Soldier Appearance Issue

[Dr. Evil]

First, let me say that this is the most exciting project I've seen in a long time. I am loving the way this game plays, I love the way it makes me feel, I love everything about it, except one thing:

Is is it possible to give the player the option to change the color of the uniforms to something OTHER than powder blue? Black, olive drab, maybe even red, like in Apocalypse? Powder blue? I realise that one of goals of the game is to create in the player a sense of harried desperation, but honestly: are the forces of humanity so harried and desperate that we didn't have time to change out of our pyjamas? I don't mean to hurt the feelings of the person who decided on this color, it's just that whenever I see the uniforms, I think about either pyjamas or '70s-era leisure suits.

On reflection, I realise that the choice of color might be meant to mirror the blue worn by UN troops, but even in that case, only the headgear, and very occasionally body armor, not the entire uniform, is blue.

If someone's already addressed this with a mod, kindly point me to the thread and shut this one down.

Edited August 15, 2013 by Dr. Evil

[StellarRat]

Yeah, it is a bit odd to use powder blue in a combat situation. Not exactly camo is it?

[thothkins]

I'll post this again. I put my first post in a powder blue font and can't seem to see it now.

In earlier builds you started with the jackal armour, so it wasn't quite as odd going into battle with the coveralls. There's a significant amount of sprite work to change the colours.

[Jean-Luc]

Yeah, it is a bit odd to use powder blue in a combat situation. Not exactly camo is it?

Camo for where? These guys fight all over the world. In urban and snow environments the current color would work better than green/black/red. Forests? Well there aren't really forests in this game. Green camo might work for farms but only some parts. And then there's deserts...

[thothkins]

I was just recalling the Xeno pirates thread talking about boarding UFOs in flight. The coveralls would blend in nicely against the bright blue sky Aharrrrrr!

[EchoFourDelta]

Tan, khaki, or camouflage incorporating these colors. Camouflage is a fairly moot point in most urban environments, but browns perform acceptably in these environments, as well as most others, including those with a prevalence of greens; it's disruptive without being overtly eye-catching, and can temporarily stain easily with the application of grass, peat, and dirt rubbings. That said, part of the idea of the OP seems less outright camouflage and something less ridiculous as it pertains to a uniform color. OD green is hard to beat in this respect as well, especially in more temperate locations. It's hard to say which one edges out, but if you're looking at solid colors, khaki broiwn and OD green are both good frontrunners.

A solid khaki pattern may not be camouflage, but it's not as immediately obvious to someone who's surveying the battlefield as someone traipsing around in a bright powder-blue uniform. The whole "UN" thing doesn't really apply here, either, as these guys aren't on overt display for civilians, and wouldn't be trying to make themselves obvious targets.

[GizmoGomez]

Well, camo doesn't actually matter in the game; implementing camo would only make it harder for you to see your own guys. The blue was chosen so that you could see your soldiers easily, I think.

[EchoFourDelta]

Well yeah, we're not talking about gameplay. We're just saying it's kind of ridiculous that a bunch of troops would dress in bright, powder-blue uniforms if they're actually trying to not die.

[thothkins]

Although the pastel effect of the powder blue uniforms has been shown to calm the locals down quite a bit, so that they...Gaaah! stop running into my line of fire! You! out of that doorway, so I can get past! Gaaah!

[GizmoGomez]

No, I understand that. I'm just saying why they chose blue; for the gameplay ease of use.

[Yammi Okami]

im think it would be a little better if we could change the color or the uniform of the soldiers cuz seriously every time im see the soldiers all im can think is "do we are so fu**** that the only thing we have to fight is a squad of janitors"

Edited August 16, 2013 by Yammi Okami

[thothkins]

On the other hand, I'd much rather have the Earth defended by custodians than say...politicians.

[Dr. Evil]

Cleaning up the earth: one alien at a time.

[Chris]

It's not possible to change the colours, I'm afraid. There's a lot of sprites and art so it's too big a job to do. If we'd been more sensible at the start then maybe we could have used a more flexible system, but we can't.

The blue was chosen because it's easy for the player to see, as GizmoGomez points out, as very few natural things are that colour.

[SteelSoldier]

Also civillian forces can easily identify that they are xenonauts

[thothkins]

and not confuse them for Ghostbusters.

[Aufklarer]

Actually aliens can't see powder blue, its a colour that to them dosnt exist. It makes our soldiers appear as a cloaked predator does. I asked them

[thothkins]

it's really handy you can speak the same language as races from another part of the galaxy. Thanks.

Hey! Infiltrator! Pod Person! Don't let it near the generators! >boom<

Oh poo... who has a flashlight?