CptJackSparrow Posted November 17, 2003 Report Share Posted November 17, 2003 Good point.No shooting, no throwing, no other psi powers,no healing, no scanning.Crouching? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cpl. Facehugger Posted November 18, 2003 Author Report Share Posted November 18, 2003 Will our aliens crouch?Probably not. Therefore, why make our simulacrum crouch?Will he be allowed to manipulate his inventory? Like reach into his backpack to grab a clip or something? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
A_dxman Posted November 18, 2003 Report Share Posted November 18, 2003 If you try to shoot then the illusion should be broken - keeps it fair I don’t mean to rain on anyone’s day but I’ve just read the entire thread and it sounds to me like a lot of the ideas for psi powers are borrowed for games like StarCraft and System Shock 2! I’m not saying that this is a bat thing but, couldn’t we think of something original? Having said that, It will be hard as just about everything seems to have been done. What if a X-com psi commando, with a motion scanner (or a more advanced version based on alien technology) can ‘see’ aliens further away, or ‘know’ that they are there even if he/she can see them. Like second sight or something.Psi voices (I think I stole this one but I’m not sure) => like in the movies when the actors ‘hear’ the aliens chatting in their heads, what if X-com ppls could do this to aliens?Psi absorption => sucking energy right out of the air, (making it really cold and replenishing you psi energy) freezing or paralysing anything in the way (sectoid popsicle, mmm)Psi illumination => works like a ‘flash and bang’ grenade, short sharp and blinding light.Psi shield => (possibly should be a separate object that needs researching) dampens incoming or outgoing psi attacks, stops ppl from getting mind controlled etc. All of these powers should require ADVANCED research possibly even an advanced psi lab. but what do i know... i'm only, ah... 6! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
warhamster Posted November 18, 2003 Report Share Posted November 18, 2003 I suppose, to make it simple, no doing anything that takes up time units, except moving. I guess it would kinda look a little funny for a chrysallid to take his stun rod from the back pack he doesn't have. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cpl. Facehugger Posted November 19, 2003 Author Report Share Posted November 19, 2003 If you try to shoot then the illusion should be broken - keeps it fair I don’t mean to rain on anyone’s day but I’ve just read the entire thread and it sounds to me like a lot of the ideas for psi powers are borrowed for games like StarCraft and System Shock 2!Heh. Its ok I'm not offended (I did think of many of these strange abilities:)) However, it is very difficult to think of a new, believable psi power. At one point, I'm sure some weird game came up with a psi power that makes flowers shoot out of the ground! What i'm saying here is that very few ideas are original. Heck, even Half-Life wasn't original (gameplay was, story wasn't) Anyway, I like your ideas. And WH, you are right. I can't argue with that. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marr Posted November 19, 2003 Report Share Posted November 19, 2003 An obervation - Psi Powers were pretty massively overpowered in the original game because they were under, rather than overdeveloped. I think expanding the system to include a wider variety of effects would actually lead to Psionics being a much more integrated, interesting, and believable ingredient in the strategy. I mean, it was nice to be able to take out a battleship without leaving your armchair using a combination of Mind Control expertise and Blaster missiles, but I seem to remember it doing bad things to my suspension of disbelief, and to the suspense generally. So, here's a suggestion to make game breaking psyker ubertroops even less likely - have different Psi strengths for the different powers, all randomly generated just as they were for the original Panic/Mind Control ability. That way, there's no profit to recruiting and firing troops looking for high percentile mekons, because no-one will be ideal for every role. This could lead to much more personalised, X-Men kind of fire groups being formed, and might also allow some weak physical effects to be included without turning the whole X-Com team into munchkin Dungeons and Dragons combat mages. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GutterMonkey Posted November 29, 2003 Report Share Posted November 29, 2003 Personally, I'd like to see all the psi powers reman mind related. I think someone already said this as well. If the psi powers are able to do things to the physical enviroment, that can get really sticky for balanceing issues. I think that a telekenitic ablity to open doors from a distance, or to attempt to knock back and stun and alien should be about as far as minipulating the enviroment with your mind should be. Also, who said that all psi powers had to be offensive? I think the ability to protect troops around the friendly psiker from enemy psi attacks would be great, espically if it was a passive feild effect- so that there was a aura of friendly psi energy around one of your psionic troopers, and that inside this bubble, enemy psi attacks were harder for the aliens to do, and this effect was more pronounced the closer you got to the friendly unit. That could be the standard aura, that's always on, and there could be other auras that the psiker could do that would cost psi energy and some TUs every turn, but that would be more benifical, depending on how powerful the psiker was. For balance, having an aura active should probably make it impossible for the psiker to have any other psi powers active during that time. Psi Bravery- increses the effective bravery of friendly units within range, and recovers morale faster. Basicly a psionic verson of command benifits to morale from officers. Psi Protection- like the regular Psi aura, but stronger. Psi Clarity Aura- freindly units recover 'stunned' HP at a faster rate then normal, and makes friendlys harder to stun in the first place. This could ba an aura verson of a power that recovers 'stunned' HP for an individual trooper, the tradeoff being that it isn't as strong for any single unit, but multiple guys within your squad can recive it's benifits. Other non aura powers- Psi detection- the psiker sends out a pulse of psi energy that 'reflects' off of living minds like radar, but doesn't tell who or what the mind belongs