Author Topic: XCOM 2  (Read 52045 times)

Offline Aklyon

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Re: XCOM 2
« Reply #135 on: February 16, 2016, 03:50:53 pm »
Or the lead writer had another role and wanted the credit for that one instead only?

Offline Mick

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Re: XCOM 2
« Reply #136 on: February 16, 2016, 03:55:27 pm »
I should clarify, I really have no problem with good stories in games, but they have to be games I'm playing for that specific purpose. Like an adventure game or an RPG. Strategy games, I care about the mechanics first, the story is just a coat of paint.

If a game like XCOM was more focused on story than the strategy mechanics, that would annoy me.

Offline keith.lamothe

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Re: XCOM 2
« Reply #137 on: February 16, 2016, 03:57:23 pm »
Or the lead writer had another role and wanted the credit for that one instead only?
Because names never recur in credits :)

They may just not have organized the work in such a way as to have some particular person who was "the lead writer".
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Offline Misery

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Re: XCOM 2
« Reply #138 on: February 17, 2016, 01:36:03 am »
I should clarify, I really have no problem with good stories in games, but they have to be games I'm playing for that specific purpose. Like an adventure game or an RPG. Strategy games, I care about the mechanics first, the story is just a coat of paint.

If a game like XCOM was more focused on story than the strategy mechanics, that would annoy me.

Yeah, same here.

Too many times these days games focus WAY too much on story (and worse, on cutscenes), and the gameplay comes out bad as a result.  I get so tired of it happening.  I cant remember the last time I found one like that that had alot of story in it and didn't just annoy me.

Offline TheVampire100

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Re: XCOM 2
« Reply #139 on: February 17, 2016, 06:00:14 am »
I should clarify, I really have no problem with good stories in games, but they have to be games I'm playing for that specific purpose. Like an adventure game or an RPG. Strategy games, I care about the mechanics first, the story is just a coat of paint.

If a game like XCOM was more focused on story than the strategy mechanics, that would annoy me.

Yeah, same here.

Too many times these days games focus WAY too much on story (and worse, on cutscenes), and the gameplay comes out bad as a result.  I get so tired of it happening.  I cant remember the last time I found one like that that had alot of story in it and didn't just annoy me.
Oh, I could name one. Firewatch. The story is so well made and integrated into the game, that you don't get annpyed. It tells he story also in a unique way that does not interrupt the gameplay.
There aren't many cutscenes and the few that are, are rather small. However, it's a talkative game, every five minutes the radio that you carry starts talking to you. You can anytime select an answer with a special system, not interrupting whatever you are currently doing. However, on some occasions you have only limited time to answer.
The game plays really well with the interacion between player and the never seen NPC who you talk to. You can report every single thing you find, even if it's not important to your goal. On one occasopn your partner even comments that you "talk a little too much".


Offline crazyroosterman

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Re: XCOM 2
« Reply #140 on: February 17, 2016, 05:00:44 pm »
I should clarify, I really have no problem with good stories in games, but they have to be games I'm playing for that specific purpose. Like an adventure game or an RPG. Strategy games, I care about the mechanics first, the story is just a coat of paint.

If a game like XCOM was more focused on story than the strategy mechanics, that would annoy me.

Yeah, same here.

Too many times these days games focus WAY too much on story (and worse, on cutscenes), and the gameplay comes out bad as a result.  I get so tired of it happening.  I cant remember the last time I found one like that that had alot of story in it and didn't just annoy me.
Oh, I could name one. Firewatch. The story is so well made and integrated into the game, that you don't get annpyed. It tells he story also in a unique way that does not interrupt the gameplay.
There aren't many cutscenes and the few that are, are rather small. However, it's a talkative game, every five minutes the radio that you carry starts talking to you. You can anytime select an answer with a special system, not interrupting whatever you are currently doing. However, on some occasions you have only limited time to answer.
The game plays really well with the interacion between player and the never seen NPC who you talk to. You can report every single thing you find, even if it's not important to your goal. On one occasopn your partner even comments that you "talk a little too much".
meh I prefer reading books to playing video games story wise mainly because they don't have to compromise anything among other things.
c.r

Offline TheVampire100

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Re: XCOM 2
« Reply #141 on: February 17, 2016, 06:22:25 pm »
I like both. And soem games I prefer without a lot of story (or story at all) like puzzle games. I couldn't imagine Triple Town with any sort of story.
And when i read, I read mostly horror stories. And horror games are focusing too a lot on the story, so it's even somehow.

