TFTDextender

File: TFTDextender

This is a conversion of Seb76's UFOloader. Xusilak released a prototype, called TFTDloader, that offered players the ability to run the CE, or Gold, version without video problems in September 2010. He made a lot of notations on various subroutines and variables used throughout the executable. In March of 2012, Kyrub released an updated version called TFTD Extender, which had limited functionality. When he became unable to continue development on his project, Tycho released another version called TFTDextender, which was based on Xusilak's original code and had more functionality than Kyrub's version. Almost all applicable fixes and mods that were made for UFO Extender have been successfully imported and new mods and fixes specifically for this game have been added since the initial version. Version 1.02 was released in June, 2013.

The extender patches the program in memory, it does not modify the executable. The advantage is that it won't change the file on disk so there is little risk of destroying your game installation (still, it is wise to do a backup of your game folder before using this). It also means that any data mods that one may wish to use should not conflict. Of course, if your computer stops responding and starts chanting verses in an inhuman language, I don't take any responsability...

Some changes are recorded in a game's save files so be aware of this fact when you change options and wonder why some changes don't work on games already in progress. Changes will require you to restart the loader to have them take effect.

Feel free to contact me with any questions and please don't hesistate to report any problem you encounter with this, I'll try to help you fix it. Tycho

You can also reach me through the StrategyCore forum for TFTD Extender[1], where also I am called "Tycho".

Installation

NOTE: This program only works with the Windows version of Terror from the Deep (usually referred to as the Collector's Edition (CE) or the Gold Edition). It is not compatible with the DOS version nor will it run through DOSbox as the memory handling and offsets are different.

• You'll need the MS VC2008 runtime to use TFTDextender. You can get it [2] here.
• If you want to use the mp3 patch, you need to have Windows Media Player installed. This is not necessary starting with version 1.07
• Download the latest full version and latest patch by clicking on the title above to get to the file section.
• Extract the contents to your TFTD folder where the "Terror from the Deep.exe" file is located.

-You need a program able extract zip files.

-Extract the full version first and then the patch. Click "Yes" to overwrite the current file.

• Use a simple text editor (like MS notepad) to open TFTDextender.INI and enable the options you wish, usually by changing the number on the entry line to 1.

-Look at this page or refer to ExtenderINIref.txt in the TFTD game directory for exact details on each option.

• To run the game with the extender, use "TFTDextender.exe" and not the usual game executable.

-The program looks for the file named "Terror from the Deep.exe" but this can be changed by editing the line under the section marked [Loader] at the beginning of the TFTDextender.INI file. (enabled in version 1.6).

• If you have a Steam installation, locate the TFTD game folder and install there. Instead of running via Steam, just run TFTDExtender directly from that folder.

FAQs

Why don't I have music after installing the Extender?

The CE version uses midi files for the soundtrack. Some digital downloads are missing the midi music in the SOUND folder. They are provided here: File:TFTDmidi.zip

Problems with mp3 playing: Crash or no sound

This is usually a codec problem with the OS music player. See this discussion on how to isolate and resolve this. [3]

Starting with version 1.07, a new way to play music has been implemented so mp3 playback should work despite codecs.

When I run the Extender, I have problems loading or I get garbled graphics.

The initial settings in the INI are very basic since user preferences and systems are so varied. It is up to the users to configure the INI file to their needs. Some graphic cards have a problem with the initial video settings and require D3D to be enabled. Others may need to disable even the basic settings if they intend to use another mod program, such as XcomUtil.

I get a crash message as soon as I run the Extender.

(1)This can be caused by not having the video options configured correctly. Try enabling D3D in the INI.

(2)Disable the option to skip the intro movie, especially if you are using a split executable such as with xcomutil.

TFTD Extender and XcomUtil: Crash/errors when leaving Geoscape/starting a battle

Kyrub identified a problem with the way XcomUtil splits the executable. Bomb_bloke wrote an updated splitter: see this discussion [4].

There now is an option in the INI to disable error messages.

The game crashes as soon as I choose to go to T'leth.

