[Xater]

Update 8:
Sid Meier Talks XCOM: Enemy Unknown

Update 7:
Alien Breeds: The Evolution Of XCOM’s Enemies.

Update 6:
The Unsettling Music Of XCOM: Enemy Unknown.



Update 5:

'The PC Difference - XCOM obviously has deep PC roots and a hardcore fanbase with strong feelings about strategy franchises moving to consoles. It's natural for them to worry about a game like XCOM being dumbed down during the transition from keyboard to gamepad. Everything that Firaxis has shown so far indicates that any 'dumbing down' is limited solely to removing over-designed rules. For example, the original's Time Units have been removed for a simple move+action (or double move) for each unit. The idea is to let players still make the same decisions - move here, shoot that - without having to precisely calculate steps taken and type of shots fired in order to optimize that final five percent of combat effciency. And fear not, PC players - Firaxis is planning to take advantage of the platform's unique capabilities to provide an enhanced interface. Lead designer Jake Solomon uses DA:O as an example of what he wants to happen with XCOM. He suggested a zoomed-out full-map view of the tactical map as the kind of feature that PC players can expect that might not make it into the console versions. Finally, if you're an XCOM devotee from the old days, take comfort in the fact that the hardest difficulty is simply called Classic Mode.' Other notable gameplay changes mentioned: no more Aimed/Snap/Auto shots, but there are two special abilities you can choose between at each level up that add more actions (the example is a choice the sniper gets: 'Squad Sight which lets him fire at any enemy a squadmate can see, or Snap Shot which lets him take a quick shot after moving, an ability normally restricted from sniper rifles). Oh yeah, there are classes; the ones mentioned are sniper, support, and heavy. Rookies don't come with their class identified, you have to level them up to find out which they are. Weapon clips are gone but you still need to reload, it doesn't say if there are infinite reloads but you no longer manufacture or load clips onto the Skyranger. The 16 individual countries will each have demands and assign missions - the article mentions Japan requesting a shipment of laser rifles as a reaction to XCOM not protecting their territory, and Africa as being a poor continent but rich in raw materials needed for manufacturing (each continent will have a bonus). The missions are mostly procedurally generated, but there are specific "tentpole scenarios that take place at certain points in the narrative. These come in several forms, from in-game cinematics showing the growing alien threat through the lens of human newscasts to setpiece tactical battles. Firaxis hopes to use these moments to create some semblance of overarching narrative despite the strategic layer being completely player-driven... Firaxis insists that its tactical AI as well as the unique capabilities and squad compositions each player will bring to them will maintain the game's integrity." When a soldier is killed by a destructive enough weapon, "his equipment is so badly damaged that it can't be salvaged." Environments are destructible, and suppressive fire is in the game - the example is a heavy pinning down a Sectoid, denying it a turn during the aliens' turn. There are pictures of Sectoids, Mutons, and Cyberdiscs, which are fairly faithful to the originals, although cyberdiscs also come in spiderlike forms. Sectoids can use their psionic abilities to link up with each other to increase their effectiveness, but killing one will kill any others it is linked with. Mutons have Blood Call, "a battle cry that excites surrounding Mutons into a kind of animalistic fury. Finally, the suit guys are called Thin Men. "The Thin Man is strikingly similar to the Slender Man myths. It may be that some morphogenic race has been secretly studying humanity, and has sent these human facsimiles to Earth as spies. Unnaturally tall and slender, Thin Men are not perfect replicas.... Once engaged in battle, a Thin Man will perform acrobatic maneuvers unlike any human. Thin Men are capable of covering large swaths of ground in a single bound. Snipers should be wary of their ability to jump up several stories in a single leap. Once engaged in close quarters, the Thin Man unhinges its jaw and vomits forth a spray of corrosive putrescence... upon expiration, a Thin Man will explode in an acid shower damaging nearby equipment and field personel." I have no idea why they chose to feature the Thin Men in the first released screenshots - there are about 30 and those are easily the worst. The tactical view is moveable from a bird's eye 70 degree view to ground level behind/to the side of the soldier. The picture of the geoscape is incomplete, it only shows the globe. The base screens seem similar - the example is a research screen, with a list of topics and a scientist presumably moving in the background. Soldiers are indeed clad in Gears of War style armor, but both soldiers and aliens are drawn in a very clean comic style reminiscent of the animated cinematics of the original (or the Firaxis house style circa Civ V).

Update 4:

The Art of XCOM:























Screens & video at link above.

