Increased Pod Size

[Amineri]

Re: your alien scaling Amineri, how small can you make them? You could make little weaker Chrysallids, podded with a queen Lid that spawns them for some nice swarming action :devil:

 

That's a cool idea that I hadn't thought of.

 

The example of scaling factor that I drew inspiration for is actually the downscaling of the weapon meshes for equipping to female soldier pawns. That is set to 0.70 scale.

 

Since the scale is a float, in theory pawns could be made arbitrarily small.

[Inyssius]

Oh, hey, speaking of increased pod size--this method could be used to make sectoids sometimes spawn with a seeker in their pod, couldn't it? Awesome!

Edited November 23, 2013 by Inyssius

[Amineri]

Oh, hey, speaking of increased pod size--this method could be used to make sectoids sometimes spawn with a seeker in their pod, couldn't it? Awesome!

 

Originally I had the pod size limited to 6, but those six were individually defined, in theory allowing six distinct aliens as part of a pod. This wasn't terribly useful so I altered the mod so that there are 3 categories of aliens in a pod. All aliens within a category are of the same type, but each category can be of a distinct type. So only 3 types of aliens in one pod, max.

 

Category 1 is the pod leader, of which there is only ever 1 unit. I added code which allowed defining a leader level and upgrading of this unit with perks and higher stats.

 

The other 2 categories are "Support". Technically up to 255 of each support categories could be added, so the format allows up to 1 + 255 + 255 = 511 aliens to be defined in a pod. However a squad (all aliens or all players) has a hard-coded limit of 128 units.

 

But yes, it would totally be possible to create pods of Sectoids+Seekers or Drones+Seekers. With buffed up cyberdiscs and sectopods it might make more sense to mix Sectopod + Drones + Seekers.

 

Unfortunately the seeker AI is programmed to never strangle units that are immune to the damage. I think I'd like to change that so that they can still immobilize those units even though no damage is dealt, making late-game seekers more about "crowd control" than killing units.

[rilke1987]

 

Oh, hey, speaking of increased pod size--this method could be used to make sectoids sometimes spawn with a seeker in their pod, couldn't it? Awesome!

 

Originally I had the pod size limited to 6, but those six were individually defined, in theory allowing six distinct aliens as part of a pod. This wasn't terribly useful so I altered the mod so that there are 3 categories of aliens in a pod. All aliens within a category are of the same type, but each category can be of a distinct type. So only 3 types of aliens in one pod, max.

 

Category 1 is the pod leader, of which there is only ever 1 unit. I added code which allowed defining a leader level and upgrading of this unit with perks and higher stats.

 

The other 2 categories are "Support". Technically up to 255 of each support categories could be added, so the format allows up to 1 + 255 + 255 = 511 aliens to be defined in a pod. However a squad (all aliens or all players) has a hard-coded limit of 128 units.

 

But yes, it would totally be possible to create pods of Sectoids+Seekers or Drones+Seekers. With buffed up cyberdiscs and sectopods it might make more sense to mix Sectopod + Drones + Seekers.

 

Unfortunately the seeker AI is programmed to never strangle units that are immune to the damage. I think I'd like to change that so that they can still immobilize those units even though no damage is dealt, making late-game seekers more about "crowd control" than killing units.

 

 

Hey Amineri, this is truly wonderful article which directed me to increase alien number in EW successfully.

 

But I still have a question. Why in your modification of function, you are using the altweapon thing as up limit. Because I just defined a variable to do it and it seems to be easier to adjust. And why changing the initloadout thing then?

 

Thanks very much if you could give a newbie like me some hints.

 

Nice work again.

[wghost81]

You defined a new variable? An you call yourself a newbie...

 

Could you, please, elaborate on that?

[Krazyguy75]

Holy shiznizzleskits. Did a person just accidentally make a massive breakthrough in modding this game... by accident?!

[Amineri]

I just checked and Enemy Within hasn't made any changes to the 3 functions (at the unrealscript level) I modded in EU to handle the tactical side of increasing the maximum pod size. Of course the hex itself has changed because of the larger namelist/objectlist, so this will be one of my test cases uses my in-development tool to update.

 

Another factor is that I had used the XGUnit class variable m_iSmokeGrenades to pass the leader level for leader customization, but now some Exalt units use that variable, so that will have to be reworked.

