40 replies to this topic

[CptJackSparrow]

What do you think of a monthly random event?
like...

X's government does not believe in UFOs anymore.
-> No funding til next terror mission in country X.

A billionaire wants to support you.
-> One-time payment of $500,000.

Due to increased competition your missile supplier needs to cut prices.
-> 10% discount on Avalanche missiles.

Accident during combat training: Soldier X gets hurt.
-> Same as being wounded in combat.

and so on...

[kelfka]

That is a great idea. Two thums up for the pirate

We could also add

The guys trew a big keg party 3 weeks ago and one of your soldier got pregnant or will be a father.
Result: you loose the soldier.

Some one trew a cigarette in the storage room and it cauth fire.
Result: you loose some of the items in it.

The Cubs won the world series.
Result: Nothing

Two ufo crashed into each other, causing some really big fire works.
Results: nothing.

James T. Kirk came from the futur to visit you.
Results: Two new Phaser rifle (impossible to research)

France sues X-com for 750 000 $
Results: - ± 500 000$

While walking in a park you find a cash of weapons.
Results: you have some new weapons.

Edited by kelfka, 26 November 2003 - 08:43 PM.

[Jenny]

While walking in a park you find a cash of weapons.
Results: you have some new weapons.

, what park is that?

[Puasonen]

When you are playing the game for the first time, it would be kinda cool to have some special events. Now comes the but..
BUT, after playing the game through a few times, those special events are gettin' stupid and boring. Maybe it would work if there would be only 1 special event/game and it's randomly selected from a list of 20-30 different events or something.

[Cpl. Facehugger]

Well, maby 2 or 3. One just doesn't seem to be enough.

Here is some more:

Alien abductees stage a protest outside washington
Result: Xcom gets more money from us to get rid of annoying alien analprobes.

Xcom Soldier is abducted while on vacation
Result: Xcom soldier is lost unless you intercept the abductor that took him.

Hovertanks go on a killing spree
Result: 1-50 scientists/engineers killed.

Edited by Cpl. Facehugger, 14 December 2003 - 06:49 PM.

[Micah]

A lot of these are very reasonable ideas, and could possibly be a feature of v1.0 to make it all the more unique. We'll just have to see ... no promises though

[mikker]

Your commander have just got arrested. go dirrectly to jail. do not gain 500$ if you pass GO.

[stewart]

I've got two Hotels on "Martian" Gardens; pay up!

I would have suggested having markets get saturated so that prices fall but then I've been reading this 300 kiloword fan fiction and his explanation about the swiss banks and so on which makes a lot of sense to me would counter that.

[Cpl. Facehugger]

Some more:

Aliens abduct movie star
Result: Movie Star dead, funding from his country dimishes. OR Movie star rescued, donation from star's family to xcom.

Aliens start saturating some areas with alien-human hybrids.
Result: BIG decrease in funding from nation affected.

Edited by Cpl. Facehugger, 14 December 2003 - 06:51 PM.

[CptJackSparrow]

Your video game "Mankinds Army" is a success.
-> 10 recruits for free.

Your scientists got sued by SCO.
-> some research progress is lost.

SciFi channel is filming "X-Corps - The Movie".
-> Collect $500,000.

Commander Tommy got a bright idea.
-> Base renovation costs $300,000.

UFO crash due to alien failure.
-> Collect loot and mission points without a fight.

Health insurance? What the heck is health insurance???
-> Your engineers go on strike.

[X-Clu-Zif]

Commander Tommy got a bright idea.
-> Base renovation costs $300,000.

I like that one...

Tommy + =

[Syntax Error]

Bad new: An alien prisonner had escaped from the jail, he killed 4 scientists and 2 engineers before stealing an Avenger.
Good new: the transmitter of the Avenger was located on Mars.
Bad new: the Avenger was not insured for steal.

[Deathskull]

Severe lightning storms/hurricanes
Result: ufos touchdown more often for sefety reasons

[SupSuper]

Nearby tropical storm / tornado / etc.
Result: Crafts can't take off or get 10% damage / hour in mid-air.

[RustedSoul]

the terminator joins x-com

his fame brings you xtra funding from all governments
soldier moral locked at 100% for 1 month

Edited by RustedSoul, 30 November 2003 - 05:29 PM.

[Cpl. Facehugger]

Don't you mean "The Govenator" ?

[j'ordos]

Who is 'governating' from Hawaii, you mean?

