[Resolved] Generic mission vs. party member on the same city square

[ushas]

What looks like a bug is that when I finish initial mission for a party member (any of them), the game for a split-second displays the final operation debriefing screen (short, cannot read) before switching into a party member intro screen.

Another interesting (not sure if related) thing is that most of the time no matter if I choose Investigate or later launch a mission from the city screen I will get their initial mission. But in the case of Elene's square in my game sometimes happen that it launches some generic mission if the launch from the city screen is chosen later on.

(linux, v15)

[Daithi]

Thanks. The first is a minor bug. Just need to work on the combat aftermath logic.

For the second, even if you choose not to take the ally's mission, it loads it up? And if you don't accept Elena's mission the first time it is offered, it may load a generic mission when you do choose to launch it?

[ushas]

For the second, even if you choose not to take the ally's mission, it loads it up? And if you don't accept Elena's mission the first time it is offered, it may load a generic mission when you do choose to launch it?

yes and yes.
It doesn't happen often and I'm unaware of any pattern. Most of the times it will launch the ally's mission even for Elena.

Not sure if there is any bug, I just don't know what are your intentions with this.

[Daithi]

Thanks Ushas. I'll fix this up for V16. It might be simpler just to launch the ally mission, as the player will benefit more from it that a standard mission. Any thoughts on this?

[ushas]

So it will always launch the ally's mission until resolved? In that case isn't the investigate screen obsolete? You can specify 'citizen in distress' objective simply during the surveillance phase, on op. debriefing screen or so.

Depends also if we could have any reasons no to want to hire an ally there, or need to address the city tile crime issues before that. (do party missions change the crime stats?)

[Daithi]

Currently, should allow player to choose, but as you observed, there are some issues. I'm not sure this choice is necessary as player will almost certainly want to recruit allies. No reason you wouldn't want allies. Don't think the missions are really any more difficult. I don't remember off hand, but I don't think ally missions reduce crime rate.

[Nomad]

This is a tough one.

I have a suggestion...
I would expect that the ally missions are pretty much time sensitive. You're out and about and you spot something. You either investigate or miss it.
So... if possible... could you have it that if you choose not to investigate that the mission just moves to a different square?

The only time I think anyone would choose NOT to participate in a Team Member recruitment would be if they were just doing some surveillance and weren't ready for a fight. They're just looking for a zone with some Threat Level 1 Cultists to beat up so they can afford to buy some ammo and loot some med kits.

Is it possible to have the recruitment mission reset where it's found? It can be any city area that doesn't have another recruitment mission. It could even be the same square as it was initially found.

That way, the player has to choose. Do the mission at whatever level of preparedness or risk not finding the recruitment mission again without a lot more looking around.
By my reasoning, the declined mission could move to any city tile without another recruitment mission, which includes tiles that have already been surveilled (your info just got old). You already have info degradation (if I'm not mistaken).

[Daithi]

Yeah, I agree on the surveillance. Will leave it as is, and fix it. While it's less realistic to not be time sensitive, making them move makes the system more complex and makes allies more difficult to find. Not being able to find allies will be a big frustration, and it's likely the map will be bigger.

[ushas]

Are we supposed to stumble upon them accidentally?
Although it's no problem to do some systematic surveillance to uncover an ally objective, some prior hints with vague rumors would be also cool.

[Daithi]

It's likely to depend on how big the city map ends up being. If it's big, might do something like a newspaper report with something like "Gang members slain in [district name]"

[Nomad]

Ooh... I like that.  =)

[Daithi]

I've been trying to recreate these issues. Can I confirm these are the steps to recreate the issue with ignoring the ally encounter but it still being loaded?
1. Run a surveillance operation on a city tile with an ally
2. You are presented with the option to investigate the disturbance, or to ignore it
3. Choose ignore
4. The ally encounter loads anyway

So far, have been unable to recreate. Aware it may be intermittent, but just wanted to be sure I misunderstood the problem properly. Currently trying to recreate the second problem with Elena Furey.

[Nomad]

My understanding is that steps 1 to 3 are as you describe, but not 4.
What he said was that when he then runs a mission at that location, the mission is then the ally encounter anyway.

[ushas]

Yes, Nomad has it right. The ignore button leads back to the cityscape properly. It was just about what should happen when one launches a tactical mission from there. With Elena it was inconsistent at the time - sometimes one gets a random mission sometimes Elena's.

[Daithi]

Thanks for the explanation, Nomad and ushas. It would likely be best to meet the ally on the first tactical mission to the tile. If you clear out all the enemies, and can't launch a tactical mission, it creates the possibility of not being able to find ally - which will require more work to handle. I'll look at the inconsistency with elena furey.