FMod

I suppose these lines can be added into the files themselves for patches. For complete mod sections, it's better to use one ini for all. I'm not sure how much cluttering the exe can take - it can definitely take some, but it's probably best not to abuse that. Patches can be cluttered at will, since only lines already present in the exe are applied. For the release date, the key function is not working yet, but it should only take me a few days (if I don't skip any) to have a usable version. It's not exactly a GUI, something better can be made someday, so I try to avoid feature creep and go for speed over perfectionism. Merging mods changing one line is pretty much impossible - it can only be done manually, otherwise you're inviting bugs and glitches. Mostly your mod configuration is going to look like this: Rules_Custom.ini Armor=TwoSlots,armor_twoslots.txt,Vanilla stats with two item slots for all Weapon=Alternative,weapon_alt.txt,In between vanilla and Warspace Balance=Zero,balance_zero.txt,No difficulty modifiers Statprog=Turbo,stat_turbo.txt,One level beyond vanilla Colonel Funding=Marathon,funding_marathon.txt,Slowed eng and sci gain XP=Turbo,xp_turbo.txt,One level XP threshold shift ... Patch=Almost Equal,patch_rec2.txt,Narrow rookie stat range with Not Born Equal Patch=Tougher Civilians,patch_civ.txt,Gives civilians 3hp and more defense Patch=Combo Stims,patch_stim.txt,Stims give Heal Wound (requires upk mod) This doesn't have to be edited by hand, each item is selectable in a menu. But options first need to be added to modfiles.ini to have descriptions. Mods can supply their .ini to be semi-automatically added to modfiles.ini. Later there might be an automated option to break a complete ruleset apart and add it into the ini, without descriptions though. On the plus side, mod format is really the same as modpatcher file, with all irrelevant lines removed. Patch format is the same, it can just be one line or multiple. But it's only possible to patch lines with unique option names. There are some lists, for instance UFOAlloys=30 is followed by UFOAlloys=60, for different UFOs. These can't be patched. When you have picked all your options and patches, the utility concatenates armor, weapon, balance and up to research sections into one file, then applies selected patches, then lets you check the file and patch it into the exe. Patches are probably the most useful function, since a patch can be made very easily and sometimes automatically from a complete ruleset (just grep it versus vanilla). So major feature selection is in big chunks, each covering an entire game aspect, then small patches can be applied with individual tweaks.

Power draw is. OP doesn't appear to have a PSU with power to spare.

I'm currently working on a tool that allows players to build custom rulesets by combining sections from different mods, patching in partial rulesets with just the changed lines, applying mini-patches to customize their game, potentially merging mods if someone wants to. You can do it in a text editor yourself, but the mod builder (or however it's named) is meant to be more convenient and newbie-friendly. It also allows for easily customizable mods with options the player can pick at installation. For instance, some players dislike Warspace's weapon changes, this way a user can be prompted to select Vanilla, Warspace, Marathon, Alternative weapon balance sets. It's also likely to include options for language file patches. I'm not going to compete with upk tools, that's the line. Now, I have a few questions requiring your input. The first is really easy, the second is more technical and aimed at modders. 1) How should I name it? Can't seem to get a grasp on a good name. Mod Customizer or Merger, Custom Ruleset Builder, it doesn't qualify as mod manager, but maybe "Ruleset Manager", something else... suggest something! 2) What sections to break the mods down into - what needs to be customizable and what doesn't? In total there's Armors+Characters, Weapons, Difficulties; Stat Progression, Funding+Continent Bonuses; XP thresholds, Tactical Constants+Strategic Constants; Item Costs+Facility Costs+Foundry Projects+OTS Projects, Research. I put "+" for parts I'm currently going to combine together. Semicolons ";" are necessary separations. Too many splits will require more files and more ini file editing (I'll try automating it, but can't be sure), too few splits can miss out on customization. Do you think it's just right, or should I change the division? Also, if you're familiar with ruleset structure, maybe there's even smaller parts of these sections you think need to be separate.

NV has been rebranding its cards for just as long. 9800, 250GTS, 300 series, the whole low end of 600 series. Selling one product under multiple names is nowhere near the borderline fraud of selling multiple different products under the same name. Anyway, GT600-640 aren't worth their price even if you get the best version. My links got obsolete in the time being - used to be much cheaper, now the prices are up. That said, the models remain. Right now I think there is no beating this: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814102969 Proper HD7750 with GDDR5 for $85 post-rebate free shipping. Same performance as 550Ti, while the price is better and power draw is twice lower - 550Ti might need a new PSU, 7750 won't. Grab it while it lasts, don't wait.

