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Topic: X-COM Monday Nights Campaign (Read 4486 times) |
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Smart Alec
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"I can go now?"
The orderly nodded. "Yes, sir. Try to take it easy for a few days."
Vasily nodded, and began limping out of the medical wing, though he doubted there would be any taking things easy in the near future. Things were moving fast, and troubling news seemed to come from every quarter.
The base was on edge; the stand-off with the alien saucer proved beyond a doubt that the aliens knew where to find X-Com, and worse, that they knew what kind of defences the base had. The saucer's dancing in and out of missile range was too precise to be coincidental. Whole military bases had been annihilated by alien attacks; he wasn't sure how X-Com would fare, because he wasn't sure exactly what the aliens could bring to bear.
They still had hidden strengths, of that he was sure. His gloomy thoughts that the Sectoids might simply be scouts seemed to be more and more likely; the confrontation with the massive snakeman and his high-bore alien weapon proved that much.
But then, what did this new change mean, he wondered as he limped into the cafeteria and stared at the chalked-up menu. Were the snakemen a form of vanguard? Or, a curious part of his mind wondered, were they literally something new the aliens had brought up? Were they making new soldiers out of snakes? They seemed so different from the Sectoids, and a possible answer for the alien obsession for attacking and experimenting on animals and humans swam into focus.
They are trying to find the best way to kill us, and are using our own planet's animals to do it, he mused, buying a tuna sandwich from the subdued-looking chef. It was only a guess, but it felt right to him, felt appropriately sinister and menacing enough to be alien. Maybe he was wrong; but perhaps the inevitable autopsy of the dead Snakeman would tell them more.
He limped out into the corridor, munching away to the sound of banging and drilling coming from the workshop to his right. The sheer scale of the dangers the agency was facing was only becoming clear, and deep down, Vasily wondered if the new weapons and equipment were doomed to come too late. He wandered away, mouth industriously chewing, shaking his head.
And then, of course, the most worrying development of all, he thought, as he wandered past the lift guardposts and into the rec room. A saboteur. He had wondered if it had not been an agent of some rival organisation or government, but after thinking about it, he had to admit that was a short-sighted guess. Such an agent would likely be there to gather information, and attracting attention to him or herself by sabotaging what was really a sideline project seemed rather counter-productive. But then, the alternative was that someone in X-Com really was working for the aliens, and that was unthinkable. Either by choice or by some kind of coercion, either possibility was terrifying.
Or, even more chilling... they made their own little Sectoids, Vasily thought unhappily. Can they make their own humans now too?
He sighed, nodding and giving a half-hearted wave to the X-Com members in the rec room as he marched on. One problem at a time; he was a soldier, a counter-insurgency unit, an expendable asset. The others could look for the saboteur; Buzz, Cat, Baron, it was their arena. For him, work was about killing the Sectoids and now their big Snakeman cousins, and possibly wringing the neck of the one betraying X-Com after they found out who it was.
But the Snakemen were bigger, and scarier, and though bigger challenges called for more extravagant efforts, having the right gear helped too...
He had come to the training ground, where some members of Alpha and Beta teams were hanging around. He nodded in greeting, but he knew why he was there. He walked up to the big Icelander, Sveinn, and gestured at the insane rotary cannon by his side.
"Hey," Vasily asked, "You mind if I have a go?"
The big bruiser seemed only too happy to hand it over, with a slightly mocking grin as the Russian struggled with the weight. There was laughter from the onlookers, some polite, some raucous, as the recoil sent him tumbling to the floor. Grimacing, he picked himself up again. If any of you are the traitor I would enjoy shredding you with this gun - just not right away, he mused as he rubbed his shoulder and tried to grin along with everyone. Maybe it was time to request one of those fiddly-looking laser guns after all.
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| « Last Edit: on: Jun 10, 2008, 11:10PM » |
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Lazybones
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Dr. Wagner's weekly e-mail.
FROM: DR. KIMBERLY WAGNER, X-COM RESEARCH LEAD
TO: MEMBERS, ALPHA TEAM
CC: MICHAEL GARRET, GRACE THELON BELUCA
RE: New Research/Manufacturing Priorities
Research Lab 1 has reported successful interrogation of a Sectoid Prisoner.