to. This would be represented on screen by a 'holographic' type marker that could be seen through walls and roofs, but would not impede the LOS rules. The marker would appear where the mind was when the detection pulse was used, and would last for one turn. Best used at the beginning of the turn. Brezerk- they can do it to us, we should do it to them! This would be between fear and mind control in terms of difficulty. Break mind hold- this would pit the power of a freindly psiker against the power of the enemy psiker who is trying to affect the mind of a freindly unit. This would be used to un-panic, un-brezerk, and un-mind controll friendly units under psionic attack. Invisiblity- not true invisiblity, but instead this makes the targeted alien incapible of spotting any friendlys or civilians. Stun- attacks the enemy's mind in such a way that they take stunned damage. Illusion- makes the enemy see something that isn't there. This could work by targeting a spicific enemy to work the illusion on, or by creating an illusion that affects all enemys who see it. Or both systems could be used, with a powerful verson that creates an illusion that affects multiplue enemys, and a weak illusion that only affects the targeted enemy. Player could choose what this illusion is, either a live grenade, an earth soldier(an image of the psiker perhaps?), a HWP, or a civilian. Obviously this is ment to draw fire, except for the grenade which causes aliens who fall for the deception to flee. Anger- this causes the alien to become so angry that rational thoguht is lost, and they drop all their weapons to charge the enemy and distroy him with mele attacks. This does not work on 'stupid' aliens, and is pointless on aliens who don't use guns anyway. But it'd be a blast to use on greys! Confusion- causes the target to see all charichters as human soldiers. So they will still shoot at you and civilians, but they will shoot at each other as well. Conplacency- causes the target to decide not to fire or run. The alien will woner aimlesly around, looking for something interesting to do. The alien won't mind being shot at, and may or may not drop his weapons. I know some of these may have been said before, but I don't know which ones, so I said all the ones I could think of. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Azrael Posted March 9, 2004 Report Share Posted March 9, 2004 Hey, we should have loading while in tactical missions, i've always had to flee the tactical mission, and then load the game, it's a waste of time, players who do it (me included) do it anyway, why complicate things? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jonaleth Irenicus Posted March 14, 2004 Report Share Posted March 14, 2004 I kinda like the idea of a reloading enemy. You'r at the second level of Cynodia and near the big bad boy.*Game flashes*You'r back in the first month of the game.Computer: Wohooo!!! I think the only logical psi skill would be the ones that didn't turn the psi combat into a totally different warfare entirely (and thus eliminating all kinds of tactical fun). Telekinesis looks fine, you should be able to throw items around or push/pull some aliens (or even make your own soldiers fly). This wouldn't horribly unbalance the game (heck, the first time you meet psi you go "HORRIBLY UNBALANCED" because of control thingy). Stunning while pushing looks a bit abusive though.Psi defensive skills would be nice, especially taking back the effects of psi attacks (like raising morale or taking control back). I am not sure about "protection" though, that sounds kinda abusive (a few soldiers with high psi skill protect the ones wandering out, the opposing psi alien army has no chance). Disintegrate: Destroys target, along with all carried equipment (leaves no corpse behind). Needs lots of things to balance (only highly skilled aliens/soldiers can use it, limited use per combat, etc...) but it would be cool. It is also a "towards the end of the game" factor, even when you have all the technology and kick donkey, there is still something to feat out there. Sorry if this has been suggested before. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Robo Dojo 58 Posted March 15, 2004 Report Share Posted March 15, 2004 Disintegrate: Destroys target, along with all carried equipment (leaves no corpse behind). Needs lots of things to balance (only highly skilled aliens/soldiers can use it, limited use per combat, etc...) but it would be cool. It is also a "towards the end of the game" factor, even when you have all the technology and kick donkey, there is still something to feat out there. Hmm.... instead of completely disintegrating, how about killing? An etherial leader would probably have enough PSI power/telekenesis to kill an agent. (the brain and nerves are pretty soft) It'd probably be something severely limited by range, or need line-of-sight. The overall sucess of the attack will determine the damage that it does. People with high PSI skill wouldn't get hurt as much, but a low PSI guy might be gooified on the inside. The enemy reloaded all the time in UFO. It was called crashing. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mikker Posted March 15, 2004 Report Share Posted March 15, 2004 i think that each race should have PSI soldiers (or at least have etherials with them) of some sort so they arn't defenceless in battle¨. I like the idea of PSI voices, like Niliath in Half-life, sorta that. It doesn't acturly do anything (maybe a little morale lowing), but it does funny things to the bagground music (adding some random tones, unstable soundlevel, etc.) and that stupid voice. Would drive you mad after a while. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ShadowMarth03 Posted April 6, 2004 Report Share Posted April 6, 2004 New here, love the project. What about adding a new add on or even a new type of psi amp to the tech tree for only VERY high level psi users. Don't get out of control with the psi though, just a few useful but pricey abilities. Limited telekenesis, like opening doors from afar, or picking up guns and ammo from a few squares away, that kind of stuff. None of this psi storm stuff, too good. ( Love starcraft though. Avenger01[PW]) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
