Raffik

I do not and I routinely run out of H.E.V.Y. rounds only. If I loose the shield or run out of ammo, then so be it and I need to adjust my tactics to reflect that fact. I rather elaborate on how to flank that mf-er who just destroyed my shield than to run for a new one. But that is my play style preference only. Overstocking works fine as well I assume

Hi, I understood the point I dislike the overstocking play style (I also saw some streamers use it and it was mentioned in the thread, but of course there are situations, in which anyone would enjoy some more storage space), so my idea was about how the game could allow to store additional equipment like ammo etc using something, that is already in the game (MARS storage space, currently unavailable) instead of having to overstock in case of need of the "cushion" as you called it. Did not mean to offend anyone.

I personally never felt a big need to overstock my soldiers for a mission. Limited carrying capacity makes the game experience more intense and makes you come up with unorthodox ways to combat the aliens, which is a good thing in my opinion. But more grenades and/or ammo always come handy, so as I am reading through the thread, here are my ideas how this could be approached... The MARS has a greyed out "backpack" as well, what about using it for extra storage space for clips, grenades etc? It is a limited space (5x5 i believe, but could be made smaller, say 3x3) and as a mechanized unit, the TU loss because of the excess weight could be smaller (say half) than by regular soldier, but still a thing to consider. The carrying capacity would not increase as well, as the MARS unit does not level up. There could be a restriction for certain items as well. And, as the soldiers do level up and their strenght grows, the extra cargo space would be mostly used in the early game I believe. Another fast idea.... The MARS could have additional primary available (lets call it MULE), which would "unlock" the backpack area and only allow the secondary weapon to be used, sacrificing the primary weapon for storage space usage, but without loss of mobility.

Alienkiller, this is a general discussion thread. Noone can change things here except the devs, therefore we all are discussing things here to bring forward our ideas in hopes, that these would ispire the devs or to change their minds so they take over some of our ideas and add those into the game based on popular demand. Chris himself stated, that nothing is set in stone and that he is more in favor of the player not using the alien weapons and I am okny with it. But he did not say, that there will not be any alien weapons usage allowed. So I reacted with my opinion and suggestion, which is the essence of a discussion, isn't it.... Integration - yes. The alien plasma weapons are already integrated in the game, I do not know if there would ever be human plasma weapons in the game, although I have seen some artwork on the web already. So my presented idea was based on the things already in the game and in the general discussion thread, if the alien plasma weapons should be allowed for usage by players. And again, my opinion is, that if there will be human plasma weapons introduced to the game, then it makes not so much sense to let the player use the alien ones. If there would be no human plasma weapons introduced, then a research could enable alien plasma weaponry use, with some restrictions to not break the research. But this will be decided by Chris and the devs and we all understand this. On a side note: currently in EA, advanced laser weapons are enough to be used throughout the mid to late game, gauss is usable and even more powerful as alien plasma so there is no need for plasma weapons atm.

For the endgame I would have the following ideas - no idea how the endgame is being designed or how it was in X1: Once the orbital bombardment is started by the aliens, the world nations officially combine their efforts and agree on cooperation against nearing annihilation. They offer the Xenonauts ICBM silos for usage agsinst the alien satelite. As the satelite is too hard to destroy (shields or countermeasures - attempted missile strikes unsuccessful), Xenonauts will have to send a mission (multiple parts and levels) to the satellite or a base on the moon or mars to turn off the defense and gather as much data on the enemy as possible to discover their main base of operations. When successful, the world nations execute another attack on the satellite and destroy it, which technically brings the whole world together against the common enemy and ends the cold war. This could also give the player a possibility to recruit soldiers with higher ranks than private from the nations (up to mjr f.e.). Research triggered from the brought data would allow to start Operation Endgame preparations. When not successful, the bombardment would continue and slowly increase the panic to levels (multiple attempts for the mission could be possible), where the world nations would surender to the aliens one by one (or start a general nuclear exchange), which would end the game unfavorably for the player. Operation Endgame: Attack on the main alien base/homeworld HQ. Main purpose to capture (not kill) the praetor/leader. Success would trigger a research to interrogate the praetor, which would lead to negotiations with the alien homeworld to cease fire. Win for the player (true purpose of the invasion uncovered) and possible plot for DLC or X3 - return of the aliens. Fail would lead to the same fate as unsuccessful mission on the alien base or to an ending, where the aliens would take over the nuclear powers and cause them to start nuclear war. After the nuclear exchange, they would take over the rest (depending on the true purpose of the alien attack - enslave, conquer or annihilate humanity - which would be uncovered in the endgame fail cinematic)

