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About this mod
Compilation of mods that play well together & enhance the vanilla experience. A stable balanced modded environment and diverse firearms is the main goals of this guide. The secondary objective was to make sure everything works well with a controller. There are mods I would include but did not due to poor or no controller support at all.
- Permissions and credits
- Changelogs
"Sometimes the simplest tweaks make the biggest impact."
[Final Revision addition/updates/testing/revisions/comments: 9-30-17 ]
Define your own difficulty by using all/some/none of the reconfigs/mods. I've gathered all the relevant resources here so you can get to playing instead of trying to find fixes/researching various solutions for a variety of issues and workarounds. I think this compilation is just about to hit final revision since what I set out to do is done. The weapon behaviours feel unique and the game no longer feels as static. I replaced all of the individual weapons with the CV Weapons pack which pretty much has all of the weapons I edited in two mods. The edited configs are under files.
Please remember to share your thanks to your favourite mod authors.
Follow these steps from mod developer Der BK if you are dealing with Xcom 2 mods:
XCOM2 has a bug where disabling, updating and switching mods will sometimes (=often) leave parts of old code active. This will lead to conflicts between old and new code and can lead to everything from minor inconsistencies to freezes and crashes.
Step 1: Open the folder ... Documents\My Games\XCOM2\XComGame\Config
Step 2: Delete everything in it.
Step 3: Start XCOM2. You will need to check all your mods again in the launcher.
While starting, XCOM2 will rebuild the ini files that you just deleted and while doing that it will refresh everything to use up-to-date code.
Doing this every time you change your modlist should be considered mandatory, it fixes ~80% of all problems related to mods.
Once you let the game rebuild the .inis, exit, and replace the new xcomengine.ini with the performance configuration version if you are using that.
The same applies to any other reconfigs you might be using as well.
You need to have all 3 DLCs for the majority of the compilation so keep that in mind.
( Uploaded all 4 performance configs under one file. It also removes modclassoverrides from stop wasting my time which would cause UI mods to malfunction or not work at all. I didn't really think about it since I don't use that many UI mods and didn't encounter the issues until I was testing some. Additional icons and free camera rotation were affected by stop wasting my time's overrides. )
Possible solutions for the virtual call = 1 blah error:
Try entering DefaultEngine.ini that is in:
C:\Program Files (x86)\Steam\steamapps\common\XCOM 2\XCom2-WarOfTheChosen\XComGame\Config
Or at XCom2/xcomgame if you don't have the expansion.
And change the line in the file that says:
bDisablePhysXHardwareSupport=True
for
bDisablePhysXHardwareSupport=False
Follow the instructions below to set your own virtual memory settings for Windows 10.
https://www.geeksinphoenix.com/blog/post/2016/05/10/how-to-manage-windows-10-virtual-memory.aspx
Mods I'm currently using that enhance the vanilla experience & also as a side effect, enhance/lengthen the campaign.
If you like more realistic small arms and variety which is the highlight of this compilation, you are in for a great time. The Final custom reconfigured weapon files are now available in the files section and I do highly recommend using them for this curated Xcom 2. They should all fulfil a fairly specific task now.
[ The mods have been carefully selected for their compatibility together. 200+ hours have been tested with this build. I highly recommend the use of mouse/keyboard or alternate controller option due to its compatibility for mods such as Long War 2, however, I have tested everything here to ensure excellent compatibility with a controller. ]
The VETERAN difficulty was used for testing but definitely play it on higher difficulty if you are familiar with Xcom.
Mod worth noting for Sept:
CV Weapon Pack V2 main file: This replaces all of my weapon configs, well as my weapons recommendations.
CV Weapon Pack V2 Art assets
Mod worth noting for April:
Warden Gear :
If you could only choose one armour mod or Xcom2, this would be the one. Those warden scarves are the best!
More Environmental Lighting :
This mod adds (not replaces) several new skydomes/Environmental Lighting Maps to both the Tactical and Avenger map. This mod will change the lighting of the tactical and Avenger maps when these maps are present.
Added recently to the Mod Compilation :
CODG The Ghost's Balaclavas & Headgear:
Some more very nifty headgear from Call of Duty games to Xcom 2.
A Better Advent
This mod meshes rather well with the rest of the compilation. If you want Xcom2 a bit meatier, this is a good choice. Why not ABA 2? It still has an issue with EvacAll and no solution for it. I find EvacAll to be too useful for me not to use.
