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I love X-com but suck balls at it

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Posts

  • Tim JamesTim James Registered User regular
    edited November 2007
    Hehe ... this thread is like a tour of my PC gaming shelf... I threw out almost everything PC game related a few months back (I was just hoarding years and years of games I never played).

    The only games I kept where X-Com collection, Arcanum (as i'd never played it), Grim Fandango, Ultima 7 collection and Undying. :) ....Spooky....
    Ah, you made me buy Undying.

    I just got scared in the dweller level of Chronicles of Riddick last night. I suddenly love creepy PC games.
    KingMoo wrote: »
    This thread is great reading. I don't intend to play these games again because when I tried that last time the graphics made me turn the game off in about 2.2 seconds.
    Funny you say that. I seemed to ignore the Xcom graphics, yet the 800x600 graphics in Diablo are absolutely hideous to me. I guess it depends.

    Tim James on
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  • RiemannLivesRiemannLives Registered User regular
    edited November 2007
    Are there legitimate ways of playing this? Can I order it online from somewhere, or is it abandonware now, or what?

    I've been playing via gametap.


    edit: And it's the "Special edition" version that works fine under xp.

    RiemannLives on
    Attacked by tweeeeeeees!
  • Hotlead JunkieHotlead Junkie Registered User regular
    edited November 2007
    Tim James wrote: »
    Hehe ... this thread is like a tour of my PC gaming shelf... I threw out almost everything PC game related a few months back (I was just hoarding years and years of games I never played).

    The only games I kept where X-Com collection, Arcanum (as i'd never played it), Grim Fandango, Ultima 7 collection and Undying. :) ....Spooky....
    Ah, you made me buy Undying.

    I just got scared in the dweller level of Chronicles of Riddick last night. I suddenly love creepy PC games.
    KingMoo wrote: »
    This thread is great reading. I don't intend to play these games again because when I tried that last time the graphics made me turn the game off in about 2.2 seconds.
    Funny you say that. I seemed to ignore the Xcom graphics, yet the 800x600 graphics in Diablo are absolutely hideous to me. I guess it depends.

    X-com has damn good designs and has a pretty cool B-movie charm about it with great music, the graphics are old but are done very well for what they had to deal with using in those days.

    Hotlead Junkie on
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  • MechMantisMechMantis Registered User regular
    edited November 2007
    X-Com has aged relatively well, compared to other games from around then.


    I need to find my copy...

    MechMantis on
  • Hotlead JunkieHotlead Junkie Registered User regular
    edited November 2007
    So anyone played the PSX version and have any advice to give to me regarding my control problem posted on the last page? Sorry to bug you with this but it's a great game but that control niggle is sapping my enjoyment of it

    Hotlead Junkie on
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  • lowlylowlycooklowlylowlycook Registered User regular
    edited November 2007
    So I'm trying to run the old dos version under dosbox. I got it setup including the use of sound but whenever I try to go to the Tactical Screen Xcom coughs up a hairball. This latest time I went strait to the results of the mission, well after a long delay but I never got to the tactical screen, and now all my base slots are filled with nothing but elevators.

    Anyway anyone else trying to go this route?

    lowlylowlycook on
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    (Please do not gift. My game bank is already full.)
  • Last SonLast Son Registered User regular
    edited November 2007
    How does one begin researching armor in TftD? None of the research options I have seem to lead into the armor tree.

    I'm 3-4 months into the game and facing shokk launchers with no armor on, its incredibly painful.

    Last Son on
  • SilpheedSilpheed Registered User regular
    edited November 2007
    Last Son wrote: »
    How does one begin researching armor in TftD? None of the research options I have seem to lead into the armor tree.

    I'm 3-4 months into the game and facing shokk launchers with no armor on, its incredibly painful.
    IIRC you needed to reserch Aqua plastics and a Gill man, not sure though if you needed it to be a certain rank or if any old Gill man was enough.

    Silpheed on
  • themocawthemocaw Registered User regular
    edited November 2007
    Silpheed wrote: »
    Last Son wrote: »
    How does one begin researching armor in TftD? None of the research options I have seem to lead into the armor tree.

    I'm 3-4 months into the game and facing shokk launchers with no armor on, its incredibly painful.
    IIRC you needed to reserch Aqua plastics and a Gill man, not sure though if you needed it to be a certain rank or if any old Gill man was enough.

