Messages

61

Feature Requests / Re: Map did not end when all aliens dead - arrghh!

« on: May 10, 2008, 11:16:41 am »

There are a couple of maps in which aliens seem to get stuck in the walls.  The +shelter map is quite bad for that, in my experience.  I've learned to just hit "Auto-Play" when i see that one.  It doesn't hurt as much as starting it and having to abort.  Funny, i've never had a problem with Rzeszow.

62

Feature Requests / Re: Is research/scientists bugged ?

« on: May 10, 2008, 10:56:55 am »

Somehow the research/laboratory/scientist tracking code gets thrown off when research is being conducted at multiple bases.  I just tried a new style of play [new for me, anyway].  Instead of having a dedicated research base, i put one lab in every base.  The results are not what i desire. 

First off, the 'research complete' message on the GeoScape doesn't tell you in which base the research was being done.  You have to hunt around to find which group of scientists are sitting around photocopying their buttocks - this could be fixed with a new message event similar to the one you get when a worker production queue runs out.

Secondly, even though i've finished several research projects since trying this method, i've yet to find scientists not working when their research is complete.  I will have to try it again [this time keeping notes] to determine if the scientists are somehow being redirected to other projects when their project is complete, or if they are disappear after completion, or what.

63

Feature Requests / Re: Line of sight & Visible Enemies and geoscape combat

« on: May 10, 2008, 10:38:52 am »

Also, I have found the visibility check to be a bit buggy on several occasions. Just now a soldier of mine spotted an alien through a solid fence. It also happens very often with the smaller tower-structures on industrial maps. The soldier spots the alien through the edge of the building (only after standing up), but cannot shoot at it because it is behind solid concrete.

I think the problem is either in the map or the way the engine interprets that map.  For example, i often see a gap between the walls and floor of a room.  You can spot others through that gap, but the engine won't let you fire through what it conceives of as a solid joint.

64

Feature Requests / Re: Line of sight & Visible Enemies and geoscape combat

« on: May 10, 2008, 10:33:59 am »

Also, if you want to know if a soldier can see the alien in question, use the first person view!! (its "v" if you weren't aware of it). Now that in my mind is definitely one-over on XCOM!

Not so fast.  The "t" key will show you all aliens that you have a clear LOS to, even if they are to your side or behind you.  The "v" key only shows directly in front of you.

65

Feature Requests / Re: Some bugs in 2.2

« on: May 10, 2008, 10:29:25 am »

I also had the "invisible alien" in the map shelter (or "+shelterd" as the console says).

That map is absolutely horrible.  No sooner than you start walking in the entrance and your soldiers are already starting to lose track of their position.  It's guaranteed that every time i play that one i'll have some soldiers stuck in the wall or hanging in midair off the catwalk.  You can only walk around around for so long looking for the invisible alien [actually, i think it's stuck in the wall too] before you give up and restart the mission.  I finally just give up and auto-mission that one.

66

Feature Requests / Re: Dead Soldiers Equipment is not taken back to base

« on: May 10, 2008, 10:18:56 am »

It's possible that this is another of the evils of auto-sell, but i've experienced it too.  Not just from dead soldiers, either.  Any item on the ground when the mission completes is lost.  I once had my 'Rocket Man' confront a Bug Eyed Monster [the last for the mission] at point blank range.  Of course he dropped his Rocket Launcher and took out the BEM using his SMG.  When the dropship got back to the base, he didn't have his Launcher any more...  I think it is the case that alien swag is not left on the battlefield, but specifically given to you by the code as a form of 'treasure'.  However, stuff that you drop is not added back but merely disappears.

67

Feature Requests / Re: Firing from behind cover

« on: May 10, 2008, 10:09:47 am »

As I've said in another thread, I don't think anything like this is possible without overcomplicating the controls and radically changing the game mechanics and/or map format.

Huh?  You already have the mechanics for line of sight - just use it for line of fire.  Shooting from the hip should only be used for Snap Shots.