 

I'm also curious about the "define a new variable thing" ^_^

[Amineri]

Doing some testing with my new tool and I was able to update two of the core functions to enable larger pods:

 

Following hex replacements are updated for Enemy Within initial release:

 

 

UPKFILE=XComGame.upk
FUNCTION=XGBattleDesc.InitAlienLoadoutInfos
[BEFORE_HEX]
CC 04 00 00 18 03 00 00 0F 00 FF B2 00 00 25 07 C9 04 96 00 FF B2 00 00 2C 04 16 07 51 00 9A 38 3A 35 7A B2 00 00 7C B2 00 00 00 00 1A 00 FF B2 00 00 01 A6 B2 00 00 38 3A 24 10 16 04 0B 06 BB 04 07 BB 04 9A 38 3A 35 7A B2 00 00 7C B2 00 00 00 00 1A 00 FF B2 00 00 01 A6 B2 00 00 38 3A 24 00 16 0F 35 7A B2 00 00 7C B2 00 00 00 01 1A 00 FF B2 00 00 01 A6 B2 00 00 24 10 07 BF 03 81 2D 01 88 B2 00 00 16 0F 00 FE B2 00 00 25 07 BC 03 96 00 FE B2 00 00 36 35 42 00 00 00 43 00 00 00 00 00 01 95 B2 00 00 16 07 DA 01 9B 38 3A 35 3D 00 00 00 3F 00 00 00 00 00 10 00 FE B2 00 00 35 42 00 00 00 43 00 00 00 00 00 01 95 B2 00 00 38 3A 24 00 16 55 35 7B B2 00 00 7C B2 00 00 00 00 1A 00 FF B2 00 00 01 A6 B2 00 00 7D 00 1B 54 0F 00 00 00 00 00 00 35 3D 00 00 00 3F 00 00 00 00 00 10 00 FE B2 00 00 35 42 00 00 00 43 00 00 00 00 00 01 95 B2 00 00 35 3A 00 00 00 3F 00 00 00 00 00 10 00 FE B2 00 00 35 42 00 00 00 43 00 00 00 00 00 01 95 B2 00 00 16 16 07 C4 02 9B 38 3A 35 3C 00 00 00 3F 00 00 00 00 00 10 00 FE B2 00 00 35 42 00 00 00 43 00 00 00 00 00 01 95 B2 00 00 38 3A 24 00 16 55 35 7B B2 00 00 7C B2 00 00 00 00 1A 00 FF B2 00 00 01 A6 B2 00 00 7D 00 1B 54 0F 00 00 00 00 00 00 35 3C 00 00 00 3F 00 00 00 00 00 10 00 FE B2 00 00 35 42 00 00 00 43 00 00 00 00 00 01 95 B2 00 00 35 39 00 00 00 3F 00 00 00 00 00 10 00 FE B2 00 00 35 42 00 00 00 43 00 00 00 00 00 01 95 B2 00 00 16 16 07 AE 03 9B 38 3A 35 3B 00 00 00 3F 00 00 00 00 00 10 00 FE B2 00 00 35 42 00 00 00 43 00 00 00 00 00 01 95 B2 00 00 38 3A 24 00 16 55 35 7B B2 00 00 7C B2 00 00 00 00 1A 00 FF B2 00 00 01 A6 B2 00 00 7D 00 1B 54 0F 00 00 00 00 00 00 35 3B 00 00 00 3F 00 00 00 00 00 10 00 FE B2 00 00 35 42 00 00 00 43 00 00 00 00 00 01 95 B2 00 00 35 38 00 00 00 3F 00 00 00 00 00 10 00 FE B2 00 00 35 42 00 00 00 43 00 00 00 00 00 01 95 B2 00 00 16 16 A5 00 FE B2 00 00 16 06 C5 00 06 B8 04 55 35 7B B2 00 00 7C B2 00 00 00 00 1A 00 FF B2 00 00 01 A6 B2 00 00 2A 00 1B 54 0F 00 00 00 00 00 00 38 3D 35 6A B2 00 00 71 B2 00 00 00 00 01 82 B2 00 00 4A 16 16 55 35 7B B2 00 00 7C B2 00 00 00 00 1A 00 FF B2 00 00 01 A6 B2 00 00 2A 00 1B 54 0F 00 00 00 00 00 00 38 3D 35 69 B2 00 00 71 B2 00 00 00 00 01 82 B2 00 00 4A 16 16 55 35 7B B2 00 00 7C B2 00 00 00 00 1A 00 FF B2 00 00 01 A6 B2 00 00 2A 00 1B 54 0F 00 00 00 00 00 00 38 3D 35 66 B2 00 00 71 B2 00 00 00 00 01 82 B2 00 00 4A 16 16 06 C9 04 A3 00 FF B2 00 00 16 06 0B 00 04 0B 53 
[/BEFORE_HEX]

