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Post by Kyzrati on Sept 14, 2013 16:50:35 GMT -5
The mostly WIP readme can be found here, as a gDoc instead of attached text document. From now on, README-Rectification will just be a link to this document. You could also add that link to the OP.
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Post by Aves Dominari on Sept 14, 2013 17:15:44 GMT -5
I think the idea works fine, and tactically it's interesting to not be able to smash through everything you can see through (though are there any normal windows out there? There probably should be at least some, no?). I think it's the name which ends up being somewhat confusing for the player. Not sure how to rename that, but I like the idea. To be honest, I never really liked your windows ;p My cell variant completely replaces the prop one, so there aren't any of your windows anywhere. I'm not coming up with any good ideas for renaming things, either, but perhaps I'll add something to the general notes about new window behavior. I forgot to mention that I second 10101's suggestions about being more informative about the ammo at some point during the equipment selection process (or on the menu itself), since I wasn't sure how much I was purchasing the first time, either. Not a problem; I'll be sure to mention how much of everything the player is getting. (You also get multiple pieces of equipment, sometimes, mostly when you buy grenades or mines, so I'll be sure to be specific with everything.) "The Council of Funding Nations has, against all sense, reacted to the losses we have suffered." Also some changes to improve readability, like "Cydonian Terror Ship has landed in a city and has unleashed its hellish cargo" and logic: "that we alone are to have access to Cydonian technology" (it's odd to say that no one else can have it, because they can--though it is logical to say that may be the case now). Now that you point it out, it is a bit of a mess. The only thing I can say in my defense is that it made sense to me when I wrote it. See ALNSPWN2, there's a 'B' at (8,9,0) which is not part of a tree--that tree is in the top right corner of the area. Got it. Thanks for the catch; it was nestled in the number signs and I completely missed it :l
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Post by Kyzrati on Sept 14, 2013 17:27:49 GMT -5
To be honest, I never really liked your windows ;p !!! Okay, I can see why, but my favorite part is shooting through glass and hear it shattering, then crunching over what's left. Now that you point it out, it is a bit of a mess. The only thing I can say in my defense is that it made sense to me when I wrote it. Aside from picking it up again for a re-read at some later point, always helps to read it aloud (and not too quickly), paying at least cursory attention to each word and what it's purpose is. Not sure if you have that habit when proofreading something, but it's a good one. See ALNSPWN2, there's a 'B' at (8,9,0) which is not part of a tree--that tree is in the top right corner of the area. Got it. Thanks for the catch; it was nestled in the number signs and I completely missed it :l Easy to occur, until we get a map editor. I'll be back later today with specific psionic ideas, but my first suggestion would be to rename the categories entirely rather than trying to think of a fourth. The magic-based ones don't seem too fitting.
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Post by Kyzrati on Sept 15, 2013 0:27:51 GMT -5
One psionic idea: Pyrokinesis on a small scale could be useful for lighting up a dark area, or on a large scale could bring down a building in a fiery explosion.
About the categorization, I think the main problem with the existing labels is they aren't descriptive of the abilities they actually contain. Instead, it would make more sense to base the group names on increasing power, which is how they are comprised. Something like Class I Psionics (Class II, Class III, Class IV...) work fine, and sound more "sci-fi" as opposed to other fantasy-focused category systems.
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Post by 10101 on Sept 15, 2013 6:52:52 GMT -5
As to the windows:
The props.xt fills the keyboard really fast, so it is a good idea to search for things you can outsource into the cells.xt.
One idea to add to the windows is to make two of them. A 'small' and a 'large'. While the small one is like the one you are using already, the large one wouldn't block movement but add +6 to the TU-cost as you climb through.
After that you could include the prop again to get the glass shattered or Kyzrati might create a PROJ_MOVE_ON_CELL trigger that would play the according sound the first time a projectile moves there.
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Post by Aves Dominari on Sept 15, 2013 16:00:34 GMT -5
As to the windows:One idea to add to the windows is to make two of them. A 'small' and a 'large'. While the small one is like the one you are using already, the large one wouldn't block movement but add +6 to the TU-cost as you climb through. That's actually a pretty cool idea! I'll certainly do that and sprinkle the large variety throughout the existing blueprints.
