Since we’ve implemented high tech X-COM crafts, it’s time to discuss them a bit further.
Let’s start with graphics in tactical view. First the old graphics for Lightning:
Compared to new graphics:
And new graphics for Avenger:
In the last picture you may find something unsual. Our version of Avenger has doors at the rear part, while the original Avenger didn’t had them in game. However, authors of the first Ufo had those doors in plans and even made them in the graphics files for the game. In the end they did not implement those doors in the game later. We decided to implement them.
Another thing worth mentioning about X-COM crafts in general is the financial rebalancing. We wanted to make Firestorm and Lightning more useful for the player. However we don’t want to completly rewrite their statistics (although smaller tweaks are possible) to make those crafts more powerful. Instead we had a different idea. Skyranger and Interceptor have monthly maintenance costs. As it seems this cost includes only standard earth fuel, but does not include paying for repairs and (imaginary) base personel. We’ve decided to add that cost to all crafts, under the assumption that repairing indeed should cost a monthly ammount. Skyranger and Interceptor still have the highest payment requirements, however the sophistacated mechanics of Avenger require adequate funds for keeping the ship running. Lightning and Firestorm are much cheaper. Using those costs we hope to make FS and L more a viable option from economical point of view.
2 Responses.
Any word on fuel costs?
Can’t remember the original, but I found it easier to continue using Interceptors rather than switch to firestorms because of the elerium cost, rather than the financial cost.
The main reason you used interceptors instead of firestorms was not the fule however, but the air combat system. Both the interceptor and the firestorm equipped with dual plasma beams could destroy any ufo except the largest without harm to themselves. And both would lose against the battleship. So in that sense, yes, you didnt gain much by using the firestorm. In ufotts aircombat has been revised, and you may need more than one interceptor to shot down some larger ufo (say.. terror ship). Or instead of paying monthly costs for 2 or 3 interceptors, you could have one firestorm. In this way, it should be more useful. As to the fuel: the number of elerium needed for filling the firestorm is the same in both games, however the fuel usage is slightly different. In ufotts you can fly a bit longer on the same ammount of fuel. Although this is a subject to change in future and depends on the tests.