XCOM EU Easier Classic Mode

[Eldiran]

I've seen a number of difficulty mods around already, many of which are very impressive, but I've been looking for something a little simpler. Could anyone throw together a mod to Classic mode that does three things:

 

1 - uses Normal mode stats for Panic level calculations

2 - removes Classic mode's +10 to Aim and Crit for all aliens

3 - gives starting soldiers Normal mode health

 

I've seen these changes made separately, so I know it's possible. Unfortunately they are all bundled together with many more drastic changes. I may try to mod it in myself if no one is interested but I'd rather not waste hours learning them just to replicate what other people have already done.

 

Thanks!

Edited October 16, 2012 by Eldiran

[Uandwhosearmy]

I'm very interested in a similar mod myself. However, I would really only want the higher CRIT chance of aliens to be removed. That is the only thing that bugged me about playing Classic. The enemy seems to hit every shot and instakill my guys a lot of the time on classic. Currently playing a campaign on normal but am finding way too easy...

 

Can someone otherwise just point out to me how to accomplish these changes myself? Is it just a matter of altering values in the defaultgame.ini file?

[kayttaja]

I've seen a number of difficulty mods around already, many of which are very impressive, but I've been looking for something a little simpler. Could anyone throw together a mod to Classic mode that does three things:

 

1 - uses Normal mode stats for Panic level calculations

2 - removes Classic mode's +10 to Aim and Crit for all aliens

3 - gives starting soldiers Normal mode health

 

I've seen these changes made separately, so I know it's possible. Unfortunately they are all bundled together with many more drastic changes. I may try to mod it in myself if no one is interested but I'd rather not waste hours learning them just to replicate what other people have already done.

 

Thanks!

1. Make a backup of the XCOMGame.EXE

2. Get Resource Hacker-> http://www.angusj.com/resourcehacker/

3. With it, open the XCOMGame.EXE

4. On the left side of the screen you can see a directory tree, open RCData, and below it 1020, then select the 1033 file.

 

Scroll down a bit, youll see something like this:

BalanceMods_Hard=(eType=eChar_None, iDamage=0,iCritHit=0, iAim=0, iDefense=0,iHP=0, iMobility=0,iWill=0)

BalanceMods_Hard=(eType=eChar_Civilian, iDamage=0,iCritHit=0, iAim=0, iDefense=0,iHP=0, iMobility=0,iWill=0)

BalanceMods_Hard=(eType=eChar_Soldier, iDamage=0,iCritHit=0, iAim=0, iDefense=0,iHP=-1,iMobility=0,iWill=0)

BalanceMods_Hard=(eType=eChar_Tank, iDamage=0,iCritHit=0, iAim=0, iDefense=0,iHP=0, iMobility=0,iWill=0)

BalanceMods_Hard=(eType=eChar_Sectoid, iDamage=0,iCritHit=10, iAim=0, iDefense=0,iHP=0, iMobility=0,iWill=0)

BalanceMods_Hard=(eType=eChar_Floater, iDamage=0,iCritHit=10, iAim=10,iDefense=0,iHP=0, iMobility=0,iWill=0)

BalanceMods_Hard=(eType=eChar_Thinman, iDamage=0,iCritHit=10, iAim=10,iDefense=0,iHP=0, iMobility=0,iWill=0)

BalanceMods_Hard=(eType=eChar_Muton, iDamage=0,iCritHit=10, iAim=10,iDefense=0,iHP=2, iMobility=0,iWill=0)

BalanceMods_Hard=(eType=eChar_Cyberdisc, iDamage=0,iCritHit=10, iAim=10,iDefense=0,iHP=4, iMobility=0,iWill=0)

BalanceMods_Hard=(eType=eChar_SectoidCommander, iDamage=0,iCritHit=10, iAim=10,iDefense=0,iHP=4, iMobility=0,iWill=25)

BalanceMods_Hard=(eType=eChar_FloaterHeavy, iDamage=0,iCritHit=10, iAim=10,iDefense=0,iHP=2, iMobility=0,iWill=0)

BalanceMods_Hard=(eType=eChar_MutonElite, iDamage=0,iCritHit=10, iAim=10,iDefense=10,iHP=0,iMobility=0,iWill=0)

