Xenonauts 2: Ground Combat

[Aleksandr Yamskov]

For me, the main disadvantage of ground combat in Xenonauts is the fact that all alien units act independently from each other on the battlefield. At the same time on the opposite side Xenonaut units are handled in concert with a common tactical idea/goal, with reasonable distribution of roles in a team. Aliens just have no chance to win in this case, may be only due to significant superiority in numbers, which is not true in most missions.

This fact makes ground combat a little bit boring for me. What is the point when your opponent is doomed to lose ?

Edited January 14, 2022 by Aleksandr Yamskov

[Komandos]

On 1/14/2022 at 8:09 PM, Aleksandr Yamskov said:

For me, the main disadvantage of ground combat in Xenonauts is the fact that all alien units act independently from each other on the battlefield. At the same time on the opposite side Xenonaut units are handled in concert with a common tactical idea/goal, with reasonable distribution of roles in a team. Aliens just have no chance to win in this case, may be only due to significant superiority in numbers, which is not true in most missions.

This fact makes ground combat a little bit boring for me. What is the point when your opponent is doomed to lose ?

There is a game "UFO: Two sides". Has the ability to play with a person via the Internet. Losses in battle - almost all soldiers. It is rare that someone wins and he has at least 50% of the soldiers left.

[Aleksandr Yamskov]

What I meant it would be great if AI in Xenonauts becomes a little bit smarter, first of all in terms of managing units as a team, but not as some number of single units. I guess it will take implementation of some new layer of AI logic - some strategic analysis, team tactic and so on. In our days humans brain has no chance against chess computers, for example. Why AI cannot be smarter in such games like Xenonauts ?

Edited January 17, 2022 by Aleksandr Yamskov

[Komandos]

49 minutes ago, Aleksandr Yamskov said:

What I meant it would be great if AI in Xenonauts becomes a little bit smarter, first of all in terms of managing units as a team, but not as some number of single units. I guess it will take implementation of some new layer of AI logic - some strategic analysis, team tactic and so on. In our days humans brain has no chance against chess computers, for example. Why AI cannot be smarter in such games like Xenonauts ?

With such rules of turn-based combat - the battle resembles a game of hide and seek - whoever was discovered - he died on the next move (if he did not change position). Yes, and the size of the map is cramped - there is really nowhere to hide. You need to change the rules aside: one turn = one volley + turn of the turn as in the game "Heroes of Magic and Sword 5" (the move depends on the initiative (speed) of the soldier.).

Я так считаю.

[Lord Blade]

So, as far as maps go, yes, more is better. And yes, good players would generally be shooting every UFO down, so terror missions and bases wouldn't be encountered.

I figure an easy fix to that as far as bases are concerned, is having the odd base be constructed even without UFO landings. They would simply take much longer to spawn than a regular base being built would. That way players would still eventually see them and be able to respond. Also, you could have some UFO's spawn where their mission would be, and have them land almost immediately. They would be rare, but it would allow for terror missions and base building without the UFO's being shot down before they get where they need to be.

 

In terms of alien composition, I like having "single race" ships. It makes more sense for MOST ships. Having the odd specialty unit for a race to add a bit of balance to them makes sense. As does "companion races".

Sebillians having some "pet" race that helps supplement them. Or how Androns and Harridan work together. That works out nicely. You know what the bulk of the force will be, but also know to be on the look out for their support units.

Meanwhile, the largest of the alien ships would also make sense to have a mix of races. Transports make sense for this, as they could be carrying different troops to different places. Meanwhile the largest ships would also likely be more of a coalition of races used to challenge you directly instead of just a single race on a mission. Though of course, there would still be plenty of the largest ships just crewed by one race. But it would add variety.

 

You say there's 8 types of UFO in the game. Do those come with variants? Like cruisers with multiple internal setups? Because just 8 seems... small.

I mean, you'd want 2-3 "no crash" ships, like the fighters in the original. Then two sizes of scout ship. Then a destroy (small ship more for combat, but still overall weak, with small crew). Then a transport (easy to kill but huge crew). Then your covertte, cruiser and heavy cruisers. Then a carrier (massive troop transport). And a battleship. Possibly even a "mothership" style ultra rare spawn, which could be a huge ship full of a collection of races.

