don't see any reason to remove the airstrike button on the pop-up either).

I am in 100% agreement with this post. Every word.

[StellarRat]

I am in 100% agreement with this post. Every word.

Agreed.

[Gauddlike]

I agree that the current method isn't great but I still don't see why the second reward is given for doing nothing.

On the up side it is much easier to balance income when you know the player will either always get the extra bundle of cash or always get nothing rather than having to guess how many times they will use the airstrike.

[Chris]

I agree that the current method isn't great but I still don't see why the second reward is given for doing nothing.

On the up side it is much easier to balance income when you know the player will either always get the extra bundle of cash or always get nothing rather than having to guess how many times they will use the airstrike.

It's simply because the player has the choice to either do the ground mission (for higher risk / reward) or to take the easy cash from the airstrike instead. There's no situation where it would be beneficial to do neither, and there's no skill in clicking on UFOs to airstrike them, so there's no issue with having the airstrike action applied automatically when the sites are about to time out.

If you don't like the idea of the player getting money from the airstrike because you consider it to be no work then that's fine, but that's a separate argument to the one being put forwards in this thread.

[llunak]

It's simply because the player has the choice to either do the ground mission (for higher risk / reward) or to take the easy cash from the airstrike instead. There's no situation where it would be beneficial to do neither, and there's no skill in clicking on UFOs to airstrike them, so there's no issue with having the airstrike action applied automatically when the sites are about to time out.

There may be skill in having 3 crash sites and getting to all 3 of them in time with just one transport craft. Or, in some cases, not having the skill and failing to do that in time, and yet still getting a reward for it. Moreover knowing that a site will be taken care of somehow anyway could possibly reduce the feeling of getting overwhelmed by aliens and having to prioritize.

But this is such a minor issue that it's probably not worth all this discussion one way or another.

[Gauddlike]

It's simply because the player has the choice to either do the ground mission (for higher risk / reward) or to take the easy cash from the airstrike instead. There's no situation where it would be beneficial to do neither, and there's no skill in clicking on UFOs to airstrike them, so there's no issue with having the airstrike action applied automatically when the sites are about to time out.

If you don't like the idea of the player getting money from the airstrike because you consider it to be no work then that's fine, but that's a separate argument to the one being put forwards in this thread.

Yeah I was won over by the arguments put forward on that part, the discussion branched off afterwards though

[JDCollie]

Bit late to the discussion, I know, but the option suggested on page one where your standing with a given nation could affect whether you're even allowed to attempt recovery is kind of cool. Obviously if a country is loosing trust in XCOM, they're going want to take care of their own borders. A system where turn limits are imposed on your recovery (or geoscape time limits) as a result of your poor performance in a country would be an interesting mechanic.

[vaultdweller]

There may be skill in having 3 crash sites and getting to all 3 of them in time with just one transport craft. Or, in some cases, not having the skill and failing to do that in time, and yet still getting a reward for it.

How is that a question of skill? That's purely a question of how closely you're watching the clock. If you're keeping close tabs on the time, you will always know if the crash site will expire before you respond to it. Failing to get there in time doesn't indicate that you're less skilled, only that you're less focused on the tedious and boring detail of tracking the exact time that everything was shot down (which is boring micro-management that there is no reason to encourage).

[StellarRat]

How is that a question of skill? That's purely a question of how closely you're watching the clock. If you're keeping close tabs on the time, you will always know if the crash site will expire before you respond to it. Failing to get there in time doesn't indicate that you're less skilled, only that you're less focused on the tedious and boring detail of tracking the exact time that everything was shot down (which is boring micro-management that there is no reason to encourage).

That's a function that some staff person at XCom would no doubt do. In reality, you'd never miss an expiration unless there was a huge screw up with your staff. So, basically, Vault is totally right about this.

[llunak]

In reality you'd never get a call about expiration. If currently aliens have a clock set up to vanish exactly after 24 hours, then I personally would prefer the dev time spent on making this vary a bit, causing player uncertainty and tension, rather than knowing it'll be handled for sure, causing the player sit back comfortably.

[StellarRat]

In reality you'd never get a call about expiration. If currently aliens have a clock set up to vanish exactly after 24 hours, then I personally would prefer the dev time spent on making this vary a bit, causing player uncertainty and tension, rather than knowing it'll be handled for sure, causing the player sit back comfortably.

Yeah, that would be a good reason to leave things the way the are. Although, my guess is that all crash sites would be carefully monitored to see what the aliens are up to. Of course, there might be no way to know if they're going to self-destruct.

[tscho]

Well you could also keep in mind that the aliens have a word too. Why shouldnt they finally detonate their spaceship or even repair some of it and flying into space again. That even could be added with a massage for the first Ufo that vanishes. (like with the airstrike).

You were too slow! better luck next time slacker!

Btw can someone tell me if it counts for the reputation if you win the tactical combat versus a just landing ufo? (the not shot down one)

Edited December 20, 2013 by tscho

[vaultdweller]

Btw can someone tell me if it counts for the reputation if you win the tactical combat versus a just landing ufo? (the not shot down one)

The intention is that it will, but the last I recall reading is that the relation bonus is not working.