    Deep One (Elephant Gasmask Guy) not a gill man. And you need to research the Deep One before you can research Aqua Plastics. At this point, you're kinda screwed. :(

    themocaw on
  • SilpheedSilpheed Registered User regular
    edited November 2007
    themocaw wrote: »
    Silpheed wrote: »
    Last Son wrote: »
    How does one begin researching armor in TftD? None of the research options I have seem to lead into the armor tree.

    I'm 3-4 months into the game and facing shokk launchers with no armor on, its incredibly painful.
    IIRC you needed to reserch Aqua plastics and a Gill man, not sure though if you needed it to be a certain rank or if any old Gill man was enough.

    Deep One (Elephant Gasmask Guy) not a gill man. And you need to research the Deep One before you can research Aqua Plastics. At this point, you're kinda screwed. :(
    That's right. I had forgotten that it was a Deep One, but they do appear at the same time so you might understand if I got those mixed up.

    Silpheed on
  • Last SonLast Son Registered User regular
    edited November 2007
    themocaw wrote: »
    Silpheed wrote: »
    Last Son wrote: »
    How does one begin researching armor in TftD? None of the research options I have seem to lead into the armor tree.

    I'm 3-4 months into the game and facing shokk launchers with no armor on, its incredibly painful.
    IIRC you needed to reserch Aqua plastics and a Gill man, not sure though if you needed it to be a certain rank or if any old Gill man was enough.

    Deep One (Elephant Gasmask Guy) not a gill man. And you need to research the Deep One before you can research Aqua Plastics. At this point, you're kinda screwed. :(

    Thats odd, I've researched Deep Ones. Or does it have to be a corpse?

    Last Son on
  • KingMooKingMoo Registered User regular
    edited November 2007
    Last Son wrote: »
    themocaw wrote: »

    Thats odd, I've researched Deep Ones. Or does it have to be a corpse?

    You have to stun one.

    I usually stun them and stick 'em in a strong unit's backpack. I don't know why but for some reason I always thought that, other than ship componenets, you needed to pick up the stuff that you scavenge from missions.

    KingMoo on
    ![▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓]!
    !!!!▓▓▓▓▓Gravy?▓▓▓▓▓!!!!!!
    !!!!!!▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓!!!!!!!!!
    of doom
  • Lord YodLord Yod Registered User regular
    edited November 2007
    Lord Yod wrote: »
    Okay so I found my copy and reinstalled it. Problem is, when I play it, it displays in approx 2"x2" square on my screen. I've tried setting it to run in compatibility mode and in 640x480 resolution but that didn't change anything. Any tips? (Running Windows XP)

    Can anyone help me with this? :|

    Lord Yod on
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  • JasconiusJasconius sword criminal mad onlineRegistered User regular
    edited November 2007
    Lord Yod wrote: »
    Lord Yod wrote: »
    Okay so I found my copy and reinstalled it. Problem is, when I play it, it displays in approx 2"x2" square on my screen. I've tried setting it to run in compatibility mode and in 640x480 resolution but that didn't change anything. Any tips? (Running Windows XP)

    Can anyone help me with this? :|


    LCD monitor?

    I think some LCD monitors don't go down to the insanely low resolution that X-Com plays at. I believe X-Com is sub 640x480.

    You may be screwed.

    That's why I still have a CRT :)

    Jasconius on
    this is a discord of mostly PA people interested in fighting games: https://discord.gg/DZWa97d5rz

    we also talk about other random shit and clown upon each other
  • MartyMarty Registered User regular
    edited November 2007
    Can someone link me to the mod (mentioned earlier) that makes it so you don't have to re-equip your guys every mission?

    Marty on
  • Salvation122Salvation122 Registered User regular
    edited November 2007
    KingMoo wrote: »
    Last Son wrote: »
    Thats odd, I've researched Deep Ones. Or does it have to be a corpse?

    You have to stun one.
    Err, not on the version on Steam. Maybe on higher difficulty you need to stun a live one?

    Salvation122 on
  • RakaiRakai Registered User regular
    edited November 2007
    KingMoo wrote: »
    Last Son wrote: »
    Thats odd, I've researched Deep Ones. Or does it have to be a corpse?

    You have to stun one.
    Err, not on the version on Steam. Maybe on higher difficulty you need to stun a live one?

    Deep one corpse + aqua plastics = armor.

    I found this to be a really useful tech tree: http://www.xcomufo.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=2294

    Rakai on
    [SIGPIC][/SIGPIC]XBL: Rakayn | PS3: Rakayn | Steam ID
  • JasconiusJasconius sword criminal mad onlineRegistered User regular
    edited November 2007
    Geez I never even knew about the M.C. research bug.

    FYI the game is practically unbeatable without M.C. tools.

