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XCOM 2 >  Workshop > DerBK's Workshop > A Better ADVENT: Better Pods PLUS > Discussions
A Better ADVENT: Better Pods PLUS
Description Discussions2 Comments379 Change Notes
DerBK  [developer] Aug 18, 2016 @ 6:53am
Feature wishes?
I am starting concept work on a major update to Better Pods and Better Pods PLUS.
This would be the optimal time for YOU to tell ME what you want to see as feature for Better Pods.

This is what is going to happen:

- I want to add more special enemies to predefined pods and make sure that you run into "boss enemies" on special missions. I already added the Chryssalid Queen to the Psi Gate mission. I am going to add the Prime Sectopod to the Foundry mission. I will probably do similar things in other spots where it makes sense.
- I want to make Facility missions more epic. To that end, i will increase number and size of pods on those missions. I want you to have to earn your extra time for the doom counter.
- I want to raise the difficulty curve for Better Pods and Better Pods Plus. There is really no reason why 2 enemy pods should be a thing. I will probably start with 3 person pods everywhere for both mods, then scale up from there to 5-6 with Better Pods and 7-8 with Better Pods Plus.

This is what is NOT going to happen:
- Bigger pods than 8. I am not recreating Long War, i am not aiming for 12 soldiers in your squad.
- I am aware that many people want to see a general increase in the number of pods as well, not only their size. I plan on doing some things in that regard, but not as a global thing and more as a way to make certain missions (like the story missions) stand out more.

Alright, tell me what other wishes you can come up with and i will tell you if they are possible and if they fit in with my own vision for Better Advent.
Last edited by DerBK; Aug 18, 2016 @ 6:56am
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Showing 1-14 of 14 comments
Evan Aug 18, 2016 @ 7:01am 
Maybe a "One of everything" pod? Advanced trooper, shieldbearer, stunlancer, and officer?
#1
=[NK]= Col. Jack O'Neil Aug 18, 2016 @ 8:27am 
The ability to edit amount of pods?? Again because I'm having cluttering issues, and don't really want to get rid of the larger maps, having more extra pods on A better pods, would be awesome :)
#2
DerBK  [developer] Aug 20, 2016 @ 8:17am 
@Evan:
I think the Advent pods are varied enough. My goal for Advent pods is having a Captain, a MEC and the rest randoms from the other Advent classes. Except for the Captain, i am not going to force anything, though. I am going to let spawnweights and RNG do the most part.

@O'Neil:
Editing number of pods is not so easily done as just changing one number somewhere. And since i don't have access to the actual spawning code (it's in the native part of the code base), i am not able to do change that. Additional pods need to be added with some additional information on position and patrol zone to the mission schedules, i don't see a way around that.
#3
=[NK]= Col. Jack O'Neil Aug 20, 2016 @ 8:36am 
Well whatever you do, the mods awesome and always will be :)
#4
Weebos Aug 22, 2016 @ 12:24pm 
This is probably outside the scope of this mod, or even ABA, but I would love to be able to scale the percentage between aliens and advent, ideally as an ini file. Lategame I would love to see almost all aliens and no advent, similarly, it might be fun to do an advent only run.
#5
DerBK  [developer] Aug 22, 2016 @ 12:35pm 
Yep, without getting access to the spawn code, there's no easy way to do that. Best we could do is changing all the spawnvalues by hand.
I think there's even a mod that makes only Advent spawn. But that one just ignores that you'd not be able to research a bunch of technologies...
#6
Scorpy_laz Aug 22, 2016 @ 3:35pm 
Bosses is a great idea! The more, the better. Also it would be perfect to have some variables in ini-files that would allow users to configure the amount of bosses on regular missions.
#7
JWGrieves Aug 25, 2016 @ 3:27pm 
I'd like some edits to re-enforcements if that's possible. I feel like they shouldn't be the strength of actual high end pods but would it be possible to make them more frequent with force level? Maybe even expand the re-enforcements in facility and other "epic" missions to give them a unique feel. Advent airdropping Chryssalids onto an area is essentially them trying to nuke the area. Makes sense since re-enforcements on the blacksite missions , for example , only occur after the objective is done. So basically more frequent re-enforcements with expanded lists on special missions. maybe even , if I can push it , adding some of the crazier ATE things to the lists. Maybe , for example , corrupted avatars in facility missions. But yeah , I'm interested in re-enforcements.
#8
DerBK  [developer] Aug 25, 2016 @ 8:59pm 
Some of what you suggest can be done with Grimy's Attrition mod. It allows setting a turn when new reinforcements starts to drop and an interval for further reinforcements. These settings can be done seperately for the different mission types.
AFAIR there's also the possibility to change the type of reinforcement that comes in.

I like those suggestions. I should look into seeing what i can do from within Better Pods for them, maybe taking some inspiration from the Attrition mod. It's not something i can get done for the update i have scheduled for Sunday, but certainly something to look at in the future.
#9
JWGrieves Aug 26, 2016 @ 1:54pm 
About Grimy's , that's true but there's a lot about grimy's I dislike . such as the limited ammo. It's too far a difficulty curb for me. Glad you like my other idea though. As far as bosses go , have you considered adding in fixed pods designed for both thematics and synergy. RNGesus can create some very good , or very bad combos. But some designed to work together might be interesting.
#10
DerBK  [developer] Aug 26, 2016 @ 3:19pm 
Grimys mods are usually highly configurable, the Attrition mod is no exception. You can disable the ammo stuff if you don't want it.

As for fixed pods, i would love to. But i don't have a good delivery system for it yet. I have the spotters, but if i use them too often, then they lose their novelty.
Maybe i can make my own version of the Attrition mod that adds ABA flavored reinforcements? I will look into that, but can't give you a timeline for that.

Making fixed pods for bosses sounds boring, i wouldn't want the same pod on every facility mission for example. I can get away with that on missions that are only once per playthrough (like PsiGate or Forge) and i use that trick there. My next update is actually going to have a few more. Not sure i want to expand that further afterwards.
#11
JWGrieves Aug 27, 2016 @ 12:57am 
Fair enough , thanks for responding.
#12
Stray Inu Aug 27, 2016 @ 4:47pm 
Any way to set more priority to aliens that require corpse for building items? For example in four playthroughs never had enough muton demolishers for their research.
#13
DerBK  [developer] Aug 27, 2016 @ 5:51pm 
Not with Better Pods, no.

But if you have All The Enemies, you could increase the spawnweight for the units yourself in its CharacterStats.ini
#14
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