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Post by Kyzrati on Sept 15, 2013 16:54:26 GMT -5
- This time I tried an Elerium tech squad, again two sergeants and four squaddies. Up against floaters.
- I was wondering what the "boxes" were, then I used one. I like the description
- Add a note (at least to the manual) that you can, during the equipment selection process, press 'i' to see what's on the ground at the Choose Equipment position (white triangle). Also a note that you'll have to have your squad actually pick up and equip the items/armor (which they've been given extra TU to do). Since the whole process is created using such a unique system that the game doesn't support internally, it can be somewhat awkward at first, but once you get used to it it's quite a nice implementation.
- I like the glove wearing mechanics that enable you to use the sectoid weapons. From a design perspective, nice use of traits. It could be confusing to a first-time player, since they might select plasma weapons but not know they also have to get gloves to use them.
- Nice vent mechanics on the lasers!
- There were floaters freaking *everywhere* in this one area. I set up one sergeant as a heavy armor close-combat guy with an Alloy Blade, and he got a few from behind when they were on the ground. Also stabbed a reaper that walked around a corner, downing it with help from Bob, who was distracting it from his shop with shotgun fire. Nice to have a melee weapon other than a stun rod...
- I did see some ADTI this time, but it was just a literal pile of corpses
- Was a bit difficult to track down the last couple panicked floaters since they have no flight sound, but that's my fault for never giving them one. In all lost two squaddies to a massive floater ambush.
- Fun mod already, which just needs the rest of the missing content and a better intro to the selection system (most of the details can probably be put in the manual and tell people to read at least the equipment selection overview to make sure they get the process, but it's always nice to have some shorter notes in the game itself at proper intervals during the process).
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Post by Aves Dominari on Sept 15, 2013 17:24:48 GMT -5
Add a note (at least to the manual) that you can, during the equipment selection process, press 'i' to see what's on the ground at the Choose Equipment position (white triangle). Also a note that you'll have to have your squad actually pick up and equip the items/armor (which they've been given extra TU to do). Since the whole process is created using such a unique system that the game doesn't support internally, it can be somewhat awkward at first, but once you get used to it it's quite a nice implementation. Like I said before, I have a very poor idea of how (un)intuitive the system is to a newcomer. I'll be sure to add notes to every step of the process. [/li][li]I like the glove wearing mechanics that enable you to use the sectoid weapons. From a design perspective, nice use of traits. It could be confusing to a first-time player, since they might select plasma weapons but not know they also have to get gloves to use them.[/quote] It's a bit clumsy, I'm afraid. I'll probably change it so that picking up purchased plasma will give the soldier in question the trait, rather than having a separate item to do it. [/li][li]Nice vent mechanics on the lasers![/quote] Thanks. In order to nerf the lasers a bit but keep the original draw of limitless ammo, I implemented the venting mechanic. I'll change it so that the weapon won't break when you hit zero charges, though; it's a hassle to micromanage and there's no good way to let the player know what exactly is happening when his laser weapon disappears suddenly. [/li][li]Fun mod already, which just needs the rest of the missing content and a better intro to the selection system (most of the details can probably be put in the manual and tell people to read at least the equipment selection overview to make sure they get the process, but it's always nice to have some shorter notes in the game itself at proper intervals during the process).[/quote] Agreed on all accounts; I just wanted to get input from other players before going on to the Ultimate tier and the most complicated features. It's good to hear you did well against the Floaters, too. They're probably the hardest race to fight right now; my main problem was always the scouts hovering just outside of your vision range taking reaction shots when you thought you were clear ;p 'd like to know what you think of the Needle sounds, though. I was getting sick of the gunfire sounds, but couldn't come up with a decent alternative, so I went with breaking glass and decided it sounded decent.
