Bugged logic in XComGameStateContext_TacticalGameRule::ContextBuildVisualization()

[Iridar]

Relevant code

The if() condition can never succeed, so the class'X2Action_BeginTurnSignals'.static.AddBeginTurnSignalsToBlock(self); never runs.

[BlackDog86]

The way I understand this, is that if there is a chosen in play, it's meant to stop other advent pod leaders from 'directing / pointing at' the other troops in visualization with HL_SignalPoint (i.e. a sort of 'now the chosen is in charge' mechanic). If this function is never triggered, the only effect should be that advent pod leaders occasionally still point at stuff even after a chosen is activated.

[Iridar]

This is uber confusing.

So the issue comes from this bit of code, which I only noticed because of constant log warnings:

if( class'XComGameState_Unit'.static.GetEngagedChosen() == None && XGUnit(class'XComGameState_Unit'.static.GetEngagedChosen().GetVisualizer()).IsVisible() )
{
	class'X2Action_BeginTurnSignals'.static.AddBeginTurnSignalsToBlock(self);
}

My knee-jerk reaction was that perhaps Firaxis put == instead of != by accident, which is an easy mistake to make.

However, altering the code this way would mean: "add begin turn signals if there is an engaged chosen and they are visible", which makes sense, logically.

But just a few lines earlier in BuildPlayerTurnEndVisualization() there's this bit of code:

// only perform the start of turn signal if there is no engaged chosen calling out directions
if( class'XComGameState_Unit'.static.GetEngagedChosen() == None )
{
	class'X2Action_BeginTurnSignals'.static.AddBeginTurnSignalsToBlock(self);
}

So it's very clear the intent is to add signals if there are NO engaged chosen.

By that logic, the check should be "if there is no chosen, or if the chosen is NOT visible"?

So it would have to be changed into

if( class'XComGameState_Unit'.static.GetEngagedChosen() == None || !XGUnit(class'XComGameState_Unit'.static.GetEngagedChosen().GetVisualizer()).IsVisible() )

But that seems improbable, compared to a much easier mistake of writing == instead of !=.

[remcoros]

Had a quick look at this, my reasoning:

The two checks Iridar mentions are for player turn Begin and player turn End, so they could be different.

If I understand correctly what 'AddBeginTurnSignalsToBlock' does, is it adds a LookAtCamera pointing to visible enemy pod leaders who are able to attack a players unit. (only if zip mode is disabled).

So my guess is that the intent was to not move the camera on player turn begin/end to other pod leaders when engaged with a chosen.

Following that logic, "if( class'XComGameState_Unit'.static.GetEngagedChosen() == None || !XGUnit(class'XComGameState_Unit'.static.GetEngagedChosen().GetVisualizer()).IsVisible() )" seems correct.

Improbable, but not impossible.