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Fire in the Hole! - Destructible UFO Hulls and Dynamic UFO Assaults


kabill

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Speaking of interiors, I'd like to test it more thoroughly, but for Scouts at least, I think aliens always pick the same exact hiding spots. On the right-hand side (looking from the main entrance) there's an alien by the red neural chair thing, and on the left side there's one sitting right by the wall in the same spot. Then additional aliens take other spots, but if there are only two, they'll be in those places.

Vanilla layouts are also susceptible to aliens camping the same spots, but a bit less so, it seems so far.

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Yeah, I've notice this too. I think the reason is the pathing AI: because it's deterministic in terms of what places it values most, the AI will always find particular spots attractive. I'm not sure there's anything I can do about that without messing with the AI, really. If I messed around with the interiors, it would change the hiding places but it wouldn't change them camping in particular spots I don't think.

It might be possible to do something complex in conjunction with my other mod idea: if you set up specific kinds of aliens for specific UFOs/missions, you could more or less give each UFO/mission combination bespoke pathing AI to produce different placements. Might take a lot of work and tweaking to get right, though.

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Quick post: This mod will need up dating to be fully compatible with the new experimental build. It will work, I think, but it will revert some of the changes made in 22.10.

I'm probably not going to upload a new version of the mod until after 31st May. Hopefully, any updates past that point won't be related to any of the modded game files so I won't need to update the mod to keep pace.

The new build will include a new Xenopaedia image and updated breaching charge image (thanks Skitso). I'll also see about removing the blocked tiles at the front of the Light Scout UFO, in accordance with the vanilla change.

I think I'm also going to change the UFO doors to auto close. In part, this is in-keeping with the vanilla game which this change has also been added. But also I think it might make the UFOs a little easier. Given that they're quite tough at the moment, that's probably a good thing. If it turns out to be rubbish, though, I can always revert it back in a later version.

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Quick note:

If you're looking to get a clean install for the latest experimental build without the mod, you will need to manually delete the additional UFO maps from maps/UFO/Crashed/

Basically, any map with a number after it is a modded map and needs to go. If going through the files seems too complicated, just delete the maps folder entirely and revalidate the game files; the vanilla maps will be reinstalled.

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Update: Mod updated for compatibility with final release.

I have also adjusted the main UFO doors to auto-close and the interior doors use the vanilla spectres and therefore auto-close as well.

I'm open to changing this, depending on feedback, but I want to give it a go like this before deciding one way or another.

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I'm having an issue where once I see the inside of a scout, I'm no longer able to see any portion of the exterior or the floor of the ship. Any thoughts on why this could be happening?

Edit: This may have been an issue with the initial installation. I re-downloaded v 21 and installed again, haven't had any further issues.

Edited by ViewThePhenom
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Ok, debugging questions:

1) Can I confirm you're game is up to date (release version 1.0)?

2) Can I confirm you've not installed this mod before, or Enhanced Crash Sites, without doing a full wipe-reinstall of the game first (deleting the assets folder as part of the wipe)?

3) Does this happen only when you have see inside the UFO that turn, or does it persist even on turns that you've not seen inside the UFO?

4) Does it happen with all Scout UFOs (or, indeed, all UFOs?).

5) Is everything fine before you see inside the UFO?

- If 1) it might be a compatibility issue. I'd remove the mod, update to release 1.0, and reinstall the mod.

- If 2) it might be residue left by an old installation of this mod or ECS. I'd recommend deleting the 'UFO' folder in 'maps' and reinstalling the mod.

- If this is happening only when you have seen inside the UFO that turn, that's partly intended (the hull is supposed to disappear when you can see inside the UFO). The floor shouldn't, however. There is an issue where if you've reloaded the game during the ground mission, some UFO ground tiles won't display any more due to how I've applied some of the smoke and fire effects. However, that should only be affecting a very small number of tiles and not the whole ship.

- If it's happening without having seen the inside of the UFO that turn, I've no idea. I guess I'd recommend reinstalling the mod, in case of a faulty install?

- Answers would be useful to the last two questions for debugging purposes.

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So, question time for people playing with the mod: how's the difficulty with the auto-close UFO doors.

I've played up to a Corvette mission so far as overall it's felt a lot easier. Indeed, in 12 or so ground missions I've only lost a single soldier, which compared with my previous experience is nothing at all. So I'm actually a little concerned it's a bit too easy!

Not planning to make any changes or alterations any time soon, mind. But I'd be interested to find out how others are doing.

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I'm not sure, I think it makes things harder for me (as I tend to stack up a bunch of shotguns and turtle up my way to the UFO with lots of reaction fires), but it's doable. I really hate the bug involving reaction fire not triggering, but I don't think that's the mod's fault.

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I've started to look at AI changes to make the UFO interiors a bit more challenging. I've had some small success so far, but I'm going to play around with it some more.

Bug: There seems to be some serious issues with LoS between the lower and upper floors of the Landing ship. I'm not at all certain what's caused this, as it was all working fine when I last tested. I'll investigate, but wanted to highlight it so people know.

