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Xenonauts 2 Development Overview


Chris

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This thread is intended to act as master index for all the forum threads related to the design changes and new features that will be included in Xenonauts-2 ("X2"). 

Basics & Setting:
Xenonauts-2 is a large and complex strategy game loosely inspired by the classic X-Com games from the 90s. It is not a direct sequel to the first Xenonauts but rather an updated and improved portrayal of similar events. The time period of the game is no longer the 1970s but instead the modern day, however the action now takes place in an alternate history where the Soviet Union never collapsed and the Cold War never ended - you can thank extraterrestrial interference in human politics for all of this!

The Xenonauts have already existed for decades when the game begins, having been formed as a joint NATO-Soviet organisation to secretly study the fragments of a crashed extraterrestrial craft found in Iceland (the discovery of which nearly sparked a nuclear war until the Americans agreed to share it). Unfortunately, little useful knowledge is gained from the remains and the Xenonauts fade into irrelevance as time passes - despite having circumstantial evidence that the aliens are continuing to visit our world, they are unable to prove it.

The game begins when the aliens begin an open invasion of Earth. Half a dozen hostile UFOs appear in our skies, attacking several major cities. The various world powers attempt to defend themselves in vain, unable to track the UFOs and suffering heavy losses on the few occasions their fighters manage to find their targets. When the UFOs retreat after a day of sowing terror, both superpowers agree a united global front against the aliens is needed - as long as the other isn't in charge of it.

Despite being an intelligence / research organisation, the Xenonauts are chosen as the compromise candidates to co-ordinate the defence of Earth. The Commander is the only military officer sufficiently highly regarded by both sides to be an acceptable candidate for leadership of the organisation, and is put in charge of assembling a "first response" force capable of operating anywhere in the world. The price of their support is that any research acquired by the Xenonauts be shared with the funding nations.

The game therefore begins with the player taking charge of a small organisation and having to quickly grow it into something capable of defending the planet. The aliens, meanwhile, are broadcasting messages promising that any who surrender will be spared. Humanity begins the game united behind the Xenonauts, but failure to effectively defend their territory will lead entire regions of the world to conclude that they are better off taking their chances with the aliens!

Finally - a few familiar faces are returning in the alien and Xenonaut ranks, but remember that nothing from the first Xenonauts is considered canon for the sequel!

Key Changes & Improvements:

The threads below explain most of the changes we are planning to make in Xenonauts 2 compared to the first Xenonauts. The design of Xenonauts 2 has morphed somewhat over its long development period and our guiding principle is now to deliver a game that improves and expands the first Xenonauts rather than radically changing the fundamentals!

  • Game Setting
  • Geoscape
    • Invasion Balance & Reactivity
    • Liaison Offices (Scientist & Engineer Recruitment)
    • Orbital Bombardment
    • Alternate Ending
    • Other Mechanics
  • Base Mechanics
    • Power System
    • Structure Personnel Slots
    • Stores Capacity
    • Further Ideas
  • Research Tree
    • Game Lore
    • Research Structure & Equipment Tiers
    • Modular Armour
  • Soldiers & Vehicles
    • Inventory & Secondary Slot
    • Stat Modifiers
    • Vehicles
    • Further Ideas
  • Ground Combat
    • Mission Types & Mission Mix
    • Alien Composition
    • Breachable UFOs
    • Improved AI
    • Further Changes
  • Aircraft & Air Combat:
    • Current Implementation
    • Modular Aircraft
    • Potential Future Implementation
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  • Chris pinned this topic
  • 5 months later...

i am writing it here as well just so the devs can see my "complaint" i really am not complaining i am trying to help the game be better and a sense of realizem goes a long way (i am a backer and i am playing the current most stable branch on steam)

 

I am sorry , the UOO idea is terrible

It completely ruins the idea of having a secret organization fighting aliens , No country on the planet will let some secret organization run things when whole cities are being destroyed , i know this is a game but that is just Ludacris
If New York or Kiev were destroyed by a huge laser from the sky , the entire planet will rise up to fight the aliens and there will be no budget limit on the Xenonauts organization or no organization at all , one or two of the larger countries like the U.S , Russia or China will either join together or try to fight off the invaders with all their military capabilities 

it make 0 sense

Please try to find a different more realistic terror meter  

Unless you don't want it to be a covert organization ... in which case im not loving the idea of playing the game that way ... i hope its not the idea

Edited by UFONATIC
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I´m a backer too. We all get informed that UOO-Space-Station get in the Game as a fix Main Part. It´s not discussible anymore, because it´s working stable and for many more reasons. The last Chance you had before the big Map-Refit now the Point of no Return is exceeded.

You had your Chance to bring in a better solution before it get implemented in the big Discussions. Now it is in and won´t changed anymore about many reasons (Storyline, Early Access and many more).

If you wanna lose your Head then explain the Early Access Waiters 2 more Years of Development. I won´t do it anymore.

 

Edited by Alienkiller
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  • 1 year later...

I didn't like the "Xenonauts 1" with basic settings. Reasons:

1 - "friendly fire".

Xenonauts killed each other more often than they died from alien weapons.

2. Game balance.

As a result: I had to edit the parameters of the game according to my tastes. I didn't start hoping for Xenonauts 2 to come out when I saw that the game had reduced the original plane to 8 seats and simplified the military base to a low-rise building. And now, too, all hope is for the mod (individual settings). The only thing I ask is that they leave me the opportunity to increase the tactical group to 20 (24) soldiers. (For mod). Everything else is fine.

Edited by Komandos
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