X-Com 3 - Apocalypse

[bene]

i have everything except of two types of ufos.type one whitch allways explodes and type 5 whitch i don't have and whitch won't come again i think because now there are only the bombers and motherships...it seems to me that i have restart :wallbash:
[/b]
i'm really bad in english sorry but the german forum too! ^_^

[bombo]

This is one of the best games I've ever played. I've been playing it occasionally since 1997 and I still find new stuff! This is awesome :ok:

[The Duke]

i managed to get the music working, it had something to do with VDM sound and some mouse thing, my cd version of the game and a cd crack. and it runs smooth as and with the music. Ive been playing for the last week (on and off, i do have to work :whistling: .) Any way if anyone with the cd wants to know how i did it get into contact me.

[Roadkill]

:sneaky: I love this game! :titan:

I have got the Cd version, when I heards that micropose went under I though I thought not many other people other than me would ever enjoy this game.... hell I was was wrong!
If u dont try this game then you will indeed regret it some time down the line, honest it is brilliant! ... accept the ending - I could have asked for more there.

Thank you Abandonia for contributing such a great game (one of the best ever) or should I day thank you Tom Henrik



<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(bene @ Jun 22 2006, 06:57 PM) 238888</div>
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Eagle of Fire @ Jun 22 2006, 03:12 PM) 238827
i made this and researched all the following things and much more but there is no better craft unlocked[/b]
You really need to have researched everything you can, then have the biggest research modules and the new engeneering module too before you can build those new crafts. There is some research topics you simply can't research unless you initiate them in the bigger modules. Are you sure you did that already?

Like The Horseman said, there is also the research on the Alien craft themselves which you must also do before the new crafts are unlocked. This mean that you must not simply destroy the Alien UFO when they appear, you must allow them to crash and recover them at least once for each kind of ship, then research them.
[/b]
i have everything except of two types of ufos.type one whitch allways explodes and type 5 whitch i don't have and whitch won't come again i think because now there are only the bombers and motherships...it seems to me that i have restart :wallbash:
[/b][/quote]


use masses of those crappy hoverbikes, you will take down ufo's but never blow em up :) and they dont get shot down so easily believe it or not. but if u have missed em first time round u are indeed screwed as u cant invade the alien dimension and get em there because when u shoot em down (even if u dont destroy them) when they land on the gorund they will blow up... crap aint it.



Oh yeah if u like this game try the first 2 before this one - ufo1 enemy unknown and Ufo 2 Terror from the deep (both Dos games)
I think I got em cluttering around somewhere and will send em to Abandonia when and if I find em.



To get this game running well under windows xp though u will need two things (mouse2k and vdmsound - check google for em)

[laiocfar]

Yep hoverbikes got an amassing evasion ability that makes them near undestructible for alien weapons, guns are the only weaponary able to get them in some reasonable time.

[GarretNightwolf]

ok i have a problem i can get th game to run in XP but i can't save and i get no sound. any one know how to fix this?

[Eagle of Fire]

Make sure your files are not flagged as Read-Only. Also make sure you do have a savegame directory.

[GarretnightWolf]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Eagle of Fire @ Jul 3 2006, 12:58 AM) 241139</div>
Make sure your files are not flagged as Read-Only. Also make sure you do have a savegame directory.
[/b]

k where do i add the savegame directory?

[laiocfar]

C:\X-Com - Apocalypse\xcom3\Savegame

Each saved game will be in two files (an tactical one and another strategical)

[Eagle of Fire]

k where do i add the savegame directory?[/b]
In the game root directory.

[GarretnightWolf]

k well every thing is good but the sound is a little chopy. i am so happy i found it i didn't think i would seeing how its a dead game and i hope to find dungeon keeper 2 another 1995 dead game

[GarretnightWolf]

hey what is peoples strats on raiding the cult?

[Sharp]

In raiding the cult you should only be doing it for cash or cash and weapons or experience/fun, if it is just for weapons then it is much safer to stun-raid (raid a non-hostile organisation but stun instead of shoot guards so they won't shoot back) as other corps like Marsec and Megapol have much better weapons.

If you do decide to raid the cult small numbers work better, with smaller numbers the map size is smaller which means you don't have to search around everywhere to find the last few cult members. Usually I use 4 agents who start of as a squad so they start in the same room and then split them up individually. If starting in the room which has two gravlifts and stairs to the basement I keep one agent watching the grav-lifts (after destroying the curtains inbetween the gravlifts) and another watching the stairs. The remaining two agents go and actively pursue cult members, mainly using stun grenades which are quick at incapacitating cult members and do not destroy any loot.

Wiping out the cult members should be fairly easy and you can use the little ledges as cover by crawling underneath them, the only enemy you have to watch out for is the cultist with the heavy launcher, incredibly dangerous as a single rocket can badly injure or even kill your agents. A handy tool which can only be used in lucky situations is the jump tool, this is where you hold ctrl+J or alt+J and click on a square adjacent to your agent which should be thin air (e.g. your agent is next to a ledge, use the jump button and click on the square off the ledge and your agent jumps down). This is useful when dodging a heavy launcher rocket in real-time as you can avoid the blast but it does not work all the time.

The two agents who are attacking the cult members should split up once the leave the starting room, flank the enemy so they cannot use cover but try to make sure not to get outflanked by setting up a prox-trap or flanking from an unflankable position (i.e. no doors or lifts behind your agent where the enemy can pop out from). If this is an early raid without many researching done then marsec machineguns and grenades for the assault agents and autocannons for the guarding agents if you have high-tech then disruptor and devestators for everyone. If your agents start in a room with multiple points of entry which are hard to defend then you can use prox traps, a prox trap for me is when you lay down some unprimed stun or ap grenades then lay down an armed proximity mine on or next to the grenades, when an enemy walks over the prox mine is set off and in the resulting explosion the other grenades are also activated which can effecitvly kill or stun any cultists. I prefer using stun-grenades as it does not destroy any loot and you can tell easily when an enemy has activated it by the green gas let off, of course when using HE you can also tell by the extensive wreckage left behind.

The assaulting agents should sweep through the whole map including the basements, when fighting in open areas aimed or snap shots work the best (unless it is covering fire where auto-works the best) when in the basement auto is king as you can fill any cultist in the corridor with lead very quickly. The main reason why you have two agents guarding the stairs and gravlifts is so that cultists cannot out-flank you and also to provide a safe room for your assault agents to retreat to heal wounds or just to escape, if agents are wounded then you can swap the assault agents with the guard agents. This tactic works well as you can use limited numbers of agents and effectivly wipe out cultists with hopefully minimal losses. Just remember that in Apocalypse everything can be destroyed with enough fire-power so you don't ever have to send agents through a door which might have enemies waiting behind it when you can create your own and surprise the enemy.

[The Fifth Horseman]

If you want some fun against COS, take a couple (3-6) agents with Stun Grapples. Sometimes it's quite hard, sometimes ridiculously easy (just lurk at the side of the door and stun anything that walks through).

k well every thing is good but the sound is a little chopy. i am so happy i found it i didn't think i would seeing how its a dead game and i hope to find dungeon keeper 2 another 1995 dead game[/b]
Try VDMSound.

[laiocfar]

I never hear of jumping (Ctrl + J or Alt + J).... i expect that it would make easier to avoid missiles from CoS´s heavy launchers and Alien´s MegaSpawns.

[Sharp]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(laiocfar @ Jul 4 2006, 11:11 PM) 241569</div>
I never hear of jumping (Ctrl + J or Alt + J).... i expect that it would make easier to avoid missiles from CoS´s heavy launchers and Alien´s MegaSpawns.
[/b]

It can only be used jumping off ledges, you can't use it just to randomly jump, also for some reason you can't use it to jump off grav-lifts, it is useful for avoiding heavy fire but timing is required a little bit against missiles, jump too early and the missile can track you and still hit you, jump too late and it hits you, however it does take a while for the unit to jump so it is best to jump as soon as you see the missile fire assuming you are next to the ledge otherwise it might be better just to try and duck for cover and pray. There are a few stuff which is not included in any Apocalypse documentation, like manual vehicle control as well (I think thats not included anyway) where you can control a vehicle in cityscape, very handy for destroying buildings or concentrating firepower quickly.

[GarretnightWolf]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Sharp @ Jul 4 2006, 05:03 AM) 241363</div>
There are a few stuff which is not included in any Apocalypse documentation, like manual vehicle control as well (I think thats not included anyway) where you can control a vehicle in cityscape, very handy for destroying buildings or concentrating firepower quickly.
[/b]

yeah you can destory the cult buildings with out them attacking you if you back up and use lassers they get up and then go back in

[laiocfar]

Jumping isnt too usefull about missiles coz most of times you cant jump.

[GarretnightWolf]

ok so i raided a lot in the first 20 min of the game and it appers that the alliens get very advaced they have tehre beam guns already on day one? is it becuase i bought a secound base?

[The Fifth Horseman]

That happens when you have suddenly got a huge score.
In later days they'll have their normal gear again, for now it's a good opportunity for you to mass Stun-Grenade the suckas and get a lot of their advanced gear before you are theoretically supposed to.

[melthas]

UFO-Enemy Unknown was my first ever favorite strategy game, i can tell that it's the reason why i can't play RTS games anymore. My hopes were a little bit down when i played X-Com: TFTD. But when i played X-Com Apocalypse i saw it was even much better than UFO. Perfect combination of TBS and RTS( anyway who cares about RTS :bleh: ). Any gamer should play this game as i've played it over and over. Superb story and fiction, perfect technologies (engineers, biologists...) and these insidious aliens(god damn braisuckers! can't still forget them). Can't even find a negative point. DON'T EVER MISS IT!

[Sharp]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(GarretNightwolf @ Jul 7 2006, 02:26 AM) 242034</div>
ok so i raided a lot in the first 20 min of the game and it appers that the alliens get very advaced they have tehre beam guns already on day one? is it becuase i bought a secound base?
[/b]

The higher your score is the more advanced alien tech is. Keep on raiding and eventually you will get shielded UFO's and cloaked enemies with shielding and devestator cannons. The only way alien tech will go down is if your score decreases.

Depending on your difficulty mode depends when the aliens get thier tech. For example on Easy when you get 1000 points the aliens bring disruptor guns (just an example not sure if that is actual), on Superhuman aliens get disruptor guns when you get 500 points (another example). If your score goes over the mark then some aliens will use the new tech first, then most aliens will use it, if your score then goes down the aliens go back to using previous older guns.

I think UFO types and Alien types are time oriented though so you won't get psimorphs in your first day.

[Tobu]

Hi everybody.

I´ve playing the UFO I&II for a long time, and love them despite "Terror from the Deepth" was a copy of "Enemy unknown". So I downloaded X-com apocalypse and tried it. It´s a wonderful game, but when I tried to save the game nothing happened. I just type the name of the "save-game" and press enter, then it seems that everything is ok, but just before the program exits from the savegame screen, the file is deleted, it simply disappears. I mean, when the screen is going black I can see how the saved game is replaced by an empty slot. Also, in the main menu screen, the "load game" button doesn´t work, but along the game, in the options screen, the same "Load game" button works, but obviously there is no a saved game to load. I run it with Dos-Box 0.62 o 0.63 and don´t have any other prob.

I´d rellay love to play this game, so I was wondering if somebody could help me ´couse it´s very frustrating. I´ve made a little search and have found something on page 38, but this is different, my game doesn´t freeze. I´d download it from another source, but I don´t find a full download anywhere. Thanks a lot.

[The Fifth Horseman]

manually create a subdirectory called SAVE in the game directory.

Also, run it with DosBox 0.65 - major improvements, I say.

[Guest]

That suited fine in other games; but it doesn´t work with this one, also I tried it before calling it Savegame instead. Creating the subdirectory seems to do nothing. I´ve tried to create it inside another subdirectory called Tacdata but nothing new happened.

This morning I noticed an error: an error mentioning "dosdrv" as a non-recognized intern or extern command, calling it "executable program or pack of files for MS-DOS "(or file by packs, I ignore the correct translation :whistling: but it´s the same name that appears below the VDMS_Apoc icon in the game directory). I´ve been lookin for a file called dosdrv but I found nothing, and I don´t think it refers to dos4gw (maybe that dosdrv file is lost?).

After the error and right below it, the Mouse2kv it´s executed properly and after that the game runs normally except the saving-game process. Also, reading the game readme I saw this:

Manual Amendments And Game Tweaks
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
P27 Saving Games
After saving a game you do not have to press OK as stated. The
game now automatically returns you to the game.

P27,P95
After saving a game the "Save Successful" message referred to on
these pages will not appear. This message is not implemented
in the game.

At first I didn´t think it was important, but maybe a bug with these implements could be the origin of the problem.

[The Fifth Horseman]

DOSDRV is a Windows command line command that initializes VDMSOUND enviroment emulation. It doesn't have to be in the game directory.

I'll have a look on my copy of the game and tell you what's there.

[Tobu]

Sorry for the double post. Finally it seems to be solved. Strangely, creating a new subdirectory for savegames dindn´t work, but after unzipping again the downloaded file a new folder and two files appeared. The Savegame subdirectory and the CXGGBWKF.NQD and PHQGHUME.AYL files were missing at the first unzipping. I dont know the reason... maybe was my old crappy computer <_< . Also I´ve noticed that the PHQGHUME.AYL file dissappears after setting up the game for sound test.

Thanks again Horseman.

[Luberriaga]

I have a question Im a newbie playing X com apocalypse and I wanted to know how can i recover the Alien Crafts after they are shot down.. Ive downed those ships hundreds of times but i cant get into them please help me!

Thanks!:P
Lube

[laiocfar]

You should send manned craft with the order of "go to location" and as destination chose the ufo. Better if iyou use a some big craft to carry more troopers and some cargo bay for captured equipment and a bio bay will be excellent.

[Guest]

WOW thanks but I have another problem now.. sorry for the newbish question but how do i fill the cars with people? and how many vehicles I need to carry 4 people a biotrans and a cargo?

Thanks a lot
Lube

[Roadkill]

double click on your base

highlight the people you want to put in your aircraft by clicking on thier name once,
then click and hold on one of the pictures of a 'highlighted name' and drag them across to the aircraft you want to put them in... then let go of your mouse button.

Hope that helps.

Ah yes another good tip:

If the Cult of Cirus starts getting cocky and demanding money - or threatening to atack you. Just raid them until there budget is in the minuses (eg -20 000), they wont be able to afford to attack you.

*The best way to get thier budget down is by sending in 1 single guy with 2 autocannons and filled to the brim with incidenairy ammo, incidenary grenades, high explosives and a hover suit if possible.hover up in the air, put your guns on auto fire and fire around randomly (laugh like a mental patient whilst you do it, it adds to the fun), setting as much of the building on fire and blowing up as much as possible. this causes alot of damage which they have to pay for :)*

[The Fifth Horseman]

How many vehicles for so few troops? One Valkyrie. And you can chuck in a couple more troops while you're at that.

[Guest]

Check what I made with the eye

Gotta love photoshop

[Image moved - check a few posts below]

[duckpatch]

It's a new alien!!!!!!!!!!!! That is quite nice photoshop work hehee

[laiocfar]

it doesnt looks dangerous...

[melthas]

It looks more like ET

[Roadkill]

Sorry about it being so damned dark, when I made it I had a 15 inch screen (quite old) that needed the Gamma set quite high in order for me to see anything :sos:
I really should have set the lighting up before I posted it.. but seeing as though I cant delete it and replace it there's no point.

Anyways I was just checking through the files on the apocalypse install cd and found a few guns I have never seen before in the game, they looked like really dangerous ones too. I did some reasearch and found out that microprose never really added some of the stuff they origonally planned.

Check : http://xcom.strategyplanet.gamespy.com/x3x9.shtml

GRRRRRRRR :titan:

I did however find that they left in the Psi-blockers by mistake (I have found them once but I dont think they work as I could still phycionically atack one of my own guys who was equiped with one, also it wouldnt say anything about them in the ufopedia) they still sell for alot though :ok:

The only way to get Psi-blockers is to Raid Marsec :whistling: and if you are lucky you will find one or two, be warned though - atacking marsec means they wont sell you stuff like thier armour,machine guns,pistols ect... and they counter atack pretty harshly too. I reccomend doing this towards the end of the game when you can make your own weapons and armour anyways.

I've never really tried Psi-blockers against aliens so if someone tries this tell me if it works or not :)

P.s pardon the really crappy spelling.

P.s.s the alien was not meant to be scary, it was a tribute to the Sectoid's in the 'Enemy unknown' series of the game - after all... I blew up so many of the poor buggers :ph34r: -> :titan:

[The Fifth Horseman]

The only way to get Psi-blockers is to Raid Marsec whistling.gif and if you are lucky you will find one or two, be warned though - atacking marsec means they wont sell you stuff like thier armour,machine guns,pistols ect... and they counter atack pretty harshly too. I reccomend doing this towards the end of the game when you can make your own weapons and armour anyways.[/b]
Two words: Stun. Raids.

