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Let's all fight alien invaders (X-Com: UFO Defense Video LP)

BremenBremen Registered User regular
edited September 2008 in Games and Technology
X-Com
Intro Video
(From the manual)
It is the year 1999. Unidentified Flying Objects (UFOs) have started appearing with distrubing regularity in the night skies. Reports of violent human abductions and horrific experimentation has truck terror into the hearts of millions. Mass public hysteria has only served to expose Earth's impotence against a vastly superior technology.
On December 11, 1998, representatives from the world's most economically powerful counties gathered secretly in Geneva. After much debate, they decision was made to establish a covert independent body to combat, investigate, and defeat the alien threat. The organization would be equipped with the world's finest pilots, soldiers, scientists, and engineers, working together as one multi-national force.
This organization was named the Extraterrestrial Combat Unit.

Wait, what the heck is this?
For shame. X-Com is one of the finest strategy games ever made, and despite being over a decade old is still a joy to play. Even modern games don't have anywhere near the options and possibilities of X-Com, and the graphics, while low resolution, have aged surprisingly well.

In X-Com the player takes control of an organization to defend the earth from an alien invasion. Starting with a single military base and the ability to purchase terran aircraft and firearms, the organization must take the fight to the aliens, steal fragments of their advanced technology and gradually research how it works in labs. To have any hope of success it will have to grow into a globe spanning force with advanced weapons and spacecraft capable of going one on one with the alien invaders.

So what do I do?
Reader interaction in this LP will take three forms. First of all, I'll take votes for certain decisions, like where to place our first base and how we should load out the transport. See the end of this update for the first of these votes.
Second, readers can elect to join X-Com as a soldier, scientist, or engineer. Soldiers get to die horribly, but there's also the slim chance they'll get to rise up through the ranks. Scientists will get to pick projects to work on, decyphering alien technology and developing new weapons for the soldiers. And Engineers get to decide which of those toys to spend their limited time and resources building.
Rookies: Rookies will be given a gun and pointed at a UFO. Should the organization become rich enough, rookies might also be given personal armor and access to laser and plasma weapons.
Squaddies: Squaddie is the title the game gives to any soldier that's gotten some combat experience without being cut down in a torrent of burning plasma. Squaddies will be issued armor and advanced weapons as available.
Sergeant: Highly capable soldiers are promoted to Sergeant when a position is open. Sergeants get first choice at the newest armor and weapons out of the workshop.
Captain: Captains are the elite of the combat force. In addition to the best equipment, if anyone manages to make captain they will be in charge of their unit, and can try their hand at commanding the battles (I'll send you the save, and you play while I comment).
Commander: Second to the highest rung in the X-Com hierarchy, any commanders will be put in charge of the base they're stationed at and can decide what base facilities to build and new staff to hire (Lacking a commander, I'll make the choices).
Colonel: Leader of X-Com, there can only be one colonel at any one time. If anyone makes Colonel, they'll get to decide on new bases to form, and plan attacks on alien bases both on and off Earth.
Scientists: Scientists get to decide projects to research. Each scientist will be a project leader in charge of an equal number of scientists. To keep things from getting unreasonable I'm capping the number of project leaders at 1 for every 10 scientists. You can work together with other project leaders to get a certain research done faster, of course. Post what you want to research, and what you want to research when that finishes.
Engineer: Engineers make the items once the scientists have researched them. Manufacturing costs money and most alien devices require resources we get from salvaging alien crafts, so pick wisely. Like scientists, all engineers will be in charge of a group of atleast 10.
Last but not least, don't be a dick. Saying you want to be a sniper is fine, taking nothing but stun rods and smoke grenades is not. Ditto to the scientists and engineers.
A third way readers can participate is by commenting on the videos. Battles in X-Com can take a good bit of time, and having people talking will help keep it entertaining for everyone else. Also, since we'll be recording in real time, you can give advice and make bets about how many rookies will die.

Decisions and more decisions

Time to start. The first decision is where to place our first (and for the first few months, probably only) base. There's a good bit of strategy in this decision. X-Com is funded collectively by the richest nations on earth, and depending on our results they can increase their funding, maintain it, decrease it, or ally with the aliens against us. Compounding this, the radar installations we can build in the bases have limited range, as do our fighter craft (the transport, on the other hand, is capable of circling the globe without refueling). The two most popular choices are North American (Covering USA and Canada) and Western Europe (Covering England, France, Spain, Germany, and Italy). A distant third is Southeast Asia covering China, Japan, and Eastern Russia. The exact funding amounts are random in each game, but here's an example from a game I just started:

funding.jpg

Once we pick a location, we'll also need a name for the base. It should be somethign majestic and inspiring, to show earth we will protect them (Note: I expect it will actually have something to do with wangs). Once we pick a location, we're given a pre-fab starter base:

base.jpg

This base is pretty poorly designed (When aliens attack your base, they enter through the lift and hangars, so a good base design isolates those areas to give you time to gather and equip a defense force).