    Jasconius on
    this is a discord of mostly PA people interested in fighting games: https://discord.gg/DZWa97d5rz

    we also talk about other random shit and clown upon each other
  • themocawthemocaw Registered User regular
    edited November 2007
    So it's April 9th, and I've been killing lots and lots of Sectoids. Nothing else. One mission with Floaters. Haven't seen any Snakemen, Mutons, or Ethereals.

    Something's fishy.

    themocaw on
  • themocawthemocaw Registered User regular
    edited November 2007
    You might find this interesting: XCom speedrun. About one hour from game start to finishing the Cydonia mission. The war ends in May 1999. :)http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0wo71zOr5aU

    themocaw on
  • IhmhiIhmhi Registered User regular
    edited November 2007
    For some reason I thought this was about the game.com handheld... :lol: I got X-com and game.com confused since I never heard of X-com.

    Ihmhi on
    Fortress Forever: The next generation of Team Fortress - made by hardcore fans for the next generation of Fortress Fanatics!
  • Lord YodLord Yod Registered User regular
    edited November 2007
    So I just said fuck it and started playing in the tiny tiny window.

    Middle difficulty (veteran?), starting base in Italy. Go two weeks before I see a UFO, so that gives me time to get some good equipment/more soldiers/more scientists/etc.

    First UFO is a landed craft, excellent, gonna get some nice loot here. I land in the SW corner of the map. Walk my first couple guys off the ramp to grab some cover, end turn. Their turn, grenade lands on ramp, kills 5 guys. Fuck.

    My turn, my rocket launcher guy (who I left in the back) goes berserk. Kills everyone. Double fuck. D:

    *reload*

    Lord Yod on
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  • Hotlead JunkieHotlead Junkie Registered User regular
    edited November 2007
    So I'm running the PC version but it runs to freaking fast, what's the best way to fix this?

    Hotlead Junkie on
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  • Lord YodLord Yod Registered User regular
    edited November 2007
    Mo'Slo or Turbo.

    Lord Yod on
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  • Hotlead JunkieHotlead Junkie Registered User regular
    edited November 2007
    Lord Yod wrote: »
    Mo'Slo or Turbo.

    most reliable one?

    Hotlead Junkie on
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  • Lord YodLord Yod Registered User regular
    edited November 2007
    I've had good experience with Mo'Slo in the past, but haven't used it in a good 5 years or so.

    I believe DosBox also has a speed adjustment.

    Lord Yod on
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  • devoirdevoir Registered User regular
    edited November 2007
    I've had some fun reading this thread and the stories from that X-Com log website. :P The one by SyntheticOrange was epic.

    devoir on
  • Rear Admiral ChocoRear Admiral Choco I wanna be an owl, Jerry! Owl York CityRegistered User regular
    edited November 2007
    Maybe I'm just stupid, but I can't figure out DosBox for the life of me. It's driving me nuts, I want to play this, and the only computer it works on in this house fucks up the top of the screen when it runs.

    Rear Admiral Choco on
  • KhavallKhavall British ColumbiaRegistered User regular
    edited November 2007
    I have yet to find a problem with Turbo. Thought I'd mention that.

    Khavall on
  • RoshinRoshin My backlog can be seen from space SwedenRegistered User regular
    edited November 2007
    It is amazing, even disturbing, that the blueprint for this type of game has been around since the days of Laser Squad and yet so few developers have managed to get it right, turning the Xcom games into one of the most abused franchises ever.

    I dream of Xcom remade with Dawn of War-style visuals, but deep down inside I know it's never going to happen. :(

    Roshin on
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  • Lord YodLord Yod Registered User regular
    edited November 2007
    So what do you guys think of the HWP's? I've always had mixed experiences with them.

    Lord Yod on
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  • BurnageBurnage Registered User regular
    edited November 2007
    Four rookies are better than HWPs, most of the time. It helps that they're a LOT cheaper, too.

    ... damn, that sounds cold.

    Has anyone tried using as few soldiers as possible? I did one run through with only two men once, I seem to remember. It sounds crazily difficult (and at the start of the game, it is), but their stats jump up ridiculously quickly. Plus it leads to near-epic fights where two men take on an entire alien base by themselves. Come to think of it, it's almost like X-Com meets Contra. Fun times!

    Burnage on
  • Sir CarcassSir Carcass I have been shown the end of my world Round Rock, TXRegistered User regular
    edited November 2007
    Burnage wrote: »
    Four rookies are better than HWPs, most of the time. It helps that they're a LOT cheaper, too.