There is a problem with some movie files with some digital downloads of the game. Bomb Bloke wrote a set of dummy files which will let the CE version continue to the final battle. Check out this article[5].

Some Disclaimers

Extender and modified game executables: These may work together but there is no guarentee. Some heavily modify the binary and trying to patch on top of it will produce unexpected data corruption or crash the game. Even splitting the executable, such as done by XComUtil, causes problems.

DAT file mod requests: DAT files modifications are not done because there are already lots of them and various data editors available to do them for yourself. This rule allows all data mods to keep working with the loader (that is why some xcomutil features should still work, as long as they are those only based on resource modifications). Any bug fix that requires a change to some resource data in order to compensate for the fix, will have an option to exclude the data change so that any player changes will not be overwritten.

TFTDextender INI references

Bug Fixes

By default most bug fixes are already enabled; there is a section in the INI for bug fixes in case you want to disable a fix. A complete list of these fixes are listed in the file, TFTDbugReference.txt. To disable a fix, simply open this file and copy the appropriate line to the [Bug Fix] section of the INI.

• Music Change Freeze: try to prevent the freeze that happens ingame when the MIDI music changes (experimental) [Not enabled by default]
• Sensor Stacking: Fix the bug where having more than one sonar for each type is useless. When enabled, each standard sonar has a 10% probability
• Base Facility Dismantle-Construction Crash: fix the crash that may happen after you delete a facility under construction.
• Collectors Edition Blaster Bomb Bug: fix problems with setting vertical waypoints
• Proximity Grenades: fix lost armed state when reloading a game
• Proximity Grenades Experience: give experience to the thrower, not the victim...
• Transfered Crafts Refueled: fix the "Fuel dump on transfer" bug
• Zrbite-fueled Craft Bug: fix the bug which causes Zrbite fueled crafts to return to base when their fuel level is 50%
• Corpses Don't Teleport: The corpse for an unconscious unit that was moved and later killed by an explosion will not spawn where the unit originally went unconscious. {version 105p1}
• Door Jam: fix the opened sliding doors not closing after a reload
• Personnel Overflow: fix the overflow that occurs when there are 256 engineers/scientists present in a base. Values are topped at 255 now
• Funky Fire: only apply fire damage at the end of turn. Also doubles fire damage to compensate
• Hostile Civilians: fix civilians becoming hostile after being mind controlled
• BioDrone Melee Attack Fix: Assigns a value to melee accuracy allowing the melee attack to be effective
• FixSounds: Zombies sound like any other bipedal units when walking. The "pop" at the end of many sound effects has been eliminated.
• No Underwater Weapons Fire on Land: prevents underwater-only weapons from making reaction shots or shooting when a soldier is bezerk.
• Tech Tree Impasses Resolved: You won't need to have a sub_contruction item in inventory before completing research on the Transmission Resolver, nor a MC reader before finishing MC Lab. Both can be researched when one is found just like other artifacts.
• Coelacanth/Gauss Ammo Fix:all ammo problems related to unequiping one from a craft or after combat are fixed. Its only prerequisite is Gauss Cannon (same as the laser tank in EU).
• Hallucinoid Range Attack Fix: Gives the Hallucinoid a stunning ranged area attack as per the Ufopaedia description - making this alien much more dangerous.
• P.W.T. Launcher Production Fix: P.W.T. launcher production will now correctly consume 1 plastic for the first item produced.
• Better chance to get a Cargo Ship Terror Mission rather than only Cruise Liners.
• Soldiers will not go MIA if they are MCed when mission ends successfully.
• Deep One attack no longer resembles the Celatid Spit.
• Bio-Drone no longer burns the ground like the Silacoid.
• Fixed the problem that allowed the player to assign too many technicians to a manufacturing project. Now the same as Enemy Unknown.
• Fixed the damage on the Displacer's sonic oscillator. The in-game UFOpaedia stated that the displacer did 130 damage but the value in the exectuable was only 110.
• Any MCed unit will have the MCed effect removed and its proper faction restored when it is rendered unconscious.
• Clips loaded into weapons that are left on the battlefield during an abort will not be given to the player.
• Weight issues with clips that are in weapons have been fixed.
• Craft Gauss Cannon's max ammo increased to 100 and base rearm rate increased to 50 rounds per hour.
• The area of effect for the Thermal Shok Bomb has been reduce to closer match the radius of Enemy Unknown's Stun Bomb.
• PWT Ammo for all weapons has had their production requirements changed to a more logical correlation to the damage they do. Sell value reflects the changes. [new games only]
• Aqua Plastic Armor uses the correct damage modifiers.
• Aliens with no weapons will not crash the game after throwing their last grenade.
• Aliens attempting to attack a base location will not crash the game.
• Large Units are affected only once by the same explosion.
• All parts of a large unit are correctly controlled if Molecular Control is successful.
• Tentacults hatched from Molecular Controlled zombies will not be assigned to the X-COM side.
• SWS/Harpoon Bolts and SWS/Gauss Cannon Rounds will not take up space in base inventory.
• Large Units with range attacks do not go berserk.
• Aliens can now use their melee weapons.
• Tentacults have a lower strength and Lobstermen's is higher.
• Units immune to fire with only a few hit points cannot be killed by fire.
• SWS present for base defence missions will get their ammo from base stores. (No free ammo.)

