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Alien Side Goals

You didn't think the Avatar Project was the only thing the Aliens were working on, did you?

You must start a new campaign for this mod to take effect.

This mod adds a new strategy element to the game, side goals the Aliens will try to complete in order to gain powerful tactical or strategy advantages over XCOM. Side goals are completed as three consecutive dark events, the first two steps have no consequences, but the third is permanent and will have devastating effects. The purpose of this mod was to add a bit more consideration in mission selection besides the reward, as well as adding difficulty to the late game.

There is a cap of three active side goals at a time, but this can be config'd. Thorough testing would require multiple full campaign playthroughs, so many of the config values are guesses, hit me with your feedback kiddos.

There are currently seven side goals that are as follows:
Project Thunder Mountain - The Aliens deploy stormlancer units to the battlefield, deadly melee units to zap up XCOM.
Project Ultramarine - The Aliens deploy the Chryssalid Megaladon, a behemoth that spreads panic and chaos.
Project Recursor - The Aliens deploy the Algorith, a fusion of MEC and Spectre that is capable of deep cloning an entire squad.
Project Dark Cloak - The psionic network has been strengthened to the point of granting physical protection to ADVENT.
Project Arbor Gate - The Aliens complete a biological computer that will grant them total global victory if any mission is failed (don't read too far into the logic of this one).
Project Stone Age - The Aliens have remotely sabotaged the Avenger, greatly reducing available power.
Project Phaedo Crito - The Aliens have undone years of scientific progress, all future research will be greatly penalized.

I added as many config values as I could think of, and tested it as thoroughly as my sanity would allow.

FAQ:
Q: Hey how does this work with <<INSERT NAME OF MOD THAT I DID NOT DEVELOP>>?
A: I either have no idea or I will make an educated but unresearched guess.

Q: Long War compatible???
A: Probably not, and if it does, it will probably make it too difficult.

Q: Can I install it on an existing campaign?!?!?!?
A: Nope and/or It won't do anything

Q:I don't like one of the side goals! Is there a way to disable it?????!?!?!??!?!?7?!?!?
A: You should be able to make the starting weight equal to zero in XComAlienSideGoalsConfig.ini but don't make it negative, that will probably cause problems.




I'd also recommend using Still Stop Wasting My Time because it makes an aspect of this mod better, and its also just a really good mod on its own.


Special Thanks to:
Robojumper and Iridar for their Highlander tips when I couldn't see the light
The whole Highlander team because that is one beast of a project and taming it is a noble quest
NotSoLoneWolf for helping me understand strategyrequirements when all hope was lost and the void beckoned me night and day

I also have a patreon for the so inclined: https://www.patreon.com/HoneyTheYellowBear