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[Kyzrati]

Dariush, added even more juicy details for you in the combat log, but if you want to know the exact chance to hit each part on a target, you'll have to attach a robot scan processor.

Okaaaaaay. How about the chance to hit each part on the player?

In the log? Maybe... Seems like unnecessary clutter, since you can gauge approximately what it'll be based on the type of part and how many parts you have. With a bit of play experience (combined with occasionally checking the data screen) that kind of stuff should start to come to you. Do you really have to know the exact percent every time you take a hit? You really are a numbers guy.

Much later, if ever. I need to get back to working on X@COM soon. I'm already spending more time on Cogmind than I anticipated, and half the reason is you keep asking for stuff

Watch your back for angry and impatient X@COM fans!

I do like Cogmind myself, a lot, but I promised to do great things with X@COM, and I will.

Also, if I were going to make Cogmind a bigger game, I'd almost certainly start over from scratch. I don't like the way it's coded.

[Toaster]

Also, if I were going to make Cogmind a bigger game, I'd almost certainly start over from scratch. I don't like the way it's coded.

That's no problem- it'll only take you a week!   

[Kyzrati]

Haha, true, it wouldn't take long to restart, since it's a fairly small project, but I'd have to put in a bit more than a week, since the reason I don't like the code is precisely because of the hackish techniques I used to get it done so quickly

[Dariush]

In the log? Maybe... Seems like unnecessary clutter, since you can gauge approximately what it'll be based on the type of part and how many parts you have. With a bit of play experience (combined with occasionally checking the data screen) that kind of stuff should start to come to you. Do you really have to know the exact percent every time you take a hit? You really are a numbers guy.

Well, it would help deciding which part to add, which parts to protect and so forth. I adore roguelikes specifically because it's impossible to get by on pure luck and the player must calculate and decide on the most optimal build.

Much later, if ever. I need to get back to working on X@COM soon. I'm already spending more time on Cogmind than I anticipated, and half the reason is you keep asking for stuff

Watch your back for angry and impatient X@COM fans!

I do like Cogmind myself, a lot, but I promised to do great things with X@COM, and I will.

Also, if I were going to make Cogmind a bigger game, I'd almost certainly start over from scratch. I don't like the way it's coded.

Don't focus on one game too much just because there are rapid fans who'll tear your throat out if you don't.

BTW, could I we please get resizeable log window?

Edit: Oh, and by the way, why are there 1 and 2 percent penalties to a lot of shots? And what about that detailed breakdown of bonuses and penalties?

[Kyzrati]

In the log? Maybe... Seems like unnecessary clutter, since you can gauge approximately what it'll be based on the type of part and how many parts you have. With a bit of play experience (combined with occasionally checking the data screen) that kind of stuff should start to come to you. Do you really have to know the exact percent every time you take a hit? You really are a numbers guy.

Well, it would help deciding which part to add, which parts to protect and so forth. I adore roguelikes specifically because it's impossible to get by on pure luck and the player must calculate and decide on the most optimal build.

You got it.

Much later, if ever. I need to get back to working on X@COM soon. I'm already spending more time on Cogmind than I anticipated, and half the reason is you keep asking for stuff

Watch your back for angry and impatient X@COM fans!

I do like Cogmind myself, a lot, but I promised to do great things with X@COM, and I will.

Also, if I were going to make Cogmind a bigger game, I'd almost certainly start over from scratch. I don't like the way it's coded.

Don't focus on one game too much just because there are rapid fans who'll tear your throat out if you don't.

Hehe. I focus on one thing at a time (usually for a long time) because it's my nature, and in this case, the next X@COM release is already going to be late...

BTW, could I we please get resizeable log window?

That's why I didn't want all that info in there to begin with--there's just not enough room! I could make it a different size easily, but it'd have to remain static, and the only way to make it larger would be to have it take over some of the map space, which would reduce the visible area below the current minimum decent amount.

Edit: Oh, and by the way, why are there 1 and 2 percent penalties to a lot of shots? And what about that detailed breakdown of bonuses and penalties?

Ah, you wanted a detailed breakdown of *everything* in the volley hit%? I'm not sure where I'd put all that info... Right now the log shows [volley] +/- [wep bonus] + [launcher bonus] - [recoil], leaving out any zeros (the -1's you see come from the small recoil values of the earlier weapons).

[Dariush]

That's why I didn't want all that info in there to begin with--there's just not enough room! I could make it a different size easily, but it'd have to remain static, and the only way to make it larger would be to have it take over some of the map space, which would reduce the visible area below the current minimum decent amount.

Then maybe a separate log window that will cover the entire screen?

Ah, you wanted a detailed breakdown of *everything* in the volley hit%? I'm not sure where I'd put all that info... Right now the log shows [volley] +/- [wep bonus] + [launcher bonus] - [recoil], leaving out any zeros (the -1's you see come from the small recoil values of the earlier weapons).

Well, just label it like '60-10(s)-15(h)-4(r)+12(t)' and so forth, where s - target size, h - heat, t - targeting computer or something like that.