BalanceMods_Hard=(eType=eChar_Ethereal, iDamage=0,iCritHit=10, iAim=10,iDefense=0,iHP=0, iMobility=0,iWill=25)

BalanceMods_Hard=(eType=eChar_Chryssalid, iDamage=2,iCritHit=10, iAim=0, iDefense=0,iHP=0, iMobility=0,iWill=0)

BalanceMods_Hard=(eType=eChar_Zombie, iDamage=2,iCritHit=10, iAim=0, iDefense=0,iHP=0, iMobility=0,iWill=0)

BalanceMods_Hard=(eType=eChar_MutonBerserker, iDamage=1,iCritHit=10, iAim=0, iDefense=0,iHP=0, iMobility=0,iWill=0)

BalanceMods_Hard=(eType=eChar_Sectopod, iDamage=0,iCritHit=10, iAim=10,iDefense=0,iHP=0, iMobility=0,iWill=0)

BalanceMods_Hard=(eType=eChar_Drone, iDamage=0,iCritHit=10, iAim=10,iDefense=0,iHP=2, iMobility=0,iWill=0)

BalanceMods_Hard=(eType=eChar_Outsider, iDamage=0,iCritHit=10, iAim=10,iDefense=10,iHP=2,iMobility=0,iWill=0)

BalanceMods_Hard=(eType=eChar_EtherealUber, iDamage=0,iCritHit=10, iAim=10,iDefense=0,iHP=0, iMobility=0,iWill=0)

BalanceMods_Hard=(eType=eChar_BattleScanner, iDamage=0,iCritHit=0, iAim=0, iDefense=0, iHP=0,iMobility=0,iWill=0)

 

 

REMEMBER, Hard=Classic in game & Classic=Impossible!!!

 

You see the -1 in soldier's iHP? That changes the health. iAim & iCritHit mean the aim & critical hit bonus.

Panic levels can be changed in the Panic values section:

 