No retaliation, no hostilities, no nothing in fact.

[Roadkill]

So you are saying if I do the following

1:equip all my agents with stun rods
2:stun all the security in the building ***and they wont atack back****
3:WOOOOHOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!!!!! free stuff

actually im just interested in point number 2, they wont atack back? or am I gonna have to use loads of saves and take an hour to stun all the guards?

oh yeah and heres the fixed lighting version of the alien in all its glory - sorry for using server space and posting it twice - if the admin would kindly remove the last picture I would appreciate it :)

http://img300.imageshack.us/img300/8990/alienmwahahada4.png (http://imageshack.us)

A tribute to all the sectiods I've blasted in Ufo 1 - it was the first alien I saw too :)
Made with the eye from Xcom apocalypse.

[Guest_Sharp_*]

Stunned guards do not attack back.

Nor do mind-controlled guards as long as they do not get hurt under your mind-control. Be careful in stun-raids though, the guards do like playing throw the armed proxmine.

[The Fifth Horseman]

So you are saying if I do the following

1:equip all my agents with stun rods
2:stun all the security in the building ***and they wont atack back****
3:WOOOOHOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!!!!! free stuff

actually im just interested in point number 2, they wont atack back? or am I gonna have to use loads of saves and take an hour to stun all the guards?
[/b]
Actually, you first need to ally yourself with that organization. Government and Marsec seem to be the best choices.

Be careful in stun-raids though, the guards do like playing throw the armed proxmine.[/b]
Happens once in a russian year.

[Roadkill]

Hehehe nice 1

This is great, marsec have great stuff and you even get urelium pods in most raids. My bank balace is smiling :)

I sent a guy with a hover suit, 2 autocannons and every available space filled with incidenairy clips. I levitated the guy in the air, switched to autofire and let loose in all directions - on the first raid thier bank balance was in the minuses - no more raids expected from these guys hehehehe. :ok:

[The Fifth Horseman]

And you just got them to be your enemy.
I said - ALLY - THEN STUN RAID. Anything else will get you hostile reaction.
Getting hostile with Marsec or Megapol is a very bad idea...

[Mike_G]

I used to love this game when it came out :)

I dont know if anyone else gets this but for me the mouse pointer in game seems to move painfully slowly.

Also, and this is something I find I get with a lot of old games, when I quit the game the graphics for windows go all screwy and I have to reset my PC to fix it. That really gets on my tits, is there any way to stop that from hapening?

Anyway, these two problems are kinda putting me off playing the game.

[Guest]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(zeluiz @ Mar 28 2005, 05:46 PM) 86137</div>
Hi everyone, I just downloaded x-com: apocalypse and it works fine on my PC (Win98). However, there is a problem. When I send my units to investigate some building the game should change to tactical level, but instead the screen goes black and there is nothing I can do except reseting the PC (Alt+Tab, Ctrl+Alt+Del, etc, doesn`t work). Please, anyone can help me? Thanks.
[/b]

My problem is same. :wallbash:

[Guest]

the game ask for the cd wat must i do
:sos: :sos: :sos: now i am stuk :wallbash:

[The Fifth Horseman]

My problem is same. [/b]
DOS mode, kid.

the game ask for the cd wat must i do
brain_help.gif brain_help.gif brain_help.gif now i am stuk wallbash.gif[/b]
Detail your problem. Hardware, system, emulators used. And the exact error message.

[Roadkill]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(the_fifth_horseman @ Jul 28 2006, 12:59 PM) 245633</div>
And you just got them to be your enemy.
I said - ALLY - THEN STUN RAID. Anything else will get you hostile reaction.
Getting hostile with Marsec or Megapol is a very bad idea...
[/b]

No I did that with the cult of cirus, sorry I didnt explain it.

The Stun raids against allies are great, they run around like 'Fully armed helpless sheep' and at the end of it it looks like one big orgy went on.

Here's another good question, I read through the first 11 pages but just couldny bring myself to read to 60.

How do I developt the toxigun C clip and the Gas grenades. I've finished the game without these and could never get them developed. Do I need to catch a live 'Green blob thingy'? which I could never get to stun (I'm gonna send in 4 androids with stun rods this time and see what happens) or even a live Mega-spawn (the ones that atack the city not the ones you find in buildings. And if so how the hell do you stun a Mega-spawn with vehicle weapons??? :blink:

[The Fifth Horseman]

Stun Raids against CoS are somewhat risky, and not quite beneficial too. if you want Psiclones, one of the gangs has a lot - it was Psyke, I think?

Toxin C requires capturing a live Queenspawn. Alien Gas can be researched after getting Toxin C.

[Roadkill]

AAAh yes, I have captured a live queen before and reaseacrhed her (living and corpse) I did not recieve the technology to develop toxigun C clips and gas Grenades - Maybe it was just a clitch.
But thanks for the Tip, thumbs up :ok:

Also any idea on how to catch a live megaspawn (the relly big bugger that trashes the city not the one in Agent to Alien missions) :blink:

I'm quite sure it is possible because I read on a fan site what is said when you research a live one - it however didnt say anything about HOW to capture a live bugger... Oh maan I bed its gonna take up the space of 5 alien quarantine bays :(

[Smaug]

Hey there,

I seem to have run into some problems running Apocolypse on win 98 (should be fine since 98 is dos based, right?) -- first of all the intro "movie" and all the other movies don't play.

Second and more importantly-- I can save the game and all that... but right before I enter a mission (like a shot-down ufo) everything goes funky like this --

Imagine I sent a group of 5 people to the mission -- it says "are you sure you want to begin this mission with 5 agents" or something along those lines, I say yes...... and then it seems as if I have 10 agents (it gives me 10 agents to assign into squads), as if I never took the other 5 off of the interceptor. Okay, that's just weird, but still playable.

I complete the mission. Look around.... and suddenly I have the same amount of money as I did in the very beginning of the game. All of the vehicles that I bought/sold/decked-out are back to the beginning of the game -- EVERYTHING is exactly the same as it was in the beginning. Needless to say, this kind of hampers progress.

Any ideas why this could be happening? If you already addressed this issue, sorry, I didn't have the patience to read through the entire 2 years worth of responses on the site... Thanks a bunch,

-T

[The Fifth Horseman]

As for the intro - movies and music were removed from the game to reduce the size of the archive.

Your other problems seem quite strange. Do you have a savegame subdirectory under your game dir?

[Guest]

Yeah, I figured as much for the movies, but I was just making sure.

Yea, I do have a save game directory and I can save games and all that good stuff.

The funky part is that I can run the game fine under DosBox under XP on a different computer. But I used to play the game on the Win98 computer about 4 years ago without any trouble. Back then I had the CD, so it may have been different... but this is extremely strange (and I checked, I'm not missing any game files).

-Smaug

[Acolyte]

I found an easy and quite safe way to get a live megaspawn (the bastard in found in ships). Blast down a battleship and secure all exits from the subway (sometimes wall parts is the control room are damaged so smaller aliens can get out but not back in) blast out everything trying to get out of the ship (combomines)
when they stop coming send 3 or 4 men inside and find two simetrical pink tubes with an gravity beam inside (its somewhere NE from the entrance)DO NOT enter the room there is the posibility that you will get in crosfire from two megaspawns instead use the main lift in the center to get higher find a place with two bridges leading to the tubes run with one of your men to the tube and slide down 2 levels down the megaspawn should see him and start blasting but the tube is indestructible so your guy will feel great even if you strap him of his armour.
While the big guy is blasting the invincible target the rest of your squad should start droping vortexes (two should be enough) and stun nades at the beast if after that he is still standing throw another vortex but be cautianous not to kill him.

combomines - thise are simple place a armed proxymine in the desired location and throw a dead item (it can be almost everything vortex stun, AP, smoke nades and even most guns).

Recepies

Stun mine - Set the range to 2 3 meters and throw a dead stun nade the explosion is quite far so anthropomorphs should survive and become stunned

Killer mine - Set it to 1 1,5 meters and place two or if your feeling reckles three vortexes (dead of coarse)
Nothing will survive (even if its equiped with a shield) trigering this so make sure you keep your squaddies away.

Scorcher mine - lust place an incendary nade on it (aliens aim like muck when there on fire)


NOTE rocket launcher ammo never explodes.

[Eagle of Fire]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Eagle of Fire @ Jun 21 2006, 02:02 PM) 238528</div>
You can't really have Toxin-C, it's a myth. You do can have it, but by the time you can you are so deep into the story and near the end of the game that it's not even worth the trouble to get the Alien Queen alive, research it and produce the new toxin for your squaddies. If you know how to do things right, you should end the game before that point unless you make a point in researching and producing it before you end the game. It doesn't matter much at that point because the Aliens can't attack you anymore: without their Queen they don't reproduce much and when you get to the Queen you already got thru the UFO maturation chamber, which mean they won't attack you much with UFO's either...[/b]

[myslead]

i have a small questions, how do you put your soldiers IN vehicles so they can move on the map as the vehicle ?

[Eagle of Fire]

Drag and drop them in the vehicle screen. I think you can get there by right-clicking on one of your base.

[laiocfar]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Acolyte @ Aug 7 2006, 05:58 PM) 247273</div>
I found an easy and quite safe way to get a live megaspawn (the bastard in found in ships). Blast down a battleship and secure all exits from the subway (sometimes wall parts is the control room are damaged so smaller aliens can get out but not back in) blast out everything trying to get out of the ship (combomines)
when they stop coming send 3 or 4 men inside and find two simetrical pink tubes with an gravity beam inside (its somewhere NE from the entrance)DO NOT enter the room there is the posibility that you will get in crosfire from two megaspawns instead use the main lift in the center to get higher find a place with two bridges leading to the tubes run with one of your men to the tube and slide down 2 levels down the megaspawn should see him and start blasting but the tube is indestructible so your guy will feel great even if you strap him of his armour.
While the big guy is blasting the invincible target the rest of your squad should start droping vortexes (two should be enough) and stun nades at the beast if after that he is still standing throw another vortex but be cautianous not to kill him.

combomines - thise are simple place a armed proxymine in the desired location and throw a dead item (it can be almost everything vortex stun, AP, smoke nades and even most guns).

Recepies

Stun mine - Set the range to 2 3 meters and throw a dead stun nade the explosion is quite far so anthropomorphs should survive and become stunned

Killer mine - Set it to 1 1,5 meters and place two or if your feeling reckles three vortexes (dead of coarse)
Nothing will survive (even if its equiped with a shield) trigering this so make sure you keep your squaddies away.

Scorcher mine - lust place an incendary nade on it (aliens aim like muck when there on fire)


NOTE rocket launcher ammo never explodes.
[/b]


Very interesing...

Anyway, the problem with megaspawn comes when they are not trapped inside and come out. You can make a shower of toxin in autofire and you will lost equipment or mens so wait them isnt the best option. Most of time i try to ambush them inside the ship when they are comming out of elevator but still inside. Some porx mine or alien porx mine will make the first smoke. I keep a backup team covering the gate, and uses a grenadier team of 2-4 troops. After that i keep launching vortex in the ship´s gate corridor, the result is a lot of smoke in a close area. So they cant fight back. The risk is to run out of vortex before they are dead (it happens when they pull back until explotions stops). If they can come out of the corridor there is a tactical change that may result in the abort of the mission to avoid heavy losses. The smoke will cover them and the backup team only will shot while the grenadiers are reciving direct fire from the monsters. After that the backup will be blind. So better to got good aim. A potential solution is an scout to periodical observe the advance of the enemy troungh the corridor, is too risk but the bigger problem is the friendly fire, the vortex will kill te scout even when he avoid the megaspawns fire.

[Guest]

Kids, kids, kids. All you need for C toxin is a live Psimorph that you can pick up on any mothership. I don't know why people seem to have so much trouble capturing live aliens -- it's not that difficult, I'm not going to go into it because every situation requires its own approach, but even megaspawns aren't extremely dangerous if you have a toxin gun (with B if you still don't have C) and a stun gun or some stun grenades. Toxin C is very useful, in my opinion, because it saves you a lot of ammo. It's a one-shot kill against most of the smaller aliens (on hard) and makes killing the bigger, more dangerous buggers much quicker and simpler. I've found that equipping my squad with disruptor armor, shields, a devastator cannon in one hand, a toxin gun in the other makes for a very lethal combination in terms of firepower. Especially if you're like me and don't let your agents die at any cost, by now your agents should have accuracy of <80, meaning that you can put it on auto-shot and just blast anyone that walks close enough. If you control your own squads and manually shoot and pick your targets (SHIFT+click) then you should have no trouble taking care of any aliens on any difficulty level. Shields are the key to this game and maybe giving each agent 2 shields in the backpack is the way to go, by the way. But I guess if you're this far along in the game already, it's not too difficult and you've already got the aliens under control with Annihilators. The trick is really capturing as many live aliens as early as you can in the game and researching very quickly in the beginning to get the toxin guns and the personal shields. After that, it's over.
-Smaug

[bandon]

great game, however it runs too slow with dosbox so i probably wolnt play it much. when i put it through dosbox i chane the cpu speed too much it lags if i put it lower it slows alot to where the clock changes one second every 5 seconds on normal speed

[The Fifth Horseman]

You can use VDMSound, it makes Apocalypse run much faster.

Alternatively, use DosBox with Dynamic Core enabled, that allows you to increase the cyclecount about twice the normal value.

[brandon]

:kosta: holy crap i did not know that :wallbash: thx 4 the advice works better now :ok:

[The Fifth Horseman]

Hey, we learn new things every day. ^_^

[laiocfar]

Annihilators, 2 shields, toxin C, disruptor armors?
Move to next level kid.

[Guest]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(laiocfar @ Aug 11 2006, 04:33 AM) 247870</div>
Annihilators, 2 shields, toxin C, disruptor armors?
Move to next level kid.
[/b]

what's this "next level"?

[Guest]

Sigh :whistling:

How do you catch a LIVE overspawn... not a megaspawn.

the easiest and most cost effective way to catch a MEGASPAWN is to hide in the cloud of a smoke grenade (well 2 spaces at the edge of one that has blown) you dont need any powerfull weapons to take one on, ive killed 2 with agents armed only with sniper rifles and machine guns)

Ps. An overspawn is the creature that destroys the city and is not found in any agent based battle.

[Roadkill]

above message is mine, oops forgot to log in.

Alos a hint of advice - if your mouse is runiing slow whilst playing xcom look in google for something called mouse2kv, it works great in conjunction with vdmSOUND.

if you need help writing the file for both to work at the same time, download both files. install vdmsound, copy mouse2kv to your xcom directory. go to start at bottom left of desktop, clikc on run and type cmd . then type cd xcoma
or whatever dirctory you installed xcom in.
then type edit Xcomstart.bat

then paste this in it and save.

cd\Program Files\VDMSound
dosdrv.exe
cd\XCOMA
mouse2kv 640 480 8 8 "xcomapoc.exe SKIP"

Then just double click on it and it should work fine.

[Guest]

I thake Stasis Bomb Launcher huh huh huh :sneaky:

[Dr. Dimension]

:titan: A very cool game :w00t: Personally i think its better than UFO Defense... Just my opinion :max:

C U on the flipside :ok:

[Roadkill]

A stasis bomb launcher eh?

Good idea I never thought of that one, cool I'll give it a shot and see what happens. thanks for the tip :ok:

[Arendil]

Sigh...

Creature called 'overspawn' does NOT exist in this game...megaspawn is a creature that destroys the city...

It only happens if you don't destroy a batleship quickly...then it can unleash a megaspawn on the city...sometimes...

Capturing aliens alive is simple...in fact the best weapon in the game is stun grenade...you just have to know how to use it... :whistling: ...

[Desperate kiddo]

I have the original version of this game,but I simply cannot get it running-no matter what I do,I just end with a blank screen and when I press any button,I get kicked out.I tried everything I could think of-reinstalling,running with WIN95 compatibility,running with no sound,in Dosbox,with VDMSound,but its still the same.
Any ideas what to do with this?

[The Fifth Horseman]

It's at least odd.

Try copying the contents of your CD to the hard drive and running it from there. VDMSound should do the trick.

[Redwyvern]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Arendil @ Aug 18 2006, 07:17 PM) 249512</div>
Sigh...

Creature called 'overspawn' does NOT exist in this game...megaspawn is a creature that destroys the city...

It only happens if you don't destroy a batleship quickly...then it can unleash a megaspawn on the city...sometimes...

Capturing aliens alive is simple...in fact the best weapon in the game is stun grenade...you just have to know how to use it... :whistling: ...
[/b]

Wrong. The megaspawn is the large alien encountered on agent missions whilst the overspawn is the Godzilla-sized one which attacks the cityscape.