[AFTER_HEX]
A8 04 00 00 18 03 00 00 0F 00 FF B2 00 00 25 07 89 04 96 00 FF B2 00 00 2C 04 16 07 51 00 9A 38 3A 35 7A B2 00 00 7C B2 00 00 00 00 1A 00 FF B2 00 00 01 A6 B2 00 00 38 3A 24 10 16 04 0B 06 7B 04 07 7B 04 9A 38 3A 35 7A B2 00 00 7C B2 00 00 00 00 1A 00 FF B2 00 00 01 A6 B2 00 00 38 3A 24 00 16 0F 35 7A B2 00 00 7C B2 00 00 00 01 1A 00 FF B2 00 00 01 A6 B2 00 00 24 10 07 7F 03 81 2D 01 88 B2 00 00 16 0F 00 FE B2 00 00 25 07 7C 03 96 00 FE B2 00 00 36 35 42 00 00 00 43 00 00 00 00 00 01 95 B2 00 00 16 0F 01 98 B2 00 00 38 3A 35 3D 00 00 00 3F 00 00 00 00 00 10 00 FE B2 00 00 35 42 00 00 00 43 00 00 00 00 00 01 95 B2 00 00 07 84 01 97 01 98 B2 00 00 25 16 55 35 7B B2 00 00 7C B2 00 00 00 00 1A 00 FF B2 00 00 01 A6 B2 00 00 7D 00 1B 54 0F 00 00 00 00 00 00 38 3D 01 98 B2 00 00 25 16 16 0F 01 98 B2 00 00 38 3A 35 3C 00 00 00 3F 00 00 00 00 00 10 00 FE B2 00 00 35 42 00 00 00 43 00 00 00 00 00 01 95 B2 00 00 07 79 02 97 01 98 B2 00 00 25 16 0F 00 57 B3 00 00 25 07 79 02 98 00 57 B3 00 00 35 39 00 00 00 3F 00 00 00 00 00 10 00 FE B2 00 00 35 42 00 00 00 43 00 00 00 00 00 01 95 B2 00 00 16 55 35 7B B2 00 00 7C B2 00 00 00 00 1A 00 FF B2 00 00 01 A6 B2 00 00 7D 00 1B 54 0F 00 00 00 00 00 00 38 3D 01 98 B2 00 00 24 00 16 16 A5 00 57 B3 00 00 16 06 E3 01 0F 01 98 B2 00 00 38 3A 35 3B 00 00 00 3F 00 00 00 00 00 10 00 FE B2 00 00 35 42 00 00 00 43 00 00 00 00 00 01 95 B2 00 00 07 6E 03 97 01 98 B2 00 00 25 16 0F 00 57 B3 00 00 25 07 6E 03 98 00 57 B3 00 00 35 38 00 00 00 3F 00 00 00 00 00 10 00 FE B2 00 00 35 42 00 00 00 43 00 00 00 00 00 01 95 B2 00 00 16 55 35 7B B2 00 00 7C B2 00 00 00 00 1A 00 FF B2 00 00 01 A6 B2 00 00 7D 00 1B 54 0F 00 00 00 00 00 00 38 3D 01 98 B2 00 00 24 00 16 16 A5 00 57 B3 00 00 16 06 D8 02 A5 00 FE B2 00 00 16 06 C5 00 06 78 04 55 35 7B B2 00 00 7C B2 00 00 00 00 1A 00 FF B2 00 00 01 A6 B2 00 00 2A 00 1B 54 0F 00 00 00 00 00 00 38 3D 35 6A B2 00 00 71 B2 00 00 00 00 01 82 B2 00 00 4A 16 16 55 35 7B B2 00 00 7C B2 00 00 00 00 1A 00 FF B2 00 00 01 A6 B2 00 00 2A 00 1B 54 0F 00 00 00 00 00 00 38 3D 35 69 B2 00 00 71 B2 00 00 00 00 01 82 B2 00 00 4A 16 16 55 35 7B B2 00 00 7C B2 00 00 00 00 1A 00 FF B2 00 00 01 A6 B2 00 00 2A 00 1B 54 0F 00 00 00 00 00 00 38 3D 35 66 B2 00 00 71 B2 00 00 00 00 01 82 B2 00 00 4A 16 16 06 89 04 A3 00 FF B2 00 00 16 06 0B 00 04 0B 0B 0B 0B 0B 0B 0B 0B 0B 0B 0B 0B 0B 0B 0B 0B 0B 0B 0B 0B 0B 0B 0B 0B 0B 0B 0B 0B 0B 53 
[/AFTER_HEX]

