121
Mapping / Re: suggestions for new maps
« on: February 06, 2008, 09:04:31 am »
Will missions in sea or ocean be also available? People usually place their bases to provide maximum land coverage, should we also take sea into account?
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122
Feature Requests / Re: Usage of Red Cross symbol
« on: February 06, 2008, 06:14:52 am »You mean the caduceus?Nope, it's something more like this:
http://www.intellectspb.ru/kniga4/i/i17.gif
And here's a military medic badge:
http://www.victory.mil.ru/form/insignia/01/54.html
123
Feature Requests / Re: Weapons/equipment suggestions
« on: February 05, 2008, 11:06:49 pm »
Okay, so:
Small Rocket-Propelled Munition Weapon (or come with a better name).
Further advance of Gyrojet and similar projects. The weapon fires miniature self contained rocket projectiles of two types: explosive, comprising of solid-propellant rocket engine and tiny amount of high-yield explosive, and kinetic, carrying no explosive charge, but having the core made of tunsten alloy. Micro-rockets are fed from [revolver?] magazine, initiated via electrical ignition and stabilized through a smooth-bore barrel. Angled jets spin the projectiles as they propel toward target. Smaller in comparison to RPG rockets projectiles allow the weapon to be handled in the same manner as support or even assault counterparts, and naturally allow quicker rate of fire than that of RPG, even limited auto-fire ability. Practical lack of recoil allows generally better accuracy than most ballistic projectile firearms, however lightweight dumb munitions with relaively small initial impulse are more prone to deviate from target than heavy RPG rocket or high-velocity sniper rifle bullet. Small warheads of explosive projectiles have little to no splash damage, requiring direct hit in order to inflict any significant damage, but at the same time allows, though not advises, using the weapon at close to medium range. Kinetic bolts velocity may be considered relatively low, especially at the initial part of the trajectory. But taking its larger mass into acount, the hit impulse is high enough to provide a punch even to armored target. Due to miniaturization, ammo production is a complex and expensive process utilizing latest technologies, including nanotech, to maintain high precision requirements.
Resume: support/suppressive weapon for medium to large range. Presumably researched in the same manner as Bolter rifle.
Holographic decoy
This is a throwable device that first stabilizes itself on the ground, then creates a hologram of its owner above itself with a set of miniature laser emitters. The same emitters also create an area of heated air in the same spot, mimicking a soldier's heat signature. Alongside, appropiate pheromons are being released from the built-in container. Due to device's small size, its operation time is restricted to _____ The main purpose is to mislead the enemy about personnel location and to lure enemy fire, revealing their positions.
Small Rocket-Propelled Munition Weapon (or come with a better name).
Further advance of Gyrojet and similar projects. The weapon fires miniature self contained rocket projectiles of two types: explosive, comprising of solid-propellant rocket engine and tiny amount of high-yield explosive, and kinetic, carrying no explosive charge, but having the core made of tunsten alloy. Micro-rockets are fed from [revolver?] magazine, initiated via electrical ignition and stabilized through a smooth-bore barrel. Angled jets spin the projectiles as they propel toward target. Smaller in comparison to RPG rockets projectiles allow the weapon to be handled in the same manner as support or even assault counterparts, and naturally allow quicker rate of fire than that of RPG, even limited auto-fire ability. Practical lack of recoil allows generally better accuracy than most ballistic projectile firearms, however lightweight dumb munitions with relaively small initial impulse are more prone to deviate from target than heavy RPG rocket or high-velocity sniper rifle bullet. Small warheads of explosive projectiles have little to no splash damage, requiring direct hit in order to inflict any significant damage, but at the same time allows, though not advises, using the weapon at close to medium range. Kinetic bolts velocity may be considered relatively low, especially at the initial part of the trajectory. But taking its larger mass into acount, the hit impulse is high enough to provide a punch even to armored target. Due to miniaturization, ammo production is a complex and expensive process utilizing latest technologies, including nanotech, to maintain high precision requirements.
Resume: support/suppressive weapon for medium to large range. Presumably researched in the same manner as Bolter rifle.
Holographic decoy
This is a throwable device that first stabilizes itself on the ground, then creates a hologram of its owner above itself with a set of miniature laser emitters. The same emitters also create an area of heated air in the same spot, mimicking a soldier's heat signature. Alongside, appropiate pheromons are being released from the built-in container. Due to device's small size, its operation time is restricted to _____ The main purpose is to mislead the enemy about personnel location and to lure enemy fire, revealing their positions.
124
Feature Requests / Weapons/equipment suggestions
« on: February 05, 2008, 08:39:03 pm »
While looking at proposed weapons and equipmet on Wiki I've got a few ideas of my own. I wonder, if suggestions are accepted yet? If yes, maybe there's a sort of template for proposals to make implementation easier? Or there's already much to do, and I better keep them to myself, unless I have extensive description, stats and textured model for them?
125
Design / Re: Winter's Notes
« on: February 05, 2008, 08:13:55 pm »
If you decide that weapon research is going to affect damage, then I would rather suggest adding some resistance modifier rather than tweaking weapon power. Otherwise it would affect also aliens' damage to civilians and accidental friendly-fire damage to fellow aliens.
