XCOM2 All Four Factions Metagame/Tactical

[AuroraDelta]

Now this is a really big mod idea (I'm working on some aspects of it already), but what if we could manage to put a third or fourth faction on the metagame map, and make each one playable? Each of them would be fighting each other and occasionally you could end up with cross-fire tactical missions where two factions are fighting on the same map you are on. The metagame would be a little less story driven in that the purpose would basically be claim earth for your faction (be it to save or enslave), so rather than Advent winning by the avatar project, they would simply gain the ability to field avatars.

 

The factions I am looking at are the Invasion Aliens, the Advent Aliens, EXALT and XCOM. Right now I'm working on creating some EXALT units, and to make them competitive late game am adding a few things they might have as a PMC, like tanks (which would be similar in function and power to the alien Sectopod units, but unique). I'm thinking that units probably will not have as many ranks and skills as they do now, yet hopefully I can figure out how to increase the size of the squad you can field ( while letting you pick the units in it ), and have it be limited a little more by a unit points system than a unit limit system. This will allow each faction to play differently, the Invaders would be based powerful units with supports, Advent would be based more on having large numbers of expendable units, XCOM would play a more stealth-based approach with underhanded tactics, and Exalt would somewhat play a mix of all three.

 

With Civilians being somewhat of a third faction I think it might be possible to use their "faction" to create another team in the tactical gameplay which can help make cross-fire missions. I think this is possible though it may take a very long time.

 

This is mostly just a furball of ideas I had but I'm prodding it with a stick right now to see if it can work. So if anyone wants to throw a chip in and try an aspect of it or two go right ahead.

[davidlallen]

There was some discussion about using the civilian "team" as a third fighting team in any tactical map. It was a while ago, I think on the firaxis modding site. The upshot was that it probably wasn't possible. But, nobody proved anything.

[AuroraDelta]

Actually there is a mod out there that does that. Its somewhere else in the forums but someone supposedly pulled it off. With that in mind, it could very well be possible to add another army into the game.

[davidlallen]

I am pretty sure if you look, you will see that it adds units that look like civilians, onto the xcom team. A subtle difference, but you can see why it is important. I think you are referring to "Additional Mission Types", which adds "haven siege" type missions. If there is another mod you mean, can you find it again?

 

http://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=647242867&searchtext=mission+types

[Dragon32]

I am pretty sure if you look, you will see that it adds units that look like civilians, onto the xcom team. A subtle difference, but you can see why it is important. I think you are referring to "Additional Mission Types", which adds "haven siege" type missions. If there is another mod you mean, can you find it again?

 

http://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=647242867&searchtext=mission+types

Friendly AI Mod? [steam]. Although it sounds to me like they're added to the XCOM team too. Edited April 11, 2016 by Dragon32

[davidlallen]

Hm, I am interested to see how "AI controlled xcom members" works. But I think your goal was to have three teams fighting each other, and that won't do it.

[AuroraDelta]

Yes Friendly AI mod was what I was thinking of.

 

What I'm thinking is that they are technically on the XCOM team, yes. However being autonomous and not controllable means we can fudge the code a bit. If we can give them abilities that allow them to be targetable by "friendly Xcom units", and vice versa, we might be able to pseudo-create the third faction from nonsense. It'd take a clever workaround though and AI programing is of all things not my specialty unfortunately.