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Comte Pseudonyme

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Posts posted by Comte Pseudonyme

  1. I will be honest, I usualy dislike long games. 20 to 30 hours is top for me if the game loop is the same without to much change. I would probably do multiples runs over time, but might give up if it's to "samey". What keep me going for a run longer than that would be new history bits and game mechanics to serve them along the way. In an Anno game there is always something to optimise (and in Anno 1800, a new production chain somewhere, a new gimick, mechanic, even some history bits), in an RPG like Pillars or  hell, even Skyrim, always that quest with a fun character or book, or a new tidbit about the world. Such game can keep me on them for hundred of hours. But the same gameplay loops with no breaks, with the same guns, with no new mechanics along the way and no new history to fit it ? Hell no !

    To me, adding that much history content sound like a DLC more than something that can be changed where the beta is at. :confused:

    Altough... that might leave the door open for a "counter attack" DLC. Bring the fight to the alien fleet or something. Try to recruit alien defectors ? I don't know. The grand tech and history wizard Chris will tell. :)

  2. 5 hours ago, Alienkiller said:

    Then you had to finance the Game from beginning on in Kickstarter.

    I did. I am a backer.

    Their seem to be a misanderstanding here.

    What we ask (if my understanding is correct), is when a new beta build will be released. On my GOG launcher, last I checked, it was still the 13.2 version. As you (AlienK) said yourself numerous times on this forum, people should not bother with it. Fine. I can understand that : devs have already made a lot progress. Can we take a look at it ? Is there an ETA for Beta 14 ?

    Edit : I have heard from other devs that, making playable beta build can be really time consuming. To be clear, I am not trying to infringe on the devloppers methodology or way of doing things. What I personnaly would like is a bit more of transparency and general idea of what is going on. The dev updates help and I always look foreward to them. But the game was backed a long time ago now. A lot has changed since the original plans. When do the devs hope to release the early access ? Is there any new plans for Beta Builds ? The full game ? If they don't know, can they say so and explain why ?

  3. The lore and narrative aspects of Xenonauts are some of it's strong suits (see game setting and research tree posts). One way to enhance this aspect would be through the existing archive. I have various suggestions, that range from simple (I hope) UI improvement to more daring and ressources consuming ideas. I will try to list them from the most simple ones to the most "complicated" or ressource consuming looking.

    Before exposing the list of ideas, I have to point out that, even if people invested in the game and on this forum do like the lore aspect of it, it's very probable that most people will not care as much. So, all of what follows really are flavour and polish features. They could enhance the game, but they might also not be noticed if people just are not inclined or incentivised to engage with them. A lot has already been done here, such as giving an interesting story as well as "operation" relevant info in the reports. The "better ending if you pay attention" option and the music also need a mention.

    I also have to point out a bias on my part : I'm an history student and love stories, lore and history. I am thus a necrophiliac pervert and my opinion regarding the literal archive in the game that has the lore stuff might not be the more bankable way of doing things.

    I also have to point out that all this data saved could not be good for the save files, but I leave it to the tech wizards. I'm just worried and try to be good. :)

     

    1. Classification system in the archive.
    Have subfolders for the different items in the archive, such as technical reports, autopsies, etc. This is the "first step" for most of the following ideas. A research tool for titles and or content of documents could be nice, but it will probably be a luxury and not really necessary if the classification system is done right (there is not THAT much reports).

    2. Add files for the existing technologies and facilities at the start of the game. When the player takes over the Xenonauts organization, they do so in medias res. The war is already ongoing, even if in its first stage. But the organization has a long history. Such files could give a basic tutorial for the player who bothered to take the time AND give him some basic understanding of the setting. They don't have to be long or numerous, they could even be grouped into two or three synthetic files. Below, a few examples of the info that could be handed out.
    - Document on the barracks ; explain the way stuff and recruitment go on. Expand on the multinational aspect of the organisation with reference to multiple language signs, and so on. Could be grouped with the hangar and barracks under "logistics".
    - New document on the training facility could be handed out when built and give some more background on the old days when the xenonauts had funding and the world was not yet perhaps doomed.
    - Document on the radar and it's fancy UFO spotting technology. Could be grouped with the lab : it's about tech.
    - Document on the hangar that would give basic info on how aircraft delivery, rearm, refuel and repair work.
    - New document on the medical center when built could give basic info on how injuries work. Could also give trivia and data about the daily life of the base.
    - Document on the workshop could give out good info on resource management, especially if ideas brought up here are implemented. Could be merged with the hangar and the barracks I suppose, due to the logistic aspect of it all. Logistics could even be the name of the file.
    - Document on the labs could flesh out the Gaius Baltar like guy that is competent and really smug about it when he files the reports, or when he sees you at the coffee machine and does not replenish the water. What a jerk. Background story and tech priority advice too (meaning : give some tips on how the player could engage with the tech system, he does not have to stress about this or that, autopsy reports will come in automatically, etc.). Could be grouped with radar : it's about tech.

