Slowing down Alien progress

[FirebrandXL]

Hey,

 

I just need a little brainstorming here.

 

There are many balance mods out there which try to extend the gameplay time and make it more challenging (like Marathon), but one problem they all share is the relatively fast alien progress.

Means if you slow down the research time and reduce the monthly income to make the game longer and more difficult, you will have to encounter Mutons and Elites with crappy equipment.

You cant afford the good stuff, you can research fast enough.

 

Its esspecially problematic with Battleship UFOs later on because usually you dont have the Firestorm (the new fighter) nor good fighter weapons.

 

Is there a way to slow down the alien progress? (not weakening the aliens)

Make Elite enemies appear later in the game?

How does the AI determine when to send Elites and when not to?

What triggers stronger enemies? Story missions, cash flow, research, time?

 

Any ideas?

[Kaerar]

The problem I've seen is that the stock fighter can't cope with the large UFO's well. Other than that beating Mutons with Ballistic weapons and later Beserker's/Elite's with Laser weapons (as you haven't managed to unlock Plasma fully by then usually) is a real feat and at the same time very satisfying that you managed it.

 

More control over the enemy progression and appearance rate would be helpful though. Maybe alter it so small scouts still appear with Sectoids in them instead of Sectopods, so new soldiers get a chance to develop.

[Daemonjax]

2 stock fighters can take down a medium

4 stock fighters can take down a large

[FlyingHigh10000000]

Even on Classic, I've had single fighters equipped with avalanche missiles take out a medium UFO. If you make a few dodge/aim uplinks for the big ones, and get at least a phoenix cannon, or maybe a plasma one later in the game, you should be able to take down pretty much any UFO, even without a firestorm.

[Ichthyic]

huh. I tried shooting down one of the "revealed after hyperwave" stealth ships with a standard interceptor with plasma.

 

it's simply not possible, not even with ALL of the buffs enabled (AIM, targeting, dodge). You can damage it, but the next interceptor you send up never gets there in time to intercept the alien before it speeds off.

 

I tried variations on timing the triggering of buffs over 2 dozen times. Either I get heavily damaged and run out of time, or just plain shot down on the first attempt. second attempt never catches up to UFO.

 

this is on classic.

 

are you sure you did that on classic, and not normal?

 

I think it actually is easier to shoot down a battleship, because you have more time to engage. You'll likely lose at least your first regular interceptor, maybe the second or third too, but you CAN bring those down without them running away on you.

 

point being this statment:

 

"you should be able to take down pretty much any UFO" with an interceptor only applies to a limited class of ufos.

Edited October 24, 2012 by Sir_Toejam

[tbkiah]

You basically need the firestorm to take down that s***.

 

I could see MAYBE if you had the EMP cannon, but you would hope to hell that you would make it close enough in time to take it down...

Edited October 24, 2012 by tbkiah

[Tuckwit]

As to the OPs original topic, I would also be interested to hear of any way to delay the rollout of higher levels of aliens and numbers by a month, maybe 2, as it appears to be purely time based, which is a shame. On Classic not just the strength, but also the numbers of aliens increase before its even possible to have got to laser tech level or better armour. Seems disproportionate a tad too early.

Really I would like to see if eventually there is a real 'Marathon' mode, where you could double the length of the whole campaign, slow everything apart from missions down by factor of 2, so you get more of the fun Abduction/Council missions phases but less of the boring downed UFO searches.

Edited October 24, 2012 by Tuckwit

[InsufferableSmartypants]

I would love to slow down the enemy escallation. One of the things I enjoy most is sending out rookies to fight in the beginning. Can make that last longer if sectoids and thin men stick around more.

[PepprmintButler]

Really I would like to see if eventually there is a real 'Marathon' mode, where you could double the length of the whole campaign, slow everything apart from missions down by factor of 2

 

Well, my understanding was that Marathon did precisely that. Slow alien progression, along with research times and the like ?

That's what I thought anyway. Is it not how it works ..?

[jocan2003]

I would love to slow down the enemy escallation. One of the things I enjoy most is sending out rookies to fight in the beginning. Can make that last longer if sectoids and thin men stick around more.

It is slowed alright, its a bit harder than if you had it off but doable. Just need to rush laser ( forget about rushing to plasma or youll shoot muton with balistics ). I actually love it :D