milesteg Posted April 6, 2004 Report Share Posted April 6, 2004 My idea has more to do with x-com specialists(other thread) than with psi powers. I read this thread from the beginning and analyzed all the suggestions and came to a conclusion that if you added all these abilities, powers, skills or whathever you call them, Xenocide would become a phantasy game - just substitute aliens with dragons and skeletons and you have rpg world. I think that there should be some special units. I don't know let's call them psi-samurais that would be able to perform some more advanced tricks(objects moving, invisibility and all the stuff) while all the other standard soldiers would use only two standard options - mind control and the other one (I don't remember what it was called). These psi-samurais would be recruited as standard soldier and then you would examine their psi abilities and wow it would turn out that you have found sb really special. e.g one every 20 or 30 soldiers you recruit would possess such features. They would make player's life much easier, but living without them would also be possible. Afterall, you still have plasma rifles to kill aliens. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mikker Posted April 6, 2004 Report Share Posted April 6, 2004 (edited) My idea has more to do with x-com specialists(other thread) than with psi powers. I read this thread from the beginning and analyzed all the suggestions and came to a conclusion that if you added all these abilities, powers, skills or whathever you call them, Xenocide would become a phantasy game - just substitute aliens with dragons and skeletons and you have rpg world. I think that there should be some special units. I don't know let's call them psi-samurais that would be able to perform some more advanced tricks(objects moving, invisibility and all the stuff) while all the other standard soldiers would use only two standard options - mind control and the other one (I don't remember what it was called). These psi-samurais would be recruited as standard soldier and then you would examine their psi abilities and wow it would turn out that you have found sb really special. e.g one every 20 or 30 soldiers you recruit would possess such features. They would make player's life much easier, but living without them would also be possible. Afterall, you still have plasma rifles to kill aliens.we have put down that Xenocide will NOT be a role playing game. I don't really like the idea of "the ones", with a chance of those having special powers. Some soldiers with 90+ Psi-offensive would easily take that role. Also, i belive PSI should be WEAKENED, not enhenced. What about using PSI decreased the morale? Like -50 moral for mindcontrol, and -20 for panicking. Unsucsessfull attacks, -10. and it could also be affected by bravery, maybe? Edited April 6, 2004 by mikker Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cpl. Facehugger Posted April 7, 2004 Author Report Share Posted April 7, 2004 That could be a really good idea, Mikker! And we should make it cost energy too! I mean, doing battle with another creature's mind would surely tire/depress someone. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Black Dash Posted April 8, 2004 Report Share Posted April 8, 2004 (edited) How about this (sorry if anyone already said this ): Mind Blow: User focuses all his mental energy in the mind of the target, causing it to explode with a psionic blast damaging all (yes all! since u lose all Psi points) enemies and friends alike in the area. Psi-focus: User uses Psi points to focus in the battle, improving sight and shot acuracy. Gravia: User uses Psi points to augmentate the air pressure in a determined area. (ARRGGGHHH!! *BOOM* *Sharrrllfff* ) Earthbreak: User concentrates psi energy on the groun creating a land movement (like creating a Hill or put land flat - like an alien is hiding in a hill...you flat the land so someone can shoot it and vice-versa). Of course it does damage to units nearby. Stun Cristal (more StarCraft stolen ideas): Creates a cristal enslaving barrier that stuns enemies for a short period of time. Psi-Crimson: Kills targets mind (literaly), turning them into zombies. Psionic Wound: Creates a fatal wound on the target, but no damage done. Think of it as something like poison since fatal wounds take health turn by turn. And...some more that i will think about Edited April 8, 2004 by Black Dash Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Birdman Posted April 18, 2004 Report Share Posted April 18, 2004 (edited) Psi invisablity:one where the soldier has to make mental combat check to each individual alein . (limiting the power while still having a kool tatic to play with and if you think about it if a milatary was to use psi they would more than likely direct the research efforts in combat invisabilty)Psi wounding : indusing the negative effects of wounds as well as giving the feild medical kit more usePsi static: reducing effect of psi in a area around the psi specialist A good Psi system could really change the game for the better Example: aleins who only have psi attacks would deversify the battle feild And i like the idea of Psi Specialist, allowing bisic psi for defense on non-specialists while having trained psi Characters. Edited April 18, 2004 by Birdman Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Extralucas Posted April 18, 2004 Report Share Posted April 18, 2004 (edited) I think new PSI skills are OK, as far as humans are weak at PSI. I mean here PSI Strength and PSI Skill. Humans need special implant in their skulls (that's how it worked with PSI Lab, right?) and Psi Amp to utilize their PSI powers, while every single Ethereal can float, move items (floating weapon in front of him) and control minds since time he was born. (Or rahter cloned.) Max PSI Strength for humans should be like 70-75, Skill like 65. It could be achieved only by extra ordinary human individuals and lots of training. Otherwise nothing stops us from converting humans to Ethereals. Simply, when your soldier has 80 Psi Strength he can do whatever Ethereal can. So floating, telekinesis, MC-ing, reading thoughts, would require no TUs. As for new PSI Skills:Reading Minds - cheaper form of Mind Probing. Mind probe required 50% of yout TUs, while this thing would require like 20-25 TUs.PSI Insanity - special form of attack useful only for aliens. It has to 'pierce' thru PSI Strength and Bravery, but when succesfull it permamently reduces bravery, and maybe starting morale for every mission. (It's something like instant death, because you don't really need berserker with you, and he'll be probably sent to mental assylum -sacked-, but sounds more reasonable than exploding heads.) Edited April 18, 2004 by Extralucas Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Robo Dojo 58 Posted April 18, 2004 Report Share Posted April 18, 2004 Even agents with an excellent psi talent need a psi-amp. Without it, they're just ordinary people, except maybe with better instincts. That's why weaker agents are allowed into X-Corps ranks, because of their great instincts. Remember, agents have that much psi strength with an amp. Without it, they might have a strength of 4 or 5. (the defense is unchanged.) If a cloak got a hold of an amp, he'd probably be blowing up buildings. Uh oh, I think a cloak commander would like one of those... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cybuster Posted May 4, 2004 Report Share Posted May 4, 2004 For what it's worth, as much as I like the idea of Psionic combative powers, I think they should be very limited; they don't really fit the scope of X-Com's setting. It doesn't MAKE SENSE to me to have a Psi-Amp user generate energy flames or some such thing, within X-Com. Other settings, yes. Not X-Com. I do think a bit of TeleKinesis is okay though. Being able to toss ammo magazines around, open doors remotely, etc...that all strikes me as "okay." That's about as far as I'd go with physical world interaction, though. As for new Psi powers? How about... Encourage/Calm: Raises the Morale (and maybe a little bit of Energy) of a target. Useful for getting characters under control when they constantly Panic or go Berserk. Envision a friend's voice in your head trying to get you to settle the heck down. I don't remember seeing anything quite like this one being posted above. Disrupt: Lowers Accuracy of a unit. Imagine an antagonistic voice taunting you all the while, "Miss, miss, miss, miss, miss, miss, miss!" And sure enough, that [sucktoid] (yes, 'Sucktoid', because [sectoids] do suck) chokes under pressure, missing by a mile! Maybe someone already proposed this particular idea though, and if so, sorry for re-posting it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tuoppi Posted May 5, 2004 Report Share Posted May 5, 2004 Nice ones, Cybuster. How about having a way to reduce reactions/TU:s to avoid reaction fire. A sort of feeling someone stares my back, have to turn and look. Or make that pesky snakeman think someone stepped on its tail, distract it. Anything to help capture that engineer alive. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Elethiomel Posted May 5, 2004 Report Share Posted May 5, 2004 Opening doors from afar? If Xenocide will be anything like X-com 1 then this will be a seriously balance-affecting psi-power. I'm for it though, I never "got" the idea that you have to stand in front of a door to open it anyway. Go try it on a real door - you can open it even if you stand beside it. With psi-power it's even easier! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Puasonen Posted May 5, 2004 Report Share Posted May 5, 2004 I think giving more possibilitys but lowering dramatically the psi-control possibility would balance the game more than un-balance it. X-com 1 was too easy after you got few psi-masters. BTW Cybuster, I like your ideas. Not opening doors remotely but those last too, encourage and disrupt. Those are just so damn great ideas. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ShadowMarth03 Posted June 11, 2004 Report Share Posted June 11, 2004 Love some of the stuff here, but keep in mind that Each ability we create for us, needs to be available to aliens, especially high power etherials. If we do make stealth craft and some sort of camoflauge or invisibility technique, we need to have the ability to send our own high power dudes to infiltrate their base. Sneak around, kill a single commander before getting murdered, or espionage. But for that we would need to have a handicap to make it more balanced. There would have to be a way to retrieve the agent to retrieve the knowledge he gained. Also, we need to have high level etherials trying to crack out defences from the inside as well. Only psi commandos with higher levels should be able to find them, meaning a high level psi in each base would be necessary.Sorry if I go on forever. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cpl. Facehugger Posted June 12, 2004 Author Report Share Posted June 12, 2004 The point of this thread is to brainstorm new psi powers. We'll balance them once V1+ is out the door. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Robo Dojo 58 Posted June 13, 2004 Report Share Posted June 13, 2004 (edited) The point of this thread is to brainstorm new psi powers. We'll balance them once V1+ is out the door.Brainstorm- A powerful PSI wave disrupts an area. Any agents in the area will have clouded thoughts and judgement, and reduced stats as a result. Agents stuck in the stormed area will have vastly reduced psi powers, and may be protected from psi powers, as well. Edited June 13, 2004 by Robo Dojo 58 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest alex the greater Posted August 11, 2004 Report Share Posted August 11, 2004 the only psy powers you nead are Mind read (get an aliens LOS and maby outher info)Countrol (just what it says mind countrol anouther beingMind link (give anouther unit your LOS so he can shoot something he cant sea normaly)Panic (lowers morale/bravrary and causes enamys to panic/go bezerkCalm (the opasite of panic you must touch the target for this to work)Heal (heals a unit works like a med kit but whithout the painkillers you must touch the person being healed)Wound (the opasite of heal does damige to eanmys)Telicanesis (this would come in varying leavels of strength and skillif you have high pk strangth you canlift mor weaht and evan levatate throw enamys and cars ect if you have high pk skill you can reload a gun whithout using TUs throw small objects at high speeds twords enamys and maby hover a sevral guns and shoot them whithout using your hands)Pirokenesis (you can set, shape, and extinguish fires whith your mind) if you are worying about making thes unbalinced than give them to alilens to (greys should have mindlink and low levels of tealkenesis and maby make a race whit pirokenesis abilatys) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paladin Posted August 12, 2004 Report Share Posted August 12, 2004 How about telekinetically thrown grenades?? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest alex the greater Posted August 12, 2004 Report Share Posted August 12, 2004 yaha throw it into a greays lap and then prime it from a distence Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sir_schwick Posted December 4, 2004 Report Share Posted December 4, 2004 Actually if you wanted to go a little nuts with it, you could consider implementing some of the witch powers from Witch Hunter Robin. Microwave Generation - in urban areas where there was lots of electrical equipment, powerful microwaves could be generated, boiling the water inside organics fairly quickly.Pirokenesis - This is a no-brainer.Metal Manipulation - You could bend, expand, crush, and move at high speeds all sorts of metal. Useful for those HWPs and UFOs.Dolls of Death - one witch had split personalities which all resided in these tiny dolls. Maybe some sectoids would have tons of little 'mini-sectoid' drones with mini-plasma rifles.Manipulate Earth - You could create and move walls of surrounding ground. That's all i can think of now. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
