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Author Topic: Storyline, tech tree, general content design  (Read 45039 times)

Offline BTAxis

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Storyline, tech tree, general content design
« Reply #15 on: April 08, 2006, 09:05:19 pm »
I think the mission types can be easily scripted, though some AI changes might be needed if the aliens' goal is to escape. On the same lines, I think defense missions might be fun, where you have to keep the aliens from destroying a key object (computer, person, etc). I'm not sure how easy it is to add "goals" like that to the AI, though. It's more complicated than to have individual aliens hunt the human soldiers without some kind of battleplan, as is the case now.

Offline ProtoArmor

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Unmanned Ground Vehicles - with text and research trees
« Reply #16 on: April 08, 2006, 09:53:42 pm »
Hoehrer mentioned "smaller weapon platforms" if not robots.  
For now, I suggest this:

Triax UGV
(expensive 3-axle assault vehicle)
-Has machine gun turret and heavy armor
-Repaired automatically after missions
   -other ideas for repair:
      -A repair station on the ship that takes the vehicle's next turn for repairs (or more turns if excessive damage)
      -research "Portable Repair Robot" (Used like med-kit, but for vehicles) to repair vehicles using same number of turns/action points as the repair station
-Ion Research can allow you to create Phoenix UVG (hovering unmanned vehicle)

Here's some resource files I made:

_vehicle_triaxugv_txt:
Triax UGV
Using robotics and artificial intelligence, Phalanx has developed an all-purpose all-terrain assault vehicle for use in ground combat without the need for human intervention.  The Triax UGV has three axles and six-wheel suspension for manueverability on all terrains.  It comes complete with heavy armor, enemy recognition, and a computer-controlled machine gun turret.

_vehicles_phoenixugv_txt:
Phoenix UGV
Using Ion technology, Phalanx has advanced UGV (Unmanned Ground Vehicle) technology to create this mobile, hovering, autonomous weapon.  The Phoenix UGV can achieve strategic manuevers such as floating at any point in mid-air, scouting/attacking through second-story windows, and landing on rooftops.

_weapons_portablerepairrobot_txt:
Portable Repair Robot
The Portable Repair Robot provides Phalanx operatives with the ability to repair mechanical ground units during combat.  It incorporates advanced artificial intelligence and robotics, requires little knowledge to operate, and fits inside a backpack.

Code: [Select]

//========================
// Vehicles
//========================
tech vehicles_triaxugv
{
type groundunit
name "Triax UGV"
description "_vehicles_triaxugv_txt"
up_chapter vehicles

requires initial
time 0
researched true
}

tech vehicles_phoenixugv
{
type groundunit
name "Phoenix UGV"
description "_vehicles_phoenixugv_txt"
up_chapter vehicles

requires iontechnology
time 15
researched false
}

tech weapons_portablerepairrobot
{
type weapon
name "Portable Repair Robot"
description "_weapons_portablerepairrobot_txt"
up_chapter weapons

requires initial
time 10
researched false
}



info:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Unmanned_Ground_Vehicle

Offline BTAxis

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« Reply #17 on: April 08, 2006, 10:02:41 pm »
Sounds cool. I think the original UFO had things similar to what you describe. I'm not sure about the repair one, though. Is that something that would add to the gameplay?
Also, you didn't mention, but what size should those UGVs have? I'm thinking 2x2.

Offline ProtoArmor

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« Reply #18 on: April 08, 2006, 10:32:04 pm »
Quote from: "BTAxis"
Sounds cool. I think the original UFO had things similar to what you describe. I'm not sure about the repair one, though. Is that something that would add to the gameplay?
Also, you didn't mention, but what size should those UGVs have? I'm thinking 2x2.


Yea, don't worry about the portable repair robot.  I agree on 2x2 size for the UGV.

If I do a model, there are a few ways to do it:
-Multiple solids (wheels separate from body that will be programmed to rotate)
OR
-One solid, multiple texture (2 textures that flip back and forth to simulate wheel treads turning)
OR
-One solid, single texture (wheels covered by armor)
what kind of model is easiest to implement in the game?

and, is OBJ format okay?

