XCOM: One Does Not Simply "Shoot" a Cryssalid...

[Zevox]

Originally Posted by JMobius

If you really want a crack at the demo, you could also just try the PC one if your machine is up to the task.

I'm almost certain it isn't. The most modern game my PC can handle is Starcraft 2, and even with that it slows down immensely during the CGI cutscenes. It hasn't been up to any other game I've checked on since (Civ 5, Shogun 2: Total War), so I'd be surprised if this was an exception.

Zevox

[Mobius Twist]

In case anyone is wondering if the "no Windows XP" is a recommendation or a hard rule, I have the answer.

I downloaded the Steam-based demo onto a PC running WinXP SP2 and launching the demo shows "finalizing installation..." followed by closing the whole thing and not even sparing time to throw me an error message.

So, yeah, don't waste your time.

[Anarion]

During the long forum hiatus, I took the opportunity to play through this demo, and also skimmed this thread. I bought the game after playing the demo, so they clearly did something right, but I do have several things that I think might be issues with the full game.

good
1. The gameplay was fun. That's what they're selling and I loved it. I like how every unit just has move/shoot or double move and some cool specials as opposed to time units from the original game. This implementation has all the same tactical complexity and is a much more smooth feel overall.

2. The base looked good and the people there had some character. Turtleneck sweaters as the X-com uniform was inspired (note that the lab techs are wearing them too under their white coats).

3. Research looked interesting and I like the fact that they tell you which ones are geared towards weapons vs. armor, since that was something that I ended up just googling for the original X-com. No reason to hide the ball there.

4. Soldier classes were a great idea. At some point I really want to try all snipers and a couple scouts, who slowly move up in cover to reveal enemies.

bad
1. There was a feeling of control that I felt was lacking compared to the original game and made me feel bad. This was most acute when I was forced to choose my mission and the game blatantly told me that panic had to increase somewhere.

It's true that in the original X-com the same thing happened and you simply didn't know about it until you had enough bases and radars to cover the whole planet. However, not knowing about it was actually better because it didn't make me feel bad. Playing the original, I always felt that I was doing everything I possibly could and as I expanded my coverage, the ability to keep the whole world safe increased commensurately. In the new game demo, by being told that attacks were happening but I couldn't ever go to both sites, I just felt crummy.

2. No in-battle save feature of any kind, at least that I was able to find anywhere. It's possible I missed it. I really liked being able to save and reload in the original, even though it's sort of cheating. But for a tactical game based on dice rolls and with heavy mortality, I feel like some kind of save feature is important to avoid a lot of frustration.

As a comparison, Final Fantasy Tactics also used percentage-based attacks. But in Tactics, you have revive abilities at range and later than can heal someone to 100%, you can see the whole battlefield, you have no consequences for ending with a hurt party member, and you can easily finish the game without a single permanent casualty. Fire Emblem, on the other hand, has permanent consequences if someone dies, but you can calculate how battles will go without ever moving a character and most of the time you want to be dealing with 100% hit chances and never relying on luck.

I concerned that the current iteration is going to lead to agonizingly slow later missions where the player will be so worried about making a mistake that she'll crawl her troops forward just a couple squares a turn in order to avoid any mistakes.

3. Randomly exploding alien stuff was annoying. Even when I used the sniper doing a headshot, the aliens had their plasma pistols randomly explode. I got the sense that was just to keep me from getting them, and that just felt like the game designers arbitrarily decided we can't have nice things.

[Grey_Wolf_c]

Originally Posted by Anarion

3. Randomly exploding alien stuff was annoying. Even when I used the sniper doing a headshot, the aliens had their plasma pistols randomly explode. I got the sense that was just to keep me from getting them, and that just felt like the game designers arbitrarily decided we can't have nice things.

The alien weapons are keyed to their heartbeats as a security failsafe to prevent you from getting hold of them. If you want the weapons, you need to capture the aliens alive.

GW

[Rockphed]

Originally Posted by Grey_Wolf_c

The alien weapons are keyed to their heartbeats as a security failsafe to prevent you from getting hold of them. If you want the weapons, you need to capture the aliens alive.

GW

Obviously these aliens are smart enough to know that humans can and will adopt any technology they get their hands on. And their better tech is pretty much their only sure advantage. Poor, poor, stupid aliens, they don't have a chance.

[nooblade]

Well, if I ever buy a new computer, might as well be to play something like this. I think the last game I bought was, err, Mount and Blade. Ooh, and I've wanted to play Magicka for a while now too.

I think this will be a fun year. Don't need to spend too much money on it either.

But I didn't play the original X-COM and TBH, don't really want to. The free spin-off, UFO: Alien Invasion, didn't keep me occupied for even a month (although it's not finished yet). GuavaMoment's LPs were always adding some kind of gimmick to make it more interesting. So I hope for my own sake that they do actually attract the casual crowd, and make seriously good multiplayer too.