Edit: by the way, for consistency's sake, could you please make hits to the core be displayed as such, along with damage done?

[gimlet]

This is a blast - sent in a score.  Do you prefer em as attachments or can it go in the email body?

Also, one request on the default targeting - what is the current criteria that it uses for targeting order?  Could you PLEASE have it default to enemies with weapons first instead of some useless engineer 20 squares away?  Ideally in order of "my best to hit %" or "most damaged" or "biggest threat" or all possibilities with a toggle to select

ED: 
2nd request - a mode for cursor on inventory only.  Although I *should* get used to the ctrl/alt stuff fairly soon, I'm still finding it easier to use the mouse with the invisible cursor :p
3rd request - some kind of swap function, ideally a "swap from ground" too so I don't have to do the "drop item, drop equipped item, pick up new item, equip new item, pick up inventory item" dance for the thousandth time especially under fire   It should probably take a *little* longer than a simple item equip, but not the 3 to 6 (with movement) turns that is required now...

[Dariush]

Fuck, I died yet again. No matter what I do, I always get curbstomped in factory. I pick off individual enemies, but sooner or later a scout finds me, sends off a distress signal and I'm dead. If I, on the other hand, try to do a speed/stealth build, I need better engines which can only be dropped by enemies whom I can't kill due to relying on speed. Fuck.

[Toaster]

The a-class robots tend to have a lot of improved thrusters, and are unarmed.  They will likely send distress, though.

[MonkeyHead]

Fuck, I died yet again. No matter what I do, I always get curbstomped in factory. I pick off individual enemies, but sooner or later a scout finds me, sends off a distress signal and I'm dead. If I, on the other hand, try to do a speed/stealth build, I need better engines which can only be dropped by enemies whom I can't kill due to relying on speed. Fuck.

Keep a rocket or grenade launcer stashed away - when in your inventory and unequipped it wont burden you, and you can deal with the speed hit for a turn or 2 to launch a rocket/grenade in order to get what you need from a sentinel before putting it back away again. Of course, the tricky bit is wounding the target, switching your explosive weapon off and finishing it as gently as possible to not waste the high value part you need.

[Dariush]

Keep a rocket or grenade launcer stashed away - when in your inventory and unequipped it wont burden you, and you can deal with the speed hit for a turn or 2 to launch a rocket/grenade in order to get what you need from a sentinel before putting it back away again. Of course, the tricky bit is wounding the target, switching your explosive weapon off and finishing it as gently as possible to not waste the high value part you need.

I just saw a guardian (yellow Y) take three direct (i.e. displayed as 'hit') missile shots (plus several non-explosive shots) to the face. It's health barely got down to orange. Granted, it was in open field, so misses were less likely to damage it, but still. Explosives don't seem such a good way of speedy disposal of individual enemies. Oh, and the items are damaged when they are still attached to the enemy and explosives damage them just as much as usual weapons.

[MonkeyHead]

1, 2 and 3 arent so hard. But I stil havent beaten 4.

Spoke too soon. Swarmed on L2.

[AlStar]

I remember you saying that once you learnt the controls, the first 3 levels weren't too hard.

being swarmed by 5 g, g and 3 Y is hard.

happened to me on the second level. 3 times.

Part of the learning curve is to know when you're better off making strategic retreats so that you can try to pick them off individually or just fleeing entirely.
Think of it as the equivalent to running into Sigmund or a pack of gnolls on D2 in Crawl.

Alternatively, you're letting w's live too long/not staying away from them enough - usually you won't call down the wrath of the overmind like that unless you've got something calling for help.

[AlStar]

and the fact that, so long as you are within vision of ANY robot, they know where you are doesn't help.

I don't think that last part is true.

From Kyzrati:

Spoiler (click to show/hide)

I'd prefer to not give out too many specifics on how AI operates, since I don't want players gaming the system. Some of the more obvious things you'd figure out eventually though:
-Yes, they use the same sort of FOV as you, though ranges vary, so having a longer visual range than them gives you an advantage. As is, some enemies have a longer visual range than your default. I was considering adding some sort of visual cue indicating whether a given robot has noticed, but didn't get a chance to do that yet. I also think that might be going too far into the realm of knowing stuff you shouldn't necessarily know. Logically speaking it makes sense with creatures, but not always with robots.
-Most enemies know about you only when they see you, and only notify allies who are within their alert range, which varies by robot. Watchers should always be a top kill priority because they have a huge alert range and can call enemies from all over the place to come get you! You don't want a Watcher class robot running around spotting you every few turns and alerting all his friends... They always follow set patrol paths, though, so if you have sensors which can distinguish robots out of view you can avoid them pretty easily.

The important part in that: Most enemies know about you only when they see you, and only notify allies who are within their alert range, which varies by robot. Watchers should always be a top kill priority because they have a huge alert range and can call enemies from all over the place to come get you!

[Toaster]

I've had several instances where there's a "city block" style area where there's a closed off area surrounded on all four sides by corridors.  I've run around them only to find the enemy is coming up the other way to intercept me.  They're either tracking me or have really good AI.