XCOM 2
[WOTC] Randomized Enemy Pod Formations
51 Comments
니만잡는파리채 4 Oct, 2020 @ 7:13am 
랜덤치고는 시작지점 근처에만 쫙 깔리더라구요 보복미션때 시작하자마자 달려드는 놈들만 잡았더니 임무가 끝나버리는 황당한 상황도 두어번있었습니다.
RedDobe 1 Sep, 2020 @ 7:44am 
Latis 1 Sep, 2020 @ 7:04am 
in wich file i have to paste the txt of your pastebin?
RedDobe 8 Oct, 2018 @ 6:48am 
Hopefully this paste won't throw up those errors for you. https://pastebin.com/fVAFtKu7
RedDobe 8 Oct, 2018 @ 6:42am 
Ok I thought I fixed those prior to making that paste bin. I’ll make another paste bin and provide the link.
Dragon32 7 Oct, 2018 @ 4:06pm 
@RedDobe:
Seeing a bunch of redscreen errors with your latest, e.g.
Error: Redscreen: ImportText (MissionSchedules): Missing value for property '\\'

Don't think it's a copy & paste error on my part.
Dragon32 7 Oct, 2018 @ 6:18am 
Great work, RedDobe. Thanks again.
RedDobe 2 Oct, 2018 @ 3:35pm 
No problem gents. I took my edits one step further...instead of using the same 48 x 80 patrol zone that charm uses no matter the map size, I added 43 to the depth and 43 to the width of the patrol zone. That way it depends on map size and default the configuration. By default smaller maps have smaller zones and larger maps will patrol an even greater area. I was still having the problem with bunching in the landing zone on smaller maps, and on maps such as Blacksite the pods weren't deep enough into the landing area. These edits should improve that even further. https://pastebin.com/HGqGWzve
Dragon32 2 Oct, 2018 @ 11:47am 
Thanks RedDobe! I'll be trying out your version!
Coley 28 Sep, 2018 @ 1:03pm 
@RedDobe, I noticed that issue too, and i agree, this mod is great and works really well with your mod. Also, thanks for those edits, they fixed the bunching.

Regards.
RedDobe 27 Sep, 2018 @ 3:23pm 
This mod is great and works well with yellow alert gameplay, but there is one problem that I have noticed consistently. The pods are always bunch together towards the Xcom Landing zone. After reading through and tinkering with the schedules.ini file I figured out its due to the EncounterZoneOffsetAlongLOP. Charm has increased the Patrol Depth which can spawn pods deeper toward the Xcom landing zone. To compensate for the increased depth, the center of the encounter area needs to be moved back as well as adjusting the width and depth of the spawn zone. This can be fixed by adjusting the offset so that pods can truly spread out. I subtracted 43 from this offset. Here is the link to the text. Just copy and paste over the missions starting with the + signs. https://pastebin.com/kBintEwh
neIVIesis 9 Sep, 2018 @ 9:43am 
This is a cool idea, but it makes the game too easy, since enemies are scattered and don't reinforced always. It also works oddly with Militia Rescue missions, since advent can spawn already right next to them or too far from the start of the mission.

It might work better if combined with more enemies to compensate for how scattered they can be from the mission objective.
Mind Goblin 7 Jan, 2018 @ 9:51pm 
Compatible with ABC+ ?
Charmed  [author] 11 Dec, 2017 @ 7:03pm 
Yeah, it is compatible.
花兔 11 Dec, 2017 @ 2:02pm 
?
花兔 11 Dec, 2017 @ 2:02pm 
Compatible with ABA
Charmed  [author] 14 Oct, 2017 @ 8:32pm 
no problem
Saisher 14 Oct, 2017 @ 7:28pm 
@Charmed
Turns out it was just bad luck and the increased number of enemies boosting sight range.
Sorry to bother you.
Charmed  [author] 14 Oct, 2017 @ 6:22pm 
@Cpt_Chaos I'm not familiar with that part of the game script, shrug. I wish it worked better too.