[Guest]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Desperate kiddo @ Aug 22 2006, 06:22 PM) 250328</div>
I have the original version of this game,but I simply cannot get it running-no matter what I do,I just end with a blank screen and when I press any button,I get kicked out.I tried everything I could think of-reinstalling,running with WIN95 compatibility,running with no sound,in Dosbox,with VDMSound,but its still the same.
Any ideas what to do with this?
[/b]


are you using a dual core/hyperthreading system? Have you tried setting processor affinity to a single core

(ctrlaltdel->right click on apoc.exe process->set affinity->uncheck one of the boxes)

Works with System Shock 2 at the least...but I'd bet dual cores force a lot of older programs to have a fit too.

[Roadkill]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Redwyvern @ Aug 27 2006, 08:55 PM) 251274</div>
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Arendil @ Aug 18 2006, 07:17 PM) 249512
Sigh...

Creature called 'overspawn' does NOT exist in this game...megaspawn is a creature that destroys the city...

It only happens if you don't destroy a batleship quickly...then it can unleash a megaspawn on the city...sometimes...

Capturing aliens alive is simple...in fact the best weapon in the game is stun grenade...you just have to know how to use it... :whistling: ...
[/b]

Wrong. The megaspawn is the large alien encountered on agent missions whilst the overspawn is the Godzilla-sized one which attacks the cityscape.
[/b][/quote]

thank you very much for clearing that up, there is indeed an overspawn and it wasnt just my imagination.

... also (quote) in fact the best weapon in the game is stun grenade...you just have to know how to use it... :whistling: ...

hows your mind? :blink:
you have to be quite errrm.. ummm .. slow not to catch onto how to use stun grenades by the time you get to the levels where you go up against megaspawnes... and oh yes... OVERSPAWNES. :bleh:

[da_Russia]

Hello, folks!
I have been enjoying this game back in 1997-98, and now I want some more action, but I'm facing real problems since I'm using Win XP SP2, AMD Athlon 64 3000+ CPU, USB mouse and a Creative SB X-FI soundcard.
I downloaded DOSBox and it solved some problems -- now I can at least install the game from my old CD and watch the intro movie (mouse is detected while installing, and sound is perfect as well), but I'm getting kicked back to the command prompt right after the intro ends.
Does anyone have any clue what else I can do to start playing? I will be very grateful!
I'm sorry if a similar issue has already been discussed - I tried, but couldn't find it in this thread.

[Gilgamesh[R3]]

There is something i need to know about the download of X-com apoc on Abandonia. Maybe some of you eggheads know.


First up, This is the europe version of the game, am i right (The US version has some crappy Green pic on the main menu, the europe version is a Red BG with a large flaming X on it)

Second, does the download come with working music or Intro movie?

Third, is there less bugs and mess ups with this version than the "Limewire" version i got a few years back. (i use VDMSound and win95 Compatability mode, but after a bit either it quits the game with no errors when i go back from a mission to cityscape or i get a load of blue ms-dos text and locks-up my computer)

Kudos to whomever tells me what i need to know.

[Roadkill]

there may be a full version out there on Limewire with music & sound... you will have to search for one with a .ISO filename (a disk image) then copy it to a cd with nero or make a disk image of it. It's well worth the trouble too, dont know how anyone can play this game without the ingame music, thats like eating a christmas dinner without the turkey.

Oh yeah

Da Russia - something simular happened to me in the past, try running the game in dosbox without sound or music (just for a test) if it works past the title screen then I reccomend using VDMSOUND and changing your sound settings to sound blaster 100% compatible... Also download something called Mouse2KV -search for it in google, the mouse wont work properly under VDMsound otherwise. Ive explained how to use them in conjunction a few messages up. Hope it helps.

[da_Russia]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Roadkill @ Sep 2 2006, 03:05 PM) 252446</div>


Da Russia - something simular happened to me in the past, try running the game in dosbox without sound or music (just for a test) if it works past the title screen then I reccomend using VDMSOUND and changing your sound settings to sound blaster 100% compatible... Also download something called Mouse2KV -search for it in google, the mouse wont work properly under VDMsound otherwise. Ive explained how to use them in conjunction a few messages up. Hope it helps.
[/b]

Thanx m8, used vdmsound and no cd utility -- now the games works fine. Oh, and btw, my mouse is alright even without the program you mentioned. It's just a lil' slower than in XP, but since I have a Logitech G7, I just increase it's resolution to 2K dpi and it's perfect.

[The Fifth Horseman]

Second, does the download come with working music or Intro movie?[/b]
Nope.

[Gilgamesh[R3]]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(the_fifth_horseman @ Sep 4 2006, 11:04 AM) 252679</div>
Second, does the download come with working music or Intro movie?[/b]
Nope.
[/b]


I downloaded the version here at abandonia and your half right, There is an intro (which i love) but no music):

I loved some of the combat music in x-com apocalypse.

With the downloadable music on abandonia, could you put the music in the game, or is there a raw data file the game needs for it?


Also, does someone also get a weird Ms-dos copy protection error in blue text sometimes? I get it after about 10-12 combat missions

[Eagle of Fire]

The music, like in most games, been ripped off to keep the size of the download as small as possible. If you really want the music, I suggest you find an .iso version and mount it with DOSBox.

[Roadkill]

Something wierd has happened during the course of the game :sos:

for some reason, Psyke, Orison , Marsec and a few others wont let me bribe them anymore, As you know at some point in the game when you re forced to use serious arsenal against alien ships... some do go off course and hit other buildings (even if you set your vehicles to low altitude), hence you have to pay a fee in the diplomacy screen to get them from 'hostile' to 'Neutral' again.

Every time I try and bribe them they say the same thing the cult of cirus says ' Negotiations are impossible ...blah.. blah ..blah until you stop atacking alien friends blah... blah'
But these organisations have not been taken over by the aliens... and I can still even buy stuff from them (eg... incidenary grenade)

if this carries on I'm going to have alot of hostile organisations that I cant bribe and basically am going to be in the crap come near the end of the game. :tai:

Any ideas where I can find a diplomacy editor (I've checked google but no luck) or any idea how to fix the problem?
(I repeat, these organisations have 0% infiltration, they are not under alien command but still show the same message the cult of cirus displays when trying to negotiate with them :blink: )

[The Fifth Horseman]

I remember reading a guide on editing diplomacy, but it was supposedly fairly complex. Gonna have a look on what exactly was going on.

[laiocfar]

Roadkill, you can try by attacking unusefull organizations like the Grav League. This wouldnt prevent the ocassionals raids agaisnt your infrastructure. Anyway you only can count with the selfdenveloped or the Megapol weaponary....
Aaahhhh, i forget you must get your own income by selling loot or selfmade equipment and weapons. The Senate will be out of founds in some time.

[Guest]

I did some searching and finally found something that might help after all...

There is a program called XED, found on this site http://xcom.strategyplanet.gamespy.com/x3f2.shtml

A very useful utility indeed, you can even tranfer your old characters, equipment ect... to a new game, which can be useful. It also has a handy diplomacy editor (which I havent quite figured out 100% yet but have used it to stop the organisations that who liked the aliens to now be bribe-able... henceforth my game is back on track, for some reason Marsec still wont let me bribe them even after altering them with the editor :blink:

oh well never mind, if I ever do need anything I'll just raid em :ok:

P.S - to get the editor to work you have to extract XED to your savegame directory and run with dosbox - you also have to mount c c:\xcoma ... as it wont work with mount c c:\xcoma\savegame ...
But I'm sure you guys already knew that :tomato:

[Peter B.]

I wish some compu-whiz or software company would just re-release the original Ufo Defense
with updated graphics/resoloution and sound.

[John Jacobs]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Tom Henrik @ Nov 16 2004, 09:26 PM) 26879</div>
Feel free to comment and discuss this game here. Also, if you have any useful tips or tricks don't hesitate to share them with the others! Thanks!

Review and Download (if available) (http://www.abandonia.com/game.php?ID=307)
[/b]

I wish some compu-whiz or game company would just
update the resolution for the ufo defense and release
it.

This site used to have it but they removed it.

Arrrrgh.

ugh.

[Guest]

Im proably going to get Boo'd for saying this but I honestly thing that Xcom apocalypse was the best in the xcom series. I played Ufo 1 and 2 and did indeed enjoy them, however I really got tired of that 1 music file that would constantly repeat itself in agent missions - drove me insane :blink: :bleh: :w00t:

The thing I did like over ufo 1 & 2 was the reasearch tree (damn there where loads of weapons to be unlocked) and all the new weapons werent all based on alien technology (the gausse rifle and laser weapons for egsample) I really would have like that in Xcom apocalypse but hell its still one of the best Golden oldies I've played (the other golden oldie in my best books is Blood which can be found on abandonia)
Also the diplomatics in Xcom apocalypse was a great idea, so was the fact you could raid enemy organisations.

I honestly hope they make something very simular to 'Xcom apocalypse' in the future... also maybe mixed with 'deadly games' (I loved how you could modify weapons with a chunk of steel, put a scope on your weapon and even put frag greanades in a canister of petrol to make an Eagle Fearbomb!!!)

mix that with modern day graphics, music and sound effects and you have one kick behind game - no doubt! :titan:

[Roadkill]

oh yeah, by the way the above post is mine... forgot to log in. so was the the one 2 above it :wallbash:

[Gilbert]

Hi, i would like to know how i do for setup the sounds, because i downloaded all files but it doesn´t work

:sos: :sos: :sos:

[The Fifth Horseman]

This question has been asked ten thousand times before. The answer is always the same:
Use DosBox (http://dosbox.sourceforge.net). Or VDMSound. Whichever works better on your system.
You can get them from our programs page (http://www.abandonia.com/main.php?nav=programs).
Before you start complaining about being unable to use them, read the godforsaken readme files and appropriate FAQ's in Troubleshooting (http://www.abandonia.com/forum/index.php?showforum=2) and Troubleshooting Archive (http://www.abandonia.com/forum/index.php?showforum=25) forums.

[Roadkill]

Found a game very simular to Xcom

Its called Fallout Tactics - Damnation its good.
However it is a modern game and does not support dosbox, vdmsound. its runs under windows XP so there is no reason to try run it under any other program anyways.

There are so many weapons to choose from, you can even plant land mines, timed explosive, remote explosives, you have a choice of loads of grenades (Acid greandes are ace :ok: ) Heavy weapons, Small weapons like sniper rifles, hunting rifles, pistols (alot of guns comes with diffrent ammunition like in xcom :eg.. Armour piercing, hollow points - no incidenary ammunition so far though <_< ) energy weapons , drive diffrent vehicles and alot more. there are so many diffrent enemies too its insane.

Definately something to look into if you like Xcom :titan:

[laiocfar]

Roadkill, do you got a link.

And what is that fool down you?

[Roadkill]

I bought it from a place called Gamestation.

EDIT: Reference to warez removed!

[The Fifth Horseman]

Roadkill, if the game is still sold then obtaining it the way you described is warez.

We don't condone warez here, consider it a verbal warning.

[G ESQ]

Hi everybody.

Reading thru the thread, I didn't see anyone mention the free $$$ bug in the game.

To do it you assign an object to be manufactured, hit enter, then click the beaker with an X thru it to unassign the manufacture, then assign it again, then unassign it, etc.

Each time you do it, you get the $$$ in your bank for the cost to manufacture the item. e.g. the alien invisible shield costs $2000 to build, you get $2000 in the bank each time you do this. Two minutes of this, and you have an extra $100,000 in the bank.



I played this game when it came out years ago, it's great this site has the game available to download. I use a mix of turn based and RT missions. More RT missions as the game goes on and I have shields for the agents. Also use RT when I raid Marsec or Megapol with stun grapples to steal armour and weapons early in the game.

[Guest]

Hi, im really new at this and some help would be nice. I downloaded DOSbox went through the whole set up on the tutorial but when it gets to the point where i have to type "Install" it says "Illeagle command: Install". After failing that way i installed the VDMsound thing and when i right clicked and clicked Run with VDMS it says access is denied... any ideas? and fyi the game works fine but the sound doesn't work

[Guest]

Nvm i got it!

[aerziel]

hi

I am new to this forums so sorry for the newbness anyway to my question can anyone help me getting raw sound for apocalypse I cant seem to turn on music. Anyone's help will be most appreciated. :sos:

BTW all I know is that the mp3 files in the main site can be used with adobe auditor? anyway I dont have the program and I dont know how to change it to raw I want to hear the music in game can anyone help.

[SupSuper]

Technically, you should be able to get the music working if you merge all the mp3 on the website into one file (by the same order), save it as PCM Raw Data with filename "MUSIC" in the game folder, and then enable the music in-game.

If that doesn't work, well, get an original CD. :P

[The Fifth Horseman]

You can download X-Com Apocalypse from various P2P networks, if you search for a minute or two. Very convenient, that.

[Eagle of Fire]

Indeed. What does those link have to do with Apocalypse anyways? <_<

[tags]

hi i just downloaded xcom from here (after alot of looking) unzipped it but when i tryed the install command it just tells me it is illegal and that but when i try to play it through dos box as is it starts up but the sound is broken up and slow and there arn't any vissuals, if any one could lend a had that would be awesome

[tags_11]

i just did the tutorail for flash back game and it works perfectly could the download be courupt or something?

[Abi79]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(tags_11 @ Oct 5 2006, 03:25 PM) 259577</div> i just did the tutorail for flash back game and it works perfectly could the download be courupt or something? [/b]Do not install. Just run a setup utility if there is one and then start the game. Games at Abandonia usually don't need to be installed. ;)

[Guest]

i tryed to do that but it just sits there and doesnt do any thing for some reason

[tags_11]

its kool man i fiddled around and its all sweet now thanks for the help

[Ivanzypher]

I heard someone on here say you need to research the queenspawn to get toxin C, this is not true. you simply need to research the live and dead versions of all the standard aliens. ie. not the queenspawn or overspawn(the one that attacks the city). In fact, ive never reached the queenspawn and all my units use toxin C

[Guest_Adrian_*]

To get personal shields from the aliens, shoot them with toxguns. This babies fire so fast that I get aliens piled up and when I put a soldier there there are a couple of shields to pick up. Just don't let any mines blow up nearby or the shields will be blown up too.

[Guest_Lt. Razak_*]

Hello once more... I just started playing X-com apoc again after a long break (I had overplayed it a little). For some reason, however, I can't log in to my account or request my password (the account is still there, you can click on the profile, but the forum claims otherwise when I ask for my password).

Anyway, first of all: The Queenspawn

Three things you should know about the queenspawn:

1) It is a real pain in the lower backside

2) Its meaner than anything except dimension missiles... when apporaching it, stay in cover (when I engaged it to capture it alive, I actually cut through the wall behind it but don't try it, the damn thing is in a cage which is open only to the front and cannot be cut open. Just advance quickly towards it with a few troopers, tons of stunning equipment and always stay in cover.
You may want to try to injure it with heavy weapons first. Save, then see how much punishment it can take. Damage it as far as you dare and then stun it (all other aliens should be dead by then).

3) When / if you research a live queen you can research toxi-grenades. Basically its a stun grenade using the toxins from the toxi-guns, so its only lethal to aliens but very much so. Unfortunately I found it to be a little late in the game to deploy this improvement, the dimension gate chamber blew up before I could even field-test the first prototypes...

---
---
---

Now to my list of problems. My newly started game is my first on 'superhuman' so I certainly am careful and paranoid. In fact, the game-time is 12:15 on day 1 (i.e. 15 minutes after start) and already my stats are quite impressive:
- Sirius has been hit 3 times in the first 2 minutes, at least 30 dead enemies, 1 dead agent :tomato:
- Megapol has been victimised using the 'stun-only' raidmethod, marsec has been in for it twice now
- My infantry consists of 12 soldiers (no more available)
- My fleet has been upgraded with the best technology available, I own all elerium and prophet missiles in the city and I have 5 additional hoverbikes, all armed with bolters
- I captured a metric ton of infantry equipment which left me with 40.000 credits, 4 replacement weapons for sniper and heavy and light mg, all the ammo and explosives you can eat
- I was also left with several large rocket launchers, a mini launcher, a marsec armour torso and one of the famed mindshields

Has anyone ever figured out what the mindshield is good for? When I try to call up the ufopedia-entry I always end up with the info about the stunner. It appears to be infantry equipment, has no value and seems to have no effect... is it maybe a piece of equipment the programmers didn't finish?