[Ghetto]Two Shoe$ Posted February 10, 2005 Report Share Posted February 10, 2005 Here is a sketch on Psionic abilities( reposted from the recuitment forum ) PSI Potentials 0-1000 = tottaly immune to psionics and is psionicaly inert themselves Humans 0-50Normal Greys 25-50Grey Highups 50-75Normal Ethereals 80-90Ethereal Highups 100-?Maybe 125? Humans have access to 1 domain 99% of the time and 2 domains; 1%of the timeGreys have access to 2 domains 75% of the time and all 3; 25% of the timeEthereals have access to all domains always -Humans have 0 level skills in their chosen domain(s) from the get go.-Depending on the skill, the raw Psi potential is the base for successof activating one of the cascade abilities within a certain domain.-Once they have successfully activated a particular skill that becomestheir primary skill.-Humans may only have One primary skill within a domainand one secondary skill.-Level 1 in a given skill gives a +10% chance to theactivation per/use upto a maximum +5 or level 5-Greys may have upto level 7, Ethereals 10-Psionicaly talented humans that survive a psionic encountervs aliens recieve access to psychic defences at level 0 andcap at level 7.5(or 75%) for mitigation purposes duringany type of tellempathic manipulation uppon them be it humanor alien. Ie Ethereal Leader uses "Brain Melt" or "insert your aliens offensive psychic talent being used against a human psycher here" against SSG Psirona and her level 7.5 "insert name of mental defence here". X= Attacker Potentialvs.Y= Defender Potentialif X is greater than Y then go to Z(or result)if Y is greater than X then Z=0 Human Psionicist Skill chart example Psi -38Pool-38 points Domains 1(tellemetabolic) Tellemetabolic -38Heightened senses-0Heal self-0Heal other-0Various Physical stat boosts-0 Some talents would need to have an activation costand a maintenance cost that would allow a couplerounds of use for something realy badass likedouble MPs or an accuracy increase like, joschmopsycher the sniperboy at 2 clicks goes into a tranceand accieves perfect aim on his intended targets headwith heavy sniper laser.75 mp's cost for the shot and burns his pool to halffor one use.Or, Psirona activates sense psionics and shecan scan the battlefield for those pesky collectivebabblers muttering to themselves and gives herteam a slight bonus to initiative by feeling andinterpreting the enemies position and intent butcant do much else herself having done so, andburns up 10 points to activate, and costs 105 to maintain per combat round. PSI-Tellekinetics-pyrocryokinteticMollecular alteration/manipulation TellempathyAttackDefenceProbeIntuitionSense Psionic activityPsycho-tactile recollection TellemetabolicHeightened sensesHeal selfHeal otherVarious Physical stat boosts Heightened senses Lets face it. All creatures are to some degree, including plants, tellepathictherefore we can call this the rudiments of Psionics. In Terran creatures excluding humans, we know that dogs, cats, evenpet parrots exibit to one degree an invisible sensetivity to their mastersbe they benevolent or not.The list goes on , whales, dolphins, octopus, etc etc. Simply put, the Greys and Etherials tend to exibit amuch more thorough understanding and havesocial infrastructure built uppon these talents. Humans exibiting these talents are not as rare as one miteimmagine, and typicaly, are viewed with alot of fearby close family and are punished for having a very stongintuition at early ages out of fear by the parents. Psionics is something different all together from what humanshave. Its a formalised , measured, tested domain by theGreys and the Ethereals through many centuries of livingsteeped in its application in their hive societies with the abilityto comment on it much more clearly thus opening the way togreater understanding and application. So, depending on what year you intend to have the settingof this project take place and how deeply diversified and organisedthe social fabric, the taboo may have been lifted somewhat enoughto allow humans to penetrate into this arena a bit more deeplywithout thought of being punished for having done so. Humans tend towards tellepathic and psychometabolictalents. Ever hear the term psych yourself out? or that guy mademy skin crawl? Its not just over excitement by the athalete orover warry of the pretty girl. These are real "vibes" generated in theformer instance and recieved in the latter. Back to Greys and Ethereals, and how it all applies in makingit a stable aspect to gameplay..... Full body controll would be extreemly taxing I suspecteven for a creature so tallented as a Grey or Ethereal.It would require no action other than doing just thatand they would need to go through a series of checkswich would result in an overall "chance" past the filter ofcheck of maybe say 20%and risk a chance at a backlashby the target and in turn be themselves dominated. You could then add varrying degrees to the success byading another cascade result at the end ofsay 1-5. 