@Saisher, it is random, is that happening every time? Largerpods doesn't change the schedules, should be fine.
Saisher 9 Oct, 2017 @ 7:03pm 
Enemy pods seem to be spawning next to eachother ,may be caused by larger enemy pods.
Cpt_Chaos 4 Oct, 2017 @ 10:00am 
I also posted this in the random enemy movement mod: Is it normal that pods that are not seen by anyone (not yet discovered) dont patrol at all? I just had a mission with SITREP location scout and they were just standing around doing nothing. Then suddenly when I see them (still concealed) they start patrolling. I then confirmed this behaviour with a fresh gatecrasher mission with all mods disabled and console command X2ForceAllUnitsVisible. No patrolling but as soon as I move a unit into LOS they start walking. Very unimmersive. Anything that can be done about this?
Charmed  [author] 25 Sep, 2017 @ 2:17pm 
Also, see the dynamic pod activation mod now linked in description, which also helps cut down on hunting for pods, particularly with its config bumped up some.
Charmed  [author] 25 Sep, 2017 @ 2:10pm 
I am not sure why the AI's hunt on objective complete function does not work (I don't think it works in vanilla, either) You're welcome to try reducing the size (let me know how that affects it), but what I do is just use the console command X2ForceAllUnitsVisible if the enemy position is totally unknown after I complete the objective and go kill them.
A Big Hairy Ape Man With A Rock 25 Sep, 2017 @ 3:12am 
I just had a mission where I completed the primary objective of planting X4 and then proceeds to the objective of eliminate all hostiles. after 10 or so turns of combing almost the entire map, i just evac'd out. Mod sounds like its working as intended but with elimination of line of play, is there a "come at me" sort of moment for the enemy AI I can manipulate or should I just wait for you to either tone down the mod or ini tweak the mod a little myself.
Charmed  [author] 24 Sep, 2017 @ 12:51pm 
Yeah, better campaign is encounters and encounterlists only. Pods being very far apart is intentional with this (sometimes, hence random). Might warrant toning down some.
marshmallow justice 24 Sep, 2017 @ 12:20pm 
((( i may be completely wrong )))
:steamhappy:

i'm using it currently with your mod and there's no issues, but at the same time i guess its kind of hard to tell if this is "working". i've noticed that sometimes pods are very far apart from one another, but that might be because of the larger spawn point size changes in the X2 Highlander.
Charmed  [author] 24 Sep, 2017 @ 12:13pm 
@marshmallow justice pretty sure better campaign is encounters and encounterlists, not schedules. I should check to be sure though.
marshmallow justice 24 Sep, 2017 @ 10:11am 
do you think this affects A Better Campaign? from my understanding of that mod it targets the pod schedules so DerBK has better control over what spawns and what they do... but i'm not sure.
Gurimujouz 23 Sep, 2017 @ 5:59am 
@charmed I'll give it a try with the dynamic pod activation and see how it goes for a few missions and report back. Thanks!
Charmed  [author] 23 Sep, 2017 @ 4:46am 
@michaelkn agreed, I've been poking around trying to identify why the AI isn't hunting on mission complete correctly, may throw in an automatic red alert on mission complete here. If you arent using it, give anisotropics mod dynamic pod activation a try. Suits this moD nicely.