The assessments made by several members of Alpha Team, along with our medical staff, turned out to be accurate. The aliens' primary means of communication is via some form of telepathy, augmented by subvocal noises generated in the throat. It appears that they can understand human speech, but direct dialog is limited to the most basic of concepts.
The knowledge gained from the prisoner, along with the data recovered from the Australia base, has opened up new potentials for our research. Our studies indicate that the aliens are organized into a quasi-caste system, with aliens "designed" for particular purposes within the alien hierarchy. How the new "snakemen" that you encountered in the Everglades fits into this system remains to be seen. While we do not have enough information to decipher the alien telepathic communications, Doctor White believes that he can create a Visual Display Unit, or VDU, that can provide realtime information about aliens encountered in the field. Chief Beluca is already working to integrate Dr. White's schematics into the new Personal Armor, so when those suits come online, they will have this technology fully integrated.
We have also completed an analysis of the hovering disk fragments that you brought back from Phoenix. They are identical to those pieces you found in Utah. For now, we are classifying this alien machine a "Cyberdisc". Capture of an intact specimen remains a priority.
Research Lab 2 reports progress on the Alien Navigation systems, but no breakthrough as of yet. Our scientists and engineers agree that once we better understand the alien navigation and power systems, we should be able to use that knowledge to construct advanced craft of our own. Lab 2 has been temporarily closed until the investigation into the events yesterday has been completed, but Base Commander Hallorand indicates that he will allow the research staff to return to this project as soon as possible.
Workshop 2 is now fully online. This workshop has a new electro-magnetic focused array that will allow us to build things using Alien Alloys. Ten new engineers have arrived in the last week to augment Chief Engineer Beluca's staff. For the moment, we're bunking the additional engineers with Beta Team in the new East Wing barracks.
To summarize, here are our current priorities:
Research Priorities (20 points available)
- Laser Weapons: Research complete. Laser pistols may be constructed.
- Laser Rifle: Research complete.
- Laser Cannon: a ship-portable cannon, with superior range and firepower. This technology will allow our interceptors to go toe-to-toe with the larger alien craft. Also, if HWPs are researched, this will allow us to construct a Laser Tank that can accompany X-COM teams in the field. Successful research of the Laser Cannon will allow us to research Laser Defense.
- Motion Scanner: Research complete.
- Heavy Weapons Platforms: This project is on indefinite hold pending a full investigation of the events in Research Lab 2. Doctor Sandesh has filed a protest.
- Alien Medicine: Research complete. Dr. White's lab will produce a regular supply of the new medikits each week. He reports that when the lab is involved in research projects, such as alien autopsies, the rate of production will slow.
- Sectoid Autopsy: Research complete.
- Alien Alloys: Research complete. Personal Armor is now available for manufacture.
- Alien Handgun: We've retained two pistols for research purposes. Until we capture some of the alien power source, research in this area will yield limited results.
- Sectoid Prisoner: Research complete.
- Alien Navigation (9): Research underway. A study of the control systems in the captured UFO may provide us with a better understanding of how the alien ships function.
- Alien Power Supply: The ship you captured on the Shasta mission had an intact reactor, but the fuel supply was lost. Preliminary study indicates that they use a unique power source which is kept on board their ships in a magnetic containment system. We believe that this is the same material that the aliens use (in much smaller quantities) to power their personal weapons. Capture of some of this material should be a high priority.
- Snakeman Autopsy: It is clear now that the alien menace is not limited to one species. Studying this corpse may yield more information.
- Snakeman Prisoner: The snakeman taken in the Everglades mission was seriously injured in the engagement. At the moment it is stable but uncooperative.
- Alien Rifle: The snakemen carried larger versions of the alien handgun, which apparently rely on similar plasma technology.
Manufacturing Priorities (20 points)
- Research Capacity: Research Lab 2 is fully operational. We can expand our research capacity still further, but this will require drilling out new room space.
- Medical Capacity: Dr. White has requested that we separate the sickbay from the research center, and create a separate lab for his team. This would require a significant investment of resources.
- Manufacturing Capacity (10): Workshop 2 is fully operational. Workshop 3 is under construction.
- Base Defense: Missile Defense has been completed. Chief Thelon has noted the technical feasibility of creating a laser defense system, once our research into laser weapons technology is sufficiently advanced.
