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Offline evilgrass

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Some general remarks/questions & bugs
« on: July 30, 2014, 02:29:16 pm »
Hi, I thought I'd register here to give a bit of feedback on this amazing game. First of all, I want to say UFO:AI really is fantastic. So detailed, polished and balanced, it's sometimes hard to believe it is free & open source. I'm having a lot of fun with it and am grateful that there are people out there that have invested their free time into developing something that I can enjoy right now, for free. So, thank you, devs!

That said, I have a few questions and remarks. I'm pretty new to this game so perhaps someone can enlighten me on a few subjects.

1) In all of my games at one point or another I become unable to build any installation except bases. Is there some cap to the number of installations allowed? In my last game I built a base and three SAMs around it, and then wanted to build a Yard but couldn't, because the list of installations to build only contained a Base. In the FAQ it says you need two bases to be able to build a Yard, but in previous games I was able to build one right away. In any case, I built a second base to try it out but no cigar: still only Base showed up in the "build installation" menu. Is this a bug? Or is there some rule as to when you're allowed to build external installations?

2) This one's definitely a bug (*): after playing a few battle maps, I become unable to click on any level above 4 when in battlescape mode. The button will be blue, indicating the level exists on that map, but when I hover over it, the number does not light up like the others, and when I click nothing happens. I suspect it's something simple with the button, because e.g. when I spot an alien on level 5 and click on the number (to the top right of the screen) that cycles through the aliens, it zooms to level 5 just fine (this is also the workaround I usually use to get to see the unclickable levels. Also, as soon as you get a soldier on a level you can of course zoom to that level by clicking that soldier's number). Has this been reported yet?

Btw on a side note, what's the harm in just making all levels available (clickable) on all maps? On maps that don't have high levels, clicking on a higher level could simply show the map from higher up. This is the case already with some maps, but not others.

3) On the map "Luxurious Resort" (IIRC), you start out on a beach with no cover, while aliens are on the roof of the building you're facing. You can't shoot the aliens because they are at the back of the roof, but they will be able to take potshots at you in their turn. I have no idea what to do on that map: I usually just run from the beach to the building on the left, but usually lose a soldier, and get others wounded. In other cases there is actually also an alien on top of the left building, and even more people die. It seems like a very screwy starting position from a gameplay point of view, and frankly a little unrealistic from a military point of view: how did those soldiers get there unharmed anyway? Where is the dropship? Who made the decision to put those men there in the open?

4) I can't start the map editor (*). When I click it from the start menu, Windows will go to low visual effects mode, and the process will be running in task manager, hogging one core whole, but nothing will be happening. After a while I just get bored waiting and end the process. In the radiant.log only says:
Code: [Select]
Started logging to C:/Users/Bas/AppData/Local/UFOAI/radiant/radiant.log
Today is: Wed Jul 30 12:54:54 2014

This is UFORadiant '1.6.0' compiled Apr 14 2014
XMLRegistry: Importing XML file: D:/UFOAI-2.5/radiant/user.xml
XMLRegistry: Importing XML file: D:/UFOAI-2.5/radiant/colours.xml
XMLRegistry: Importing XML file: D:/UFOAI-2.5/radiant/input.xml
XMLRegistry: Importing XML file: D:/UFOAI-2.5/radiant/menu.xml
XMLRegistry: Importing XML file: D:/UFOAI-2.5/radiant/game.xml
XMLRegistry: no user.xml in C:/Users/Bas/AppData/Local/UFOAI/radiant/user.xml
I tried simply copying user.xml & others to that AppData folder, but that didn't help.

5) Here's a small bug (*) that doesn't really affect the game but should be pretty basic: When you hire a soldier that is NOT the next one on the list (let's say you skip one of the hire-able soldiers), and then go into the Equip Soldiers screen and rename the newly hired soldier, press enter to confirm, the soldier will vanish from the list! In fact all soldiers that are separated by a "gap" in the employees screen list will disappear from the list in the Equipment screen. When you leave the equipment screen then go back in, the soldiers will be backed, properly renamed and all.

6) This brings me to a suggestion (plz ignore if already proposed before): I usually rename a soldier to indicate his/her role after the name. E.g. I will rename "John Doe" to "John Doe (SN)" if he's a sniper. I sometimes also attach "(WND)" if he's wounded. This is useful as a reminder because in some other screens you can't see what he is, plus in the Equipping screen it also gives a bit of overview (you can see how many snipers you already have and do you really need another one). It could be a good idea to attach status icons to a name in a similar vein. E.g. there could be an icon indicating that soldier's presumed role (based on what primary weapon he's carrying, or was carrying on his last mission), and whether and how badly he's wounded (could be e.g. the letters WND in a box that is redder the more wounded the soldiers is). A bit like how footballers in Football Manager have status icons in front of their name.