Also I'm having some trouble with the stun-raids. Being only 15 minutes into the game, I only own 7 stunners and can't get all of them. Since the defenders usually are about batallion-strength I just CAN'T keep them all down with seven people with stunners, so usually I just move in with the seven armed only with a stunner and carrying nothing except that stunner and their armour (I was considering to drop it but then an autocannon went off and the trooper carrying it nearly killed himself hadn't he been wearing his armour).
So what I do is I search the facility stunning and disarming guards as I pass them. This, however, can be very annoying as I not only have to rearm troopers to work as stun-troopers for one of these mission. Also, I have to let them drop all the equipment once I return to my homebase, which can be quite time consuming. Also I have to check every room if there is no equipment laying about which needs stealing. So usually I probably miss a good deal of equipment just because the guards keep running off, hiding etc. I'd prefer it if I could just stun the whole lot to win the mission and get all the equipment (and more) that way... much easier.
Is there any advice on how you can stun an entire factory full of people without them waking up all the time? Note: I'm pressed for manpower, 12 soldiers, 7 stunners.


Finally, something I haven't tried ... ever... for some reason:
Raids with multiple vehicles. I'm trying to put together a large (!) squad since I'm on superhuman. However, they won't fit into one vehicle or, if they do, I don't have any cargo modules available. Can I actually send several vehicles (A cargo Wolfhound, an PC wolfhound etc.) and tell both of them to raid the building / UFO? I.e., when it comes to select which soldiers to send in, can I select both vehicles so that the cargo holds and bio-modules on both vehicles will be used for the loot? If that doesn't work I might be in trouble but at least I can save the money for a second ACP.

[The Fifth Horseman]

Has anyone ever figured out what the mindshield is good for? When I try to call up the ufopedia-entry I always end up with the info about the stunner. It appears to be infantry equipment, has no value and seems to have no effect... is it maybe a piece of equipment the programmers didn't finish?[/b]
Yup, they never finished it.

Is there any advice on how you can stun an entire factory full of people without them waking up all the time? Note: I'm pressed for manpower, 12 soldiers, 7 stunners.[/b]
Play in real-time, for starters. The fools always - ALWAYS - congregate into some sort of bottleneck, which is where you can stun them easily. Whichever of them won't do that, you'll hunt down with motion scanners.

Factories are not the best raid locations at the beginning, and also note that the size of the building varies according to how large and well-trained your squad is.

[Guest_Lt. Razak_*]

Re: Mindshield

That's good to know, I guess I'll scrap it then :)


Re: Raids

Well, I do play realtime and I do miss it that you can't throw bodies around anymore (like in Enemy Unknown, where I just stacked stunned aliens or carried them around in my backpack so I'd know when they wake up (Chryssalids excepted ;) )). Anyway, these almost smart securitans refuse to be rounded up and stunned.
I once managed to use the architecture - i.e. a narrow corridor - and lock a couple enemies in between 4 troopers. Unfortunately one securitan actually dropped under one of my soldiers. When he woke up he stood on the outside of my perimeter... to make it worse a bit later one of my troopers was hit by a stunner and the 'herd' escaped. I suppose I just need more stunners.

By the way, what are the most lucrative targest for raids, assuming I do any variation of the stun-raid (either I pick the equipment up or I manage to stun all enemies, doesn't matter)

I have made three or four raids and the arms factories seem to yield the most loot, especially since there is the occasional armour to be found... in marsec's case this is unfortunate since I intend to play with a 'handicap' if you like, which includes no bioweapons and no flightsuits. If I can I might even try to fight without hand-held disruptor technology. Basically, this time round I want to do almost everything I can different from the last time :)

[Eagle of Fire]

Use stun grenade. They continue to stun even after the ennemies are on the ground. You can't go wrong with that unless you really, really take your time around.

[chainsoar]

I found an old guide book for this game the other day that came free with a PC gaming magazine my brother bought years ago. I remember reading it and wanting to play the game SO badly.

[The Fifth Horseman]

By the way, what are the most lucrative targest for raids, assuming I do any variation of the stun-raid (either I pick the equipment up or I manage to stun all enemies, doesn't matter)[/b]
For a squad of 7, like you described, the Government-owned Apartments seem the best target. You get a lot of weapons out of that, for instance, and Elerium also happens every now and then. The very construction of these areas includes multiple bottlenecks for you to exploit.

[Guest_Lt. Razak_*]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(the_fifth_horseman @ Oct 16 2006, 12:54 PM) 261548</div>
By the way, what are the most lucrative targest for raids, assuming I do any variation of the stun-raid (either I pick the equipment up or I manage to stun all enemies, doesn't matter)[/b]
For a squad of 7, like you described, the Government-owned Apartments seem the best target. You get a lot of weapons out of that, for instance, and Elerium also happens every now and then. The very construction of these areas includes multiple bottlenecks for you to exploit.
[/b]

Eeeexcellent, thank you! I am experiencing the superhuman difficulty on 'half' now, I guess... on the one hand I was hit (i.e. my base was raided) during the second alien incursion but then I live quite happily, I've got stacks of money, my base took no damage and I haven't suffered any casualties (apart from one victim to the sirians) so far. Basically, I'm a fat cat and when I've spent it all the neighbours pay for me. I build base defences, new quarters and a training area so now I run around with 3 squads (each assigned to a seperate APC) and kill anything alien in sight. The rest gets stunned and that is that... easy :)

Incidentally I've made some decent plunder from some syndicate slums, if somebody else is looking for good locations... three raids total and I actually managed to stun everyone on each raid. Although, twice the defenders actually herded themselves, first time they spawned in a sort of corral with hedges in, so there was almost no space to move (not with 15 soldiers, anyway) so I just had to block the entrance and stun the lot of them, the other time they all spawned in a narrow alley between a perimeter wall and the edge of the map (width one field) ... again, locked 'em in, stunned 'em and nicked their stuff :D
Also, the syndicates LOVE explosives according to the two dozend heavy and light launchers plus ammo I collected during those raids.. plus lots of other gimmicks :)



One problem remains, though:
The horrible politeness of my soldiers. This sometimes bugs me when I'm clearing out infiltrators, some civie comes along and just bumps into my soldiers and they start running around just to make way for some panicked git ...
This is REALLY bad though when trying to herd enemy defenders together. I had it time and again that before an enemy was stunned he managed to bump into my soldier who then got up to move out of the way instead of firing. So far I always had to send to soldiers around with stunners (one will get up, the other one will fire befor the enemy can escape... hopefully) but that's not helping since I'm so short on stunners (I can't use stungrenades by the way, I haven't got any left, they're too valuable for real missions). Is there any way to stop this 'politness'? It would make my job a lot easier :) By the way, my soldiers are always set on aggressive... they're still the polite types...

Thanks again and in advance, too :)

[Eagle of Fire]

You needs to set your squaddies stance to "agressive". If you do so, they'll (almost) never disobey you and they will stop trying to dodge bullets by moving around while firing. Extremely usefull.

[The Fifth Horseman]

Some of the Slums sectors are very easy to raid, but the buildings are bloody annoying.

Tell you what - a few times I was thinking to try and bring down the entire buildings with explosives... except never really got around to doing that :D

[laiocfar]

if you place your troopers near cover, they can dodge incoming fire pretty well but when in open they start to move without sense and without firing back.

[Guest_Lt. Razak_*]

I thought of demolishing a slum building once. The one resting on massive pillards with the elevator in the centre of the map and a stairwell on the side. However, I burned one or two of those pillars away with devestators and 'boxes' (the heavy marsec explosives) with no effect. I suppose I would have had to tear it down from the top, floor by floor but I couldn't be bothered after that rather long 'burn the foundations'-operation...


Anway, these days I'm facing the old dosbox problem once again, its too slow to cope with say 18 troopers, lots of fire and a UFO or house. I have tried VDMsound and it appears to be working okay. I didn't get very far with my tests, though, seein that the mouse moves veeeeeeeery slowly. Too slow for real time games, anyway. Is there a way around that, too?


And here's another question: How do I recover my three (fortunately empty) APCs? They were engaging a UFO and driving around on the highway with two roads stacked on top (superhuman city, ring road) of each other. That road must've taken a hit or something, one way or another they fell onto the lower level of the highway which, for some reason, doesn't seem to have any ramps connecting it to the rest of the streets. So right now the APCs are going round in merry circles. (If X-com agents were anything like women they'd be really really mad, they were waiting for hours to be picked up by those APCs until I finally got fed up and brought the lot back home via Hawk and Valkyrie. Should have done that in the first place, really, since it was those planes who dropped the troopers off in the first place, but hey... :whistling: )

Oh yeah, I heard some rumours about a road map with indistructible roads, something among those lines? A lot earlier on in this threat there was even an abandonia link where - in theory - one could download it.. however, that link doens't work, if you could drop me a hint where I can find that roadmap I'd be grateful :)

[The Fifth Horseman]

As for your speed problem... use Dynamic Core, increase the cycles, set frameskip to 1. Should help.

[Guest_Lt. Razak_*]

Thanks! I'll give the frameskip a shot, in my limited undestanding it shouldn't mess the graphics (...? well, you may laugh :) ) up too much and if that be the case its good :)
For the record, I have Dosbox running at memsize 64 or 63 MB (for another game, i.e Strike Commander), tampered a little with the resolution (no visible effect) and run dosbox at 18,000 - 20,000 cycles at all times. Experience shows that this is somewhere near my computer's limits (mp3 player and other programs may stutter occasionaly) but does not start slowing the dosgame itself just then.
I just attempted a 'dynamic core', the result was a discouraging bunch of error adresses etc., i.e. it doesn't work for me. I reset the core to normal, is there any 'better' setting?
Also I checked the dosbox page, I still use 0.63 since it works, I decided NOT to upgrade right now since X-com Apoc is not specifically listed for DosBox, at least not in the 0.65 version and among the comments of 0.65-users trying to play the game there are mostly problems listed. Right decision?


Thanks again!

[The Fifth Horseman]

Thanks! I'll give the frameskip a shot, in my limited undestanding it shouldn't mess the graphics (...? well, you may laugh smile.gif ) up too much and if that be the case its good smile.gif[/b]Well, it will display every other frame at Frameskip 1 - gives a minor speed boost, but the graphics aint as smooth as they used to be.

For the record, I have Dosbox running at memsize 64 or 63 MB (for another game, i.e Strike Commander), (...)[/b]Are you sure Strike Commander needs 64 MB RAM? Most DOS games run under eight, the most demanding I know of was Fallout with 16 meg requirement.

(...) and run dosbox at 18,000 - 20,000 cycles at all times. Experience shows that this is somewhere near my computer's limits (mp3 player and other programs may stutter occasionaly) but does not start slowing the dosgame itself just then.
I just attempted a 'dynamic core', the result was a discouraging bunch of error adresses etc., i.e. it doesn't work for me. I reset the core to normal, is there any 'better' setting?
Also I checked the dosbox page, I still use 0.63 since it works, I decided NOT to upgrade right now since X-com Apoc is not specifically listed for DosBox, at least not in the 0.65 version and among the comments of 0.65-users trying to play the game there are mostly problems listed. Right decision?[/b]Dynamic Core approximately doubles the maximum cycle count your machine can handle (exact value differs from system to system and game to game).
While it caused frequent crashing in 0.63 of DosBox, it has been heavily improved in 0.65 and does hardly ever crash anymore.
Remember that you can have multiple copies of DosBox installed on your system without any conflicts between them - so give it a try. ^_^

[Guest_Lt. Razak_*]

Gee, I could have thought of that. Dosbox .65 it is, thanks :)

For the RAM: Let me quote one of the programmers from the strike commander 'magazine' (more than just a handbook :) ) : "We weren't even sure if there'd be any computer which could cope with the demands of the game" (It's not the exact quotation but it gets the meaning across :D . It's a bit like what Bill Gates supposedly said once, that noone would ever need more than 500KB RAM :) )

When we first tried SC it lagged stupendously. Once we found the RAM setting we just boosted it to maximum taking no chances. It seemed to work so we just went on play the game, no questions asked :)


The frameskip is indeed.. odd. In some respect, the game is a lot faster but it reaches its limit very quickly. An airborne missle (Sirian) plus a Sirian trooper being gutted by the combined fire of 13 troopers (draw your own conclusions, I tend to bunch my troopers up too much :wallbash: ) and there we go... or rather don't, quite the opposite. Well, 0.65 coming up, thanks again :)


P.S.: Dynamic core does indeed work in .65 :) And at 40,000 cycles the game runs soooo much smoother, even without the frameskip :) Thanks very much!

[laiocfar]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Guest_Lt. Razak_* @ Oct 25 2006, 01:06 PM) 263551</div>

And here's another question: How do I recover my three (fortunately empty) APCs? They were engaging a UFO and driving around on the highway with two roads stacked on top (superhuman city, ring road) of each other. That road must've taken a hit or something, one way or another they fell onto the lower level of the highway which, for some reason, doesn't seem to have any ramps connecting it to the rest of the streets. So right now the APCs are going round in merry circles. (If X-com agents were anything like women they'd be really really mad, they were waiting for hours to be picked up by those APCs until I finally got fed up and brought the lot back home via Hawk and Valkyrie. Should have done that in the first place, really, since it was those planes who dropped the troopers off in the first place, but hey... :whistling: )

Oh yeah, I heard some rumours about a road map with indistructible roads, something among those lines? A lot earlier on in this threat there was even an abandonia link where - in theory - one could download it.. however, that link doens't work, if you could drop me a hint where I can find that roadmap I'd be grateful :)
[/b]

hahaha, you have to wait until the repairs go on. This go faster if are out of city view, it never happened to me so it cant tell if you can arrange a "pick up" by some air units. I see Megapol´s patrols be on the highway making circles by months. So next time arrange a sort of old and good skyranger to move your troops. Also, its easiest to reach ufos

[The Fifth Horseman]

Why are you using ground vehicles in the first place?

[Guest_Lt. Razak_*]

Well, my APCs recovered themselves after a while. I don't know how it works but stuck or semi-stuck vehicles seem to reappear at the base if they've been out for a long time. I'd still be interested in that legendary indistructable road map :)

I use APCs, those trusty pieces of hardware, as it makes it somewhat easier to oversee troop deployment. I use 24 soldiers now split into alpha and beta (Standard assault squads of 6) and charlie (Specialists and heavy duty equipment, the likes of psionics and rocket launchers, also some hand-to-hand fighters which are eagerly awaiting the development of pers shields, plasma swords, teleporters and disruptor armour but currently equipped with stunners and heavy explosives in case they won't make it out of a hand to hand engagement :titan: )
Each squad has its own apc so I always know where which squad is and where it's going just by checking what the apc is doing. This is especially useful since beta is just a replacement squad for alpha. My troops spend most of their time in sickbay in a near-death state so it helps to have a backup squad ready. Charlie, unfortunately, just has to cope. Poor sods..

I can't afford to use airborne transports yet, though. The APCs save me having to reassign troopers every time I need to intercept enemy craft. While the battle is still raging the APCs go to the alien beam sites (so I don't forget where they are :) ) and if UFOs need recovery I have to reequip my hawk anyway when it returns to my base (with passenger modules it can just about carry 18 people plus cargo and bio modules) and then pick up the soldiers in one of the buildings.
My fat years are over, I'm nearly broke, half the city hates me due to stray shots or a peculiar incident AFTER a dog fight when a building collapsed nearly burying my Hawk and ripping down a few billion dollars worth of highways and tubes etc. And Transtellar wants a mere 105k $ just to be 'unfriendly' again*... well, I've got the five ^^

*It didn't help that I had to do a clearance job there killing more guards than aliens....

[laiocfar]

never used APC, i will see how they do.

[Guest_Lt. Razak_*]

Well, okay, they're not absolute magic before you get too excited :) But useful to move around troops and they can pack quite a punch against lesser UFOs. I had a dimension gate hovering right on top of my base for several days (and alien waves) and then the apcs actually were magic. The first time, the aliens took me by surprise so my valkyrie was launched from the base, the rest of the force scattered in the city. The valkyrie almost was downed during launch and had to flee but the apcs actually turned the tables when they rolled out of my hangar... all in all they must have downed five or six UFOs by now and drew a lot of fire away from the base itself. Just don't forget to unassign your soldiers if you have to send the APCs into battle :)

[Zaru]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(laiocfar @ Oct 28 2006, 02:50 AM) 263943</div>
never used APC, i will see how they do.
[/b]
Speaking about erm... "unconventional" vehicles, try hooverbikes. In packs, armed with plasma, they will intercept every large ufo ship. Just be sure to keep those Elirium-115 suplies sufficient to meet the needs of the voracious plasma guns. :rifle: These goddamn bikes are small like bees and thus they rarely get hit by large enemy cannons. But... if one's hit, you'll have to chop yourself another bike. Just be sure not to use them against more mobile/smaller enemy vessels.

[Eagle of Fire]

What's so unconventional about hoverbikes? I always purchase a bunch at the beginning of every game and they are always present in my main attack force until very late in the game when all my big ships have ship cloacking and shielding...

