Funding seems to be way off

[StellarRat]

Yes, Xenonauts is more a hybrid air/ground game than the OG where air operations were just a sideshow. It really matters in Xenonauts. That's why it's called a planetary defense simulator not the X-Files. I think that adds a very cool strategic layer to the game that the OG didn't have.

[Shadow86]

In the original game, the impact of each component was proportional to its complexity. Which is why it feels weird in Xenonauts.

I'll admit I've been largely playing it like UFO Defense, only with more aircraft around. However, there's something decidedly off about a corvette triggering three events in two game hours outside your coverage and punching your funding for $150k worth of damage. Especially when shooting down said corvette would only net you about $20k funding, over $50k if you airstrike the crash site as well and $80k-ish if you assault it on the ground instead.

Not to mention the times you've to shoot a UFO down over the ocean, which gets you minimal returns but can't be helped since you don't know when it'll trigger a new event.

Or that for every UFO you spot, there's at least two (if you have good coverage) you won't ever detect, and will deal damage with impunity.

For such an important feature, it feels wrong that a great deal of it is random and luck-based. I'm playing on Veteran and almost through November, and the whole funding side seems like a losing battle. I'm strapped for cash so my second base only has a single radar, and my recently-built third doesn't have any, making it useless for the time being. I haven't lost any regions so far, but relations with Australasia are bad, so I presume I'll be losing them by the turn of the month.

Despite the $200k hit from that, perhaps the funding game will become easier since it won't matter what happens on that chunk of the world. Still, I see myself taking another $100k funding hit due to inevitable UFO activity, which means that by the beginning of December I'll barely have enough money to cover maintenance. And it's unlikely I'll manage to reverse the trend significantly, especially considering the constant escalation.

Edited June 11, 2014 by Shadow86

[Hrimhari]

The issue here for me is threefold:

1) There's no ramp-up time. Particularly for new players, there's no time to get to grips with the game. The air combat component is about the same difficulty two hours in or two years in. All that changes is a) what aircraft you have, b) what UFOs the aliens have, and c) how many bases you have. As a result, really, the air combat component becomes EASIER as you go further in. Basically, the difficulty curve on air combat is way over the place.

2) It means there's only one way to play the game. This is fine on higher settings, where things should be tight enough that you don't have any leeway. However, even on easier settings, you have no choice but to establish fighter bases around the world, something not communicated well in-game (I know there's a walkthrough available outside the game, but that's a poor substitute). Essentially, the game feels balanced around the higher difficulty levels.

3) It's frustrating in the early game. My early game experience involves seeing events happen around the world I can't do anything about, then seeing aliens in my airpsace, sending condors after them, and having the UFOs trail them around until they run out of fuel. This is a frustrating experience, not a fun or challenging one. I'll note that my problem isn't so much that I can't stop every UFO... i do actually like that things happen outside my sphere of influence. However, it becomes frustrating when my funding takes such a huge hit where I can't do anything about it. It would definitely help if either funding took less damage in early months, or if generally funding took less damage if it happens outside of your sphere of influence.

I do enjoy this game! I've played it through once and want to again. But the early game is putting me off.

[clackus]

I've not heard anyone mention what I consider the most enjoyable aspect of all the Xcom games.... the progression your soldiers! Seeing accuracy improve from 59 to 60%, taking one more step because TU's went up, being able to carry an additional grenade, etc. I become attached to my little guys. It is something which transcends concern for their safety, it is more closely akin to affection. I sink into a deep depression at the loss of a beloved trooper. My countenance falls when my best soldier has to spend 12 days in the hospital. The thought of having to train up a green-horn plummets me into an almost insurmountable funk. Heaven help me should the unspeakable occur... losing two Commanders on one mission! It is then when I am sorely tempted to move the mouse cursor to the Exit Game. Only sympathy for those remaining brave souls hinders me.

Having said that, it does vex me when I have to weigh buying them wolf armor vs. putting up another Radar site. Or perhaps, providing my two best fellows with laser rifles vs. buying one more Condor. Sometimes I must make the distasteful decision... do I invest in another laser battery or maybe, just maybe build the latest dropship so then I can carry MORE soldiers to worry about !!

Edited June 12, 2014 by clackus

[Shadow86]

Here's a lovely screenshot.

Yes, funding shortages prevent me from having full coverage (the Far East base is building its first radar), but even at full range, I'd be hard-pressed to detect any of those UFOs wreaking havoc across the Pacific and Bering Strait. That's "bad luck" worth over $100k in funding.

I suppose I'll be glad once Australasia finally abandons me and I stop having to care about that side of the world.

And boy do I hate those corvettes that hop from landing site to landing site. Why can't I strike them from the air again? The Charlie's so slow it'll never get them in time. I suppose I could chase them with it and get them on the next site, but that leaves me with little control as far as daytime's concerned.

Edited June 13, 2014 by Shadow86

[crusherven]

Shadow86, something to consider for another run--your base in Europe has a lot of coverage up in the North Sea, which isn't terribly important. Consider putting that base farther southeast, in North Africa or the Middle East, where you can cover large parts of 6 regions. Same with the base in the Americas--if you move it farther south, you can still cover a large portion of North America but still save South America as well. With your setup you'll get larger gains in the regions your bases are in, but are almost guaranteed to lose entire regions.

I'm not sure my placement is optimal, yet--it might be worth sacrificing a region like you're doing--but it's something to consider. I'm just starting in December, but so far every region is either neutral or positive. We'll see how it goes; this is my first full month having 3 functional bases.

[Shadow86]

It's complicated. I agree that the European base should've been placed further south, even though Southern Africa is hanging in there for now. As for the others, I regret not placing the Far East Division pretty much on the Chinese coast, and abandon Australasia from the get-go. The Soviet Union is a pain to cover, and the aliens have plenty of fun over Siberia.

The Bering Strait is also a hotspot of activity sometimes, which leads us to North America. Frankly, NORAX isn't really badly placed: I've seen fairly frequent activity along nothern Canada, as well as UFOs flying north from the Amazon. I suppose I've been lucky with South America, though: their funding level is close to $500k due to a mix of sparse alien presence and a successful terror defense in Asunción.

But frankly, it's impossible to cover the Americas with a single base without missing large chunks of land. And the problem is exacerbated by the fact UFOs can hurt continents attacking (sometimes questionably placed) sea assets. There's oil rigs even in the middle of the Pacific Ocean, apparently...

Here's the situation in December '79.

I expect a big boost in North America from tackling the alien base before New Year's Eve, right on time for payday. I really need it for radar construction and aircraft procurement. Maybe even a Corsair or two. Condors and Foxtrots have been handling things so far, but I fear the aliens will give me the big, extraterrestrial finger one of these days and send something I can't reasonably counter. Not to mention the possibility of my defenseless secondary bases being spotted and destroyed in terrible brevity.

Edited June 15, 2014 by Shadow86