Some impressions and ideas

[Jemar]

Hello, guys!

First of all thank you for making such a Great Game. I say Making, not remaking, that is clear for me.

I'm a real X-COM Hard-core fan, having tatoo X-COM and known here in Russia by Novel written in 2002 '2085. Fifth Invasion Chronicles', and known in Cenega by short story 'The Old Friend' based on Ufo Aftershock matters.

So I feel free give some ideas based on 3 day game experience.

What I like.

1. Air combat. It is the best think of its sort I ever seen in such games.

2. Tactical combat uses landscape cover. Yes, now the cover is real, not as rude as was in XCOM 1-2, not as 'arcadish' as in 2012's game.

3. The faces and individuals. Not so faceless as were in X-COM 3. But the spirit of original biography inside very nice!

4. The spirit of original X-COM in details.

5. The graphics. They are similar to X-COM 3 and that is the best choice to my opinion.

6. Usage of flares and grenades in tactical combat. That is brilliant!

7. Control of research teams.

8. Local forces at the places of anti-xeno missions.

What I'd like to change or add.

1. Automatic update of munition after Alenium research. That could be believable in future, but not in 1979. May be good idea to follow X-COM Interceptor scheme. The aircraft may be bought or crafted in several variants. Munitions can be crafted or... That is my idea. Workshop extension may be built. So you may buy conventional ammo and missiles and upgrade them for money and some time useage. The automatic upgrade of base defences are also seem to be not good.

2. Lack of info on Alien activity. I feel serious need in graphs so I can predict exactly where I'm needed. I dont want to loose countries without possibility to prevent it. In 2012's game were satellites. What's here? I propose some non-anti-xeno missions. They may be available any time, so operatives may support local forces in variety of situations. They may fight for technologies (not only alien, but side, random etc.) stuff or money. The idea of alternative human techs that may be recieved from countries may add new juice in the game. The similar freedom was in X-COM 3. I like it very much! If the country is in panic the mission reduces it. Otherwise the reward is small but still useful.

3. Little bit more control in tactical combat. How I can choose mode of shooting? I didn't find. How can I calculate TU for opening, closing doors? Now I researched but still didn't use flight suits. May guess that will be good, but yet I have nothing. May be limited fuel for example.

4. Items on board the craft. Can I load additional items? If not, that is bad. Could be useful.

5. More clear experience results after combat. Pluses before how much TU or other stat expanded could be enough.

6. Different camuflage for different locations. I'd better craft 3 similar suits with different camuflage to get cover advantage. The life of soldier is priceless.

7. Weapon constructor as it was in Cenega's games could be very useful! If it is possible of course.

8. Sound of talk between soldiers in tactical combat.

If I have any other ideas you could see it later.

Thank you.

Aleksey Borisov aka Jemar

[GizmoGomez]

Changes:

1. The automatic replacement of aircraft munitions was due to the realization that individually manufacturing each missile and torp was taking too much "busy work," things that need to be done but don't add anything substantial to the game. It is explained as them just making a simple device to detonate the alenium in a shaped warhead, and putting that warhead on the end of a regular missile instead of using the high explosive warhead they usually have. In essence, you are simply replacing the tip of the missile, and the rest of it is basically the same.

2. If I remember correctly, more info is on the way. If my memory's off, then hopefully it will be.

One note, the little "random events" you see here and there on the geoscape, for example "strange tidal behavior" and the like, are indicators of realtime alien activity.

3. To choose the accuracy level for your shots, you right click or you cycle through them using the scroll wheel. To change the firing mode from single shot to burst fire or vice versa, you select the button on the weapon picture itself. The little slider to the left with the shots and the TUs is your TU reserve, so it will reserve TUs for, say, an aimed shot if you click on that. When you select a destination on the map for movement, the orange area is after your reserved TUs would begin to be used up.

I forget how many TUs it takes to open a door, but it's constant from what I've been able to observe. If you've faced away from the door and then opened it, it would take more TUs because you have to turn and then open it.