We also have a little bit of starting equipment:

stores.jpg

Stingray, Avalanche and cannon are weapons for our two interceptors (each of which can hold two weapons, currently each has a stingray and a cannon). Avalanche is the longest range, cannon is the shortest. I'll probably requip both with avalanche launchers (well worth the money, two interceptors with avalanches can take down anything short of a battleship if they get lucky). The rest is equipment for our ground troops, rather self explanatory.

Lastly, we start with 8 soldiers, 10 scientists, 10 engineers, 2 interceptors, and 1 skyranger transport. As mentioned, the interceptors can each use two weapons, and the transport can hold 14 soldiers and 80 pieces of equipment.

Of much more use then our paltry starting equipment is our starting funds of four million dollars. So our next vote is shopping time! This is less a vote then taking suggestions that I'll do my best to accomodate, really.

We can expand our base:


facil2.jpg
facil3.jpg
facil4.jpg
facil5.jpg
facil6.jpg
facil7.jpg
facil8.jpg
facil9.jpg
facil10.jpg


As well as hire personnel and purchase equipment.


equip1.jpg
equip2.jpg
equip3.jpg

Again, mostly self-explanatory. We can put tanks in our transport, but they take the space of 4 soldiers (so the transport could hold 14 soldiers, or 10 soldiers and 1 tank, or 6 soldiers and 2 tanks, etc.) They only count as one piece of equipment, though. If there are any questions on equipment, I can post a screenshot of their information page.

For our scientists, since we havn't captured any alien tech yet, you can only work on more advanced developments of earth tech. Three choices: Laser Weapons (leads to laser pistol, then laser rifle, and other surprises down the laser tree), motion detectors, and medi-kits.

Engineers can't build anything yet, but can start as soon as the scientists come up with something.

Roster
Scientists:
lowlylowlycook - Developed Laser pistol and Laser rifle
Burnage - Currently researching Heavy Plasma with no end in sight
YerMum - Helped Develop the laser rifle. Researching Alien Alloys
Richter Pil - Signed up

Engineers:
VeritasVR - Idle
Cynic Jester - Application recieved
Digger Dude - Application recieved

Soldiers:
Devoir - Rookie
Chenjesu - Squaddie, carries a pistol, motion detector, and lots of grenades
Olivaw - Squaddie
Lork - Sergeant
Durandal4532 - Rookie
Velmeran - Squaddie, carries a laser rifle, high explosive, grenades, smoke grenade, and stunrod
Kerdos - Captain
TheOtherHorseman - Rookie
JamesDM - Sergeant
Bill Cosby - Rookie, uses rifles
Zen Vulgarity - Squaddie
Igel - Squaddie, carries electro flare and smoke grenade
Themocaw - Rookie, medic carries a pistol, stunrod, and grenades
Anthelion - Signed up
Zombiemambo - Signed up
Roshin - Signed up
Silpheed - Signed up, Laser rifle -> Heavy plasma
AchtungBaby - Signed up
Valkun - Signed up, Sniper -> Psi
Rookie - Signed up
Tiemler - Signed up, carries high explosives
Kelor - Signed up
Jam Warrior - Signed up
Cohsae - Signed up, not first out of transport
Karl - Signed up
Zampano - Signed up
Newbie McRedshirt (Mr Ray) - Signed up - Carries stun prod
EspantaPajaro - Signed up
GenericFan - Signed up
mr weenis - Signed up
Estoc - Signed up, carries an autocannon with HE ammo
Klyka - Signed up, wants laser rifle
Khavall - Signed up

Dead:
JerikTelorian - Died in firefight with sectoid while storming UFO #1
Redstormpopcorn - Died while attempting to throw a grenade into UFO #2

Resurrection queue:
Son of Jerik Telorian - Signed up for REVENGE

Tank:
Lightbringer

Updates

Update #1
Update #2

Bremen on
«13456

Posts

  • devoirdevoir Registered User regular
    edited November 2007
    Just as a suggestion, I'd use your OP as a central hub for all the links to the posts you make with the actual gameplay portions. Possibly spoiler the huge, awesome post you've done there too so that once the ball gets rolling the OP can be a hub for people to check out the whole thing.

