A Patcher

[j'ordos]

A Patcher (short for Apocalypse Patcher) combines a bunch of exe mods that weren't suitable for implementation in apoc'd. A must for all apocalypse fans. Check the readme for detailed info.

 

To install just extract to your base xcom apocalypse folder and run apatcher.exe.

 

V1.5:

apatcher.zip

Edited April 25, 2010 by j'ordos

[Hobbes]

A Patcher (short for Apocalypse Patcher) combines a bunch of exe mods that weren't suitable for implementation in apoc'd. A must for all apocalypse fans. Check the readme for detailed info.

 

To install just extract to your base xcom apocalypse folder and run apatcher.exe.

 

Looks nice

 

A few questions:

- What do the Forceweb and Dimension Destabiliser do exactly?

- Is it possible for the patch to change the relationships like I described before? (everyone hating everybody, everyone hating X-COM, everyone hating the aliens, etc...)

[j'ordos]

The forceweb stuns units, though instead of actually stunning it instead renders them incapable of moving and firing, so you can kill them at leisure without having to force fire like you do with a normally stunned one. The DD is an X-COM version of the disruptor weapons, it has high damage and an insane RoF. Or if you mean what the fix is supposed to do: the forceweb normally never appears if you add it to alien/guard equipment sets. No real harm but if someone wants to mod it in there is no reason why it shouldn't be possible. It's just a check in the game code which skips over the equipment generation process if the item is the forceweb, no real reason why it should be that way. The Dimension Destabiliser (and main reason for the entry) was coded to only harm shields and terrain. A patcher removes that too. This effect can be accomplished using damage modifiers after all. So anyway, unless you intend to mod those weapons in there's no gain in enabling it, but it won't hurt either. *crosses fingers*

I can add that to the program, but since I discovered starting relations and added them to apoc'd you'll only have to enter the numbers once anymore. If you still want it just say so though and I'll update it.

edit: btw, if you increase the number of illegal vehicles, please let me know if it works, haven't been able to actually spot one so I don't know if it really works.

Edited February 18, 2010 by j'ordos

[Hobbes]

The forceweb stuns units, though instead of actually stunning it instead renders them incapable of moving and firing, so you can kill them at leisure without having to force fire like you do with a normally stunned one. The DD is an X-COM version of the disruptor weapons, it has high damage and an insane RoF. Or if you mean what the fix is supposed to do: the forceweb normally never appears if you add it to alien/guard equipment sets. No real harm but if someone wants to mod it in there is no reason why it shouldn't be possible. It's just a check in the game code which skips over the equipment generation process if the item is the forceweb, no real reason why it should be that way. The Dimension Destabiliser (and main reason for the entry) was coded to only harm shields and terrain. A patcher removes that too. This effect can be accomplished using damage modifiers after all. So anyway, unless you intend to mod those weapons in there's no gain in enabling it, but it won't hurt either. *crosses fingers*

I can add that to the program, but since I discovered starting relations and added them to apoc'd you'll only have to enter the numbers once anymore. If you still want it just say so though and I'll update it.

edit: btw, if you increase the number of illegal vehicles, please let me know if it works, haven't been able to actually spot one so I don't know if it really works.

 

I'm going to have it a try now. I won't touch the unused items but I want to see how the added police cars. increased alien missions and increased illegal vehicles go. That option to prevent the aliens from beaming down units should be nice to speed up things.

 

Concerning the relations it would help to have the program do it automatically, even by editing the starting values on Cityscape you still have to go back and change everything if you want to try something different.

[Hobbes]

The patch is crashing my games everytime I ran it. The game starts but when I speed up it crashes usually around the time the first UFO incursion happens. I've tried running the patch and answer No to all queries but it still crashes. Tactical missions are OK though.

 

I had to restore the backup using roadwar for it to stop crashing.

 

Sometimes I get a message saying Error in DOS/4W with additional text, sometimes it simply closes without a message.

Edited February 18, 2010 by Hobbes

[j'ordos]

OK, you're using the steam version? Did you disable Dimension Gate randomization?

edit: looks like static Dimension gates was causing problems. Enabling it worked fine, but disabling it again didn't (it reinstates a function call but forgot that the address of the function was different for each version. *Sigh* It's gonna be hard maintaining this program...

Try the new version. I think I'll add the everyone hostile to everyone thing to apoc'd instead, it's tedious to write the default values into this program for undoing the change again.

edit2: released apoc'd 3.03b, recycled the View function to do what you want for now.