7) Isn't reaction fire a bit OP? I've had times when a Shevaar comes around a corner and blasts&kills one soldier, then in my turn I try to shoot him with one of my other soldiers but the Shevaar reaction-one-shot-kills him, then I try to shoot him with a third soldier, who ALSO dies in the same way! That can't be right. I mean, realistically, after the first soldier is killed, the two other soldiers would turn around and start shooting at him simultaneously: the fact that it happens one after another in this game is basically only because of how the UI is organized. The Shevaar should be able to perhaps kill one other soldier, but not both (he can't target them both at the same time). In the FAQ it notes that this is how it was in the original X-Com but I also remember the devs saying they want to improve upon the original X-Com rather than simply making an X-Com with shinier graphics. This would be a good point to make one such 'improvement', I'd say. Anyway, in the meantime, any tips for how to kill a reaction-fire-enabled Shevaar with a plasma blaster from close range, with only conventional weapons available?

(*) For the bugs: my system is:
Windows 7 Ultimate (x64), SP1
Intel Core2 Quad Q9400 @ 2.66 GHz
4.00 GB RAM
NVIDIA GeForce 9600 GT, driver version: 332.21
edit: forgot to say, I'm running the standard UFO:AI 2.5, 32 bit version (is there even 64 bit?).
« Last Edit: July 30, 2014, 03:03:20 pm by evilgrass »

Offline Noordung

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Re: Some general remarks/questions & bugs
« Reply #1 on: July 30, 2014, 03:27:18 pm »
1) 3 instalations per base.
3) use smoke granades.
7) search forums for reaction fire mechanics. there are a lot of information about it and how it works. here is one... http://ufoai.org/forum/index.php/topic,8702.0.html
« Last Edit: July 30, 2014, 03:34:53 pm by Noordung »

Offline evilgrass

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Re: Some general remarks/questions & bugs
« Reply #2 on: July 30, 2014, 04:00:59 pm »
1) 3 instalations per base.
3) use smoke granades.
7) search forums for reaction fire mechanics. there are a lot of information about it and how it works. here is one... http://ufoai.org/forum/index.php/topic,8702.0.html

1) Any special requirements on the bases for them to count? Any buildings required?
3) Thanks! Interesting, I'll try it!
7) Ok I'll look into it. Btw is reaction fire infinite? Can an alien/soldier shoot as many times as their happens to be an enemy in their sights for long enough? E.g. is it possible for an alien to kill off 8 soldiers (in the manner I described above) in reaction fire a single turn? Or does the alien also consume TUs while reaction-firing, running out of them at some point?

Offline Noordung

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Re: Some general remarks/questions & bugs
« Reply #3 on: July 30, 2014, 04:18:21 pm »
no, its always 3.
it think it can shoot till all reserved TUs are used. (but better check on other topics) in 2.6 from... hmm... cant remember when i saw alien shooting RF about 5 times. but i gues it was bug. it was in first turn. so maybe in 1st turn some RF bug can happen.

Offline evilgrass

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Re: Some general remarks/questions & bugs
« Reply #4 on: July 30, 2014, 05:00:45 pm »
no, its always 3.
it think it can shoot till all reserved TUs are used. (but better check on other topics) in 2.6 from... hmm... cant remember when i saw alien shooting RF about 5 times. but i gues it was bug. it was in first turn. so maybe in 1st turn some RF bug can happen.

Actually, in my current game I had 2 bases and 3 SAM sites but was unable to build a Yard (or Radar or SAM). However, when I completed the command center on my 2nd base, I was able to build the external installations again. So I guess only bases with command centers count.

I guess since a plasma blaster ball only takes 8 TUs, it can do perhaps 3 reaction shots in the human turn. But I saw a tip by following your link: next time I'm just going to walk around the Shevaar and shoot him in the back! :)

Offline geever

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Re: Some general remarks/questions & bugs
« Reply #5 on: July 30, 2014, 06:54:27 pm »
3 installations (of any kind) can be built by each fully functional base which means you need to have a Command Centre and a Power Plant built on them.

-geever

Offline ShipIt

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Re: Some general remarks/questions & bugs
« Reply #6 on: August 03, 2014, 08:54:45 pm »
2) This one's definitely a bug (*): after playing a few battle maps, I become unable to click on any level above 4 when in battlescape mode. The button will be blue, indicating the level exists on that map, but when I hover over it, the number does not light up like the others, and when I click nothing happens. I suspect it's something simple with the button, because e.g. when I spot an alien on level 5 and click on the number (to the top right of the screen) that cycles through the aliens, it zooms to level 5 just fine (this is also the workaround I usually use to get to see the unclickable levels. Also, as soon as you get a soldier on a level you can of course zoom to that level by clicking that soldier's number). Has this been reported yet?