Update:

The Art of XCOM (video + few more screens)

I've got my digital copy. But I don't think there's any way to directly copy and quote the text. There's apparently a 'Heavy Armed Mobile Cover Platform that serves as a powerful rock on which to anchor any tactical advantage' and you can directly customize the heavy troops armor and weapons individually. THE VAST MAJORITY OF XCOM'S CONTENT COMES IN THE FORM OF PROCEDURUALLY GENERATED MISSIONS AND ENCOUNTERS, MEANING THAT EVERY PLAYTHROUGH UNFOLDS DIFFERENTLY Though they mention there's some story based missions that are not randomly generated and involve in-game cinematics of some kind What I've read is •randomly generated missions, terrain. Developer says you'll never play the exact same mission twice outside of a few story missions which feature in-game cinematics •fog of war is confirmed. area starts off with darkness everywhere, and the average soldier can't see shit •enemy spawns are randomized •mobile platform called SHIV; customizable for new chasis •Sectoids and Mutons confirmed •The base's screenshot is accurate. It is now a side shot instead of top down. You can also upgrade your base, like the satellite, with alien technology •There was an example in one scenario where Japan had the laser rifle already developed before the invasion because they felt threatened, so that seems random. •You have 16 countries in the funding council you need to keep happy. Some provide more money, but others, like Africa, provide more raw resources •The sniper units have a grappling hook ability to get on top of buildings •Gunners have a suppressing fire •you can equip your xcom guys with all kinds of different guns. customization looks like a big deal •Apparently there's some sort of cinematic view when your guys get killed. They didn't cite VATS or anything, so I doubt it's too in depth •Unexperienced agents can panic, freak out, etc if something bad happens •Firaxis designer states that the PC version will have an enhanced interface. He cites Dragon Age: Origins on PC and console as a big inspiration This is like the first half of the article

•Destructible environments •In the scenario they showed, one member died. Because of this the other squadmates didn't get an experience bonus •Without the bonus, the sniper leveled up still. He was able to choose from two abilities. Either Squad Sight(which means he can shoot anything a squadmate can see) and Snap Shot(which lets him shoot after moving. Something snipers aren't normally allowed to do) •You can't recruit specific classes. You can only recruit rookies and then level them up to become specific classes •The guys in suits in the screenshots are 'Thin Man' aliens. They're able to leap long distances •Challenge is stressed a lot •same quick save/load system though they are considering an iron man type mode where you can't load previous saves •Firaxis states that they're not rebooting it, they're re imagining it. Using the same core gameplay with modern technology, weapons, audiovisuals, etc. That's the stuff I saw that was worth noting

Some more, from this thread on 2k forums. Quite a bit of streamlining, I don't mind most of it (in fact I like some of it, like getting rid of ammo, it was an automatic action anyway), except not being able to move-shoot-move, hmm. Anyway, hype! •No action points. The game uses a move-and-shoot (or move-and-move) dynamic. They don't want people piddling around counting individual action points. Some will call this a concession to consolitis; others will call it useful streamlining. •Soldiers can still panic, but not to the point of wiping the squad. Likewise, you'll never get plasma-bombed right out of the carrier. They want to make the game more fair, and those were specifically mentioned. •The strategic layer is extremely robust. You still need to choose which countries to send missions to, which offers of aid (in exchange for more protection) you'll accept from which countries, which alien technologies you'll research, etc. The back-and-forth between tactical and strategic play remains at the heart of the game. •Overwatch, duck-and-cover, etc. are all still very much present, tactically. •You can research vehicles, which take the place of a squaddie. They don't gain XP and when they are destroyed they are lost for good, but they provide serious cover and firepower. One example given is a mobile heavy weapons platform that serves as a good overwatcher for a tactical advance. •Sectoids and Mutons are in. Cyberdiscs and Thin Men are also mentioned. Evidently psionics are also in. •Aliens have their own special perk-like abilities as well. Overall it looks really ☺☺☺☺ing fantastic and I am now DAY ONE. The article specifically cites a sniper spending their entire turn to take an aimed shot for Massive Damage. Perhaps it's more accurate to think of the game as having only two action points per turn, for Move-Shoot, or Move-Move, or Aim-Shoot, etc. Gus, like I said, overwatch is in the game. In, in, in the game. You definitely can set up squaddies who haven't used all their actions in a turn, such that they can do overwatch and shoot the instant something comes into view. Reloading costs an action, so it is a tactical consideration. Ducking into cover is the main positioning mechanic they mention. They also mention supppressive fire as another mechanic -- your heavy weapons guy can lay down a barrage that can paralyze pinned units (e.g. remove their actions). Grenades are in, wounding is in. Generally it doesn't sound like there are fewer tactical options, but rather that the bookkeeping is simplified. (This part was by the author of the GI article) Apologies if the article was unclear, but the deal is that sniper rifles are unusual in that they take a full turn to shoot. You can unlock a move-shoot perk for snipers at some experience level, but your basic sniper rifle takes a full turn to fire. Ammo is abstracted. You're assumed to be carrying enough clips to reload as much as you want, but it takes a turn to do so. Suppressive fire is crazy awesome, for instance, but it burns through ammo like a mofo so you're borrowing turns down the road to kick ass now. Body positions - AIUI you are assumed to be kneeling behind partial cover etc. They didn't go into a ton of detail here. Personally that's a level of control granularity that I'm not concerned about preserving, so long as I have other awesome ☺☺☺☺ that I can do and creative tactics to explore. Which from what I've seen will not be lacking. So yeah, you only have one base. Building different bases has been removed, but you still buy satellite coverage (the new radar) and build hangars for interception in different countries. Your single base is like way more crazy awesome than any base from the original, though, and presents lots of opportunities for more decision-making in terms of digging deeper as well as what kind of expansion facilities you add on (see the screenshot of the "ant farm" that we put online Monday).

