LW Projects (...after final version #3)

[SpartanXZero]

First off, before I ramble about my idea. I love this long war mod, adds so much more depth an longevity to this already great remake of the old classic title. It's absolutely brilliant in it's scope so far. An I love the current idea of Exalt having a way to "levelup" in competition with the players.

I'm not sure if this is already on the table or works for the LW project crew.

So here's my idea...

To include a system for players to design and save Pre-setup squads under their own unit designation. This would most likely result in an additional window menu option, as well a squad selection/designation build in the barracks view. These squad setups would be referenced to whatever designation the player decides to use, be it Alpha Strike, Delta Force, SWAT1, etc..

This would allow players to build preset teams with class mixes they've selected for rapid setup at the launch window. They could setup these teams for handling specific mission threats, or simply A, B, C, D etc. Maybe they have specific soldiers that would be more practical for certain mission types such as Extractions, crash recovery, assaults, terror attacks, base defense, etc.

Now, even if there are wounded members that would be on a preset unit roster in the infirmary, selecting the designated squad would still fill out the team loadout with the remaining active members (ready or fatigued) for active service. Any spots that wounded members would take up, would remain empty so players can quickly sub in missing personnel.

While I realize stating this idea as a simple one, I'm sure it's not for programmers/modders to devise. Yet I think it would give players a real simple formula to maintain squads that are tailored for unit cohesion/progression, as well some immersion to the gameplay.

Feasible or to difficult?

Edited August 2, 2015 by SpartanXZero

[SpazmoJones]

I have an idea of combining some of my mods together to create some new gameplay elements. For example, now that shivs can be resized, perhaps add some new shiv types to the game. Similarly, we can now create "alien" soldiers that not only look different, but also have different rules applied when it comes to how they gain XP and level up. For example, they might be able to level up by picking perks from any level (using my commander's perk choice mod), but earn XP at a slower rate, and have longer fatigue time. Other differences could be dreamed up as well of course.

 

I don't know if the regular LW team have already investigated if this is possible, but I'd really like to see "regular" XCom-like soldiers on the alien/exalt team, with the same wide range of abilities XCom soldiers have. I suspect this is very hard to do though which explains why we don't see anything like that in LW at the moment.

 

The air war RNG issues could also be greatly improved by doubling the interception time and halving the damage (I saw this suggested somewhere on the forum).

 

I also really like what I've seen with the new "Tactical Sense" overhaul. There are a lot of great ideas there.

 

For "Long War++" to continue we really need somebody to take charge and make the hard decisions, like JL has been doing, otherwise we're not going to get anywhere.

[Dethraker]

That's a great idea Spazma! Only issue is the LW team isn't making further changes to LW, and technically all changes are merely in addition to the great mod that is LW. Which is probably why everyone is focusing on their own ideas at this point. Would be great to work together on some projects, but there has to be a shared interest, and even then we aren't able to technically expand LW, but only make separate additions to it.

 

I mean we could make vanilla mods again, but with everything LW added to the game I don't really see the point in that lol.

 

I will say this, would be nice to see a "Long War++" team come together and make further additions to the game together in the form of Second Wave options. Would be an easy way to differentiate between LW changes and anything added after the LW team finished their most recent beta version. But I also understand that not all projects would work in that scope, or are desired to work in that scope as it would be a much bigger undertaking to apply the (IsOptionEnabled()) in all the appropriate places.

 

Anyway, I'm fairly new to this community, or at least in contributing to it, so if others are interested in a "Long War++" team up then I'll help where I can.

 

@Spartan,

 

I've seen this idea pop up in a few places, it might have been you each time lol. It's a clever idea, but(from my understanding of EW coding) would be a pretty big undertaking. Not to say no one will work on it eventually, but that all depends on whether or not capable modders/programmers decide that they'd be excited about making something like that. When I put up another summary I'll include that idea, as I think it would be cool to see as well.

 

EDIT: I was thinking about this idea and it occurred to me it might be possible to do something along these lines using a duplicated version of the medal(LW officers) system.

 

Essentially you create additional medals, have the medals labeled [insert squad name] AND [insert squad name] commander. If you put the squad commander in the Skyranger then the other available squad members would automatically be loaded in the Skyranger as well.

 

This wouldn't be as extensive to mod in but wouldn't go into as much detail as to an actual squad loadout system. My only thing is, with the current loadout system creating actual squads is mostly redundant, if you don't have the items available because of limited quantities you have to spend time unequipping/equipping anyway. And creating a system that goes through several checks on top of the checking for injury/fatigue, removing, equipping, etc. would just be an extreme level of tedium to save about a minute in the loadout screen.

Edited August 2, 2015 by Dethraker

[amaciel81]

@Dethraker:

 

I just started learning how to mod; so while it can take some time, I have the intention to do the mods I proposed unless I discover myself (or someone else tells me) they are simply impossible. Right now, I'm working in item number 5 (http://www.nexusmods.com/xcom/mods/610/;not because it's more important, just because it's easier and I can learn doing it), but I'm doing some research meanwhile.