Loader

• Executable: The name of the game executable that the Extender will use.
• Debug Messages: Used to enable or disable the error messages that are displayed when the Extender encounters a problem. With this enabled, the game will simply exit to the desktop when an error occurs. Set to 1 to stop the messages.

Video

• Video Pitch: This fixes the garbled video seen when you first start the game. It is similar to f0dder's loader. This is enabled by default.
• HQ4x: raise the resolution of the game and applies some filtering. It is quite CPU intensive though...
• D3D: replace DirectDraw calls with Direct3D9. It sets the monitor to its default resolution and uses D3D to stretch the image on screen. It may also fix the speed issues if your video driver is configured properly.

These settings are exclusive of each other: Some work together while others will override the previous level: [initial] video pitch -> HQ4x -> D3D -> D3D&HQ4x [highest scaling].

If the initial Video Pitch option doesn't seem to work, use the D3D option.

• D3D Windowed: run the game in a window. The first two numbers are the Y and X positions on the screen for where to place the box. The second two numbers are the size of the window in height and width. 0 0 600 800 should place a 800x600 window in the top left corner.
• Always On Top: force the window in the foreground.
• Clip Cursor: prevent the cursor from going outside the window. It has two modes:
  • Level 1: Tactical only. In the battlescape the mouse is restrained to the window but not in the Geoscape.
  • Level 2: Constant. Mouse is restrained in both Battlescape and Geoscape.

These options only apply when you run the game in full screen mode:

• Scale Mouse: attempts to keep the cursor from running off screen when using HQ4x and/or D3D. Useful when not running a windowed game. Try this if you start the game and your mouse doesn't seem to work or there is no cursor on the screen.
• Screen Ratio: adds black bars to keep aspect ratio on non 16/10 monitors (based on patch from mikawo) You can set "Screen Ratio" to correct your aspect ratio. Some common settings are 1.33333 or 1.66666.

I believe the ratio is the width/height but factor that 16/10 is the default of 1: 16/10 [320x200, 640x400, 1280x800, 1440x900] would be 1. 4/3 ratio [640x480, 1024x768, 1440x1080] is 0.833333. 16/9 should be 1.11111. Using these values for Screen Ratio seems to give the correct aspect ratio when compared to DOSBox results.

Other Video options that work in either windowed or full-screen:

• Slow the Clock: Slow the passage of time in the Geoscape. The passage of time will match the option chosen in the right menu by the player but the clock will increment in smaller units at a faster rate. At the 5 sec rate, the clock will increment in seconds but 5 seconds of game time will pass for every second of real time. (available with version 1.061)
• Slow Battlescape Animation Speed: All animations in the battlescape can be slowed down. User can fine tune the degree from only 2x up to 15x slower. 3~5x is recommended to start with.
• Max FPS: limit the framerate for the ones that cannot get vsync working. Not as smooth as vsync limited, but better than nothing (only works with D3D or Video Pitch enabled). Can help to slow the game, similar to lowering cycles per second. Defaulted to 70.
• Skip Intro: bypasses the Microprose logo video and initial movie when you start the game.
• Force Language: automatically selects the appropriate language for you.

