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gshuford

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Everything posted by gshuford

  1. I'm cautious and use some pretty solid tactics. I can go for quite a few missions from the outset without losing a man, or only 1 or 2 on a bad mission. But I have yet to master bases and terror missions where I'll likely wipe an entire team.
  2. Another thought. I also implemented a value for standards. A rank of 1 in any skill represented no training at all. A rank of 5 represented novice mastery, 10 is average mastery, 15 is teacher level (or just simple mastery), 20 is the best a human being could be in the field. However, the ranks go beyond 20, representing superhuman ability as well as the rare exceptional human. Bear in mind that my game was not a d20 based system. In this way, I was able to present a standard for comparison as well as an endlessly increasing skill set where the players could become superhuman and battle things far beyond the scope of an average person. Needless to say, this was a game of high fantasy. Although the mechanics are pretty universal.
  3. http://www.goldhawkinteractive.com/forums/showthread.php/6074-Request-Randomized-Maps
  4. The machine gun for the hunter does have a ridiculously low amount of ammo, though, with no options of increasing it.
  5. They're invading earth to eat our cats. That makes sense.
  6. @E4D: Well, yeah, but the X-ray designation just feels like a modern way of going about it. Probably just because I'm not used to thinking of ETs invading in that time period.
  7. Wow, awesome ideas all around. Everybody has said just about everything I'm thinking. Not to shun other ideas, because there are some really good alternatives here, but I think I personally throw my support towards air-strikes and letting local forces handle it. Plus, a mysterious grey market to sell to. After all, the government(s) have people that even Xeno wouldn't know about. In fact, it would be kind of neat to see some MIBs appear at crash sites, but I'm gonna let that thought drop. Here's one of my wild ideas. Unfortunately, I think it would be too much effort to program for what it would ultimately present to the player. It may be a horrible idea, but even a pile of crap can start a roaring blaze. Formation movement: To facilitate ground combat, you can drag-select multiple troops who will move in the formation they are in when you select them, using the man with the lowest TUs as the basis for TU actions until others are individually selected. Main benefit: Ground combat can be resolved faster which means less time in a situation that can become tedious. Other benefits: A new mechanic which adds a form of realism as well as new ways to strategize. Main con: Programming it. Other Cons: Deciding how this affects reaction fires and other elements as well making it just as good as micromanaging movements. I apologize if this has already been mentioned somewhere. I'm unaware if it has.
  8. Well, I was thinking more along the lines of increasing whatever the equivilent of perception is. I haven't looked too closely at the attributes. But I reason that if you gain attributes from day combat, night combat should help out there. That is, learning to rely on other senses rather than sight. While this doesn't negate your ad absurdum point, you still have to apply ad absurdum to the game's current mechanics of going into combat, receiving stat bonuses. In either case, the fact that your soldiers get better from doing things related to what they get better in is already a mechanic in game. Increasing night sight radius by 1 after X number if night ops is a pretty decent idea, but it doesn't really give an advantage to doing night ops. Even with the bonus, you still have lower sight radius at night so it really doesn't do anything to make the player want to risk going on night missions unless they're just a thrill-seeker. The most appropriate game mechanic I can think of would probably be a little too much: That would be alter the success of the mission by how long it takes you to respond to the situation. A situation quickly resolved would please a nation more than one where you wait half a day before sending in troops.
  9. There's a few that I would use. I like X-rays from XCOM, but that seems a bit too modern. Marvin is good as a reference to Marvin the Martian. It would all be time period accurate, too.
