Possibly the best way to install Xcom: Ufo defense

[Bfox]

New or just coming back to Xcom: Ufo defense?
Thinking the Dosbox version could be improved?
This fix could be for you!

The point of this fix is to remove bugs, add features and generally enhance the game without losing the feel of the original. (Basically what we would want from a remake of the game.)

To install:
1 - Download the steam version as normal
(Or if you're using a Floppy/CD retail version of Xcom: Ufo defense, skip to part 4)

2 - Delete everything apart from the "Xcom" folder found in:
"C:\Program Files\steam\steamapps\common\xcom ufo defense"

3 - Move everything from inside the "Xcom" folder to:
"C:\Program Files\steam\steamapps\common\xcom ufo defense"

4 - Download this zip from one of these links and extract everything into the "xcom ufo defense" folder:
Dropbox mirror (766kb)
Alternate mirror

(Be sure to check the post below for how to get the Playstation MP3 version music)

(You'll need to have the Microsoft Visual C++ 2008 Redistributable Package installed! You may need to refresh the page a few times if it doesn't load.)

Be careful how you move around files, notice I mention two different folders:
"Xcom" - the data folder (Steam\steamapps\common\XCom UFO Defense\XCOM)
"xcom ufo defense" - the install folder (Steam\steamapps\common\XCom UFO Defense)

You're done! Now just run the Xcom shortcut from steam like any other Steam game or open up the "Dosbox.exe" from your xcom ufo defense folder.
(Note: The fix doesn't actually use Dosbox, it's just named that so Steam run it correctly.)

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Troubleshooting & Misc:

If you are getting a crash like this:
http://dl.dropbox.com/u/49070982/crash.PNG
You're going to need to delete everything and then reinstall Xcom and this fix again, when re-installing re-read steps 2-3 very carefully.
(Be sure to delete the Steam\steamapps\common\XCom UFO Defense folder before trying to install again.)

I must warn trying to bring up the steam interface while in-game isn't a good idea unless you're in the battlescape,
this can be a problem with many older games if there isn't something moving on screen it can freeze the control of the Steam interface.

More information about the files used in the fix included can be found HERE.
Hope you enjoy playing Xcom as much as I have and a huge thanks to everyone that created this fix and seb76 for the UFO Extender mod!
Would not have had such a great time playing this classic without cha!

[Bfox]

Installing the remade PlayStation Port of X-COM music:

You can grab the all PSX music HERE
Another alternate mirror uploaded by Marvyra: PART1 + PART2

After you download all the necessary MP3 files, you need to create a folder called "MP3" in your "xcom ufo defense" folder and move the MP3's in there.

To use the updated music ingame, open up "UFOExtender.ini", search for:

[Music]
Apply=0

Change "Apply=0" to "Apply=1", you're done!
(You may need Windows media player installed for this to work)

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Help the music doesn't work and it makes my game crash!!!

Sorry to say but you'll need to use one of these workarounds if you want to hear any music.

Solution 1; Changing all the MP3 music into OGG format;
CHECK THIS THREAD

Solution 2; Playing music from a CD instead

1- In your "UFOExtender.ini", Go to:

[Music]
Apply=0
Source=MP3
;Source=PSX CD

CD Drive=F

2- Change "Apply=0" to "Apply=1"
3- Now remove the ";" infront of the "Source=PSX CD" and create one infront of "Source=MP3".
4- Make sure "CD Drive=F" is the same drive letter as your current disc drive. It should look something like this:

[Music]
Apply=1
;Source=MP3
Source=PSX CD

CD Drive=*your drive*

5- Save your changes to "UFOExtender.ini"
6- Now what you need to do is take the main 12 MP3 songs and burn them onto a CD as audiotracks.
(If you dont know how to create a music cd there is a good guide HERE that uses the free CD burning program IMGBURN)

There is a catch, like most games that came on a CD the PSX version of X-Com has a blank track at the start; so what you'll need to do is put another song before track 1, it can be any song, but the shorter it is the safer so you have enough room for the important tracks.

For example your tracklist should look something like this:

1  - Random MP3
2  - X-COM UFO Defense PSX - 01 - Geoscape1
3  - X-COM UFO Defense PSX - 02 - Geoscape2
4  - X-COM UFO Defense PSX - 03 - Geoscape3
5  - X-COM UFO Defense PSX - 04 - Geoscape4
6  - X-COM UFO Defense PSX - 05 - Briefing1
7  - X-COM UFO Defense PSX - 06 - Briefing2
8  - X-COM UFO Defense PSX - 07 - Debriefing
9  - X-COM UFO Defense PSX - 08 - Dogfight
10 - X-COM UFO Defense PSX - 09 - Final Briefing
11 - X-COM UFO Defense PSX - 10 - Battlescape1
12 - X-COM UFO Defense PSX - 11 - Battlescape2
13 - X-COM UFO Defense PSX - 12 - MissionAccomplished

6- That should be it, you should be able to hear the new music while ingame, if that didn't work all I can suggest is to check your CD volume in the volume manager.