    ... damn, that sounds cold.

    Has anyone tried using as few soldiers as possible? I did one run through with only two men once, I seem to remember. It sounds crazily difficult (and at the start of the game, it is), but their stats jump up ridiculously quickly. Plus it leads to near-epic fights where two men take on an entire alien base by themselves. Come to think of it, it's almost like X-Com meets Contra. Fun times!

    I had to take on a landed ship last night with 1 person. I sent my Skyranger without really checking anything. It was only after I landed I realized most of my squad was wounded or killed on the terror mission previously.

    Sir Carcass on
  • themocawthemocaw Registered User regular
    edited November 2007
    Lord Yod wrote: »
    So what do you guys think of the HWP's? I've always had mixed experiences with them.

    In the beginning, and at higher difficulties, they aren't really cost effective: they take about as much damage as two soldiers and cost as much as ten. It's better to have four rookies instead to scout out and take damage and such.

    In the middle and the end, when your soldiers have godly stats and you don't want to lose any of them at all, and when they can fly, then they get good.

    Their biggest advantage is that they're immune to Psi, which is nothing to sneeze at.

    themocaw on
  • devoirdevoir Registered User regular
    edited November 2007
    X-Com would make an awesome TV series.

    With Jack Bauer.

    devoir on
  • Lord YodLord Yod Registered User regular
    edited November 2007
    devoir wrote: »
    X-Com would make an awesome TV series.

    With Jack Bauer.

    I read a fanfic once that was very much like this concept.

    Edit: Oh my fucking god. I'm on a night terror mission, my Skyranger landed in the SE corner behind some buildings, and there are five cyberdiscs and three plasma-wielding sectoids facing my goddamn loading ramp. Three reloads so far. D:

    Lord Yod on
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  • BrynjBrynj Registered User regular
    edited November 2007
    themocaw wrote: »
    Lord Yod wrote: »
    So what do you guys think of the HWP's? I've always had mixed experiences with them.

    In the beginning, and at higher difficulties, they aren't really cost effective: they take about as much damage as two soldiers and cost as much as ten. It's better to have four rookies instead to scout out and take damage and such.

    In the middle and the end, when your soldiers have godly stats and you don't want to lose any of them at all, and when they can fly, then they get good.

    Their biggest advantage is that they're immune to Psi, which is nothing to sneeze at.

    Don't even have to wait until you have a lot of good people. One of my fave combos = Laser rifle + HWP

    Unlimited ammo + HWP with great TU stat = saturation bombing.

    Let your HWP scout ahead. Once it sees an alien, just open up on it with every guy you can. Your guys are out of visual range but can still fire so even if they all miss, the alien will not likely come close enough to take a shot at them, your HWP should have enough TU to retreat to a safe distance as well, and even if it cannot, it can usually take a shot or two with no problem. Something your troops cannot do, even with personal armor.

    In terms of using the HWP as a weapon Lord Yod, its next to useless until you get the hover plasma tank. They have average accuracy at best, if I have to use it, its a desperation shot to save one of my guys who are likely going to be wasted by an alien on their next turn.

    Brynj on
    [SIGPIC][/SIGPIC]
  • TwinsenTwinsen Registered User regular
    edited November 2007
    That speedrun reminded me of how I beat the game for the first and only time. I was down to one guy who kept going up that last elevator, dieing, and coming back to life as I reloaded my game. I was going to quit the game, a little bit frustrated. If only I could one shot that damn brain thing.

    Then I had this great idea. One of my dead guys had a rocket launcher with one of these guided rockets. My lone guy went back through all these corridors, stole the launcher and a rocket from his dead friend's corpse, went back to the elevator.

    He then guided the rocket UP THE ELEVATOR, then in the dark to the approximate place of the big brain. I saw that rocket go up, zigzag in the dark, explode...

    And bam ; end credits.

    Twinsen on
  • devoirdevoir Registered User regular
    edited November 2007
    That's awesome. :P

    I'd like to see an playthrough with the same team of guys, reloading if necessary to perform feats of heroic courage and badassery. :P SyntheticOrange's descriptions of the action were top class, and his little interlude was awesome.

    devoir on
  • Lord YodLord Yod Registered User regular
    edited November 2007
    Wow. That terror mission totally kicked my ass. Six reloads, on the last one I was able to use 5 smoke grenades to get past that first line of buildings. Turns out there were at least 7 cyberdisks, at least 6 sectoids, and at least one of those was a psychic (considering the fact that he took over 3 of my team members.) D:

    Lord Yod on
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