 

For X-COM drones, I know you can spawn any in X-COM side running console command. However, if that particular specie is not present in alien roster, the model will be not present in the map and it will be invisible, unless you reload the map. So this is probably possible if I can overcome this limitation.

 

In the other side, there should be a function which transform a captured drone in a drone wreck after the mission ends. If I can find and hijack it, this should be enough to do the other half.

 

About the specifics, it wouldn't use a Skyranger place and I would like to have the drone spawned from round 0.

 

@SpazmoJones: it was me who suggested to double/half interceptor parameters, so we could have a less brutal game without messing with balance. I even believe this is reasonable enough to be part of Long War itself.

 

About "aliens" soldiers, why don't you borrow the concept from X-COM: Apocalypse and make them hybrids? You can't hire them, you can only have them as rewards from Council missions, or better yet, as a random chance when assaulting a landed research UFO? Then, you could have something like this:

- Sectoid-hybrid: grey skin, small, big head, extra will, one free psi-level; can carry one less small item and can only use carbines, not rifles (so they are always engineers or medics)

- Muton-hybrid: purple skin, big, extra HP and defense; can't be psi, receives -30% of XP

 

To keep the information about the hybrid origin, you could hijack a couple of less-popular countries (since I don't think more could be added), make their flag X-COM's and use the code to hold the logic in your code. I believe country code of a soldier is available either in Strategy and Tactic game.

 

The idea of combining mods and make them Long War++ is awesome.

 

@Zyxpsilon, sorry for hijacking your topic again.

 

Regards,

Edited August 2, 2015 by amaciel81

[Zyxpsilon]

There are new details about the "LW-Pedia" project...

 

Read all about it in this post; http://forums.nexusmods.com/index.php?/topic/3020124-r-d-xcom-uiflash-modding/?p=27629580

 

Still more work to be done - but that gives the essential.

[Zyxpsilon]

This week-end convinced me to start the community ballroom blitz on the LW-Pedia project.

 

It's very simple;

 

1) I know exactly how & what the design/concept should (presently) LOOK like. Nearly 75-80% features completed. Which is why i'm inserting two kind of Mockup screens below.

 

2) Honest the god, i'm not a proficient coder. I can do some artsy stuff in relatively good enough terms, IMO. But i just can't shuffle the mathematics of programming reliably enough. I have to trust others with the skills & precious spare time to realize such dreams of a new gameplay feature for LW.

 

3) Soooooo... here's a formal CALL for re-Action(s). Anyone willing and able to work on the stuff along with me and others is invited to start (or join) the party of reality. Grab a heavy-metal guitar and play with + for us. Many ways to contact me --

 

a) Publicly commit your intentions here

b) via PM on the Nexus

c) Back & Forth eMails

d) Whatever suits you best

e) None of the above

 

4) Let's GO! :D

 

--- #1 ---

The "HQ-Base Concept"...

 

 

 

http://s14.postimg.org/eiaqm653l/LW_Pedia_Mockup_CALL1.png

 

Generally speaking, once you get into Mission-Control... you do some research to eventually build new Facilities -- along with many more things.

 

1) #01 leads to Alien Containment #10...

2) You now have a new Objective... capture some Aliens!

3) Having a Corporal allows you to build the OTS #14...

4) From which you will eventually Promote Officers.

 

Many more facts exposed by this Concept "Panel"!

 

 

 

 

--- #2 ---

Currently researching "Alien BioCybernetics"...

 

 

 

http://s1.postimg.org/yiazlabe7/LW_Pedia_Mockup_CALL2.png

 

Tech #09 has three Preq's...

is related to Cybernetics stuff which can benefit from "Bonus Credits" on the far right...

it Unlock's Two Foundry projects, One MEC suit, a Small-Item and Five more Techs that also lead to some Hint's. :wink:

 

The costs for it are being shown to the right of its INV image just like the Firestorm in the previous sample screen.

 

 

 

 

I'll explain much more details about these two samples later.

Edited August 12, 2015 by Zyxpsilon

[Dethraker]

I know I expressed an interest, but you may have to count me out on this one. Haven't had time to even work on my own concept in a few days due to work picking up. Long days and forced 6 day work weeks yet again.

 

If I ever finish my own project I'll take a look, but that's why I ask questions on here. With my limited time it helps to have a reference point to work from on anything in working on. Otherwise all my available time goes into searching through the code for what I'm trying to change.

 

Work normally slows down come end of October, but then XCom2 will be knocking at the door so...

[Zyxpsilon]

Don't worry about it Dethraker... it was all a confusion on my part which mis-interpreted your tech-tree project as being similar to my stuff while in fact, your's is really an attempt at fiddling with the gameplay ruleset by creating a new flow for research paths.