I believe the question is, if there will be a human-produced plasma weapons implemented in the game. Not talking about alien magnetic weapons, as there alredy is a human-made counterpart to them. If YES (after research just like with laser weapons f.e.), then there is no need to use the alien weapons. If NOT, I'd say lets use them (after proper research to "hack" the security system in the individual guns of course - could be done in workshop - this would also limit the amount of hacked plasma weapons), make them heavier than human weapons with less ammo, and higher TU usage for human user (not human ergonomy) but powerful as they are (I believe the plasma rifle does 56 damage). Then you have a very powerful gun, which has low ammo and costs you more to fire. Compare this to an advanced laser rifle or gauss rifle and the choice is clear - plasma only as a Last resort or for plasma lovers, by sacrifice of battlefield effectivity. Gameplay example: I have been in multiple situations, where my grenadier was out of ammo without secondary gun (had a medkit as secondary) and stood on a alien corpse, which had a plasma rifle. If he would be able to use it, he could have had a chance to continue fighting.

Hi Alienkiller, I understand that there will be more UFOs with time, I've red the development roadmap. What I meant was, that the UFOs from X1 have had very nice models and it would be nice (and also easier for the devs) to reuse them in X2 as well to add variety. Thanks for confirming about 3x3 vehicles, although I still believe, that it would be logical and nice to have a heavy UGV, I understand, that the devs decided not to bring them again and replaced them with MARS/ARES. Good idea about the static models, there could be a couple of missions in military surroundings, there they would fit perfectly (at least as cover)

I never played X1, only saw a few videos from the gameplay but I liked the models and UFO layouts there, would it be perhaps possible to implement the models from X1 to X2 as well? For example, some of the alien species could use the scout or corvette from X1 (say sebilians) and some would use the X2 models. This could also help to differentiate the aliens species. For the Xenonauts, some of the equipment could "return," such as the rocket launcher nad scimitar scout tank. The initial dropship has some spare cargo space, so the scimitar from X1 could be reused . If implemented, the player would have an option to go with MARS, or with Scimitar as a heavy weapon platform instead. But as the scimitar is 3x3 tiles, it could be carried only in the Chinook, as the Dragonfly seems to be smaller and only the MARS (2x) could fit in. It would give more tactical options and also some restrictions to the use of the scimitar and vice versa, with the MARS being small and used as a squaddie, the scimitar with superior armor, but too bulky to be able to Storm the UFO interior floors. To add more reason behind its usage, the Scimitar could be armed with plasma main weapon as the only human platform f.e.

Some of the concepts described below I have seen in an open source UFO game, some are my ideas how to enhance the already very good player experience even further and I believe it would be great to have something similar in X2 as well.. Not sure if feasible in the way how the game is designed though.. Radar tower the radars in the bases cannot effectively cover the whole landmass of the Earth. Adding a few radar towers on the Geoscape in the blindspots could cover all continents.There would have to be construction time and costs as well as upkeep involved, and the coverage would be less (say half) of the basic radar and would also not upgrade to quantum. The bombers could also target it during their runs on the geoscape. UFO Dissasembly Yard For every downed UFO, you would have an option to either collect the bounty (there could be bids from the world regions - selling a UFO to them could reduce the panic in that region f.e.), or to keep it for dissasembly. For this, you would build an installation, where the downed UFOs would be transferred to (transfer time between 48 and 96 hours). Capacity of the yard would be limited, eventually you could build more. Every newly (not shot down before) downed UFO would trigger a research, in which the the tech and the stats of the UFO would be discovered. Every UFO could be dissasembled using workshops (as projects) into individual items (alloys, alenium, surgical tables, propulsion, navigation, electronics, weapons etc), which would be used for triggering research. Later, the items could be either sold or used for crafting items, planes etc. Damaged UFOs would generate less items to research/sell as opposed of undamaged ones (Landed and conquered ones). This would add another layer of gameplay, as now the items are gathered automatically after end of tactical battles. Cleaner base After defeating the base, it would be occupied by Xenonaut forces and would trigger research of the advanced structures. The player would have to transfer/hire scientists and engineers to that base to start the research. Until the research would be completed, the remnants of cleaner forces would attack the base trying to re-take it. After completing the research, the base attacks would stop and the base would be used as an additional source of research/crafting and/or income generation. The base itself would either become another regular base, or it would have to remain as is (no additional structures could be built) SAM site missile site (f.e. a modified ICBM site, provided by a region or country or built by player), used to shoot modified long range AA missiles at airborne UFOs (preferably the big ones - cruiser, harvester, battleship, carrier, bomber), helping to soften them up before they get attacked by the Xenonaut interceptors or to defend bases (or off-site installations) as an extra layer of defense. Alien moon base The aliens could have a logistical hub on the moon, used to coordinate attacks on Earth and stack up forces, represented by a base. Such base could be assaulted by the xenonaut forces (or by the SAM site with a special missile to allow the base attack) to weaken the logistics of the aliens. The ultimate Dropship and at least Exosuit equipped soldiers would have to be used for such a mission. This mission could be triggered in corelation to the orbital bombardment, which is not implemeted yet.

