New X-COM Announced

[Bomb Bloke]

Hey, X-Com and the first Deus Ex both came out on consoles unhindered.

On the other hand, the second Deus Ex is a classic example of what people are worried about here.

[Thorondor]

Vic Davis (of Armageddon Empires and Solium Infernum fame): XCOM FPS?

 

::

 

[chiasaur11]

On the other hand, the second Deus Ex is a classic example of what people are worried about here.

 

 

Fair enough.

 

On the other hand, one of the biggest issues had nothing to do with the porting. Rendering engine problems or somesuch forced smaller environments and repeated load times.

 

And the guy who did that part of the engine leaving didn't help matters at all.

[Azrael Strife]

Fair enough.

 

On the other hand, one of the biggest issues had nothing to do with the porting. Rendering engine problems or somesuch forced smaller environments and repeated load times.

 

And the guy who did that part of the engine leaving didn't help matters at all.

Hmmm, IIRC, the infamous Invisible War isn't a sucky games because of rendering or graphical issues of any sort, I actually think the game looked pretty nice. The game simply sucked on its own, no technical issues.

[chiasaur11]

Hmmm, IIRC, the infamous Invisible War isn't a sucky games because of rendering or graphical issues of any sort, I actually think the game looked pretty nice. The game simply sucked on its own, no technical issues.

 

Oh, no question.

 

But the engine thing didn't mean uglier maps. It meant smaller maps. As in tiny ones.

 

Not the only problem, sure...

[Bomb Bloke]

Vic Davis (of Armageddon Empires and Solium Infernum fame): XCOM FPS?

Concise and to the point.

[Bloodmoney]

Vic Davis (of Armageddon Empires and Solium Infernum fame): XCOM FPS?

 

::

 

This guy knows what he is talking about

[Space Voyager]

I do NOT agree.

[Slaughter]

I do NOT agree.

Question is, will you in a year's time...? (make that more given the usual delays and such)

[Space Voyager]

Absolutely. If they make a crappy game I'll be sorry they did anything at all.

 

But I'd be sorry if they made a crappy TB strategy named X-COM, too. https://i22.photobucket.com/albums/b348/SpaceVoyager/Smiley/shrug.gif

[Ki-tat Chung]

But I'd be sorry if they made a crappy TB strategy named X-COM, too. https://i22.photobucket.com/albums/b348/SpaceVoyager/Smiley/shrug.gif

 

Very true.

[Matri]

Hmmm, IIRC, the infamous Invisible War isn't a sucky games because of rendering or graphical issues of any sort, I actually think the game looked pretty nice. The game simply sucked on its own, no technical issues.

 

Actually, there were technical issues. Mostly a couple of broken quests that also ported to the PC in broken form, and the absolute inability to change the game's settings beyond the console defaults. You were literally playing a console emulated game, and a poorly emulated one at that. Keybindings that refused to take hold and a screen resolution hardcoded to 640x480. And let's not forget the useless "Bloom" option that was in the Options screen. Turning it on or off had about as much effect as using a paper blanket to smother a fire. It didn't affect picture quality or performance one bit. I don't think they even coded it in at all.

 

As for the gameplay? Thrown out in order to make it more appealing to the average Halo gamer. You know the average console FPS-er relies way too much on auto-aim, right? I watched my cousin try his luck on a PC FPS. The poor kid literally couldn't hit a target at point-blank with a shotgun.

 

It was painful to watch.

[NKF]

No comment about the auto-aim - there is too much of it. Worse when projectiles auto-correct themselves in the air. Rather annoying when you are evading a long-ranged projectile that would've been easily avoid with a casual sidestep - in the end it turns into a game of waiting to leap aside at the last minute. Gets rather frantic when there's lots of them from various angles. It's a shame though as the dual analogue controls on consoles like the PS2/3 and XBoxes are actually a pretty good substitute for mouse based control for any sort of first or third person game.

 

As for Invisible War's bloom - I thought it did have an effect? I actually had it switched off as it slowed the machine down too much to add the halos of light around lit objects. Most noticeable when it's dark with lit areas.

 

- NKF

[ShadowBlade]

It's a shame though as the dual analogue controls on consoles like the PS2/3 and XBoxes are actually a pretty good substitute for mouse based control for any sort of first or third person game.

Sorry, but no.

 

Mouse control feels natural or at least has a much smoother learning curve. Those two sticks feel like handling a cumbersome artillery gun as opposed to a soldier's rifle.

 

Plus, on principle, I have to reject that since it's something that leads to the further consolisation of the PC, which is far too infected already thanks to all the console-oriented multi-platform games that have been coming out in recent years. There's already some of them that are allegedly better played with controllers (on the PC!) than a mouse, and I find that utterly appalling.

