An update on recent technical problems and more from the admin: https://forums.penny-arcade.com/discussion/250292/on-technical-difficulties-mod-coverage-and-other-things/p1?new=1
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[XCOM] Thread Sabotaged by Exalt - Use the New Thread
Durinia
Evolved from Space PotatoesRegistered User regular
Evolved from Space PotatoesRegistered User regular
This ain't the FPS, this is a straight-up, re-imagining/modernization of the original XCOM from our friends at Firaxis. We're going from this:
to this:
Because of <reasons> I'm not familiar with 20 year old strategy games. What was XCOM, and why is this a big deal?
In 1994, Microprose released the original XCOM: UFO Defense. This game mixed real-time strategy with turn-based strategy. The RTS part, called the Geoscape, took place on a global scale. You started with one base (with the ability to build more) somewhere on the planet. You had to manage your resources, which included buying or manufacturing weapons, ammo, armor, outfitting your air force and troops, and directing research and manufacturing focuses. The money for all of this (including paying everybody's salary) could come from selling your supplies or manufactured goods, but mainly from the funding council of countries. If a country was happy with your performance, you'd receive more money from them the next month. If they were displeased (or infiltrated by the aliens) they would cut off their funding. Actually putting soldiers on the ground for a specific mission (UFO crash, etc.) triggered the turn-based portion of the game, called the battlescape. Missions in the battlescape started with your squad on the landing craft, ready to take on the alien menace. By directing your soldiers, you either killed the enemy or led your soldiers to their (permanent) deaths.
The point being the game was deep, hard, and brutal. High casualties and squad-wipes were not only normal, but expected. It has remain well-played to this day. In fact, you should really go read @Fishman's recently finished LP of the original right now. It's one of the best LPs in the history of forever.
Fishman LP part I: The Bastards have landed
Fishman LP Part II: No, it's not tear gas. It's Catfood.
Fishman LP Part III: It's my job to keep you alive. I will not succeed- not with all of you.
Fishman LP Part IV: I'm in the mood for a little vivisection.
Fishman LP Part V: One does not simply walk into Cydonia
UFO Defense had some sequels which some people have strong opinions about. There were other attempts to clone or revive the series, most of which failed in a spectacular manner. This is the first time that a dedicated, high-budget team has attempted to bring the classic into the modern age.
How is this possible? Jake Solomon, GENTLEMAN ADVENTURER tells us.
PC Requirements:
Minimum Requirements:
OS: Windows Vista
Software: Steam Client
Processor: 2 GHz Dual Core
Memory: 2 GB RAM
Hard Drive: 20 GB free
Video Memory: 256 MB
Video Card: NVIDIA GeForce 8600 GT / ATI Radeon HD 2600 XT or greater
Sound Card: DirectX Compatible
Recommended Requirements:
OS: Windows 7
Processor: 2 GHz Dual Core (Intel Core 2 Duo 2.4 GHz or Athlon X2 2.7 GHz)
Memory: 4 GB RAM
Hard Drive: 20 GB free
Video Memory: 512+ MB
Video Card: NVIDIA GeForce 9000 series / ATI Radeon HD 3000 series or greater
Sound Card: DirectX Compatible
OS: Windows Vista
Software: Steam Client
Processor: 2 GHz Dual Core
Memory: 2 GB RAM
Hard Drive: 20 GB free
Video Memory: 256 MB
Video Card: NVIDIA GeForce 8600 GT / ATI Radeon HD 2600 XT or greater
Sound Card: DirectX Compatible
Recommended Requirements:
OS: Windows 7
Processor: 2 GHz Dual Core (Intel Core 2 Duo 2.4 GHz or Athlon X2 2.7 GHz)
Memory: 4 GB RAM
Hard Drive: 20 GB free
Video Memory: 512+ MB
Video Card: NVIDIA GeForce 9000 series / ATI Radeon HD 3000 series or greater
Sound Card: DirectX Compatible
HEY YOU - want to send fellow Penny Arcadians to their horrific deaths as members of your XCOM squads?
@jdarksun collected a list of forumers to kill recruit, and compiled them into an .ini list for the game to pull from.
Since XCOM tends to spawn interest in having PA forumers volunteer to be in other player's games, I figured I'd try to automate the process as long as we had access to the DefaultNamesList. So if you're interested in having your forum handle show up in other people's games, I put together a form to do just that. The result spreadsheet is here, but I'll write some code to automatically generate a DefaultNamesList from that spreadsheet and share that, too.
There are two files available:
Their Pick uses their selected nationalities.
Proportional Distribution assigns nationalities randomly, but with the restriction that there is an equal distribution across all nations.
Go to:
<Your Drive>:\<Your Path To>\steam\steamapps\common\XCom-Enemy-Unknown\XComGame\Config\
Find the file DefaultNameList.ini, and rename it to something else (like "LameNormalNames.ini")
Then, rename the file you downloaded to DefaultNameList.ini and place it in that directory.
Alternately:
UrQuanLord88 wrote: »Alternatively you can put the DefaultNameList.ini file in your Documents\...\X-Com\config folder. That would allow you to modify your settings without ever removing the default file in the steamapps folder
Also explosives. I love explosives.