That's not the same. All 6770 are rebranded 5770. It may be a little disappointing, but at least it's straightforward. On the other hand, Nvidia keeps selling different cards under the same exact name. Some GT640 are the real deal, while others are rebranded old cards that are significantly worse. You can't know for sure which one you get unless you have information about that specific model. The same in every generation. Only the top model is safe, everything else is a raffle ticket.

I assumed you knew... Save files are in Users\Documents, then either My Games or game maker or game name folder. Old games and behind-the-curve companies might also store them in AppData. Searching for game's name (short) will almost always give results. Or just copy the whole documents folder, it's safe. AppData has to be copied selectively. You have to reinstall 90% of games either way. Although a few exceptions do without.

If I were you, I'd drop an extra $30 and get a larger display: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16824116582 Still 1080p, but it's bigger, that pays off in games, movies, etc.

It's not really going to matter then. Recon3D is a piece of crap though, there's no polite way to describe it; it's a card with poor audio quality, no DSP (despite its "quad-core" claims), its only new feature is a complementary cheating hack and there aren't any other redeeming qualities whatsoever, if you even count that as one. X-Fi is better in every way there is. Titanium HD is an audiophile card, it won't make any difference at all (even minimal) for your speakers, and it has its problems - no analog 5.1 support, no XP support, poor non-Windows support. Regular Titanium would be the one you need. Not really sure on front panel audio, never used it. My understanding is that you plug it in and it works instead of regular outputs. Not sure what a video card has to do with it. "Watts" are a grossly abused metric. About 40W each into a pair of typical 85-91 dBVm bookshelf speakers is usually perceived as very loud, but below a rock concert. Typical volume at which a loud conversation is still legible is reached between 0.5 and 3 W. However amp makers then inflate wattage metrics - most cheap receivers claim to put out more power than they draw from the socket! - and so do low-end speaker makers. Boom boxes go even further. Claimed wattage is one thing that can be safely ignored when picking amps and speakers, except for the purposes of ranking relative power of units of the same brand.

7850 honestly needs very little cooling, go with what's cheaper unless the difference is small. Also, only Asus DCII is good. The regular model is same as stock with higher price.

They are all pretty large. Usually you put them somewhere other than on the table. They're designed to be placed on a shelf, part of a stand or rack. A receiver I can recommend is this: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16882120194 If you have HDMI, you can connect your receiver to the video card via HDMI and plug both the monitor and the speakers into it. Unfortunately I'm not sure if this receiver can be operated in lag-free bypass mode. I know Denons and some Onkyo models (not sure about this one) can. It will matter if you play competitive multiplayer games (Counter-Strike etc). No matter, though, because if there is lag, you can connect the receiver to your onboard digital instead or maybe do a trick with two HDMI outputs. Onboard digital might introduce sound glitches. It also might be completely bug-free, and most time is, you just never know in advance. Video card's HDMI sound is reliable. With a receiver you can skip buying a sound card altogether and just use receiver's own DAC. It's convenient, higher quality than most sound cards, and it's one less analog cable, which is one less thing to go wrong. Two if you count the sound card. It will also add flexibility if you ever decide to connect a game console, a player or something else to it, or extend your system to have more speakers. 5.1 is gimmicky, but 4.0 makes a big difference in games. Well then. Can you then just buy a pair of speakers, tell them you are looking for a second-hand amplifier to drive them, and ask them for a receiver, particularly that receiver? Don't skimp on size too much. With speakers, size matters - having a solid pair (6.5" single bass driver or 5" dual driver) means you can have deep bass without need for a subwoofer. Cheap subs can really ruin the sound and you don't want to know the prices for ones that don't. Stereo with good drivers is better. How much bass a driver can put out is determined by its displacement (diameter^2*pi/4*throw, just like an engine cylinder), and, much like with cars, "there's no replacement for displacement". Almost all modern speakers max out gains through cabinet construction and travel length already, so it comes down to driver diameter or multiple drivers. Back to practice, I can recommend this pair: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16882290269 It only has as much footprint as the smaller pair you picked initially, but it's taller, and it's a newer model. Its layout should put the tweeter (the small dome playing higher frequencies) closer to your ear level, which is where it should be. Added height reduces the interference with table surface, the lowermost speaker should mostly handle bass extension. There are also alternatives from audio brands that aren't on newegg: http://www.ebay.com/itm/Mission-MX1-Bookshelf-Speakers-Cherry-50-Off-/140688368589?pt=Speakers_Subwoofers&hash=item20c1ae23cd Versus Polk 45, it's a matter of preference, these look cooler. However you can't put them right on the table, they need something to stand on. So if you put them right on the table, the former pair (Polk 45) will do better. For something better further, you could search for a pair of used Monitor Audio Bronze or Silver speakers. This is a solid step up, but they're mostly found in UK and Europe, not US. Ebay and other online sites are one of the better places to look, e.g. this query: http://www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?_kw=Monitor+Audio This way will take more effort, but it will pay off. Don't worry about being second-hand, speakers readily last for decades without degrading, especially from this brand (they don't use relatively short-lived materials like paper). However, again, it's best for these not to stand right on the table due to acoustic reflections from its surface.