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Playing in windowed mode

To play in windowed mode look for "D3D Windowed=0" and set to "D3D Windowed=1" inside the "UFOExtender.ini" file.
Be sure to change "Clip Cursor=0" to "Clip Cursor=1" so the mouse cursor will stay within the window.

After starting and exiting a windowed game search for "D3D Window Position=200 200 600 800", the first two sets of numbers represent where the game will be placed on your screen and the second two numbers will be the height and width of the window!
(People are having problems scrolling the battlescape when moving the cursor to the edge of the
window in windowed mode, will hopefully be fixed in a future version)

------------------------------------

Other handy tweaks: "UFOExtender.ini"

To tell the game not ask for what language you wish to use every time the game starts set "Force Language=0" to "Force Language=1" for english.

I find it very useful changing "Doubleclick Movement=0" to "Doubleclick Movement=1", it helps to avoid wasting the movement of your men or running them into death from an accidental misclick.

To skip the intro so it doesn't play every time you start the game change "Skip Intro=0" to "Skip Intro=1"

If you don't enjoy the sharp pixels and want to try adding a filter change "HQ4x=0" to "HQ4x=1"
Example 1: Filter Off /Filter On
Example 2: Filter Off /Filter On

(You can check the "ReadMeUFOExtender.txt" from the zip you downloaded for more details on what all these and the other unmentioned settings do!)

[LTyhan]

I played a game with that once. I liked the resolution increase and auto-sell manufacturing.

[BladeFireLight]

Besides UFO extender what all patches did you include in that?

[Bfox]

Originally Posted by BladeFireLight

Besides UFO extender what all patches did you include in that?

Combo Patch (Developer-Intended Map Fixes)
Voices Patch (Better Sounds From Older X-COM Version)
UFO Extender Mod (Bug Fixes & Improvements)
UFO Extender Config File (This configures UFO Extender to fix bugs and improve game play without departing from original feel.)

[LTyhan]

Your "mouse" bug has a quite apparent reason, and happens on all screens. The reason being that this isn't run in traditional fullscreen. It's more like windowed over your desktop then zoomed in on. The game is only on the top left corner of your screen, the excess is ignored. However without the mouse options the readme lists (Which it doesn't have for whatever god forsaken reason) the mouse can still go over into this area. As a result the mouse also moves FAR too fast over the screen ( a centimeter of moving my mouse gets me from top to bottom / side to side).

I tested this with my tablet which instantly places the pointer to the area of the screen where I hover the pen over and it only used the top left. The tablet adjusts to any resolution changes made from other full screen games.

Another problem this has for me: All sound effects are disabled, only the BGM is played.

[Bfox]

My old laptop can't upscale resolutions without looking awful, so being able to stretch into the native resolution is far nicer for me..

As for the mouse control, it just feels alot more responsive for me now, compared to the standard steam install, but do you actually use the tablet for playing?

For the sound, do you have this installed?
Visual C++ 2008 Redistributable Package:
http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/d...displaylang=en

[LTyhan]

I don't use the tablet for playing. I tried using it because moving my mouse a centimeter literally takes it off the screen (I keep it fast because at a large resolution such a speed isn't bad)).

Now that I think about it, doesn't that runtime come with Borderlands and Mass Effect?

Installing that didn't help, installing the x64 version didn't help.

[BladeFireLight]

That custom config file needs updating. The extender has options for fixing the mouse in the newer version but will be off with that config.

[LTyhan]

Originally Posted by BladeFireLight

That custom config file needs updating. The extender has options for fixing the mouse in the newer version but will be off with that config.

I tried adding in the lines from the readme, uncommented and with 1 after : but it didn't change anything. I don't really understand it, I figure if it has the option to read those it would so long as I added it right? Why would the readme mention something it can't do? Is it just an updated readme on an old version?

[Zlmndra]

I read through XCom extended documentation, but I can't seem to see it saying anything about fixing the reset difficulty bug? Did I miss something? Can someone confirm that Enemy Unknown Extended fixes the difficulty reset bug?

[Zlmndra]

Disregard that. I understand from this that XcomUtil fixes the difficulty bug, but not Extended.

But I like the options of extended, so from the same thread I'll chance installing both at once.

[BladeFireLight]

Extended is for the Windows EXE. The windows EXE does not have the difficulty bug.

[Zlmndra]

Originally Posted by BladeFireLight

Extended is for the Windows EXE. The windows EXE does not have the difficulty bug.

Schweeeet.

Thanks Blade, you da man!

Love the music and modifications, but, is there a way to run this in windowed mode? Alt+Enter isn't doing it.

Also, it seems there isn't much of a CPU limiter as a lot of effects and game speeds are hyper accelerated.