- Laser Pistol (5): Three units have been constructed.
- Laser Rifle: The most powerful portable laser weapon, with a built-in sighting system.
- Motion Sensor (5): One unit has been constructed, and a second is nearly complete.
- Personal Armor: Armor based on the Alien Alloys may be constructed.
- Medikit: Doctor White's medical lab can construct a number of these kits each week without compromising our manufacturing capacity. If you wish to dedicate additional resources to the project, the kits can be produced at a faster rate.
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Your current allocations are listed in parens above. Normally I'd post the graphic about the Sectoids, but it contains a few spoilers that you haven't encountered as of yet. 
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Jenniza
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Just wanted to update you on why I've been out of touch for the last day and a half.
We had a horrible thunder and lightning storm Tuesday Evening, that left 150,000 homes or more without electricty for awhile. Some possibly as last as Friday. We were at the movies for the first nighttime date in a while; when we came out and drove home, I was commenting, "wow, those lightning strikes in the far distances looklike they are near were we live" we made jokes like "but they sure are pretty" "and scary looking" "hope eveyone is okay"
When we got home it was like driving through a rat maze of detoured roads and downed wires and crushed cars and houses and trees. Our house was one of the lucky ones. It was like driving through a 1980's disaster movie with the chessey music playing. It was a horrible sight to see our neghbors for blocks struggling with their property damage and all the emergency vehicles going up and down the streets at work.
Needless to say, at our house, our electircal system was out, and given our arrangement... we were locked out of our house... most of my meds inside. The clock was now ticking. I can only go so long without my meds before things get bad for me, so we ried o get an estimate of repairs. In he meantime we stayed at my mom's temporarily over night.
Bob had to be a work the next day; but, we drove the hour out to his work place in New Jersey to fill them in on he emergency and that when we had an update and were back in he house and had power, that Bob would work he shift from home.
Back in PA, we still had no power, so we made arrangements with locksmith to get into the house later that day. hey were able to get us into our house and I was able to access my medications on time (by this point I was barely holding it together, so it as a good thing). Now we just had to deal with the fact that we were without power still. The electric company made no updates to heir projected Friday estimation. Bob and I thought we'd be livingout of a Motel 6 in New Jersey for the next couple days, so that he could get to work and that Iwouldn't be 100% by myself all day... that I could join him for lunch etc.
We got lucky and had power restored by late last night when I was able to send out anemail or two. Got rid of a virus/adware on my computer from last few months that I neve realized waas aggressive until recently.
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| « Last Edit: on: Jun 12, 2008, 3:43PM » |
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Lazybones
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Those blasted aliens... will they stop at nothing?
Anyway, take care Jenniza, and don't worry about the game world until your RL issues are resolved.
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vanya mia
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"No, we haven't given the project much of a priority, but that isn't the point is it?" Arm draped casually across the back of her chair, Catalina's eyes met those of the investigating officer evenly. "The malfunction wasn't in the machine itself, as soon as it was disabled Operative Olloff discovered that there was a deliberate sabotage of the AI. How would giving Dr S more staff have prevented that? It might even have made it easier for the sabateur to disguise their actions."
"I can't tell you too much more than that." She uncrossed her legs and recrossed them in the other direction. "Four of us were in the recreation room when we were shouted over the COM by Operative Allen. We headed to the lab and found the door locked. I've no idea how that happened but would speculate that the sabateur instigated it. Either way, I managed to override the lock and we ran in."
"The one scientist was on the floor, but we went right past. Operatives Karsprjak and Swift kept it busy while Operative Olloff attempted to get into it's controls from a terminal, and I tried a similar approach on the machine." Catalina gave the officer a rueful smile. "Unfortunately it was moving around too much for me to get the panel open, and Operative Olloff didn't manage to get into the AI before it was damaged too much. It was then Operative Olloff uncovered the sabotage, beyond that I've nothing to add."
Interview over, Catalina left the room and was half way down the corridor when she had a sudden thought. "Damn," she muttered to herself, "with the investigation going on we've not been updated on what that thing was we found in the swamps." Turning on her heels she returned to the workshops and poked her head around the door. "Hi there," she called to the nearest engineer with a friendly smile, "I was just wondering, has anyone taken a close look at what we brought in from the swamp? I'm a tad curious as to what something that heavy could be." She paused, clicked her fingers and spoke again. "Oh, is it also possible to get an idea on what manpower and what timescale you think you'd need to get another manufacturing workshop up and running?"