-accident in hangar: the aircraft in it can not take off for a few hours
-computer virus in science lab: temporary setback in current project(s)
-one soldier has to be discharged due to insurmountable psychological problems: lose the soldier and temporary lower morale for others
-your investments on the stock market turned out well/bad: gain/lose some money
-illness: one soldier has to remain at the base for some time
-a recruit with rich parents decides to 'donate' some money to avoid being called up for duty: you'll have to hire someone else but it'll bring in some dough
-we can let players type in their birthday in their profile, and celebrate the 'Commander's Birthday' ingame: bolsters morale for some time (maybe decreases performance due to excessive party too though )

[Judge_Deadd]

New Commander in the base: Commander Tommy
- all commanders are immortal, first manufactured item is lost (Tommy plays with it, vide Heavy Laser and Flying Suit)

One of dead aliens is actually alive - lose some scientists, your soldiers must fight with it

One of alive aliens dies of inexplicable causes

One of alive aliens runs away

[mikker]

New Commander in the base: Commander Tommy
- all commanders are immortal, first manufactured item is lost (Tommy plays with it, vide Heavy Laser and Flying Suit)

omgomgomg cheat!

hmmmmm....


-personal issues have been put up between our soldiers: [X] and [Y] will not go in the same transporter until several months have passed.

-huge light beam ín base alarmed nearby media center: 100.000 paid to cover up.

-alien UFO found in the ocean have blueprints to several ufo designs, plus complete hull and elerium engine: you get x-net data for 3 random ufos, plus more alien alloy and elerium.

-secret cracks below our base must be repaired: random facility (not in use though) goes back to start of building state.

-a drug addictiveness by several soldiers will cost us 1.000 each month untill clearence: you pay the money until 6-12 months have past. (soldiers die if you don't have the money)

Edited by Cpl. Facehugger, 14 December 2003 - 06:53 PM.

[mikker]

Commander Tommy got a bright idea.
-> Base renovation costs $300,000.

no its wrong:

Commander Tommy got a bright idea.
-> Main base lost

[Cpl. Facehugger]

Commander Tommy Plays with your Blaster Bombs
Result: Next blasterbomb you fire will explode in the launcher.

2 Agents start to fall in love
Result: If one dies, the other either A: Kills themselves, or B: Suffers a huge morale penalty.

[Judge_Deadd]

New year
- If there are any Blaster Bombs in our base, your commander dies

[mikker]

ULTRA RARE:

Moon crashes into Earth! You are ALL DEAD! GAME OVER! Oh wait. it was just a nightmare...

:/

A secret reseach base have been discovered. New base available (only if below 8).

[Trevelyan]

Commander involved in alien affair which results in divorce... Lose Half of all assets and commander has bad accuracy for 5 days because of "Sore nuts" from Ex-Wife.


This is seriously a good idea, a nice way to add some spice into the game.

[Gradea]

What do you think of a monthly random event?
like...

X's government does not believe in UFOs anymore.
-> No funding til next terror mission in country X.

A billionaire wants to support you.
-> One-time payment of $500,000.

Due to increased competition your missile supplier needs to cut prices.
-> 10% discount on Avalanche missiles.

Accident during combat training: Soldier X gets hurt.
-> Same as being wounded in combat.

and so on...

1) "yes, the other world wide missions and previous missions into our coutnry were all false"

sorry, dont like this idea on either the grounds of balance or making sense

2) mabye after a terror mission if you save him

3 and 4) i like...include other items and lab and enginers "sorry sir...i didnt know the laser cutter was on..."

[Oscar]

2 Agents start to fall in love
Result: If one dies, the other either A: Kills themselves, or B: Suffers a huge morale penalty.

that was a pretty good idea. But let's add to it:

2 soldiers start to fall in love
Result: Boost of morale if the two are together on a mission, lowered morale if the two isn't whit eachother. If one dies, the other either A: Kills themselves, or B: Suffers a huge morale penalty.

And i got an idea for some random stuff:

Let's say that we got this soldier named Jefferson. Okay.

You take a mission. Equip screen. You don't really check the soldiers equipment throughoutly; Jefferson forgot to tie one of his shoes, but that's no big deal, right?

Wrong. You get to the mission area succesfully. The troops unload and move out in groups. Jeffersons group reach an area whit what seems to be metal scrapes stickin' out of the sand/dirt/grass/whatever. You carefully move them forward. Suddenly Jefferson becomes temporary blinded by an reflection from the sun in one of the metal scrapes. He stumbles forwards and trips over his shoelances. He falls straight on one of the metal scrapes. He get's his vision back just in time to see that the metal scrape is really a partly burrowed mine. He shouts "It's a mine field!" and as he lands on the ground he get's blown to bits, but the rest of the squad hears his screams in time and barley avoids the blast.

but that's more like a mission random thing

[mikker]

you scare me oscar

i doubt we should do with that, for

1) no minefields
2) alot of things you have to do to get it right
3) shoes?

but it would be okay if a laser riffle doesnt work, or a heavy plasma clip only have 10 clips instead of 30 because the soldier picked the wrong one.