    3. Mission reports and history. Give the feeling of an organisation that crunch data and allow the player to review what they are doing. Could give a more palpable feel of the work already done… and help the player depress or keep it's head high, depending on the amount of WIN vs LOSS registered, or the daunting cost of victories.
    - A list of all interceptions, planes and UFOs involved, equipment involved, and the result. The battle reports, but neatly filed, if you want.
    - Same thing, but for ground operations.
    - A list of all orbital bombardment that happened, with casualties and effects on terror
    - It would allow the devs to put in some custom reports… regarding certain previous incidents long before the current war or at the very start of said war.

    4. Soldiers files or lists. For maximum paperwork effect and immersion. Shortcuts could be placed in the barracks menu. It sounds like busy work for the devs however.
    - Automatically generated list or individual files of soldier on duty and performance (medals, kills, whatever is pertinent) -> thing is, the barrack already kinda does this, so the devs might not want to bother.
    - Automatically generated list or individual files of soldiers that died on duty and performance (medals, kills, whatever is pertinent) -> again, barrack...
    - Give previous service of soldiers like it was done in Xenonauts 1. Not necessarly archive related, but desserve a mention. -> barrack again... so... why do I feel like the barrack compete with the archive ?

    5. A function in the archive, for each tech or report in order for you to rubber stamp the technology or data dissemination (or an info to say it's under way, if you did it when the tech popped up, or if it is automatic). The idea of it being a choice could be that, if one of your allies is compromised by aliens, you might not want to keep them in the loop. It might be more relevant in the Geoscape however. Another way to play it would be to have a panel of info, somewhere (or reports in the archive) that give updates on the current state of technology dissemination. The lab could also be a candidate.

    6. Give the archive a literal physical building as well as… its own document about the archive in the archive of course !
    - It could help to give more personality to your first base, more lore input, background, old sweet deliciously dusty stuff, that could give more of an HQ feel to your first base, as well as gravitas, because paper ALWAYS adds gravitas.
    - That would require art, however, for the archive building… and it would probably be a unique building. So… remember about my bias ?
    - I'm not saying that this building could also act as a strategic place in the base, some kind of last stand bunker to protect precious data and make the player engage with the history of the Xenonauts by the fact that the concrete walls of the archive protect the soldiers in dire situation, and it's deep knowledge help for the sake of Humankind, but, yeah. Praise be to the archive, may it's documents be plentiful and it's walls everlasting without humidity.

    7. Add an archivist. A flavour thing, and the lady that is the (I suppose, I do not know her exact function) strategic assistant/officer could fill in just as well.

    8. As you complete projects for them, you could have access to data about the forces and data that your founders have or had. That sounds like a lot of work and would probably be better one the geoscape, but, again, I love the archive (even in it's bland state) and want it to be loved by everyone.

     

    So here it is. I hope some of these ideas are good, and I hope the motivation behind it is also good.

  4. 7 hours ago, ooey said:

    See, I never think of a flying eye as a cliche! To me it represents reconnaissance/scouting (the mark 1 "eyeball" as pilots say). I suppose you could call the little disc in xen 1 a rece unit, but it also had a weapon.

    Sure, clichés are effective and have purpose, you're right. :)

    Edit : And I can understand that we consider things differently, what is cliché for me might not be for you. Matter of taste and consumed mediums I suppose.

    • Like 1
  5. On 9/18/2020 at 6:29 AM, Xeroxth said:

    We seriously need a way to roll the grenade when used indoor. That way not only would the the game not needed to caculate throwing arc but it would also prevent hilarious bugs where the grenade just drop on your soldiers feet and explode.

    I'm not sure I would call that a bug. It's more a case of "throw like if your life was depending on it" kind of thing. I hope it stimulates the troops in the face of impending doom / endless enslavement.

    That lame joke being said, I really like the idea. But how would it affect TU, range and accuracy ? Would it be some kind of firing mode for grenades, akin to those that exist for guns ?

  6. 51 minutes ago, ooey said:

    which is why I would go for a flying eye (with great speed but no weaponry)

    I really feel like the eye thing has been done over and over in other games (hell, even in D&D : it's an old trope), and the game already have flying units. That being said, the idea of a psi-mind-bridge is realy, really nice. In fact, expending on the behavior between aliens and how they work together could be the way to go to make them feel more 'alien' (whatever that means) or distinct at least, without having to make more art.