Are the Civ games they make any good? Always struck me as a slow-paced simulator for MAD or something.

[Gamerlord]

Originally Posted by nooblade

Well, if I ever buy a new computer, might as well be to play something like this. I think the last game I bought was, err, Mount and Blade. Ooh, and I've wanted to play Magicka for a while now too.

I think this will be a fun year. Don't need to spend too much money on it either.

But I didn't play the original X-COM and TBH, don't really want to. The free spin-off, UFO: Alien Invasion, didn't keep me occupied for even a month (although it's not finished yet). GuavaMoment's LPs were always adding some kind of gimmick to make it more interesting. So I hope for my own sake that they do actually attract the casual crowd, and make seriously good multiplayer too.

Are the Civ games they make any good? Always struck me as a slow-paced simulator for MAD or something.

I've only played the fourth and fifth installments (Well, a bit of the third one as well, but not enough to judge it), and I would have to say they are some of the finest turn-based strategy games ever made. The only real flaw I can think of the series as a whole is the fact that every single AI nation is ruled by an insane backstabbing idiot with no regard for ethics,morality, or common sense (The only real difference between Gandhi and Montezuma in terms of personality is how long it takes them to declare war.) And there are ways to adjust the pacing of each match.

[ObadiahtheSlim]

Ah yes Civ 4's Mad Monty. Monty is so bat**** insane he will declare war when he isn't even at a military parity. If I see Monty at all in the game, I make it a point to eliminate or vassalize him so I don't have to worry about his insane antics.

[Rotting Baron]

Originally Posted by Gamerlord

The only real flaw I can think of the series as a whole is the fact that every single AI nation is ruled by an insane backstabbing idiot with no regard for ethics,morality, or common sense

That's an odd way to spell "feature."

Anyway, I didn't think the demo was all that great, but I'd already seen enough gameplay streams to know that I would love this game. Looking forward to losing all my rookies again and again and again.

[Rockphed]

Originally Posted by Rotting Baron

That's an odd way to spell "feature."

Anyway, I didn't think the demo was all that great, but I'd already seen enough gameplay streams to know that I would love this game. Looking forward to losing all my rookies again and again and again.

Personally, I would rather have a game where I can "win" the game while having a half dozen computer allies. Even if they are relatively ineffective, it helps alleviate the boredom.

[chiasaur11]

Originally Posted by Rockphed

Personally, I would rather have a game where I can "win" the game while having a half dozen computer allies. Even if they are relatively ineffective, it helps alleviate the boredom.

Ever played Galactic Civilizations II?

Sounds like what you want.

[Grey_Wolf_c]

Originally Posted by chiasaur11

Ever played Galactic Civilizations II?

Sounds like what you want.

MOOII as well... although by the point where you have enough allies to win by nomination, you might as well conquer the galaxy.

GW

[Krade]

Originally Posted by Grey_Wolf_c

MOOII as well... although by the point where you have enough allies to win by nomination, you might as well conquer the galaxy.

GW

I always liked the point where you controlled 2/3 (or more) of the vote and could win it even if all the others didn't vote for you.

I once tried to see if there was a money cap. I can't remember exactly how high I got my money to, but I didn't find a cap.

[YakYak]

http://pc.gamespy.com/pc/xcom-enemy-...1226328p1.html

Our first real XCOM review is here!

[Grey_Wolf_c]

Question for original XCOM players: how many countries could you loose before loosing the game? How many before the lack of funds would make you loose the game even if the others remained*? And is there a way to get those countries back through special missions?

Thanks,

Grey Wolf, aware that the answers may have no bearing on the modern game.

Edit: *Or could you continue onwards through selling on the black market once your production facilities were up and running?

[Name_Here]

Originally Posted by Grey_Wolf_c

Question for original XCOM players: how many countries could you loose before loosing the game?

I believe that so long as one country remained with you Xcom could continue to function without real problems. The second that last country sided with the alien menace the game was done and over.

How many before the lack of funds would make you loose the game even if the others remained*?

At the top levels of funding the money you got from the council paid for the upkeep of a base and maybe your troops. You had to find your own forms of funding in order to outfit and afford your troops. That is the truth of the game.

But if all the countries fall you lose and can't continue.

Though in Apocalypse apparently you could give all the corporations the finger and keep on defending them with your illegal funds.

[quote]And is there a way to get those countries back through special missions?[quote]

Nope in the original game once a country was lost you could never bring them back into the fold. No matter how many UFOs shot down and how many terror missions you won.

[NEO|Phyte]

Originally Posted by Grey_Wolf_c

Question for original XCOM players: how many countries could you loose before loosing the game? How many before the lack of funds would make you loose the game even if the others remained*? And is there a way to get those countries back through special missions?

I am not an expert on original XCOM, but afaik you could in theory lose all the countries and not lose, as long as you don't get a bad rating two months in a row. Funding issues would depend on how much manufacturing for sale you do.