[NKF]

We'll have to agree to disagree then. Both methods are difficult to learn for those not accustomed to them. I was very resistant to mouse control at first - didn't think it could match ye good olde keyboard. Lately I've become rather accustomed to both the mouse and dual analogue sticks for camera control. The main difference I've found is that it is certainly easier to do bursts of lightning movements with the mouse, while it's easier to do sustained movement at particular speed levels with the analogue sticks. Of course, it doesn't help with games that have a lot of camera auto-centering that you end up fighting the camera half the time.

 

- NKF

[Matri]

I'd like to direct your attention to the PC edition of Iron Man The Game. Ranks right up there next to Invisible War in my books.

 

*grumbles* Classic bait-and-switch.

[Gimli]

OXM info

[Matri]

OXM info

Mmm, as FullAuto said earlier, this isn't X-Com. It's got the name and a few items named from it, but otherwise it sounds like a linear campaign-based shooter.

 

Proof?

2K promises that each mission will offer a range of choices of where to go...

 

In other words, it sounds like Enforcer with a few alternate mission paths.

[Azrael Strife]

*hands Matri medal for the exaggeration of the month*

 

I think this sounds fantastic, I'm very eager to play it. At least I hope they kept most of the Aliens, I know they can't have ditched the Chryssalid, it was the scariest and creepiest.

 

Why is everyone complaining about a game that hasn't even been released and we know almost nothing about baffles me, people complain far too much for my taste.

 

From the little we know, this sounds nothing like Enforcer, and that was a game I hated. It actually sounds very fun. Yeah yeah, it's not a strategical X-Com like we wanted, but something is something, instead of complaining we can give it a chance, this can help jumpstart the x-com franchise and eventually see an updated strategic title.

Saying this is nothing like X-Com because it's not 100% equals is the same as saying TFTD is not X-Com, or Apoc is not X-Com. And Alliance was most certainly not going to be X-Com, despite I seem to recall everyone was very excited about it (different times, eh? people got excited over a tactical FPS X-Com, and now we seem to be finally getting something similar, and all people do is whine).

 

Nothing is going to be X-Com unless they remake it, and even if they did, it was bound to have a gazillion new features and additions from the games we know, and people would also whine "it's not X-Com, buaaaaa".

 

I think the premise reeks of X-Com, and this sounds like a very exciting game we should all look forward to, at least I will

 

2K promises that each mission will offer a range of choices of where to go...

 

In other words, it sounds like Enforcer with a few alternate mission paths.

Yeah, all those games with alternate mission paths *cough cough deus cough ex cough* are all really similar Enforcer

[Matri]

*pins the medal on the outside of the pocket before diving back in*

 

If they can make it work without needing to ret-con the timeline, then I'll love it.

 

But until it comes out, I'll be assuming another C&C4.

 

And we do know a bit about the game. Didn't you read the link? Blobatovs!!

 

Just, blobatovs.

[Guest Guest_Bloodmoney_*]

Saying this is nothing like X-Com because it's not 100% equals is the same as saying TFTD is not X-Com, or Apoc is not X-Com.

Because?

 

And Alliance was most certainly not going to be X-Com, despite I seem to recall everyone was very excited about it (different times, eh? people got excited over a tactical FPS X-Com, and now we seem to be finally getting something similar, and all people do is whine).

Alliance and previous game (even Apocalypse) were bashed and still are by many people. And some whine because after all those long years they would like to play a Turn-Based Tactical game (I know, it can be hard to imagine) instead of FPS done by people responsible for dumbed down Bioshock games.

 

 

Nothing is going to be X-Com unless they remake it, and even if they did, it was bound to have a gazillion new features and additions from the games we know, and people would also whine "it's not X-Com, buaaaaa".

Of course you are right, as we could see people only whine about UFO: Two Sides remake all the time.

 

Yeah, all those games with alternate mission paths *cough cough deus cough ex cough* are all really similar Enforcer

Time shows if the gameplay will be really tactical and if those alternate paths will be really something else then using different corridor/entrance to get to the same objective. This would be in fact a great progress from Bioshock, which had basically corridor levels.

[Exarch]

*hands Matri medal for the exaggeration of the month*

 

I think this sounds fantastic, I'm very eager to play it. At least I hope they kept most of the Aliens, I know they can't have ditched the Chryssalid, it was the scariest and creepiest.

 

Why is everyone complaining about a game that hasn't even been released and we know almost nothing about baffles me, people complain far too much for my taste.

 

From the little we know, this sounds nothing like Enforcer, and that was a game I hated. It actually sounds very fun. Yeah yeah, it's not a strategical X-Com like we wanted, but something is something, instead of complaining we can give it a chance, this can help jumpstart the x-com franchise and eventually see an updated strategic title.

Saying this is nothing like X-Com because it's not 100% equals is the same as saying TFTD is not X-Com, or Apoc is not X-Com. And Alliance was most certainly not going to be X-Com, despite I seem to recall everyone was very excited about it (different times, eh? people got excited over a tactical FPS X-Com, and now we seem to be finally getting something similar, and all people do is whine).