---

Oh hey they now have some screenshots and a new article that answers some questions about the game: http://www.gameinformer.com/b/featur...y-unknown.aspx

Wasn't there another XCOM game? Yes, 2K Marin is developing a previously announced first-person shooter, simply called XCOM. That game was originally scheduled to come out last year, but has since been delayed out of 2011. How do those games relate to each other? The shooter takes place earlier in the fiction, chronicling the aliens' first attacks in the United States. The strategy game we're talking about here deals with the global response to the later full-blown alien invasion of Earth. So this is some kind of RTS? No, not in the way the term "RTS" typically applies to games like StarCraft. The real-time element of XCOM is confined to the global view, where the player keeps track of known UFOs and abductions going on around the world. Managing research and development at the XCOM organization's secret base can be done at the player's leisure, and all combat is completely turn-based. You switch between real-time and turn-based? Yes. When your aerial transport lands at an abduction site, the game switches to a tactical view and you command your squad of personalized soldiers in battle against an unknown alien threat. So what do you do in the real-time global view? On the strategic layer, players direct research into alien technology, give their engineers and foundries fabrication requests, interact with the nations of the world (who have to be mollified to secure funding for XCOM), intercept airborne UFOs with jet fighters, level up their soldiers and recruit new ones, and dispatch the Skyranger transport to engage alien incursions on the ground. Is this a remake of the original? Kind of. Re-imagining is probably a better term. Firaxis' XCOM: Enemy Unknown doesn't directly copy the underlying game systems – for instance, soldiers have different stats than they did in the 1994 original – but the concepts are still here. Players still have to manage multiple resources and threats on a global scale in a seemingly hopeless war against extraterrestrial forces with far better technology and capabilities. Is this going to be dumbed down for the "wider console audience"? Firaxis is undeniably streamlining aspects of the game and removing no small amount of micromanagement, but from what I've seen I wouldn't call it "dumbing down" the game so much as getting rid of tedium and uninteresting mechanics. Soldiers still die permanently, fog of war and line of sight are hugely important in combat, and you absolutely can lose the game if you screw up too badly. Does it look awesome? I came away from our visit to Firaxis' studio extremely impressed by XCOM: Enemy Unknown. The project is far from done, but I am personally thrilled at the prospect of playing the final game.

[Nirolak]

Split bump.

[notsol337]

I want this so bad it makes my intestines fall out.

[Heavy]

The rocks/boulder and tree textures don't look good but other than that it looks good to me.

[inky]

Oh, here you are. I reloaded the page and the screens disappeared and I was like, what?

Looks cool.

[thetrin]

Looks awesome. Hope we get to see some PC screens soon.

The rocks/boulder and tree textures don't look good but other than that it looks good to me.

The game could have the worst graphics on earth. I don't give a fuck. All I care about is gameplay, and control.

[Darklord]

Kinda looks like something that was released in 2004...

[HK-47]

But the important thing is...how do the chryssalids look?

[Bufbaf]

Holy crap this looks ace! Totally new to me, too, didn't hear anything about this.

[LiK]

hope there's gameplay footage soon

[Heavy]

Looks awesome. Hope we get to see some PC screens soon. The game could have the worst graphics on earth. I don't give a fuck. All I care about is gameplay, and control.