1 being only able to halt the targeted human4 being tottal controll and 5 being tottal and undetectablemanipulation over the course of several rounds untillthe time is right. If you looked at the old school DND rules for psionicengagements you would see the intelligence Gary Gygaxgave to his equations.Range, cost, duration, skill leveland aspecialy the offense and defense modes VS one another. My feelings are this.....If a human tellepath were to specialize in nothingbut Psychic Talents starting with a very high PsionicPotential and a concrete teacher Id put them onpar with the average Grey Soldier but they willhave had to dedicate their lives to it where as aGrey having lived with it, raised with it and taughtfrom birth basicaly, would be a capable combatantoutside of the psionic realm with guns and grenadesetc. But what if a Grey were to do nothing but Psionictraining. This is what an Ethereal is. Its a grey gonethrough some sort of metamorphosis and adda little bit of secret society rituals and voilla. You havethe Ethereal Caste. Or Neromancer if you will.These would be the types that make heads explode,pannic within a radius and all that.Ethereals shouldnt have been very combat ablebecause of this. If humans are to be PSI talented then they shouldntbe able to mount anything but a pistol and light armourand maybe a medpack or scanner and a grenade or two.Secondly they would need to be in line of sight, and lastlythey can do nothing that round other than the psionic activitythey are doing, in that round of combat. This would make them vulnerable, and a high target priorityby the AI because Greys and Ethereals can sense psionichumans activities because to them the noise of theirthoughts isnt a racuous cacophany in mid combat likethe grunts minds are, itd be closer the sound of an operahsinger belting out a high C twice above the staff at 105dbin the middle of a meditation hall(or collective conciousness ofthe Greys/Ehtereals). They would know where and who was makin that rackett and wouldeither want to capture that human and disect them after throroughlyprobing their psyche to the depths , or blast them on sight.ie Human Psionics pull huge agro....so.. with that in mind, yourpsycher is gonna be dusted if they dont have aman portable shield gen on them from the getgo. I know I didnt present this info to yall in the most organised of waysbut I did want to point out that it IS a very workable aspectand ANY improvement to the old Xcom system is a HUGE onein terms of game play and ballance. Just remember, psionics dont have to be all out making the enemybleed from their orrafices and screem clutching at their temples.They can do suble things, like make one squaddie calm the F down or break adominated soldier out of his trance and back to earth, orthrow up psychic stattic so the enemy cant pinpoint your exactposition by their thoughts alone. And lastly I apologise for posting this here butIm not a member to the area I read this andwanted to add my two plasma clips. Hope to see you all successfull in this endeavor. Shoe$ [email protected] Peace Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mj_12commando Posted April 2, 2005 Report Share Posted April 2, 2005 Psionic Kill: Attempts to completely shut down the target's brainstem or equivalent, killing it instantly. Obviously, this would not work on artificial lifeforms or creatures you haven't researched yet. Psionic Wound: The target feels and reacts as if it has been wounded if this happens. This may cause them to do things like fall unconscious (shock), stop moving (crippled legs), limp away, or just get more pissed off if it's a minor one. ESP: All people with higher psi-skills and a psi-amp or equivalent employed would be able to use ESP to a limited extent, based on their psi powers. This would be a 'scan' that reveals enemies. A low psi power person would maybe be able to see a short distance, while your uber psi-dude would be seeing aliens through walls, floors, and ceilings. From half the map away. Slight exaggeration, maybe, but something like that. Psionic Trauma: Uses psionics to influence the target's mind, hopefully causing shock, trauma, or death. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Robo Dojo 58 Posted August 9, 2006 Report Share Posted August 9, 2006 (edited) How about a blind ability? Vision is a very important part of the tactical game. An afflicted target might only have 1/3 of the vision range, making them easy prey. They'd also have drastically reduced accuracy, also making them leadbait. Another powerful ability would be psi detection. A psi user can use it to detect psi users nearby. Powerful users would be bright spots, while dim users would be hard to find. Distant users would be tough to find as well. Edited August 9, 2006 by Robo Dojo 58 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ghost5831 Posted August 9, 2006 Report Share Posted August 9, 2006 You know what, the Psi abilities already in the game are ample - you could make them panic or you can control them, any more and it gets too complicated But please, make it so that you can get to the aliens inventory by clicking the button and not by having to cycle through you men + make it so that in the inventory screen he looks like an alien and not like one of your guys Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
the_unfrgiven Posted August 9, 2006 Report Share Posted August 9, 2006 what about some sort of psi radar??? turn it on and if someone gets bonged, it lights up the attacker on the mini-map. might seem a little unbalanced, but i remember having some trouble with the aliens being able to locate and psi attack through walls. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Blood Angel Posted August 9, 2006 Report Share Posted August 9, 2006 I was thinking different versions of the psi-amp. You've got your standard one that does panic and MC, maybe one that can be used for pyrokinesis and cryokinesis, and perhaps one for telekinesis. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Robo Dojo 58 Posted August 10, 2006 Report Share Posted August 10, 2006 Yeah, panic pretty much covers all the aspects of incapacitation. Mind control does cover all of the killing power as well, along with vision, shooting, and suicide. As for the psi-radar thing, maybe that could be an additional ability of the mind probe? In X-Com, it was only good for reading an alien's attributes. Maybe it could give vision, or allow an agent to detect psi-capable aliens nearby? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Snakeman Posted August 10, 2006 Report Share Posted August 10, 2006 That's an interesting thought Blood - having more than one psi amp type that do different things. MC and Panic can remain the attributes of the stock one with future amp models offering only the specialized new attacks. I like the idea of telekinesis very much just from the angle of wanting to maniuplate battlescape objects not nailed down or which become uprooted/broken off. Combined with HWPs with special tools onboard (or if need be utilizing engineer types with a repair kit item that mimick medkit functionality), it helps the idea of creating makeshift fortifications during combat. Especially late game with an amp like this, your probably using the HWP tools less, but its still a nice thought. I'd imagine the attack points (or movement points) would be similar to the blaster bomb waypoint thing here where you first select the telekinetic amp, select the object you want to move, then