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Aliens Taking Hostages


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Not sure if this has been mentioned before but what about wounded aliens grabbing a civilian and taking them hostage to use as a human shield? Might add an interesting mechanic to the game whereby you have to try to flank the enemy to not harm the civilian or use non-lethal methods.

Obviously it would get really annoying if every alien did it so maybe only higher ranking ones could do it and again, only when they're wounded, or something like that.

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Sounds like an interesting AI mechanic.

How do you imageing this being represented ingame? Would the civilian stand on the same square (new sprites needed plus complicated mechanic for who gets hit by the bullet/beam/bolt), standing a square infront of the alien (looks odd and possibly lazy) or something else? Would the alien physically hold the civie or would it be mindcontrol?

Sorry if I sound negative it's not my intent. I just want to know more about how you envision it working ingame.

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I had envisaged the alien grabbing the civilian and using them as a human shield, so whilst they would occupy the same tile you wouldn't need a complicated mechanic to figure out who gets hit. You could just have it as a percentage based on the type of alien. Larger aliens have more chance of getting hit whilst using a human shield than smaller ones, but only if shot at from the front. From the rear a human shield offers no protection, obviously.

I didn't think about all the new sprites it would take, damn, that's probably killed the idea there. Oh well, food for thought if the kickstarter funding goes into the hundreds of thousands :D

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But what better way to get revenge than to grab a passer by, use them as a human shield and pop shots off a the X-nauts, full in the knowledge that if they fire back, they'll kill the civvi and thus the commander will lose precious points.

You could even put in a mechanic whereby if they haven't dealt with the situation in x turns he just shoots the civvi anyway, for fun.

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I have seen this happen! In my last mission an civilian went and stood in front of an alien. He remained there for 3 turns, he was not shot at by the enemy and indeed the enemy shot out at angles from behind him!

I ended up firing a rocket at both after the alien one shotted one of my men with the plasma rifle.

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This isn't really practical in animation terms. I also don't really think it'd necessarily fit the style of the aliens either.

I really think that the dev team are neglecting the clear niche in the market for a 15 hour game of...

Xenohostage

'Sarge, he wants to talk to his mum! but she's on Zeta Reticuli!'

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Caesian: Aha! Puny Human! I not only have the Alien's Ham guide to acting, but one of your Earth women too! Aha!

Sgt thothkins: Yup, that you do.

Caesian: You shall retreat and allow us to repair our craft or she will be killed!

Sgt thothkins: Nope

Caesian:..or abducted.. or probed...or mind controlled...

Sgt thothkins: That's nice >raising gun<

Caesian: Don't you care about your women, puny Human? Aha!

Sgt thothkins: actually, there are no women on the Battlescape. That's an effeminate looking man.

Caesian: Gah! Bloody mammals all look alike!

Sgt thothkins:besides stupid guy just ran at you. Bloody civvies. >aims<

Caesian: I don't suppose..

>Blam<*

*this is, of course, the Alpha release of this post's sound effect. For only $150 000 dollars from kickstarter, this can be upgraded to a 3D leaps out of your computer and blows a hole in your head effect.

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  • 7 months later...

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