Be sure to report on the exploits of fellow forumers! For example, @Lanrutcon died twice in defense of humanity in the first 12 hours.
That's him in the pink.
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Holy chrysalid! There are spoilers ahead! If you want to go into the game unspoiled about enemies or changes to the game, I wouldn't read past this point.
Assume everything from here on is a spoiler.
Seriously. I warned you. No whining.
==================================================================================================================================
Information, Articles, Videos, etc
"Last Stand" Trailer from E3:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UNyhyzjYCksDLC
Players who pre-ordered the game (too late!) also received free access to the first DLC - the Elite Soldier Pack[url], which retails for $5 and includes the following features:
[/url]
* Soldier Deco Packs: Several aesthetic upgrades to upgrades to armor suits, including the Hyperion and Reaper soldier armor kits.
* Complete Color Customization: A variety of colors and tints for all armor sets to customize their squad's look.
The second DLC, theSlingshot Content Pack, was released late in 2012.
In this new set of linked Council missions, gamers will meet an enigmatic Triad operative, divert an alien ship’s course, and do battle with the aliens in the skies over China. The Slingshot Content Pack includes three new maps tied to the Council missions, a new playable squad character with a unique story and voice and new character customization options.
Enemies:
The familiar faces from the original game may look different. There's also some newcomers.
Sectoid -- Sectoids have the ability to form a psionic link with each other, and once the link is formed, they all receive combat boosts. By eliminating the sectoid forming the link, both sectoids will die.
Muton -- Strong and fierce, they have the "Blood Call" ability that motivates surrounding Mutons. Never try to fight one hand-to-hand.
.
Cyberdisc -- They're transformers with at least two forms: a flat, saucer-like form and a spider-like assault form. They're nearly indestructible in the saucer form, forcing you to wait until they can attack.
Thin Man -- Very agile, capable of covering great amounts of land in a single move or jumping several stories in a single leap. They can vomit a deadly acid and explode in acid when killed.
Berserker -- Appears to be a heavily armored Muton squad leader. The Berserker has the Bull Rush ability, allowing it to charge towards its targets.
Floater -- A monstrous cyborg powered by a pair of twin back-mounted jets. It has the ability to teleport.
Chrysalid -- Rips your soldiers or any human it can get to with its claws and incubates an egg into their chest. The unfortunate victim is then turned into a zombie which gives birth to a new Chrysalid.
Chrysalid Zombie (left) -- What happens to your soldier or civilian after a Chrysalid gets to it.
Chrysalid Hatchling -- A baby Chrysalid, fresh from the zombified corpse of your comrade. It's not cute or cuddly.
Outsiders -- These Aliens appear to be deployed/materializing out of glowing orange crystals.
Sectopod -- Armored Mech.
Drone -- Small spherical robots; alone these robots are not much of threat, but they have the ability to repair other machines such as cyberdisks and sectopods.
Things that are different:
* Squad sizes. You start with a squad size of 4, but can upgrade to 6. Robotic tank-type units called SHIVs can be built as well, which take up one soldier slot. They can do a variety of things and allow your soldiers to take cover behind them.
* Bases. There's no base defense, and you can only have one base. However, you can expand your coverage by putting up more satellites to watch the planet, and can build interception bases so your fighters don't have to fly all the way around the world to catch a UFO. Also, the way you interact with your base is new. Called the Ant Farm you see the base as a side-view and can watch your crew between missions while you dictate manufacturing and research.
Where you build your base matters. You get a different bonus based on the continent you build in.
North America: Aircraft and aircraft weapons cost 50% less to build and maintain.
South America: Alien interrogations and autopsies are finished instantly.
Europe: Laboratories and Workshops have cost 50% less to build and maintain.
Asia: Projects in the Foundry and Officer Training school cost 50% less.
Africa: 30% more funding.
*Plot. Most of the game is still procedurally generated missions, but there are some "tent-pole" plot missions that occur at certain points that include cutscenes or set-piece battles. Most of the game is still random in terms of missions, challenges, where/when UFOs appear and what enemies you see. National governments may also give missions or requests (ex: Send us 10 lasers for 5 scientists).
*Combat. Fog of war still exists, but "Time Units" from the original have been streamlined into a "Move-action" system, where action can be shooting, reloading, moving again, or setting up in overwatch to shoot enemies on their turn. Ammo management is kind of gone; the game assumes you've brought as much normal ammo as you need, but you must spend a turn to reload. Special weapons like rocket launchers still have limited ammo. Also, the squad starts each mission already disembarked from the Skyranger. Soldiers take cover where appropriate.
*Soldiers. Still customizable, still nameable. They start as rookies, but after gaining experience they reveal a specialization. Assault, Support, Sniper, Heavy. As they continue to gain experience, they earn perks and abilities. Wounded soldiers will recover but may suffer permanent penalties as a result. Repeated missions will result in tired soldiers, you'll need more than one team.
Fun/Useful Screenshots!
