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X-COM

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Re: X-COM

#191

Post by Andrew_nenakhov »

jraedisch wrote: post #48
burlesona wrote: post #33

Great article, and a very fair review of a wonderful game with very sharp edges. I will say, the best part of the Firaxis reboot of X-Com is that it perfectly captured the fun that I _remembered_ from the original game. It captured this so well that I remember thinking it was literally the same game with new graphics. Then I went back and replayed the original... and remembered how hard and clunky it actually was :)…

I did not play the original Master of Orion, but absolutely loved the second part. I started focussing on science (namely Psilons) and only later developed a taste for trying out other strategies/races. I often played multiplayer with friends too, and really liked the laid back atmosphere enabled by turn based strategy.

I once played a multiplayer game in MOO2 with a couple of friends. I went for industry, my one friend went for science, and another wiped the floor with us with his low-tech rock eating silicoids who mated at an insane speeds and colonized every shitty planet and had a huge output everywhere.

Re: X-COM

#192

Post by Andrew_nenakhov »

PhaedrusV wrote: post #146
Andrew_nenakhov wrote: post #134

I love the original X-com and take it for a spin every few years. By far the greatest thing original X-com had was the sense of mystery and dread of the unknown on your first playthrough. You didn't know what lies ahead, you didn't know what technologies to research, and how to do what. New aliens were catching you by surprise all the time, and Chrysalids, god, they were so so scary. When I got to flying armor my guy…

Agree on all points. There's a total conversion mod for the original X-COM: UFO Defense that is amazing, and being actively worked on. New updates every month or so. Hundreds more hours in the campaign. Set a few hundred years after X-COM loses, and earth is a radiated wasteland when some intrepid mutant gals start to fight back against the "Star Lords". It's called xPiratez. Rated a soft "R" for gratuitous pixellate…

TIL about the existence of OpenXCom, so I guess I know where my next weekend will go...

Re: X-COM

#193

Post by ncallaway »

the_af wrote: post #159
eru wrote: post #55

Earlier quoted context omitted.

If you want to play the classic X-COM today, make sure to grab the latest community patches. I really liked the old X-COM games and had anticipated that I would not like the reboot very much. However, while I wouldn't want to miss the originals for the reboot, the reboots are done very solidly and in most instances I even find myself agreeing with the streamlining the new authors chose. If you want a tactical squad-l…

> However, while I wouldn't want to miss the originals for the reboot, the reboots are done very solidly Much like you, I'm a diehard X-COM fan and anticipated the XCOM reboot wouldn't please me, and again like you I was pleasantly surprised. I think the biggest improvement is the streamlining of TUs from the original (which was always a bit messy) into the actions of the reboot. > In contrast, I always felt the seri…

> I can play XCOM while eating a sandwich or drinking coffee, while I can't play an RTS that way.

To be clear, Frozen Synapse is also a turn-based strategy game. You can enjoy your sandwich or coffee while playing. The difference it's you and your opponent plan your turn simultaneously. But you are still fundamentally planning a turn.

The aspect I enjoy about the mechanic is it leaves a lot more uncertainty in the air when planning in the turn. I still have to take into account the uncertainty about the opponent's actions while planning my turn.

Re: X-COM

#194

Post by gabereiser »

12 year old me saw the box art at babbages and begged my mother to buy me the game. I didn't have a machine it could run on well. All I had at the time was a 486DX 66mhz IBM PC and I didn't care, lag and all, it was one of the most complex and satisfying gaming experiences. It's up there for me with Doom 1 (Ultimate Doom by the time I could afford to buy it). Quake. Ultima Online. Descent. SW: Tie Fighter. X-COM.

Re: X-COM

#195

Post by Natsu »

Andrew_nenakhov wrote: post #134

I love the original X-com and take it for a spin every few years. By far the greatest thing original X-com had was the sense of mystery and dread of the unknown on your first playthrough. You didn't know what lies ahead, you didn't know what technologies to research, and how to do what. New aliens were catching you by surprise all the time, and Chrysalids, god, they were so so scary. When I got to flying armor my guy…

> I actually managed to beat X-Com 2 in Ironman mode on Commander difficulty without losing any soldier, and THAT was a major feat, I tell you.

Dodging save corruption is itself impressive :)

Re: X-COM

#196

Post by Rickasaurus »

simonw wrote: post #18

One of my favourite things about XCOM was the destructible scenery. The isometric building design (on the procedurally generated maps) was superb, and you could blast holes in it to make your own routes through the map. Likewise the design of the larger UFOs themselves was so exciting - not to mention the variety of scenery a UFO might land in. It was so far ahead of its time in that regard.

This was the most disappointing things about the new xcom games. They got great reviews but to me the world seemed so much like a theme park without it.

Re: X-COM

#197

Post by andorov »

Andrew_nenakhov wrote: post #184
IggleSniggle wrote: post #174

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Yes, this is it! The special sauce of the original is that there is so much mystery; "Enemy Unknown" is the whole idea. While I love the Firaxis reboot, and think it has better gameplay , I'm not sure it's strictly a better game. It all feels so clean and organized, and it's always clear what needs to be done. There's no sense of bureaucratic panic, wasted time on pointless tech-trees, or over-investment in a singula…

Hey, don't offend Laser Rifles! First, they are a valuable source of income (second only to Light Alloys + Personal Armors production, but that requires 2 components and is also messy), and do not require any ammunition, firing endlessly. My every soldier carried an obligatory Laser Rifle in his backpack, taking it out and firing it every chance he had, achieving 3 objectives at once: - the more stuff you carry, the…

Heh also firing a stun grenade into your ship at the end of a mission. Promotions for everyone!

Re: X-COM

#198

Post by Natsu »

sandworm101 wrote: post #175
Andrew_nenakhov wrote: post #134

I love the original X-com and take it for a spin every few years. By far the greatest thing original X-com had was the sense of mystery and dread of the unknown on your first playthrough. You didn't know what lies ahead, you didn't know what technologies to research, and how to do what. New aliens were catching you by surprise all the time, and Chrysalids, god, they were so so scary. When I got to flying armor my guy…

Try "Xenonauts", a recent remake of X-com using the original mechanics. It isn't a direct port, they have added a couple mechanics in areas like air combat, but it is 95% x-com with better graphics. My want: Xenonauts + TFTD. TFTD was the pinnacle of the x-com franchise imho. That opening sequence, and all the sound, was amazing. I still hear TFTD sounds being reused in modern scifi.

There's a Xenonauts 2 that's in the works, though it has no fixed release date yet. I have it on my Steam wishlist.

Re: X-COM

#199

Post by publicola1990 »

hooande wrote: post #15

I loved, loved X-COM. It had an ability to capture imagination in a way that few turn based strategy games do. The randomly generated soldier names still loom large as heroes in my mind. I was affected when they were killed in action. "Bernard Dujardin", wherever you are, I salute you

With the recent Firaxis XCom, a common recommendation going around was to rename your soldiers with your closest friends names, for an additional layer of attachment with them.

Re: X-COM

#200

Post by publicola1990 »

kqr wrote: post #9

If you liked X-COM, I can recommend Frozen Synapse, which is similar in many ways and very different in others. The biggest difference is probably that after all players have planned their turns, they are executed simultaneously.

Perhaps Darkest Dungeon is also closer to XCom, and even though entirely in 2d it manages to achieve the spatiality of combat in XCom.
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