And with each ship (at least from the medium size up ones) you could start having multiple layouts with them. So just different internal layouts, as was in the first game (unless that was just a XCE thing, but still, should be done).

 

As far as camera... I don't really care. The isometric was just fine with me.

 

Aliens having tiers of weapons I like. Though honestly, I would like to see A LOT more research for the Xenonauts. More equipment tiers would be nice, as well as "side grades". One of the issues these types of games tend to have is that things are generally a straight progression. You'll sometimes get a slight side-grade, like the Buzzard and Wolf armors. I'd like to see more of that. Maybe having a light/medium/heavy armor for each tier. So as you get to a tier, you can have different armors for scouts vs heavy units. Not just everyone switching to the new shiny and being exactly the same.

Also, more gadgets would be nice. You have the basic grenades, but what about things like mines or proximity grenades? A grenade launcher that a unit could use to fire grenades accurately over distance. A ranged stun gun type of weapon. Maybe even deployable mini-turrets and such. Shield generators or deployable cover (kind of like the riot shield, except it's a cover you set up and crouch behind, which could be good for setting up in choke points).

[Alienkiller]

Alien-Bases come from many different Buildups. So you will be surprised.

What the “single Race”-Part belongs there have been implemented much new Stuff already. You will be surprised like the Beta-Testers too.

 

Yes, that’s confirmed with surprises there too. The Beta-Testers can sing a Song of that.

 

What the Camera belongs. No one will buy a Game without that 3D and Rotating Elements / Zoom Elements, especially in such Strategy-Games anymore.

 

Such Elements (Armor-Variety/ Weapon-Variety etc.) get integrated more and more in the last Beta-Versions and aren’t finished yet. The Beta-Testers can Test the already implemented Features of that sine the last Beta-Versions (V.19 upwards).

Edited August 8, 2022 by Alienkiller

[Komandos]

On 1/17/2022 at 6:11 PM, Aleksandr Yamskov said:

Why AI cannot be smarter in such games like Xenonauts ?

In such turn-based games (against an AI equal to you) - there is an intense "exchange of figures" and from your soldiers - only a few units will remain in the final.

[MARSHalMELLOW]

I would like to see Staff recruitment from Civilians surviving missions. an Armed civilian killing an alien = Soldier, unarmed could be Engineer or Scientist. Even if these civilians are exchanged for better tiers of recruits of any field.

The Stun Gun on a hit should be able to repeat shocking after a hit without using extra shots, until the enemy leaves the 6 tile range. At a lower TU cost as no aiming is required.

Edited February 15, 2023 by MARSHalMELLOW
additional thought

[MARSHalMELLOW]

Vary initial Weapons based on Starting Base location or when recruiting foreign Soldiers or looting dead civilians:

• Most of Eastern Europe through to Asian Boarder = AK for more damage but lower accuracy on shots. and a unique KS 23 (3 Gauge Heavy Shotgun)
• China Using a Bullpup QBZ line rifle witha balance but longer reload.
• Current Start as USA = M4 Better accuracy, 
• UK = SA80
• France = Famas
• Northern Europe = G36

[Alienkiller]

@MARSHalMELLOW: Yep, that Ideas with the special Civilans surviving Mission get announced too during the last Beta-Versions after such Missions come in.

There we have to see what happens. Evtl. an Test will come in to look how it works and then an final Decission from the Devs and Beta-Testers can be done.

 

What the Weapons belongs, the Devs have announced, that there won´t come to differences to the Standard- and Accelerated-Standard-Weapons for the Countrys in the official Version. That the Beta-Testers and Devs have already discussed.

Means: The Community which wishes such an Feature have to wait for evtl. Modding-Abilitys, if that is possible to integrate at the End of the Main-Development. Modding is still planed, but therefore the Main-Gameplay, Adjustments for it incl. missing Main-Integrations and Stability have to be fully finished first.

Edited February 15, 2023 by Alienkiller