Long War 2 (Whatever it's actual name)

[Quaro]

I'd really like to see one main mod simply because it makes for a mod that can actually be tuned and balanced, as opposed to everyone using a mish mash of different mods.

[Azworai]

But isn't that what the base game is? I mean, I loved the hell out of Long War even though I dislike extremely punishing game mechanics because of all the depth it added, but I was too lazy to try and tune it myself at the time because I'd already played through the game so many times before I realized modding was a thing for non-Bethesda titles... but it just seems odd to me we're looking to 'overhaul' the whole game so soon when we haven't even had more than what... a month with the base game, wanting to create an overarching mod just seems odd to me since so much of XCOM 2 is already exposed for tuning and balancing as it is...

[Krazyguy75]

Umm... guys? You may not have been around during its development, but Long War basically was an assortment of minor mods after the initial release. The core of it was a strategic layer mod. All the tactical side stuff was designed for long war, yes, but almost all of it was designed after the initial release, and most of them could be standalone, be it SHIV gear, new weapons, alien leaders; heck, even the new classes could've been standalone. Some of it was standalone and got absorbed, such as the increased alien pod size, the random alien pod placement, increased squad size, and a few other such things.

 

Late in XCOM2's development, you will be able to combine many such small mods to create something similar to Long War. It is just that we have only just started modding this game.

[Zizin]

a month with the base game, wanting to create an overarching mod just seems odd to me since so much of XCOM 2 is already exposed for tuning and balancing as it is...

 

I have a grand idea how to make Long War II, so it would be radically different from Xcom2, including totally new storyline and global strategy, but will be based solely on vanilla version.

If one is interested, I can write it down in details .)

Edited February 21, 2016 by Zizin

[BadgerBrownCoat]

If I may, new to the Nexus forums - I've modded a bit in the total war, circle of eight ( temple of evil ), and Ufo:Aftershock ( cough cough, afterbugs ) communities - each dedicated more to its own game, first dip in the water here.
We had a Steam workshop forum involving " long war" esque changes, which i kept an eye on, and, to be polite, as suspected by some here, I see more discussion and " look at this mod" than I see actual work or even proposed projects - I was hoping to find others to work with or compare notes, so far I think that's a dead end, but there was some good investigation into the force values and how those escalate. ( http://steamcommunity.com/workshop/discussions/-1/412446292773370341/?appid=268500 ) if anyone's interested.
I think the underlying sense of cooperation for projects is lacking ( in my experience in each of the game mentioned, I have come late to the party - happens - I learned about 'long war' when I started, myself, trying to look into modding xcom myself - i thought I was so clever for wanting to mod the stun projector to be a pistol slot rather than a utility ).

Long War was amazing, although I'm sure not everyone agreed with every change, it seemed to work as a whole - point with what was said earlier, it seemed ( as an outsider ) , new work just became part of that. Nonetheless, I agree that trying to re-do a Longwar2, or even re-create the phenomenon, is perhaps a restricted approach. "Inspired by" long war I think, is sufficient.

In the meantime, I playtest my little mods, keep an eye on the other little mods, and approach people looking for those who might collaborate. Ive posted several ' give me feedback' threads on the game-play return versus trouble / unintended consequences, so far no responses - which again, makes me question the spirit of collaboration for any larger projects.
I have seen some impressive mods already ( and now use our old thread as a 'holding place' to add mods to collections for possible collaborators or influences).
The flip side is, while I doubt the workshop will in any way "replace" or impugn Nexus, it may just introduce a new,wider, and possibly talented group to actual modding communities.

My own project, the X-COMmando mod, is still pages of projects while I learn how to make things happen not just on paper - mostly i intend to "widen" the gameplay a bit, add reasons to not rush to the end tier weapons, make the guerilla war seem more offensive and less reactive, and give a bit more variety to the enemies and missions to make a -not-race-to-endgame expansion still feasible.
Perhaps, as a newbie here, someone could tell me where/how I best post this proposed project of projects for feedback and collaboration? I'm afraid the Workshop communinty experience hasn't been very rewarding. On the other hand, at least this time no one has called me stupid for suggesting perhaps zombies should grapple, light cavalry scouts or that magic swords are sharp :smile:

Edited February 22, 2016 by BadgerBrownCoat

[Deleted32045420User]

A) you'd probably want to get that in the general discussion forum (btw we need a projects and mods sub forum for mods in development and not just help)

 

B) if you bring a cool idea to the table i might come in and contribute, i've been looking for my next project for a couple of days and although i have my own one i think it's too much for me to take on alone

[davidlallen]

Nexus seems like the perfect place for this. If we can show a sufficient group of people working, I am sure ("relatively sure") they will create a sub-forum for us. Previous modding sites I have contributed at, notably Civ IV (civfanatics) have been very welcoming to this.

