UFO:Alien Invasion
General => Discussion => Topic started by: Kenji on May 26, 2012, 03:53:43 am
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I am really happy with your work so far and eagerly await it's completion. Thank you very much.
I tried to get the mac version working on my main computer but it was beyond me. Macs are so good they are useless.
2.4 works very smoothly on my laptop windows machine. I had to change many settings on the mouse pad to keep from accidentally issuing commands, but turning on confirm commands also helped greatly. I seldom use the laptop so it is hardly surprising, using keyboard commands helps navigate as well.
Is there anyway to make the game utilize my entire screen?
I am currently at 1 year with 2.4, full campaign normal difficulty. I will post my game on the thread asking late game saves in a day or so. Here are my early observations.
GEOSCOPE SCREEN
I experienced a lag spike in geoscope arial combat. The Saracen armed with Sparrowhawk and TR - 80 launchers vs Alien Fighter, lag spike every time, if I replace both weapons with plasma weapon the lag is gone.
The base and craft icons are hard to discern. Craft flying over Antarctica are practically invisible because of glare. The earth is portrayed in realistic tones, perhaps the icons should be larger and more "Cartoony" to make them really stand out.
In the original XCOM, when you completed a research project the UFOpedia page popped up. I think that would be a good feature to implement. It is a reward and is useful to help players understand and integrate new technologies. I played a year of in game time when I discovered the mailclient.
The UFOpedia reports, while well written, are long and don't easily impart useful information. Each should be prefaced with salient info in the form of a list
http://www.giantbomb.com/x-com-ufo-defense/61-196/all-images/52-177505/large_scout/51-388343/ (http://www.giantbomb.com/x-com-ufo-defense/61-196/all-images/52-177505/large_scout/51-388343/)
UFOpdeia pages should say which type hangar an aircraft requires, wether an item is usable by units or not, damage / protection etc.
BASE SCREEN
Using the standard UI. Back base / Forward base button should be next to each other on the far right of the top bar of the base screen. The Rename base button should be next to the name, not next to the Forward base button. The rename base button is hard to seen, i recommend a Pencil icon, it's yellow easy to see and familiar to people in association with that use.
Research and production are very similar functions but each screen works in a different way, research you allot scientists to a project, but engineering you just create a project and workers automatically begin working. Either system is perfectly acceptable but I suggest using one for both to increase cohesion.
What is Production limit?
On the disassembly page, there is a number in an unnamed column, usually number 1-6, which I don't know what it means, example...
UFO - Harvester (100%) 4
I agree with others who have said the alien materials requirements on alien ships is too high.
I hate to bring this up, because it is a useful exploit, but transfer is useless. Buy / Sell is instantaneous, as soon as I sell something it is available on the market, as soon as I buy something it is in stores. No delivery time. So why transfer anything but Antimatter (which can't be sold), if I simply sell it from one base, then buy it at another, I have transferred my goods instantly.
TACTICAL SCREEN
Having no save option in Tactical mode is hardcore and forced me to alter my gameplay. I like it, it's a challenge.
Using the standard UI, in the upper left corner where the portrait and name are, under the name should be a red square for each enemy unit visible to his LOS. Clicking on each red dot center screen on enemy unit visible to the selected friendly unit.
I would like to see the circles under units feet obscured by their bodies.
I have only been on the tactical map (London or something) once. At the very top of the ramp leading from the drop zone was bugged and I was unable to move my cursor there or send a unit to that location. I could walk over it just couldn't stand there.
I read somewhere you may be removing sniper/close/heavy/explosive skills from the game in 2.5. In my humble opinion that is bad, the distinctions are a fun element you have added to the game which deepens character development. Let us not forget, XCOM was best because it worked on multiple levels, not only strategic and tactical but also an element of role play with your soldiers and their growing prowess.
I read somewhere that XCOM was an elite unit, but the recruits are sorely lacking. Each recruit should be at least three bubbles in one weapons skill.
I think units progress too slowly. I don't usually let units die, so one death is a retry. That being said, the units at my first and second base have done a considerable number of missions in a year of service, yet they have hardly progressed. In fact, Mind is by far the skill which has seen the greatest increases, due to the amount of first aid they apply. Late game, I hire rare new recruits with higher skills than most of my veterans.
OVERALL
The music is very good, it reminds me of a more sophisticated version of the original music mixed with the terminator score. Very well done!
The game play is fun and even in this incomplete form I will play until a new version comes out.7/10 stars so far, and rising!
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Buy/sell price is not the same, so you lose money when using that as an instant transfer method
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Is there anyway to make the game utilize my entire screen?
No, only the battlescape can fill widescreens.