Mods

• Know Thy Enemy: Damage on weapons is capped until humans learn the location of vital areas of each alien race. Damaged is capped at average weapon strength with a small chance of a "lucky shot" that bypasses the cap limit. Explosion and Thermal damage is not affected.
• Start With Alternate Tech Tree: choose the level of change to apply to the research tree when you start a NEW game. (the higher the number the more changes are applied.)
  • =1: The need for a live Deep One to research Ion Armor is removed.
  • =2: The vibroblade can be researched when found but a calcinite autopsy is required for thermic lance.
  • =3: The prerequisites for armors have been reordered or changed. Aqua plastics can be researched when found. The prerequisite for Ion Armor is not a live Deep One but more logical. (Hint:all armors' prerequisites follow the same idea.)

Each level stacks upon or replaces the previous set of changes.

Note: Some changes will be stored in the game's saved files and cannot be altered again except by editing these files directly. There could be some issues with the availability of certain research topics if one changes the option for a game already in progress.

• Different Colony Races: More variety of alien races on stage 1 and the alien race in stage 2 corresponds to the race of the supply craft.
• Small Colony Size: The size of stage 2 of a colony is reduced to the same area as a base in Enemy Unknown.
• Single Stage Ship Missions: Ship sites will be complete after the first stage.
• Smaller USO Battle Maps: The map size is reduced to be the same as those in Enemy Unknown.
• Increase Sea Floor Terrain Variety: Enabling this will increase the chances of different environments being generated in random USO recovery missions.
• All Torpedos At Start: Replaces the craft gas cannons and ammo with D.U.P launchers on your subs and torpedoes in your base stores, as if you manually did this at the beginning of game without the wasted time.
• Improve Rearm Rate of Ajax: The number of rounds loaded onto a craft each cycle is increased from 1/hour to 2/hour.
• Show Money: Shrinks the clock in the date/time panel on the main geoscape screen, and adds a funds display above it. It is useful for examining remaining funds during manufacturing projects, while waiting for time to pass.
• Block Can't Intercept Messages [Block Intercept Over Land Message, Block Mission Too Deep Message]: Blocks the pop-up notifications that you cannot intercept an alien sub. An Xcraft will pursue and automatically engage a USO once it reaches water. A Barracuda will hover over or chase a very deep sub until it reaches a shallower depth. Only a Triton will receive the "Mission too deep" message and automatically return to base.
• Crafts Always Ready: Craft can be launched before damage, ammo, or fuel are completely restored.

(v1.06)

=1: Craft can be launched in any condition.

=2: Damaged craft are grounded.

• Manual Interception Fire Mode: Subs will not fall back after taking damage or expending all their ammo. This overcomes the issue of the last shot always missing.[6]
• USO Responds to Interception: Alien subs will react to being attacked.
• True Cautious Mode: Subs with two equal weapons will only fire one weapon at a time and the stance imparts a penalty to alien attacks.
• De-equip Craft: Provides the option on the craft armament screen.

• Reorder Soldiers In Crafts:

If you hold the mouse button for more than 200ms when clicking, the soldier will be moved to the top/bottom of the list. Now you can force rookies on the front line... It also enables you to check the soldier's stats by clicking on his name.

• Auto sell: allows the player to activate an automatic production and automatic selling mode in manufacturing by pressing the down arrow button to reduce the quantity of desired items below zero:
  • Autosell mode: In this mode, production will never cease unless resources become unavailable, and all produced items will be immediately sold.
  • Autoproduce mode: This functions in the same way as autosell, but the results will not be sold, merely stockpiled forever.

