UI Mod - Bigger Perk Tree

[osito2dancer]

Blah... .... Blah

 

Does anyone have any feedback as to what the default perk selection should be with the expanded perk tree? I'd prefer to NOT have it be the default 1-2-2-2-2-1-2 perk layout, as I want someone installing the mod to quickly be able to tell that it has been installed.

 

Any thoughts on this?

 

To do a fast check, you could do a 2 - 2 - 1 - 2 - 2 - 2 - 1 setup, or something of the sorts, since the first mission always promotes a soldier to certain rank, so it would be fast to identify if that works right away or not. Dont know if the changes to the tree are taken into consideration over saves, but it would seem that it doesn't.

 

I've been following your work on several topics, and i'm currently waiting on your "Alien Lockdown Bug fix" to properly play the game again, since it has become boring to lock 4 aliens with 1 soldier at close range and overwatched :(.

 

O2D

[Amineri]

I've actually been testing the changes with a save-game, Classic Difficulty, in November right before the Temple Assault.

 

I think I might do something a little bit crazy like throwing in some duplicate perks at different ranks. With this mod it's possible to spread the default 12 perks over 15 (or more) perk slots. The only thing to watch out for is if a level can end up with no valid choices due to all perks having been selected in prior levels.

 

In my quest to make the early-game more diverse (and a little less punishing), I think I'll go with something like 3-3-2-2-2-1-2. I'll keep the vanilla 12 perks for each class, just duplicate 3 of the weaker ones at the lower levels so that a few more interesting options are available.

 

And no, that won't include the option to select both Squadsight + Snapshot. However, if you're really hard-core I think Squadsight+Snapshot would be balanced with my Squadsight Aim Penalty Mod. -20 to aim for Snapshot and another -30 to -10 depending on range and squadmates helping to sight adds up to a pretty hefty aim penalty ... especially if the targets has any defense or is in cover ^_^. Hmmm.... -20 for Snapshot, -30 for Squadsight, -40 for target in high cover, -10 for enemy defense ... can he still hit with a -100 aim penalty? :o

 

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@O2D ... thanks for the feedback! I had been thinking of moving on to getting the additional equippable items in the game, but I can easily be persuaded to work on AI, since it's kind of a hobby of mine. :D

 

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EDIT -- I forgot ... while working on the new PerkInTreePsi code, I accidentally had put in all of the Support perks instead of the Psi perks. The nice thing is that the code still worked flawlessly, allowing me to select from the first three levels of the Support perk tree on my level 3 Psionic Colonel Sniper.

 

I was able to fit in four levels of selection int othe PerkInTreePsi function, along with up to 4 perk options per level (although the UI sprite still only supports 3 >.> ).

Edited May 6, 2013 by Amineri

[Amineri]

Oh, I guess I've failed to point out something that was obvious to me but was likely not obvious to everyone else.

 

With this mod you will be able to customize each class perks to the extent of having a different shaped tree, with even a different number of total perk choices available to each class.

 

Sniper could have 15 choices and Support could have 20, if you want to go crazy. The psi tree is shared/common between all classes, but otherwise people can go wild :)

[Amineri]

Here is my current plan on the default perk trees to be shipped with the mod:

 

Sniper: (15 different options)

Rank 1: Squadsight or Snapshot

Rank 2: Damn Good Ground, Disabling Shot, or Head Shot

Rank 3: Damn Good Ground or Gunslinger

Rank 4: Battlescanner, Head Shot, or Disabling Shot

Rank 5: Opportunist or Executioner

Rank 6: Low Profile

Rank 7: Double Tap or In The Zone

 

Support: (16 different options)

Rank 1: Smoke Grenade or Field Medic

Rank 2: Smoke Grenade, Combat Drugs or Sprinter

Rank 3: Rifle Suppression, Covering Fire or Field Medic

Rank 4: Smoke and Mirrors, Covering Fire, or Revive

Rank 5: Dense Smoke or Rifle Suppression

Rank 6: Deep Pockets

Rank 7: Sentinel or Savior

 

Heavy: (17 different options)

Rank 1: Fire Rocket or Bullet Swarm

Rank 2: Fire Rocket, Grenadier, or Suppression

Rank 3: Shredder Rocket, Rapid Reaction, or Holo Targeting

Rank 4: Grenadier, HEAT Ammo, or Suppression

Rank 5: Danger Zone or Will to Survive

Rank 6: Danger Zone or Will to Survive

Rank 7: Mayhem or Rocketeer

 

Assault: (16 different options)

Rank 1: Run and Gun or Lightning Reflexes

Rank 2: Run and Gun, Flush, or Tactical Sense

Rank 3: Close and Personal, Flush, or Aggression

Rank 4: Rapid Fire, Flush or Lightning Reflexes

Rank 5: Bring Em On or Close Combat

Rank 6: Extra Conditioning

Rank 7: Killer Instinct or Resilience

 

 

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This isn't really based on any deep insights or careful balancing, just a little mixing up and showing how the mod can handle different combinations. I haven't moved any perks between classes, and the end result should be roughly the same, but there are a lot more choices on how to build up each soldier during the earlier ranks.

