For everyone having problems with this mod, I have replaced it with a better version, Dynamic Encounter Zones. https://steamhost.cn/steamcommunity_com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=1854949514

Just gonna say it right here and there: I literally can't use this mod.

Firstly it seems the units just get spawned way into the corners, and secondly it actually spawned the Resistance Fighters and Civillians in a Haven Retallion ALL OVER THE MAP - resulting in the entire mission I played with this on a complete failure because my own Units had to run all over the map, getting killed and trying to save the Civillians.

It's strange, but this does the opposite for me as far as spawns are concerned. While patrol patterns do appear to be working, the spawns do not. In fact, activating this mod seems to just make the enemies spawn very close to each other most of the time. Some missions are bad enough that they spawn almost exactly ontop of each other and I've never seen that without this mod.

@sAiNtgOtEn - To answer your ?, this mod nor Yellow Alert Gameplay alter any of the enemy ai behavior once a pod is active. That being said it wouldn't interfere with ABAI.

@sAiNtgOtEn

I've been running partial campaigns to test out mods (first 4 missions). I have YA and ABAI in my play-through having completed a campaign with just YA. I also noticed a difference too. I guessed it was down to ABAI prioritising high cover so the units moved with more caution.

It worked fine. By fine I mean my Rookies can't hit the side of a barn while stood in front of it, so ADVENT in full cover is... great! :D

It would be interesting to know if the AI behaviour is being altered from what is expected in YA by ABA/ABAI.

also @rudolfdfrench - im running ABA with both yellow alerts and no conflicts so far. However I do notice that enemies are less responsive with ABA on (i.e. they don't run towards the action until you see them) but it could be my own imagination

hey, I've modified your file to add more pods. Please don't update your mod :D

but if you can add more pods too that would be awesome, happy to provide you with my schedules.ini.

I've completed a campaign with ABE and both yellow alert mods - both work fine

Posting this message to DerBk's & RedDobe's respective pages:

I'm running DerBk's A Better Everything collection as my base modlist. On Twitch DerBk is currently running "WOTC Yellow Alert Gameplay" but not "WOTC Yellow Alert Spawning". Is this a compatibility issue or just a play preference? I subscribed to the gameplay mod but am interested in the spawning mod as well since it was recommended in the gameplay mod's description. Thanks!

Yeah it's just the schedule.ini. There are definitions at the beginning of the file for what each field does.

I did a couple gatecrasher levels in order to test some mods out and the enemies still spawn in the back but not together. They are usually on opposite sides of the level. That's fine but I was wondering if I was able to edit an ini in order to play around with spawn points.

How is this mod working now? Anymore pile up in the back of the map?

Thank you all for reporting the issues with pods spawning too far behind the objective in some missions. I was able to get around to fixing this by moving the offset along line of play forward in the mission schedules today. I also reset some pods with patrol widths less than 10 back to their defaul so that they can "guard" the objective as intended. Let me know how it works out!

Because of the increased size of the zones, it is random where the pods spawn and patrol. I just published an update to move some pods back to guard the objective rather than patrol a large zone. There are certain maps where pods may all spawn together, but like Hohen said they move around.

I'm seeing the same thing as Hohen, where sometimes all spawn at the back of the map. This was on an extract operative mission, where I had a clear path to the evac zone on the roof of a very large building. *All* of the pods were on the ground on the far side of the building. I've got a nice screenshot of it, although I'm not sure how/where to upload it. I do have yellow alert gameplay as well.
Also, not sure if it's related or not, but is it normal for the aliens to spawn right next to the resistance in haven assaults? The resistance AI always shoots at all visible aliens, even ones that haven't been activated yet, causing most of the pods to activate on the first turn. If that is normal, maybe I just need to add or remove a resistance AI mod... (can't remember if I have one or not)

Just a observation.. all pods seem to spawn in a group the back corner of the map then run to their patrol. Is that intended? from there it works well. No line of play or anything observed.. just.. sorta unusual behavior.

