OpenApoc Guide

OpenApoc for X-COM: Apocalypse

OpenApoc is an engine rewrite of X-COM: Apocalypse, a tactics and strategy cRPG developed by Mythos Games (1997). At this point, I have only dabbled in OpenApoc. Basically, a couple years ago I ran into some game-breaking bugs and glitches, but now OpenApoc seems to be running fine for me. That said, it should be stressed that OpenApoc is still in the alpha stage of development (unlike OpenXcom which has a full release). As in OpenXcom, the OpenApoc engine taps into base game data files, but via an ISO.

OpenApoc Features

The X-COM Apocalypse engine is unusual in its mixture of pre-API and API genes; while certainly an advanced game engine, some implementations of Apocalypse feel dated, some sit comfortably with modern gamers, and others still are trail-blazing and visionary, never to be attempted again. As I said in my review, Apocalypse is an amazing, awe-inspiring and complex game.

But how can it be improved? Well, I'd remove the active pause completely: turn-based only. At the very least, I would remove the ability to switch between TB and RTwP on a battle-by-battle basis. The player should commit to a mode of play at game-start and Apocalypse should tailor its balance to the two modes of play. But ideally, I'd like to see RTwP removed entirely; it's nonsense.

As with OpenXcom, the mouse cursor moves more smoothly across viewports in OpenApoc. In addition, viewport mouse-look scrolling is smoother in both Cityscape and Battlescape modes. Also, sound and music do not skip as they often do in the original running in DOSBox (smooth sound). And of course, there is now support for modern display resolutions.

So that constitutes an improvement right there.

It seems that a few things haven't been implemented yet, however (understandable for an alpha); namely:

• Mouse scroll-wheel does not move up and down through z-levels of verticality (as it does in OpenXcom).
• Active pause mode in Battlescape lacks marquee selection group bandboxing of combat units.
• Cannot Shift-select to group X-COM operatives. For example, to assign Soldiers to board the Valkyrie from the Base. There is only individual Ctrl-select grouping.
• Scrolling in Cityscape or Battlescape does not work when playing in full screen.
• We need to be able to disable the female screams and other annoying sounds (Grav lift sounds aren't annoying, but could be softened somewhat).

Since the OpenApoc feature menu screencapped above truncates some of the feature descriptions (the UI should be widened or there should be mouse-over pop-ups), here they are listed in full (where possible):

• X-COM 1 Damage Model (0-200%)
• Explosions deal damage instantly
• Gravlift sounds
• Throwing requires proper facing and pose
• Ammunition explodes when blown up
• Display unit paths in battle
• Display additional unit icons (fatal, psi)
• Allow force-firing parallel to the ground
• Require LOS to maintain psi attack
• Allow unloading clips and quick equip
• Enable agent equipment templates
• Transtellar checks relationship when [what?]
• Allow manual use of teleporters in city
• Allow manual ferrying using owned vehicles
• Allow soldiers to call taxi
• Allow attacking owned vehicles
• Call existing transport instead of [what?]
• Hitting vehicle shield produces [what?]
• Attempt to recover agent equipment dropped in city
• Enforce vehicle cargo limits
• Allow nearby vehicles to pick up loot
• Allow loot to be stashed in the building
• Armored roads (20 armor value)
• Unsupported ground vehicles crash
• Improved city control scheme
• Successful raid collapses building
• Any hit on hostile building provokes retaliation
• Put market stock on the right side
• Uncapable vehicles crash when entering gates
• Skip turbo movement calculations
• Vehicles crash when out of fuel
• All units run and kneel by default
• Seed RNG on game start
• Stunning hurts relationships
• Initiating raid hurts relationships
• Vehicles crash on low HP
• (Mod) Invulnerable roads
• (Mod) Griffon becomes All-Terrain
• (Mod) Wolfhound APC becomes [what?]
• (Mod) Original Brainsucker Launcher SFX

Removed from previous versions or incorporated into other options:

• Alternate vehicle shield hit SFX
• Relationship check for purchase delivery
• Realistic transportation system

Spelling error: It's "incapable", not "uncapable".

More to come!

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