The hoverbikes is about the best airborne craft you can purchase in the whole game in term of cost VS efficiency.

[Zaru]

What I meant by unconventional is that in X-COM series the most ultimate vehicles were always the most advanced and biggest ones (like Avenger). Here we have something that's available at the very beginning, is very small sized and cheap, which could suggest that's weak but it's on the contrary. And some players don't even use them.

[G ESQ]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Guest_Lt. Razak_* @ Oct 12 2006, 02:51 PM) 260895</div>

Also I'm having some trouble with the stun-raids. Being only 15 minutes into the game, I only own 7 stunners and can't get all of them. Since the defenders usually are about batallion-strength I just CAN'T keep them all down with seven people with stunners, so usually I just move in with the seven armed only with a stunner and carrying nothing except that stunner and their armour (I was considering to drop it but then an autocannon went off and the trooper carrying it nearly killed himself hadn't he been wearing his armour).
So what I do is I search the facility stunning and disarming guards as I pass them. This, however, can be very annoying as I not only have to rearm troopers to work as stun-troopers for one of these mission. Also, I have to let them drop all the equipment once I return to my homebase, which can be quite time consuming. Also I have to check every room if there is no equipment laying about which needs stealing. So usually I probably miss a good deal of equipment just because the guards keep running off, hiding etc. I'd prefer it if I could just stun the whole lot to win the mission and get all the equipment (and more) that way... much easier.
Is there any advice on how you can stun an entire factory full of people without them waking up all the time? Note: I'm pressed for manpower, 12 soldiers, 7 stunners.

[/b]

I raid Marsec a bunch of times at the start of each game the chief prize is the Marsec body unit which you get once every 5 or 6 raids, but also to get plasma pistols, rocket lauchers, all sorts of weapons to sell off to raise funds. What I do is raid with 12 troops, real time, set each squad to fast speed and agressive mode. There is 15 or so defenders at the Marsec arms factory. with 7 stun grapples what you do is have the 5 squaddies who don't have a stun grapple to stand on top of a stunned Marsec guy, this keeps him from getting up and running around again. Also combine this with putting one of your guys with a stun grapple in the middle of 3 downed Marsec defenders, he'll keep stunning them. You'll be left with 1 or 2 of your guys with stun grapples to hunt down the 1 or 2 remaining Marsec defenders who are hiding, stunning them all and winning the raid, getting all the stuff in the factory.

The other thing I do is raid the Megapol arms factory (same tactics) right at the start of the game to get more stun grapples. There are more defenders at the Megapol factory, so it's a bit like herding cats trying to keep all defenders down. But you can do it with the same tactics - having your unarmed guys stand on the downed defenders leaving your armed guys to stun the defenders who are running around and hiding.

I use this same trick of standing on a stunned enemy to capture live aliens too.

[G ESQ]

... and when I do have all 12 squaddies equipped with stun grapples, I use the same trick, I'll have some of my guys stand on stunned defenders while the rest of my raiders hunt down everyone else. This works really well when raiding the Marsec arms factory, they have the same number or only 1 or 2 more defenders than the 12 squaddies I'm sending on the raid.

One squaddie can stand on a pile of 2 or 3 stunned guys, and they'll all stay down.


Not sure anyone mentioned this either, if you raid Marsec and Megapol with only stun weapons, XCOM's relationship with either organization is not damaged. You can raid them 50 times and they still will be allied to you.

[laiocfar]

The hoverbikes are superbe, they can avoid near anything, the problem is that they carry too low firepower so they are like mosquitos to biggest aliens. About stuning, i use stun grenades, they works well in closed areas like UFOs

[Dogmeat]

Have to admit the standing-on-the-stunnies is a pretty useful tactic. Have to try that one to make sure I get the good aliens back to base.

[Guest]

I like cars better than bikes. Buy up and save the elerium for when lineage and multisystems become available for your Hawks.

Bikes are a fine supplemental unit but once fast attack ships show up, one lucky hit is death for a bike. I don't like losing any vehicles in my games. Week 1 - Cars and valkyrie with lasers. Week 2 - Cars go full evasive with prophet missile systems (janitors seem better but prophets give more range which ='s more survivability) and I've usually raided enough for at least one Air Warrior which gets the multisystem and autocannons (buy/sell bikes for ammo). End of Week 2, Cars usually get upgraded to the weaker of the two single-firing missile systems. All they do is pop up, fire from really far away, and then hide. Once alien missile systems come online it's not worth wasting money on replacing smaller craft. Hawks usually do just fine with the extra missile barrage against harder targets. Once lineage becomes available, everybody gets an upgrade to that until medium disruptors and new X-Com craft.

[Guest]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Guest @ May 10 2005, 06:55 AM) 105847</div>
TIP.

last time I played this was some 18 months back.. no cheat and in superhuman level.

Heres how i got good soldiers at the very first day:

Since Serus cult will prove to be the constant pain in the behind, I immediately attack their quarters armed with whatever weapons i could use.

Naturarally, sniping weapons is the best to train your guys for marksmanship. So too is a light powered pistol and a stun grenade. stun the enemy, remove their weapon, enclose him so he wont escape, and once he comes to, shoot using pistol. you get to hit him more with the pistol to gain more marksmanship.

after the mission, i restock and went back in again and again till most of my soldiers are so high ranking, they are all very ready for the Final Push.

money wont even be a problem - each raid gives you lots of $$$ selling off those loots - but I suggest to hold on to those loots and sell off in one big batch so price wont go down at once
[/b]


Need money?? 1 easy tip from me:
Go to buy/sell store then buy stuff (not all but as much as possible). After buying ur stuffs then sell them back and u will gain $$. :brain:

[Robert Gerrity]

I recently started playing this game again, making my first attempt at super human. For some reason, right from the start (and into week 3) I have been unable to recruit androids or psionic mutants. My relationship with the two organizations is neutral, but none ever appear in my recruitment pool. Any suggestions? I'm using the version of the game downloaded from abandonware played through dosbox.

[The Fifth Horseman]

Changing your relationship with them to Allied might help. Did for me.

[Robby Gerrity]

Shouldn't some sectoid hybrid mutants and some androids still be offered at the netural state? (or even at unfriendly?)

Weird.

I will try boosting to allied and see if this helps, thanks!

[laiocfar]

not at superhuman, i got my first hybrid after saving the delicatesen sectoids and still waiting for the androids,

[Gacu666]

Hi!

I've got a technical question.

I have to versions of the game. One with the red background and a X on it (the one downloaded from abandonia), a CDrip version and also I have a full CD version with different menu (which looks like this [except the russian and the microprose logo): http://cvr.pl/gry/pic/x-com-apocalypse/x-com-a-logo.jpg)

(The funny thing is that at the bottom there are the trade marks and etc. and there is a mistake in "Microprose" where they typed "MiOprose", that doesn't occur in the red X logo background version.)

Now the question is. Are those just different versions (US/ Euro) or is this some kind of an alpha or something? The full cd version works fine (but you have to copy the 59 and 60 maps too...) I finished the game once on it and Im wondering if the other version is different or not. Dunno if Ill have time to check it myself and the CDrip version lacks music so the game is like half fun and all ;).

Cheers.

[EstonianMan(mE/ST)]

Y haven't know that X-Com series have X-Com:Apocalypse. Y see Apocalypse first time in there abandonia :ph34r:
But that game is really good... :ok:
---

[The Fifth Horseman]

Are those just different versions (US/ Euro) or is this some kind of an alpha or something?[/b]
Different versions, AFAIK. Don't know whether they have any changes in the actual gameplay, though.

Have both, too.

[Petter1979]

Have anyone had problems running this game with dosbox? I remember when i used dosbox on this game it ran slow, really slow mouse orientation, game would crash a few times.

Atm i have pulled out a old rig i made for the game, celly 366Mhz SB AWE64 value isa soundcard, and so on. But im using the keyboard/mouse/monitor for my 2nd pc, so i am unable to use my 2nd pc then.

Is there still these problems with dosbox and the game or have they been fixed?

[Gacu666]

Thanks for the reply ;].

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Petter1979 @ Nov 18 2006, 03:13 AM) 267436</div>
Have anyone had problems running this game with dosbox? I remember when i used dosbox on this game it ran slow, really slow mouse orientation, game would crash a few times.

Atm i have pulled out a old rig i made for the game, celly 366Mhz SB AWE64 value isa soundcard, and so on. But im using the keyboard/mouse/monitor for my 2nd pc, so i am unable to use my 2nd pc then.

Is there still these problems with dosbox and the game or have they been fixed?
[/b]



You dont need the dosbox anymore. Just use the VDMS_apoc.bat and the VDMS sound drivers. You just install the drivers which is an emulator of old sound cards and you use the .bat to play, simple as that and works awesome.

In my example I have an old laptop (266mhz 64mb ram, 3gb hdd 8xCD) and works like a charm, except for the movies (which are slowed down and theyre skipping, but I always had that on old comps), but its nice to lay in your bed and enjoy the old games :P.

[Petter1979]

Well im going to keep my old custom rig for now as a new 2nd pc, since most of the old games works flawlessly on it, here is a few im playing now.

Xcom Apocaplypse
Master of Magic
Moonstone
Pirates Gold

I have used VDMSound before on Xcom Apocaplypse, but my experience were mixed. Sometimes the game worked a whole day, sometimes i had some locups in the game.

[The Fifth Horseman]

Indeed, I can confirm that Apocalypse has a tendency to freeze in VDMSound.
I suspect that this is related to the fact that VDMSound's enviroment simulation is not as extensive as that of DosBox.

[Roadkill]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(the_fifth_horseman @ Nov 21 2006, 01:08 PM) 267960</div>
Indeed, I can confirm that Apocalypse has a tendency to freeze in VDMSound.
I suspect that this is related to the fact that VDMSound's enviroment simulation is not as extensive as that of DosBox.
[/b]

I wrote a pretty damn good way around getting errors on page 38 of this forum, try that and see if it helps... You may also have to set the amount of Ram Vdmsound uses to a bit higher if it's still running slow.

Tip- Get to allied status with Pyske, stun raid them - most of the time you get 7 Pyclones (31.5k per mission) and afew extras like mini rocket launchers ect... well worth it. Raiding Marsec some times gets you PSI blockers (only 1 or 2 if you are lucky) they sell for 4.5k a pop - Has anyone found a use for em, they dont seem to have a use all the times I've tried em?

Tip2- If you dont want organisations to get angry with you every time you fight a battle with the UFO's, set all your vehicles to LOW altitude, henceforth your shots shoot upward and will rarely hit a building and the ufo's missed shots will hit buildings causing the organisations to be unfriendly towards the alien scum and in some cases automatically makes the organisations more simpathetic to your cause.

[The Fifth Horseman]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Roadkill @ Nov 22 2006, 12:23 PM) 268172</div>Tip- Get to allied status with Pyske, stun raid them - most of the time you get 7 Pyclones (31.5k per mission) and afew extras like mini rocket launchers ect... well worth it. Raiding Marsec some times gets you PSI blockers (only 1 or 2 if you are lucky) they sell for 4.5k a pop - Has anyone found a use for em, they dont seem to have a use all the times I've tried em?[/b]
Psi Shield was discussed here a few times. It wasn't fully implemented in the game (like several other items), the developers either lacked time to finish it or phased it out at some late development stage.

Tip2- If you dont want organisations to get angry with you every time you fight a battle with the UFO's, set all your vehicles to LOW altitude, henceforth your shots shoot upward and will rarely hit a building and the ufo's missed shots will hit buildings causing the organisations to be unfriendly towards the alien scum and in some cases automatically makes the organisations more simpathetic to your cause.[/b]
Yes, but remember that all damage to the city will drop your score.

[Robby Gerrity]

I am well into a game on super human (just finished trashing the second alien building), but I have noticed an unusual event that I've seen before. For the last couple of weeks, many of the aliens (arthropods and skeletoids) have not had any equipment. The same was true of many aliens in the building. While this makes it very easy to slaughter them all (especially fun using the Marsec power sword), it makes the game a lot less fun.

Has anyone else witnessed this? What seems to cause this alien equipment shortage? It would make sense if I had destroyed their manufacturing building already, but I haven't.

[laiocfar]

Maybe they are stockpiling to finish you off, the easy battles are to make you feel confident and powerless when they deploy all their firepower :P.

No, never heard of something like that until now. In my superhuman game, i blowed near the half of alien city and still found they armed to teeth. And still have many problems with that Megaspawn that can kill a whole team if caught uncover or ambushed.

Another point against flying low to avoid damage, is that the destruction to the city will result in the economically collapse of Goverment so no more Senate fund and you will have to survived from seized weaponary (forget of use heavy weapons in general and ambush or semidefensive tactics) or from selfmanufactured weaponary (each veteran trooper killed will result in the lost of a very valuable amor).

[lololycos]

I've a problem my 1995 versio of x-com apocalypse dont work on windows xp.an Someone help me precisely please.(Note:I dont speak english verry well so can you use simple vocabulary)

[laiocfar]

Maybe someone can speak your native language and sent you a pm in it. Anyway, tryed DosBox?

[The Fifth Horseman]

As you already found out, trying to run the game in plain Windows is not a good idea.

I strongly suggest you use DosBox (http://dosbox.sourceforge.net) or VDMSound. You can get them from our programs page (http://www.abandonia.com/main.php?nav=programs).

[Guest_mike_*]

hey i have a couple of questions and some suggestions
first suggestions dont move too far away from where you start and if you do so try to get infront of doors and acces sites this way the aliens will get out and get killed as soon as they appear in your screeen
second to get the toxin c you must research allthe biped aliens (the ones with two legss i dont remember all of them just go to google and type x com apocalypse strategy and click where it shows the gamespot page)

and during combat save the game when you start the combat then as soon as you feel that you are making good progress save the game again (at the start of the combat with your agents you will now know where the aliens are and plan your strategy that is how i do it ) and if any of your agents die just laod the game again where you felt that you where making good progress and replan your strategy

now questions how can i get the disruptor weapons for my crafts (i capture the fast atack ship but that was it i couldnt get their disruptor weapon i dunno why) and any good strategies to get more money by atacking sirio (i have a bad time atacking them and no psiclone only one peer atack not worthy for my agents )

[laiocfar]

About disruption weapon, it doesnt worth to be used.
About raids, for psiclone look in the gangs and there are plenty of tactics above. Anyway i prefer the risk and the emotion of losing sometimes, its not like i get happy when an elite squad get caught in close formation by missile lauchers of the stupid guard of a temple but it has to happens sometimes.

[Snake_Plissken]

Although I played a game first time looong ago, in '98, I have an advice for those who always end up with no cash... At the very start of the game attack the cult that worships aliens, no one will hate you cause of that. In the raid, take an item that I can't quite remember of, but I know it's quite expensive on the market and SELL IT. Ain't a cheat, bug neither... excellent, ha? Just don't take it on me that I can't think of the name of that object

[Guest_Jake_*]

I'm playing on superhuman and got the dimensional probe, went to the alien world and came back. Now I can't get there with any troops. What activates the bio transport and other ships that can go the alien dimension? Icant seem to get the research to activate.

[Eagle of Fire]

Make sure you have researched all the UFO types.

[Iczelion]

Ok so here is mai delima, well first off i'd like to apologize to anybody if this ? was already answered because i searched thru all 45 pages and well couldn't find the answer i needed. So here i go..... i did what this 1 person suggested about VDMS and the 256 colors things and such and i finally gawt sound but... my color is all screwy and i dunt know how to fix it i run it in the lowest colors i can and still nothing changes i have a fairly new comp with 2gb ram 300gb HD etc.. so iunno if mai comp is way to new to run this game properly anymore. either or i cant get the color to run properly on any mode.. can anybody help me solve this so i can enjoy the game i love in the full experience?

Thx ALOT!!!!,
Iczelion.

[HUNGH0RSE]

I have a question for someone

How exactly do you get the game music to run for Apocalypse after you download it off the site?

Thanks

[Eagle of Fire]

You can't. The music been ripped off from the game to decrease the size of the archive. Most games are ripped in some way of sound, music or videos when they are added to ABW site because otherwise the game size would be way too high and this over time cost a lot of bandwith to the site.

I have the original CD here and let me tell you that the game might actually be more enjoyable without music than with... So you are not missing much anyways. <_<

[The Fifth Horseman]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Iczelion @ Jan 6 2007, 02:38 AM) 273519</div>
Ok so here is mai delima, well first off i'd like to apologize to anybody if this ? was already answered because i searched thru all 45 pages and well couldn't find the answer i needed. So here i go..... i did what this 1 person suggested about VDMS and the 256 colors things and such and i finally gawt sound but... my color is all screwy and i dunt know how to fix it i run it in the lowest colors i can and still nothing changes i have a fairly new comp with 2gb ram 300gb HD etc.. so iunno if mai comp is way to new to run this game properly anymore. either or i cant get the color to run properly on any mode.. can anybody help me solve this so i can enjoy the game i love in the full experience?