Offline Mattn

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« Reply #19 on: April 08, 2006, 10:47:45 pm »
obj file is ok, but a ready to go md2 would be better - contact hoehrer if you use blender - he contacted the author of the ex/importer for md2s

currently the game supports only aliens/enemies/soldiers with size 1x1 - i´m not sure whether we can change this to a bigger size without redoing most of the tracer, pathfinding and inputstuff

Offline Mattn

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« Reply #20 on: April 08, 2006, 10:48:29 pm »
ah sorry, easiest would be only one model

Offline BTAxis

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« Reply #21 on: April 08, 2006, 10:51:24 pm »
Quote from: "Mattn"
currently the game supports only aliens/enemies/soldiers with size 1x1 - i´m not sure whether we can change this to a bigger size without redoing most of the tracer, pathfinding and inputstuff

We have a couple of 2x2 aliens on the drawing board, too. I think you can't really avoid having 2x2 units - the applications are too diverse (you could have 2x2 stationary "units" that could act as mission objectives, etc). So, better start looking into this.

overridetzx

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Storyline, tech tree, general content design
« Reply #22 on: April 09, 2006, 01:25:04 am »
A possible political situation / political history fleshed out:



===============================
Ufopedia entry: "political situation"
===============================

2084 - A time of relative peace has finally come to Earth. Old wars have been fought out, borders have healed, and governments have stabilized. Former nations and super-nations have coalesced into major political powers, and the United Nations now forms the seat of all World politics. Prosperity is no longer a stranger to many of the peoples of Earth as it once was in the 20th century, and the population now trusts its elected leaders, all experts in their respective fields, to maintain the balance of power and carry them forward into a tranquil, thriving 22nd century.


The Political Powers:

United Americas
Includes the former USA, Canada, Greenland, Cuba, Mexico and the nations of the Central and Southern Americas. After the USA's military activities across the world peaked in 2017, a more inclusive foreign policy in the years that followed was credited as the catalyst for integration with its neighbours and the formation of the Asian Commonwealth and Arab Emirates. Now regarded as a sound moral compass by other World powers, second only to the African Union. Retains its lead in space exploration as a result of the explosion in private enterprise in this area over the past seventy years.


The Greater European Union
The European Union continued its expansion efforts through democratic means to include more and more nations located on the European continent or adjacent to it.

The GEU currently consists of the following countries:
Albania, Austria, Belgium, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, FYR Macedonia, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Serbia and Montenegro, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Turkey and the United Kingdom.

A heavyweight political animal, the GEU is a vibrant and often controversial source of political and social thinking. While it packs a punch, it is slow to manoeuvre in all its dealings owing to its bureaucratic infrastructure. Militarily powerful, second to the Asian Commonwealth in size, the GEU is now typically a neutral force, acting only in defense for the past half a century.


The Asian Commonwealth
Spanning China, Mongolia, Japan, the Indonesian archipelago, India and the smaller Asian nations. Art, architecture, manufacturing and finance have become the backbone of the Commonwealth's economic success. Advances in nanotechnology have helped the nations of the Commonwealth to retain their manufacturing prowess; demand for their skills has come from every sector, ranging from bioengineering to space exploration. Now the largest military force, 20% larger than that of the GEU, the Commonwealth also chooses to deploy its arsenel only in defense. Crucially, they are the quickest of all the nations into action, thanks to the organisation of their military into smaller functional units and a wider teaching of rapid reaction techniques throughout their personnel.


The Arab Emirates
Composed of all the countries in the middle east, including Israel. With dwindling oil reserves restricted to pharmaceutical use by international agreement, and the World's energy crisis solved by successive Russian breakthroughs, in search of an income the Emirates have turned to their one remaining, vast resource: sand. Advanced glass technology has driven the expanse of glistening city scapes across the globe. More importantly, and with the notable exception of intense, time critical computation that now relies on diamond based microprocessors, the worldwide demand for computational power has been satiated by the construction of cheap, sprawling silicon processor farms that rise out of the deserts from which they are made.