EDIT: In fact, there seems to be some quite serious issues with the second level of the landing ship UFOs. I'm a bit confused, as I can't see anything wrong with the submaps. But I've got soldiers seeing through roofs and a very strange issue with the hull display flickering on and off as soldiers move. I thought it might be a vanilla issue, but I just did a test run using a vanilla map and it was fine.

EDIT 2: Except having just tried to reproduce it again, it's now not happening. Very confused.

Edited by kabill
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Yeah, it's a fairly simple change. I can look at putting an alternative out if you want, but I can't promise it will be soon. (Actually, probably better simply to upload a patch that can applied).

Or, you could always just blow open the doors!

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I can confirm issues with the LoS in Landing ships (both shot-down and landed).

1. Soldiers in the lower floors can't get LoS on the overlooking balcony.

2. When breaching and entering through the side, the inside stays black and doesn't update, until you're in.

Also I'm experiencing a crash in a Landing ship mission during the alien turn (when it occurs it always seems to be tied to the "UFO door opening" sound), though it might be related to me using the combined version of FitH&Lore+ in 1.01.

Edited by Wolfenswan
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Look for config.xml in assets and change DoorOpenAp value:

<AP>	<MoveAP>3</MoveAP>	<MoveAPDiagonal>4</MoveAPDiagonal>	<TurnAP>1</TurnAP>	<KneelingAP>3</KneelingAP>	<KneeledTurnAP>1</KneeledTurnAP>	<StairAP>2</StairAP>	[b]<DoorOpenAP>6</DoorOpenAP>[/b]	<HandsFreeingAP>8</HandsFreeingAP>	<HandDragAP>12</HandDragAP>	<BackpackDragAP>3</BackpackDragAP>	<BeltDragAP>3</BeltDragAP>	<GroundDragAP>0</GroundDragAP>	<JumpPackVertAP>5</JumpPackVertAP>	<JumpPackHorzAP>3</JumpPackHorzAP>	<JumpPackHorzAPDiag>3</JumpPackHorzAPDiag>	<TeleportAP>10</TeleportAP>	<ExtraVaultAP>4</ExtraVaultAP>	<ExplosiveArmingAP>2</ExplosiveArmingAP>	<ExplosiveUnarmingAP>1</ExplosiveUnarmingAP>   <CrushableGrassAP>2</CrushableGrassAP></AP>

Edit:I hope that kabill isn't offended,because i just bump up in his tread.

Edited by Sentelin
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@Sentelin: I think what was being suggested was removing the auto-close feature rather than removing the TU cost for opening doors (unless I'm mistaken).

@Akrakorn: Um, it's actually slightly more complicated if you've not downloaded/unpacked the map tiles. Thinking about it, it's probably easier if I upload something and I'm having a terrible work day today, so I'll get something uploaded soon.

@Wolfenswan: Not sure if issues to do with LoS into the UFO are to do with this mod or not. I've not had any issues myself, but I'll keep an eye out for it.

In terms of LoS up to the balcony from the ground floor, are you able to target things up there? I've noticed that you don't seem to be able to get good vision, but I've been assuming that you can still shoot up there.

Also, have you had any other LoS issues? Especially thinking about issues you might have had seeing up to the top floor when you shouldn't have any LoS, or the UFO hull flickering on and off as units move on the top floor.

Thanks for the reports in any case, mind.

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Very Minor Update: I've uploaded two optional files which install over the mod and change the UFO doors so that they don't auto-close at the beginning of each turn. I've done separate files, one for external and one for interior doors, so you can choose which ones you want to not auto-close.

Edited by kabill
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In terms of LoS up to the balcony from the ground floor, are you able to target things up there? I've noticed that you don't seem to be able to get good vision, but I've been assuming that you can still shoot up there.

Yes, targeting works fine and LoS isn't an issue once you get a guy in a buzzard on the same floor.

Also, have you had any other LoS issues? Especially thinking about issues you might have had seeing up to the top floor when you shouldn't have any LoS, or the UFO hull flickering on and off as units move on the top floor.

Didn't notice anything like that.

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Ugh, just added this as an edit to the above, and you subsequently replied, so I'll move it down instead:

2. When breaching and entering through the side, the inside stays black and doesn't update, until you're in.

Do you have any more details on this? I just had a play around on a landing ship map and I got LoS into the UFO through the hull breaches fine. I think I have seen a similar issue to what you describe on another map once, though, but some more details might help me identify the problem. In particular, is it something that always happens; how are you breaching the UFOs (with breaching charges, I presume?); does it happen/not happen on night missions; do you already have LoS on the breach when the hole is made?

Also, re: LoS to the balcony. Not sure what's causing this. There's definitely a line of fire, 'cause I just checked. Could be caused by the barriers, perhaps? I need to check whether there's proper LoS downwards, as well.

To be honest, not having LoS upwards I don't mind too much. The whole point of that section is to make it a dangerous area to move through. But if you can't see down as well it will stop aliens from being able to see and attack you, which makes the whole thing pointless.

Thanks again for comments; it's really helpful.

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