Well I care about both, graphics and gameplay. No reason it can't have both. Darklord is right, the graphics look like they're from several years ago in the gameplay screen. I see button prompts so it's probably the console version.

[dragonelite]

Textures look like place holders too me.
Maybe give the older games a chance when i have more time at my hands.

[FrontalMonk]

The game could have the worst graphics on earth. I don't give a fuck. All I care about is gameplay, and control.

This. A thousand times this. God I want this game so bad.

[walking fiend]

technically doesn't look really good, but artistically, I said oh my god, it looks so original and fresh. Hurray!
Those men in suit are specially awesome

[Sinatar]

Gotta love it when PR guys take super zoomed in screenshots of strategy games where the assets aren't at their best.

[Xater]

Well I care about both, graphics and gameplay. No reason it can't have both. Darklord is right, the graphics look like they're from several years ago in the gameplay screen. I see button prompts so it's probably the console version.

I think it looks totally fine for a tactical strategy game. I wasn't expecting a graphical power house title from Firaxis to begin with. You also probably never play the game from this perspective because it doesn't give you a good overview. ;)

[Htown]

sold.

[Nirolak]

Kinda looks like something that was released in 2004...

That sounds like an improvement for Firaxis. :P

[Neuromancer]

Sounds fucking awesome.

Also of interest, the battlescape looks hex based now, not square tile based.

[Heavy]

I think it looks totally fine for a tactical strategy game. I wasn't expecting a graphical power house title from Firaxis to begin with.

True...

[Grisby]

I like the look of it. I might check it out on 360 despite not warming up to the announcement.

[LSauchelli]

Looks pretty good, and hey, at least the soldiers aren't all blond like in the original :p.

[eznark]

The game could have the worst graphics on earth. I don't give a fuck. All I care about is gameplay, and control.

Absolutely. I still play the originals, cheap out on the graphics if needs be.

Best thing about that screen shot is the movement area highlight. Garnett had me worried with his emphasis on the "action" part of action strategy. Clearly turn based tactical from that screen shot. I'm guessing action is just marketing speak.

[Sinatar]

What's with the dudes in suits? They appear to be enemies I guess.

So some kind of shapeshifting aliens or perhaps some human on human combat in the game.

[Xater]

Oh and yeah the Split was probably a good idea Nirolak. Should have made a new thread to begin with. Then again what would you have to do if not for splitting threads? ;)

What's with the dudes in suits? They appear to be enemies I guess. So some kind of shapeshifting aliens or perhaps some human on human combat in the game.

I could see different organizations that might hav interest in the alien technology.

[legbone]

a new tbs game? count me in. i know nothing about the original xcom but i loves me some tbs. last great one i played was shadow wars for the 3ds. i've been looking forward to another one ever since. count me in.

[Turfster]

Two guns you can switch between with a held button? What? Please tell me I'm reading this wrong...

[Neuromancer]

What's with the dudes in suits? They appear to be enemies I guess. So some kind of shapeshifting aliens or perhaps some human on human combat in the game.

Yeah they're a little derpy looking.

Two guns you can switch between with a held button? What? Please tell me I'm reading this wrong...

Where'd you get that from?

[Sho_Nuff82]

Can't see shit in the third screen.

[Turfster]

Where'd you get that from?

Bottom left of the interface in the tactical shot.

[Xater]

Two guns you can switch between with a held button? What? Please tell me I'm reading this wrong...

It's easier to switch weapons that way than to go into an equipment menu. I don't see the problem here. That is good UI design. Same for the quick selection of options on the left side.

[Alextended]

The indoor stuff and character models show higher production values than I personally expected for such a strategy game, both for the kind of game it is and because I doubt they give much of a budget to the game in comparison to others. The outdoor map could look better, but whatever. It might anyway, by release. Also, maybe you do move the characters Valkyria Chronicles style going by some of the GUI/buttons. Maybe it's also an option on PC.

[whatevermort]

Without sounding trolly, but I'm assuming that this a downloadable only title, based on the market/graphics etc? Has that already been announced?

[Dennis]

Graphics looks OK but nowhere near as charming/scary as the old style.

[charlequin]

Without sounding trolly

Too late!

but I'm assuming that this a downloadable only title

Nope.

[robin2]

What's with the dudes in suits? They appear to be enemies I guess. So some kind of shapeshifting aliens or perhaps some human on human combat in the game.

Yeah, occult opponent organizations or soldiers from nations whose are under alien control.