((OOC -  Tough time Jen, hope you get it sorted soon.
On business... I agree on the research, unless we need to throw something after that thing we picked up. In which case we should maybe take that into account. Either way I'd propose we finish the navigation research.
As for construction, depending on how long it would take to build the third manufacturing workshop I'm tempted to suggest we suspend construction of it and plough both existing ones into manufacture for a week at least. Drop one workshop into making armour. The other on weapons/sensors?
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| « Last Edit: on: Jun 12, 2008, 7:30PM » |
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Jenniza
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Research
1) autopsy -swamp monster (10)
2) navigation (10)
manufacture
1) finish manufacture lab (10)
2) start med lab 1 (10)
3) armor (1-2) (10)
we got 3 laser pistols between the group,
we need to finish the current manufacturing lab and start the next one. we are behind on production rates and can't stop to make things.
we need a higher rate of med packs made + we're getting more medical specimens coming in each week: we need the medical lab more than ever, we need to start it now.
we need armor
ooc sorry for being curt, i'm not in the best of moods and i'm serious about these topics. i've been bucking for these for over a month on the manufacturing issues, and rather not have to cave on these.
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Smart Alec
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OOC: As a question, is it possible to focus all manufacturing efforts on getting workshop 3 ready? Or are we limited to 10 on a project at any one time?
If we can do that, might be worth considering, seeing as it might be as long as two weeks to get it built.
If not, then either 10 on Workshop 3 and 10 on the medlab, or 10 on Workshop 3 and 10 on equipment (and then Workshop 3 can begin work on the medlab when it's ready) might not be a bad idea. Depends how urgently people think we need a suit of armour or a new pistol/rifle.
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| « Last Edit: on: Jun 12, 2008, 9:40PM » |
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Lazybones
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on Jun 12, 2008, 6:41 PM, vanya mia wrote:| "I was just wondering, has anyone taken a close look at what we brought in from the swamp? I'm a tad curious as to what something that heavy could be." She paused, clicked her fingers and spoke again. "Oh, is it also possible to get an idea on what manpower and what timescale you think you'd need to get another manufacturing workshop up and running?" |
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The engineer flushes; he looks barely old enough to be out of college, let alone grad school. He's one of the new staff in Workshop 2. "Oh, you mean the thing that fell off of the alien ship? I'm not a researcher, but I heard Doctor Oka...Oku... well, the African guy? He was saying it had something to do with the alien propulsion systems.
As for the workshop... I don't know for sure, a week, maybe two. They're really pushing us hard. I don't know where they're going to put the new staff; guess we're going to have to take shifts on the beds and showers."
ooc You don't have to allocate research to the alien device.
on Jun 12, 2008, 9:35 PM, Smart Alec wrote:| OOC: As a question, is it possible to focus all manufacturing efforts on getting workshop 3 ready? Or are we limited to 10 on a project at any one time? |
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You can put more than 10 points on a single project, but you lose a little on efficiency (there's only so much space to work). So if you put 20 on it you'd get about 17 points worth of work out of it. For some projects the urgency of it might be worth it.
Also, after Workshop 3 you'll start to run into some logistical challenges on future base expansion. You'll hear more about that in the next update.
Also, Alien Navigation will be finished soon, so you might want to start thinking about the next project for the eggheads.
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Jenniza
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so tired....
clarification
1) swamp monster autopsies (10)
2) finish alien navigation, (10)
then start with swamp monster prisoners (10)
claification:
i misread manufacturing points...
so we have 20, building 3rd lab
okay
1) finish lab 3, then wait for instructions from LB before lab 4 (10)
2) start med lab 1 (10)
3) when the next lab is ready, build 1-2 armor (10)
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| « Last Edit: on: Jun 13, 2008, 12:54PM » |
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Smart Alec
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Agree with the research priorities.  Also think putting everything into finishing Workshop 3 might not be such a bad idea, or continuing to put 10 in Workshop 3 and 10 in armour or lasers. But...
on Jun 13, 2008, 12:31 AM, Lazybones wrote:| Also, after Workshop 3 you'll start to run into some logistical challenges on future base expansion. You'll hear more about that in the next update. |
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If we're going to run into 'logistical challenges' on base expansion, it might be worth waiting for next week to see what we can do once Workshop 3 is online. Perhaps we'll be limited to only being able to build the medlab next week, because it sounds like we could run out of space if we're not careful. We may end up having to build new living quarters for all these new staff we're getting, too.
