Game Lacks "wow factor"

[GizmoGomez]

If they continue like this, then yes they should be banned.

[Solver]

I was actually thinking about the atmosphere and aesthetics of the game yesterday, and would have to agree that alien design might be the weakest point.

Caesans and Sebillians are just uninspired. Caesans don't look humanoid, they look human. My first thought on seeing one was a Star Trek redshirt. They look like bald humans, that's it. Not very alien. While the Sebillians are a bipedal lizard. Nothing wrong with it per se, but it's a design that has been around in many games and other media. Does not stand out. Harridans kinda look like they are wearing Yoda masks. I like the other aliens visually, especially Androns.

It may indeed be nostalgia, but I think the OG had very good alien designs. Celatids were just alien and weird, while Ethereals were creepy with their robes. Although Mutons were silly, looked like bodybuilders in green pajamas.

[StellarRat]

I was actually thinking about the atmosphere and aesthetics of the game yesterday, and would have to agree that alien design might be the weakest point.

Caesans and Sebillians are just uninspired. Caesans don't look humanoid, they look human. My first thought on seeing one was a Star Trek redshirt. They look like bald humans, that's it. Not very alien. While the Sebillians are a bipedal lizard. Nothing wrong with it per se, but it's a design that has been around in many games and other media. Does not stand out. Harridans kinda look like they are wearing Yoda masks. I like the other aliens visually, especially Androns.

It may indeed be nostalgia, but I think the OG had very good alien designs. Celatids were just alien and weird, while Ethereals were creepy with their robes. Although Mutons were silly, looked like bodybuilders in green pajamas.

I think the artwork is OK not masterful though. It's really hard to get a lot interesting detail into such small number of pixels. I think Goldenhawk is way to far down the road to revise this though. Is it possible to mod them?

[Knightpt]

I think that the first impression will definately change when the new UI is in, which I naturally assume will be kick ass. How you control things is very crucial after all, and also presentation. I definately think it will have a greater effect than a lot of people realize.

The game may not have you say "Wow, fancy graphics" like in XCOM: Enemy Unkown.

It will make you go "Wow, I can't stop playing!".

Quite honestly the graphics in xenonauts are more than fine. Feels warm inside to see 2D hand crafted art. In fact i feel they are a strong point of the game. For example when i saw a red tractor in a farm tileset i was "wow thats beautifull".

My only complain is indeed the artstyle of the aliens as i said in my first post and being this a game that is all about fighting "them" it realy needs to have strong presence making us have strong feelings that can range from fear, curiosity, anger, association with Real Life pictures/movies, whatever.

For example, in X-Com EU sectoids are just so similar to the normal RL folklore of the alien race that suposedely a lot of people describe as seeing that anyone that has already been interessed in the subject will have as the first feeling of encountering one to associate with things they already seen and think "ah! who is winning now you abducters of inocent people ???"

Honestly if Chris would put in xenonauts an exact copy of sectoids with just a diferent shade of grey and with the same amount of pixels as X-com EU i would love it, its just that iconic feel of relating to RL sightings that make our brain go tick and interested in fighting them.

I went around today and asked all my friends that played X-com EU back in the days what they remember the most of the game and 4 out of 8 said it was fighting the sectoids, while other answers were diferent isolated things ranging from the music up to the geoscape world globe, intro, etc.

Also, i agree that putting in the new UI and judging from the artstyle i saw so far i'm sure it will give a giant boost to the game wow-factor. Just hopefuly something can be done later about the aliens in time for shipping even if its just the guys losing their red leather jacket

[GizmoGomez]

Well, considering that changing a simple color for a single armor type is a painstaking process that involves altering over 4000 files, the Caesans (sectoids with clothes) will not be losing their uniforms.

Personally, I like the difference.

This game isn't an exact replica of UFO:EU (/X-Com:UD), it's a reimagining of sorts. There can be differences, and will be, and the game will be more unique for it. A carbon copy of the old game would be somewhat bland, actually, in my opinion.

[Sathra]

I do love the death and injury sounds of Caesans. Its just wonderful.

[Grazgul]

Could always add more later. Crazy cyborg spiders would probably be well received.

http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y151/Silece/CyborgSpider.jpg

Let's roll!

I do agree with the OP in sorts.

The game-play is incredibly solid and honestly there's nothing wrong with the graphics. I am more bored of X com EU and that has incredible visuals.

I do find that what I'm doing needs some visual stimulation. I wouldn't mind some more 'activity' during the game.

Some of the things I'm talking about:

Strategic Screen:

Radars sweeping - This could actually be the detection chance mechanic, visualized

local forces intercepting alien craft on your radar

A more 'base like' approach to the interceptor missions. You're watching the dogfight from a computer display (i believe) so it would be great to give it some more Character, a border and some radar flashes. Maybe even blinking instead of fading away when destroyed.

During combat:

The hidden movement really spaces me out. I get that it's a stop gap and will be replaced, but let's do it sooner rather then later.

Explosions in the same manner as xcom: EU. I really liked the way it worked and would love to see it here!