 

The game is only two weeks old, and I wouldn't draw any conclusions about the modding community for *this* game just yet.

[BadgerBrownCoat]

A) you'd probably want to get that in the general discussion forum (btw we need a projects and mods sub forum for mods in development and not just help)

 

B) if you bring a cool idea to the table i might come in and contribute, i've been looking for my next project for a couple of days and although i have my own one i think it's too much for me to take on alone

Thanks for the response - and yes, I can see where 'general' discussion would get quickly full and a project in development sub-forum might be handy.

So far, the ideas posted was that the tech class, like psi, trains rather than battlefield promotes ( I'd extend this to leader : "emergent classes" if you would) -

* relatedly, a "resistance fighter" sub-class that the psi, leader, and technician ( specialist ) are built on - to allow a combat skill that promotes ( as LWs leader ) but like the leadership path that only upgraded with training ( as psi's are now - but giving them and specialists the ability to gain from combat experience as well - the added benefit of having a template for allies/reinforcements in cetain missions as we discussed elsewhere)

looking at the new mappers, all are usng existing art assets and "map hubs" ( plots) - so far we don't have anyone (I've seen ) ready o tacle new hubs, looing at this in particular for added side\plot missions

* a third "battlefield experience" resource used to buy tactics ( and perhaps promote leaders)

* looking at utilities like the mind shield and hazmat that could add "props" to the character ( graphical representations , we were discussing if it could be 'deafult" )

* as long war did with the mechs, another look at the tech requirements/progression to feel more logical/progressive and less arbitrary ( they did say their decisons were 'game driven' - I'd like to make some of them feel more organic and less" arbitrary video game logic"

* related to the last, we've been discussing the ominous 'game balance' - if you add proposed length or width of the game, you perhaps need not only wider enemy force jumps, but- something to fit in there - and perhaps less "superhero" higher level characters and mid tier items

* differentiating between a "snap shot" and a full-round, aimed shot - I think both long War and xcom2's sniper and aim mechanics do this in an overly complicated way.

* my current project is the intermediate armor mod - ( starting with making rookies use 'resistance armor' ) - and upgrading to the current 'kevlar' xcom armor with the first captured advent armor techs - this leads into trying to work on the 'vest' armors - the possibility of an "armor mod" rather than utility slot, and which of these should in fact BE their own armor rather than a utility that mods armor - these considerations side-tracked teh relatively simple "add a new armor that replaces nano vest but is your first intermediate armor" that i started with

 

Anyway, that's the tip of the iceberg, and it should be placed elsewhere, but that was in reply and a "for now" - even the seemingly simple armor mod , like any complex systems, brings up related questions o an odd tech tree ( advent shield trooper hevay armor, we now put elerium cores in our vests, of related ' how far do w take this' questions)

ANyway, yes, sorry - this should all be placed elsewhere, but snce you were kind enough to reply I thought I'd give a "quick" idea o where I'm looking so far.

 

Nexus seems like the perfect place for this. If we can show a sufficient group of people working, I am sure ("relatively sure") they will create a sub-forum for us. Previous modding sites I have contributed at, notably Civ IV (civfanatics) have been very welcoming to this.

 

The game is only two weeks old, and I wouldn't draw any conclusions about the modding community for *this* game just yet.

Precisely, sir - the community for this is just emerging/ being created.

No slight was intended to the worshop guys, I'm just relaying my experience that from what I see, most of them there aren't used to thinking in terms of a community or collaboration - yet :smile:

Edited February 23, 2016 by BadgerBrownCoat

[davidlallen]

 

 

No slight was intended to the worshop guys, I'm just relaying my experience that from what I see, most of them there aren't used to thinking in terms of a community or collaboration - yet :smile:

I've been over the 2k modding forum, reddit /r/xcom2mods, and /r/x2dev pretty carefully. Nexus has a lot more technical depth. Steam has so much noise it's hard to tell for sure, but I didn't see any unique technical information there. Nexus has a separate subforum for mod requests, which really helps filter stuff down. We can get it done here.

[LiQuiD911]

Since there's Longwar Studios now I don't think it's a good idea to call it "Long War 2", it would seems as it's made by the same core team (unless LWS actualy does LW2 xD).

In my opinion big part of the success of LW, beyond the technical modding (like the grunt work I did on the maps), is JL' leadership , design, writing experience etc. It's not a bunch of mods glued together.