Edited February 18, 2010 by j'ordos

[zaimoni]

Try the new version. I think I'll add the everyone hostile to everyone thing to apoc'd instead, it's tedious to write the default values into this program for undoing the change again.

Better, but UFO2P is still overcooked on Steam.

* While the revision no longer crashes on scenario load, it does crash on trying to start an alien hunt mission. Reverting UFO2P fixes.

 

 

Options used: default to everything except hotseat multiplayer, which is working

[Hobbes]

OK, you're using the steam version? Did you disable Dimension Gate randomization?

edit: looks like static Dimension gates was causing problems. Enabling it worked fine, but disabling it again didn't (it reinstates a function call but forgot that the address of the function was different for each version. *Sigh* It's gonna be hard maintaining this program...

Try the new version. I think I'll add the everyone hostile to everyone thing to apoc'd instead, it's tedious to write the default values into this program for undoing the change again.

edit2: released apoc'd 3.03b, recycled the View function to do what you want for now.

 

OK, it stopped crashing now. I've tried many of the functions and here are my impressions:

- Extra police cars: working

- No aliens beamed to buildings: working

- Increase number of illegal craft: ? (got to Sunday with a -10,000 score and a base attack)

- Increase frequency of alien incursions: definitely working! I set the first value to 0 and the second to 100. It isn't very clear what they do exactly but what I got was that the first incursion was an infiltration mission, the 2nd an Apocalypse mission and the 3rd and 4th both Apocalypse missions but with the aliens using 1 Mothership, 1 Battleship and 2 Bombers! Is that supposed to happen (now you know the reason of the -10,000 score)?

 

- View function on Apoc'd: working but the restore command only works by hold shift (is it intended? a bit confusing since you don't need to hold shift for the other commands). Also, are the restored values coded into the game (are those the exact values?)

[j'ordos]

Try the new version. I think I'll add the everyone hostile to everyone thing to apoc'd instead, it's tedious to write the default values into this program for undoing the change again.

Better, but UFO2P is still overcooked on Steam.

* While the revision no longer crashes on scenario load, it does crash on trying to start an alien hunt mission. Reverting UFO2P fixes.

 

 

Options used: default to everything except hotseat multiplayer, which is working

 

Which fixed did you revert? And did it work properly after that or did you have to restore the backup? If it's caused solely by the hotseat mod, I can't see anything wrong with it looking at the steam exe I have here.

 

OK, it stopped crashing now. I've tried many of the functions and here are my impressions:

- Extra police cars: working

- No aliens beamed to buildings: working

- Increase number of illegal craft: ? (got to Sunday with a -10,000 score and a base attack)

- Increase frequency of alien incursions: definitely working! I set the first value to 0 and the second to 100. It isn't very clear what they do exactly but what I got was that the first incursion was an infiltration mission, the 2nd an Apocalypse mission and the 3rd and 4th both Apocalypse missions but with the aliens using 1 Mothership, 1 Battleship and 2 Bombers! Is that supposed to happen (now you know the reason of the -10,000 score)?

 

- View function on Apoc'd: working but the restore command only works by hold shift (is it intended? a bit confusing since you don't need to hold shift for the other commands). Also, are the restored values coded into the game (are those the exact values?)

I got that impossible apocalypse mission here too, though only when I set the second timer to 0. Some kind of protection against infinite mission start loops I thought. About the timers: there is code to reset the timer after a UFO incursion starts in two parts of UFO2P.EXE, one if the mission starts while the player is using the fastest speed setting (will practically always be the case) and another one in case he isn't. I gave to option to edit them both separately because of that double mission trick I described in the readme file which I thought was pretty cool. Since that apparently also causes those apocalypse missions though I'll just use one percentage for both timers in the next update instead.

 

Restore always worked like that, r restores data since the last save and R restores data from the backup exe. ctrl+R (that is shift+r) restores all data for all records from the backup file in one swift move. Those values are read from the exe yes, and used for each game start, though some randomization occurs too. Not sure what you mean exactly.

[Hobbes]

I got that impossible apocalypse mission here too, though only when I set the second timer to 0. Some kind of protection against infinite mission start loops I thought. About the timers: there is code to reset the timer after a UFO incursion starts in two parts of UFO2P.EXE, one if the mission starts while the player is using the fastest speed setting (will practically always be the case) and another one in case he isn't. I gave to option to edit them both separately because of that double mission trick I described in the readme file which I thought was pretty cool. Since that apparently also causes those apocalypse missions though I'll just use one percentage for both timers in the next update instead.

 

Hm. Could it be that the 1st value is also a counter for the number of weeks that have passed? It is strange how suddenly a Mothership and a Battleship pop up during first week since I was expecting more incursions of probes and scout.