Thx ALOT!!!!,
Iczelion.[/b]You might consider using DosBox (http://dosbox.sourceforge.net).
You can download it here (http://dosbox.sourceforge.net/download.php?main=1).

[Iczelion]

Ok i used dosbox and the color looks good, but now it runs uber slow..... >.> juss seems there is no winning with me trying to enjoy this game :( is there anyway to speed the game up using dosbox so its not soo slow and jumpy?

[The Fifth Horseman]

Sure.
Dynamic core
Cycles increase
And frameskip

Works wonders, but you want to use v0.65 of Dosbox for this (v0.63 was crashing almost constantly when you tried to run it in Dynamic core mode... ugh).

[Iczelion]

ok thx for everything guys tha game runs awsome now :D gawt it set to 20000 on dosbox LOL.... runs perfectly, but i was wondering.... since i did love this game with the music cuz it sets the mood... anychance can sumone please copy their music folder in this game and make a link to d/l it... or if anybody knows any links to a working music folder fer this game i would greatly appreciate it so i can d/l it and set this game up with music for the full experience :P

Thx again everybody ur all awsome,
Icz.

[The Fifth Horseman]

The music took up several hundred MB. Just can't be done.

If you want this game so much, stay around until you earn 100 posts - that will give you access to ISO Cellar forum, where -if you are lucky- you may find a link to an ISO image of this game.

[Tom Henrik]

X-COM: Apocalypse has been changed into Protected status. This is simply due to the fact that it had slipped us by that MicroProse was a subsidiary of Atari - and thus is under ESA Protection.

Don't worry too much, though. The game should be up and running again in just one year's time.

[crwydryny]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Tom Henrik @ Jan 17 2007, 11:52 AM) 275331</div>
X-COM: Apocalypse has been changed into Protected status. This is simply due to the fact that it had slipped us by that MicroProse was a subsidiary of Atari - and thus is under ESA Protection.

Don't worry too much, though. The game should be up and running again in just one year's time.
[/b]

wow must be my lucky week I must have downloaded it the day before it was chainged to protected good thing too as i lost my old copy I had when my computer died. not as good as the original but for some reason I just love the diversity of this game. now if you'll exscuse me my small fleet of ships are about to go up against the combined forces of the aliens and psyke, and to think they were my alies just yesterday *mumbles something about backstabbers* LOL

[hellokits]

Can anyone help me out, im having trouble browsing abandonia, as it is too slow (no idea why). I need help with the Organic Factory, using the search function, there is a mention of the factory, but I have no idea which thread page. If anybody be kind enough to browse through and link me to it, then i'll be thankful. Or maybe copy paste the message if it is there.

[Eagle of Fire]

Maybe if you just tell us what the problem might be, we could be able to help you out? :huh:

[Jakub Daniel]

Hi i'm sorry if this has already been discussed here but i didn't find solution for me. i wonder if it's possible to recover vehicle+personal teleporter if i have already destroyed some alien buildings.
I would like to have everything researched

I have destroyed:
Sleeping chembers
Food chamber
Alien farm
Maintenance factory
Incubator
Control chamber
Spawning chamber

and i am waiting with destroying the Organic factory cause i hope it will still produce some tech.
but at least 3 weeks after last building of the list above was destroyed still no ufos has appeared

in my researches i'm missing only: personal teleporter, vehicle teleporter, overspawn, owerspawn autopsy

i'm sorry for my english

i would be thankful for advices how to recover these tech.

[Eagle of Fire]

It's too late. The Aliens don't regenerate their buildings, and at that point there is no more UFO which can be produced... So you are pretty much screwed.

I don't understand how come you don't have both teleporters tough. I usually have them way before I even consider going in the Alien dimention. As for the Overspawn, it only happen when the Aliens are doing relatively well. If you played an Uber game (especially if cheating), it's normal that you never seen it.

[Jakub Daniel]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Eagle of Fire @ Jan 29 2007, 12:00 AM) 276920</div>
It's too late. The Aliens don't regenerate their buildings, and at that point there is no more UFO which can be produced... So you are pretty much screwed.

I don't understand how come you don't have both teleporters tough. I usually have them way before I even consider going in the Alien dimention. As for the Overspawn, it only happen when the Aliens are doing relatively well. If you played an Uber game (especially if cheating), it's normal that you never seen it.
[/b]


sorry? hey i'm not cheating ... it is first time i play it and i know how to research the ufos so i rather played it on the lowest difficulty level. i have played it several times before but only know i found out how to make some progress .. i might have some save from earlier stage of game so i hope they will make it ... I have cleared whole city and have 3 bases so everything goes quite fast now :) especialy if i destroy all enemies even before they can make it through the gates to our city

thank ya for quick reply :)

[Eagle of Fire]

Well, there is a money trick in this game in which you can go raid friendly factions and stun all the guards, then you "win" and get all their equipment free without a reputation drop.

I consider that cheating.

There is also a way to save at all time in your missions. Some people reload their game as soon as one of the soldiers they like get killed (or even injured too much), so they end up with "Super Soldiers" very fast.

That's what I'd consider a way to get a "Uber game".

If you played at the lowest difficulty rating and you are really, really good tough, it's possible to have a game like you just described. An extreme case, but possible.

[Guest]

IS the link to d/l this game broken ?

[The Fifth Horseman]

No. We found out that the publisher of this game is an ESA subsidiary, and therefore the download had to be removed, at least for the time being (we have certain agreements with ESA, including one that we don't put up any of their games within less then ten years of publication).

We will be able to put it back up on the beginning of next year, though.

[wajid]

I hate this game

[herrloffel]

I dont hate...
but I like more the 2 others Terror From the Deep and UFO Defense...
damn good days... *sigh*

[The Fifth Horseman]

There is no reason to hate it.
Enemy Unknown and Terror From the Deep have their own advantages, but Apocalypse builds on them quite a lot too.
It plays and feels a bit differently, but once you get used to that it's much more interesting than the first two games.

[Fallen Angel]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(the_fifth_horseman @ Feb 14 2007, 04:49 PM) 279235</div>
No. We found out that the publisher of this game is an ESA subsidiary, and therefore the download had to be removed, at least for the time being (we have certain agreements with ESA, including one that we don't put up any of their games within less then ten years of publication).

We will be able to put it back up on the beginning of next year, though.
[/b]

The release date for X-Com Apocalypse was 14th February 1997. Technically speaking it has been over 10 years since it's release. Does this not mean you can now re-add the game to the list?

[The Fifth Horseman]

According to the information on Mobygames, it was released 15th July 1997.
May I ask where did you get your information from? It is possible Mobygames might be wrong, but I'd like to verify that source myself first.

[Fallen Angel]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(the_fifth_horseman @ Feb 21 2007, 02:17 PM) 280338</div>
According to the information on Mobygames, it was released 15th July 1997.
May I ask where did you get your information from? It is possible Mobygames might be wrong, but I'd like to verify that source myself first.
[/b]

Arg, after doing a little more checking up the date is indeed wrong. What I was looking at must of possibly been a release date that didn't make it. Wikipedia lists the date of release as 30th of June.

[Guest_The Wolf_*]

Hi to all. It may sound stupid but I can`t figure out how to make a dimensional probe with a transport module on it.
:kosta: Please help me!!! :kosta:


Thank you very much :D

[Hadiel]

Does apocalypse have dimensional probes :blink:
My god i need to start playing this...

But i'd probably end up completing Terror From the Deep first. :)

Anyway, what is known about the latest title in the X-com series?

[Eagle of Fire]

Hi to all. It may sound stupid but I can`t figure out how to make a dimensional probe with a transport module on it.
worshippy.gif Please help me!!! worshippy.gif


Thank you very much biggrin.gif[/b]

You can't as far as I remember. All you need to do is to bring the probe to the Alien Dimention and come back with the recorded data (done automatically). Assuming that you have everything unlocked in the research tree, you'll be able to research and eventually build more powerfull Xcom crafts. :)

[Guest]

Thank you but i`ve reasearched all i could and i even went into the alien dimension.

:sos: Could it be beacause i need to research more UFO`s? :sos:

I really wanna know cause i have some information from the alien dimension.

I have my way to discuss with aliens. All it takes is a very skilled soldier, a personal sheild, personal cloaking field, and a "the best laser wapon you can find" (you know what i mean). Then just shoot the bastards. :rifle:


+++MERGED+++

If i can`t use alien dimension probes with transport module hoe could i take my men into the alien buildings? Please answer.

P.S. The Guest is me and i forgotten to write my name.


+++MERGED+++

Hi to all i will daily come here to talk about X-Com Apocalypse.

I always have questions (tell me if I am anoying).

Can you built your own ships? :blink:

How can i transfer an alien unresearched weapon from a base to another? I really can`t figure it out. Please help me.

How many alien dimensions are?

Please someone leave me an Yahoo ID cause i really need help.

My Yahoo ID is [BEEEP]@yahoo.com

Please help me. :D

[The Fifth Horseman]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Hadiel @ Mar 9 2007, 10:58 PM) 282690</div>
Does apocalypse have dimensional probes :blink:
My god i need to start playing this...

But i'd probably end up completing Terror From the Deep first. :)

Anyway, what is known about the latest title in the X-com series?[/b]
Enforcer. <_< Which also happens to not be a strategy at all but some lousy TPP shooter...
Interceptor was the last to have strategy elements.


<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Guest @ Mar 10 2007, 08:14 AM) 282731</div>
Thank you but i`ve reasearched all i could and i even went into the alien dimension.

:sos: Could it be beacause i need to research more UFO`s? :sos:[/b]
Do you have the large research facilities? Did you research the data on Alien Dimension? Did you research each of UFO types?

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Guest_The Wolf_* @ Mar 10 2007, 08:33 AM) 282737</div>If i can`t use alien dimension probes with transport module hoe could i take my men into the alien buildings? [/b]
With more advanced ships that you will build later.

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Guest_The Wolf_* @ Mar 10 2007, 08:51 PM) 282822</div>Can you built your own ships? :blink:[/b]
Vide my last answer: Yes.

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Guest_The Wolf_* @ Mar 10 2007, 08:51 PM) 282822</div>How can i transfer an alien unresearched weapon from a base to another? I really can`t figure it out. Please help me.[/b] It should be at the transfers screen.
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Guest_The Wolf_* @ Mar 10 2007, 08:51 PM) 282822</div>How many alien dimensions are?[/b]One. Why more?

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Guest_The Wolf_* @ Mar 10 2007, 08:51 PM) 282822</div> Please someone leave me an Yahoo ID cause i really need help.
My Yahoo ID is @yahoo.com
Please help me. :DPosting your e-mail adress or contact details for instant messenger programs on the forum is not allowed.

[Guest_The Wolf_*]

Please help me!!! (again) :D

In didn`t researched UFO type 2, 3 and 4 I think. but now they wont apear no more. What can i do? :cry:

I researched information from alien dimension.

How can you make your own ships?

I really want to go with men into the alien dimension. Please tell me what UFO`s do you need to make those inter dimensional transport probes.

I managed to transport the alien artefacts thank you very much. :D

I play at easy (the lowest dificulty level) cause I`m new on the game and I want to increase the level, but i want to finish what I`ve started.

I wanna BLAST THE ALIENS!!! :rifle:

[The Fifth Horseman]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Guest_The Wolf_* @ Mar 12 2007, 06:17 PM) 283221</div>Please help me!!! (again) :D[/b] Stop repeating that. It makes you sound childish.
In didn`t researched UFO type 2, 3 and 4 I think. but now they wont apear no more. What can i do? :cry:[/b]
According to Gamespot's strategy guide (http://www.gamespot.com/features/xcom/ufo.html), you do not need to research those, so don't worry. :ok:
How can you make your own ships?[/b]
Same way as Dimension Probes.
I really want to go with men into the alien dimension. Please tell me what UFO`s do you need to make those inter dimensional transport probes.[/b]
Research tree (http://www.gamespot.com/features/xcom/ufo.html). You need Advanced Workshop to be researched before researching a Biotrans.

If you have any further questions, you might want to have a look at these three links first:
http://www.gamefaqs.com/computer/doswin/game/36014.html
http://www.gamespot.com/features/xcom/
http://www.replacementdocs.com/download.php?view.1972
:ok:

[Guest_The Wolf_*]

I have the dimension probe and advanced workshop so why can`t I research that biotrans?

P.S. I am a 13 year old kid :D

Please don`t mind.

I think that X-Com Apocalypse is the best of its searies cause it has the RTS in it. Plus you don`t control the entire world but you control a big city and that is much harder. I love RTS games.

I wanna research that biotrans that you are talking about and I have the advanced workshop and the dimension probe. Please help me. :kosta:

I would be happy to go to the alien dimension with my men and destroy the aliens!!! :titan:

But until the Please help me (if you can and have time cause you are older people and I understand you) :sos:

[The Fifth Horseman]

I have the dimension probe and advanced workshop so why can`t I research that biotrans?[/b]
:huh: According to Gamespot, you should be.

Now... the guide on Gamefaqs says otherwise. It claims you need to research UFO type 3. If that's correct, you'll have no other choice but to restart the game.

[Guest_The Wolf_*]

I don`t have UFO 3. I have looked at those sites. They`re cool.

I restarted the game at mediun difficulty now instead of novice where i was playing.

At me now is 18:30 i leave in Romania. Please then me when you will be on this site (in my hours if you can) cause i will ask some question along the game. For example i didn`t found that personal teleporter but i had the cloaking field. What does it do (the teleporter)? It really teleports you? If yes it`s cool.

[The Fifth Horseman]

Not really sure, never got it. I just didn't play far enough into the game to find it.

I'm usually online between your 12:30 and 18:30 (I'm in Poland, so its a similar timezone).

[Guest_The Wolf_*]

Thank you very much.

I ussualy am online between 16:30 and 22:00. Cause in the morning i have football training (I`m a football player) and then I have school and when I come home I do my homework, eat, then I play X-Com Apocalypse (my favourite game). I have a pentium 1 with only 32 RAM but even if I had a pentium 4 i think this game would be my favourite.

[The Fifth Horseman]

I've played it on a 100-mhz 486 with 24 megs of RAM a few years ago. :D

Hey, if you think you're going to visit this forum often, why not register an account? There are a few benefits that come from doing that, like being able to post in several other forums.

[Guest]

Does anyone know where to download the alien map files? My game hangs when trying to get into the sleep chamber. boots me back to DOS (or DOSBox in this case).

[Guest]

I had some problems with the keyboard so i couldn`t speak.

If i register a message will come the my Yahoo ID? Say.

I managed to start a new game and i caught that UFO type 3.

See you all. :brain: :D :brain:

[Guest_The Wolf_*]

I`m back. :D

I couldn`t speak cause i had some problems with the keyboard.

Thank you The_Fifth_Horseman for your help. I restarted the game at medium difficulty and i finaly caught that UFO type 3. The more difficult it is the more fun you get. I`l try the superhuman after I complete the game at medium difficulty.

I will return often now. I will register but please tell me what are the benefints. :max:

See you all. :D

[The Fifth Horseman]

I will register but please tell me what are the benefints. [/b]
First of all, you will be able to see (and post in) more parts of the forums than now.
Second, you'll be able to edit your own posts (which may be useful when you'd like to add another question before your old one was answered).

[Guest_The Wolf_*]

That is cool. :D

But tell me the steps for registering (i know how but i want to make it good).

Do you remember when you told me to catch the UFO type 3? It worked and now I`m working on the anihilator. It is hard to get rid of that sleeping chamber. There are a lot of aliens there. What do you recomend? Please answer to this one.

I wanna get a personal shield and for that i must , in another way to catch an alien alive, no? :sos: And alien that has a personal shield I mean. Is it good to use a toxigun? It has low accuaracy.

Thank you for your help.

[Eagle of Fire]

The Toxigun is the best weapon in the game. As soon as you have toxin B, it's easily the most effective weapon and it does go thru the ennemy shields. Plus, it's lightweight and take no space in your squaddies inventory. To counter the fact that I always end up out of ammo for those guns, I usually equip my squaddies with normal equipment and give every squaddie one Toxigun with one or two clips. When they are in groups, they can use the Alien weapons to bring the Aliens down easily enough and they get the Toxigun out in case of emergencies, when I want to capture shields or in dangerous short range combat.

If you don't, can't or don't want to use Toxiguns for a reason or another, you can always stun an Alien and steal the shield while he's sleeping (or end the missing while he's still knocked out). Stun Grenades is the best grenade in the game for that reason, I always keep using them until the very end of the game.