The latter reminds me of an episode, when I tried to headshot an alien, plotting firing line half-pixel away from a teammate. Needless to say, the headshot missed that half-pixel and scatched teammate's elbow, killing him instantly. Headshots are always deadly!
The latter reminds me of an episode, when I tried to headshot an alien, plotting firing line half-pixel away from a teammate. Needless to say, the headshot missed that half-pixel and scatched teammate's elbow, killing him instantly. Headshots are always deadly!
126
Feature Requests / Re: Usage of Red Cross symbol
« on: February 05, 2008, 02:45:30 pm »
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Red_cross#Red_Crystal
I've seen Red Crystal being used in some game instead of Red Cross.
I've seen Red Crystal being used in some game instead of Red Cross.
127
Discussion / Re: Cyber-Soldiers
« on: February 04, 2008, 08:38:29 pm »
Speaking of cybernetic enhancements, I wonder about opposing side. Alien autopsies show cybernetic enhancements and I wonder if infested humans would finally get those too? So human cyborg opponents could appear later. And that infested PHALANX guy, stuffed with augumentations to the point of losing human appearance, could make a good intermediate boss. A bit of cliched, I admit, but cliches are unavoidable.
128
Mapping / Re: suggestions for new maps
« on: February 04, 2008, 08:18:32 pm »
Btw, can a mission on some Earth space station (ISS or similar) be implemented? Perhaps as a plot mission on later stage, when a space-capable dropship is researched. It can be either activated by a button (like plot missions in UFO series), or be represented by a moving or immobile (geostationary orbit) point on geoscape.
129
Discussion / Re: Base Assault
« on: February 04, 2008, 08:10:32 pm »That sounds like a very unnecessary dividing of the usually limited soldiers available.
Yep, it does :-)
I was not serious about aircraft maintenance part.
Perhaps there should be some pre-mission aircraft/security reassignment of soldiers. The purpose of suggested "security station" is to have a best-suited and appropriately armed team for defending your base rather than random eight soldiers from your list.
Before the mission starts this menu could show up and you would be able to mobilize all your fighting personnel for defense (you cannot recruit if soldiers will arrive delayed in the future) no matter whether they are assigned to an aircraft.
I was thinking of it, but I tried to suggest something that not changes the way the soldiers are handled now. Pre-mission assignment/equipment interface sounds an obvious solution, but as long as unassigned soldiers lose their equipment, you'll have to re-equip them from the scratch before each base assault.
Though if a new system is going to be implemented, I tend to agree with you.
130
Mapping / Re: suggestions for new maps
« on: February 04, 2008, 10:01:40 am »
My pack of suggestions/inspirations:
Airport (if plane models are not too tricky)
Hijacked/crashed train (some subway graphics can be reused)
Factory (didn't see industrial06 or powerplant01, so can't say if they are similar)
Prison
Oil derrick
Underground parking
Cemetery
Hospital
Cinema
Theme park/Zoo
ComSat station or radiotelescope (or SETI, hehe)
Airport (if plane models are not too tricky)
Hijacked/crashed train (some subway graphics can be reused)
Factory (didn't see industrial06 or powerplant01, so can't say if they are similar)
Prison
Oil derrick
Underground parking
Cemetery
Hospital
Cinema
Theme park/Zoo
ComSat station or radiotelescope (or SETI, hehe)
131
Design / Re: Storyline Questions
« on: February 04, 2008, 09:20:45 am »i think it would be best to leave that at *most* implied. Some game conventions are best left unexplained. If associate the map-edge with a cordon in more than an oblique manner the player would be left with more questions than answers. What power or tech creates and alien proof cordon? Why can't those maintaining the cordon help?
Well, this is the way massive anti-terrorist operations are to be conducted, at least here in Russia. Massed conventional troops maintain cordons, both internal and external, while specnaz guys do the job inside the perimeter. The map edge may not necessary denote the place where cordon lies, it is just an area of operation. There could be a large strip of no-man's land between the map and cordon.
That doesn't really mesh with the 1-turn persistence of alien and human casualties. But i think it would be good to change that anyway.
The corpses may not actually be dead actors, but rather dummy dead body models. Not sure, however, if pre-generated alien copses would be suitable for autopsy in this way.
132
Discussion / Re: Base Assault
« on: February 04, 2008, 07:25:45 am »
There was a bit of discussion on base defence in "Symbols for the geoscape" thread, I think this is better place to continue.
So, in general, the question is - can soldiers not assigned as dropship landing party take part in base defence? By now the only way to equip your soldiers is through Aircraft menu. And if I want to garrison a secondary base against alien attack, I have not only to build living quarters, hire soldiers and buy them equipment, but also build large hangar and buy a dropship, even if that combat team is meant for base security only.
This could be handled in the same manner as in UFO:ET, when you equip soldiers right before the combat mission and all combat personnel is available (or the first n soldiers, where n - maximum team number). In this case there should be a way to equip them outside aircraft and equipment should not be stripped off if a soldier is removed from dropship crew.