set up waypoints if its a matter of moving the object up/down different altitudes or around corners, then clicking the execute command for the final destination point. Unlike the blaster launcher though where its always been a sure fire weapon (the fact it doesn't need accuracy to work) the amp relies entirely on psi skill making the outcomes different for everything below about 70% with the odd mishaps happening even with 80% or 90% skill. The pyromaniac's amp to make things combust sounds neat too! Or the popsicle amp. I'd probably have something like these two be its own amp model, the telekinetic one its own, MC and Panic its own, with a fourth model containing any other ability left out. I think there should be an ability to manipulate sounds or eyesight trickery as well. It just seems like there should be at least one or two attacks that act in a distraction role. Robo, gotta agree with you about the Mind Probe, seems it could use another type of diagnostic function of some sort besides identifying what a unit is. Perhaps another ability for the probe if not an entirely new object is to let it also have a secondary ability to reveal alien intent - This could simply manifest its self in letting you know where the unit will try to move during its next turn. It could reveal a dotted line capped with an arrow on your overhead map for the alien that you'd clicked on with this option with the probe. The dotted line could represent the "intent" of the unit, but only if the line is solid with no breaks means that it "will" move that way. You have to factor in the fact that during combat, and taking such things as line of sight and reactions into account that it could very well not go down that way with the alien changing up its pathfinding intent as things get in its way and react to it. Maybe it also plans to fire on a unit that it knows where it is too, in which case the relevant unit will be highlighted in the same color scheme as watever is used in the overhead map to reveal alien intent information. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Level Posted August 11, 2006 Report Share Posted August 11, 2006 Instead of having more than one type of psi amp, there could be different ammo like cartridges. Some possibilities could be:Morale: Panic, Berserk, Mind Control.Kinetics: Move Objects, Explode Brain.Sense: Blind, Invisibility?Thermal: Pyro, Cryo. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Blood Angel Posted August 11, 2006 Report Share Posted August 11, 2006 That might be too easy, because you could send a trooper into battle with a psi-amp and all the "psi-ammo." Perhaps different stats? Previously you had Psi Strength and Psi Skill, now perhaps we could have Psionic restistance, Thermokinetic skill, Extra-Sensory Perceptive skill, Telekinetic Skill, and Telepathic Skill. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MaaZeus Posted August 11, 2006 Report Share Posted August 11, 2006 That might be too easy, because you could send a trooper into battle with a psi-amp and all the "psi-ammo." Perhaps different stats? Previously you had Psi Strength and Psi Skill, now perhaps we could have Psionic restistance, Thermokinetic skill, Extra-Sensory Perceptive skill, Telekinetic Skill, and Telepathic Skill. That sounds great idea! Some soldier with strong affinity to fire (well, there is a little pyromaniac in everyone of us of course. ) would probaply excell in pyro psitechs, where more violent soldiers could get huge bonus for kinetics, for the satisfaction of seeing enemy smashed against wall/floor/roof. (MWAHAHAHAA!!!) But then again, neither would be good at other skills like mind control and morale hitting and such. Brain exploding/damaging and such should be left for persons with telepathics (which main functions are panicking and mindcontrol) so they would have some form of attack psitech aswell. Thermokinetic and Telekinetic already have their own as i mentioned above. This would bring some new RPG:ish flavor to simple tactical squad game without sacrificing main idea behind the game. Before someone sais "unbalancing", same skills should be available to ethreals aswell, but attack psitech would be limited to line of sight only for BOTH sides. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Snakeman Posted August 11, 2006 Report Share Posted August 11, 2006 Well, I figure if all these attributes/actions are done with the mind via any amp device, we might as well keep it psi defense and psi skill for the stat sheet. Any successful attack no matter the type will increase the generic psi skill. I'm not sure I like the 'amp clip' idea although I suppose it might make a cool mod later on. I think the purpose for having 3 or 4 amps total is to divide up who attacks with what rather than everybody hogging the Panic/MC amp type since I suspect that one would be the most desired model. But this is a player tactics issue more than anything. Its fun to make an enemy unit do your bidding after all. Also btw, Bezerk doesn't sound like an attack so much as the result of one, specifically Panic but could exetend to some of the others in this new lineup as well. I wonder if Mind Control should come much later after the others in the research line with maybe exception being telekinesis or the instadeath-to-a-unit's-brain one. The way I was thinking in terms of the order of being revealed in the tree could be... 1. <Psi alien commander research> - gives you Psi Lab and the lab gives you research into your first amp type. 2. First Psi Skill revealed upon manufacturing your first amp is Panic - your most basic attack. 3. <insert special alien research> - 2nd amp model manufacturing - skill is sound, 2nd skill is some type of sight manipulation. 4. <insert special alien or object research> - 3rd amp type which gives you pyrotechnic and cryo abilities against targets. You could make this amp more attractive by adding in an additional attack making it the only one capable of 3 separate variants i.e. that instadeath attempt on a unit's brain is a good example (possibly could be moved after telekinesis in the tree). 5. <insert special alien leader or object research> - Adds Mind Control to your first amp's functionality alongside Panic. 6. <insert special alien or object research> - 4th amp type dedicated to telekinetic abilities. The first type of attack could be to manipulate any loose object, then have it be moved akin to the waypoint method used with blaster launchers. A second form of attack could be to destroy or break apart inanimate objects with your mind - something useful in tandem with the first type. 7. Brain attack (for lack of a better term) could go last in line. Any instadeath type of attack should be held til the end I feel...Anyway, once revealed it stacks onto the 3rd amp's attack alongside pyro and cryo. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gu35s Posted August 26, 2006 Report Share Posted August 26, 2006 (edited) Who issssss that?? I do not recognisssssse him. Isssss he a late transssssfer from Cydonia??Reply: Yup, billy bob brain sent me to re-enforcer y'all. I a goina kik sum human assses ====================Fake Sm: "DIE!" *Bzzt* *Bzzt*Sm1: Why isssss he ssssssssshooting at ussssss?!?Sm2: He mussssssst be mind controled!==================== Well, if to put psionic to only telephatic level or brain2brain only level, how bout this: Panic - Drop weapon and flunk moral Confuse - Shoot random unit Berserk - Shoot random till blank then moral flunk Block - block pain from injured unit so unit can function flawless, but HP decrease faster Blast - give target unit major headache (-accuracies) Boost - add concentration to target unit (+accuracies) Mind Control - control target unit Psionic Defense - if used before any psionic activity on unit, unit is immune to attacks lower than unit's psionic skill (recommend to use every end of turn when fighting high Psionic aliens) Sooth - soothing target unit brain activity making target unit to fall asleep (stun) Sight - see what target unit see (just the front) Ignore - target unit will ignore caster as another object. Psionic Locater - using psionic to detect brainwave within limited range (all units appear on map even when unseen/unexplored) (casting unit majorly decrease Psi Strength, psionic defense by other unit is possible) Breakdown - scramble target unit's brainwave violently resulting death. (casting unit fall unconscious whether psionic defense bounce the attack or not, and the attack works or not) Major Breakdown - scramble multiple target units' brainwave violently resulting death. (casting unit fall unconscious and have high percentage of dying depending on how many units were casted upon and/or if psionic defense bounce the attack) I wonder if Terror Disk should be effected too since it's cybernetic. Edited August 26, 2006 by gu35s Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rhox Posted October 30, 2006 Report Share Posted October 30, 2006 (edited) Well, if to put psionic to only telephatic level or brain2brain only level, how bout this:*snip* That's one of the better posts I've read. I'm one of those people that think that MC was overpowered in the original game and that the PSI powers should have only mental effects. These are the PSI powers I would like to see in Xenocide(And also the ones I think are likely to get included): Panic: The classic, makes the target panic and/or berzerk. I would also like the berzerk effect to be significantly less frequent than the panic effect. Confusion: Makes the target shoot at any and all targets. Mind-Control: You know it. (Unlocked by a later research perhaps?) PSI-Purge: Releases a friendly target from enemy PSI-abilities. (Unlocked by the same research as MC?) PSI-Shield: All friendly units within a certain distance from the user gain a boost to their PSI-resistance. I would also like to see a change in game mechanics where the further away your target is, the less effect your PSI-powers will have. This together with PSI-Shield would make the psi users a more integrated(sp?) part of your team, and not just the four soldiers that stay in the back of the craft the entire mission. Some sort of ESP ability could also work. It could work much the same way as the motion sensors, only that it showed units that had recently used PSI abilities instead of units that has moved. /Rhoks Edit: I see that the "range" feature is allready going to be added, so NM that part. Edited October 30, 2006 by Rhox Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GARAK Posted November 4, 2006 Report Share Posted November 4, 2006 A PSI teleport would be pretty useful... it would have to be somewhat inaccurate and take a lot of TUs... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gufu Posted January 20, 2007 Report Share Posted January 20, 2007 "My eyes" - depending in skil of user - allow to see SOME of the things that man/alien sees. The larger PSI-skill - the more you see. PSI call - makes a target get closer to one who calls(You know - like in the movies!) Panic - Lowers alien morale Illusion - creates a visible illusion on the list(Civvie - kill the earthlink! Gah bullets go through!) Madness-targets starts to kill all around it... But so does the man who sended the madness Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kashyyk Posted February 20, 2007 Report Share Posted February 20, 2007 how this: mind murder- aim 2 kill target has huge tu cost and might backfire on the attacker. or is it too evil? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Turbo Beholder Posted April 30, 2007 Report Share Posted April 30, 2007 Personally, I'd like to see all the psi powers reman mind related. I think someone already said this as well. ...at least, considering how (from whom) it's learned. I would add that use of full mind control should be made much harder and/or limited. IMHO, psionics should be ruled mostly on the principle "inner powers for inner use", with few exceptions like telepaty, but at least there's affinity involved. This leaves enough space for powers other than direct attacks: amplification of user's abilities (strength, agility/aim, reaction, or stamina rush); Danger sense; minor healing (just enough to stop or reduce bleeding with good ability check). Maybe, even scrying (knowledge that there's guy with heavy plasmagun behind the corner is very useful, yet not exactly "floor-wiping" thing in itself). Perhaps, cooperative psionics ? I.e. someone uses ability, and others just stand nearby and transfer their power points to partially compensate loss ? "My eyes" - depending in skil of user - allow to see SOME of the things that man/alien sees. The larger PSI-skill - the more you see. PSI call - makes a target get closer to one who calls(You know - like in the movies!) After all, sensory link (perhaps extending to hearing, etc) and inducing of simple tropism are parts of "Mind Control" mode, so why not to use those separately as easier tasks... Mind/Life sense, bolstering friendly creature's morale and active protection, too... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Please sign in to comment
You will be able to leave a comment after signing in
Sign In Now