Your best option is to buy a used card. $50-$100 will buy you a lot of great cards that are not up to date. GTX260 will run it on High, not medium or low, and it's about $50. But if your PSU isn't up to it, you need something with low power draw, and that's new cards like HD7750 or GTX650. What is your PSU model? Performance: http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/AMD/Catalyst_12.11_Performance/19.html 7750 is faster than 650 and the margin is not small. But price-wise: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814161403 - $100 http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814130827 - $85 I can not recommend anything cheaper. With GT630 or 640 it's too likely that you'll get a fake (a card with an old chip). These Nvidia-sanctioned fakes are grossly inferior to proper cards in performance and draw more power. And they aren't even measurably cheaper than 650 anyway. With AMD you get what is promised, but their cheapest new card is 7750.

You need to edit the exe file itself, not the ini. Find [XComGame.XGTacticalGameCore], extract until BlasterBombSpeed=500.0f Save as .txt, edit, patch with Modpatcher.

I'm working on a mod that does just that. Balances the game such that you have to put off some techs. Still depends on your good faith to actually do that alien base mission and not drag it out forever though. Marathon doesn't fully work. It works, that is, but it's just stretching. What does work in SW is Diminishing Returns - it makes covering the whole map with sats impossible.

2.0 is usually better than 2.1. Almost always. Although not as compact, but cheap subs tend to do more harm than good. 1) How much space do you have on your table? 2) Do you have somewhere to place an amplifier or a receiver? 3) Does your display have HDMI, what size is it? 4) What's your total budget? Both card and speakers. Presuming it's more than $200.

I have modpatcher and know p.much everything that can be done with it. It's the stuff that can't that worries me. Do the aliens behave like on Classic/Impossible? I.e. are they still aggressive, still throw grenades, etc?

Ehr... Why don't we wait for the OP first to tell us what he needs specifically? P.S. What, these are better than Grado GS1000? :teehee:

"Never activate more than one group of aliens at a time" seems to do the trick. Also, don't be ashamed to run away rather than shoot when that is the best choice. Aliens are really dumb and won't chase you, get a comfy distance and snipe away. It's not even challenging. Have yet to lose a squaddie or higher.

Toying around with various difficulties settings and running into lots of frustration on Xenonauts forums about how XCOM EU was about mopping down mobs of weakling aliens, I had this thought - - Can the AI at Easy be unshackled, so that, with its small number of enemies seriously beefed up, it changes the balance into fighting small groups of superior opponents? I know what can be done via XGTacticalGameCore and Modpatcher, but it seems like there is more to it that can be edited there. Anything in UPK that could be responsible for less aggressive AI behavior at low difficulties, or is it hardcoded? Alternately, any known way to drop the number of enemy spawns on high difficulties?

That's in all countries, these "free" PSU suck. They are not for a "K" build, you don't need more than 400W of power, but it needs to be high quality. Corsair TX650V2 is good and future-proof, but there are cheaper options too.

Trying to use it now. I've been working on exe tweaks only until now, so a complete rookie at upk edits (for XCOM at least). Maybe my steps can help idiot-proof this: 4) Download and extract XSHAPE v0.14+ into your xcom folder. Extracted, ran, error 5. Figured it out. How about adding uncompressedsize file removal straight into the .bat file? Also, do users need to decompress the upk files themselves first?