In other news i learned I can hopefully implement this mod as a forced hidden sitrep, eliminating the schedules override. Would also mean mcm support.
Gurimujouz 23 Sep, 2017 @ 4:07am 
I've had to go hunt for the last few pods almost every mission so far, especially objective missions because they're far off on random parts of the map and having to use the console command each time is a pain. Other than that it worked great with zero crashes
Skye 21 Sep, 2017 @ 7:17am 
Had to disable this mod as all the pods seem to spawn close to the LZ instead of being random. It's quite hard to take on 2-3 pods at once with beta strike on.
Charmed  [author] 19 Sep, 2017 @ 9:32am 
@xor I use map mods too, hasn't been an issue
xor 19 Sep, 2017 @ 9:30am 
Yeah, that is what irritates me too. But I tried enabling and disabling every mod I use and this seems to be the one. I have no idea why because I don't use any other mod that changes the schedules ini. I use map mods but they shouldn't have an impact I guess?
Charmed  [author] 19 Sep, 2017 @ 9:16am 
@xor neither do I, it's only ini edits. Have you tried deleting your configs in documents/mygames? Only need to do xcomschedules for this mod.
xor 19 Sep, 2017 @ 9:15am 
This mod seems to crash my game. And I don't get why.
kdm2k6 14 Sep, 2017 @ 2:24pm 
Added a link in my mod to yours - I am planning to try it out once I finally beat Legend ironman (been close a couple times).

Thanks
Charmed  [author] 10 Sep, 2017 @ 5:00pm 
@Iridar Yeah, I think you could do that with kind of the opposite of what this mod does, give pods very small patrol boxes, spaced well apart, and disable line of play with the random enemy movement mod linked in description.
Iridar 10 Sep, 2017 @ 4:54pm 
I see. Damn, I was actually hoping this mod would distribute pods around the map and put more space between them. Do you know of a way to accomplish that? I'm just tired of (randomly) pulling several pods at the same time becasue the game decided to put them on top of each other. It's annoying on untimed missions and sometimes virtually unavoidable on timed missions.
Charmed  [author] 10 Sep, 2017 @ 4:34pm 
@Iridar it is to put a stop to the enemy pod positions on the map being predictable. There may be pods way off to the side, or well behind the objective, there may be no guards at the objective or every pod there. Without this mod or something like it, every pod is situated along the line of play, in the same rough formation and spacing (depending on mission). They're less likely to be on top of each other by virtue of having more space to work with, but it is random.
Iridar 10 Sep, 2017 @ 4:21pm 
The purpose of this mod is not 100% clear for me. Does it help to eliminate the situation where several pods patrol on top of each other? Because I just had a mission where three pods were within LoS of each other.
Charmed  [author] 9 Sep, 2017 @ 12:43pm 
@predator246 no
Sovereign246 9 Sep, 2017 @ 12:42pm 
Would fair lost targeting conflict with this?
Charmed  [author] 9 Sep, 2017 @ 12:08pm 
I think I got the redscreens, thanks for the tip on notepad++ having that option.

New version includes every pod, I'm pleased with the results. It should help with clumping. First version had 1-2 pods in many missions that were still static sitting on the line of play because they had no width setting.
Juravis 9 Sep, 2017 @ 11:16am 
I use Notepad++ and i put invisible characters on, it is the best way to avoid problems from the game's importtext.
Charmed  [author] 9 Sep, 2017 @ 11:16am 
@乇句廿丹尺口 one issue may have been the batch of pods missing my width changes, will be fixed shortly.

@ADVENT Avenger I'm redoing it at the moment with normal search mode, hopefully that'll help.
Juravis 9 Sep, 2017 @ 10:52am 
@Charmed Heads up, I'm getting a lot of \\ red screen errors and this is the last mod i subbed to, and the errors point to Mission Schedule. If you want to check it. The importtext is very finicky, might be an invalid character thats invisible or the like.
Iridar 9 Sep, 2017 @ 9:15am 
THANK YOU SO MUCH, this is exactly what I wanted for the longest time in XCOM. It is so frustrating to have to tip toe around several pods patrolling too close to each other. Or to start fighting one pod, and pull another one by moving one tile.
orhida 9 Sep, 2017 @ 8:43am 
Pods are keep being cluttered into one, big one, making it impossible to engage them without waiting for them to separate.
Charmed  [author] 9 Sep, 2017 @ 4:22am 
@marshmallow justice most likely those pods had the babysit objective job