As was foretold, we've added advertisements to the forums! If you have questions, or if you encounter any bugs, please visit this thread: https://forums.penny-arcade.com/discussion/240191/forum-advertisement-faq-and-reports-thread/
Options
[XCOM] Thread Executed by regenerating Outsider
Durinia
Evolved from Space PotatoesRegistered User regular
Evolved from Space PotatoesRegistered User regular
New and Improved!
WTF is XCOM: Enemy Unknown Within?
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
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 all made possible? Jake Solomon, GENTLEMAN ADVENTURER tells us.
Things that are different from the original XCOM: UFO Defense:
* 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 OH SNAP!, and you can only have one base. Where you build your base matters. You get a different bonus based on the continent you build in. 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.
*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. Be sure you get very attached to your soldiers. Your love will help them go on!
DLC
Players who pre-ordered the game (too late!) also received free access to the first DLC - the Elite Soldier Pack, which retails for $5 and includes the following features:
* 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. OMG SO PRETTY (seriously, worth $5)
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.
Second Wave was a free DLC/game update released in early 2013. Besides some bug fixes, it introduced 16 optional game mechanics that can be toggled off and on for each playthrough of the game, adding a large amount of replayability.
XCOM: Enemy Within Expansion
XCOM: Enemy Within is the upcoming expansion pack for XCOM: Enemy Unknown. The US Release date is 11-12-13 (I KNOW, WITTY AMIRITE?).
Similar to other expansions for Firaxis games (see: Civ V), XCOM: EW is not a "new campaign", but a set of significant changes/enhancements to the original game. The expansion introduces new mechanics both at the tactical layer (MEC and Gene Mod troops, new meld resource in missions, new mission types) and the strategic layer (introduction of new concurrent enemy faction, new resource to manage, new tactics for reducing panic).
A longer feature list:
New Soldier Abilities: Construct the Genetics Lab to physically enhance your operatives’ abilities including augmentations to the chest, brain, eyes, skin, and legs or build the Cybernetics Lab to enable the construction of the new Mechanized Exoskeletal Cybersuit, or MEC. The new MEC Trooper class has specialized abilities and each suit can be upgraded with new weapons including the flamethrower and grenade launcher.
New Weapons and Equipment: Give your operatives an extra tactical edge with new projects from your engineering team and the Foundry.
New Enemy Threats: Adopt new tactics to counter the threats from two new alien types and a deadly new organization known as EXALT.
New Strategic Resource: A valuable new alien resource, known as Meld, has been discovered. Secure it on the battlefield and use it carefully back at base to unlock new research and upgrades.
New Tactical Challenges and Maps: Cloak-and-dagger and intelligence operations provide new tactical challenges on over 40 new battlefields.
New Multiplayer maps, units, and abilities: Create your custom squad from a wider array of options and dominate your opponent in intense, one-on-one, turn-based matches.
New Weapons and Equipment: Give your operatives an extra tactical edge with new projects from your engineering team and the Foundry.
New Enemy Threats: Adopt new tactics to counter the threats from two new alien types and a deadly new organization known as EXALT.
New Strategic Resource: A valuable new alien resource, known as Meld, has been discovered. Secure it on the battlefield and use it carefully back at base to unlock new research and upgrades.
New Tactical Challenges and Maps: Cloak-and-dagger and intelligence operations provide new tactical challenges on over 40 new battlefields.
New Multiplayer maps, units, and abilities: Create your custom squad from a wider array of options and dominate your opponent in intense, one-on-one, turn-based matches.
Trailers and Other General Moving Visual Stimuli:
"Last Stand" EU Trailer from E3:
"War Machines" EW Trailer:
"Security Breach" EW Trailer:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UNyhyzjYCks"War Machines" EW Trailer:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ts5MydBauhg"Security Breach" EW Trailer:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fd9CmpLZVMI
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.
ENEMY WITHIN UPDATE:
There are two files available:
(Note: these only include names submitted up to roughly the end of October. If you want to use the whole list, you should be able to generate your own off of the spreadsheet above)
Their Pick uses their selected nationalities.
Proportional Distribution assigns nationalities randomly, but with the restriction that there is an equal distribution across all nations.
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
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.
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.
ENEMY WITHIN UPDATE:
Ahh, they added Polish names. These are like Russian names, so I'll need to change the code a bit and regenerate. In the meantime, you can drop this file into C:\Users\<YOUR USER>\Documents\My Games\XCOM - Enemy Within\XComGame\Config
(if using Windows 7)
to use custom names.
There are two files available:
(Note: these only include names submitted up to roughly the end of October. If you want to use the whole list, you should be able to generate your own off of the spreadsheet above)
Their Pick uses their selected nationalities.
