What features would you like in the Funding Thermometer?

A robot solider, modeled after the remote controlled robots they use for explosive defusal

The Soviet weapon pack sounds great (gotta have those AK-47s and RPG-7s!) but wouldn't that involve having to make alot more soldier sprites?

Chris have you approached Matrix Games/Slitherine? They always seem supportive of indie developers.

They've approached us. I'm unconvinced that they can offer us much we can't already do in exchange for the revenue share they want. I suspect I'll get that a lot with publishers.

Lots of sweet stuff most people would like to see ! I agree with most except the intro movie. I know it give a polished look to the game but it's just a one time 2-3 minutes. I think the money could be invested in more 'reused' features.

Also the Soviet weapons might not be worth the effort, this would mean more weapons that would be used less.

I know it's not really possible but I still like to mention : 'Females'

More music sequences would be nice (I really love the music so far !), also for the air combat.

The Soviet weapons would only be a a skin pack. Mechanically, they'd still be the same as the current weapons, they'd just look like AK's, PKM's, etc.

I really like the idea of most of these, particularly additional in-game aesthetic variation with things such as the Russian weapons, additional soldier portraits, additional alien corpses, and so forth.

Geoscape AI allies would also be very cool and a nice realism feature; although, if it would not be too difficult to facilitate there should be some option to toggle them off for the hardcore X-COM players who want to go it themselves. Myself, I think it's a fantastic idea.

Love the idea. Especially the medals, (I should since it's one that I came up with on the old forums) and the Geoscape allies.

since you mention the homeworld intro as an inspiration (+pi for that), and people mention a sort of xenopaedia artbook, why not make it like the homeworld manual? that was simply awesome. if you set up the thermo, i'd be glad to donate, btw. even if the game ends up having its setbacks, it'll be nothing that can't be fixed in a xenonauts 2 (horror from the depths? ) or for some features an expansion pack or some post-release DLC, and i'll be damned if i won't contribute to make you guys able to make one .

If we are going with soviet weapons can we research Tesla lightning strike gun (heavy weapon, ammo issues same as rocketlauncher for gameplay reasons)

How would it work?

-Perhaps very inacurate at long to midrange (do not use while another xenonaut is infront you your tesla cannon) highly accurate at short range (assuming no other target is closer in a cone infront of the cannoner).

-Could possibly have a special feuture to chain to 1 (or 2 but probably only one) nearby aliens? (the secondary target must be on an adjacent square? or maximum of one square away)

PS. should this be posted in the suggestions thread instead of here? DS.

soviet weapons are just skins for the starting weapons. You never know though, such a gun as you suggested may already be in that game...!

Yeah, suggestion thread Gorlom. Might be a bit late for weapons suggestions now though.

I know I'm new, but I'd make a donation to the 'keep this game away from even semi-big name publishers' fund. Just my 2 cents.

If you appeal to the right communities and really get the name and stuff out there, you might be able to generate enough interest in pre-orders. For example, the Yogscast just ran an X-COM special over the holiday season (like the 27th of December or something?). Lewis claimed XCOM was one of his favorite games. Never know, the crew has a million subscribers... if he ran a livestream showing this game off, I bet it would generate interest.

Just an idea, but all things considered, I'll give you more money to stay away from a publisher.

I'll drop the Yogscast people an email actually, having seen their videos now you pointed them out. Maybe they'll be interested in giving us some coverage.

Generating interest is always a good idea. I did not know Xenonauts was even out there until fairly recently. More the merrier.

I think it's a good idea listing what will happen at different funding levels. I don't think it is tacky. It's practical, open, and should result in a good motivator for further purchases, as long as you can spread the word. You should probably combine this with a thorough walk through of the latest build, and expectations for how the game will finish off without these features. You do not want people thinking the game currently lacks funding to be finished to an enjoyable level.

In order of importance.

• #11 depends on what the difference in time will actually be, but I suppose this should be at the top.
  
• #8 is very important, the environment is currently far too static.
  
• After the first two, #9 and 10, are definitely highest in importance.
  
• I like #5 a lot. In addition to the stat page, will we also see the soldiers in dress uniforms wearing those medals at some point?
  
• #2 justifies #1, otherwise I don't think there is a point to #1. My preference is for the starting weapons to be diversified into an eclectic collection, and not a West East dichotomy. But having Eastern combatants drop appropriate weapons is worthwhile.
  