 

Restore always worked like that, r restores data since the last save and R restores data from the backup exe. ctrl+R (that is shift+r) restores all data for all records from the backup file in one swift move. Those values are read from the exe yes, and used for each game start, though some randomization occurs too. Not sure what you mean exactly.

 

OK about the ctrl-R. I knew about the randomization, I was wondering if you had found the base values on the code - now I can use them to update the UFOPaedia page concerning relations

[j'ordos]

Nothing to do with the week counter, I already found that one. I have no idea why they would have programmed such an attack, perhaps it's some kind of leftover cheat or debug code we inadvertently activate this way.

 

edit:

OK about the ctrl-R. I knew about the randomization, I was wondering if you had found the base values on the code - now I can use them to update the UFOPaedia page concerning relations

I was wondering why that wasn't done already

 

edit2: just discovered there's another forceweb exception inside TACP.EXE while searching for the security turret weapons.

Edited February 19, 2010 by j'ordos

[zaimoni]

Which fixed did you revert? And did it work properly after that or did you have to restore the backup?

To fix this, I had to manually use the backup UFO2P.EXE . I am using the modded TACP.EXE with the backup UFO2P.EXE with no problems.

 

Edit: all options N (default behavior) except hotseat which is Y. Finally, a reasonable lethality rate in tactical missions....

Edited February 19, 2010 by zaimoni

[j'ordos]

If you picked N each time it can be practically everything (slight exaggeration) that's causing the problem. N will also write data to the exe in an attempt to undo a change. The safe choice is A (abort). Did you try the options in roadwar before without problems so I can scratch those off the list?

 

If you're controlling the aliens I can't imagine an AI controlled Xcom standing much of a chance unless you bring scores if agents!

Edited February 19, 2010 by j'ordos

[zaimoni]

If you picked N each time it can be practically everything (slight exaggeration) that's causing the problem. N will also write data to the exe in an attempt to undo a change. The safe choice is A (abort).

Hmm...ok (at least things can be systematically tested).

 

Did you try the options in roadwar before without problems so I can scratch those off the list?

Sorry, I do not have roadwar installed here.

 

If you're controlling the aliens I can't imagine an AI controlled Xcom standing much of a chance unless you bring scores if agents!

Actually, I've been controlling both sides. The AI's use of brainsuckers is pathetic.

 

Assuming that the hotseat mode uses the same rules as the normal game:

* The brainsucker will automatically jump if it is one square (horizontally) away from the agent.

* There is an MP cost for this automatic jump. I haven't been able to test 18MP yet; 17MP is not enough to allow jumping, 19MP is enough to allow jumping.

[Hobbes]

If you picked N each time it can be practically everything (slight exaggeration) that's causing the problem. N will also write data to the exe in an attempt to undo a change. The safe choice is A (abort).

Hmm...ok (at least things can be systematically tested).

 

Did you try the options in roadwar before without problems so I can scratch those off the list?

Sorry, I do not have roadwar installed here.

 

If you're controlling the aliens I can't imagine an AI controlled Xcom standing much of a chance unless you bring scores if agents!

Actually, I've been controlling both sides. The AI's use of brainsuckers is pathetic.

 

Assuming that the hotseat mode uses the same rules as the normal game:

* The brainsucker will automatically jump if it is one square (horizontally) away from the agent.

* There is an MP cost for this automatic jump. I haven't been able to test 18MP yet; 17MP is not enough to allow jumping, 19MP is enough to allow jumping.

 

Brainsuckers reaction jump with the AI controlled X-COM's turn?

[zaimoni]

If you're controlling the aliens I can't imagine an AI controlled Xcom standing much of a chance unless you bring scores if agents!

Actually, I've been controlling both sides. The AI's use of brainsuckers is pathetic.

 

Assuming that the hotseat mode uses the same rules as the normal game:

* The brainsucker will automatically jump if it is one square (horizontally) away from the agent.

* There is an MP cost for this automatic jump. I haven't been able to test 18MP yet; 17MP is not enough to allow jumping, 19MP is enough to allow jumping.

 

Brainsuckers reaction jump with the AI controlled X-COM's turn?

I haven't checked (I've been testing human-controlled X-COM, human-controlled aliens). I'm pretty sure they do reaction-jump in that setup, but with a reactions stat of 5 it takes quite a bit of work to test.

 

Actually, reactions in general in Apocalypse isn't well understood. I'm pretty sure it's a non-linear formula and that the use of TU's matters (e.g., just had a case where two autocannon shots didn't attract reaction fire from a laser rifle, running orthogonally one square didn't, but running diagonally one square did (10 TU for autocannon shots).

