[Shifty Geezer]

Originally Posted by Rodéric

nah it just generates a table of random numbers probably refreshed every now and then.

The same seed for whatever number generator would do that, although they'll want to randomise each game or somesuch otherwise you could have the same encounters panning out the same way on each playthrough (assuming identical choices by the player). I suppose it is necessary to avoid really extreme cheating by reloading over and over until you make that low-chance headshot, but it doesn't solve the issue of reloading and changing tactics.

[Rodéric]

Originally Posted by Shifty Geezer

The same seed for whatever number generator would do that, although they'll want to randomise each game or somesuch otherwise you could have the same encounters panning out the same way on each playthrough (assuming identical choices by the player). I suppose it is necessary to avoid really extreme cheating by reloading over and over until you make that low-chance headshot, but it doesn't solve the issue of reloading and changing tactics.

Not sure about the seed I remember reloading the same game a few times and getting different results for an interception...

If they want to go through the hassle of reloading many times, why not let them ? (It's only a game...)

[Shifty Geezer]

I don't disagree with that sentiment. I'm all in favour of letting players 'cheat' games as long as they don't mess other people about. I once played XCOM having hex-edited the weapon stats to give rifles a 255 damage (and Blaster Bombs only went as high as 200!). When there are online leadboards and the like, cheating is probably to be discouraged.

But this may not have even been a design decision, because they haven't solved the issue in other ways. Then again, I suppose a fixed random number sequence means they must be saving the random number seed. I simple test starting two games and playing the same level exactly the same way should reveal if there's a fixed seed for everyone or a different one per playthrough, and if the latter, I can only assume it's to stop forcing random outcomes.

[mrcorbo]

Tom Chick wrote a dual-perspective review of XCOM featuring his 2012 self and his 1994 self. It fits perfectly with the discussions we've had here.

[Kaotik]

Aaahhhahhaaa at the final turn of my first playthrough

All was well, I had well positioned troops before triggering the final ethereals - I then activate the last fight, first shoot off (accidently though, was too trigger happy as I was supposed to fire at the main-ethereal) one of the elite mutons, then miss couple times on the main-ethereal, get one good hit on it, MC the second elite muton with the last remaining unit (got 5 there, and 1 flying SHIV which sadly got destroyed earlier in the fight)

So, alien turn - the 2nd ethereal uses some mega-mind-fry on the MC'd muton, killing it - one of my snipers panics and shoots the main-ethereal dead on alien turn. game over, I win

[Rodéric]

http://xcom.nexusmods.com/mods/7

Activate some hidden features in the game, not sure whether I'll restart yet again because of that, but maybe for another one later...

[Kaotik]

The "second wave" is supposed to be for second playthrough, and should be available later officially after a patch

[Rodéric]

Ah I see.
Well they have a tool to let you change a number of things in the game, including having a chance to spot UFO before they carry on their missions so you might not have the pick 1 on 3 choice, although that makes the game a little harder since spotting them increases terror ^^

Also Satellites are amusingly the most time consuming item to build in the game, higher than even something like the firestorm...


I may give a shot at modifying the game, to turn the %chance to hit into %damage instead.
(But that is more involving than changing an data text file.)

[Shifty Geezer]

Originally Posted by Kaotik

The "second wave" is supposed to be for second playthrough, and should be available later officially after a patch

Is this for console do you know? Why isn't it currently activated for second playthroughs? Not even time to bug-test I guess, given that some aspects are bugged.

[Kaotik]

No idea, but I'm quite sure it was at least unofficially confirmed, probably just lack of time to test I suppose.