    Looks fantastic thus far. =)

    devoir on
  • LemmingLemming Registered User regular
    edited November 2007
    You must research lasers! It is the only way!

    Lemming on
  • BremenBremen Registered User regular
    edited November 2007
    Lemming wrote: »
    You must research lasers! It is the only way!

    Sign up to be a scientist ;P

    Bremen on
  • lowlylowlycooklowlylowlycook Registered User regular
    edited November 2007
    I'll be a scientist and I've scientifically calculated that we need some electro flares.

    [edit] Also we need storage space for electro flares and a containment facility for any live alien specimens.

    lowlylowlycook on
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    (Please do not gift. My game bank is already full.)
  • JerikTelorianJerikTelorian Registered User regular
    edited November 2007
    Redshirt me.

    RedShirt me so hard.

    Also, will you be using XComUtil for this? At a bare minimum, you should use it with the recommended fixes, and I honestly think you should use the alternate base layout.

    EDIT: Also, if we can pick our soldier's loadout, make me a medic. Assign me a weapon as you see fit, though I do have a love of rifles.

    JerikTelorian on
    SteamID -- JerikTelorian
    XBL: LiquidSnake2061
    Shade wrote: »
    Anyone notice how some things (mattresses and the copy machines in Highrise) are totally impenetrable? A steel wall, yeah that makes sense, but bullets should obliterate copy machines.

    I don't know about you, but I always buy a bullet proof printer. Its a lot more expensive, but I think the advantages are apparent.
  • devoirdevoir Registered User regular
    edited November 2007
    Man, I don't have X-Com anymore... but I'd love to be a redshirt even on the off-chance that I'd have to command a squad. :P

    devoir on
  • BremenBremen Registered User regular
    edited November 2007
    devoir wrote: »
    Man, I don't have X-Com anymore... but I'd love to be a redshirt even on the off-chance that I'd have to command a squad. :P

    We actually experimented with letting the captains command the battles through a program that lets them move my mouse, but the latency was too high. Still, we might be able to work something out.

    I'll be a scientist and I've scientifically calculated that we need some electro flares.

    [edit] Also we need storage space for electro flares and a containment facility for any live alien specimens.

    Electro-flares are bought, not researched, so feel free to come up with the first two or three things you want to research.

    Bremen on
  • ChenjesuChenjesu Registered User regular
    edited November 2007
    I, too wish to place myself between the the homefires and the alien menace. Preferably with a laser rifle in hand, and not 10 armed grenades on my belt.

    Chenjesu on
  • VeritasVRVeritasVR Registered User regular
    edited November 2007
    Every year it seems we do this, but never in video form. Regardless, it's simply amazing every time.

    Sign me up as an engineer! Because that's what I am in real life. I might be good at it in-game.

    VeritasVR on
    CoH_infantry.jpg
    Let 'em eat fucking pineapples!
  • OlivawOlivaw good name, isn't it? the foot of mt fujiRegistered User regular
    edited November 2007
    I would love to be a rookie who gets cut down gloriously in the first battle

    Seriously, I have no wish to actually make decisions but seeing my name attached to a guy who gets blown up by aliens would be great

    Olivaw on
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  • LorkLork Registered User regular
    edited November 2007
    So if we die in combat, is that the end? Or can our clones rejoin the ranks as rookies? I'd actually kind of like the former - being kicked out due to a senseless death would suck, but permadeath makes it so much more epic.

    Lork on
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  • lowlylowlycooklowlylowlycook Registered User regular
    edited November 2007
    Bremen wrote: »
    devoir wrote: »
    Man, I don't have X-Com anymore... but I'd love to be a redshirt even on the off-chance that I'd have to command a squad. :P

    We actually experimented with letting the captains command the battles through a program that lets them move my mouse, but the latency was too high. Still, we might be able to work something out.

    I'll be a scientist and I've scientifically calculated that we need some electro flares.

    [edit] Also we need storage space for electro flares and a containment facility for any live alien specimens.

    Electro-flares are bought, not researched, so feel free to come up with the first two or three things you want to research.

    Yes but I would just hate to show up for a night terror mission with our grunts blinded by the darkness. As for technology. I always found motion sensors to be a pain to use and I'm sure well get enough people to join as red shirts that med packs can wait so I say we get those laser pistols as soon as we can.

    lowlylowlycook on
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    (Please do not gift. My game bank is already full.)
  • BremenBremen Registered User regular
    edited November 2007
    Lork wrote: »
    So if we die in combat, is that the end? Or can our clones rejoin the ranks as rookies? I'd actually kind of like the former - being kicked out due to a senseless death would suck, but permadeath makes it so much more epic.