 

As you could probably deduct from above... LW-Pedia is (somewhat) more ambitious as it intends to provide LW-Players with a comprehensive Wiki'style feature to inspect each and every aspect of gameplay straight into the UI as a Menu option.

 

Of course, when real life takes over --- it's better for anyone to set priorities! Games are fun and luckily we have them to snatch boredom away from true work.

[Zyxpsilon]

One more hurdle solved for LW-Pedia and its basic required assets.

 

Since i've been assembling the generic individual "screens" for each (or groups thereof) Techs (along with their PREQ's and UNLOCK's) that will serve as flow-charting elements (as shown by the previous HUD samples)... i reasoned that trying to combine everything in a swift image would be the next logical development step. If anything it could help me out detecting flaws or bad structure.

 

It will also become the formal resource to design the mini-tree summary section that should "overlay" the current Menu-Selection drop-down area. ((PS; Call it a coincidence... but it will be nearly identical to the XCom-2 Avenger consoles that fill panels with some flashing colored dots! ))

 

I've taken to adapt Spazmo's Tech-Buddy text data file to absorb my custom numeric system to identify any gameplay items which are no longer referred as incode eNum values. Let's just say that such an indirect chaos of random locations (or pre-determined objects as they relate to some integral patterns) was a huge obstacle to begin with. So, for clarity -- i just had to revise the entire en-coding methods.

 

Thus -- here's a nearly final HUGE (( ! 2350x1920 ! )) PNG image of this Pseudo-TechTree.

 

 

 

 

http://i.imgur.com/rs1AjIT.png

 

"Legend" details --- Left-to-Right... Top-to-Bottom...

http://s15.postimg.org/yet9w96gb/Tree_Legend.png

 

Research - Foundry - Buildings - Objectives - Concepts

GeneMods - Psionics - Aerospace - Shivs - Mecs

Armors - Small Items - Weapons - Tiers - Various Infos

 

1) The Less_Saturated_Light_Blues are "inactive" Techs that should remain in the framework (It's at least an accuracy principle by design) as they are mainly PREQ's references.

 

2) Some "Grouped items in Grey Boxes" are defining things like the major Foundry projects (#20_New-Combat, #21_Psi-Warfare, #22_MEC-Warfare) and what they unlock. OTS is building #14! Alien Grenades are Small-Item #30 (given from Muton Autopsy #46 and by Foundry #05). Bottom-Right is the Exalt Loot info-box. Except for these, there's only a single instance of anything on that tree.

 

3) This kind of structure needed only TWO connecting lines for clarity... (18)-to-(T2) & (32)-to-(A1).

 

4) Many tiny grey "Arrows" are inserted to represent direct links between a few items of importance... this method allows to save mucho space on the final page. For example all of the UFO-Analysis from Panel #06 (Alien Materials) receive the Aerospace Credits. Then, i can use one rectangle symbol only (on top) for these.

 

5) B1 & T1 ( Most are Infinite... but, five items must be built or bought ((§)) -- including Satellites #01! ) are what i called the "Starters" which weren't made available in any other Tech-Tree concepts (excellent sources of inspiration, btw) readily available. But now, they are!! :ninja:

 

The rest is mostly obvious, i guess. :D

 

 

 

 

I will most probably offer that specific version as a stand-alone mod. Well, not exactly *A* mod but rather a cool reference device anyone could consult along side the necessary LW-Data.txt file that should replace Tech-Buddy's default. Dunno yet -- If & When or How... but, if there is enough interests shown by the community for such stuff, then i'll be glad to distribute it all straight onto the Nexus.

Pending the official Pedia project can ever find THE precious coders to finish what i started!! :wink:

 

Questions, Comments? Feel free to share your thoughts! :geek:

Edited August 22, 2015 by Zyxpsilon

[Zyxpsilon]

Ok, people.

 

I've finally decided to try integrating that above "TechTree" version straight into the XCom-DataBase screen. It will somehow be less feature-filled than the LW-Pedia project (( If it ever gets off with interest from a real precious coder! )) but at least, you'll get to consult the essentials right within the game itself.

 

As it is a complex & ambitious undertaking, it may take awhile to produce the entire XComStrategyGame.INT file corrections (Mostly the whole [uITellMeMore] strings and calls) and it will certainly have to replace the default set of previous images (Ya know, that stuff dropped into a box when the Audio commentaries play out) with specific individual sections of that tree via custom TexMod assets.

 

Anyhow... once ready, i'll put it up on the Nexus. :D

 

EDIT; Alright! Some progress... refer to this post spoilers (( http://forums.nexusmods.com/index.php?/topic/1151348-modding-long-war/?p=28598514 )) for two samples from the LW-Pedia as it is being integrated into the regular Database structure. I'm having a blast with extensive custom stuff! :smile:

Edited September 11, 2015 by Zyxpsilon