    Maybe it's because I do not play the latest builds (or haven't played enough : what I am saying is that I could be mistaken) but the aliens do not feel that different. The andron are cold and stupid "I have to kill machines", without care for cover or friendly fire. Because of that, they are the more distinct I think, not because they affect you in a new way, but because they affect the other aliens.

    So yeah, sure, compared to the caesans, the sebillians seem to be way more aggressive to the point that they seem crazy at times. The little caesans are sneaky flanking guys. There is the glowing in the dark dudes and the terryfing I eat your face in one go spider. They all have their quirks, but I'm not sure what they do impact what the others are doing that much. It's more a "nice detail thing" as far as tactics are concerned than a game changer.

    On that subject, killing the officers could have an effect beside ending mind war. As an example, some soldiers would just freak out and run for a bit, or some would just panic where they are. A kind of reverse mind war, if you will. Depending on the settings of each alien, it could give some very weird results. It would be nice to have some aliens freaking out being even worse than the mind war. Imagine an alien that officers have to micromanage, or else it just starts eating everything with way more TU that is reasonable. It would be a terrifying foe and a potential hasard for the aliens, thus, an objective, a tool for you to use, just as the andron or tanks could be both bombs you can use and very dangerous threats.

    Another idea would be to have the zombie making spider stop on the cadaver of fallen comrades (or Xenonauts) and eat them in order to heal. That way, they are not just brainded screeching creatures, but really predators barely domesticated that the aliens somewhat control in order to maintain order and punish in their ranks, as well as eating your face off.

    Without officers, sebilians could throw caesans or the weaker sebelians in front. That kind of thing would make the aliens "society" really oppressive and brutal, it could tickle the player curiosity and reading Dr. Arrogant Smart could shed some nice light on this.

     

    So yeah, having more cool aliens is nice, but making sure that the aliens have more to them would also be nice. (That being said, having alien tanks, mutating alien things, alien beastmasters of some kind, or hell, even alien eyes of floating brain-plants would be really nice, but in so far as it's not just a new asset with new stats and slightly different behaviour.)

    • Like 1
  7. I think Fritz refer to the state of the sighting in the stable beta. The doors tend to be very clunky and angles of fire are not handled very well. For example, if you are on the side of a door and not immediatly in front of it, all your shots can vanish into oblivion, sometime without any popup to explain why (100% obstacle in way for example). There is also hilariously terrifying instances of smoke grenades appearing as C4 packs once throwned. They behave normaly when exploding, but give you a heart attack.

    @Fritz1776 The experimental beta, has fixed most of the issues you seem to refer to (those that I have pointed out at least). There is a post here that explain how to change the version of the game you play on.

  8. Hi.

    The problem :
    For a night mission, the game simply stoped loading the crashsite at 98%. Windows do not complain that the program do not respond. There is still CPU usage, but barely any drive usage. The game stay like this for several minutes. I did not count exactly, but at least 10 minutes in this passive state before I just alt F4.

    Prior events that might be relevant (?) :
    My game was barely going. Barely made some buildings and an antena, deployed an agent, changed the loadout of my unit to my liking. The fight that resulted in the crash site was not an auto fight and I managed it poorly. Outside of that, I don't realy know what to tell. I did not had any programs in the background before the "bug" occured (I started some programs and began filling this report after several minutes).

    auto_strategy_after_intercept-2.json

    auto_strategy_before_combat-3.json

    auto_strategy_before_intercept-1.json

     

    Edit : damn, that shortcut got me again ! I posted earlier than intended. ^^'
    After Alt F4 and a "continue", the game loaded just fine.

  9. On 4/30/2020 at 1:24 AM, Lord Blade said:

    I'd definitely like to see more "side-grades" and strategic options with weapons as opposed to simply straight up damage increases. So while getting new tech would let you do more damage, it would be nice to see more options open up along with it. So different ammo types, or specialized weapons and such.

    That would be nice ! A few ideas :

    • Tacer rounds for combat at night that would leave "ray" of light instead of the X1 splash of light of the flares.
    • Smoke grenade upgrade that block line of sight completely.
    • Supressing 'screaming' rounds that could scare the non mecanical / untrained aliens with fewer shoots, but could not realy hurt them, especialy if armored.
    • Different burst for you weapons, 5 rounds instead of 3 for example, or lock your weapon in a certain kind of stance that eat more ammo, cost less TU per shoot but is less effective with each individual shoot.

    By the way, I never got far in my X2 runs for the moment, is the incapacitating gaz grenade in the game ? Is it planned ?

    On 5/1/2020 at 5:24 PM, TrashMan said:

    Why is that annoying?

    It's like complaining you have to carry an AT missile to kill a tank. 

    I agree with you. In X1 I often had a soldier that was just "the artificer". He/she had C4. A lot of it. A pistol, also, but seldom used it.

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