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| « Last Edit: on: Jun 13, 2008, 10:40PM » |
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vanya mia
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With the thing we found last week needing no research, the suggestions for that are cool.
Building wise, if most folk want to keep 10 pts in completing the workshop 3 then that's fine by me. However, given LB's post I don't think we should put anything into building a med lab until we have more information.
I'm unsure about putting all 20 pts into finishing the workshop, mostly because I think we should either kit out more of those who don't have them with laser weapons or, and it's my personal preference, make a couple of suits of armour.
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| « Last Edit: on: Jun 13, 2008, 11:02PM » |
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Jenniza
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There are benefits being overlooked by not building the med lab that have been stated for weeks now IC by LB's NPC's and Dr. Allen. We are being short-sighted if we don't build it when we have the opportunity. We already have one dead NPC and terminated project for our short-sightedness with Sandesh's project. I don't understand the logic why the project ended the way it did; but, when they say they need something, I think the lesson learned is give it to them.
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| « Last Edit: on: Jun 14, 2008, 3:32AM » |
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Smart Alec
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Well, I dunno if the benefits have been overlooked as such. We all know what they are; it's just that for most of the time, our manufacturing capacity's been pretty poor, we've been trying to prioritise, and the thing about giving people what they ask for is that everyone asks for things. Hallorand wants better defences, Beluca wants more manufacturing space, White wants a medlab, and I daresay Wagner would ask for another lab given the chance. Can't give everyone everything. If you were going to ask, 'Why did Sandesh's project fail?' the metagame answer would be, 'So the DM could use it to show the presence of a saboteur in X-Com'.  Wasn't necessarily anything we did (unless one of us IS the saboteur).
As it happens, I don't think w've done too badly. The research lab built at the start means we've been steadily researching all kinds of cool stuff; the missile battery is something we're likely to be pretty thankful for, give that the aliens are breathing down our necks right now; and the extra manufacturing capacity we're developing now will allow us to equip ourselves faster. Add a medlab on top of that, and our facilities are looking pretty respectable. But, as I theorised on page 14, there was always a possibility that we wouldn't be able to expand infinitely.
Now, I agree that a medlab should be next! But if al of a sudden space is a premium, or we need to build new barracks, or something, then we can't plan too far ahead. The other reason we can't plan too far ahead is because of potential new developments in the alien threat, and we've been reacting to the things they throw at us all the way - I do agree with both of you that maybe armor wouldn't be such a bad idea, for example, and I am getting the feeling that maybe we'll have to start putting more manufacturing points into equipping ourselves in the near future rather than base expansion, or else start getting creamed in battle. The appearance of Snakemen is a worrying one (two at once and we'd have been in real trouble), and the possible start of a new trend in escalating alien warfare, maybe.
I guess what I'm trying to say is, let's do what we've continued to do, and not plan too far in advance.
Anyhow.
So what I'm seeing is:
Research -
Snakeman Autopsy (10)
Alien Navigation (10) and when that's finished, Snakeman Interrogation (10)
Manufacturing:
Workshop 3 (10)
Personal Armour (10)
And next week we'll likely be trying to build a medlab at least. Good to go?
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Jenniza
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as long as we don't delay the medlab much longer, i'm okay with those issues you brought up, SA.
as far as real life, it's getting back to normal slowly but surely. i just wasn't up to much RP'ing and being my usual fun-loving self these past few days. sorry about that.
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| « Last Edit: on: Jun 14, 2008, 1:18PM » |
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Jenniza
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Oh, I figured it out!!!
I know who the Saboteur is!!!!
It was Col. Mustard in the Conservatory with a lead pipe!!!
Oh hmmm... n/m wrong game I guess. Never mind.
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That sounds incredibly rough. Glad you're ok, Jen.