I cleaned my config. I think that was the issue. Pods are much more spread out now. I'm wondering if my Lost Spawning mod was messing with it. All seems in order now though.

Hey Hoyen. Do you have yellow alert gameplay installed also?

It may be a mod conflict but I don't think this is what you had intended.

https://steamhost.cn/steamcommunity_com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=1579203698

I meant the Landed UFO, not Avenger Defense. But i suppose it occurs in other maps, i see an increase in the number of pods spawning far away or on the other side of maps. I can go 2-3 rounds stretch at the start without seeing any enemies sometimes.

@Advent - I just played the UFO avenger defense mission and now I see what you are talking about. I thought you meant the UFO supply raid when I originally read your post. Don't the pods normally bunch around the EMP device in defense. I noticed that some guarded and some of them move towards the avenger.

@Advent - If you want the pods all to spawn between you and the objective, then use random enemy formations. This mod spreads them out around the objective, because theoretically they shouldn't know what side you are coming from.

I have the same problem, pods are spawning in clusters behind the objective and leave me a clear path to the UFO with on one inside, but everyone patrolling in the back.

@Kal_Jerico - That doesn't sound right. It sounds like the default mission settings have come back for you.
Have you tried this troubelshooting using this guide. https://steamhost.cn/steamcommunity_com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=625230005

Thank you. I always hated the Line of Play in a guerrilla stealth game, but I love mods too much to stay with Long War in vanilla. This plus Phyrric Victories should allow for actual smash and grabs.

@RedDobe:
What Duvy said! And thanks.

@CaptinKampfkeks - HAHA, no because after making to the edits I could scan through and make sure I didn't miss any.. Default = even, modded = odd
Tactical awareness is called Podless for WOTC and will work with this mod fine. It won't work with yellow alert gameplay though.

Why haven't you used "42" instead of "43"? We were on the verge of greatness. We were this close.

On another note, how does this fare with Alien Tactical Awareness?

@RedDobe awesome :) will definately give the mod a try once I finish the TLP campaign missions :)

@Schleicherfreund - one thing this mods adds is unpredictable enemy placement. Where in vanilla you always know they are going to be in the center near the objective. I had one hack mission where I hacked the objective and the two remaining pods came from a small corner of the map, which exposed my flank because I was expecting them to come from the most obvious larger part of the map.

@Cryptc - This mod along with random enemy movement and yellow alert gameplay are all part of LW2. They removed line of play and movement cheats by the enemy, spread them out on the map, and replaced that with the ability for units to move according to sound, yells, allies taking damage, spotted corpses, etc. Yellow Alert Gameplay now includes the ability for units to detect explosions with the most recent update. That's something LW2 didn't have. But LW2 did have its own pod job manager, which yellow alert gameplay uses the default.

@Astral I uploaded a visual comparison between REF and this mod. REF doesn't decrease the offset along line of play, so the spawn/patrol area for most maps is mainly off the map. The other difference is REF uses a standard 48x80 patrol/spawn zone no matter what the default schedule calls for. By adding 43 to the default, this mod can have patrol/width zones up to 83x103 for large maps such as blacksite, or as small as 37x53 for the smallest maps.

I've been having frustrating moments where all pods where clustered around the same area, sounds like this mod should alleviate that problem. Can't wait to test it.

Cheers

I don't know too many details in how the game AI works, but I have realized that the LW2 AI was far superior to the unmodded game AI.

Could you say something about how these mods of yours compare to LW2? Since I know LW2 also used yellow alerts and patrol zones.

Can you please explain how this is different to "Random Enemy Formations"? (maybe as a discussion if it's too long for a comment)

Was following the ini adjustments you posted on REF and they worked like a charm. This mod is much more convenient, thanks for putting this together RedDobe.

Regards.

@Mister Yes can be added or remove anytime

Looks good, I'm always looking for things to spice up the game! Any ideas how this would go added mid campaign, and removing R.E.F. Have definitely noticed the placing of three or four pods often very close to the starting tiles.

Just now beginning a new campaigne and have added this. Anxious to give it a go.
Cheers