We met this issue before, but could not reproduce it. Here is the bug report.

Btw on a side note, what's the harm in just making all levels available (clickable) on all maps? On maps that don't have high levels, clicking on a higher level could simply show the map from higher up. This is the case already with some maps, but not others.

Not sure if somebody really knows why this was done. Maybe it saves time when computing the pathfinding information. Also, it reduces the number of pictures needed for the battlescape radar.
3) On the map "Luxurious Resort" (IIRC), you start out on a beach with no cover, while aliens are on the roof of the building you're facing. You can't shoot the aliens because they are at the back of the roof, but they will be able to take potshots at you in their turn. I have no idea what to do on that map: I usually just run from the beach to the building on the left, but usually lose a soldier, and get others wounded. In other cases there is actually also an alien on top of the left building, and even more people die. It seems like a very screwy starting position from a gameplay point of view, and frankly a little unrealistic from a military point of view: how did those soldiers get there unharmed anyway? Where is the dropship? Who made the decision to put those men there in the open?

There are a lot more maps like this one. Improving them is a time consuming task.

4) I can't start the map editor (*). When I click it from the start menu, Windows will go to low visual effects mode, and the process will be running in task manager, hogging one core whole, but nothing will be happening. After a while I just get bored waiting and end the process. In the radiant.log only says:
Code: [Select]
Started logging to C:/Users/Bas/AppData/Local/UFOAI/radiant/radiant.log
Today is: Wed Jul 30 12:54:54 2014

This is UFORadiant '1.6.0' compiled Apr 14 2014
XMLRegistry: Importing XML file: D:/UFOAI-2.5/radiant/user.xml
XMLRegistry: Importing XML file: D:/UFOAI-2.5/radiant/colours.xml
XMLRegistry: Importing XML file: D:/UFOAI-2.5/radiant/input.xml
XMLRegistry: Importing XML file: D:/UFOAI-2.5/radiant/menu.xml
XMLRegistry: Importing XML file: D:/UFOAI-2.5/radiant/game.xml
XMLRegistry: no user.xml in C:/Users/Bas/AppData/Local/UFOAI/radiant/user.xml
I tried simply copying user.xml & others to that AppData folder, but that didn't help.

Bug report.

Offline TBeholder

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Re: Some general remarks/questions & bugs
« Reply #7 on: August 04, 2014, 09:01:08 am »

1) In all of my games at one point or another I become unable to build any installation except bases. Is there some cap to the number of installations allowed?
3 Installation per Base. Or rather a base with working Command Center... which also requires Generator.
But if you got both Generator and Command Center, you may as well build a Radar (it's better than on towers), it just makes sense... but if there's detection, you may as well add a Hangar for interceptor, with Storage for its ammo and Living Quarters for pilot... but then, you may transfer a few mediocre soldiers with equipment, just to not lose everything in case of a raid.
So, start building with cheap fast Living Quarters that got a shelter and won't cripple any functionality if an alien throws a grenade there.  :)