  10. I find several problems with standard rpg mechanics. 1 is classes. Classes arbitrate a specific role to a being who is, at any time, capable of setting himself out of that role and learning something completely different. But standard rpg class systems limit this to, "sure, when you reach the next level, you can take a second class in X". Levels are another thing. Although your game doesn't sound like it will focus on "leveling up" so much as increasing stats. Finally, "skills" and "feats" are something that I dislike for r-p mechanics. By skills, I mean a list of rolling bonuses for everything under the sun. Avoid applying skills in the game anytime the situation could be solved by good r-p: such as bluffing. I feel like a lot of skill-based systems replace role-playing with roll-playing. Feats in most games often become the main feast for any given class. But feats often involve being able to do things that a character should be able to take as a skill. For example, why have a feat that gives a +1 attack for using X weapon? Shouldn't the character just invest in training with that weapon? So here's a basic concept I use when I do home brews: There's no such thing as classes. There's no such thing as levels. Each character has a starting amount of "Creation Points" which he can use to buy ranks in a varied list of skills. Notably, skills that are only used when r-p will not suffice (such as designing a thermal radiometer or shooting a bad guy). If this system were to utilize classes, it would simply be a starter package that sets appropriate skills at certain ranks at the outset. I have an entire game system based on this concept, but I'm unfortunately unwilling to release exclusive details of it as I plan to get it published. Suffice to say, in test-play, the game mechanics utilizing these concepts worked so well that not only did everyone immensely enjoy the game play itself, but many unpredictable situations were solved simply by the cohesion of these mechanics. Though I wouldn't recommend the following for an XCOM type tabletop, I had even taking out attribute scores. But an XCOM style game should have them. The XP reward is replaced by gaining CP (creation points) which can be spent anytime the character has had ample time to train or ample experience in what he's training in. I'm sorry that I can't give a more detailed description of exactly how this works, but I thought maybe just the conceptual parts might spark a nice idea for you.
  11. I didn't realise that. Also would be kinda cool if night missions increased panic. Maybe that's already in there and I don't realise it?
  12. I see lots of backing for a medal, but I dunno if I'd risk it for that. Maybe a little extra increase to attributes?
  13. Xenonauts aliens don't activate only when spotted either, as I understand. So they are moving to or in position while you're taking your turn. They're hunting civilians, fighting local militia, setting up an ambush, etc. You also get 8 men. This allows you 2 fire teams and allows you a lot more tactical strategy. Especially since you're capable of determining each man's individual loadout. Want to carry a sniper rifle and rocket launcher? Sure! How about a machine gun and a backup machine gun... and another machine gun! That's pretty stupid, but sure! How about nothing but grenades? Like 40 grenades? Sure. Also, rather than 2 actions (and in most cases, if you shoot you can't move in EU), you get time units. This allows for a lot more strategizing as well. A shot from the hip takes a lot less time to take than a well aimed shot. But a well-aimed shot will likely not leave you time to move behind (or out of) cover. So with all these possibilities, play style and speed really depends on the individual and the situation. Check out some of the let's play videos or some videos on twitch.tv.
  14. @Zek Of course, that doesn't really explain how they get back from being shot down in the ocean. Alternatively, you can imagine Xeno wants to keep at least 2 condors operational so if one is downed, the engineers immediately get to work on building another. EDIT: I think that the intent on this is to keep the player with at least a minimal functioning base. Just like having infinite basic gear. It keeps you alive just a little longer sometimes as opposed to washing out in the first 10 minutes of gameplay due to a slight mistake or bad luck and having to start over, re-equipping your troops, assigning seating positions etc. There will come a point early enough on (probably within 2 months of game time) that this little freebie won't save your ass anymore. EDIT: Yes, I realize I have a bad habit of accidentally double posting. I'm not used to being active in forums. Sorry.
  15. @Zek I brought that up before. Apparently it's not a bug. The plane is rebuilt in your hanger supposedly after recovering what can be salvaged in the crash. It does take a while to be repaired from 0 health, refueled, and rearmed.
  16. I will concede your point, sir. And in that respect, I suppose it is a good deal more realistic for weight regulations. A SAW and a few hundred rounds might not be too encumbering, but sure, a full standard payload would definitely slow down the average grunt. Although I could argue that I've seen how Navy SEALS train firsthand and I imagine they would find what us regular grunts considered a heavy load to be laughable (of course, the ones I met were too badass to belittle regular grunts). Regardless, your statement is true and even a physically fit person would start to slow down with some of the weight limits you can muster in the game. Whatever the case, though, the game play itself is what is important. Apologies for the assumption that you were ignorant of combat payloads.