The flying armor (buzzard, right?) has to start and end each movement on the ground. This means you can't hover in place. It's less of flying and more of a jump-jet setup, really. I like it, it's less over powered than the OG, but it's still useful for flying onto rooftops, over terrain, etc.

4. This has been suggested, but probably will not be implemented. One balancing factor is how much weight and space each soldier has to carry equipment, and adding a storage bin in the Charlie would alter that mechanic significantly. Personally, I don't mind it too much, I never really picked up equipment after the start of the mission in UFO:EU anyway.

5. This has been suggested as well, and it should make it in, unless I'm mistaken.

Perhaps showing a simple (made up numbers) TU /58 / +2 / 60 would work well.

6. To put it bluntly, not going to happen.

It would take adding and altering literally tens of thousands of files, hand painting each one. While modders do have the ability to add more sprites to the game, the developers themselves will not be adding any more armor colors or the like. For one, the color of the armor doesn't matter to the game, so far as camouflage is concerned. If you are within the alien's sight range, you are seen. Same vice versa, if the alien is within your soldier's sight range, you can see them.

7. Probably not going to make it either, sorry.

8. Interesting idea, however since the OG was silent, and adding voice actors would be a huge undertaking, I don't expect it'll work out.

Thanks for the ideas!

-Gizmo

[Commissar Pancakes]

Hey! Welcome to these here forums!

The second portion of the post might be better served in the "Suggestions" thread. But anyways,

1. The game is still being balanced, so maybe this will be changed in the future.

2. I do believe that allied NPCs will receive weapons, such as Laser Tech, the further into a playthrough you go. As for the alien incursion information, I think that's the purpose of the strange happenings that you receive on the Geoscape (such as "Strange Tidal formations, crop circles, etc.).

3. Yeah...that could be explained a bit better. To change the amount of TUs used for shooting, simply right-click or use the mouse scroll wheel. For Burst fire, click on the multi-bullet icon in the weapons window (if the weapon is capable of burst fire, there should be two different icons of bullets: a window with a single bullet for single fire, and a tri-bullet window for burst).

4. There's been discussion on this. No idea what's going to happen though.

5. Definitely like this idea. Would show how much a solder's improved compared to their starting stats.

6. While this would be more immerse and practical, this would mean the creation of hundreds of new sprites. For one camo scheme, a sprite must be created for when a solder faces in a certain direction (8 directions), which then must be doubled for crouching (16 sprites total so far). From this, a new sprite with each weapon in the game must be created to match with the crouching/standing solder (16 * Number of weapons in the game). From there, they must also match each set of armor to the facing of the solder, the weapon, and the stance.

Again, while this would allow for deeper immersion, it would simply create an exponential amount of work for the devs.

7. Not familiar with that, so I can't really comment.

8. Perhaps in a mod. I think it's fine as is.

[Jemar]

Thank you for response, guys!

The few suggestions in return.

1. Alien activity. I've mentioned strange activities on the globe, but than it should be something like log of events I suppose, if the graphs are unavailable. The pause of the game in case of event should be more 'active' I think. And related mission on the event is also point of wish.

2. Tactical map. That could be fantastic if the map rotation is possible! I mean not 3D, but changing point of view in 4 directions (like it was in 3D Incubation'.

3. One extreme wish.... as it was in X-COM 3. Possibility of realtime game.

4. Possibility of making several missions with one launch of Charlie. That was possible in X-COM 3.

5. Technology of time prediction when the crash site will disappear. The same 'timer count' for terror missions could be very useful.

Thank you again!

By the way an idea with camuflage could be good... May be I can help. I'm a graphic designer.

Jemar.

[Commissar Pancakes]

No problem. As for the camo, whatever feels "right" is pretty much all I can offer.

Don't forget to check the Mods thread though. Plenty of stuff in there.

[GizmoGomez]

1. Yeah, I agree with you, a log of events, graphs showing activity, etc would be super useful. This should be implemented, imo.

