Volcris Posted September 7, 2012 Share Posted September 7, 2012 (edited) Xcom was an amazing game, but it had it's fair share of issues. From round one it felt like you, the appointed last hope of the world, are given some duct tape and a couple of sticks and asked to MacGyver your way out of an alien invasion. I often ended up editing myself a better start to nail how I have always felt this kind of game should feel from round one. Xenonauts starts you generously. Your freshly dug base is well stocked with tanks, aircraft and men. You have plenty of cash and teams standing by to develop further tools. Life is good. The beauty of this kind of start is that it gives you a false sense of security that I believe accentuates the true gravity of the situation. As humanity looks on in horror as our skies are darkened with bizarre and hostile ships; 3000 years of military development wakes up in a world well stocked for fighting itself. Xenonauts deserves to give the player the feel that a freighted world really wants to leverage it's full might against the encroaching hostiles. And then, after we initially repel the first alien craft to descend into our atmosphere, it starts. Slowly but surely greater and greater forces descend to wreak havoc with humanity. An initial cautious optimism is replaced by the horror that our best weapons are quickly becoming irrelevant, and no matter how many 21st century guns and planes we can leverage against the invaders, the longer it takes us to adapt their own tools against them, the quicker the noose tightens around our necks. Because of how hopeful our initial start is, we become all the more aware of the severity of the situation as fighters shred through our aircraft, and larger more powerful aliens chew through our ground forces like paper. To me, the original Xcom felt like the noose was already around your neck, your hands bound, and one false move from day one dropped you to your doom. Xenonauts gives you hope before it takes it away, and that lends the game an even greater feel of urgency and a more suffocating tension. I hope this feel remains in the final version. If not I will probably mod it in . Edited September 10, 2012 by Volcris Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Max_Caine Posted September 8, 2012 Share Posted September 8, 2012 That was very poetic Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thothkins Posted September 8, 2012 Share Posted September 8, 2012 (edited) OP makes a good case for the unlimited amounts of starting equipment and reinforces the idea that, although vastly reduced, the powers behind Xenonauts are still able to siphon off the best of what's available in 1979. Edited September 8, 2012 by thothkins Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Voidfoam Posted September 8, 2012 Share Posted September 8, 2012 Post more, or write a novel why don't you. One of the best formulated posts i read on a forum. Like balm for the eyes. I agree with what you are saying also. Even though i hardly think i ever again will have a game carry me away as X-com did. Xenonauts will be a better game though. Its also darker than X-com ever was. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Knox1776 Posted September 10, 2012 Share Posted September 10, 2012 I think you hit the nail on the head. At the start, I'm feeling good. My conventional weaponry are knocking down scouts, and I'm able to shoot them up with small arms. Life is good! Then the tide turns. Fighter swarms start knocking out my interceptors, and I lose them faster than I can get more. The first time I fight armored Sebillians and Caesans, and my assault rifles are bouncing off their armor, I know things are going south in a hurry. This reminds me of the U-Boat war in WWII. At first, the U-Boats were rolling out and sinking everything in sight (the Happy Times). Then the superior technology of the Allies came to the fore, and the U-Boats started getting sunk, and never recovered (the Sour Pickle times). Then they lost the war. Hopefully my operations will be more successful, but I'm not feeling it yet. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris Posted September 10, 2012 Share Posted September 10, 2012 Like balm for the eyes. Can't say that sounds like much fun Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Volcris Posted September 10, 2012 Author Share Posted September 10, 2012 Post more, or write a novel why don't you. One of the best formulated posts i read on a forum. Like balm for the eyes. Thank you very much! I am enjoying the hell out of this game; the first time I loaded a quick play match and felt the controls I knew I had a worthy successor before me. I cannot wait for the game to be feature complete, I'm sure it will end up devouring more of my time then even a Bethesda product. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thothkins Posted September 10, 2012 Share Posted September 10, 2012 Is part of things looking at least slightly hopeful at the start the decision to put in the light scout, to offer a decent learning curve in the game. Was it a much more daunting prospect before they were in the game? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Voidfoam Posted September 10, 2012 Share Posted September 10, 2012 Can't say that sounds like much fun HA, lost in translation. Maybe i should have written "a balm for the eyes" I blame the late hour. Let me instead make the comparison of his text as a "pearl among pebbles." Does that go better with the beloved leader? Oh and Knox, your comparison to the U-boat war makes me feel as if you also played the shit out of Silent Hunter Grey wolves? Am i correct? As soon as i get tired of the more action oriented "remake" X-com by firaxis, i hope that a fully beta tested Xenonauts will greet me. It will rock. I am starting to get worried for Firaxis remake though. I dont think that one will be anything like the original, sadly. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cutterjohn Posted September 11, 2012 Share Posted September 11, 2012 Sorta queasy myself as firaxis is making a good case for their version of a rehash, although the UFO:<insert title here> games weren't bad, just not dumbed down enough for the console kiddies... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LFSmaSh Posted September 11, 2012 Share Posted September 11, 2012 HA, lost in translation. Maybe i should have written "a balm for the eyes" I blame the late hour.Let me instead make the comparison of his text as a "pearl among pebbles." Does that go better with the beloved leader? Oh and Knox, your comparison to the U-boat war makes me feel as if you also played the shit out of Silent Hunter Grey wolves? Am i correct? As soon as i get tired of the more action oriented "remake" X-com by firaxis, i hope that a fully beta tested Xenonauts will greet me. It will rock. I am starting to get worried for Firaxis remake though. I dont think that one will be anything like the original, sadly. That makes us two now! They announced today that they plan to have heroes in the game Just with this statement, i think the firaxis game derailed. The joy in Xcom was to see your soldiers go up in ranks and become better soldiers. Then one ugly move and all was lost. This was the fun for me in Xcom and not some unlockable hero. Anyways, i wont hijack the thread. Regarding Xeno, i'm pretty sure that we will have an update during that time. Plus, with the way V14.1 looks and feels, Xeno is in good hands! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Knox1776 Posted September 11, 2012 Share Posted September 11, 2012 Oh and Knox, your comparison to the U-boat war makes me feel as if you also played the shit out of Silent Hunter Grey wolves? Am i correct? I must sadly admit that I have lost many fine crews and boats to the pernicious tenacity of the Allied fleets. But not before littering the seabed with theirs as well! GWX forever! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OPMmmGroup Posted September 14, 2012 Share Posted September 14, 2012 (edited) I've been playing 14.1.1 for a while now and can't get a grip on the overwhelming force as the aliens assault earth. I'm being punished (by pulled funding) for not being able to withstand the onslaught. Even with the planes and soldiers it seems hopeless. They (the aliens) even raided my base. Lucky for me my troops were not deployed and I repelled the attack. It struck me funny that it happen very early in the game. Pretty exciting game play. Edited September 15, 2012 by OPMmmGroup Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GoodGuyEddy Posted September 14, 2012 Share Posted September 14, 2012 You did not generate a metric ton of butthurt fanboy rage? My hats off to you good sir! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GoodGuyEddy Posted September 14, 2012 Share Posted September 14, 2012 just not dumbed down enough for the console kiddies... Yeah, not like us, the PC master race. AmIRightguys? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
carnesaur Posted September 15, 2012 Share Posted September 15, 2012 wait i thought unlimited starting supplies was just for the purpose of beta? Thought in the real game we'd have to buy equipment like in the original xcom.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Max_Caine Posted September 15, 2012 Share Posted September 15, 2012 Carnesaur, it may have been at one point, but judging from the updated stores UI, we get all the tier-1 stuff for free. Everything else we have to make. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sectoid Posted September 15, 2012 Share Posted September 15, 2012 hopes true, i hate easy target. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
carnesaur Posted September 15, 2012 Share Posted September 15, 2012 Carnesaur, it may have been at one point, but judging from the updated stores UI, we get all the tier-1 stuff for free. Everything else we have to make. hmm not sure how i feel about that. early game managment of human weapons was fun for me. buyin rockets, and nades, etc. so does that mean loading equipment on the craft is no longer existant? we just equip each soldier now? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Max_Caine Posted September 15, 2012 Share Posted September 15, 2012 That's how it's always been... at least when I started playing from 9.4. Which version have you got? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
carnesaur Posted September 15, 2012 Share Posted September 15, 2012 i actually havent play too much xeno, i just skimmed over an alpha release from a few months ago, for a few hours, too see how my kickstarter i backed is going i definatley love the look and sound of the game, great art direction. I just hope they dont simplify too much from the original xcom either way the game has my backing and im totally excited for it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
carnesaur Posted September 15, 2012 Share Posted September 15, 2012 whoops double Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thothkins Posted September 18, 2012 Share Posted September 18, 2012 hmm not sure how i feel about that. early game managment of human weapons was fun for me. buyin rockets, and nades, etc.so does that mean loading equipment on the craft is no longer existant? we just equip each soldier now? I was the same when I started playing Xenonauts. I thought it was for the beta only. Due to the way I played X-Com, I wasn't too thrilled by having everything available either. In practice I was wrong about this. It makes sense in back story. It also makes running the basics a lot easier too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dowly Posted September 21, 2012 Share Posted September 21, 2012 (edited) Very well put, Volcris! I went to my first game of Xeno without much reading about it and thought the easy start was due to it being in an alpha stage. And then, the fighters began to appear and I was quickly crippled as I lost both my Chinook and my fighters. Oh and Knox, your comparison to the U-boat war makes me feel as if you also played the shit out of Silent Hunter Grey wolves? Am i correct? I must sadly admit that I have lost many fine crews and boats to the pernicious tenacity of the Allied fleets. But not before littering the seabed with theirs as well!GWX forever! Always nice to see fellow subsimmers. Good Hunting! Edited September 21, 2012 by Dowly Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Commissar Pancakes Posted September 22, 2012 Share Posted September 22, 2012 As soon as i get tired of the more action oriented "remake" X-com by firaxis, i hope that a fully beta tested Xenonauts will greet me. It will rock. I am starting to get worried for Firaxis remake though. I dont think that one will be anything like the original, sadly. Of course! You think the guys at Firaxis is gonna let your entire squad of 4 people get gunned down as soon as they step out of the skyranger? If they actually do do it...well...props to them... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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