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Post by Kyzrati on Sept 15, 2013 17:34:24 GMT -5
It's good to hear you did well against the Floaters, too. They're probably the hardest race to fight right now; my main problem was always the scouts hovering just outside of your vision range taking reaction shots when you thought you were clear ;p I usually pop smoke before going into unexplored areas that don't have much cover; gives you time to set up covering fire before moving a spotter beyond the smoke. This time my front line blade soldier also carried a motion scanner and stuck to smoky or enclosed areas, which helped clear them out, too.
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Post by 10101 on Sept 16, 2013 0:47:16 GMT -5
Floaters:
Couldn't be easier. Just add STEP_FLYING_SUIT or STEP_CYBERDISC to the Footstep>Sound - Column and change Silent to 0.
PS: I really miss a SHIV in the basic tech. (perhaps some weaker tank with less armor and a fixed autocannon. Hm, or a heavy cannon... )
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Post by Kyzrati on Sept 16, 2013 1:00:11 GMT -5
Certainly Floater movement could be set up to use existing sounds, yes, but I mean I didn't go in and add a unique one for them. This was intentional since I didn't want to spend time on too many alien-specific sounds since the aliens will be changing somewhat in the future. It would be weird to have them sound exactly like the flying suits, unless of course this particular mod doesn't have flying suits, anyway!
I was going to try SHIVs in my last game, but I thought they weren't implemented since the one I got seemed to have no weapon so I restarted before finishing equipment selection. Now that I think of it it must've been white because I can choose it's weapon through that entity. Oops. (I thought it seemed odd that you said you were using SHIVs, 10101, but I was in a hurry to make my squad so apparently didn't look into it enough...)
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Post by 10101 on Sept 16, 2013 1:15:48 GMT -5
Thinking about the lasers i had a thought about XCOM Apocalypse. Would it be difficult to create a condition that checks for the amount of ammo that a weapon has left and some effect that changes the amount of ammo? Then you could add a ITEM_NEW_ROUND that will add 1-3 Ammo if the ammocount is below max. (Think of the Disruptor Gun)
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Post by 10101 on Sept 16, 2013 2:13:12 GMT -5
OK, i remembered something from the SA-Thread. Here is some experimenting with the 'Farm'-Mod. Have a look for the Plasma Cannon (Commander). Attachments:
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Post by Kyzrati on Sept 16, 2013 2:52:16 GMT -5
Very nice cannon, and I had fun blowing things up with it ;p Definitely check that out Aves Dominari. It makes sense for a big one-shot cannon-type weapon (maybe ultimate tech?), but I do like the mod's existing laser mechanics where you have to choose if and when to spend the time to recharge your weapon.
Ammo conditions and effects could be added later with the future SA system expansion.
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Post by Aves Dominari on Sept 16, 2013 18:25:12 GMT -5
PS: I really miss a SHIV in the basic tech. (perhaps some weaker tank with less armor and a fixed autocannon. Hm, or a heavy cannon... ) I suppose I could add a lesser variant to Terran tech, although I'm still on the fence about it. I'll do it if you really want me to ;p OK, i remembered something from the SA-Thread. Here is some experimenting with the 'Farm'-Mod. Have a look for the Plasma Cannon (Commander). Okay, that's a badass weapon. The particle effects in particular are incredible! Something very similar can definitely be worked into Ultimate tech (probably as an endgame Laser weapon, but I'll see what happens). EDIT: Sorry, I completely missed this post. One psionic idea: Pyrokinesis on a small scale could be useful for lighting up a dark area, or on a large scale could bring down a building in a fiery explosion. Rectification currently happens in daytime exclusively (which is why things like flares and IN rounds don't exist), but that's certainly a good idea, and as a direct attack it can find a place in Rectification. About the categorization, I think the main problem with the existing labels is they aren't descriptive of the abilities they actually contain. Instead, it would make more sense to base the group names on increasing power, which is how they are comprised. Something like Class I Psionics (Class II, Class III, Class IV...) work fine, and sound more "sci-fi" as opposed to other fantasy-focused category systems. Yeah, that does make a lot of sense. The magic-based names were just me brainstorming ideas, and I never came up with anything that sounded better. I'll use Class # instead of magic-themed names.
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