Coffee Potato

It would be cool to see for sure.

Or other relevant holiday, you do you. Just wanted to spread some obligatory well wishing to all y'all!

I've done a few unlisted ones, but the interesting discussions come live. They said the next version, and the apparent Early Access period is in a few weeks or so? I don't exactly have a big audience, but it comes up as a topic during X Div streams a lot.

Very yes to this please.

For what it's worth, I have a 8gb Asus cheapo laptop that seems to run this passably. Can't run XCOM 2 at all, but could somehow barely run Fallout 4. It ain't great feeling on the little thing, but does the job. Runs a little janky on my desktop, but I think that's just normal right now, runs recordings just fine with the same performance.

Yeah, playing them is much more reliable. The auto was never a particularly good system to circumvent a pretty fun minigame.

Question. Is this the most frequented discussion for Xeno 2? I want to discuss it, but haven't heard anything on the Streams being allowed, so was curious if there was a more active discussion anywhere.

I was meaning the air fights. I've been able to get pretty solid results with just several teams of the same basic jets, though that might just be XDiv habits. I was meaning more along the lines of "how much ammo is getting spent before the fight ends, and of what?"

I feel like the trajectory of the project is going where it needs to so far, based on how features have evolved. Ant farm base was neat, and my vote had been to keep it. That being said, the current base system feels a lot less awkward, and setting up base defense like original XCOM really got me excited. Other features seem to be getting spruced and planted across the board, so no complaints from me. I wanted Xeno with better presentation, mod potential, and more interesting options, which seems to be happening.

Out of curiosity, how are you handling the fights?

I was playing this a bit recently, and wanted to ask for some little stuff directly. -Redirecting Squadron in air from first response window. -Set up Squadron teams -Higher indicator on unit when selected for when behind fence. -More color definition on unit recruitment menu. -Indicator of when a unit runs off screen for when you stop away to change a diaper mid fight. -Count down for geoscape events -Scouting plane besides the dropship. -Some way to get an idea of where the first waves will be. -Defensive or other bonuses from secondaries. Like knives boosted reflexes in XDiv. Probably tone it down a bit, but more utility secondaries would be nice. (Side packs, extra armor/shield, longer scopes, speed loaders, etc)

Mechanically, it was interesting, but LW2 also felt really soulless to me. Plus side, there's no need to choose, LWOTC is actually out. WOTC was made for Mass appeal, and it's board game setup of strategic layers wasn't meant for thinking too hard about the logistics, it's kind of like comparing a game show and an army base. But yeah, with the soulless problem fixed, and improved performance, LWOTC is a really interesting setup. That said, it only works in that setting. Seeing the infiltrator missions turn into a missions might be a neat way to implement this, but the Xenonauts are basically responding to things instantly, they don't have time for prep, that's what makes it work. (Then it brings the question of why more units aren't sent on either side, why they didn't bring heavier vehicles, why there's no air, and any of the other "why can't we have full military porn, I like guns a lot" greatest hits. ) XDiv seems to walk the line pretty well between the two. You get heavy armor and a free vehicle, your planes are constantly trying to keep some semblance of control above, and there is no point where you don't have a goal to go after. There's lots more locals, and the battles feel very believable. Random Takeaways: Keeping the tech tree crazy over stocked seems to handle keeping the rut away. More enemy types keeps larger battles from getting tedious. Reliable armor keeps RNGesus at Bay. Also feels really good when you break a unit's armor and shred them down. Basically mostly low health and high armor, except for the tanks. Weapons changing mechanics on an individual basis keeps things fresh, LW did this too. Having a free vehicle makes it feel like your people are always doing their best. More weapon types on planes, swapped every Phase, makes the air game feel like aliens are responding to your advances.

True, though I have to say the more varied vision cones in XDiv felt very nice. Scouting armor, or open helmets providing a noticeable difference to tunnel vision from a more protective suit were super nice. Same goes for the more distinct vision bonuses, like Sentinel getting a +6 night vision range bonus. Just would be nice to have more say over that kinda stuff. Plus with just about a 1 tile vision difference, there was a lot less "did I scan every tile, oh wait, that one tile I spun slightly to fast by had the Sebillian that just iced 3 guys..." Type of stuff, and a lot more "oh hell, I should have known to check that doorway, now my 3 armored guys are alive, because their armor can take a tank round, but suppressed and injured, better get their back up team on that."

I'd prefer to have no stat-based stealth system. Too many bad memories from being invisi-sniped or downright breaking Silent Storm Sentinels. WOTC was the best stealth I've seen in the genre from a practical perspective. Hard limits on what is it isn't stealth when, fully location based, and separatable by person if it makes sense. There's no reason for a stealth mechanic in Xeno, because having a unit round a corner and ambush you is surprising all on its own.

What kinds of rounds would you like to see them add to the HEVY launcher? Obviously the thing is super fun to use now that it's convenient to get, but obviously it needs some sick ammo loadouts, what's your wish? (Gas/Smoke/Incendiary are kind of expected, I feel) Personally: Cluster Rounds (Shotgun spread, half AoE) Shock Rounds Glass Rounds (Which sound super banned, but something like the Chrysallid grenades from Enemy Within) Metronome Rounds (Randomly fires between unlocked types, because I really want a challenge run with just this.) Pulse Rounds (Anti Robot) Feather Rounds (Farther Range) Rubber Rounds (Bounces and hits something around the corner. Likely not even possible, but throwing it out there.) Nuke Rounds (Would be neat if the booms got bigger with better tech. Yes, yes, limited explosions, but I want a lower damage, bigger area opener shot) Volcano Rounds (Heavy Smoke, plus Fire, Plus Shock, Plus Stun gas, low damage. A Wall Deployment Gun, basically.) Flare Rounds (Just a farther/scatter version of the flares, if we're not getting NVGs) Paint Rounds (Cause a unit to be visible from father away) Get fun, people, what goofy stuff do you want to see? (Screw physics and reality, sci fi is fun like that.)

So the option to send multiple dropships has always been there, but what are the odds of being able to send several teams to one mission?

I always appreciated it in Silent Storm. Hear s guy walking around near a hole, roll a grenade in there .. had like 6 barrels, plus the guy panic fires a rocket launcher, sends the original unit flying through the floor above him, wipes out half the building. Man that game was insane.

^THIS. Please. Given that the aliens are generally on the bulky side, it makes sense that they'd want a punchy pistol. Maybe not a Deagle, but one of them smaller magnums. Maybe instead of tiering the pistol, just have ammo upgrades and sidegrades? Laser burst rounds (energy type), plasma fueled rounds (increased range), smoke rounds (drops a line of smoke on the way to the target), etc

That way the Elerium transports are actually worth using

What kind of mission was this?

I was meaning in general, not with X2. It just seems like something that would come up more.

I'm a little surprised we haven't seen as much of the pixel style approach if just using improvements on old tech to make it work. Namely take Jagged Alliance 2, and use that to make an XCOM game

Not entirely true. Nightmare mode had campaign loss.

Liking the more limited resources, but would like to see it varied up more somehow. Gameplay wise, maybe there could be an "unpowered" state, and a means to reroute power FTL style?

I'd vote for allowing the build, as long as there's a way to implement it. Super stoked to hear about modular armor being a thing, I literally had that as a thing on a wishlist yesterday