 

Nothing is going to be X-Com unless they remake it, and even if they did, it was bound to have a gazillion new features and additions from the games we know, and people would also whine "it's not X-Com, buaaaaa".

 

I think the premise reeks of X-Com, and this sounds like a very exciting game we should all look forward to, at least I will

 

 

Yeah, all those games with alternate mission paths *cough cough deus cough ex cough* are all really similar Enforcer

 

I have to admit... even after all the other new information, I'm still waiting for what this has to do with X-COM. The only name we have that's familiar is Elerium and... it's a Mayan sculpture that you can find sitting out in the open away from UFO reactors? Elerium was based on Bob Lazar's description of Element 115 (which I'm sure most or all of you already know). Whether they're rebooting the franchise or not, Elerium is Elerium. It's entire purpose is to be cut into slabs and power a UFO reactor. They're not even showing they've done any research into UFOlogy, let alone X-COM. I just get this feeling there's going to be an achievement that's like "Find all 32 Elerium sculptures!" and that's more or less all Elerium is for. Maybe as a sort of currency or resource, too, but it doesn't eliminate the fear that all it is is a sort of hidden item in levels similar to Fallout 3's bobbleheads that only exists for the purpose of treasure hunting and -maybe- an effect on gameplay.

 

And I have to echo people's concerns on the mission branching. All it sounds like is you get a specific set of missions you get to choose from, but they're all predefined. Meaning this is probably going to be just a once-play-through type game, maybe you can squeeze two or three playthroughs out, but it's going to get boring quick the second or third time. Again, I don't even care about it being an FPS, but one of the things I absolutely loved about X-COM (and actually a lot of Microprose games in general... they really knew how to do replayability) was the sheer unpredictability of the game.

 

Black ooze as an alien? Ok, I guess I could see something like that in X-COM. Yet even the silacoids and celatids seemed more interesting than just... slime. And Calcinites had the diving suits. I really, really hope we see some floaters or chrysallids. Heck, even a Sectoid would be nice, but even then that's pretty generic. If we see classic aliens in the game, I'll admit, I'll start feeling more comfortable with this. As it stands now, I'm seeing absolutely nothing that couldn't have been done without the X-COM name.

 

Also, some of the gadgets and weapons sound exactly as I'd expected and feared: cheesy 50s scifi similar to Fallout 3. Waiting on Flash Gordon style rayguns next.

 

X-COM didn't need to be rebooted. It was perfectly fine the way it was, and a game that was suited to modern audiences could have easily been made given what was already established. I don't understand why they're doing this at all.

[Azrael Strife]

Because?

Because... Aliens were completely different? (bar aquatoid in TFTD), two stage insufferable missions? pausable real time? dimensional travel? Nah, it's all just too similar to X-Com

 

Alliance and previous game (even Apocalypse) were bashed and still are by many people. And some whine because after all those long years they would like to play a Turn-Based Tactical game (I know, it can be hard to imagine) instead of FPS done by people responsible for dumbed down Bioshock games.

How can they dumb down a game that they made themselves and didn't exist before...

And people still whine too much, it's just a game, get over it, most of the people who whine don't even have the time to play most of the games they whine about because... some have lives?

 

Of course you are right, as we could see people only whine about UFO: Two Sides remake all the time.

Not sure what you mean.

 

Time shows if the gameplay will be really tactical and if those alternate paths will be really something else then using different corridor/entrance to get to the same objective. This would be in fact a great progress from Bioshock, which had basically corridor levels.

That's my point, we know very little of the game, instead of whining we could just simply wait and see

 

And I didn't really like Bioshock.

[Matri]

Well, here's what we do know about the game.

 

It's a X-Com game, only instead of controlling an entire organization you control one guy, and instead of using alien technology you use "black goo", and instead of flying to missions in some sort of all-terrain flying craft you use a car, and instead of the eXtraterrestrial COMbat unit it's the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and instead of being the turn-based strategy game that coined the phrase "X-Com-like" it's an FPS.

 

Yeah.

 

By the same logic, imagine if Electronic Arts acquired the license to Final Fantasy and made the next game in the series. And it's an FPS about the US Military who finds a portal to a world with elves & orcs & even a cave troll somewhere and have established a base and have assigned you to go and find some magical power source before the Russians do, and you do that by going out on missions.

 

Feel the love yet? The cheque better be in the mail, EA.

 

EDIT: Actually, you know what? I'd actually play that game. I'd show the Fellowship the proper way to take down a cave troll: With stickybombs and a CHAINGUN!! Oh yeah!

[Exarch]

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Street_Fighter_2010

 

This may be an extreme example, but in a way, it's kind of relevant to what happens when you use a popular franchise and then change everything about it.