Using the standard UI, in the upper left corner where the portrait and name are, under the name should be a red square for each enemy unit visible to his LOS. Clicking on each red dot center screen on enemy unit visible to the selected friendly unit.
On the top right, near the end turn button, you will see a number (0 - *). Click that to cycle through spotted enemies. There is also a hotkey, but I don't know it.
I have only been on the tactical map (London or something) once. At the very top of the ramp leading from the drop zone was bugged and I was unable to move my cursor there or send a unit to that location. I could walk over it just couldn't stand there.
Screenshots help here. Maps aren't tied to specific cities.
I read somewhere you may be removing sniper/close/heavy/explosive skills from the game in 2.5.
That's not true. We removed the heavy weapon skill and redistributed them to other skills.
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On the top right, near the end turn button, you will see a number (0 - *). Click that to cycle through spotted enemies. There is also a hotkey, but I don't know it.
[space] will cycle through spotted enemies.
But what he's asking about is a way to find out how many and which enemies a particular combatant has spotted/has LOS to afaik can't be done atm, and this is a feature that I'd like to see. The very first xcom game had it, and it was super useful.
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Exactly.
The number shown in the top right is all visible enemies, and space bar will cycle through them.
What I suggest is a way to show only enemy units visible to the active player unit, and a way to cycle through them.
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I played a year of in game time when I discovered the mailclient.
Probably changing the button from a white mail icon to a blinking mail icon will fix that issue easily.
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GEOSCOPE SCREEN
I experienced a lag spike in geoscope arial combat. The Saracen armed with Sparrowhawk and TR - 80 launchers vs Alien Fighter, lag spike every time, if I replace both weapons with plasma weapon the lag is gone.
I have the same issue. Thanks for pointing out that it's the launchers causing it. I'll try and test that and confirm.
The base and craft icons are hard to discern. Craft flying over Antarctica are practically invisible because of glare. The earth is portrayed in realistic tones, perhaps the icons should be larger and more "Cartoony" to make them really stand out.
I feel almost the opposite. I feel the base and station icons are too big and dominate too much of the geoscape. I especially don't like when I zoom out and they get huge, often overlapping each other making it hard to click on them at times.
The aircraft could may use some coloring up, perhaps black would make them stand out more, flat black so they don't reflect the sun. :)
In the original XCOM, when you completed a research project the UFOpedia page popped up. I think that would be a good feature to implement. It is a reward and is useful to help players understand and integrate new technologies. I played a year of in game time when I discovered the mailclient.
I like the mail system as it is, though as said already, something more dramatic would help. I've also had reports missed because I didn't notice the mail client go bold with everything going on. Maybe a popup to say new mail or something.
TACTICAL SCREEN
Using the standard UI, in the upper left corner where the portrait and name are, under the name should be a red square for each enemy unit visible to his LOS. Clicking on each red dot center screen on enemy unit visible to the selected friendly unit.
This would be a great feature.
I read somewhere you may be removing sniper/close/heavy/explosive skills from the game in 2.5. In my humble opinion that is bad, the distinctions are a fun element you have added to the game which deepens character development. Let us not forget, XCOM was best because it worked on multiple levels, not only strategic and tactical but also an element of role play with your soldiers and their growing prowess.
Heavy weapons are being removed as a skill (Paraphrasing someone's reply)
Awww. I like stats. Lots of stats. I don't see why removing it makes the game any easier or better. There were plenty of weapons and units to support all types of gameplay.
I read somewhere that XCOM was an elite unit, but the recruits are sorely lacking. Each recruit should be at least three bubbles in one weapons skill.
You get a lot of prospective trainees. Rate each one and pick the best in their field of specialty. Stats are relative, though, in every game. All units are elite, some are just more elite than others. You should see the stats on the ones who didn't make it. ::)
I think units progress too slowly. I don't usually let units die, so one death is a retry. That being said, the units at my first and second base have done a considerable number of missions in a year of service, yet they have hardly progressed. In fact, Mind is by far the skill which has seen the greatest increases, due to the amount of first aid they apply. Late game, I hire rare new recruits with higher skills than most of my veterans.
Not sure I've experienced that. Skills progress on how often you use them. I try to make an alpha first response team, and then support teams. My alpha team goes on most of the missions and they progress fast. The other units progress slower, but they're still better than most recruits after a year of gameplay. Do you autoresolve a lot? I play every mission regardless. Only way to boost stats, and sometimes I take extra shots just for fun. :)
Actually, do stats increase when you autoresolve?
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hey, you admin people types forgot this bit, before telling him what was and wasn't possible, and what was wrong with his feedback :
thank you kenji, for your feedback. And thank you for liking the game, it makes us, and all the word we've been pouring into this feel appreciated.
As to your feedback.... etc.
