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[Kyzrati]

Automatically randomized everything?

i love you

Yep, too early to get into the details now, though, since that mode would definitely be pretty far behind everything else, and would remain experimental for a long while, I'm sure. Definitely something to look forward to, in any case!

I've heard it's going to have modding support. I can't wait to try that to make some total conversions (Star Wars, Mass Effect, Starship Troopers, Warhammer40k etc!).

Yes, it will.
It'll be very moddable, indeed, and the logic engine design is including a huge number of features of which X-COM is only a subset, so you'll be able to produce things with a fairly large amount of variation from the original.

Edit: More Freezebug info: I have it fairly regular now, I suspect it has to do with my growing familiarity with the interface and consequential mashing keys before the event display code or animation sequence is fully finished. I find that the mouseover still functions displaying info on items hovered over and displaying coordinates, but no new commands are accepted from either keyboard or mouse. [Lets do bug reports in purple...] Can't reproduce it on purpose either, possibly I just have incompatible drivers?

That is a very descriptive explanation which should help immensely, thanks! The fact that cursor movement is still displaying different info on the HUD means the game isn't really frozen, but somehow the normal input is being blocked, which could be the result of a particle that refuses to die (the existence of certain particles can block input). This doesn't only happen during/after you use the inventory window? (The window might be a little bit unstable.) I would've thought that's the cause, but it seems to be happening to you even during normal play, like simply aiming and firing (?).

Since you are seeing it fairly often, I'll definitely have to fix this for the next release. I doubt it's a problem with your setup--you're just playing a lot, and getting good enough at the controls to push X@COM past its meager limits

Just a few thoughts on the interface, could you add the reserve TU buttons on the main screen? Just a button to click that highlights when you click it. A simple "(S)(B)(A)(M)(T) (reserve)" bar would do it and should be pretty simple to fit in the soldier's status. Just for those lazy, mouse driven junkies like me. Actually, having another bar like that for mouse driven shooting would work as well. One click for right hand, another click for left.

Mouse junkies rejoice! Once the new interface is complete, every command will be mouse-accessible, most of them right on the HUD. The HUD is going to look a lot different than what you see now. I'm not trying to go all DF on you guys and make you remember tons of kb commands--it's just faster to develop that way, and wastes less time since I don't have the interface complete.

On the reserve thing, could we also have a crouch TU reserve (either as a keystroke or on the reserve bar as well)? It was probably the main thing that made me like TFTD more than Xcom. So handy.

I read your comment, then immediately went to implement it. Got halfway done, then realized/remembered that it has to operate separately from the primary action reserve so that you can reserve both at once (only kneeling but then not having reserved snap TU isn't as useful), but integrating it the system I've got won't work since currently it's only possible to show a single amount of reserved TU (and internally the system is set for one action only). I agree that crouch reserve is very important, so it'll definitely make it into the new HUD, when I can give it the proper attention. Just tacked it onto the HUD design doc.

But before you do all that sort of stuff, Merry Christmas!

Finding this game has been one of those cool little presents you never expected. Cheers.

Now to make sure I don't spend xmas on the pc.....

Well, I wish there was more to it at this point than a promise that it will just keep getting cooler

Anyway, I promise not to ruin your X-Mas with an irresistible R6!

[Areyar]

Yes, it is not specifically following a menu being drawn, rather the opposite. It seems to happen most after firing a shot.


About shooting: it would be nice if following the shot being tracked, it will revert to either the xcom opperative or even better the target, because as it stands I keep aiming shots in the air after missing by a mile. (shot goes wide, view follows shot to different level, I fire another snapshot at enemy location but at zoomed to level.) This is also one of the main reasons for my '-' mashing after shooting.

Did a quick game this morning and lost with only a 400 score. no code-bugs seen.
I'm away from home now, holdays with family, copied the ASCIICOM dir to a USB-stick, but it seems my travel-netbook which I thought was fixed with a new cpufan still has it's own freeze errors.
Need to DL those DLLs as well first.

Merry X@MAS!

[Kyzrati]

Thanks for the report, now I see why you're hitting '-' so much (currently I use the mouse + wheel for aiming instead). Back when I first wrote the targeting system, I wasn't sure what to do about the resetting of the screen level after shots, since you'll usually want to look at the target area for a moment. But I agree that it's annoying when you do miss and the shot flies off some strange level and the screen stays there. Perhaps for shots that hit something it'll stay on the hit level, and for shots that miss it'll go back to the operative? (If it always switches back, you'll never get to see the target that was hit on a different level.)

Merry X@MAS to all

[sambojin]

See, that's why everyone should support this  game. Once X@COM is done, I'll be able to not only play an awesome little strategic combat game, I'll be able to sit back, chuckle to myself and think "Wow, I asked for that feature while I was getting pissed on xmas eve, and it made it in".