Scanning sites plus:
I find this works better for the extended style campaigns since it requires that you go on ops to get the resources, and you don't run out of sites to visit. This also allows lower ranks to possibly level up since the difficulty of site discovery missions is -1 difficulty by default. 4 additional sites will show up at a time. If you do decide to use this, you no longer need the Users gain more XP mod or the modified config file since this mod takes care of that.
[ Update 3-17-17 ] :
MOCX Initiative Vanilla Edition:
I added this recently for more enemy variety. Reconfiguration is available in the files section balanced out for the Veteran playthrough. No stability issues and I've used it extensively now. A thing to note about obtaining MOCX PCS chips is that you need to research it one or two at a time. The research was fixed in the previous patch but they still take quite a bit of time. There is also Dark VIP pool for you to download under the miscellaneous files section.
It requires the following mods to work: Advent Insignia, Xcom EU/EW ports Tier 2 armours, & Suppression visualization fix. [I previously thought this possibly conflicted with more pods but it does not. MOCX troops will start showing up in the later months dependent on rng. ]
CX UA-571 Automated Sentry Gun:
This is a great addition to the mods but the default configuration was too powerful. The reconfigured version is available under the file section.
[ The cost to purchase has been increased from 40 to 75 resource/10 to 15 alloy, damage decreased from 8-9 to 6-9 but pierces armour, shreds 2 pts of armor instead of 3, armor reduced to 1 from 3, sight range increased by 1, the health down to 10 from 15, and has 16 ammo from 10. It's still a nice temporary one use asset but much more balanced. ]
Alien hunter weapons reconfiguration:
[ Available now under Misc. files ] Alien rulers stun set at 36% instead of 50% but normal stun chance increased by 2%, Crit chance of pistol reduced but accuracy increased, Crit chance of rifle increased but hit chance decreased, Rage strike now does more damage, Frostbite now has a chance to do 1 pt of dmg, Range of frost bomb increased by 1 block, & Damage range altered for all weapons to allow it to scale better for mid/late game . Unzip into DLC folder and let it overwrite. Only overwrites the weapon data file.
Start your own missions reconfiguration:
[ Available under Misc. files ] I adjusted this to compensate for the number of resources required to purchase all of the small arms, well as to give more opportunities to squaddies/rookies to level up on. You will get more soldiers due to Additional mission types.
Tactical X4 :
I love proximity mines in vanilla. This definitely feels like a great extension to that. I do think damages need to be dialled down but a lot of fun setting up ambushes with this. [The reconfigured file has been added to the files section. Dmg/Radius has been toned down. ]
Shadow Ops item pack:
Not sure how I missed this little gem of a mod. Four new ammo types, one new vest type, and many rebalanced items.
[ The reconfiguration file is under file downloads in optional if flashbangs/smoke grenades are not showing up. ]
Why not use Long War 2?
Are you guys still having the "Pure Virtual function being called while Application was running (GlsRunning ==1)" issue? & no controller support.
Maybe, when most of the bugs/crashes are patched out, I will revisit it. Don't get me wrong, the concept behind it is great! but it is also a technical jumble of duct tape right now. Also, due to the minimum specs of my current system, LW 2 would run poorly if at all. I don't have a lot of nice things to say about it due to my poor experiences with it so I'll stop right here.
Side Note:
[ If a character shows up with Guile hair and heavy resistance armour, the chances are good that set them back on kevlar armor/& or resistance armour will reset the character to what they are supposed to look like. ]
If you can't get these on Nexus or for some reason do not like using Steam Workshop, go here to get the mods. SkyMods
UI/Quality of life/GAMEPLAY CHANGES:
Hacking rebalanced, Suppression visualization fix, Mod config menu, Flawless, Gotcha again, Lifetime stats, Mission award variety, Slower Avatar progression, Squad cohesion, True retroactive AWC, Rookie customization options, psi-rebalance, Working scientists, Configurable mission timers.
Additional Mission Types: This adds four new mission types which add a lot of variety to the game. You definitely want this.
Stabilize me!, Advent Officer calls reinforcements, Better shield wall.
*NEW* Important note about official controller support:
Show me the personnel/Tech tree does not work properly and have been removed. Grimys loot mod has some cosmetics issues but nothing major. I am fairly sure the controller patch disabled the ability to mod secondary items but core parts of loot mod are intact. Just sell unusable parts to the black market. Just think of it as a bonus resource asset and most of what you do get is weapon mods anyway.