Hero Soldiers
PC KB layout
Chrysallids
Videos!
The hottest (video) ticket in-thread these days is for the Ironman Impossible videos of one BeagleRush. Follow along as he narrates his pain in real time. As a bonus, you will definitely learn something about the tactics needed to win the harder difficulties.
Season One
Season Two
A bit of an introduction into the three special "Council Mission" types:
Escort Mission
Abduction Mission
Bomb Disposal
For business reasons, I must preserve the outward sign of sanity.
--Mark Twain
--Mark Twain
Durinia on
+1
Posts
--Mark Twain
--Mark Twain
And here we have my bitch about the game in general. Its damn good, but feels way more scripted than it should because of things like this (not the joke box, the activating enemies in general)
--Mark Twain
Its only an issue on impossible pre carapce armor where every hit (not just crits) is likely to be a kill. So 3 effectively free shots from the enemy if you activate them on your last move is basically an instant loss. The way the AI should work is if you activate the enemy they are forced to move away from whoever activated them their full move distance. Not the bullshit moves now where crystalids and berserkers move towards you, and cyberdisks lazily float to center of your squad, and other enemies use their "free" move to flank you.
I made it to month 5 I think when the 25 hp berserkers showed up and tore me a new one. The first month is entirely luck based with the map choices deciding whether or not your game is viable, maybe 1 in 10 of my attempts have made it to the 2nd month. If you lose your "leader" before getting the 6th man might as well start over because you need a full squad by the time mutons show up. Really impossible is such that if you lose a mission you might as well restart, you probably won't recover.
From what I can tell the only strategic choice is when you start your captures. I don't see how you can get started unless you take the first engineer reward and immediately build a workshop. That will give you enough engineers for laser rifles and also your 2nd satellite uplink (and save $23 on your first sat). After that panic is bad enough that you can't afford to choose abduction missions by reward, only by minimizing panic. I always skip the first council mission, too much risk particularly since ignoring escorts doesn't increase panic (ignoring bomb does but still worth it).
The strat I'm trying is maximizing satellites, building 1 in month 1 and 3 each additional month until the earth is covered (including a spare for a lucky council request). That requires 3 adjacent sat uplinks so the base needs to be planned with that in mind.
My research priorities goes like this: fragment, beam, material, carapace, heavy laser, precision laser, biology, muton autopsy, arc thrower, experimental warfare. That will take me through month 4 and I'll have laser rifles to meet floaters and thin men, carapace to meet mutons (so grenades aren't 1 shots), and heavy laser + laser sniper to meet cyberdisks. Then the plan that I've never implemented is to make my first capture a muton for the plasma credit.
Hey guys,
near end game question:
Someone I know on another set of forums completed it, bitching all the while about the ultra-super-mega conservative tactics needed to do it.
- The Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse (2017, colorized)
No, its not worth it.
It was a while ago (2 threads?), but I believe @Aegeri finished impossible. Not sure if it was ironman or not.
--Mark Twain
Really?
I still haven't dived in but:
And once you see what the bonus power for the last mission does, you'll probably understand why it's not generally available.
--Mark Twain
Another thing that would be cool would be individual "achievements" for soldiers that give them minor boosts. Like kill 10 flanked enemies that have cover to other soldiers and you get a 1 square move bonus, or make 10 <50% shots and you get a 5% accuracy bonus. They should be one shots so they can only be earned once per game which would really help distinguish individual troops.
"Just One Day Left" - Survive 3 missions where a soldier earned a promotion and then died.
Related to your gaining exp for kills involving multiple soldiers, yeah that would be rad
"Team Player" - Assist in 10 kills - Shots against an undamaged enemy are more likely to hit if your damage won't kill them.
I think it would be cool if they get posthumously promoted.
"He had one day left until retirement..." - Lose a fully promoted soldier on a mission, and then complete the game on the next day.
I must have missed that upgrade path! That's my bad! Next playthrough I'll try to get it earlier!
Alternatively, lose a fully promoted soldier on the final mission.
I really with I could have a single save in my ironman game so I could start at the beginning of month 2 when things start to get interesting, month one is a slog and totally luck based.
The one point that amuses me is:
It's like these modmakers see an option for something and just cannot fucking resist hitting that button, without any thought given to, "hey, maybe if there's clearly a working option, and the developers chose that it be off, they may have had a damn good reason for it."
Oh well, I guess mods are fun because they can forego any sort of playtesting or balance and just do whatever, right?
I'm sure it's true of any and all, but I had the exact same reaction.
Did you watch the cut scenes? Vahlen makes it pretty plain her interview technique isn't going to be terribly "talky", more "stick metal into their brains...y". Corpsification is pretty inevitable.
Is there a wiki or listing or something where I can see what the specific drop locations are for them? Because Thin Man Drops are a freaking pain.
I like it how basically every interrogation text is basically "Welllll he wasn't being very forthcoming so maybe we watched him walk around a bit, took his guns and then CUT HIM INTO TINY PIECES"
man is the real monster
except thin men, apparently those guys are such dicks they will even betray his psychic overlords.
https://medium.com/@alascii