 

Each soldier can of course only end up selecting 7 perks in total by Colonel -- nothing has changed there. Psi tree I plan to leave unchanged.

If anyone spots any sort of glaring errors, please point them out! ^_^

 

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EDIT:

 

All the hex changes are done and I have them in a game and running. The only other mod I have in my current install right now is the squadsight aim penalty, so it doesn't rely on any of my other mods.

 

I'm going to start posting it up to the wiki, and once bokauk finishes up a version of ToolBoks that supports Command1.upk edits I'll publish an integrated Custom Mod file for it.

 

This mod requires no less than 23 separate hex edits. 11 changes to XcomStrategyGame.upk, 7 changes to Command1.upk (actionscript changes), and the 5 changes to XcomGame.upk setting the new GetPerkInTree codes. Please be patient with me while I try to get all of the information up on the wiki :)

Edited May 6, 2013 by Amineri

[Amineri]

To whet your appetite until I get the mod on the wiki, and released in a ToolBoks Custom Mod, here is a screen with the (new) default Support perk tree. Even though there are more icons, there are only 12 different perk available.

 

((Note -- this was testing against an old save game, so the soldier has far more than 7 perks -- when playing fresh game with the mod, each soldier will be limited to 7 perks in total))

 

http://wiki.tesnexus.com/images/2/2a/Expanded_Perk_Tree_Support.jpg

 

EDIT: I also just noticed a glitch -- Rifle Suppression is not supposed to be available at rank 1 -- just Smoke Grenade and Field Medic.

Edited May 6, 2013 by Amineri

[Yzaxtol]

Here's my crazy perk Tree ideas.

 

 

[bokauk]

I'm going to start posting it up to the wiki, and once bokauk finishes up a version of ToolBoks that supports Command1.upk edits I'll publish an integrated Custom Mod file for it.

I'll work on it more this evening, hopefully ready for tomorrow :)

[Amineri]

Here's my crazy perk Tree ideas.

 

http://forums.nexusmods.com/public/style_images/underground/attachicon.gifFreaky Tree.jpg

 

I'm going to love seeing all the new crazy perk trees that people come up with! :biggrin:

 

I think it's a little too radical for making the default tree, plus it fails to highlight two of the (what I think are) important features of the mod:

 

1) Perks can be listed in a class tree more than once. A perk may only be selected once, but this gives the player a "second chance" to select the perk.

 

2) Each class can have a uniquely sized and shaped perk tree -- they need not be identical. Hopefully this will make balancing the classes easier (although I think it may be possible to UNbalance the classes just as easily :smile: )

 

I love your giving "In The Zone" to assault though. You should really rename the perk "Trigger Happy" for assault, though :)

 

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Hopefully the larger tree will expand interest in opening/unlocking various new (or class-locked) perks.

 

1) Bullet Swarm is currently class-locked to Heavy, but can be modded to be available to any class

2) Double Tap is currently class-locked to Sniper, but can be modded to be available to any class

3) Bombadier is currently locked to only aliens, but can be modded to be available to any class

((makes grenade range = visual range))

4) Ready For Anything is missing its icon, but works if assigned to a class

((if a soldier didn't move, after firing she can enter overwatch as a free action))

 

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I'm also curious to see what people will do with the enlarged psi perk tree. Any perks can be put in the psi tree, not just the "psi" perks. I was only able to fit four ranks worth of perks into the psi tree (rank 4 = volunteer, and has as the only option "Rift" by default), but there can still be up to 3 choices per psi rank.

 

However, without a further mod, psi soldiers will still only gain psi_xp from using the 3 specific psi abilities that are default at ranks 1 and 2 of the tree.

[anUser]

Excellent work Amineri for the discoveries and mods and bokauk for making them abailable to the public, you ppl rock

I know what Ill say is a bit offtopic, related to custom perk trees... I've played a bit redefining classes, for heavies or whatever class has the rocket launchernis a bit cruel not giving them the fire rocket, cause they will have the launcher anyway. And in my attempt to unlock bullet swarm for all classes I made the ready for anything perk can be used after moving and firing, quite powerful now, I assigned it to support but I may keep it as it is for assault at the same level as rapid fire or close comb spec. Repeating perks can already be done with defautl perk trees. I gave support 2nd choice either smoke grenade orfield medic, and then give them the same choice at lvl 5 or 7, so it will automatically choose the other unselected perk. It's pertty cool in the sense you kind of choose a path and youll be stick to it for a few missions, if those choices can be corrected next level you quite emove the payoff for chosing somthing instead of something else.

Keep up the good work, this promises lots of nice combinations

Edited May 6, 2013 by anUser

[Yzaxtol]

Anything stopping the support from not grabbing smoke grenades but grabbing the smoke grenade buffs instead?

Main reason smoke grenades, run-n-gun and fire rocket is forced at stage 1 is to make it more end-user friendly.

Edited May 6, 2013 by Yzaxtol