Boston Acoustics is another decent home audio brand... surprised that you'd be promoting plastic products while having a proper setup yourself. As for Polk vs Boston, they're comparable, it comes down to price. SLI: I use SLI (2x680) and a Creative card (X-Fi Elite Pro), no issues noticed. Nor were there any with older setups. These are home audio speakers, they don't come with cables or a built-in amplifier. So you plug an amplifier or a receiver (~same thing, a receiver has built-in DAC) into your sound card, then connect speakers to the amplifier. Cables are bought separately, don't need expensive ones, it's a pretty small-ticket item. For receivers, if you are going to build a 4.0 or 5.1 system eventually, get this: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16882120194 If you are content with stereo, a two-channel amp will do: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16882177020 The Onkyo is a pretty good unit and it's better, but not necessary to spend extra if not doing a multichannel build. Do you have room for a receiver? If not, you'll need speakers with integrated amps. If 5.1 is planned, better try and find room for a receiver, for stereo there's plenty of decent integrated options. For sound card I'd suggest X-Fi Titanium, it has all that you need, there's very little competition to it. edit: Also, if you're buying a receiver, you might not need a sound card at all and use the HDMI connection on your video card. The receiver will do the job. X-Fi Titanium will still give slightly better quality, but games are increasingly moving down to software sound. So quality difference becomes too small to bother and you can save some money that way.

"THX certified" doesn't mean sound quality, it's really mostly just a way for Lucas to make some cash on the side. You'll find plenty of studio grade components that are not THX certified. When speakers are concerned, none of the computer brands is even close to decent. There's sound coming out, but it barely reminds of the recording that was sent in. Visit a home audio store and hear for yourself, it's day and night. You know good equipment, so let me provide an analogy... Buying Creative or Logitech speakers just because they make good sound cards and peripherals is like saying "Well, Intel makes the best CPU, so I'll go with Intel graphics, who needs these Nvidia and ATi upstarts". You must realize how mistaken such a reasoning would be. It applies to sound even more. Even a cheap pair like this should sound better: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16882117405 But seriously speaking, this would be a good starting set to build 5.1: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16882290205 Four of these and a amplifier will set you right up. Add a center and a sub later, a center is optional and you probably won't even need a sub. Polk is a good make, right on the lower edge of hi-fi audio, and Newegg seems to have some ridiculously undercut prices on this model for a few days. If you want something smaller, look at other speakers in the "home audio" category. Make sure these are two-way speakers, wood (MDF) cabinets, usually boxy. A subwoofer is very optional, once you get proper speakers, you'll have a chance to reevaluate whether it's still needed for your system. If you post your maximum total sound budget, for both sound card and new speakers, locale if not North America (Europe and Asia have different brands), space availability (how large you want to go) and whether you prefer stereo, 4.0 or really need 5.1 (stereo will have best music quality, 4.0 is good for everything, 5.1 will either cost more or sound worse), I should be able to suggest or put together a complete set.

Any plastic multimedia speakers (that includes anything ever from Creative, Logitech, or other computer brands) are worthless as far as sound quality is concerned. If you feel fine with them, that's fine, but there's no point spending money on a discrete sound card. And there are far better options for $400 anyway, even for less. Unfortunately it's all heavily locale-dependent if you want it cheap. Look for anything with wood or more precisely MDF cabinets that you're comfortable with in terms of price.

What's the point of spending more than around $0 on a sound card if you don't have decent speakers? It all sounds the same on cheap speakers. I've had SB 16, Audigy 2 ZS, X-Fi EP, never caused any issues with CF and SLI, don't put too much stock into one review.

A more important factor is that RAM with tall "heatsinks" (decorative really) interferes with what CPU coolers you can install. Samsung has none, nor does it need any, so you won't have to rip them off. And you can o/c it to 2133 most of the time. I kinda like the look of components will their PCB covered myself, but it just isn't practical for RAM. 7950 has always been faster than 660Ti, it may cost a bit more though - you want a non-reference cooler with that. Why do you even need Win7 Pro, any feature or "just because"? Don't do it "just because", it won't run any better/faster/whatever, only do it if there's some specific feature that you need in Professional. But if you do need that, you don't need a store, the upgrade is digital (just a key) and mostly built into the OS.