 

Notes:

* unlike canonical Apocalypse, if you don't pick up the gear from an agent brainsucked during the alien turn it'll be missed in end-of-mission recovery.

* If victory/defeat happens during the alien/guards turn, the victory/defeat affecting your in-game score is the alien/guards, not X-COM's. Particularly ugly if the problem is stun gassing a multiworm, as the multiworm isn't captured.

[zaimoni]

If you're controlling the aliens I can't imagine an AI controlled Xcom standing much of a chance unless you bring scores if agents!

Depends...I'm not sure how morale works in Apocalypse. This wouldn't be true in UFO because you still need to kill the same number of aliens to cause the rest to panic.

 

Certainly 12 isn't enough (just checked).

[zaimoni]

Steam/Trainer: don't know how to trigger. Maximally conservative use (restore both, then A when possible N otherwise except Training mode) did not obviously result in AI control of troops/totally visible map; I checked both TB and RT. Is there something that has to be done within BattleScape to activate this?

[j'ordos]

The training mode doesn't work if hotsteat is activated at the same time, but since you didn't activate anything else I'll have to look into it. The TB/RT option shouldn't even occur, all 'auto-resolved' battles occur in real time.

edit: looks like a wrong offset again, uploaded a new version which should fix it

Edited February 22, 2010 by j'ordos

[zaimoni]

* unlike canonical Apocalypse, if you don't pick up the gear from an agent brainsucked during the alien turn it'll be missed in end-of-mission recovery.

False either with undetermined circumstances or without qualification. If this were true I wouldn't have 5 Megapol suits in stock right now.

[zaimoni]

The training mode doesn't work if hotsteat is activated at the same time, but since you didn't activate anything else I'll have to look into it. The TB/RT option shouldn't even occur, all 'auto-resolved' battles occur in real time.

edit: looks like a wrong offset again, uploaded a new version which should fix it

Not testable yet:

Training mode: invalid data at  12653115

Same approach as before.

[j'ordos]

Whoops, forgot to remove a debug check which caused that message to appear each time. Sorry about that, should be fixed now

edit2: jezus, Im distracted. Reuploaded

Edited February 24, 2010 by j'ordos

[j'ordos]

Uploaded a new version which adds some options for base defense turrets: make them player controlled (will bug the squad groups as there are too many troops) and change their default weapons. Also fixed another couple of bugs with the hotseat mode.

edit: for those willing to test these new functions: here's the savegame I used: (slot 9)

SAVEGAME.zip

Edited February 24, 2010 by j'ordos

[zaimoni]

Uploaded a new version which adds some options for base defense turrets: make them player controlled (will bug the squad groups as there are too many troops) and change their default weapons. Also fixed another couple of bugs with the hotseat mode.

Ok...note that I had to do a local patch to re-enable hotseat after TB mode; curious about what the bugs being fixed were.

 

Also, still unable to get Trainer to work. (It almost works; perhaps it needs aliens rather than a Cult of Sirius raid to drop the game into RT?)

[j'ordos]

Hmm uploaded an outdated source in the archive so can't fix it ATM, but I'm pretty sure I know what the error on the hotseat part is, expect another fix on monday/tuesday. Bugfixes were incorrect detection of enabled/disabled status and not properly resetting when answering No (both modes were set to 1 i.e. realtime, instead of 1 and 2)

 

How do you mean it almost works? Alien presence is not required. By the way, are the cityscape mods still giving you problems?

[zaimoni]

Hmm uploaded an outdated source in the archive so can't fix it ATM, but I'm pretty sure I know what the error on the hotseat part is, expect another fix on monday/tuesday. Bugfixes were incorrect detection of enabled/disabled status and not properly resetting when answering No (both modes were set to 1 i.e. realtime, instead of 1 and 2)

Ok. The bug I counter-patched was an off-by-one: putting data to the file adjusts the file pointer, so I had to reduce the skip by one byte to make the 03 land on the 02 rather than after.

How do you mean it almost works? Alien presence is not required.

The choice screen is bypassed as expected, but instead of dropping into AI-controlled RT the mission simply is exited immediately without any combat. (Steam.)

By the way, are the cityscape mods still giving you problems?

Cityscape mods are being bypassed; I haven't done active testing yet of those. I am considering the less optimistic illegal flyers option (would like illegal flyers to actually shoot down Megapol vehicles).