  17. @Ondie: It's not a matter of IF they'll put it in. The morale system is definitely there - and it's very intricate. Chris has said himself that he just needs to up the rate at which it takes effect so we see it in game. But yeah, I do tend to think that these guys progress rather quickly. @Thoth: I'm inclined to just accept the poor accuracy and light load for the game mechanics, but I've already said that a couple of times. @crusheraven: E4D pretty much said it. I'll give you some realistic numbers though. From personal experience, I've been with an entire platoon with each man carrying about 120 lbs of gear on move to contact missions that lasted a week and a half. That amount of weight is not very good once combat starts, but let me give you some real figures from first hand experience: M240 bravo (medium machine gun and much heavier than the ones the 'nauts carry which would be about 16 pounds): 27.6 lbs 600 rds of ammo: 7 lbs per 100 rounds Interceptor body armor with ballistic plates: roughly 20-25 lbs tactical MOLLE assault gear (vest, ammo pouches, etc) with radio, bandages, IV kit, generally 4 grenades, kevlar helmet, night vision, etc: roughly 10-25 lbs. Now that would be the bare minimum to take on a mission. Total: just over or under 100 lbs of gear depending on the total weight of the various accessories. Even with just the gun and ammo, you're talking about 70 lbs. Rifleman: m4 carbine: 8 lbs with loaded 30 rd mag 180 more rounds of 5.56 ammo: about 6 lbs I believe. same body armor and tactical web gear: 35-55 lbs about generally outfitted with one of the following extras: a)extra ammo for light or medium machine gunners would usually cover about 20 more lbs at least. And probably AT4 rocket launcher (I'd guess about 7 to 10 lbs maybe) b)medic litter, extra javelin missile: about 25 lbs c) radio operator: not sure, but it's significantly heavy (35 lbs? with batteries and all?) d) javelin launch unit and whatever other extra stuff can be put with it In the end, each man's load would come to within 20 lbs of 100 rounds before you even factor in the ruck sack that would carry tents, meals, change of clothes, full field first aid kit (not the medic's type kit), etc which comes to about 25-35 lbs. Now, in an actual combat situation like our 'nauts are getting in, you would still carry your main weapon with standard payload which is about what E4D described and still only comes to 45 to 70 lbs or so depending on role in platoon. So, for true-to-life weights, any of those loads you mentioned would actually be unrealistically light.
  18. You can always play off of something like this: [video=youtube;5vLs2LxdokY] Just call it an "advanced version of" that generates a localized magnetic field.
  19. It has a certain "Mass Effect" feel (in case you hadn't heard that before) with an permadeath system for npcs depending on your difficulty setting. I only played it for a short bit and it's certainly got some unique elements that are probably worth trying. I appreciate game developers who are willing to take a risk by trying something different than the standard assembly line games.
  20. Oddly enough, didn't the first xcom series make a poor attempt at an fps style game? But no, I don't think they screwed up the franchise. I tried a little of the game and it doesn't seem bad. The problem lies in that people who aren't fans of xcom probably won't try it - but I think it is really more of an attempt to expand the demographic while building story. But for xcom fans, well... they're fans because they like the original xcom. The franchise isn't screwed, it just hasn't found a major niche.
  21. So, when you put your guys in position on the chinook, it would be nice to dictate which way they will be facing when the mission starts. @RussicherZar for the idea.
  22. I remember hearing a quote from Golloper on his reaction to this game. Paraphrased, it went something like "Those poor bastards have no idea what they've gotten themselves into." Actual quote: "you tell them that we seriously need to sit down and have a beer some time because I can only imagine the stories that we could share about trying to make a game like this. I’m sure they’ve gone through a lot of the development headaches that we have as well. " So, cheers!
  23. That's actually not too hard depending on how the game is scripted. I'm sure someone could mod it pretty easily. The biggest problem would be a combination of randomly located music in the appropriate areas and copyright laws. Regardless, I'm sure someone could mod it fairly easily.
  24. I like this as I was wont to say in another thread. If anything, roughly 40 combat-imminent missions makes a super-soldier and they probably should be by that point and probably deserve it in a brutal game like this. But 40 missions can go by pretty fast. That is, should the poor bastards survive. My only problem with slowing down their progression (or really, taking any advantage away from the player in ground combat) is one simple mechanic we really have seen implemented yet: morale. When your little 'nauts freak out and start shooting each other, you're going to be praying for that low accuracy. I'm VERY interested to see how the game plays with the morale updated.
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