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Battlescapes in easy modes

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bertram:
Hi all :)

I wanted to open a topic about battle scapes in easier modes.

First of all, I've read the main discussion's threads about RF, and I do think that the points raised there about using flashbangs, smoke grenades, using pistols, sometimes still losing soldiers, ... the strategical stuff and the overall pace and way to fight in the battle scape are really valid. The game is IMHO more interesting that way.

I'm also not willing to speak about the RF rules, which sounds fair from what I've read, and I managed to deal with it as much as I could. (And others have tested that much more than me).

What I wanted to raise here, is that as battle scapes are as hard in easier modes than in harder ones, the alien weapons being upgraded earlier in harder modes being the only difference, IIRC.
Hence, for the more casual-like players around, just as myself ;), I wanted to know whether making the aliens less accurate in the easier modes could be an more simple way to achieve easier fights without heavy refactorings. By less accurate, I mean they would have about half less chances to hit on very easy than on the normal mode. This way, the game would require a bit less strategy in easier modes, while remaining intact in harder ones.

Best regards,

Triaxx2:
I don't know. I was getting plowed under by Plasma Blasters during my third mission, on the middle difficulty.

DarkRain:
There *is* a difference: the damage shoots do is scaled according to difficulty, humans go from increased to reduced damage, while aliens go the other way around

NsN:

--- Quote from: DarkRain on February 18, 2013, 05:01:29 am ---There *is* a difference: the damage shoots do is scaled according to difficulty, humans go from increased to reduced damage, while aliens go the other way around

--- End quote ---

But even on a very easy campaign (in 2.5-dev) I often had my soldiers die from a single shot from a Sheevar rifle or blaster. This already happened on my third mission, and sometimes these were shots over half the map, from aliens I hadn't even seen before. I eventually got around this with lots and lots of smoke grenades. But in my opinion "very easy" shouldn't frustrate players so much.

I think one issue is, that the reduced frequency of UFOs on easier levels, also results in reduced research opportunities and less equipment choices. The aliens were fielding plasma blasters, while I still went to work with assault and sniper rifles, and simple combat armor.

DarkRain:
It seems you are right: the damage modifier *is* implemented, the game does look at the g_difficulty cvar and adjusts damage according to its value (see src/game/g_combat.cpp:392-397), but I hadn't realized that cvar is *always* set to zero (bug or missing feature?) which is normal difficulty, so the damage modifier is actually non-existent...

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