3) On the map "Luxurious Resort" (IIRC), you start out on a beach with no cover, while aliens are on the roof of the building you're facing. You can't shoot the aliens because they are at the back of the roof, but they will be able to take potshots at you in their turn.
If you see one, you can blow him away with a grenade launcher, on timer if it's too far for a direct hit. Speaking of which, don't forget about cycling with <Shift> to fine tune trajectory when you use splash damage weapons.
And yes, smoke grenades save both soldiers and civilians. Some players apparently simply give them everyone to off hand in equipment roster, to save 1 TU on mission start.
6) This brings me to a suggestion (plz ignore if already proposed before): I usually rename a soldier to indicate his/her role after the name. E.g. I will rename "John Doe" to "John Doe (SN)" if he's a sniper. I sometimes also attach "(WND)" if he's wounded. This is useful as a reminder because in some other screens you can't see what he is,
...
there could be an icon indicating that soldier's presumed role (based on what primary weapon he's carrying, or was carrying on his last mission), and whether and how badly he's wounded (could be e.g. the letters WND in a box that is redder the more wounded the soldiers is).
I have to agree about status. Double so in battlescape - right now, the only way to see who is bleeding is to pop the status window and tab through everyone.
As to the weapons, it's easy, preview models are shown with weapons... then again, equip the wounded with their weapons in backpack and spare medkit in hands?
7) Isn't reaction fire a bit OP? I've had times when a Shevaar comes around a corner and blasts&kills one soldier, then in my turn I try to shoot him with one of my other soldiers but the Shevaar reaction-one-shot-kills him, then I try to shoot him with a third soldier, who ALSO dies in the same way! That can't be right. 
Nasty. Then again, reaction fire cuts both way - a shotgun or machinegun in the hands of a soldier with good reaction really rocks.
I mean, realistically, after the first soldier is killed, the two other soldiers would turn around and start shooting at him simultaneously: the fact that it happens one after another in this game is basically only because of how the UI is organized. The Shevaar should be able to perhaps kill one other soldier, but not both (he can't target them both at the same time).
Well, yes, it's almost inevitable in turn based (unlike simultaneous RT+stop of Apocalypse)
Anyway, in the meantime, any tips for how to kill a reaction-fire-enabled Shevaar with a plasma blaster from close range, with only conventional weapons available?
If he got better reaction, you'll need either
  • A faster weapon, i.e. knife or pistol, but it may be too weak  to kill with one attack, unless the target is already wounded; or stun grenade.
  • A sniper hanging out farther - he will be hard to hit at long range or may be even out of blaster's range. A sniper rifle hits hard and even if won't kill, will wound enough that you'll have a good chance to finish the alien with a fast lighter weapon.
  • An attack without line of sight. You can use an indirect attack with hand grenade, GL or splash damage from a direct shot at an empty place - the target have nothing to react at. Or throw a smoke grenade or flashbang (it's fast), it still helps soldiers close to the alien.
  • If possible at all, attack from behind. Again, no sight - no reaction fire.
it think it can shoot till all reserved TUs are used.
Seems to be the case. Which is why the first round with unlucky spawn can be utter horror - they all got full TU rather than what's left from walking like normally after ending a turn.
« Last Edit: August 05, 2014, 12:36:26 am by TBeholder »

Offline Internecivus

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Re: Some general remarks/questions & bugs
« Reply #8 on: August 04, 2014, 01:02:22 pm »
I guess since a plasma blaster ball only takes 8 TUs, it can do perhaps 3 reaction shots in the human turn. But I saw a tip by following your link: next time I'm just going to walk around the Shevaar and shoot him in the back! :)

Consider Shevaar having at least 42 TUs since they are unarmored and carry only weapons (and so they are pretty fast).

If you walk around the Shevaar, he can start to shoot at your soldier, if you've walked as much TUs as he needs per shot while he sees you.

Offline evilgrass

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Re: Some general remarks/questions & bugs
« Reply #9 on: August 07, 2014, 06:18:05 pm »
Thanks for all the comments guys! Good to see the two major bugs have been reported already. But what about point 5?

Btw, related: for some reason I'm not seeing the comments on the bug report pages. Now I still don't know if there is a way to use the map editor. I just wanted to try to see how much work it would be to change some maps around (related to point 3).

Thanks for the suggestions with regards to some tactics, I will be putting them to use asap!

Offline ShipIt

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Re: Some general remarks/questions & bugs
« Reply #10 on: August 07, 2014, 08:43:30 pm »
... But what about point 5?

Filed a ticket.

Btw, related: for some reason I'm not seeing the comments on the bug report pages.

Bug report.

Now I still don't know if there is a way to use the map editor. I just wanted to try to see how much work it would be to change some maps around (related to point 3).

If you are on WIN, I don´t think there is a way to get a working mapeditor right now. Maybe I can share the .exe file I am using.

Offline ShipIt

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Re: Some general remarks/questions & bugs
« Reply #11 on: August 08, 2014, 07:37:23 am »
Regarding the mapeditor - did you try the one from the download page. Not sure, but it might work. Feedback would be welcome.

Offline Sandro

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Re: Some general remarks/questions & bugs
« Reply #12 on: August 08, 2014, 10:36:38 pm »
That "editor is not working" stuff looks more and more strange to me. Just rebuilt it from master branch under WinXP/SP3 32-bit -- works fine. Maybe there is some error in the packaging process?

Offline AntJam

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Re: Some general remarks/questions & bugs
« Reply #13 on: August 09, 2014, 01:53:42 am »
Odd..what compile method are you using Sandro just tried to compile from todays master using codeblocks under Vista64 fails with 10 errors and 8478 warnings

Offline Sandro

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Re: Some general remarks/questions & bugs
« Reply #14 on: August 09, 2014, 10:35:39 am »
Odd..what compile method are you using Sandro

As described here: http://ufoai.org/wiki/Code::Blocks

just tried to compile from todays master using codeblocks under Vista64 fails with 10 errors and 8478 warnings

Feels like some incompatibility with Vista64. Did you try running C::B in WinXP compatibility mode?

Also, can you provide the error log? Including only those 10 errors, obviously, nobody will read 8500 lines in detail :)