    I was planning on letting people rejoin if they choose, maybe with either a different name (their choice), a "son of" prefix, or just a roman numeral 2. After all, death tolls in X-com tend to be pretty massive and I doubt I'll get enough signups otherwise.

    Bremen on
  • JerikTelorianJerikTelorian Registered User regular
    edited November 2007
    Bremen wrote: »
    Lork wrote: »
    So if we die in combat, is that the end? Or can our clones rejoin the ranks as rookies? I'd actually kind of like the former - being kicked out due to a senseless death would suck, but permadeath makes it so much more epic.

    I was planning on letting people rejoin if they choose, maybe with either a different name (their choice), a "son of" prefix, or just a roman numeral 2. After all, death tolls in X-com tend to be pretty massive and I doubt I'll get enough signups otherwise.

    You'd be surprised. Synth and QC's LP's garnered so many names that they had leftovers after the campaign was done.

    JerikTelorian on
    SteamID -- JerikTelorian
    XBL: LiquidSnake2061
    Shade wrote: »
    Anyone notice how some things (mattresses and the copy machines in Highrise) are totally impenetrable? A steel wall, yeah that makes sense, but bullets should obliterate copy machines.

    I don't know about you, but I always buy a bullet proof printer. Its a lot more expensive, but I think the advantages are apparent.
  • durandal4532durandal4532 Registered User regular
    edited November 2007
    I wouldn't mind being some form of soldier. I have no idea about making decisions in this game beyond "shoot the aliens".

    durandal4532 on
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  • VelmeranVelmeran Registered User regular
    edited November 2007
    Oh god, you must Red Shirt me, you MUST!

    Velmeran on
    Vechloran.png
  • BremenBremen Registered User regular
    edited November 2007
    Wow, I was planning on giving this thanksgiving to generate interest and votes, but the response is good so far I might end up doing an update before that.

    If anyone wants to comment on it, I'll be on the PA vent server. We've got 6 soldier signups, if we get two more (for the 8 starting soldiers) I'll give it a try tonight.

    Edit: Also, no one is suggesting a location and name for our base. Get cracking!

    Bremen on
  • KerdosKerdos Registered User regular
    edited November 2007
    I'd love to be a rookie!

    Gimme something that causes explosions. Heavy weapons preferred, but if you want me running around like mad chucking gernades, I'll do that as well. I'm also going to request the purchase of one high explosives pack, to be armed in the event of certain death. Never thrown, only carried.

    And if its really necessary, yes I will arm it and go charging into that UFO filled with greys.

    Edit : I always place my base nearabouts Chicago. Its both well positioned to guard all of the US and Canada, but its also where I live. I suck at names though, so I'll let other people do that. So I vote Chicago!

    Kerdos on
  • themocawthemocaw Registered User regular
    edited November 2007
    Actually, I've got a better idea:

    *puts on glasses and gets a clipboard* Hello, I'm your representative from the funding organization. Please place your base in the frozen wastes of Greenland, where the rent is cheap. Also, I suggest we call it. . . WANG HQ. Simply because it's being sponsored by Penny Arcade, of course.

    themocaw on
  • JamesDMJamesDM Registered User regular
    edited November 2007
    I am so in on this, I'll be hopping on vent in a few minutes.

    JamesDM on
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  • VeritasVRVeritasVR Registered User regular
    edited November 2007
    Bremen wrote: »
    Wow, I was planning on giving this thanksgiving to generate interest and votes, but the response is good so far I might end up doing an update before that.

    If anyone wants to comment on it, I'll be on the PA vent server. We've got 6 soldier signups, if we get two more (for the 8 starting soldiers) I'll give it a try tonight.

    Edit: Also, no one is suggesting a location and name for our base. Get cracking!

    As an engineer (hopefully), I'm obviously not a commander or anything so I guess I shouldn't recommend where to put your base.

    That being said, I think you should start in the Swiss Alps.

    Edit: WANG HQ = yes.

    VeritasVR on
    CoH_infantry.jpg
    Let 'em eat fucking pineapples!
  • TheOtherHorsemanTheOtherHorseman Registered User regular
    edited November 2007
    I for one welcome the opportunity to fight our new alien overlords.

    I sign up to be a stupid redshirt rookie.