To my knowledge, a lost nation is gone forever.

[YakYak]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=93M_fLmmecU

Hey, they made a toy to tide us over till tomorrow!

[nooblade]

Well, the game is coming out and it looks like I won't have a computer to play it on right away. I don't really mind except that suddenly there exists a desire to be able to dodge spoilers for like a month. I usually don't have to do this, so go easy, yeah internet?

Who am I kidding? I should go live in a cave if I don't want spoilers.

[Iskandar]

Hmm. I am actually thinking of breaking my one hard rule, never, EVER, order a game the first week it comes out. I've gotten burned badly before, but every review I"m seeing so far is saying this game is wonderful...

Edit: Yeah, pre-ordered. Between this and Xenonauts, I'm going to get nothing done this week.

[YakYak]

http://www.twitch.tv/2k

They're livestraming until launch!

[Anarion]

Very close now.

Originally Posted by Grey_Wolf_c

Question for original XCOM players: how many countries could you loose before loosing the game? How many before the lack of funds would make you loose the game even if the others remained*? And is there a way to get those countries back through special missions?

Thanks,

Grey Wolf, aware that the answers may have no bearing on the modern game.

Edit: *Or could you continue onwards through selling on the black market once your production facilities were up and running?

Let's see, I never lost all the countries, so I couldn't tell you what happened if they all dropped. I think it did end the game as the nations would choose to disband X-com if you didn't have at least one supporter.

Plasma weapons were by far the best source of income (and the reason why I was sad to see them all self-destructing in the demo). You couldn't sell them until you had researched them, but, by the time you had the research done, you often had several extras and by the end of the game you could be selling heavy plasma rifles like they were going out of style.

Generally speaking your X-com funding supplied all your bases and building your own stuff required supplements. Building advanced aircraft was really nice because if you dropped the monthly rent on your interceptors (and later Skyrangers once they were replaced with Avengers) you could save a lot more money. The savings from having your own aircraft were probably about equivalent to the cash you lost for countries dropping out of the X-com program.

[Gamerlord]

Originally Posted by Anarion

Laser cannons were by far the best source of income

Fixed that for you.

[BRC]

Originally Posted by Gamerlord

That is an odd way to spell "Laser Cannons".

Except that, after you'd gotten enough plasma weapons to outfit your squad, you don't need any more, so every plasma torn from the cold, dead hands of the alien invaders unfortunate enough to cross you gets sold as soon as you get back to base.

[Rockphed]

Originally Posted by chiasaur11

Ever played Galactic Civilizations II?

Sounds like what you want.

That feature of Gal Civ II was one of the few in the pro column. The con and neutral columns were rather too full of features for my taste.

As to XCOM, I just blasted through the demo. My heavy got almost all the kills, though if I were to play those missions again, I would probably not be so free with grenades and rockets. Despite only having 3 ram on my computer, the game was mostly chop free. I guess I do need to upgrade the ram before getting XCOM though.

[shadow_archmagi]

Originally Posted by BRC

Except that, after you'd gotten enough plasma weapons to outfit your squad, you don't need any more, so every plasma torn from the cold, dead hands of the alien invaders unfortunate enough to cross you gets sold as soon as you get back to base.

This is very true. Lascannons require a powerful industry that works over time. Selling piles of plasma guns is 100% profit.

I actually never bother giving my squad plasma guns- Lasrifles are nearly as good, and the elimination of ammo frees slots for grenades or stunguns. Admittedly, you could carry ammo AND grenades, but that's entirely too much time on the supply screen for my taste .

[Anarion]

Originally Posted by Gamerlord

Fixed that for you.

Originally Posted by BRC

Except that, after you'd gotten enough plasma weapons to outfit your squad, you don't need any more, so every plasma torn from the cold, dead hands of the alien invaders unfortunate enough to cross you gets sold as soon as you get back to base.

Yep, already been said by a few people. Yes, you can make lasers for pure profit, but when you completed plasma research, you simply found yourself sitting on a bonanza worth millions of dollars whether you intended it or not.

Besides that I never wanted to use up the manufacturing time. You can never have too many Avengers, right?

[Iskandar]

So, I've been playing this for two hours now. Bloody brilliant. Does the X-Com name proud. The changes are, more over than not, positive. Combat is tense and exciting, the base stuff is lovely strategic fun, yeah. Mind, I suck at this thing, yet. The once thing they nailed 100% is X-Com hard. Yeesh.

There are a few niggling little things. Some graphical glitches, especially when you have a choice of elevations. The interface takes a bit getting used to. The camera is clunky, and somewhat unresponsive, it can be a pain to get the thing to point 100% where you want it to. I do wish we could zoom in just a bit more.

Still, I'm having a blast. Now, excuse me, I have some more x-rays to kill.

[Archonic Energy]

kinda wish i was in the US at the moment...
*waits patently*

[Krade]

Only 9 hours til I get to play.

So excited