Xenonauts Kickstarter Combat Demo released!

[Chris]

This version of Xenonauts 2 is a free public test build only available on GOG Galaxy. It is the build we are planning to use as the public demo for our Kickstarter and it is likely to be the last of our free public builds, and you can get it here: https://www.gog.com/game/xenonauts_2_demo

We've fixed a few more bugs in the previous version and we think this is a good place to stop updates; things seem sufficiently stable and playable for an alpha demo. We do have extra features in the developer builds we don't want to risk copying them across to the public builds in case they introduce extra bugs (plus this way the beta will seem like a major step up from our public builds!)

If you're interested in getting a notification when our Kickstarter launches, please sign up for our mailing list here: http://eepurl.com/4FKe9

CHANGELOG:

• Main menu now has a "Play Game" option instead of the "New Game" and "Load Game" options.
• Soldier inventory button now switches weapons (same functionality as pressing "X") instead of just doing nothing.
• Units moving from roofs down to the ground no longer appear as a ghost for a few seconds.
• Fixed the crash that occurs when a civilian gets into your dropship for real this time.
• Small updates to the text of the "do you want to turn on error reporting" and "gameplay tutorial" pop-ups.
• The game now displays "alpha build" in the bottom left of the screen.

No massive changes there, but it'd be helpful if people could give the build a play at some point and let us know if you experience any major issues. It's unlikely we'll make any additional changes or fixes unless there are critical gameplay bugs or major crashes in the build, as any change we make has a chance of introducing further bugs - but if there are any issues we'd definitely like to know about them before the Kickstarter begins.

More news on the Kickstarter (and hopefully a firm launch date) later this week!

[Skitso]

Not sure if this is intended, but the selection cursor is drawn under ground next to pavement.

https://imgur.com/a/juTgBJu

Also, not sure if intended, but the screen shakes every time someone shoots. This is probably to make shots have more punch, but is a bit annoying when on alien turn and especially on hidden movement when you can't even see the shooter.

Some props are still having completely black textures if the FOV button is active.

While I can understand the game is ways from being complete, I must say I'm a bit worried about the performance. I just tested the game with fraps and was surprised that the FPS went as low as low thirties with my GTX1070. No wonder the game felt a bit jerky. It's no way a deal breaker in a turn based game like Xenonauts, but I'm a bit sensitive to fluctuating frame rates and it can make my head/eyes hurt really quick. Lowering the detail level to simple(?) made the FPS stay constantly over 60, but that means losing all the shadows and lighting effects plus most other fine detail which doesn't seem to be in line with other modern games with my system and seems quite a price to pay to have smooth gameplay. How much do you think you can squeeze performance from your engine still? If this is the ball park, is there a chance to add a 30fps lock? It would help a great deal to me and other people with similar sensitivity to fluctuating frame rates.

[thixotrop]

One mission with fullscreen: 1920 x 1200 Quality: Fantastic

It seems the time issue of multi-shots has been solved.
Blood is shown correctly now again, no white blood or aliens and humans anymore.
Faces of the soldiers are not in 8-bit style anymore.

In general:
Still an issue:
Camera/View:
- Camera pans to black areas in hidden/friendly movement, this is quite annoying because the camera doesn't move back to the soldiers.
- Also the camera doesn't move back when one of my soldiers is hit by an alien out of the black. This is not good, as it is impossible to assess where the shots came from.
- It would be more convenient if the camera would pan back to last used soldier after hidden movement, i.e. at the beginnung of the new turn.
- The pan of the camera is too slow when following a bullet to its target.
- Now it is possible to pan during hidden/friendly movement, is that intended?

Pictures:
Left: Soldiers and Aliens can shoot through walls and roofs.
Middle and right: The wall changes with damage state.
 

For me, this becomes more and more annoying.
The shooing through the wall is just bad. "Leaning to the side" without showing it (as this was discussed some time ago) is no easy way out. Show that or it is not possible.
If the wall is damaged more, the bricks may fall off completely, at least this is what I think is intended to be shown here. But the holes in the wall cannot vanish then. It just looks logically dumb.

 

recording_3.rec

Edited May 26, 2018 by thixotrop

[marques]

Hi guys ! I really look forward to this game and I hope that it will work out to the full! but I would like to pay attention to the animation of the soldiers running ... well, like it is slightly not realistic. can I still fix it? anyone else seems so or to me alone?)

[erutan]

This has really improved since the last demos I tried.

Some questions/bugs/comments:

* Are the walls supposed to be a brick facade with concrete underneath, or is them turning into grey slabs a bug?

* Some walls can be shot through.

* Weapons that give you a TU bonus do so an unlimited amount of times - I can keep switching to a SMG and moving/firing until it's time to reload. Pistols less useful, but you can still creep around to wherever you want.

* Really enjoying the heavy weapons (sniper, lmg) - the grenade launcher is satisfying without being too OP in blowing up terrain.  Assault rifles aren't getting a ton of kills, but they're good for those finishing touches getting in a suppress. Shotgunners kept dying - it's a little hard to move close enough to use them without dying the next turn without smoke, though suppression / overwatch fire helps. Overall it feels very "tactical".

 

[Chris]

There's a bug in the game where both sides of the wall are being treated as independent objects, whereas in the final game they'll have a common HP value. That's why when you shoot one side half of it goes to damage and the other half remains intact.

Which walls can be shot through? You can shoot round corners at a 45 degree angle now, and windows and open doors are treated as non-existent right now. So sometimes the firing angles around those can be a little too permissive, and I was wondering if that was causing the strange behaviour.

@marquesI can't recall seeing a specific issue, but even so it's something we'll fix in the Early Access period. Right now we're concentrating on getting everything working and then we'll be spending several months fixing all the little bugs, balance problems and visual issues in the game before we release it.

[Fabevil]

I can't remember if I already asked this already asked this, but I will ask again, will there be separate animation for snap shots (hip fire), normal and aimed shots?

Also a suggestion, can you make the lighting in night missions a bit darker?

Thanks for listening

 

 

I may be donating 25£ to support you guys, after I've seen the screenshots I was left very happy of your work, and I'll be sure to give you money, so take it

Edited July 10, 2018 by Fabevil

[Alienkiller]

I play the Demo too sometimes to get a feeling for the fights in the fully game it comes out. I have reduced it to 1 death soldier now and try to only have 1 light wounded soldier max. But that´s not easy, esp. with the beginning Armors and Weapons in the Game.

[Fabevil]

I donated! I'm a second Lieutenant now! That means I can lead a squad and get all my men killed! Wooh!

[Fabevil]

I also donated more than I expected. Why? Because you're good developers

Also how do I access The Closed Beta after Kickstarter?

Edited July 15, 2018 by Fabevil

[heavy disruptor beam]

I bemoan the lack of OSX demo

[Ruggerman]

Can we expect an other update soon. Just to see in what direction the game is heading in?

[Sheepy]

6 hours ago, Ruggerman said:

Can we expect an other update soon. Just to see in what direction the game is heading in?

If I remember correctly, the plan is no more builds until backer preview is ready, a few months before early release.

[Alienkiller]

@fabevil: If you wanna know it, look at Kickstarter. But I give you a Tip: All which took the right rank are in. All others have to wait for Early Acces or the final Game.

[Ruggerman]

Thank you gentleman, for your help I shall await the next installment.

[Alienkiller]

Yep, Sheepy brings it to the Point. The Demo won´t touched anymore. The Devs are concentrating on the full Game to get it full playable Beta-Ready.