Talk:Mind Control

Would someone test it please:

You can stop you mind controlled unit from attacking itself by orientating the mind controlled quarter to be topmost. That is, turn your unit on the spot until it does not see itself! You can move only upwards (not vertical) along the map. If you move when the alien can see itself, then it will almost alway reaction fire as itself (if it fire). Turning on the spot does not trigger reaction fire in your own turn.

USE: sometimes (read: rarely) the controlled quarter will shoot at aliens in the aliens turn as you would commonly expect, but if it has turned by a quarter movement then it can then see itself and sometimes, attack itself with its own reaction shots.

Note: I think this is the only time that reaction shots are triggers by turning on the spot. Its a bit vague, but my memory is like a sieve (just look at all the minor edits i do to my pages!! )

If you decide to integrate it into the main article, you don't need to sign me to my words.

--EsTeR 13:28, 27 April 2007 (PDT)

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Given some recent events I've seen in the game, I believe that aliens that come off of Mind Control(at the beginning of the X-COM turn) are granted their full allotment of Time Units when returned to alien control. This would make aliens you mind controlled last turn EXTREMELY dangerous(they have all their TUs available to take potshots at you.) Zombie, you be willing to test this a bit? Arrow Quivershaft 18:16, 14 October 2007 (PDT)

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I'd always thought they got their full TUs back. A quick test with a mind probe shows otherwise; they keep whatever you left them with.

- Bomb Bloke 18:46, 14 October 2007 (PDT)

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Well, aliens which you MC'd in your turn have the same stats you left them with during your next turn (like BB mentioned). If the aliens reactions are high enough, they might pass the reaction formula and fire on your guys if they (soldiers) move in X-COM's turn. However, when the aliens turn arrives again, it's stats are all reset back to what is saved in unitref.dat. Usually (barring Fatals or massive wounds), the alien will get full TU's back for it's trun making them dangerous. So basically you have a 1 turn grace period after MC for stats to be reset. (The first aliens turn, MC'd units lose their ability to do anything other than reaction fire, and only in the next round will things return to normal). Make sense? --Zombie 19:02, 14 October 2007 (PDT)

It's interesting to note that you retain a tiny modicum of "control" (or at least benefit) from aliens you MCed the previous turn - from their Personal_lighting. But this is probably an oversight in how viewscape updating or personal lighting checks are done, nothing more. - MikeTheRed 18:54, 17 October 2007 (PDT)

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I have the impression that when MC'd, the controlled unit has not only full TUs, but also its energy is increased (using offset 0x23 of UNITREF.DAT). It won't go over the base energy level though. Seb76 14:42, 15 February 2008 (PST)

That may well be true, on thought. The easiest way for the MC code to perform would be for the computer to simulate that the newly MC'd unit just started it's turn. It also avoids nasty issues of one side running its troops to exhaustion and either accidentally or even deliberately preventing the other side from effectively using the Psissie. Zombie will probably run tests as soon as he sees this. Arrow Quivershaft 15:36, 15 February 2008 (PST)

Creatures Mind Control and Permanent Alien Control

In the X-Com UFO Defense version for Windows, you don´t have to use MC on all 4-squares of the creature. Just Control two squares, and the creature is yours.

I also tried the Permanent Alien Control Trick (MC Alien who can be stunned, use Mini Launcher to stun him, them wake him up using Med-Kit). It didn´t work.

Also, on the Permanent Alien Control trick, you can only use the Mini Launcher, since you can´t use the stun rod on friendly (MC´d) units. Unsterblich

Actually, you only need to MC one square to control it. However, if you only control one square, the three hostile squares can and often will reaction-fire against the MC'ed square and kill the whole unit, which may not be what you wanted. In order to avoid reaction fire, all four squares need to be under Mind Control; however, every time you MC the unit, it has it's TUs set to full, allowing you to use it for more shooting. Also, add a signature to your posts by adding 4 consecutive tildes(~) to the end of the post, like I will do now. Arrow Quivershaft 15:40, 5 September 2008 (PDT)

Graphical glitch when MC'd by an alien

It's the first time one of my soldiers has been mind-controlled, and his sprites are out of whack. He instead looks like a horizontal line one pixel tall of various colors (I think his color scheme, a Power Suit). Upon moving, I think every other frame flashed white, or at least something to that effect), about shoulder height. I don't really feel that it's hurt my gameplay or anything, but I am curious if anyone else has experienced this. I'm running UFO Defense (1.4 i'm 99% sure) in DOSBox 0.72 on Windows XP Home. NightChime 01:30, 25 October 2008 (CDT)