I believe they are strong enough already..

Do the aliens use the grenades they have on them in the EA? I haven't noticed them to throw them at all, so I'm wondering, if that is only the EA and will be enabled in the future?

perhaps in later stages of the game, supported by mandatory research (alien electronics or some alien DNA research f.e.), where the alien guns could be picked up and used by xenonauts? With a possible restriction, that they could not be manufactured, but would have to picked up on the battlefield.

yes agree fully. Also the HEVY could use a range of 20 tiles ans 2 types of ammo - explosives, that fire in arch up to 20 tiles and flechette, which fire in direct line with range of 10 tiles like a shotgun (with more power and spread than a shotgun) Btw. has anyone an idea, why the rocket launcher was not implemented? It was in X1..

Agree, the endgame percentage is kind of a spoiler...

I wonder if it would be possible and more interesting to approach the aftermath of cleaner base mission differently. After the base is taken, Xenonaut forces would occupy the cleaner base - it triggers some research, which is fine, but it would make a lot of sense to defend it until the research is complete... the player would have to hire scientists and start the research. The remnants of the cleaners could try to re-take it several times, which would give the player a lot of fun as well defending it. As the base is an external one, the units protecting it would have to be brought and kept/rotated there. After all research would be completed, the base attacks from the cleaners would subside and the base would remain as an external installation for the player to use as an installation for research, enhanced workshop effectivity and/or income generation. The base itself would remain as is. It has some storage capacity, upgraded lab and workshop, a quantum device, a generator, living quarters and no hangar. No additional facilities could be built. What do you think guys?

having the same on day 209

nope.. did not notice anything. Probably the alien fusion bombs during the mission. That probably triggered the research option.

It sort of already is present in the game in the form of the Cleaners I believe. Their arch will be looked at as Chris announced, so I believe they will be more palpable in the future. It would be perhaps interesting to see forces of the world regions combatting the UFOs in the air (as they would probably react irl as well) or even Xenonaut aircraft in cases, where the panic is too high (say above 75). If a region is lost to the aliens, then even a base attack could be possible by the region army, if a Xenonaut base is in the region..

very good and helpful diagram. What I saw in the game to be different-not show on the diagram, that I got the fusion explosives research without defeating a bomber - it became available after a terror mission (second one)

What about adding some extra equipment for night ops (silencers for ballistic weapons or specialised silenced weapons, motion scanners, night vision) and in some missions (like the cleaner cells) with less enemies at night, while reinforcements coming in lets say 5 turns in high numbers if the xenonauts get discovered (meaning a sighted enemy is not dead in the same turn, no grenades, no demo charges etc f.e.) That would give the night missions another feel. And here I would agree with Skitso about the "fading" vision effect during night missions. Perhaps not so extensive as in the screenshot above, but it would be more realistic (the tiles, that would be only partially visible could have less chance/pecentage to see an enemy etc) Terror missions could be restricted to night time only f.e. or It could be worth adding some special missions with special equipment restricted for such missions only.

Well, cannot disagree about the costs (250k) :) I believe it depends on play style of course (I haven' t lost any MARS during 169 days on Veteran mode, although it gets hit in almost every tactical mission). If you scout with the MARS, you need to count with possibility, that it will get shot at. As I said, it would be nice to have, but not entirely necessary, if you take preemptive measures imo.

agree. having 10 round burst fire mode for the secondary weapon would be great. Field repair option would be nice ro have, but usually it is not necessary as the unit gets auto repaired after every mission anyway. But I use it more for fire support and surprise assault breaching walls, not so much for scouting..

what would make more sense would be, that in case a region is lost, the local forces could try to attack the xenonaut base (if in that region - but that could be done by cleaners) or send interceptors to counter the xenonaut fighters or dropships over their teritory - using their own forces and units. But different factions in the game would make the game confusing imho.

Hi devs, are there any plans for translations into other languages than the ones already introduced? As a native Czech speaker, I'd like to support in case.

well I did not mean a mortar in particular, but the grenade launcher could be used in similar fashion Iwith a curved trajectory I agree. But not just as that only, with flechette rounds it would turn the grenadier into a CQC as well.