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Post by Kyzrati on Mar 30, 2013 6:38:51 GMT -5
Yep, definitely an awesome feature. I used to use another editor that had it as well, but NPP implements it so much more seamlessly, I use it every single day... Such a time saver that would require macros to handle otherwise. (NPP is only missing one feature that would make it perfect, the ability to copy-paste a single string of text simultaneously to multiple selected lines--they seem to have overlooked that one but VS10 has it; the alternative is to actually type the string in manually with multiple lines selected, which isn't too bad.)
Glad it wasn't too much trouble to move to R9. I try to keep all new columns at the end as long as it's appropriate to make updating as easy as possible.
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Post by 10101 on Mar 30, 2013 7:18:25 GMT -5
I only had to remap the keys, as [ALT]+[SHIFT] nearly did drive me crazy alwas changing the keyboardlayout in Windows8. (Ok, ok it's my fault using that OS... )
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Post by Kyzrati on Mar 30, 2013 7:34:16 GMT -5
Ouch, yeah, I skipped Vista, and I'll definitely be skipping 8 as well. I could use 7 for another 10 years like I did XP Couldn't you just switch your Windows keys? I have four different kb layouts, so I use Alt-Shift-# to toggle them. (Alt-Shift does nothing.) At least that makes sense for me, since Alt-Shift is actually needed by more than one program I use, and I have a bunch of keyboard layouts anyway...
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Post by 10101 on Mar 30, 2013 11:17:25 GMT -5
Found it at last and removed it.
Thinking about what to do for the random-faction-spawn, it seems i somehow am missing the ability add the [WANDER]-command to entities that are spawned through SAs. (or something like 'Move around in an area with radius x around your spawnpoint and don't leave it or at least don't until you see an enemy, you want to fight. After Fight return to your spawnpoint or in case of DGUARD: set a new point where you're standing right now)
Paritcularly at the battleship i don't want the player to only sit at the entrance of the UFO and wait until the aliens come out. I want him having to move in and search for at least some navigators, medics and leaders/ the commander.
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Post by Kyzrati on Mar 30, 2013 12:52:18 GMT -5
Yeah, that makes sense, for sure. You'll notice a serious lack of any AI-interfacing through the SA system, precisely because I've been trying to keep it out. It's one of those things which would have to be entirely re-written later when the new/better AI comes in.
I've resorted to two methods in my own mod, one being literally copy-pasting UFOs and creating different areas with different spawns (once absolutely sure the design is what I want), and the only other way I've found to switch AI's from guard to map wander (full map wander), is to have an SA that switches their faction from to XCOM then back to ALIEN again, which will automatically reset their AI to the .xt default (or game default if .xt doesn't specify).
While SAs would be a nice way to spawn just about anything you want to populate your level with, I'd say try and stick to using the standard scripting system as best you can. Copy-pasting works, but I can see how that would be annoying with the huge number of UFOs you have. I copy-pasted mine, then used macros to rename them to versions 'a' and 'b' (I don't have one for each race since I'm mixing races a good bit), then just copied the areas data and converted the race names. Also, maybe you don't really need to have *all* the races for every UFO type... Don't try too hard here ;p The game isn't quite ready for perfect replicas of all original maps, but rest assured what you want will all be available in the map editor, which should be flexible and allow much finer control over AI behavior.
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Post by 10101 on Apr 1, 2013 1:37:56 GMT -5
Ok, i'll remove [WANDER] as it really doesn't seem to do what i had hoped for it to do. That opens the way to do all the spawning with SAs and therefore complete switch between factions.
But before i'll have to make some corrections to the UFOs.
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Post by Kyzrati on Apr 1, 2013 6:34:06 GMT -5
Sorry about that. I'd like to be more accommodating on this but I needed to get R9 out the door before I leave in a week! What we need is a properly developed full AI, but that is best handled once the entire battlescape code is finalized.
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Post by 10101 on Apr 1, 2013 10:32:46 GMT -5
Never mind, i don't think that change will make a lot of difference.
To use [WANDER] to its full extend i would have to use it with GUARD or DGUARD. So the alien would normally stay where it spawned but use [WANDER] to move around in an restricted area. (like the crossbow archers in the Aggressionmod) But because of the nature of the UFOs that only really works if there are CUBEs that include several areas. But it's a long way to go to get them, so i don't care.
The game is in developement and so is the mod. I'll simply add things, when they are available.
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Post by Kyzrati on Apr 5, 2013 8:52:18 GMT -5
the only other way I've found to switch AI's from guard to map wander (full map wander), is to have an SA that switches their faction from to XCOM then back to ALIEN again, which will automatically reset their AI to the .xt default (or game default if .xt doesn't specify). Oops, this is what I get for being hacky with the scripts. I just realized that by using the faction switch method to reset AI it will of course reveal that section of the map for the temporary faction (since FOV is recalculated immediately on switching), so in Ground Zero you sometimes see unknown parts of the map revealed indicating where an alien just woke up. So XCOM should not be the temporary faction--go through a different unused one instead, like POLICE or whatever. I'll be fixing that in the mod myself.
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Post by 10101 on Apr 6, 2013 2:33:38 GMT -5
Despite a single thing this is the final version (for now). - Different aliens to spawn.
- Adjusted number of aliens and terror units.
Only thing i couldn't find is the reason, for the game not spawning muton or ethereal terror units. (other terror units spawn so the spawnpoints are there, and ethereals spawn also, therefore the SA triggers..) PS: ok,ok. Only nearly final. I just remembered i have to give those ethereals and sectoids some psi-attacks. Attachments:
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Post by 10101 on Apr 7, 2013 5:46:23 GMT -5
So that's it. - some tweaks to map building.
- Correct spawning of mutone and ethereal terror units.
- PSI-warfare.
- First message now contains the type of aliens spawning. (Some missions make a BIG difference in difficulty, so now people can't say they weren't warned )
Known Bugs: Aliens don't have weapons in XCOM first turn as they get their random weapons in their first turn. Attachments:
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Post by Kyzrati on Apr 7, 2013 5:50:02 GMT -5
Awesome. I'll play some more of this when I get back in a couple weeks and post about it on the blog then. (Leaving tomorrow morning.)
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Post by 10101 on Apr 7, 2013 6:00:23 GMT -5
Things that might be to be done about it are: - change the tank back to tracked (laser or missile) as soon as i get some sound for it (i feel that fits better into the midgame - theme of the skyranger)
- perhaps add the avanger for some lategame theme.
- and something i thought i should do, but forgot about what it was
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Post by Kyzrati on Apr 7, 2013 6:06:49 GMT -5
I'll work on the tank movement sound when I get back, since I'll need one for the core sound set anyway and already have some assets that I can use for it.
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Post by 10101 on Apr 7, 2013 8:10:28 GMT -5
I remembered what i wanted to do eventually.
Some chance of one or more of the powersources exploding with different strengths to simulate crashed UFOs. (Perhaps in some alternate mod as this is reducing the difficulty)
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