My OpenXCOM mods

Quick downloads

Marvin's RETROCOM pack

Mod for: OpenXCOM (nightly builds)

Latest version: 1.0.3

Last updated: March 10, 2019

Overall downloads: 1160

Direct download:


Marvin’s RETROCOM pack (1160 downloads)

Backstory

This small modpack places you in the XCOM hotseat… in the year 1975. Governments around the world have been unable to verify reports of an extraterrestrial threat, and despite convening a council of nations to authorise the XCOM project, they are unwilling to offer substantial funding until the threat has been proven to exist.

Good luck Commander.

Mod list

Craft Weapons Mod

Cannons and laser cannons mounted on interceptors have longer range, while avalanches do extra damage. The vanilla range on the cannon and laser cannon was pitiful.

Elusive Aliens

The aliens will avoid drawing attention to themselves in the early months of the game. They will try to score by doing Harvest and Abduction missions, so you will get more opportunities to attack those Medium UFOs.

Because the alien commanders and bigger UFOs stay in reserve, it takes longer to win the game and there aren’t as many big cash windfalls from assaulting UFOs.

Harvest Abduction Score Higher

The aliens will be able to score more points by successfully doing Abduction and Harvest missions. This helps the aliens get points in the early months when the Elusive Aliens mod is active.

LESS STARTING FUNDS

The council of nations gives you a smaller starting stipend, $3M instead of $6M.

LONGER ALIEN WEAPONS RESEARCH

Does what it says on the tin. You’ll need more scientists or more time to crack the secrets of all those alien weapons. There is no change to the time to research clips or other applications like Plasma Beam or Fusion Ball Launcher.

LONGER LASER WEAPONS RESEARCH

Like the previous mod, this makes it take more time to research laser weapons like the laser pistol, laser rifle, and heavy laser. Doesn’t change the time to research other applications like Laser Cannon or Laser Defences.

LONGER POWER SUIT RESEARCH

This mod makes it take more time to research the power suit and the flying suit.

Retro Start

You start in 1975. The cost of hiring soldiers, engineers and scientists is much less. However, it costs more to buy or make craft weapons, and as a result it will no longer be profitable to make craft weapons to sell.

I recommend you use the updated Amiga Fonts mod over on the OpenXCOM forums to get the full retro effect!

Slower Alien Weapons Progression

The aliens will use plasma pistols a lot in the early months of the game and introduce the plasma rifle and heavy plasma much later on. This means that obviously, it will be more difficult to get the high-end plasma weapons as loot until later on in the game.

Small Start Base

A bit like my Punishing Small Start Base for OpenXCOM TFTD, this mod makes the starting base very barebones. Aside from the access lift, you’ll have two hangars, a living quarters, a general stores and a small radar system. You’ll have a Skyranger, Interceptor and a mostly vanilla load of starting equipment.

On the plus side, this means that if you like diversifying your bases from day one, you have no added extras taking up space.

Obviously you cannot use this with the supplied XCOMUtil starting bases, although you can still customise the layout of your starting base if you have the relevant advanced option enabled.

Stat Strings

Stat strings help to summarise what soldiers are good at doing. The game gives these stat strings to soldiers based on their abilities. If those abilities improve, the stat string might change.

Currently this mod gives the following stat strings:

  • Hv: Abbreviation for Heavy. Given if firing accuracy is 60 or better and strength is 39 or better.
  • Sn: Abbreviation for Sniper. Given if firing accuracy is 60 or better but strength is 38 or lower.
  • Re: Abbreviation for Recon. Given if firing accuracy if 50 or better, reactions are 40 or better, but melee accuracy is 34 or less or, melee accuracy is 35 or better but strength is 37 or lower.
  • As: Abbreviation for Assault. Converse of Recon. Given if firing accuracy is 50 or better, reactions are 40 or better, melee accuracy is 35 or better, and strength is 38 or better.
  • Sc: Abbreviation for Scout. Given if firing accuracy if 49 or lower, or if reactions are 39 or lower. Most soldiers in XCOM will start with this stat string.

Improved Craft Gas and Gauss Cannons

Mod for: OpenXCOM (nightly builds)

Latest version: 1.0

Last updated: January 12, 2017

Overall downloads: 832

Available versions:


Improved Craft Gas and Gauss Cannons (832 downloads)

The Craft Gas Cannon and Craft Gauss Cannon have improved range, making them a bit more useful in the early game.

Instructions: Extract to “My Documents\OpenXcom\mods” and enable using the in-game mod enabler.

(Improved Craft Gas and Gauss Cannons)

Punishing Small Starting Base

Mod for: OpenXCOM (nightly builds)

Latest version: 1.0

Last updated: January 12, 2017

Overall downloads: 880

Available versions:


Punishing Small Starting Base (880 downloads)

The starting base has only two sub pens, the access lift, a general stores, a standard sonar, and living quarters. These are arranged in defensive layout. Your starting craft count is reduced to two: The TRITON and BARRACUDA-1. You have no scientists or engineers.

Instructions: Extract to “My Documents\OpenXcom\mods” and enable using the in-game mod enabler.

Note: For obvious reasons, this mod option will conflict with the XCOMUtil improved/improved defensive/defensive starting base mods. You should only have one starting base mod enabled.

(Punishing Small Starting Base)