Caution should be used with this mode, as it can drain resources quickly.

• Improved Gauss Tank: Aqua Plastic becomes a prerequisite and part of the production requirements but the armor gets a significant boost.

• Improved Detector: The particle disturbance sensor will be upgraded after research on M.C. Reader is finished. Its radius of detection is doubled and will detect all units in range.

Our recent research on the alien scanning device has allowed us an excellent opportunity. We can devise improved detectors that will emit a small pulse and triangulate on any alien implants that respond. You should be able to determine the general direction and range.

• Remove Background Land Sound: The background sound of land sites is poor quality for today's sound systems and annoying. This option blocks it.
• Alien Bleeding: Aliens can suffer fatal wounds as well.
• No Alien Freak Out Messages: The player will receive no notice that alien units have suffered morale problems.
• More Reaction Fire: Aliens and Aquanauts will react to targets turning in place as well as movement or attacks.
• Hot Grenades: Grenade timers will continue to countdown even when held.
• Alien Inventory: Gain direct access to an alien's inventory screen after it has been brought under your control.
• No Blaster Bomb Drift: disable the randomness applied to blaster bomb (Power Wave Torpedoes) trajectories between waypoints. It'll solve drifting issues experienced with the blaster launcher, and also make aliens even more deadly with that weapon since their hard coded accuracy of 55% won't affect their shots anymore.
• All Items Usable On Land: Removes all restrictions on items so they may be used anywhere. Magnetic Ion Armor flies on land.
• Smaller Stun Blast: the area of effect for the thermal bomb is reduced.

• Modified Loadouts for Aquatoid: For those who wonder how a small aquatoid can carry a sonic cannon. This mod will replace their cannons with sonic rifles or pistols, depending upon the rank of the unit. Other weapons are not affected.

Equipment

• Show Stats: Displays several of the important soldiers' stats on the right to help you decide how to equip them. MC stats will be displayed when they become available. The rank icon is part of TFTD, unlike Enemy Unknown.

• Show Grenade State: Grenades that have been armed now have [primed] added to their name.
• Save Equipment: Will automatically reequip each aquanaut with their last weapon load-out, if possible, at the beginning of any mission. New soldiers will receive a minimal set of weapon and ammo to start with.
  • Auto Flares: automatically equip flares (if available in the craft) during night missions (only works with Save Equipment).

Localization strings: add the following strings to the end of the equipment section and change the text between the "=" and ">" to match your particular language. English is the default. (available with version 1.05p3). Examples are for English:

Weight=Weight>

Accuracy=Accur>

Reaction=React>

Psi Strength=P.Str>

Psi Skill=P.Skill>

Enhanced Tactical AI

This feature makes the aliens slightly more aggressive. Melee Terror Units are less indecisive when attacking. Player can choose the distances (in tiles) that aliens will attempt to use auto-fire and snap shots. Aliens will make targeted shots for ranges beyond snap shot. A scaled-down version of Kyrub's AI model. Thanks to Kyrub for providing the data point information.

Apply: Set to 1 to enable this feature.

Ranged Based Accuracy

This modifies the accuracy based on the distance from the target. The accuracy decreases linearly (2% per tile) when shooting beyond the limit of the firing mode:

Apply: Set to 1 to enable this feature.

Minimum Efficiency: The efficiency will not decrease beyond this limit for range. [-50% = 25+ tiles]

• auto shot: 8 tiles
• snap shot: 16 tiles
• aimed shot: no penalty

These initial values complement the Tactical AI ranges.

Line of Fire Check for M.C.

Soldiers with MC ability and items that utilized MC will require the individual soldier have LOS to use the item as selected by the player.

• Mind Control=0
• Panic=0
• MC Reader=0

Change any option to 1 to enable the feature.

Alternate Initial Base Layout

Allows the player to rearrange, add, or remove any module to the initial base at the start of a game.

Apply: Set to 1 to enable this feature.

