Messages

16

Bugs in stable version (2.5) / Unable to target UFOs

« on: January 17, 2013, 10:08:58 am »

With builds from the past few days I cannot target a UFO. They don't appear as missions for interceptors and double clicking them just move the globe around like I click-held it.

17

Feature Requests / Re: on capturing live aliens

« on: January 17, 2013, 02:40:04 am »

Gas is a fairly late game tech in 2.5. I got if after completing all capture research. I think more need for capture in late game and some gas resistant aliens are all that's needed.

18

Discussion / Re: Tiny poll about what do actually contributing mean

« on: January 14, 2013, 10:35:47 pm »

Like I said you can just do a mod. 2.5 supports modding and if it's as flexible as Quake2's was you'll be able to make nearly anything without having to maintain a totally separate branch.

The most confusing thing I've seen is software that is both GPL AND commercial. The way it works is that nothing in the GPL prevents the original creator from using the stuff for other purposes. So you can either get it under GPL and have the obligation to keep your project "free software" (you could charge but wouldn't be able to prevent redistribution) or you can pay for a commercial license.

19

Discussion / Re: Tiny poll about what do actually contributing mean

« on: January 14, 2013, 10:03:52 pm »

GNU is an organization, a Unix-like operating system, and the name of a license put out by the GNU organization. GNU GPL is the license in question.

Free software is a term GNU people like to use instead of open source, it has a slightly more specific meaning but all "free software" is a subset of "open source" software. The differences are minor aside from connotations of the word.

OpenOffice is free and open source. It's main branch is controlled by Oracle though, OpenLibre is a community run fork. It would be like if a bunch of people wanted self-bandaging so badly they forked UFO:AI and made UFO:Self-Med and maintained it themselves. That would be totally unnecessary with UFO because of the modding options of course but you get the idea.

UFO:AI has nothing to do with GNU except using the GPL license, at least that I know of.

20

Discussion / Re: Heavy Weapons

« on: January 14, 2013, 08:28:55 am »

My snipers get all the kills because they tend to not die as much. Followed by close combatants because they tend to not get hit with RF as much. Assaults survivability is only just above explosives experts... who tend to die before they get good enough to fire a reasonable weapon from a reasonable distance. If you get them that far they rock though.

The thing with melee is that right now accuracy is kind of FUBAR. I know ranges aren't meant to be totally realistic but even skilled soldiers can't even fire across the large maps with accuracy, much less a realistic distance. Meanwhile I have yet to see anyone miss anything with a melee weapon or flame thrower, so the idea of a skill is kind of moot without an accuracy revamp. If we can get a better range fall-off than it would be an awesome skill. I'd also like see a Medic and other non-weapon skills.

21

Discussion / Re: Cheat in soldier stats

« on: January 13, 2013, 02:49:31 am »

Very interesting. Mostly what I expected but noting how sniping affects accuracy and the exact ratios for speed gain is useful. This means a sniper/explosives character sound like a good plan since I wind up needing to build up both accuracy and strength for those and sniping is good for accuracy and explosives is good for strength.

Only surprise is that I thought suffering hits affected hit points.

22

Mapping / Re: Destruction

« on: January 12, 2013, 01:29:29 am »

Okay, so I heard hints that some work had been done on dynamic lighting? Did that go anywhere? Is that ever gonna go anywhere?

As for the rest of it. I'm working on a fairly destructible map, if that doesn't give older machines problems I'm going to try a revamp of Africa with destructible huts since by both reason and poly count those walls are first in line. If that can be pulled off I may try to revamp other areas.

I've looked into new 3d X-com and it seems that at least technically UFO:AI can meet or exceed their destructability; they use the blast down to supports method I thought of above. The question is can it be done efficiently.

I'm seeing good use of destructable pathfinding and no noticable slow downs. Nothing worse then the RF calc slow-down normally is anyway. I'm seeing questionable use of doors but they seem to understand the concept on some level. I might actually be able to help with the AI on that bit. I've done some pathfinding and AI work before.

23

User modifications / Re: Where are the radar specs hiding?

« on: January 11, 2013, 11:54:49 pm »

Well I was thinking more of having whole new classes of aircraft or Firebird Radar+ model and that would be odd.

Having a particular spy plane model or two and varying the base radar between craft is a good idea.

Saracens actually seem like a reasonable candidate for good radar. They don't have much use early on except flying around scouting since fuel is their big advantage. Or maybe this is just a reason to stick advanced radar on them when you get it.

24

Mapping / Re: Stupid RMA tricks

« on: January 11, 2013, 09:15:52 pm »

Taking a look at Africa made me realize I hadn't fully understood what a Tileset is.

I thought they were a set, that it would add all or none for that option. In fact its a set that the RMA chooses from for that slot. Obviously having this backward made the RMA's job harder, not easier. I'm not saying my mistake wasn't dumb, but this could be made clearer in the doc.

The set I'm making is a school. They tend to have the same elements in different, almost fractal arrangements so the RMA does a decent job. Many schools undergo partial renovation and expansion and look a bit haphazard anyway. With the right tile requirements it looks pretty good. Of course, that based on the schools around San Francisco and Berkeley where I live. I'm actually thinking by shifting the tilesets used and the amounts I can make a high school, city park, and college using most of the same tiles.

I still have the occasional failure to load. This isn't technically a crash or hang I realized. Once after I left the computer having given up on it, it actually started processing the map after like 20 minutes. It tends to get done quickly or take absurdly long, I don't see it hang for just a minute or two for instance. Does the RMA have the potential to "back itself in to a corner" so to speak and what can be done to minimize it?

25

Feature Requests / Re: self-medication with medikits

« on: January 11, 2013, 08:41:40 pm »

I'm not nessicarily against a heavily penalized way to do this, but I will say that you should remember a soldier can drop a medkit for another to use. This helps a lot when not every soldier is strong enough to carry a kit or one runs out.

26

Bugs in stable version (2.5) / Re: encased plasma ammo zero price

« on: January 11, 2013, 08:16:08 pm »

That seems good. I was thinking when I saw this it would be nice to adjust the cost by the time needed and antimatter and alien materials instead of adding a flat discount to production.

27

Bugs in stable version (2.5) / Re: encased plasma ammo zero price

« on: January 11, 2013, 07:32:40 pm »

Damn. I hoped this meant they had a seperate build and sell price and someone forgot to set one.

28

User modifications / Re: Where are the radar specs hiding?

« on: January 11, 2013, 11:39:20 am »

A cheat that you'll need to turn on and off manually each game at that.

The tech idea is much better. Base radar is already so good I was a bit disappointed I couldn't upgrade my installations too.

An electronic slot item sounds perfect. More stuff for slots is needed anyway. A free boost for craft wouldn't fit the way the rest of the upgrades work and adding new aircraft would just be silly.

29

Bugs in stable version (2.5) / Re: encased plasma ammo zero price

« on: January 11, 2013, 12:03:28 am »

3 days old.

All plasma ammo has a reasonable build costs but sells for 0 and can't be bought back.

30

Feature Requests / Re: self-medication with medikits

« on: January 10, 2013, 10:58:16 pm »

With the new limits on first aid maybe. Working on yourself is a lot less fun since you can't zone out when somthing painful occurs and you have to stay focused while being the one injured. Plus your reach to some areas is not as good.

Bottom line it shouldn't be easy. I like how the medic rules encourage teamwork in the soldiers.