The African Union
A rising political and economic power spanning the entire continent of Africa and its islands. Its starving population saved by developments in Australia, civil unrest subsided and a new era of growth and social order ensued. A fiercely proud people, they have held up their escape from disease and disarray as an example to the rest of the world. Excelling in finance, politics and social philosophy they are held in the highest regard by other World powers.


Russia
Rediscovered and revived its beleaguered engineering and scientific communities, establishing itself as a powerhouse of great insight and accomplishment in these fields and revered throughout the world for its advances in energy generation, transport and medicine. Such advances have brought with them a greater political voice and international support.


Australia
Agreed in 2024 to play host to experimental terraforming work undertaken by NASA and the ESA, deep in the outback. Originally funded as part of a Martian exploration programme, subsequently aborted, ten years of fruitless research suddenly gave rise to a rapidly expanding antipodean oasis spanning most of the continent. Now the major food supplier to the African Union and parts of the Asian Commonwealth, exports of shrimps and barbecues are at an unprecedented high.

Offline Mattn

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« Reply #23 on: April 09, 2006, 08:17:31 am »
Quote from: "BTAxis"

We have a couple of 2x2 aliens on the drawing board, too. I think you can't really avoid having 2x2 units - the applications are too diverse (you could have 2x2 stationary "units" that could act as mission objectives, etc). So, better start looking into this.


Not as easy as you maybe think.

Offline BTAxis

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« Reply #24 on: April 09, 2006, 09:55:18 am »
I'm sure a brilliant coder like yourself will figure it out.

Offline ProtoArmor

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Model format and stuff
« Reply #25 on: April 11, 2006, 12:17:11 am »
Ok, I have blender, so md2 is fine, I'll get the plugin.  Also, can I use an animated texture (2frames)?  Otherwise I'll make the treads linear so they don't look like they're still, or I'll hide them.

Offline Ultrasick

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« Reply #26 on: April 11, 2006, 07:18:28 pm »
I like overridetzx's Ufopedia entry for the political situation. In my oppinion it should be added to the game!

About the name Phalanx: Actually I prefered Sentinel because it's easier to pronounce (at least in some foreign languages). Sentinel has also a meaning that fits to the what Sentinel actually is!

overridetzx

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« Reply #27 on: April 11, 2006, 10:31:56 pm »
Quote from: "Ultrasick"
I like overridetzx's Ufopedia entry for the political situation. In my oppinion it should be added to the game!


Cheers - Hoehrer has added most of it to the 'pedia already and BTAxis made some further changes which I liked a lot. Please contribute and add to the plot if you can!  :)

Offline XCOMTurcocalypse

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« Reply #28 on: April 25, 2006, 09:40:30 pm »
Quote from: "overridetzx"

... Switzerland, Turkey and the United Kingdom.


What a lovely dream to contain my backwater Country in the European union.

This is my first post,Greetings to you all.

I am a XCOM freak,and have finished XCOM 1 2 and 3 and am proud of it.

I don't even know what the game the forum tells about so I'm off to download it and try.

See you soon!

Offline XCOMTurcocalypse

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« Reply #29 on: May 01, 2006, 11:27:34 pm »
I have a large disagreement about the Storyline:

If Aliens can kill hundres of thousands in a city,and are barely driven back,then an initial tiny base and 10-12 soldier Unit PHALANX is ridiculous against such an armada,no matter how high tech.

Didn't mankind colonize Europa,Mars or at least Moon when it had fusion tech and sufficient prosperity at home?What about them?At least make a fine excuse.

PHALANX should be established after an abduction scene of a famous person in front of camera(NOT LIVE though),maybe the daughter/son of a president,vicepresident,or CEO,or at least after a lost Interceptor chasing a small metal shape.The fat big guys realize something is awfully wrong and pay up to establish PHALANX.World Governments take pains not to announce the threat,especially NOT NOW,just now,when wheels of a capitalist world is set finely enough to make the majority flourish and enjoy the world's bounty.

And yes I'm a nerd and a social democrat.And have no girlfriend. :?