Possible modules [use this notation in the INI]:

• AirLock
• LivingQuarters
• Laboratory
• Workshop
• [StdSonar] Standard Sonar
• [WideSonar] Wide Array Sonar
• TorpedoDefense
• GeneralStores
• AlienContainment
• GaussDefense
• SonicDefense
• [PWTDefence] Power Wave Torpedo Defense
• [BombShield] Bombardment Shield
• [MCShield] Molecular Control Shield
• [MCLab] Molecular Control Laboratory
• [TransRes] Transmission Resolver
• SubPenTL
• SubPenTR
• SubPenBL
• SubPenBR
• Empty

OBDATA.DAT

Change the value of some OBDATA.DAT settings on the fly. To change a value, add a line "itemname setting=value" (without the quotes).

Apply: Set to 1 to enable this feature.

Available settings:

• Damage
• Resistance (to explosions)
• Weight
• Damage Type
• Auto accuracy
• Snap accuracy
• Aimed accuracy
• Auto TUs
• Snap TUs
• Aimed TUs
• Size (clip size)

For Size, Damage and Damage Type, you usually want to modify the relevant clip object, not the weapon object (exceptions - melee weapons, XComUtil-modified infinite-ammo Gauss weapons). Item names are case insensitive and available at OBDATA.DAT (TFTD).

Music

Apply: Set to 1 to enable this feature.

Source: choose which option by removing the ";" from the front of the line of your choice and adding a ";" to the beginning of the other line that you wish to disable.

CD Drive: change to the drive letter of your CD/DVD ROM drive. (if applicable)

MP3: You should create a folder labeled "MP3" in the same folder as your TFTD executable.

PSX CD

If you have the PSX version of the game, you should be able to enjoy the CD music with this patch. (experimental)

MP3 Music

If you have mp3 music files available for the game, you can use them instead of the default MIDI ones (see the INI file for examples). Terror From The Deep Soundtrack

Caps

You can raise the maximum value that the soldiers' stats may increase in the course of gaining experience from combat.

Apply: Set to 1 to enable.

ShortCuts

Apply: Set to 1 to enable BattleScape or GeoScape shortcuts.

Geoscape key mapping

• UpArrow: Rotate Up
• DownArrow: Rotate Down
• LeftArrow: Rotate Left
• RighArrow: Rotate Right
• MouseWheelUp: Zoom In
• MouseWheelDown: Zoom Out
• 1: Geo Speed1
• 2: Geo Speed2
• 3: Geo Speed3
• 4: Geo Speed4
• 5: Geo Speed5
• 6: Geo Speed6
• MouseMiddle: Intercept
• B: Bases
• G: Graphs
• U: Ufopaedia
• Escape: Options
• F: Fundings

Battlescape key mapping

• UpArrow: unit goes up
• DownArrow: unit goes down
• LeftArrow: left menu
• RightArrow: right menu
• Return: end of turn
• Escape: options menu
• BackSpace: go to next unit, remove current from the queue
• Tab: go to next unit
• Space: go to inventory
• PageUp: view goes up one level
• PageDown: view goes down one level
• 1: reserve mode off
• 2: reserve mode snap
• 3: reserve mode auto
• 4: reserve mode aimed

Key names

Standard keys (A, 2, etc) are indicated as-is, the following "special" keynames are available (case insensitive):

Back BackSpace Back Space Tab Clear Return Enter Shift Control Menu

Pause Escape Space Prior PageUp Next PageDown End Home Left

Up Right Down Print Insert Delete Num0 Numpad0 Num1 Numpad1

Num2 Numpad2 Num3 Numpad3 Num4 Numpad4 Num5 Numpad5 Num6 Numpad6

Num7 Numpad7 Num8 Numpad8 Num9 Numpad9 Multiply Add Separator Subtract

Decimal Divide F1 F2 F3 F4 F5 F6 F7 F8

F9 F10 F11 F12 MouseMiddle MouseWheelUp MouseWheelDown MouseWheelLeft MouseWheelRight

If you need a key not listed here and you know its VK_* code, you can specify it with it's hex value (e.g. 0x90 for num lock)

The implementation is rather messy, expect side effects and report them...