[ I just wanted to clarify the issue with Grimy's loot mod & secondary items not showing. This issue is only present with official controller support, and is 100% functional with keyboard/mouse & alternate controller option v2. ]
For those of you playing LW 2, the alternate controller option v2 is available for your use since it does not support regular controllers and looks like they never will.
[ Most of the testing was conducted with mouse/keyboard or alt controller support in mind so I'm just now catching issues with the official controller support. The official controller support is serviceable but I still highly recommend the other input options first. No waypoint support, really? ]
Update: ( It does have waypoint support but was not documented, far as I can tell. Hold down A button to use waypoints. )
Side note:
If you are encountering an issue with DLC missions not enabling while using official controller support, start a new game using mouse input. Save the game after Gatecrasher mission starts, exit to the main menu. Change input to a controller, load save the game. That should enable your DLC missions for controller playthrough.
Armour/ACCESSORIES/WEAPONS/CHARACTERS:
Additional tattoos and facepaints Asian, Jsleezy's repurposed gear, SpecOps combat knives, Katana mod reloaded, Adam Jensen's glasses, Military camos, Vanilla customization for alien armors, Capnbub's accessories pack, Eyepatch right, Free the hood, LW laser/SMG packs, More random backgrounds, Jagged Alliance lore friendly character pool, Covert Ops gear, Warden Gear, & CV Weapon Pack V2, Progressive armor options.
Eurasian special forces :
Asian/European face paints/patterns, and tattoos. [ Some love for the fallen comrades to the east. ]
Enemy Within Polish voice pack :
Polish voice pack [ These sound great. ]
LOOT SYSTEM:
Grimy's loot mod, Grimy's PCS expansion, Spark Upgrades
MAPS:
More maps pack, Even more, maps!, Dragon's wilderness PCPs, Even more, PCPs, & Dr Mandarb's map pack.
CLASSES:
[ If you like more variety and stealthier gaming.]
Note:
All the mod classes seem to compliment each other well. I've added fixed armour profiles under Misc. files if you happen to run into the bug where the custom class could not equip normal armour.
Rifleman, Field Medic, Spec Ops, Rogue.
Giving the Sparks some love:
GTS Perks for Sparks:
[ This gives Sparks some much-needed perks in GTS. ]
Metal over flesh: Upgradeable Sparks:
[ Adds proving ground projects that give Sparks various upgrades. Very balanced due to the cost of projects.
It was previously called SparkUpgrades over here at the Nexus. It's been recently updated. Get the latest version. ]
Compilation runs on:
If you are curious about what system I'm currently running Xcom 2 & this compilation on... My main computer died on me so I'm currently on an Intel i5 4200M, 8 gigs ram, Intel 4600 iGPU. Yep, it is a sturdy Dell all in one. At least the screen is nice. It still runs Xcom EU perfectly though.
If I can run this compilation, I'm fairly certain it will be a very pleasant experience for most.
Installing mods the non-steam way:
[The primary reason to do this is to be able to revert back to a previous version if a new version causes issues. Another good reason to do it this way is that it's much easier to keep your mods archived as you do here at the Nexus. Personally, I find this method much easier to edit what I want out of the game. ]
HOW TO INSTALL MODS
Additional Xcom 2 References/Strategies & guides/How To's:
Long War 2 Controller options: Pinnacle Game Profiler, Controller to Key [ profile available under file section ], Controller Companion [ available in Steam Store ] By default, LW2 does not support controller & probably never will. These emulate the mouse/keyboard. Your experience will vary. I have extensively used Pinnacle & Controller to key so I can vouch for those. I have heard good things about Controller Companion but I have never used it.
Enter Elysium Xcom 2 modded Let's plays: Highly entertaining and easy to listen to.
Christopher Odd's Xcom let's Plays: Lot of gameplay for vanilla, modded, and LW2 & some tactics you should never use. :]
Tybox : Monkey Business: A fairly new channel with some new Long War 2 videos. Lovely voice to listen to.
Xcom engine.ini tweak guide
PC Gamer Build a better Avenger
Xcom 2 "How weapons work"
Xcom 2 Full Strategy Guide at Gamepressure.
NO, I don't use big picture mode.
Check a look at my profile and give kudos if you like my work. It lets me know that you appreciate the effort. You can choose to support me through paypal.me/smgrinus or Venmo me @grinus which would help me continue my art & modding endeavours and do something nice for the feline companions.