[j'ordos]

Yep that would fit, I increased the offset mod by one for some reason (counting at late hours doesn't work that well). The crash is odd, I really need to get the steam version myself so I can do some testing (I bet that was part of their marketing strategy for changing the offsets)

Illegal vehicles not shooting at patrolling police vehicles is another problem as vehicles on a building attack mission will ignore hostile craft completely, IIRC.

[j'ordos]

Updated again, hotseat mode should work again. Can't do much about the training mode though.

[KayDat]

The crash is odd, I really need to get the steam version myself so I can do some testing (I bet that was part of their marketing strategy for changing the offsets)

 

So what's the main difference, just offsets in UFO2P and TACP? It's strange, according the the date modified attribute, it should be an original (1997-06-20), could it be a difference between US/EU version? Guess not...did you want the exe's? I could just pass them to you to work with directly.

[j'ordos]

Thanks, I already have the exes. But there are some other files needed to actually start apoc, just replacing my exes with those doesn't work.

[KayDat]

How about the SOUND, TACEXE & UFOEXE folders along with the xcomapoc executable?

 

http://www.mediafire.com/?5o45lgjyjwh

Edited March 9, 2010 by KayDat

[j'ordos]

It's working but according to apatcher this is the standard english version

[KayDat]

Hmmm...I see what's happened. I had copied over everything from the ISO following the Steam forum FAQ, and the ISO is actually identical to the regular disc thus "converting" my game into a standard version, I think (Actually, I just gave you the files directly from my ISO, since I have a bunch of crap in my actual Apoc install). It seems the Steam version actually uses UFO2P4, not UFO2P, but, it renamed UFO2P4 to UFO2P. The CRC checksum of the proper UFO2P is 4749FFC1 and UFO2P4 is DBD3B41D (at least on my ISO). The Steam UFOEXE folder is missing UFO2P4, but the checksum of UFO2P is the same as UFO2P4. I'll upload the "proper" Steam files once I get Steam to re-download 'em, gimmie a sec.

 

http://www.mediafire.com/?ykbn2xww2z3

Edited March 9, 2010 by KayDat

[j'ordos]

OK got it to work! Haven't done a lot of testing yet, but training mode works fine on it.

[j'ordos]

New small update, fixed a bug with the DD and forceweb fix, otherwise it works fine on the steam version here. (which is actually the 486 version of xcom apocalypse. The 'english version' is a pentium optimized version of xcom apoc. Since DOSbox emulates a 486 processor (edit: actually a 286/386 but same thing ) and steam uses DOSbox I mistakenly associated it that way. I can still be mad at them for using a minimal install though ) I updated the version ID'ing as well. On that note, it is likely that the german version has the same differentiation. Edited May 15, 2010 by j'ordos

[j'ordos]

Anyone using windows vista or windows 7: it turns out you get UAC pop-ups each time you run apatcher.exe because UAC is suspicious of any program that contains patch in it's name. Simply rename the exe if you want to get rid of it. Ill include a fix for the next version.

[Nervousguy]

Ok sorry for necroing this old topic, but i have some problems with apatcher:

 

First thing: using the Disable Stun Raid setting also changes other things

 

1. you suddenly have security guards everywhere, even when NOT selecting them in the later apatcher settings.

2. Brainsuckers are suddenly no longer interested in your troops (must be caused by the civilians aka security guards)

 

Second thing:

 

Using the Forceweb and Dim.Destabiliser option does nothing, i can still NOT see the forceweb in the inventory of my units, even when equipping them before a mission. The Dim Dest does work without this patch btw, no problem getting it into the game.

 

Ok so much about that :-)

 

Nice tool, but i wish those two things worked as intended, would make it perfect.

 

the other stuff seems to work fine, tested the training mode, the editor etc and all worked fine (Good work j'ordos!)

Edited October 12, 2013 by Nervousguy

[j'ordos]

Hey, sorry for the late reply?

could you try (with a fresh copy of UFO2P.EXE) to disable stun raiding and then, when you get the next question to enable security guards everywhere could you answer with 'a' (abort)? I don't see any immediate reason why disabled stun raiding would cause guards to appear as well so maybe the problem is with my enable security guard routine instead (if you answer n (no) instead of abort it also writes data which could potentially cause trouble) and not with disabling stun raiding.

Do the brainsuckers never attack your troops? Or just less?

 

I'll check the forceweb spawning code when I have the time. The DD is not skipped during object generation like the forceweb, but it was hardcoded to damage only shields and terrain objects. I changed it so it could also harm units, if you choose to change the damage modifiers for it in apoc'd too.

 

Thanks for the bug report

Edited November 22, 2013 by j'ordos