UPKFILE=XComGame.upk
FUNCTION=GetPodCharArray.XComAlienPodManager
[BEFORE_HEX]
80 01 00 00 F4 00 00 00 07 50 00 9B 38 3A 35 3D 00 00 00 3F 00 00 00 00 00 48 0B 43 00 00 38 3A 24 00 16 55 00 08 43 00 00 1D 00 35 3D 00 00 00 3F 00 00 00 00 00 48 0B 43 00 00 16 07 A0 00 9B 38 3A 35 3C 00 00 00 3F 00 00 00 00 00 48 0B 43 00 00 38 3A 24 00 16 55 00 08 43 00 00 1D 00 35 3C 00 00 00 3F 00 00 00 00 00 48 0B 43 00 00 16 07 F0 00 9B 38 3A 35 3B 00 00 00 3F 00 00 00 00 00 48 0B 43 00 00 38 3A 24 00 16 55 00 08 43 00 00 1D 00 35 3B 00 00 00 3F 00 00 00 00 00 48 0B 43 00 00 16 55 48 0A 43 00 00 1D 00 35 3A 00 00 00 3F 00 00 00 00 00 48 0B 43 00 00 16 55 48 0A 43 00 00 1D 00 35 39 00 00 00 3F 00 00 00 00 00 48 0B 43 00 00 16 55 48 0A 43 00 00 1D 00 35 38 00 00 00 3F 00 00 00 00 00 48 0B 43 00 00 16 04 00 08 43 00 00 04 3A 09 43 00 00 53 
[/BEFORE_HEX]

[AFTER_HEX]
7C 01 00 00 F4 00 00 00 07 4D 00 97 38 3A 35 3D 00 00 00 3F 00 00 00 00 00 48 0B 43 00 00 25 16 55 00 08 43 00 00 1D 00 35 3D 00 00 00 3F 00 00 00 00 00 48 0B 43 00 00 16 07 DF 00 97 38 3A 35 3C 00 00 00 3F 00 00 00 00 00 48 0B 43 00 00 25 16 0F 00 45 43 00 00 25 07 DF 00 98 00 45 43 00 00 38 3A 35 39 00 00 00 3F 00 00 00 00 00 48 0B 43 00 00 16 55 00 08 43 00 00 1D 00 35 3C 00 00 00 3F 00 00 00 00 00 48 0B 43 00 00 16 A3 00 45 43 00 00 16 06 7C 00 07 71 01 97 38 3A 35 3B 00 00 00 3F 00 00 00 00 00 48 0B 43 00 00 25 16 0F 00 45 43 00 00 25 07 71 01 98 00 45 43 00 00 38 3A 35 38 00 00 00 3F 00 00 00 00 00 48 0B 43 00 00 16 55 00 08 43 00 00 1D 00 35 3B 00 00 00 3F 00 00 00 00 00 48 0B 43 00 00 16 A3 00 45 43 00 00 16 06 0E 01 04 00 08 43 00 00 53 
[/AFTER_HEX] 

 

 

 

The allows the basic functionality of increasing the number of aliens in a pod by adjusting how the AltWeapon field is used.

 

However it does not have any of the alien leader code (which also is what set the altweapon for LPR-equipped mutons).

 

To use the initial version:

1. Don't ever equip Mutons with an alt weapon -- only use the altweapon fields to store alien count
2. Requires updating of XGStrategyAI functions as before:
   1. eMain type always has 1 alien -- altWeapon has no effect
   2. eSupport1 type has eSupport1AltWeapon + 1 aliens (so 0 value results in 1 alien, etc)
   3. eSupport2 type has eSupport2AltWeapon + 1 aliens

I will get the third function updated to support using the eMainAltWeapon to hold flags defining altWeapon status (so allowing LPR-equipped mutons) and custom defined leaders. Ran into some snags with altered export table references, unfortunately.

[Clinchicus]

Awesome to see progress on this mod for EW, this was one of the things that made Long War so enjoyable for me - thanks for the continued effort.

 

As an aside, I just picked up the modding tools from a thread in Mod Talk and am exploring the files/learning the tools, hopefully I'll be able to test/troubleshoot/contribute in the near future (I'm a software engineer by trade) :D

[Anbar]

 

 

Unfortunately the seeker AI is programmed to never strangle units that are immune to the damage. I think I'd like to change that so that they can still immobilize those units even though no damage is dealt, making late-game seekers more about "crowd control" than killing units.

 

 

Can the Seeker be awarded a trait e.g. "strangling" that would create an aim modifier too-hit?

 

I cant understand why it isn't much harder to shoot one off your buddies face.... (assuming we cant do a collateral-damage possible outcome, making it more difficult to shoot-off seems logical to me... I'd even be tempted to give pistols a bonus to shooting the Seeker off in that case (less damage to the seeker, means it requires more effort to kill once it has been shot-off-the-face...but your best chance to actually shoot it off is to use the low-damage pistol)

 

might be worth considering anyway.