Problem With Xcomutil 9.42 And Xcom Ce

[NotDefault]

This is a bit of an odd one, and try as I might I can't find any info about anyone with a similar problem. I'm running Windows XP with some version of the Gold (dunno where I got it). The graphics are messed up if I run it normally. However, using the xcloader.exe included with XcomUtil and selecting UFO.exe makes the game run just fine. This is acceptable, but I'd really like to use XcomUtil's features.

 

I've set the options with the setup, and it starts just fine by running RunXcomW.bat, but if I try to enter a tactical battle it quits the game. Using xcloader.exe to start geoscape.exe or tactical.exe works too, so that isn't the problem. Maybe the batch file isn't starting tactical.exe? Any help would be appreciated.

[NotDefault]

Well, it works now, and as far as I can tell I didn't change anything. I made a copy of RunXcomW.bat called DebugXCW.bat and inserted a lot of pauses to see if I could find the part where it stopped working. I ran that from a command window and it worked fine, and then I tried running the regular batch file from a command window and it also worked fine, and then I tried running the regular batch file straight from windows and that worked too. Mysterious.

 

I do have a question though: the stat strings for the soldiers seem to be only applied after combat; is there a way to make it happen before combat also?

[j'ordos]

I remember I had that problem too, a while ago, but I can't remember what I did to fix it...

 

There is a flag you can use with xcomutil so it'll apply the stat strings to all your current soldiers no matter where they are now, but only outside of xcom.

REN = Renames the soldiers according to their attributes and the

      StatStrings defined in the XCOMUTIL.CFG file. It does this by adding

      an equipment type to the end of the name.  The following characters in

      the equipment type represent the following attributes:

 

        x = Psi/MC Strength 0

        M = Firing Accuracy >= 70 (excellent marksman)

        m = Marksmanship    >= 60 (marksman)

        R = Reactions    >= 60

        r = Reactions    >= 50

        P = Psi/MC Strength >= 80 and Psi/MC Skill > 0

        p = Psi/MC Strength >= 60 and Psi/MC Skill > 0

        K = Psi/MC Skill    >= 60

        k = Psi/MC Skill    >= 30

        w = Strength       

        b = Bravery      >= 60

        c = Bravery     

 

      There are also two special equipment types defined by default in

      XCOMUTIL.CFG.  These are Snpr (Sniper) and Sct (Scout).  The Snpr

      is a soldier who has both high firing accuracy and high reactions,

      an ideal candidate for someone to watch the door to a UFO.  The

      Sct is a soldier with high reactions and high movement.  Perfect

      for the one sent out to find the enemy.  Instructions for modifying

      the StatStrings are included in the section on XCOMUTIL.CFG.

 

      REN will only add equipment types to names which do not already have an

      equipment type separated by a double-slash (//).  This allows you to use

      these equipment types as defaults for new soldiers without effecting any

      unique equipment types you may have defined.  This option can be

      selected using XCUSETUP.

 

      The REN:RANKS flag will not only add StatStrings to the names, but will

      precede those strings with a rank indicator after the name. 

      The ranks indictors are :a for rookie or seaman, :b for squaddie or able

      seaman, etc.  Typical rank abbreviations were not used, since space is

      very limited and the names were not unique.

 

      The REN:KILLS flag will not only add StatStrings and ranks to the names,

      but also the number of kills for that soldier.

 

      If ranks or kills are selected in XcuSetup, those settings are added

      to REN automatically in command line mode.

 

      If the resulting string exceeds the maximum length for a name, the first

      name will be replaced by an initial.  If the string is still too long,

      the first name will be removed entirely.  If this string is still too

      long, no change will be made.

 

      This flag can be used with the EQP, SRT:EQP, and EQL flags or just as a

      way to see information that is unavailable unless in the attributes

      screen.  This flag is only allowed outside of combat.

Edited January 14, 2004 by j'ordos

[stjones]

I do have a question though: the stat strings for the soldiers seem to be only applied after combat; is there a way to make it happen before combat also?

XCOMUTIL only updates the stats after combat because it eliminates the need to do it in two different places. The only time this is a problem is with new soldiers, since you would like to have the stats available when you first assign them to ships. However, there is no way to do that without saving the game, running XCOMUTIL from the command line, then restarting the game. Since I couldn't do it right in all cases, I did it the easy way.

 

Sorry that I didn't reply sooner, but I was either on vacation, sick, or both, for the last month.