The other idea is building a sort of security station on the base and assigning soldiers and UGWs there in the same manner as for aircrafts. In this case, only security personnel defends the base, while aircraft crews, well, perform regular aircraft maintenance.
I support this but there is one problem: Will the the squad/soldiers in this base be able to grab some equipment before the mission starts or is it necessary to take this into account before an ufo is able to land near you? If I employed 10 soldiers in this base it would be unrealistic to handle two of them as civis. I guess I'm raising a complicated matter.
So, in general, the question is - can soldiers not assigned as dropship landing party take part in base defence? By now the only way to equip your soldiers is through Aircraft menu. And if I want to garrison a secondary base against alien attack, I have not only to build living quarters, hire soldiers and buy them equipment, but also build large hangar and buy a dropship, even if that combat team is meant for base security only.
This could be handled in the same manner as in UFO:ET, when you equip soldiers right before the combat mission and all combat personnel is available (or the first n soldiers, where n - maximum team number). In this case there should be a way to equip them outside aircraft and equipment should not be stripped off if a soldier is removed from dropship crew.
The other idea is building a sort of security station on the base and assigning soldiers and UGWs there in the same manner as for aircrafts. In this case, only security personnel defends the base, while aircraft crews, well, perform regular aircraft maintenance.
133
Tactics / Re: Proximity Grenades
« on: February 03, 2008, 09:25:46 pm »
As far as I've understood, there are plans for something of the kind. See:
http://ufoai.ninex.info/wiki/index.php/Equipment/Proposed/Proximity_Mines
Speaking of proximity detonation - what about RPG description, a part about alien EW jamming rocket guidance systems? I think that would also affect proximity detection, let alone friend-or-foe identification.
http://ufoai.ninex.info/wiki/index.php/Equipment/Proposed/Proximity_Mines
Speaking of proximity detonation - what about RPG description, a part about alien EW jamming rocket guidance systems? I think that would also affect proximity detection, let alone friend-or-foe identification.
134
Design / Re: Storyline Questions
« on: February 03, 2008, 08:50:02 pm »
I am newly registered here, so I'd like to use an opportunity to say hello and thank developers for such an interesting project!
I played the game and read the forums a bit. UFO:AI tends to have the most realistic storyline of all UFO-series game I played. On the other hand, some gameplay assumptions could be left unexplained, otherwise we'll end up with an alien forcefield wall as an explanation for tactical map limits (this one was really used in some UFO fan-fiction!). Anyway, I appreciate the amount of work put into thinking out every twist - nice job!
On the storyline itself: I've seen some concerns about involvement of other militaries into battle with ET and share them to some extent. After attack on Mumbai alien existence becomes obvious and UFOs are no longer considered weather baloons or swamp gas, so why should goverments patiently wait for PHALANX superheroes and not use heavy tanks, artillery and attack helicopters at all? We may consider it one of the abovementioned gameplay assumptions, but it annoyed me when I played UFO games. I am not suggesting to change the game concept drastically, but maybe only to display some signs of non-PHALANX military activity. E.g. in background for some occasional (not following PHALANX interception) crashed UFO mission say that it was shot down upon visual contact with a military jet. Or in another mission say, that army managed to lock the aliens inside an area and is going to carpet bomb it, unless PHALANX operatives perform a cleanout. In tactical missions taking place in military or police installations the traces of the gunfight could be visible along with pre-generated dead bodies of both humans and aliens. In later stages, as the conflict escalates, the maps could include burned tank columns and shell-holes. I think that would show that conventional armies are not sitting on their hands, while still keeping them to the role of the crowd and retaining PHALANX as a spearhead of anti-alien fight.
I played the game and read the forums a bit. UFO:AI tends to have the most realistic storyline of all UFO-series game I played. On the other hand, some gameplay assumptions could be left unexplained, otherwise we'll end up with an alien forcefield wall as an explanation for tactical map limits (this one was really used in some UFO fan-fiction!). Anyway, I appreciate the amount of work put into thinking out every twist - nice job!
On the storyline itself: I've seen some concerns about involvement of other militaries into battle with ET and share them to some extent. After attack on Mumbai alien existence becomes obvious and UFOs are no longer considered weather baloons or swamp gas, so why should goverments patiently wait for PHALANX superheroes and not use heavy tanks, artillery and attack helicopters at all? We may consider it one of the abovementioned gameplay assumptions, but it annoyed me when I played UFO games. I am not suggesting to change the game concept drastically, but maybe only to display some signs of non-PHALANX military activity. E.g. in background for some occasional (not following PHALANX interception) crashed UFO mission say that it was shot down upon visual contact with a military jet. Or in another mission say, that army managed to lock the aliens inside an area and is going to carpet bomb it, unless PHALANX operatives perform a cleanout. In tactical missions taking place in military or police installations the traces of the gunfight could be visible along with pre-generated dead bodies of both humans and aliens. In later stages, as the conflict escalates, the maps could include burned tank columns and shell-holes. I think that would show that conventional armies are not sitting on their hands, while still keeping them to the role of the crowd and retaining PHALANX as a spearhead of anti-alien fight.