Messages

61

Discussion / error on startup

« on: May 10, 2006, 03:35:31 pm »

Hmmm I get a blank screen on WinXP with latest revision files (903)... No error message.

I run with:
AMD 2600
1 Go DDR
FX5200 128Mo
WinXP SP2

Is it because I use Direct3D instead of OpenGL ?

Malick

62

Design / Design: Equipment

« on: May 10, 2006, 03:27:00 pm »

What do you think of the idea that surgery may not be 100% reliable and successful ?

Let's say that with the first implant technology you develop (whatever), you get a 60% success rate. It means that 6 times out of 10, your soldiers is actually stronger, but the 4 other times it's a failure, and either nothing happens or soldiers dies during surgery. Ok, it may be a bit too much to kill him, but I like it, call me sadistic  :twisted: . Then, with better technology, the success rate gets a bit closer to 100%, while not reaching it, topped at 95%.

Would it hinder the player ? Or will it give important decisions to make ? Like, will I risk Lieutenant Dimitri Chadrin's life in order to improve his aiming ability, knowing that he has 40% risk of never coming back from surgery ?

Malick

63

Design / Design: Aliens

« on: May 10, 2006, 03:04:32 pm »

On the other hand, I don't want to see aliens resist a specific kind of weapon, rather the opposite. All aliens should be "killable" with any kind of weapons, really. Rather, some should have particular deficiencies or weak spot if you prefer. Like I said, you can kill this enemy with your SMG if you like, but it goes real faster with a laser beam...

I agree with you, it's too frustating to land for a mission just to realise that all enemies are imune to your weapons. I think it's better to apply the field manual in every case: "If you can't do it with style, do it with firepower". Go blasters all the way baby, yeah !!!

Malick

64

Design / Design: Soldier stats

« on: May 10, 2006, 02:55:10 pm »

Well, considering that an enterable text field shouldn't be more than a string of characters, it shouldn't be too much, IMHO. I agree otherwise that it could increase the size of the saved files, but's that shouldn't be too great a problem. Oh well, that's just my thought after all. Coders might know better  :roll:

I should put my self back to learning C++, damn it !

Malick

65

Design / Design: Aliens

« on: May 10, 2006, 02:38:45 pm »

It would be good that each alien race or type has a default. For example, Mutated Ortnok could be easier to kill with laser weapons than with plasma. But it would mean that coders input various armor values according to type of weapon (bullets/laser/fire/plasma for example).

Malick

66

Design / Design: Soldier stats

« on: May 10, 2006, 02:26:58 pm »

I see very nice ideas and news.

Regarding ranks, I agree that it's better to keep them simple. Four or five ranks, not more, and all must be quite different.

Private/Rookie
Sergeant/Squad Leader
Lieutenant
Captain
Commander/Colonel (make this one very rare, why not unique ?)

Regarding "medals", I don't know how you wish to implement them yet, but I think it's a very good idea. Even if they do not give any bonus to the soldiers, it allows to give them a character and a story. What I'd really like to see implemented is a little file for each soldier. For example, a soldier right now has a name, a rank and a set of variables reflecting his abilities. Maybe, adding a little zone where we can input some text could add to the atmosphere.

Or an editable log: "On April 23rd, 2084, was promoted to Sergeant after killing 3 aliens during a dangerous mission. On June 2nd, 2084, was awarded Earth Defence Medal for Heroism on the field. On June 5th, 2084, was heavily wounded during a mission, transfered to hospital for a 16 days healing period."

On the other hand, I do not know how hard such a thing could be to code...

Malick

67

Translating / Searching translators

« on: May 10, 2006, 02:15:06 pm »

Oh well, as soon as I have a bit more free time, I may get back to tranlsating into french. I was already volunteer for the previous dev-team, no reason I shouldn't be here !

Malick

68

Design / Names

« on: May 10, 2006, 02:13:34 pm »

Hi all !

I thought that french names as they were not reflecting France population, but rather Canada's french Quebec names...

EDIT: I remove the commited name list. If you know more please post a new entry instead of editing the existing one. That's easier to track. Thanks Werner

Code: [Select]


COMMITED



It's just a small contribution, i could add many more. It may be a good thing we all improve small aspects of the game like this ! All is in the details

Cheers

EDIT: I added some more names, just for fun  :wink:

Malick

69

Design / Design: Equipment

« on: May 08, 2006, 04:40:25 pm »

I agree with you, it may encourage the player to let their soldiers wander around with C4 packed around the belly... Well, I must admit that I always try to hurt my soldiers in UFO in order to increase their hit points

And if the surgery isn't 100% reliable, it may prevent such behavior.

70

Design / Design: Equipment

« on: May 08, 2006, 04:22:18 pm »

Regarding cyborgs/enhanced soldiers:

The whole problem is to find a way to make flesh and machine work together. Instead of removing a limb from a willing (or not) soldier, what if the basic condition for being elligible to implants was that the soldier must first have a important wound ? Let's say that a 25% loss of hit points represents the loss of an arm or a leg, whatever. And you then have the option to let him heal normally (XCOM agents have this ability to grow new arms and legs ), or try to adapt a robotic implant. The surgery may not always be succesful, though

71

Design / Design: Soldier stats

« on: May 08, 2006, 03:40:03 pm »

Hi !

If you allow me to slightly alter what you proposed, this is what I think better reflects the attributes' influence on weapon classes.

Strength should affect proficiency with Close and Heavy equipment.
Agility should affect proficiency with Assault and Explosive equipment.
Endurance should affect proficiency with Heavy and Assault equipment.
Intelligence should affect proficiency with Explosive and Precision equipment.
Psionic Strength should affect only Psi equipment.

Otherwise, I agree on most of what you said. I believe a soldier stats should depend on his/her basic attributes. Then, according to training and experience, these values may evolve so that the soldier can turn out into a specialist or a general purpose fighter.

IDEA/ PROPOSAL :
There could be another stat to reflect a soldier ability to command to others, let's call it command. According to the soldier's rank (private, sergeant, lieutnant, captain, major, colonel) and to this stat, the soldier could try to calm down or raise the morale of other soldiers through an action button, kind like a weapon is handled, targeted at a particular soldier. This action would have a given chance of success, depending on distance between the two soldiers (like weapons), rank (a sergeant has a better chance of calming down than a colonel, but a colonel can reach a lot farther) and the "command" stat. This would give good clues to the player or promotion algorithm which soldier to promote first and give a more important role to officers and NCO.

What do you think ?

72

Discussion / Welcome back, UFOAI

« on: March 16, 2006, 06:44:59 pm »

Hi all !

As many users of this forum, I'm glad to see this project back on tracks. Hopefully, it will move forward thanks to svn and everybody being able to participate.

Just like PsyWarrior I thought this was long dead and was nicely surprised when I checked the ufo:ai site out of boredom...

Hope to hear from you all again !

Malick