    TheOtherHorseman on
  • BremenBremen Registered User regular
    edited November 2007
    VeritasVR wrote: »
    That being said, I think you should start in the Swiss Alps.

    It's been a long time since I read it, but IIRC the base in the official X-com book was in the swiss alps.

    Bremen on
  • Bill CosbyBill Cosby Registered User regular
    edited November 2007
    Oh man I need to be redshirted, I want to die in a blaze of glory or get blasted by some random baddie.

    Just give me a rifle (of any kind preferably a lazer) some clips and a nade and send me out.

    Bill Cosby on
  • VeritasVRVeritasVR Registered User regular
    edited November 2007
    Bremen wrote: »
    VeritasVR wrote: »
    That being said, I think you should start in the Swiss Alps.

    It's been a long time since I read it, but IIRC the base in the official X-com book was in the swiss alps.

    Oh damn. My starting location was even empirical because that's where I thought I could cover the most countries without actually being in a country that paid monies.

    See. I'm that good of a smart guy. Engineering plz.

    VeritasVR on
    CoH_infantry.jpg
    Let 'em eat fucking pineapples!
  • redstormpopcornredstormpopcorn Registered User regular
    edited November 2007
    I volunteer my services in directly combating the alien menace. It's us or them, and I am sure as hell not letting any goddamn Chrysalids near our Earth girls, easy as they may be.

    also on the off-chance I survive to Captain rank it'll mean I can put the X-Com install I've held onto for the past twelve years to good use again. :V

    redstormpopcorn on
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  • Zen VulgarityZen Vulgarity What a lovely day for tea Secret British ThreadRegistered User regular
    edited November 2007
    Redshirt motherfucker.

    Zen Vulgarity on
  • IgelIgel Registered User regular
    edited November 2007
    I would like to serve on the front lines defending the world against these nefarious aliens. I'm curious to see what happens to my little pixelated alter ego and hope for a fitting show.

    I am ambivalent towards the load out taken outside of carrying an electro flare and a smoke grenade, if that's not unreasonable.

    Igel on
  • themocawthemocaw Registered User regular
    edited November 2007
    By the way: consider making me a medic, once medkits are developed :) two medkits, appropriate pistol, and stunrod, with whatever grenades you feel like giving me.

    themocaw on
  • AnthelionAnthelion Registered User regular
    edited November 2007
    I would also like to become a soldier and die a horrible death.

    Anthelion on
  • ZombiemamboZombiemambo Registered User regular
    edited November 2007
    I will gladly don a redshirt in order to die in a way that pleases us.

    Zombiemambo on
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  • RoshinRoshin My backlog can be seen from space SwedenRegistered User regular
    edited November 2007
    Sign me up as another redshirt, sir. I want to be the daft twat that gets mindcontrolled and teamkills his entire squad and then wets himself in panic.

    Roshin on
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  • LorkLork Registered User regular
    edited November 2007
    If you make a second base you should name it Dongtown.

    Lork on
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  • Cynic JesterCynic Jester Registered User regular
    edited November 2007
    I R ENGINAAR.

    Cynic Jester on
  • Digger DudeDigger Dude Registered User regular
    edited November 2007
    I'll be an engineer

    Erecting dispensers and what not
    Maybe dispensing some erections?

    Digger Dude on
  • SilpheedSilpheed Registered User regular
    edited November 2007
    I wish to be redshirted as well. Give me a laser rifle (upgrade to heavy plasma, assuming I live that long) and I'll be just happy to stomp some grey ass.

    Silpheed on
  • AchtungBabyAchtungBaby Registered User regular
    edited November 2007
    Please please, let me be a soldier and die a horrible and explosive death, thank you!

    AchtungBaby on
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  • ValkunValkun Registered User regular
    edited November 2007
    Rookie Valkun reporting for duty, sir. Since no one has taken the role yet, I guess go ahead and set me up as long range fire support? Although truthfully, I hope my avatar ends up having high PSI so that it can join the PSI Corps.

    Valkun on
  • RookieRookie Registered User regular
    edited November 2007
    If this plays out well, this could be my favorite thread ever on this board. Great idea and great OP.

    Sign me up for a soldier as well. Being an X-Com player myself, I know full well there's a 90% chance that my guy will die on his first mission, but if that's what I have to do to save womenkind - sorry fellas, fend for yourselves - then I'm all for it.

    Rookie on
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  • devoirdevoir Registered User regular
    edited November 2007
    God, I so want to play this on the 360. This would be a fantastic game for XBLA. And imagine the replays? You could send them off to a bunch of different people to do commentary on with their 360s.

    devoir on
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