[The Fifth Horseman]

But tell me the steps for registering (i know how but i want to make it good).[/b]
Just remember that you need to make sure that your e-mail address is entered correctly (you'll have to activate your account using a link sent to that adress). The rest is typical.

There are a lot of aliens there. What do you recomend? Please answer to this one.[/b]
My favorite tactic: Incendiaries and explosives in ungodly amounts. LOL

I wanna get a personal shield and for that i must , in another way to catch an alien alive, no? brain_help.gif And alien that has a personal shield I mean. Is it good to use a toxigun? It has low accuaracy[/b]
As EoF said, Stun Grenades are your friends.

[Guest_The Wolf_*]

Let`s say that now there are 3 users online (on this postin site I mean). If the others 2 are reading the older posts and I write a new one they will know that I wrote or must I be lucky?

I wanna know this cause I am here and it says that there are 3 users and I write but the others wont respond.

I use devastator cannon and a toxigun with a few B clips now. Thank you for your help.

After i catch a few personal shields I`m gonna devastate those Aliens cause now i have that...........better version of retaliator, and I`m gonna go to destroy that sleeping chamber but i wanna know what is that X-COM armor that I`ve read about in older posts and how can i get it? Is it that red armor that you can fly with? I just don`t know what the X-COM armor is.

Please reply. Thank you. :D

[guest]

i cant get xcom to work on my windowsXP, i tried the how to site but i didnt get it or it didnt work, anyone have a solid way to do it with viable instructions?

[The Fifth Horseman]

If the others 2 are reading the older posts and I write a new one they will know that I wrote or must I be lucky?[/b]
You must be lucky. If they don't reload the page, they won't notice your post.

i wanna know what is that X-COM armor that I`ve read about in older posts and how can i get it? Is it that red armor that you can fly with?[/b]
1. Really tough and flexible armor. Sometimes referred to as Disruption Armor, IIRC.
2. http://www.gamespot.com/features/xcom/equiptment.html
3. Nope, that's Marsec armor. X-Com armor is blue.

[Guest]

I wanna get that X-COM armor but I don`t know what to research. I don`t understand too much the research tree on gamespot.

Can you please tell me what does it has special (the X-COM armor)?

I hope the armor is light and hard and please tell me how does it lookes like. :D

[The Fifth Horseman]

1.You need to research:
Personal Shield
AND
Disruptor Gun --> Devastator Cannon
AND
Light Disruptor Beam --> Medium Disruptor Beam --> Small Disruption Shield
This allows you to research X-Com Armor.

2. No special abilities as such, if you hoped for any.

3. It's nearly twice as hard as Megapol armor and weighs almost nothing (1/8th of Megapol suit weight or 1/5th of Marsec suit weight).

4. It's really hard to describe. A picture of it can be found here (http://xcom.strategyplanet.gamespy.com/x3u4.shtml), near the bottom of the page.

[Guest_The Wolf_*]

Wow!!! :D

I`ve tryed the X-COM Armor and it`s cool. I`ve tryed it with 2 personal shields and you`re almost invincible.

What must i research fore the teleporter? I`ve researched all that it is to research.

I understand the research tree now. I don`t know how to make the aliens have teleporters at them.

Should I try to increase score by attacking the Cult of Sirius? I really wanna try the teleporter. :D

Thank you. Please reply. :D

[Dave]

Is this game a good sequel of the other 2 XCom? Should I have to try it? The first was really....is really the best! But
I didn't like terror from the deep too much... <_<

[Guest_The Wolf_*]

Yes. You should try it cause it is different from the other 2. :D
.
You must defend just a city, not the whole world, and this is much harder and more cool. Another thing is that X-COM Apocalypse has a Real Time Strategy option and a Turned Based Game option. And this makes it more cool. I`l let you discover the other cool things of the game, but this if you only play it.

Come here daily cause I`l be here too (only if I don`t have a problem). :D

[Eagle of Fire]

Xcom 3 is nothing compared to UFO: Ennemy Unknown. All the development of the game been sent thru the real time combat system, so much that it's not really worth playing the game in turn per turn mode even tough you do have the choice to use either mode before every battle.

As a standalone game, Xcom 3 is allright. It's is a very pale imitation in comparison to the first one tough.

[The Fifth Horseman]

It depends. Personally, I find the fact that this one has _finally_ had any sort of enviroment physics implemented in the tactical mode a big plus. Remember the "levitating first floors" in UFO 1?

I understand the research tree now. I don`t know how to make the aliens have teleporters at them.
Should I try to increase score by attacking the Cult of Sirius? I really wanna try the teleporter. biggrin.gif[/b]
That, and you can also try the "stun raids" - it's been explained a few times before in this thread, and it's a safe and fast way of increasing your score (and weapon stockpile) through the roof.

[Dave]

Ok thanks! I'm gonna give it a try... :ok:

[Guest_The Wolf_*]

Please reply fast at this one. :D

:sos: What score must I have for the teleporters to apear? Cause i wanna see those things. :sos:

[Goldenbird05]

have anyone an german patch for it?

[The Fifth Horseman]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Guest_The Wolf_* @ Mar 31 2007, 01:23 PM) 285620</div> :sos: What score must I have for the teleporters to apear? Cause i wanna see those things. :sos:[/b]
Geez. Just use the stun raid trick to rack in thousands of points worth of score and you'll eventually get them.

[XCOMLOVER]

I tried to install X-com 3 in my computer. I'm using a win xp so I install dosbox. I have the game in an old cd so I took the folders of my cd to a carpet in the dosbox and I installed. The installation program suggest a mistake with the cd speed but I could install it.
Nevertheless when i put xcomapoc.exe in my dobox it told me...
"DOS/4GW professional protected mode run-time version 1.97
Copyright © Rational Systems, Inc. 1990-1994"

And it doesn't run, what I have to do?

[The Fifth Horseman]

Apocalypse needs a bucketload of CPU power to run well. I've got a Sempron 2500+ running at 1,75 Ghz, and set DosBox to dynamic core, 24 000 cycles plus frameskip 2 - and that still gets choppy at times.

What are your machine's hardware parameters?
Are you trying to run the game DosBox' default settings? If not, please post a copy of your CONF file.

I've been playing Apocalypse again lately, so I might help.




(to other participants of the discussion) So yes, you've heard it right. I'm playing Apocalypse again after a 1,5 year break (since the failure known otherwise as Abandonia Apocalypse).
Started a game on Medium, and am using the usual stun-raid trick to gather tons of quick cash.
So far, I'm in third week and the only problem is I was a bit too late to stop Cult of Sirius from being overtaken but this doesn't mean I take no pleasure in constantly raiding them and demolising their temples with Devastator Cannons.
When I started using these babies I was a bit cautious, but they turned out much better than I thought - now all my Workshops are chucking them out at a constant rate, to have one for each of my agents. This kind of firepower is something I really enjoy tossing around.
And I think I found something that might be a Personal Teleporter.

[Guest_The Wolf_*]

If you have found a personal teleporter please tell me what score have you got and what have you researched so far. :sos:


I destroyed 2 buildings in the alien dimension so far and i still haven`t found that teleporter. It is so anoying. :D


If someone needs help about the game maybe i could help. :D

[Eagle of Fire]

If you didn't find a teleporter on a dead Alien yet and you're already fighting in the Alien dimention, it's most likely that you won't see it at all in that particular game.

The Aliens do need their buildings for production and reproduction. They mainly concentrate on UFO's, so if you shoot them all down they tend to scale down everything else. Once you're in the Alien dimention, I've realised a few times that they mostly concentrate on heavy weapons to try to drive you out (and, incidentaly, give you all the explosive mines you need to complete most of the missions... <_<).

[The Fifth Horseman]

If you have found a personal teleporter please tell me what score have you got and what have you researched so far.[/b]
I think my score is about 25000 now, and I researched about everything I got my hands on.
However, turns out that this artifact actually wasn't the teleporter at all.


And, I just tested the latest version of DOS32A with the game... The version I tried two years ago not only made the game completely unstable but also tinted all screenshots green (!!!). The newer one is a bit better, but still not sufficient to play the game.
Everything runs about 2-3x faster than it did with DOS4GW - the graphics display, scrolling etc go silky smooth without any lags - but the unfortunate thing is that after a few minutes it just freezes and doesn't accept any user input anymore. I also get some error messages when tryng to start tactical combat.

Guess that's something to report to the author of the program and I'll just have to stay with DOS4GW for the time being. Shame.

[UfoMan]

XCOM3 - XCOM APOCALYPSE v1.00 WORKING UNDER DOSBOX 0.70 ON WINDOWS XP SP2

Okay, this required like about a million steps to get it right and hours of experimentation. This may not work for you, and you may have to spend hours or days trying your own experiments to find what works for you. But, this is what worked for me!!

1) I started by finding the XCom Apoc CD that I bought long ago. Mine is the original DOS and Win95 stand-alone version. I got it 10 years ago.

2) I used windows explorer to create a folder called c:\xcom3i

3) I copied the contents of my Xcom Apoc CD to this c:\xcom3i folder, and I then went into that folder from Windows XP Explorer and right clicked "INSTALL" and told it to run in Windows 95 Compatability mode.

4) Then I installed the game from Windows Explorer. It complained about a few things but allowed me to install. I installed to the default C:\XCOMA subdirectory. I'm installing from the hard drive to the hard drive. It goes rather fast, and you don't have to worry about CD speeds or any of that.

5) I then while inside the install program, I used Setup to set the sound - SOUNDBLASTER 16/AWE, BASE 220, IRQ 7, DMA 1 -- what DOSBox defaults to. Ended up going with SOUNDBLASTER PRO, as SB16 didn't provide any sound at all.

6) Lots of problems here, actually. You have to guess right to get the sound right the first time, as it took me days to figure out how to run SETUP.EXE from XP. First of all, if you choose incorrectly, I was able to actually run C:\XCOMA\SETUP.EXE from Windows Explorer after I had created a PIF that set the program to run in Windows 95 Compatibility mode.

I soon found myself right clicking each XCOM3 program that I wanted to run and setting it to run in Win95 Comapability mode, using the compatability tab.

7) After I finally got XCOM3 running way down below on step 15, I actually had to go back in and set it to SOUNDBLASTER PRO, BASE 220, IRQ 7, DMA 1 -- the SB16 mode gave no sound, but I did get sound out of SOUNDBLASTER and SOUNDBLASTER PRO.

SOUNDBLASTER is mono sound, though, no stereo, so I eventually ended up going with SOUNDBLASTER PRO as my final setting. I mention that here just in case you want to select SOUNDBLASTER PRO from the start and save yourself the trouble.

8) Now, you have the core installed in C:\XCOMA, but that is only the beginning.

9) Notice that your XCOM3.CFG file has this in it "<space>C:\XCOM3I\". It is extremely important that the <space> be there before the path name or you won't get music. It looks like this " C:\XCOM3I\", whenever you edit XCOM3.CFG.

10) Now you got to download goodies to fix the video and crack the CD copy protection, or you can't get it to go. I was never able to run the APOC game on XP from the XCOM3 CD that I purchased 10 years ago! It just won't work for me.

11) http://www.xcomufo.com/x3dl.html

This one here was an important link.

FORGET about the xcom3fix.zip. It never worked for me no matter what I tried, although it has a good batch file that might come in handy later.

What you need on this forum is the x3svga.zip file. Download that one! It fixes the VGA problems so that you won't get black screen of death. Unzip it.
Follow the instructions. Copy the two patches to the appropriate folders TACEXE and UFOEXE in C:\XCOMA.

These patches won't run from DOSBox. You have to set them to Windows 95
Compatability, and run each one of them from Windows Explorer in Windows XP.
There, now your video should work, when you finally get all the rest of the stuff done.

12) You have to download DOSBox 0.70 from here:
http://dosbox.sourceforge.net/download.php?main=1

Install DOSBox 0.70 to the default directory.

I found that to get ALL of my purchased DOS games to run right under DOSBOX
0.70, I had to go into START, ALL PROGRAMS, DOSBOX 0.70, DoSBoX.conf, and edit that file so that cycles=max.

Iirc, it set cycles=auto, and that just plain makes everything stutter and lag and music choppy. BAD!

Go into dosbox.conf and make cycles=max, and save. Then all seems to be well.
This was a tip that my son taught me. And, it made all the difference between DOSBoX 0.70 being total crap to sheer perfection!

Then you want to copy the DOSBox shortcut from Windows Explorer, rename it do DoSBox X-Com Apocalypse, right click on it, Select properties, and then copy this into Target:
--
"C:\Program Files\DOSBox-0.70\dosbox.exe" "C:\XCOMA\DARXCOM3.BAT" -fullscreen -conf "C:\Program Files\DOSBox-0.70\dosbox.conf" -exit

--
The quotes have to be there. It won't work, yet, but now you are ready with a shortcut to run the thing in DOSBox!

Make sure you have a space before every –command and a space before every line as it all becomes one line.

13) Now, it's time to break that copy protection, as it won't run otherwise.

http://www.megagames.com/cracks/html/c34825_0.htm

Select the X-Com Apocalypse v1.00 YCG - no CD. That's the one that worked. I tried the others, but they didn't work for me.

The same crack was found here as well:

http://www.gameburnworld.com/gp/gamefixes/...pocalypse.shtml (http://www.gameburnworld.com/gp/gamefixes/xcomapocalypse.shtml)

I'm not even going to debate the morality of the cracks. The fact is that this method that I'm listing here won't even work for you unless you have an original CD. You have to copy and get the install from an original CD.

But, after you have installed from the original XCOM3 CD that you have purchased and own, then it still won't run in DOSBox or in WIN95 compatability or with anything until you crack the copy protection. Cracking the protection is essential to break its dependence on the CD, so you can run from the hard drive. And, even with my orginal CD in the drive, I could never get anything to recognize that CD ever again. It's an anchor that has to be gotten rid of, if you want to have any hope of running XCOM APOC on Windows XP. There's something there on the original CD that just simply kills the running of XCOM3 on XP. I have never been able to run the X-COM Apoc CD from XP, never ever.

Okay, follow the instructions in that crack you downloaded.

You must find and copy the SMK folder to C:\XCOMA. That folder is on your CD under XCOM3 folder, or over there in C:\XCOM3I that you created. You also copy the MUSIC file to C:\XCOMA. And, you either copy the MAP folder from your CD or from C:\XCOM3I. You have to get the two missing maps copied over, or it will die when it comes time to go to the alien dimension. There's more mentioned about that here:
http://www.xcomufo.com/x3faq.html

NOW IT'S TIME TO CRACK IT.

I ran the CRACK program in Win95 compatability mode, and it didn't give me much feedback, but I could sense errors. That crack program won't run right from Windows Explorer. That's my guess, although I didn't get to see the feedback long enough to know for sure.

So, I ran it from DOSBox.

Copy the CRACK files to C:\XCOMA.

Run the original DOSBox prompt.

Inside DOSBox type these

MOUNT C C:\XCOMA

C:

Run the CRACK.BAT. It should then tell you that it succeeded and that you can now run "XCOMAPOC.EXE SKIP" to get it to work. It's important to use the SKIP command, but still it won't work.

14) I was unable to run XCOMAPOC.EXE SKIP from my DosBox shortcut. It gives the black screen of death.

So, I had to do one last little trick. I had to go into C:\XCOMA and create a batch file. This is where copying some other batch file comes in handy, so that the thing is set as a batch file in Windows Explorer.

Anyway, find a 'working' batch file, the old CRACK.BAT will do, rename it to
DARXCOM3.BAT.

Then you can set DARXCOM3.BAT to Win95 Compatability mode, by right clicking on it and doing the Compatability tab, but it wasn't necessary, so I didn't set this one to win95 compatability.

Right Click DARXCOM3.BAT from Windows explorer, select Edit, select ALL and delete it all, and then copy the following into DARXCOM3.BAT:

--

@echo off

xcomapoc.exe SKIP

--

That's all.

Then save it. Okay, your DOSBox Xcom Apocalypse shortcut was set to run the batch file DARXCOM3.BAT, if you run that DOSBox XCOM APOCALYPSE short cut now, you should come up with a running X-Com Apocalypse. Of course, your mileage may vary, and maybe it won't work for you. But, it finally worked for me!

I can't run "XCOMAPOC.EXE SKIP" directly from DoSBOX 0.70, but I could run that DARXCOM3.BAT batch file just fine from a DosBox shortcut, and it calls what you need and runs XCOM3 just fine for me.

In fact, I was able to run XCom Apoc from Windows Explorer just by clicking DARXCOM3.BAT, by this point in the process. Of course, the music doesn’t work and the mouse is a bit jittery. But, it runs. Run from DOSBox shortcut you created if you want the mouse stable and want it to play the music right from XP.