[Syntax Error]

He scares me too, with him, Xenocid could be as violent as "The Sims".

[Oscar]

haha!
Yeah like that Mikker. Some kind of random stuff before/during a mission/intercept/something like the pilot forgets/remembers to check something and get's a negative/positive effect or something like that. Nothing graphical or too animated (if animated at all) or sutch, like a message that tells you what that have happened.

[Puasonen]

Alien containment xnet entry gave me this idea..

Aliens starts riot at alien containment -> 1 soldier dead, 2 wounded, 6 aliens dead [insert races and ranks]

[Cpl. Facehugger]

I'd rather have it as a seperate mission where the aliens are trying to raid the armory and escape.

[Trevelyan]

Wow... maybe we could research advanced shoes with no shoelaces

I like this idea, keeps you on your toes and the game doesn't seem so linear

one more smiley

[coolp]

How about we do this Alpha Centauri style- in the beginning of the game you decide whether or not to have random events. Also, maybe there could be 10 sets of random events, and at the beginning of the game one of those sets is randomly selected, and you get random events from that pile for the rest of the game. That way vets won't get bored.

[Robo Dojo 58]

Also, maybe there could be 10 sets of random events, and at the beginning of the game one of those sets is randomly selected, and you get random events from that pile for the rest of the game.That way vets won't get bored.

That's a neat idea coolp, but you'd need alot of different events if you want 10 sets of them. Instead of that, a saved game could keep track of the events that happened, so you don't get them 5-6 times in a game. Events would be boring if they became predictable, or if they flooded the geoscape, so the more random, the better.

But in order to do that, you'd need some events, right? Here are a few ideas.
1. Fossils/gems/minerals/oil/alien artifacts found during excavation. X-Corps bases are underground. Maybe building a few facilities could uncover something nice, or unusual.
2. Accident at science lab Speaks for itself. A few scientists die, or a part of the base is damaged and can't run for a few days.
3. Accident at engineering lab pretty much the same thing, except for engineers.
4. Base construction ahead/behind schedule. some more dirt troubles. Maybe some dirt fell in, or construction is going well.
5. Agent Name here resigns. X-Corps has nice lawyers, so this probably won't happen.
6. Weapons testing near X-COM base. But they said it was a nuclear testing site! Why would a top secret underground base be there?
7. Cha? who's Cha? Someone uses X-Corps laser defenses to etch the first three letters of their name into the moon.
8. Tommy plays in general stores. Depending on how much Xenium/Xenium products you have, a chunch of earth is blown off the globe. You lose the base and funding from the country with a big hole in it. Enough Xenium could start a chain-reaction with other bases, and strip the Earth of it's crust.

[Trevelyan]

7. Cha? who's Cha? Someone uses X-Corps laser defenses to etch the first three letters of their name into the moon.

A Tick reference... and i thought i was the only person in the world to see it.


Phear the CHAIR!!!!!!

[coolp]

It wouldn't be that hard to come up with enough events, just look at this thread, we already have enough for the sets of random events. The only problem would be the coding side of it, which I have no idea how it works... any programmers who think this would/wouldn't work?



And for no apparent reason...
:happybanana: :happybanana: :happybanana: :happybanana: :happybanana:

that cracks me up every time =)

[mikker]

heheheheheheheheheheheheheheheheheheheh......heh.....


i like the idea of events that could be special missions, like "Secret non-x-corps goverment base overrun by aliens", or "farm site infected by cryssalids".

also,

"The goverment have been sued by privite institutes for trying to hide x-corps. they succeed in containing and denying all events, but they must pay 10.000 dollers each month untill next year. they hand you the bill."

[Cpl. Facehugger]

"The goverment have been sued by privite institutes for trying to hide x-corps. they succeed in containing and denying all events, but they must pay 10.000 dollers each month untill next year. they hand you the bill."

X-Corps avengers begin bombing said private institutions, while X-Corps troops (all decked out in powered armor) begin attacking those institusions' workers.