• #3 is nice, because it will help avoid having an over abundance of twins and triplets in my ranks. But, I don't care much about #4. If you were having aliens die different ways depending on the weapon which kills them, that would be completely different, and I would be for that idea.
  
• #6 An intro movie in the Homeworld style can be nice, but it's the sort of thing I watch once and never again. I rank this very low.
  
• #7's community prizes could be good as long as the amount of work you get out of the money is much greater than using your own people you are already paying.
  

For example, the Yogscast just ran an X-COM special over the holiday season (like the 27th of December or something?). Lewis claimed XCOM was one of his favorite games. Never know, the crew has a million subscribers... if he ran a livestream showing this game off, I bet it would generate interest.

I'll drop the Yogscast people an email actually, having seen their videos now you pointed them out. Maybe they'll be interested in giving us some coverage.

I actually first heard about Xenonauts from the Yogscast. He just finished Xcom a couple days ago, and while watching him stream a few days before that he mentioned that he may stream TFTD and Xenonauts after Xcom. I don't know if that was before or after you contacted them. I then watched TotalHalibut's video and immediately preordered. Point is, it would be great if they showed off the game, since after just mentioning it once they allowed me and others to discover it.

More on topic, I'm all for some sort of funding meter. I'm still a poor college student and just preordering was a stretch but if I had extra cash I would gladly donate some of it to the development of Xenonauts. I agree with Bibidibop's comment on the intro movie that even if they are really cool I normally watch them once and skip them after that.

I'm a huge sucker for art books so another vote for that as a "thing to give people who donate a certain amount."

Of course that does mean faffing around getting quotes from printers and then working out layouts and so on.

Naturally the most important things should always be whatever adds the most to the game for it's cost in time and money.

Certainly I don't think putting a kickstarter up looks desperate, it is always worth while trying out various methods of getting funding in, and as you say it creates a extra page to post about and hopefully get more people to look at the main site and maybe buy the game.

More music sequences would be nice (I really love the music so far !), also for the air combat.

That's on the way!

I think it's sounds good. Take my money! Especially if I get an art book, norweenies and credited

But yea, I'd rather you make the game even awesomer with the money than spend it on an art book, if it comes to that. You'll have it either way.

Generating interest is always a good idea. I did not know Xenonauts was even out there until fairly recently. More the merrier.

I found out that Xenonauts existed because of a stray video i realised i didnt watch by TotalHalibut. I'm so glad i watched that video!

I don't have a Facebook account so I couldn't add to the comments myself but the Escapist articles on the Firaxis X-com could be another place to politely mention Xenonauts.

I would like to see you receive the funding you need to build the best game that you can. What seems most critical is having the means to employ your staff. While it would be nice to receive perks or recognition for assisting in this endeavour I'm ambivalent about the utility of said perks. If I want anything for providing additional coin for development it is a bigger, better game.

Things like art books look fine sitting on a coffee table but I prefer putting coasters under my drinks. Money spent on a print run or binding a trade or hardback could be better spent on in game resources and internal developments that enrich the gameplay experience.

When I read the game manual word doc I was disappointed that the training system may be removed apart from the basic course that is sitting there taunting me in the personnel window. I'd rather be playing Xenonauts that realized that function than being so disinterested in the game that I'm reduced to leafing through an art book about it rather than enjoying the game itself.

Variant skins for weapons from Warsaw Pact or NATO nations don't really interest me. If the weapons performed differently in game it would be a worthwhile feature. If an assault rifle is an assault rifle why give it a different appearance? On the other hand diversity among the soldiers would be nice to see.

You have an incredible game in development and I'd like to see it completed to the high standard a dedicated(full time) team could deliver rather than a lackluster game and a book that makes me angry whenever I move the coach to do the vacuming.

I finally got around to reading the Iceland Incident blurb on the official website, and I am very impressed. I think a Homeworld-style drawn-art over narration opening cinematic could be quite fantastic, given how excellent the 2D art for this project is and how well it fits the eerie nature of the whole incident. You guys should definitely do that if funding allows!

People often skip intros after the first time, it's true, but a good intro trailer is an excellent way to grab someone's interest and, generally, a very memorable part about truly great games. Shouldn't take priority over developing gameplay, naturally, but it'd be a great thing to have if you guys don't have to sacrifice anything important for it.

Yeah, I don't think I ever skipped UFO EU's intro. It was awesome.

The incredibly misleading Xtreme Anime Smackdown?