2. It won't be, sorry. Since it's in 2D, they'd have to recreate every map three more times, and create a whole new pseudo-3D system, and besides that the game engine probably can't support it anyway (they picked a really sucky one in the beginning and didn't realize it until it was too far along to change. Plus, the company that owns the engine won't release the source code so the developers can fix it.)

3. But, isn't turn based strategy the entire name of the genre?

Anyway, probably not going to happen, at any rate.

4. Do you mean going from a base to a site, then to another site, then back to base? Unless I'm wrong you can do this. Just select the dropship after the first mission and redirect it to the next one you want.

Of course, your guys won't be resupplied in the air, so it may not be the best idea, but you can do it.

5. That's an interesting idea, yeah, I like it. Maybe a ring around the crash site / terror mission that goes from all white to all (insert color here) as time goes on. Once it's all (insert color here), it is gone. It would allow for a degree of pseudo-cheating, or working the system, though. This is because when there's a dropship heading for a terror site (and maybe crash sites too, I forget) it won't disappear. This is to help people not lose terror sites while they're en route.

[Gauddlike]

Camouflage is actually counter productive in Xenonauts for your troops and just frustrating for the enemies to have.

The enemies will ignore your troops camouflage as there is no game mechanic for them to use to recognise it.

The only person who would find it difficult to see your troops would be you.

The same applies to the aliens.

Your troops would be able to see and fire on the alien in exactly the same way if it was wearing camouflage or a fluorescent pink jump suit.

Only the player would have difficulty seeing where the enemy was standing and would end up pixel hunting to try and fire on something that was clearly visible to your troops on the ground.

[Jemar]

Hi again guys! Your game makes my life. Incredible, attractive, exciting. To say honestly it is the best XCOM-like game I ever played. As to me it beats even the original game set.

Going deep int game I wish to describe situation and ask for advises. The are rumors that game is not very balanced. May that people do not play it deeply. Or may be they are right.

So first time I started play on normal and finally gave up in the beginning of November. I lost 2 countries and that was not possible. Okay. I understood the mechanics of countries support and than restarted game on Veteran.

What I have now. 30th of December. One strong team of kill-them-all-ers. Wolf armor, laser rifles, one scatter laser, one sniper laser. The activity of UFOs is dense. So I built one Corsair and said. Enough for now, I need to arm guys on other bases, and crafting laser rifles now. The bases. Now I built 8 bases. 6 of them have fully functional infrastructure (hangers, radars, laser defenses, living quarters, store rooms).

The main base has 5 hangers and workshops with lab, other have 4 hangers each base. The common airforce of base: Foxtrot, 2 Condors and Charly (totally have 3 of landing crafts, it seems that yet it is enough). The 2 newest fresh bases have all infrastructure under construction.

So the base economy is clear cool and it works.

The alien UFO activity is the only trouble that really troubles. In late December I had to assault 3 cruisers in one day (2 of them were undamaged). Some UFOs always escape. Some too fast, some too tough.

The only trouble I see in the game is aviation. While I put ALL MY RESOURCES in interceptor forces (having 13 condors, 6 foxtrots and 1 corsair) it is clear that this is not enough. I hoped that corsair will something better than condors and foxtrots, but it is not.

The price for corsair is extremely high, the crafting time cost too. It is really NO 8 TIMES better than condor.

Well lets continue research and hope that something better will be there. If not, than air forces of Xenonauts are too week.

Would be good to know if something better than foxtrot and corsair is planned in the game? Is it possible to research it the current game version?

Thank you.

[Gauddlike]

The game is definitely not balanced yet, that process has only just started on the ground combat.

The geoscape and air combat sections have no been started yet at all so they are still not as intended.

There is a known difficulty spike, particularly in the air, that is unintended and will hopefully be ironed out.

Until then more feedback is always good.

One last thing, there is another interceptor after the Corsairs.

It is also very expensive and I am not convinced it is many times better than the Condor either.

However that is something else that will be addressed in the balance phase.

[Jemar]

One more thing I'd like to see in final mission. Some units are stunnable, some not (probably). I tried to stun Android for several times. With wounding, shocking by EMP grenades, stunning grenades and with policeman axe :-))) The green the blue and violet were targeted.