[websee]

a general word about random events: the random events schold be calculated by the game for a month ahead, so a player connot load the game until he gets a good event.


here i have some ideas:
Commander Tommy wants fireworks for newyear, he blows all elerium-115 into the air and shoots it: all elerium-115 is lost, only 5 elerium/avenger is left in the hangars.
Commander Tommy does some target practice: all aliens in the alien containment are dead
Commander Tommy plays with the base defenses, a plane is downed: -points from the government, +points for recovering the plane
Commander Tommy plays in the hangar: 1 avenger takes 50% damage
Commander Tommy scares soldiers at night: some soldiers have morale decrease for 5 days
Commander Tommy hires some fun for every soldier: -10,000$/soldier, all soldiers gain +50% morale, +50% energy and +50% reactions for 5 days.
Commander Tommy argues with a soldier: soldier is wounded for 5 days
Commander Tommy celebrates his birthday, all soldiers are drunk: -50% sight, -30% TUs, -50% reactions, -70% accuracy, +100% morale, soldiers sometimes run somewhere else for 3 days
Commander Tommy takes all soldiers to the church: all soldiers belive in god for 5 days
a soldier belives in god: he refuses to shoot aliens (uses only stunning and psi weapons), gains increased TUs for 5 days
1 of you scientists is a genius: research progress set to 100% for the current project
A computer virus infiltrates your computers: all labs and workshops closed, no radar/hyperwave detection, no mind shield for 10 days
the aliens hack into your computers: they locate all your bases
accident in the laborytory: 1 scientist becomes a mutant soldier (very high attributes, low morale)
a traitor releases all aliens in the containment: immediate base defense mission
a pack of bandits raids your base: immediate base defense mission, if no squad at the base: all stores are empty
A UFO crashes on the lift of your base: immediate mission on the surface above your base.
A meteroid crashes on your base: base must be repaired
New Computer game released, you soldiers play it day and night: 50% energy on all missions for 10 days
Your soldiers bring an unknown object from a mission, its a cryssalid egg, your sientists get infected while researching it: 5 scientists become cryssalids, immediate base defense mission.
A traitor steals from you: some equipment is gone, 1 scientist is gone and your research progress is set to 0%
recruits family killed by aliens: he joins you for free and takes half salary for 1 year
soldiers family killed by aliens: moraöe decrease to half for 1 month
soldiers family killed by aliens, he wants revenge: has increased TUs, increased energy, very stable morale, half psi skill, half reactions and half accuracy
the aliens try a new psi weapon on one of your bases, all personell runs berserk: base unavialable for 3 days
soldier on drugs: decreased TUs, energy, reactions, accuracy, low morale, double psi skill
soldier has to p*ss: no TUs for 1 round
you did a mission in a nuke test area: all soldiers who were on the mission get sick for 5 days

[CptJackSparrow]

a general word about random events: the random events schold be calculated by the game for a month ahead, so a player connot load the game until he gets a good event.

Civilization III has a "preserve random seed" option.
If you start a game with this option set, then the seed
will be stored when the game is saved, so everytime
you load a previous game to replay a certain situation
the results will be exactly the same.

I think, we could use this technique, too.
So we won't have to precalculate anything,
but have the same effect anyway.


If anyone doesn't know:
computers are unable to generate random
numbers, so to obtain usable pseudo-random
numbers, they need some extra input (e.g. mouse
movement, network traffic, current time, ...)
to initialize their random number generator.
This input is called the random seed.

Edited by CptJackSparrow, 15 January 2004 - 02:09 PM.

[Anthraxus]

With the number of creative people we have working on it, I don't think that it would be too complex to come up with 100 potential random items. You could store them in a plain text file with a simple parser, to make them easy to mod in the future.

You would have to lock in a simple parse language for effects though.

So the file format would look something like:

[1]
"$Ship Engine Malfunction during practice flight. Engine speed reduced 50% until repaired"; $Ship, -50 SPE;
"Sabotuers break into base $basename. Base Facilities damaged"; $basename, $rand FAC, -20*$rand;

[2]
etc..

Where $Ship, $basename are randomly selected appropriate items, and $rand is simply a randomly generated number ranging from 1-10. Thusly When the first
random event from list 1 is triggered, the system would randomly pick a ship in operational status, and reduce the speed of the ship until after it is repaired. This of course only delays the ship, since they can't take off while they are being repaired. The second one randomly picks a base, and applies 20*(1 to 10) damage to (1 to 10) facilities in the base, which then become unusable (or usable in a diminished capacity) until they are repaired. You should have to worry about damage to your facilities after a base invasion anyway, so the repair mechanic should already be built in. You see where I'm going anway, I hope.