:)
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Probably changing the button from a white mail icon to a blinking mail icon will fix that issue easily.
Flashing/blinking effect is a missing feature from the UI engine for years. It would be also useful for in-game tutorials and so...
-geever
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TACTICAL SCREEN
Using the standard UI, in the upper left corner where the portrait and name are, under the name should be a red square for each enemy unit visible to his LOS. Clicking on each red dot center screen on enemy unit visible to the selected friendly unit.
I *think* this IS already possible, one of the tips of the day said that pressing t, while a soldier was selected, was supposed to draw a line to any aliens visible from that particular soldier. I checked the controls and its listed there too. Can't remember getting it to work myself though, need to try again.
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It is , and correct it is 'T' , if you were on a soldier that had no aliens in LoS then it would not work. Cycle through your soldiers and which ever one has aliens in LoS , t will draw lines to show you which ones.
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Ahhh, yes T works does what I was talking about, that is very nice. Thank you for clarification.
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yes but that involves first cycling through all your soldiers while repeatedly pressing T, possibly while also panning and zooming to figure out who has los to which alien - more like a work-around than a feature...
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We probably could insert a feature which play the whole game for you, so you havnt to do anything by your self. (pls, dont take this one too seriously) :D
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Buy/sell price is not the same, so you lose money when using that as an instant transfer method
Are there any plans to update the buy/sell page with both prices? This is somewhat confusing because only one price is listed. Which price is listed? The buy or sell price?
And while were on it, it would be nice if the prices fluctuated wit time, though I suppose we control the market for plasma weapons, which is what I sell 99% of the time.
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Are there any plans to update the buy/sell page with both prices? This is somewhat confusing because only one price is listed. Which price is listed? The buy or sell price?
Yes, the UI2 will have that. For now: sell price is 90% of buy price.
And while were on it, it would be nice if the prices fluctuated wit time, though I suppose we control the market for plasma weapons, which is what I sell 99% of the time.
psssst! That's a secret plans of mine to make market respond on your steps: the more you sell, the less the price. But that isn't an easy task to implement..
-geever
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how about a incorporating a slight random fluctuation in there? a bit like the price of petrol... :P
also, it would really be cool if there were occasional news updates (i know, raised already previously) from time to time. things like riots in certain countries, or new peace pacts, alien sightings etc etc. in terms of the UI it could just be a visual of a newspaper.
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also, it would really be cool if there were occasional news updates (i know, raised already previously) from time to time. things like riots in certain countries, or new peace pacts, alien sightings etc etc. in terms of the UI it could just be a visual of a newspaper.
Who would maintain that? It would need endless number of news events (so it's not repetitive) and a code that releases them, not too close to eachother but still quite frequently.. In short: tons of work for a useless feature...
-geever
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true. low utility, but adds to realism.
you could rely on users to provide the news pieces... i'd be happy to write them. I can do the images too. the coding is beyond me.
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I feel almost the opposite. I feel the base and station icons are too big and dominate too much of the geoscape. I especially don't like when I zoom out and they get huge, often overlapping each other making it hard to click on them at times.
I experienced both. On my pc I always had the feeling the icons are too big, while now on the laptop they are much smaller, compared to the globe. So it might depend on system in some way?
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just out of curiosity... would it be possible to access bases with a mouse-in (wheel) instead of a click?
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just out of curiosity... would it be possible to access bases with a mouse-in (wheel) instead of a click?
Technically possible, I think. Terrible idea. Mouse-wheel up/down zooms geoscape. Player zooms in, base moves screen position and lands under the mouse, he enters base on accident.
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There is no mouse wheel on my laptop, or at least that I know of.
Buy/Sell and transfer of a lot of stuff, like alien materials by the thousands, is time consuming without one. Perhaps right clicking on the arrow buy/sell transfer all in stock? Possible?
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Buy/Sell and transfer of a lot of stuff, like alien materials by the thousands, is time consuming without one. Perhaps right clicking on the arrow buy/sell transfer all in stock? Possible?
Did you try Shift+Click?
-geever
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Yes, the UI2 will have that. For now: sell price is 90% of buy price.
psssst! That's a secret plans of mine to make market respond on your steps: the more you sell, the less the price. But that isn't an easy task to implement..
-geever
How about a delay on making a purchase, before the goods actually arrive at the base?
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How about a delay on making a purchase, before the goods actually arrive at the base?
That is planned, afaik.
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Just as a general feedback (can't find a better place to post it): Can the default CVAR for timeouts be changed? My son's lower-end PC runs the game just fine, but takes long enough to load everything that the default 20s timeout kicks him EVERY time.
Which isn't a big deal when it's just he and I, but it means he can't play other folks who have the default CVAR.