If Androids capturable?

May be....

May be the first scientific research of corpse can give the Commander a clear info, are these units stunnable, or not.

One more idea. That was in my novel 2085.Fifth invasion Chronicles.[ATTACH=CONFIG]2243[/ATTACH]

The ultimate paralysing weapon (cannot work fully effective on some units, such as Wraith, while can disable their fighting abilities).

In my novel the E.D.I. opreative was abducted from the battlefiled by aliens. He escaped with only possible way. Their suits were highly advanced and used mutliple support modules, such as psy-controlled teleporter devices (the technologies combined from X-COM 3). So in this way the guy could avoid capturing, but not avoid being paralized.

Here is idea for weapon.

The Glue-foam spray. No matter how tough defended or strong, the glued unit may be captured. Or seriously paralized. That works on biological or technical unit. Even flying.

One more idea about support of project by countries.

As I noticed the country goes off the support if their financial losses became higher than their finance support of project.

That's strange. May be they simply can ask for financial compensation in the end of month.

As it was in XCOM 3

Edited June 10, 2013 by Jemar

[Jemar]

One more thing which is a serious bug, but a cheat for player.

If a wounded soldier arrives in mission he can be completely healed with med kit, while in the base it takes him time.

[Jemar]

Playing through build 18 (I'd like to win one time on that, rather than start over from scratch having well equipped 8 bases etc).

Have 5 main WANTS for tactical play.

1. Timer for grenades. That was useful in XCOM 1-2, and in XCOM 3 too (but less useful).

2. Crawling mode. If possible. Could be very useful in night fights on open land.

3. Proximity grenades. That thing makes much sense in all combat situations.

4. Why Aliens do not use grenades? They need them! As well as we need their grenades... Which could be more powerful, lighter in weight and not available in unlimited quantities (but may be crafted for example).

5. Give Aliens more rifle clips on the missions! We need more realism loot to store and sell. May be they could be converted in Alenium if not used in human weaponry.

[Sathra]

As for 5, they DO get converted to Alenium after Alenium tech. Its part of why you get such huge amounts of it.

And the AI is being worked on, so they'll use grenades soon.

[Jemar]

Oh, that is clear now for Alien ammo clips! May be I missed a big notification screen, that all alien clips are converted now. And is it possible to convert all clips left from previous times?

And what about questions 1-2-3?

Sorry if my posts look too insisting. You do the IMPRESSIVELY GREAT JOB Guys!

I repeat again. At this point of view your Xenonauts are better than any XCOM game. While some wonderful features from there still could implemented.

[Sathra]

Previously collected alien clips aren't converted. I'm not even sure if its possible with the game code.

As for 1, 2 and 3...well...

Crawling probably isn't going to be added at this point. Too late in development.

Timers...maybe. Probably not, since they're meant to be indirect-fire weapons (but due to some bugs they're a bit wierd). And most of the time you'd want them to explode instantly anyways. C4 has a timer though, and can be thrown.

Proxies. I didn't use them, well, ever in the OG and TFTD. Again, might be too late to add them. Up to Chris really.

[Jul]

Aliens will use grenades too? Oh boy, that was the one only advantage we had... That'll be tough !

As for airplane combat, I have the same issues : beginning of November, it seems really unfair ! These UFOs are tougher, there are much more of them than before at the same time and their weapons get through the plane's armor as if it were thin paper >_<

Plus you need an insane number of Elenium rockets to shoot a MEDIUM UFO down... I'm afraid of what happens when the large ones show up

[Sathra]

You'd have plasma by that point, so not so bad. Landing ships take 4 Plasma torps, or 7 or so Alenium torps. Larges take 6 Plasma I think.

[Jemar]

Oh My God! I researched plasma explosives! And had The-Missile-and-Torpedo-Replacement-During-Intercept-Mission!!! It is too funny to be true! ~~~ ^=^

Sorry for joking. It was really an unexpected bug.