Back to XCOM, foudn today my first Muton Berserker. Wow, they look totally different from the first game. Also the new floater variant (Archon). Only one thing to say:
Spoiler for Hiden:
Orbital Laser!

Offline Aklyon

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Re: XCOM 2
« Reply #142 on: February 17, 2016, 07:16:52 pm »
Some poeple might not appreciate sharpshooters in xcom2 for one reason or another.
Spoiler for This guy would say otherwise:

Offline Wingflier

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Re: XCOM 2
« Reply #143 on: February 19, 2016, 02:50:27 pm »
Some poeple might not appreciate sharpshooters in xcom2 for one reason or another.
Spoiler for This guy would say otherwise:
Man XCOM 2 will spoil you with that Sniper. After using that, then going back to Long War or Xenonauts, you'll have delusions of grandeur about what their actually capable of in the former games.

My love affair with XCOM 2 has rekindled my interest in both Long War and Xenonauts, which I still never beat (not for lack of trying). This sequence of events has led to me playing to the games in a cycle. Since I only play on Ironman mode (I enjoy it a lot more), I'll make it as far as I can in the XCOM 2 campaign, lose, switch to Xenonauts, get as far as I can, lose, switch to Long War, etc. rinse and repeat.

I'm assuming I'll beat XCOM2 first, because it seems the easiest of the 3 on "Normal". But man, I love all the games, they're all special in their own unique way:

XCOM2 - Definitely has the most streamlined and Arcade feel. The turn timers force you to do something quickly, the Conceal mechanic is a godsend, and the graphics and mechanics are the most streamlined of the 3. Also gives you the most feedback in terms of how you're doing in any given campaign, and holds your hand the most.

Long War - A tactician's wet dream. 8 classes all with 10 upgrades, and 3 choices per upgrade. This not including the 8 MEC classes, the SHIVS, or the "psionic" upgrades for the soldiers. All the possible combinations would probably be somewhere in the billions. Gameplay is starkly different from XCOM2. Where in the sequel, the start of the mission is a chance to cover ground as quickly as possible, in XCOM2 I've found that the best thing to do at the start of a mission is to TEAM OVERWATCH for about 10 turns. Usually something will eventually walk into your party, igniting all your overwatches, and giving you a significant tactical advantage. This first alien encounter usually leads to many other nearby alien encounters, giving you the opportunity to fight the opponent on your turf.

I will admit, sloverwatch is an incredibly stupid mechanic, but reading this thread helped me see the value in it. Perhaps once you get into the MEC upgrades you can afford to play more aggressively, but in Long War, early on, one misstep into a horde of enemy aliens can spell your doom (so it's not worth it).

Xenonauts - Is definitely the most open-ended of the 3. This is for players that don't like having their hand held. The game gives you very minimal advice past the early text box here and there. There are no defined classes, and every element of the game can be tweaked by the player in degrees. In addition, the cover mechanics are a lot more flimsy and difficult to use, so your soldiers tend to be in great danger at all times. This is a game of extreme precision, where every tiny hex on the map matters to a massive degree, and the "2 turn" move mechanic of the aforementioned games is replaced with a much more complex "Time Units" meter, that can be brutally difficult to use. No Sloverwatch here boys. The aliens don't roam in patrols, and they seem to "hack" (aka have global map vision and always know where you are), so they will almost always make the best move possible relative to your actions. This means that you can't 'overwatch' forever, because walking into your team would be suicide. Sooner or later you have to venture into enemy territory, at your own peril...
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Offline Aklyon

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Re: XCOM 2
« Reply #144 on: February 19, 2016, 03:08:21 pm »
I had fairly good luck with snipers in xenonauts as well though. (but only in the early game since it crashed often, and now that it was properly released and non-crashy I still haven't gotten around to finishing it...)