Game development at it's finest......

Anyway, I'm sure the map formats will probably change from time to time (as will unit defs etc), but do you mind if I start chucking together a few little maps for the WH40k thing? I know it's pretty early in the release cycle, but a bit of practice now might be handy for later. Alpha test-mod maps/units for an alpha tech test for the game sounds quite fitting. It all looks pretty easy to do (even just a batch file to install/run from a different dir for them right now, no need to cludge up the original data). Just as practice for myself really.

So any objections to people releasing alpha-test-mods? Or do you want to wait for a couple of versions until modding is closer to its final form?

[Kyzrati]

So any objections to people releasing alpha-test-mods? Or do you want to wait for a couple of versions until modding is closer to its final form?

I have no objections, I would only advise against it right now since *every* release changes the data file content, often quite significantly.

One thing about the map creation system specifically: it's 100% temporary--not very versatile right now, just something quick I put together for the demo only. There will be an in-engine map editor (not text files) for that, so it can integrate AI and mission scripting and other features where necessary.

I *will* however, want interested folks to try a little modding before long, just so I can get some feedback on what modders might want, and what you think about the current system, although later on it shouldn't be too hard to make additions/changes on request.

It should be fairly easy to create mods when the time comes, the main obstacle right now is the lack of a manual and nowhere to reference the valid values for a given property, or a description of what they do/mean.

Obviously if you want to fool around and try and figure out how it works, be my guest, but I can't really take out the time to field a bunch of questions about it right now. You can't load another map with the current version, nor is there a way to get new objects/units/equipment into the game (I just keep adding hard-coded scenarios to play with), so all you can really do is modify values of some existing objects, and a few wrong settings might break a given scenario.

I'd have to at least add a blank moddable map and a way to script in entities etc before you could really make a somewhat playable mod. I'll consider doing some kind of "modding test" release within the next few versions, but you might have to wait a couple months or more for that. Mostly because I'm going to be gone for 3 weeks for Chinese New Year vacation later next month! Too bad for X@COM...

[sambojin]

No worries. I'll have a bit of a muck around and see what happens. I kind of injured my knee and foot over xmas, so I'll have a bit of time off my feet anyway. I blame the kids these days...... But really it was the alcohol

I'll wait for a few versions down the track for anything more definate. I'll probably come up with a million suggestions, questions, etc before then. I'll just try not to post them. It'll only slow down development.

[Kyzrati]

No worries. I'll have a bit of a muck around and see what happens. I kind of injured my knee and foot over xmas, so I'll have a bit of time off my feet anyway. I blame the kids these days...... But really it was the alcohol

I'll wait for a few versions down the track for anything more definate. I'll probably come up with a million suggestions, questions, etc before then. I'll just try not to post them. It'll only slow down development.

Gotta stay away from that egg nog...

Questions I'm sure will be numerous at this stage; most will be addressed later with the manual. Suggestions I'll definitely want to hear, and if you have stuff you'd like to jot down just to inform me for future consideration (without bringing it up for discussion in the thread and, yes, slowing everything down ), feel free to email me and I'll keep it handy for reference.

[MaximumZero]

I *will* however, want interested folks to try a little modding before long, just so I can get some feedback on what modders might want, and what you think about the current system, although later on it shouldn't be too hard to make additions/changes on request.

Ooh, ooh, me, me! Pick me! So long as it doesn't require a programming degree and/or a super-significant amount of time, I'm in.

[x2yzh9]

Just curious, though this has probably been asked before, will the game have a geoscape?

[Kyzrati]

I *will* however, want interested folks to try a little modding before long, just so I can get some feedback on what modders might want, and what you think about the current system, although later on it shouldn't be too hard to make additions/changes on request.

Ooh, ooh, me, me! Pick me! So long as it doesn't require a programming degree and/or a super-significant amount of time, I'm in.

Hehe, don't worry, it won't be a closed test. Anyone will be free to participate and give input.

Just curious, though this has probably been asked before, will the game have a geoscape?

Full remake. Everything++

[Deon]

Of course you know that mods are my food and love. I can't wait to try it .

[Areyar]

bump! 

[Tarran]

...What's the point of bumping the thread? If Kyzrati doesn't have anything new to notify us about, then there is nothing a bump will do about it. If nobody has anything more to say about the game at the moment and/or isn't playing it, then there is nothing a bump will do about it.

[Areyar]

Aw! How negative.

A bump will temporarilly place this thread at the top, where casual baywatchers may spot it, bringing fresh interest and discussion.

[forsaken1111]

nonconstructive bump is nonconstructive