... of placeholder to not spoil the aliens.


I presume all that terrain is destructible.

The absence of the tiles is somewhat scary, maybe I'm just to used to them.

[Cosmo Clock 21]

Cannot unsee face in the top left.

[Minsc]

The real-time element of XCOM is confined to the global view, where the player keeps track of known UFOs and abductions going on around the world. Managing research and development at the XCOM organization's secret base can be done at the player's leisure, and all combat is completely turn-based.

Forget about graphics (of which I love the side view of the base, and don't find the combat screen bad at all - remember locations are randomly generated for battles, so you can't have a paint-brushed, one single-path to follow look to it), that right there is the real prize.

Ideally, a night shot would have sold it much better, but there should be a lot of "tilesets" yet to come, cities, deserts, arctic, ufos, farms and so on. That or a nice building with smoke everywhere and a huge hole in the wall from an explosion.

[whatevermort]

Too late!

Well, okay then. I'll pick it up whatever - I paid for CivRev on console, and I damn well got my money's worth. And I'll buy this. I actually hoped it was a dl title for sales' sake, and I suspect it'd do a hell of a lot better at that price point than it will as a full boxed product. Oh well.

[Sectus]

Want want want. I got a bad feeling the mainstream gamer will respond the same way as some people in this thread "Olol wut is this, a game from 2004!?!? Lame!" but even if the game ends up selling badly at least we'll get one potentially really great X-Com game.

[Cosmonaut X]

It looks as though the view is too low, so perhaps the game is intended to be played with the camera elevated to a more classic "isometric" viewpoint (where the textures will look a hell of a lot better) but it's been dropped down "into the action" for the press shots.

Thoughts?

[Turfster]

It's easier to switch weapons that way than to go into an equipment menu. I don't see the problem here. That is good UI design. Same for the quick selection of options on the left side.

Yeah, well... I don't want to hold T and then hit % a couple of times on the PC (or whatever the equivalents of righttrigger and Y will be) to select something is all I'm saying.

[Neuromancer]

Bottom left of the interface in the tactical shot.

Oh I see. What's the problem exactly? You could carry two guns in the first game I'm pretty sure.

Edit

Yeah, well... I don't want to hold T and then hit % a couple of times on the PC (or whatever the equivalents of righttrigger and Y will be) to select something is all I'm saying.

Ah. Don't know anything about that stuff. I'm sure it'll be mapped to regular keys for the PC version though.

It looks as though the view is too low, so perhaps the game is intended to be played with the camera elevated to a more classic "isometric" viewpoint (where the textures will look a hell of a lot better) but it's been dropped down "into the action" for the press shots. Thoughts?

Yeah I'm guessing there's some kind of freelook but I'd want to play most of the game from a higher angle.

[subversus]

outdoor environments + trees = UE3 cries. That's why everything is so low-poly.

[eznark]

Yeah, well... I don't want to hold T and then hit % a couple of times on the PC (or whatever the equivalents of righttrigger and Y will be) to select something is all I'm saying.

1/2 seems like a pretty logical solution.

[Orayn]

It looks as though the view is too low, so perhaps the game is intended to be played with the camera elevated to a more classic "isometric" viewpoint (where the textures will look a hell of a lot better) but it's been dropped down "into the action" for the press shots. Thoughts?

Probably just a console thing, not unlike what Dragon Age: Origins had going on.

[FStop7]

Were there dumbass comments about graphics looking dated in Diablo 3 and Starcraft 2 preview threads, too?

[Hari Seldon]

I'd prefer a nice 2d game with hand drawn tiles, but they are saying all of the right things.

[McNum]

But the important thing is...how do the chryssalids look?

Does it matter? If you can see the Chryssalid, you are already a Chryssalid. If you CAN'T see the Chryssalid... it's right behind you. Don't look! RUN!

Seriously, though. I like what I'm seeing. I love that the Geoscape is an actual room in the base, it's a nice touch. I really want to see this game in action now. The aforementioned Chryssalids would make an excellent example to demonstrate the difficulty of the game in a video. Apart from the Sectoid, I'd say good old smiling death on legs is who we want to see.

Also, the base is multilevel? Oh boy, going to love defending THAT mess. Please give me automated defenses and cameras in the base. That and does it look like the tactical view is hex based to anyone else? Look at the edge of that cyan line, it has a lot of 60 degree bends, doesn't it?

[Metalmurphy]

Those screens don't look the little bit frighting... :/ After that interview I had some high hopes, after those screens it kinda died