This is by no means a thread hijack, I wouldn't mind seeing people get back to the topic so I thought I'd throw some constructive criticism

[Commissar Pancakes]

Would definitely love small touches like the radar sweeps.

But what I'm somewhat confused about is what you mean by EU 2012's explosions? What specifically did you like about them?

[Grazgul]

I really shouldn't write posts when I'm at work, apologies as I seem to forget to elaborate.

I really liked the way cars, fuel tanks, barrels, crates and things like that worked in EU.

Essentially the way the mechanic appeared to work was that there was two ways to destroy an object.

1. You could remove all it's hp (the current xenonauts mechanic)

2. Or you could set the object on fire by dealing light damage to it, you would then have a turn to run away before the object exploded.

I really enjoyed the system as you could 'flush' out enemy just by hammering the combustible cover they were using and then setting up over-watch (reaction fire in xenonauts) to pick them off as they fled.

Buildings could function in the same way. They would start crumbling and you'd have a turn to bail.

I think that would really add to the wow factor that the OP is referring too.

Mainstream players above the age of 15 generally don't need flashy graphics to be visually impressed. It's more about visual activity and having that impact the game play.

[GizmoGomez]

I'd go for having local forces activity show up on the geoscape, that'd be sweet.

Fire making things explode would be cool as well, I like it.

Good suggestions for the air combat, I like the idea of making it look more monitor-esk and more like it's on a screen in the base.

[sectoid]

dude, i understand and agreed to your statement.

a jacket dude is never horrifying than a naked dude with guns...

[sectoid]

Could always add more later. Crazy cyborg spiders would probably be well received.

aliens DLC for $9.99 each?

hopes goldhawkinteractive don't be that way, hahaha~

[StellarRat]

You guys realize that the radar sweep isn't used in modern radars, right? It does look cool though.

[Commissar Pancakes]

I do, Stellar.

Though this is Sci-Fi after all!

[Mad Bomber From Kaboom!]

Quite honestly the graphics in xenonauts are more than fine. Feels warm inside to see 2D hand crafted art. In fact i feel they are a strong point of the game. For example when i saw a red tractor in a farm tileset i was "wow thats beautifull".

This, this a thousand times. It has some of the best 2D graphics I have ever seen.

[Grazgul]

You guys realize that the radar sweep isn't used in modern radars, right? It does look cool though.

Was it used during the cold war? From memory that's roughly when Radars started become that creepy bulge.

Either way, they do look cool

[TornadoADV]

It's 1979, Mechanical Radar is the only player in the game. You could have PESAs, but they would be massive affairs and not as Cold War-ish.

[Knightpt]

Even on the few reviews i see online from game sites, they state the aliens as:

"Yes, that’s an alien in those jeans"

I realy don't like it that they say that as in a small joke implying they are not realy great. but lets face it an alien race doesnt cut it as a race with jeans and leather jackets (uniform? )

http://www.strategyinformer.com/pc/xenonauts/1045/preview.html

Realy hoping at least the caesians get some extra lovin in beta

Edited June 7, 2013 by Knightpt

[sectoid]

Even on the few reviews i see online from game sites, they state the aliens as:

"Yes, that’s an alien in those jeans"

I realy don't like it that they say that as in a small joke implying they are not realy great. but lets face it an alien race doesnt cut it as a race with jeans and leather jackets (uniform? )

http://www.strategyinformer.com/pc/xenonauts/1045/preview.html

jeeez.... crimson red manchester united jersey matched with dark grey pants.

were the artist ever referring to the colour wheel chart before applying that?

[Gauddlike]

If the aliens were short and grey with no clothes the comments would probably be 'Oh look another small grey alien' and the complaints would be about sticking to boring stereotypes.

Can't please everyone, this is the internet.

When the FPS xcom was announced the complaints about the aliens were that they were too alien.

The complaint about the Ceasans is about them being too human.

Somewhere on that spectrum is the ideal spot where the majority would be happy, good luck finding it though.

*edit* Remember they are the weakest of the aliens, I think it is fitting that they be redshirts.

[Solver]

Well, I'd say there is an ideal spot somewhere, and Caesans miss it by a very wide margin. It's just that they are not visually distinct from humans. Their skin is grey, but you only see it on the head, while their body proportions are exactly like humans. They're as tall as humans, their limbs have human proportions, they have human standing/crouching postures and movement animations. I am not asking for them to be changed, just trying to point out why I see them as a particularly uninspiring design.

[raziel1981]

Knightpt - its extremely unlikely that the alien races will be changed. Take it or leave it

[Sathra]

I find that Caesans run oddly. Just slightly inhuman, but its enough for me.

[thothkins]

I quite liked the awkwardness. It added to their alieness for me.

[Knightpt]

Knightpt - its extremely unlikely that the alien races will be changed. Take it or leave it

I'm not worried i'm sure someone will mod it later and i'll just use that mod from the community (i would do it, but i'm sure someone will do a much better job than me), i just want the best for this game and i'm sure this will be the point of some criticism of reviewers and gamers when they buy the game (already the review i linked above shows it)

It's a shame if its too late to change it (even tough a simple workaround would be to change the clothes' palette to something else besides striking bright colors), i'm not demanding anything just trying to help out.