You certainly can make XCOM2 harder easily though. Theres an improved ai mod (which I'm not interested in with my current setup, but it does make the aliens less...expected), or mods like IESS+ that I am using cause things like 9 troopers and an officer fighting you on the first mission (on Commander this time) when you only have 6 rookies for (or 4 rookies I suppose if you didn't increase your squadsize, but only crazy people on ironman would do that with this mod), and they all can attack you during their turn, not just a few of them. Or how about some additional dark events to make things tougher on you to decide what to counter? Viper rounds could be annoying, extra faceless maybe, but what about a podful of sectopods?
« Last Edit: February 19, 2016, 03:11:07 pm by Aklyon »

Offline Wingflier

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Re: XCOM 2
« Reply #145 on: February 19, 2016, 04:49:18 pm »
I didn't mean to imply that XCOM 2 was EASY, only that it was the easiest of the 3 (which really isn't saying much). I am still playing Normal after all. If I wanted to make it harder I'd just up the difficulty.

If anything XCOM 2 is the 'easiest' because its mechanics make the most sense (which is expected given that it's now a 3rd generation reboot). You're not forced into sloverwatch like in EU and the AI doesn't blatantly cheat as in Xenonauts.
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Offline crazyroosterman

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Re: XCOM 2
« Reply #146 on: February 19, 2016, 05:07:53 pm »
the ai in xenonauts cheats? hu I hadn't noticed still though that's cool are vehicles a thing in the newer xcoms by the way? I don't think they are but I'm probably wrong.
c.r

Offline Coppermantis

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Re: XCOM 2
« Reply #147 on: February 19, 2016, 05:25:26 pm »
I had fairly good luck with snipers in xenonauts as well though. (but only in the early game since it crashed often, and now that it was properly released and non-crashy I still haven't gotten around to finishing it...)

You certainly can make XCOM2 harder easily though. Theres an improved ai mod (which I'm not interested in with my current setup, but it does make the aliens less...expected), or mods like IESS+ that I am using cause things like 9 troopers and an officer fighting you on the first mission (on Commander this time) when you only have 6 rookies for (or 4 rookies I suppose if you didn't increase your squadsize, but only crazy people on ironman would do that with this mod), and they all can attack you during their turn, not just a few of them. Or how about some additional dark events to make things tougher on you to decide what to counter? Viper rounds could be annoying, extra faceless maybe, but what about a podful of sectopods?


Ohhhhhh, that multiple-Sectopod one looks good. Will definitely play with that one next game.
I can already tell this is going to be a roller coaster ride of disappointment.

Offline Wingflier

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Re: XCOM 2
« Reply #148 on: February 19, 2016, 05:31:19 pm »
the ai in xenonauts cheats? hu I hadn't noticed still though that's cool are vehicles a thing in the newer xcoms by the way? I don't think they are but I'm probably wrong.
Perhaps it's just in the "Unofficial Community Edition" mod I'm playing. But the AI in that game (Xenonauts) is on par with AI War level cheating. Which is to say, it's really damn good and the intentional unfairness is there to equalize the fact that it's playing against a human being. I honestly have no problem with it, it's just blatantly obvious that it doesn't play by the same rules.
« Last Edit: February 19, 2016, 05:33:58 pm by Wingflier »
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Offline crazyroosterman

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Re: XCOM 2
« Reply #149 on: February 19, 2016, 05:46:17 pm »
the ai in xenonauts cheats? hu I hadn't noticed still though that's cool are vehicles a thing in the newer xcoms by the way? I don't think they are but I'm probably wrong.
Perhaps it's just in the "Unofficial Community Edition" mod I'm playing. But the AI in that game (Xenonauts) is on par with AI War level cheating. Which is to say, it's really damn good and the intentional unfairness is there to equalize the fact that it's playing against a human being. I honestly have no problem with it, it's just blatantly obvious that it doesn't play by the same rules.
?....I never said I had anything against its just well yea I never noticed it as you said probably just because I'm not using the community edition and I won't in till I fail horribly I succeed if adopt the community edition now itll mess that save up probably.
c.r

 

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