15) You may need to run the SETUP.EXE in win95 compatability mode a bunch of times and run your DOSBOX Shortcut to XCOM3 to get the sound right in the XCOM APOCALYPSE game. I have a Soundblaster Live 24-bit card in my machine. And, like I said, I had to use SETUP.EXE and set XCOM3 to SOUNDBLASTER PRO, B220, I7, D1, in order to make it work. SB16/32AWE didn't work, although that has worked for other DOS games I installed and created DoSBox shortcuts to.

16) Again, like I said, this is what finally worked for me. The first time I have ever had XCom Apocalypse running on XP, despite years of try. It only took five years for me to finally get something that worked on XP! Hope that it doesn't take you as long.


17) When I was done, I went in to C:\XCOMA and changed XCOM3.CFG to this:
" c:\xcoma\".

It is very important to have that little space in there. If not, no music will play. That's "<space>c:\xcoma\" inside the XCOM3.CFG, where <space> is the space key. I hope that it stays there for you.

Now, if you were able to follow all the instructions and apply the crack and get all the missing folders and MUSIC copied over to C:\XCOMA, it will now run from your DOSBox shortcut out of the C:\XCOMA folder just fine, and give you sound and music just fine and the mouse will be at a tolerable speed, and all will be well.

Now, you can safely delete the C:\XCOM3I folder that you had installed from as now the C:\XCOMA\XCOM3.CFG file with its space up front is now pointing to " C:\XCOMA".

You shouldn't need the C:\XCOM3I folder any more.

18) Hopefully, it is working for you. This is where that XCom Apocalypse manual that you purchased ten years ago should finally come in handy. Hope it worked for you too! It only took me five years to get something that worked for me. Hope it’s a lot less time for you. Realizing that the XApoc CD will never ever start up on XP was the key. You have to move on to the hard drive and work from there. Hopefully, one of the cracks will work for you.

--
||
--

SECOND MESSAGE:

The DoSBox Forum and Mark's forum refers you to the various cracks as well.

You are going to have to crack it in order to get XP and DoSBox to recognize it. I found no other way.

I tried everything I could think of to install without the crack, and nothing worked. Once I cracked, then up it came, in both DoSBox and Windows Explorer.

The CD itself breaks Windows XP and prevents XP from running.

I don't have the Windows Collector Edition, I have the original 1.00 CD that came with the original game 10 years ago, along with the nice manual. That original CD just won't startup or autoplay or run right on XP.

But, a crack can fix it so that you can skip the CD and just run from the hard drive, which seems to be essential to getting your original copy of XCom Apoc to run under DOSBox and Windows XP.

It only took me five years to find something that finally worked. Now, I can actually play XCom Apoc on my Windows XP machine. It's been a long time in coming!

--

Mine was the original v1.00 X-Com Apocalypse that I purchased 10 years ago. That CD has something on it that breaks XP so that XP cannot run it with the CD. Even if you crack the CD and try to run from th CD, it still doesn't work. You have to run from the hard drive! And, to run from the hard drive, again, you have to crack the CD. I found no other way. The original CD that came in the box with the game just won't AUTOPLAY or startup in PLAY or work at all on XP. It has something there that is broken when XP tries to run it. Crashes every time. The only way is to run off the hard drive. Then DOSBox works wonderfully!


I'm not trying to promote the cracks. They have been around for years and never worked.

When it comes to the original X-Com Apocalypse, the key to it all is to get it all onto the hard drive, as there is something on the original 1.0 CD that prevents XCom from running at all on Windows XP.

Even if you crack it and try to run from the original CD that you purchased, it still won't run. The CD breaks it or prevents it from running on XP. The Play button isn't offered as part of Autoplay, even after you have installed from the CD. The Autoplay is broken for XP or doesn't run with XP or isn't compatible with XP. So, running from the original CD is impossible!

You have to be running it all from the HARD drive.

That's why the Windows Collector's version worked for some people, as it apparently all ran from the hard drive. Then you didn't encounter the Autoplay thing on the CD that broke it.

For those of us with the original version, the only hope is to get the whole thing onto the hard drive and running from the hard drive. And, to do that, you have to crack it. I found no other way.

If you find a way to do it without cracking it, let us know. But, every place that I went to made it clear that the only people who got it to run were running with Window's Collector Edition and running it all on the hard drive.

There is a way for those of us with the original XCom Apoc v1.00 to run on the hard drive too, but it requires the crack to break the dependence upon the CD and to get it to run without encountering the thing on the CD that breaks XP compatability.

You have got to get past the CD, as the original Apoc CD is not compatible with XP, no matter what you do with it.

Hopefully, they will let this stay up here, as it would have saved me days and years of grief if I would have known from the start that I was never going to be able to get it to run on XP from the original CD.

[UfoMan]

--
||
--

THIRD MESSAGE:

In the subsequent time, I found that the default "cycles=auto" in DoSBox 0.70 dosbox.conf file might actually work a bit better on some of the machines that "cycles=max", when it comes to X-Com Apocalypse 1.0. This was the only game though, where the default 'cycles=auto' appeared to work better than 'cycles=max'. All the other games required 'cycles=max' to run their best.

It's a simple exercise to create a custom dosbox.conf file in the C:\XCOMA folder and adjust the shortcut to point to it. Just be sure that you make a copy of the real dosbox.conf file and not the shortcut that is on the start menu. If you do the one on the start menu, that's the shortcut, and it will have you modifying the real thing.

I actually have two separate X-Com Apocalypse shortcuts now, one for the default cycles=auto and one for my updated master cycles=max that I use for MOO, MOM, Empires Deluxe, X-Com, and TFTD.

I have also taken the results of this whole thing and put it on two other XP SP2 machines in the house here, and XCom Apoc runs just fine. I don't need to play X3 right now, but my son is done with college and in between tasks, and he has been playing my copy of X-Com on his XP machine with DOSBox 0.70, and I wanted him to be able to have a go at my copy of Xcom Apoc. Anyway, the gist of this is that XCom Apoc is now working on my son's WinXP SP2 machine just fine now. And, I also backed it up onto my secondary WinXP work machine that I have in the office, and again, it ran just fine.

So, the process seems to work on more than just my main XP machine. Good news.

It seemed like a whole bunch of the guys here had the original XCom Apoc and could never get it running on XP. There were pieces of the puzzle, but nothing that ever combined the whole complex mess into something that worked. Hopefully, they will now be able to take their CD and get it going, if they so desire.

The key to it all is that you have to get it all onto the hard drive and running from the hard drive. If you don't, if it the startup or Autoplay accesses the original CD even for one second while starting the game, it will crash every time on XP. Only Win 95 and Win 98 and Win ME could seem to access the original CD without it crashing. It's as if the XCOM APOC CD startup checks the operating system, and when it runs into XP, something that it has never seen before, then it just automatically quits to the prompt and you are done before you start.

I was pleased at how nicely it ran under DoSBox 0.70 on XP, when I got it all on the hard drive. The music is still a bit choppy at times, but then XCom Apoc music was always a bit choppy and weird, even running from the CD. You can turn it off if you want. Or you can make cycles=auto in dosbox.conf. You will have to experiment around to see what works best.

Also, so far, none of the other XP machines that I have tried this on worked for SB16/AWE32 emulation. None of them. The other machines had onboard sound. My main machine is the only one with a Soundblaster card. I had to set them all to SOUNDBLASTER PRO. I tried to see if any of them would work as SB16. No go. There's something broken there too. Other DOS games will run SB16 mode under DoSBox 0.70, just not X3 Apoc.

But, they also all work with the SOUNDBLASTER mono setting too.

XCom Apocalypse is the hardest one to get going on XP. It had a dozen different bugs and glitches that all interfere or intervene to prevent it all from running right. It's like you need to line up all the dominoes just right in order to have it run. Maybe now you can imagine how shocked I was the first time that it ran and ran right. I was stunned. I sincerely believed that I would never be able to crack the thing or figure the thing out.

But, I did. It's working really well, and the process has now been tested on other machines too.

I also played around with the xcom3fix.zip thing to see if I could somehow get it to run from the CD. I never could get it to run from the CD. I don't think xcom3fix.zip changes anything. It isn't really a CD crack but a CD substitute, but it didn't work for me. That's another part of the process that I never mentioned, as I don't think it did anything, but I mention it now, just in case one of you goes through the whole process and discovers that it still isn't working for you.

Tried to be thorough.

[The Fifth Horseman]

Actually, the cycles=max setting is not the best idea either - it uses an autodetection script to figure out the maximum cycle count your machine can handle.
The script itself is far from perfect, so it's better to gauge the optimal value by yourself (maximize the game with resource monitor running in the background, then use trial and error to find the value where CPU usage is just below 100% in fullscreen mode). Increasing frameskip (I use Frameskip=2 for this game) also can increase the speed, as can do disabling the scalers and using [b]output=ddraw

Also, since v 0.70 DOSBox can use multiple config arguments:
"C:\Program Files\DOSBox-0.70\dosbox.exe" -fullscreen -conf "C:\Program Files\DOSBox-0.70\dosbox.conf" -conf "C:\Program Files\DOSBox-0.70\XCOM3.conf" -noconsole
This means that dosbox.conf will be loaded first, after which XCOM3.conf will be loaded and any settings in it will override those of dosbox.conf (so XCOM3.conf doesn't have to include all the content of DosBox.conf, onyl the differences). -noconsole will disable the status box, so that DosBox runs only in a single window.

[Guest]

umm any one know when ESA will release apocalypse again??

i tried to use the guide above to install my cd version of it but,

i use vista and you all can guess what the result were... :angry:

[The Fifth Horseman]

Next year.

But, the CD version is definitely installable in DosBox. I did so myself.
You might want to read the A Beginner's Guide to DOSBox (http://www.abandonia.com/forum/index.php?showtopic=14913).

If you have any questions, I'll gladly answer them.

[Zann]

i have used the dosbox and masterd it but vista dont work like xp...

unless a new dosbox that work properly with vista is made i ca get it to work.

worst part is that even though i can use my os to simulate install in win 95 and then run the game in win 95
it just dont start.

keeps bugging about it dont supprt fullscreen which i tried to bypass with having it running in a window but that didnt work either...



btw i read earlier that the game is on p2p servers so im loading it now and hope it will work that way.
and the file is 83.65 mb large and i dont remember how large the file from here was so if you just could check it for me that it is in the right size ill owe you.

havent played this game for 3 months and the shakes (which i got after 4 days) is really pissing me off now, im addicted and i can shake it. MUST have the game again.


sides while im at it who owns the rights for the x-com series?
might wanna plop them a letter asking if they ever wonder if they should bring this game back to life with a new step in the history or a face lift of the older ones.

[The Fifth Horseman]

unless a new dosbox that work properly with vista is made i ca get it to work.[/b]What's the exact problem? Does DOSBox refuse to work under your Vista altogether?

worst part is that even though i can use my os to simulate install in win 95 and then run the game in win 95
it just dont start.[/b]In that case, I suggest Microsoft Virtual PC 2007. It's free, and unlike so many M$ programs it actually works like it's supposed to. Try it.

[Zann]

[quote]unless a new dosbox that work properly with vista is made i ca get it to work.What's the exact problem? Does DOSBox refuse to work under your Vista altogether?

dosbox can start but as soon as im trying to do anything beyond mounting my c drive such as starting the game it crashen with the exeption does not support fullscreen.

just as if i havent used the box at all..


ill try the virtual pc now and ill be back if it works, or not..
(seems like i actually have to piece my old machine back up can't get fallen haven to work either)

[The Fifth Horseman]

Using D-Fend with DOSBox may get around that problem.

[Zann]

well virtual pc does not work in vista,
dosbox is a nightmare on me,
VDMsound dont start alltogether,
d-end dont even install

and this is after i also tried reinstalling vista.

this is a nightmare do i actually have to play C&C 3 now *shivers*
thank god that civilization:call to power is working...

btw im dl x-com now from p2p.

and im starting to piece together my old faithfull machine
its soo extremly fast with its whooping 800 mhz and 64 mb ram.. god i miss the days i could say that

that was the age computers WORKED, not like nowdays... :titan:

well as soon as i got the game downloaded and unzipped(i remember that the file i got here worked on my brothers vista) ill say how it works in the meanwhile ill try to resurect my old faithfull. :unsure:

[The Fifth Horseman]

well virtual pc does not work in vista,
dosbox is a nightmare on me,
VDMsound dont start alltogether,
d-end dont even install

and this is after i also tried reinstalling vista.

this is a nightmare do i actually have to play C&C 3 now [/b]
The way I see it, no M$ operating system should be used until it's at least two years old. By then most of the bugs and compatibility issues should have been resolved.

Maybe there is a point in suggesting you actually move back to XP? :P

its soo extremly fast with its whooping 800 mhz and 64 mb ram.. god i miss the days i could say that[/b]
Hey, it _is_ fast. :D

[Zann]

i used win2k with some *minor* pirate improvements.

i could run anything on it even xbox games.

to bad i cant get it back though,

my friend that has the cd got raided by APB, they tend to hunt down filesharers and pirate users and so on.
i have eluded them so far

Hint APB is operating inside sweden only and is a goverment wing.

btw i have gotten 3 % of the zip file from p2p now its only been 1 and half day....


btw my cpu stats are:
ati Radeon Sapphire 9800xt
Dual prescott 3 Ghz
512mb DDR ram
2k Gb hard drive (when counted as total, yes i have tonnes of usb hard drives all connected :max: )

i doubt it can be my problems but maybe,
but i kinda ned more RAM ^_^

[The Fifth Horseman]

What you need is a different OS. :P
3 Ghz should run Apocalypse just fine.

[Zann]

The old faithful beast is now up and running.

though i kinda have a hard time remembering that a fan cooled pc made so much noise but whatever,
i got all my classic games running now and it is heaven, now i have saved lots of money that otherwise would go to cover the costs at the pub ^_^

well im off to kick alien behind and i still remember my favorite weapon.
powerswords :titan:
if your hiding around corners and using power swords u kill cost effective.

and i still remember the day i landed my first mothership.
all was going wel untill the giants came when one of my guys that i thought had a stun grapple was sent forward killed 4 of them without geting his shield knocked out. and he was a Rookie. :ok:

well ill be back some time maybe but now im gonna fall into a trance of x-com that not even my girlfreind can take me out of (unless its a blackout).

[Guest]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Guest @ Sep 24 2006, 02:37 AM) 257016</div>
Nvm i got it!
[/b]

WHAT WAS IT???

[The Fifth Horseman]

Just run the thing in DOSBox. VDMSound keeps crashing on it anyway.

[Guest]

I installed in Vista no problem... except for the fact that the installer insisted I only had 105 megs of free space on my mounted hard drive... so I could only install "standard" >.<

[The Fifth Horseman]

Adding -freespace 700 parameter to your mount command will make DOSBox report 700 megabytes of free space to the installer.:ok:

[Guest]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(the_fifth_horseman @ Aug 6 2007, 01:42 PM) 303119</div>
Adding -freespace 700 parameter to your mount command will make DOSBox report 700 megabytes of free space to the installer.:ok:
[/b]

That helps a lot, thanks! I'll keep that in mind for furthur additions to the mix... like Quake :)

[Guest]

Oh, and all I did was make / take an ISO of the disc, mount it in dosBox with imgmount, and installed off that, no problems (except the size limit, oh well).

[Base commander]

Wow. I like the new RTS style. Has anyone seen those weird yellow things (i'm new in this game). They look disturbingly like headcrabs from halflife2. I got this for free!!!!!!!!! only problem is music and sound doesn't work. But free stuff is fine with me.


I forgot to add the n in base commander. Now I'm stuck like this.

[Eagle of Fire]

You should try running the game either with VDMSound or DosBox. :ok:

[The Fifth Horseman]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(base commader @ Aug 10 2007, 06:20 AM) 304015</div>Has anyone seen those weird yellow things (i'm new in this game). [/b]
You mean Brainsuckers? They're a pain through most of the game... but wait till you get to Poppers! Now those are helluva nasty...

[Base commander]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(the_fifth_horseman @ Aug 10 2007, 02:59 AM) 304046</div>
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(base commader @ Aug 10 2007, 06:20 AM) 304015Has anyone seen those weird yellow things (i'm new in this game). [/b]
You mean Brainsuckers? They're a pain through most of the game... but wait till you get to Poppers! Now those are helluva nasty...
[/b][/quote]

Yup that's right. (played for a good amount of time) Brainsuckers look like headcrabs (but with differences). And correction... I hate poppers more than brainsuckers now. poppers are tough only if you charge in. poppers don't seem to patrol so if you crawl around and wait for aliens to come in you can pick off all the others so you can dispose of poppers without the auto AI being distracted. poppers seem to get you only if your men are busy fighting off something else.

hint: pressing 1 selects all of squad one so that you can order more than one person (may have already have been mentioned)