;Panic Values

PANIC_TERROR_CONTINENT=2

PANIC_TERROR_COUNTRY=2

PANIC_UFO_SHOOTDOWN=-1

PANIC_UFO_ASSAULT=-1

PANIC_SAT_DESTROYED_CONTINENT=1

PANIC_SAT_DESTROYED_COUNTRY=2

PANIC_SAT_ADDED_COUNTRY=-2

PANIC_SAT_ADDED_CONTINENT=0

PANIC_ALIENBASE_CONQUERED=-2

PANIC_UFO_IGNORED=2

PANIC_UFO_ESCAPED=1

PANIC_ABDUCTION_COUNTRY_EASY=1

PANIC_ABDUCTION_COUNTRY_NORMAL=1

PANIC_ABDUCTION_COUNTRY_HARD=1

PANIC_ABDUCTION_COUNTRY_CLASSIC=2

PANIC_ABDUCTION_CONTINENT_EASY=1

PANIC_ABDUCTION_CONTINENT_NORMAL=1

PANIC_ABDUCTION_CONTINENT_HARD=1

PANIC_ABDUCTION_CONTINENT_CLASSIC=1

PANIC_ABDUCTION_THWARTED_CONTINENT=0

PANIC_ABDUCTION_THWARTED_COUNTRY=-3

STARTING_PANIC_EASY=0

STARTING_PANIC_NORMAL=0

STARTING_PANIC_HARD=8

STARTING_PANIC_CLASSIC=16

PANIC_DEFECT_THRESHHOLD_EASY=5

PANIC_DEFECT_THRESHHOLD_NORMAL=5

PANIC_DEFECT_THRESHHOLD_HARD=5

PANIC_DEFECT_THRESHHOLD_CLASSIC=5

PANIC_DEFECT_THRESHHOLD_NOT_HELPED_EASY=5

PANIC_DEFECT_THRESHHOLD_NOT_HELPED_NORMAL=5

PANIC_DEFECT_THRESHHOLD_NOT_HELPED_HARD=5

PANIC_DEFECT_THRESHHOLD_NOT_HELPED_CLASSIC=5

PANIC_DEFECTIONS_PER_MONTH_EASY=1

PANIC_DEFECTIONS_PER_MONTH_NORMAL=2

PANIC_DEFECTIONS_PER_MONTH_HARD=3

PANIC_DEFECTIONS_PER_MONTH_CLASSIC=8

PANIC_DEFECT_CHANCE_PER_BLOCK_EASY=10

PANIC_DEFECT_CHANCE_PER_BLOCK_NORMAL=10

PANIC_DEFECT_CHANCE_PER_BLOCK_HARD=10

PANIC_DEFECT_CHANCE_PER_BLOCK_CLASSIC=10

SAT_HELP_DEFECT=1 ;If country has satellite, "Chance of Leaving"*SAT_HELP_DEFECT

SAT_HELP_DEFECT=1

SAT_HELP_DEFECT=1

SAT_HELP_DEFECT=1

SAT_NEARBY_HELP_DEFECT=1 ;Else If continent has one or more satellite, "Chance of Leaving"*SAT_NEARBY_HELP_DEFECT

SAT_NEARBY_HELP_DEFECT=1

SAT_NEARBY_HELP_DEFECT=1

SAT_NEARBY_HELP_DEFECT=1

SAT_PANIC_REDUCTION_PER_MONTH=1 ;If a country has a satellite, it will remove panic once a month, but the chance of this happening is PANIC_REDUCTION_CHANCE

SAT_PANIC_REDUCTION_PER_MONTH=1

SAT_PANIC_REDUCTION_PER_MONTH=1

SAT_PANIC_REDUCTION_PER_MONTH=1

PANIC_5_REDUCTION_CHANCE=100

PANIC_5_REDUCTION_CHANCE=100

PANIC_5_REDUCTION_CHANCE=50

PANIC_5_REDUCTION_CHANCE=50

 

PANIC_4_REDUCTION_CHANCE=50

PANIC_4_REDUCTION_CHANCE=50

PANIC_4_REDUCTION_CHANCE=25

PANIC_4_REDUCTION_CHANCE=25

 

PANIC_LOW_REDUCTION_CHANCE=25

PANIC_LOW_REDUCTION_CHANCE=25

PANIC_LOW_REDUCTION_CHANCE=10

PANIC_LOW_REDUCTION_CHANCE=10

 

Starting panic means how many bars of panic worldwide, all that's pretty easy.

 

After changes, press COMPILE SCRIPT above the right hand window and save the file, tap yourself on the back and go frag some aliens :)

[Eldiran]

Thanks kayttaja! :) I'll give that a try.

 

@Uandwhosearmy: there actually is a mod that only alters the crit chance right here:

http://xcom.nexusmods.com/mods/10/

 

(Get the "Xcom classic balance mod without ufos" version of the download)

[kayttaja]

Thanks kayttaja! :) I'll give that a try.

No problem :)

[Uandwhosearmy]

Thank you kayttaja! Brilliant effort on explaining what values do what to the game. Now off to make my own level of difficulty between normal and classic. Excellent!

 

Thanks kayttaja! :) I'll give that a try.

 

@Uandwhosearmy: there actually is a mod that only alters the crit chance right here:

http://xcom.nexusmods.com/mods/10/

 

(Get the "Xcom classic balance mod without ufos" version of the download)

 

Actually, that version also halves the construction time of satellites as well as lowers crit and aim values, so that's a no go for me.

Edited October 17, 2012 by Uandwhosearmy

[kayttaja]

Thank you kayttaja! Brilliant effort on explaining what values do what to the game. Now off to make my own level of difficulty between normal and classic. Excellent!

No problem :)

 

Oh, and here's Xionanx's insanely helpful list for EVERYTHING:

http://forums.nexusmods.com/index.php?/topic/808409-compiled-list-of-defaultgamecoreini-settings-and-their-funtions/

[taleden]

Hi! I've just posted a new mod which does almost exactly this: strikes a balance between the default Normal and Classic difficulty levels, without changing anything else (like intercepting Abduction UFOs). It modifies the existing Classic mode so that the aliens can use their full AI, but all of the numeric changes (aim and crit bonuses, funding penalties, etc) are cut in half. It'll be a little harder than Normal, but a little easier than the original Classic.

 

Check it out here: Normal Point Five

Comments welcome!

-taleden

[Puerkl8r]

If you do make a mod that does just those things, please release it, Those are the exact changes I want as well.

[T420M]

Yes thank you I wasn't sure I was using the resource hacker right, I thought I needed another program. I want more aliens, but without all my squads getting wiped out on the first 3 missions.