Help for beginner

[EchizenR]

Just started playing UFO:AI. I'm playing on a laptop, so could anyone tell me how to move the screen, or for that matter, how to switch to full-screen?

Another issue is with the missions, there isn't a clear objective given. For instance, the first mission only states it to be a terror attack. So I have to save all the civilians? Also, it seems really hard to combat the aliens without someone dying, the alien would just 1 hit KO a soldier with a blade regardless of armour. Is it true that armour is useless? I read something to that extent.

Furthermore, the tactical mission training doesn't work. As soon as it loads, and I click anywhere, the screen returns to the main menu. So, it's pretty hard for a beginner to learn the ropes.

[DanielOR]

EchizenR: hang in.  Let me take this in order (sort of)

Full screen - under video options, I believe. 
Moving the view within the screen: mouse wheel or up-down arrows zoom in and out.  Mouse against corner of screen moves the camera at same angle.  left-right arrow rotate teh view.  Finally, the blue button on the left of the game screen show you different levels (eg different floors of a building)

Objective is to kill all the bad guys.  Saving civilians is a good thing, "fo sho", but persoanlly - I value my soldiers way more.  As your fightin unit becomes better and wipes out the aliens faster, so will the civilian survival rates rize.  Until then - DUCK.

Training: yes, for now you just watch all the way through.

Combat:  well...  There are multiple threads about this.  General rules (according to your truly) - duck, crouch, use cover.  Always end a turn with all your soldiers covered, never in the open.  Move slowly and never alone.  Soldiers should cover each other and focus fire.  Do not engage close in.  Your weapons have an edge at high distances (especially the sniper rifle and the machine gun in capable hands).  use grenade launchers - they helps lots in the beginning.  Armor helps a bit, but you have to wait for the next one for it to be effective.

Well, good luck!

[EchizenR]

Thanks for the advice. But under video options, I only see the different screen resolutions. If I increase it, then the window becomes bigger without fitting the screen. My Windows resolution is set at 1280*768. Because of this, if I drag my mouse at the edge, the whole game freezes up.

Also, under production, is there a set time for stuff to be produced. I've chosen to produce some guns, but the figures doesn't seem to change as time passes. How does it work?

I'm on my 2nd mission, after the UFO intercept. I'm guessing that such intercepts depend on the aircraft that is sent out? I sent one silhouette-class and a saracen-class interceptor, and both got destroyed. Is that usually how it works?

[DanielOR]

Far as interceptors: yes, in the beginning of the mission, that is how it works - you mostly loose your fighter.  There are two distinct schools of thought here.
1. Overwhelm from afar.  Use either type, though in the beginning the extra-gun on the stiletto helps.  Your weapon fo choice is AA missile rack + computer.  You stay far away and just unload and hope it hits.
2. Close in and swarm.  Here Stiletto is definitely the way to go, as 2 vs. 3 weapons becomes abig deal.  You use SHEVAR cannons with HEI ammo and Rocket Pods, if you have 'em.  You send a swarm of fighters in so they hit at the same time.  You will loose 1 or two, but likely will hit the target.

Either school calls for multiple (3+) interceptors per UFO, as your fighters stand no chance alone.

Full screen - ummm..I will check later.  I recall finding it without much difficulty, somehow.  Look around the menus carefully.  Little help, anyone?

Production - each item in the production list, if you click on it, will show you number of hours needed (man-hours?) and $ cost to produce.  Guess they did not make it yet.

[Surrealistik]

It's best to draw aggro with a 'tank' interceptor equipped with your best armour and saturated with Raven scramblers. It'll usually do an excellent job absorbing and deflecting fire while the remainder of your interceptor swarm rips its target apart. This tactic will rarely result in losses.

[BAM]

I believe there is a checkbox somewhere below the resolution drop-down.

[stevenjackson]

Fullscreen can also be passed as a parameter to ufo, if your in windows you can just edit the shortcut and change the option (it should already be there).

Steve

[EchizenR]

Thanks everyone. I'm assuming that as the mission progresses, more men will be available for hire. During a mission, when I fired a grenade launcher, instead of landing in the target zone, the grenade bounced away, so do I have to take that into consideration, and how to I estimate next time?

And how do I pick items up? Sometimes I throw a medikit only to find I can't pick it up again.

Also, I've read many tactics threads, but does anyone have a video of their game? I would l ove to take a look.

[DanielOR]

"air burst" actually explodes on impact.  "timed" bounces for a while and explodes once it stops.  Choose accrodingly.  Some folks already mentioned that grenades may roll off the edge of the map and straight into another dimension, evidently.  That, on top of the usual "miss the doorway, grenade bounces right back under my feet oh shi..." kind of a deal.

[EchizenR]

How about picking up items? At the end of missions, there's a score for items that we picked up.

[Kildor]

> How about picking up items? At the end of missions, there's a score for items that we picked up.
It`s maked automatically.

[TrashMan]

Lasers are you friends. Use lot's laser rifles /heavy lasers. They're incredibly accurate and powerful. Set up your soldiers in a neat fire line, make sure they are crouching, set them all to reaction fire (preferably pulsed fire), click end turn and watch the fun. Alien weapon are very inaccurate at longer ranges.

3-shot airburst is the way to go for the grenade launcher. Makes minced meat out of alines.

Also, you can pick up items manually by standing over a dead alien and entering the inventory - just make sure you got some room to put the new stuff.

[DanielOR]

I am with the TrashMan on all accounts: for the accuracy challenged infantrymen, laser weapons are the way to go.  Between them and snipers you have a huge advantage over long distances. 

Reaction fire shoudl be used (ok - in our doctrine) exactly as TrashMan described.  I would only add: to be used when you have superior numbers and know exactly where the bad guys are.  Such a line is vulenrable to grenade attack or to a rush by several armored aliens, as well as long distance sniping by particle beam weapons (the only alien long range tech). 

The only situation where I use this routinely is while clearing a downed Harvester.  2-3 bad guys always try to walk out the broken side.  Often they are picked off by sniper and machine gun (or heavy laser) fire before they even get off a shot.  The remaining 1-2 bad guys can be hunted down and more easily taken alive if needed.

[EchizenR]

But if I down an alien harvestor, there's an option to auto-complete the mission right? Is it advisable to do that?

May I also know what's the acceptable soldier loss rate? I've been losing 1 soldier per mission so far.

[Doctor J]

You should strenuously avoid the auto-mission button.  The important thing about going on missions is that your soldiers earn experience to make them better.  Auto-mission == no experience.  Having said that, i have used it on occasion - if a particular map is bothering me.

Acceptable loss rate is whatever you're willing to accept.  However, as you improve your tactics [and get to understand alien tactics] you should be able to complete most missions with no loss.  It also makes a difference what difficulty level you selected.  On 'standard' or harder difficulties you can't afford to lose that many troops, as there are limited replacements available.