Proportional Distribution assigns nationalities randomly, but with the restriction that there is an equal distribution across all nations.
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
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.
Fun/Useful pictures!
Hero Soldiers
Name your soldier after a developer, and they magically get awesome.
(and achievements are disabled...)
PC KB layout
NOTE: GET A CONTROLLER, SERIOUSLY
How Cover Works: A Tutorial
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
+2
Posts
(I'll add a few more EW things to the OP tomorrow, but the other thread has hit critical mass so throwing this up)
--Mark Twain
Currently playing: GW2 and TSW
Heh - I guess you get pinged every time this is posted, eh?
--Mark Twain
Indeed :P
Currently playing: GW2 and TSW
Penny Arcade Rockstar Social Club / This is why I despise cyclists
Battlenet: Judgement#1243
psn: KupoZero
Penny Arcade Rockstar Social Club / This is why I despise cyclists
If you have an unequipped MEC Suit, and you have two MEC Troopers capable of wearing it, can that MEC Suit be freely swapped between both Soldiers, or is a Suit limited to just the MEC Trooper it's assigned to?
Slap an Assault Rifle on one?
It's especially hilarious if you manage to get an Assault with 100+ Aim using the Second Wave Options.
I'll admit Enforcer and Interceptor might be best forgotten, but I'll always have a soft spot for the Apocalypse.
Why I fear the ocean.
Origin: Kaguto
Penny Arcade Rockstar Social Club / This is why I despise cyclists
Isnt Beagle Married to CHKilroy, or did they get a counterstrike divorce?
i'm the enemy within
It's actually a really feasible build this way if you take the offensive tree skills. Stuff like the additional crit chance really gets fun when paired with 100+ aim. That option also produces great Snap Shot Snipers I think.
Steam: CavilatRest
Of course, I'm trying a Laboratory rush instead of an Uplink rush, so I may be doomed anyway, but we'll see.
Penny Arcade Rockstar Social Club / This is why I despise cyclists
Many thanks, sir. I had put my name on the form a while back but had no idea how to update from the spreadsheet myself.
Steam profile - Twitch - YouTube
Switch: SM-6352-8553-6516
dawwww I'm not on it!
I haven't played in so long I don't remember crap about satellite strategy. I was thinking of starting in Asia for the continent bonus and then... I dunno. Start on North America? Europe? With the engineering requirements of MEC and Genome Troopers you might want those EU buggers working quicksmart.
NA can be useful for certain rigid first month builds because you have slightly more cash in your hand immediately, Europe is good as long as you build a workshop in the first month and intend to aggressively expand sat uplinks in month 2-3, pretty much spamming workshops at the very least one a month. Asia and Europe gives you more countries to sacrifice.
Don't underestimate africa, it can set up for a brutal second month, and if you don't want to go NA or build a workshop/laboratory in the first month africa fits nicely. I can't remember if I did the ironman 4 satellites up by first month with NA or Africa, I'm keeping myself from playing xcom until enemy within!
Penny Arcade Rockstar Social Club / This is why I despise cyclists
I, too, am not playing again until XCOM: Extended Waiting comes out.
I'm not enlisting because there's a risk I won't get to punch anything. Not OK.
Squad upgrades are 50+75 right? So you'd save 63 bucks. The africa bonus will beat that handily at the end of the first month, so for the asia bonus to be effective early you'd either need to rush the OTS upgrade month 1, have to be aiming at some of the more advanced upgrades by month 2 or be aiming at both an early OTS and an early foundry. I have never prioritized like this on impossible so I will pretty much always pick europe or africa.
Asia might get a baller start in enemy within though by rushing the extra equipment slot with an early foundry combined with vests. You'd get really tanky for sectoids and you'd actually survive a shot from those early thin men. You could have a really strong tactical team with 2 accessories, vests and 6 members early and you didn't even have to do the long ass armor or beam research.
Usually I get squad upgrades in month 2, so the africa bonus will pretty much be automatically better for me.
EDIT: Also the obvious point of Asia having 4 countries.
Thanks for the update! Hopefully we can get some good AARs in here during the EW launch orgy.
--Mark Twain
edit: guess I was already on there from last time. nice.
I won't be able to play for a while, but everyone feel free to add me into your squads and @ me in your AARs
also, why does gender only matter for Russians in that form? wut?
You, my friend, want the Long War mod. Squad starts at 6 and can be upgraded to 8. Not quite the 24-man swarms of Ye Olde UFO Defense, but much more tactically diverse than vanilla 4-man squads.
Seriously though slowing the game down or mudding down the forced meaningful decisions would go anathema to the design of the game. You're after total war or one of the fantasy turn based strategy games with big armies.
yus!
Penny Arcade Rockstar Social Club / This is why I despise cyclists