68

Mac / Mac Compile

« on: May 10, 2008, 10:02:43 am »

UB disk images are very shiny, but [in my not so humble opinion] should be avoided for packages that are already large enough to be a problem for people with poor connections - that means us.  Also, users with full hard drives are going to end up using lipo or some other utility to remove all that extra fat they don't need.  Why not just release separate Intel/PPC versions - it's not that hard.

As to the MacPorts/fink competition, they each have their pros and cons.  Use MacPorts if you insist on making UB packages, as fink absolutely won't do that.  Otherwise, either will do the job.

69

Mac / Re: Update 2.2.1

« on: May 10, 2008, 09:52:27 am »

Hmm.  In my experience compiling code and lang took very little time.  Its the maps that take forever, but you don't really need to do them every time [or at all, once the 2.2.1 data pack is out].

70

Linux / Re: install/configure in Ubuntu 7.01 (gutsy) AMD64

« on: May 10, 2008, 09:46:45 am »

There are two problems with that theory:

1) SourceForge can be incredibly slow sometimes.

2) Trying to find 64 bit info from the main page is like the proverbial haystack search.  I don't think an average user would be able to get to the message the OP alluded to from SourceForge page.

71

Linux / Re: Debs for Debian

« on: May 10, 2008, 09:37:13 am »

This looks promising.  For those of us using Ubuntu, which versions correspond to Debian Etch and Lenny?

72

Tactics / Re: Need advice for tactical battles.

« on: May 10, 2008, 09:32:58 am »

(1) If nobody with spare TU and a line of fire can see a soldier's back, that soldier is probably going to die. 

(2) If you don't have the aliens completely encircled, they will be almost supernaturally good at hiding from you.  If I read the code correctly, they actually cheat a little bit to find perfect hiding places.  Aliens almost always avoid ending their turns in visible locations.

(3) Therefore, a good mission plan (at least for a relatively open map) is:
 (a) Deploy snipers to high ground where possible; this holds the aliens in place and puts them on the defensive.

1. very wise

2. The aliens actually do cheat, in that they always know where you are [regardless of whether they can see you].

3. There is a problem here in that Line Of Sight is not the same as Line Of Fire.  A sniper on a tall building will have LOS to most outdoor points on the map.  However, most such buildings in UFO have a parapet or lip around the building that blocks LOF.  LOF currently emanates from the hip, though there have been discussions about moving it higher.  In fact, Nemchenk was looking into using current LOS code for all firemodes other than snapshot but i don't know how far that has gotten.  The other thing that reduces the value of snipers is that by the time they have climbed to that high point, the aliens have already all gone indoors.

73

Tactics / Re: Need advice for tactical battles.

« on: May 10, 2008, 09:19:00 am »

Specialize your soldiers into several groups: I use Close, Assault, Heavy, Sniper and Medic groups.

The problem here is that your pre-planned teams get all shuffled around when they land.  I just wish the engine would allow us to load troops in the dropship in our preferred order rather than dropping them randomly.  I mean, the random shuffle would make a lot of sense if they were parachuting in...

74

Tactics / Re: Need advice for tactical battles.

« on: May 10, 2008, 09:10:21 am »

Aliens have used reaction fire since at least 2.1.something.

It is rare (always a bit of a surprise) and increases with the difficulty, I think.

I'm no expert, but i think the AI puts a high priority on being hidden.  The only time i've seen an alien reserve TU for reaction fire is when they are trapped such that they cannot move out of sight.

75

Tactics / Re: How do you protect the Firebird?

« on: May 10, 2008, 09:06:10 am »

i played on very hard and the alien ships was never intrested in attacking my firebird.
even if the aliens came near to my ship but still not in weaponrange , it wasnt chasing it.

I think you've been lucky so far.  Harvesters tend to obliterate everything within their range, though they don't actively hunt down your craft.  I think future versions will have an alien Fighter that might do such.