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[robin2]

Though when they say things like: "streamlining but not dumbing down".... it's just a quasi-contradiction, like: "its' simple yet it's not", and 99% of the times it result in a simple dumbing down.

They say the stats are different, so I imagine they "streamlined" the stats: I'm curious, I can't think of any stat being superfluous in the original mechanic.

 

[LemonGremlin]

They say the stats are different, so I imagine they "streamlined" the stats: I'm curious, I can't think of any stat being superfluous in the original mechanic.

Health, Stamina, Dexterity!

 

[Clevinger]

Looks awesome. I can't wait for this.

 

[Sinatar]

didnt get into civ5 much but was there fallout from this guy?

Yea he "left on his own terms" aka got shitcanned and then was hired shortly after by Stardock. He's now working on the Elemental redo.

 

[Durante]

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

I hope it also play like that.

 

[bigdaddygamebot]

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

Quoted for emphasis.

 

[Data West]

Console controls don't look horrible. Color me surprised.

 

[jim-jam bongs]

Looks pretty good to me, except the visible enemy health and armour. Though, I suppose they might have a Psionics specialist in the squad.

 

[Jintor]

I like the creepy alien looking dudes, assuming those are aliens

Looks a little crowded though.

And still not as charming as pixel art, but what is

 

[derFeef]

I hope it also play like that.

I hope it plays like something even 10 years before that

 

[Xater]

Though when they say things like: "streamlining but not dumbing down".... it's just a quasi-contradiction, like: "its' simple yet it's not", and 99% of the times it result in a simple dumbing down.

They say the stats are different, so I imagine they "streamlined" the stats: I'm curious, I can't think of any stat being superfluous in the original mechanic.

No there is a way to do streamlining without dumbing down. I think Deus Ex. human Revolution did a fantastic job with that. Some stuff is just archaic and really needs some updating. They get the essence of the game well enough at it seems and I am a fan of the original, but I also don#t want a 1 to 1 copy with better graphics.

 

[diffusionx]

Though when they say things like: "streamlining but not dumbing down".... it's just a quasi-contradiction, like: "its' simple yet it's not", and 99% of the times it result in a simple dumbing down.

"Dumbing down" is what happens when you remove the potential for interesting choices.

Civ 4 is a game that is highly streamlined but not dumbed down. The interface is clear, rules are intuitive, information is presented well on screen, yet the game has all the interesting and meaningful choices you would expect.

 

[robin2]

I hope of course you are right.

Again about the interface: I'd hope they were not hindered by the necessity of putting all the information in the unit indicator, they also have that nice space under the soldier's name.
The 65 in the crosshair I suppose it's the accuracy; I'd add an ammo indicator too, by the selected weapon icon.

 

[notsol337]

Oh god please be a PC release. I don't think my heart can take it being XBLA/PSN only.

 

[Pai Pai Master]

Oh god please be a PC release. I don't think my heart can take it being XBLA/PSN only.

It was announced for PC, Xbox and PS3. Retail.

 

[duckroll]

I see the soldier in the screenshot has an accuracy of 65%. I guess that's much better than 23% in the original.

 

[charlequin]

Though when they say things like: "streamlining but not dumbing down".... it's just a quasi-contradiction

Strongly disagree. If you want to break it down far enough, arguably the entirety of game design is about finding ways to make things simple without making them dumb or strategically shallow.

Ultimately, the strategic depth of any turn-based game is all about having a wide range of choices at each juncture which have a large range of long-term valuation. Ultimately you can accomplish that with simple rules as long as those rules are designed to create complex payoff matrices and every rule carries its own weight in terms of creating interesting decisions.

 

[DeadlySchnauzer]

Hrm... is it just me, or does this look like it should be an XBLA/PSN release rather than a full retail game?

I guess it's hard to get the vibe of the original across to modern day graphics without it looking a bit silly.

 

[eznark]

Though when they say things like: "streamlining but not dumbing down".... it's just a quasi-contradiction, like: "its' simple yet it's not", and 99% of the times it result in a simple dumbing down.

They say the stats are different, so I imagine they "streamlined" the stats: I'm curious, I can't think of any stat being superfluous in the original mechanic.

That is the reporters words, not the developers.

 

[Minsc]

Hrm... is it just me, or does this look like it should be an XBLA/PSN release rather than a full retail game?

I guess it's hard to get the vibe of the original across to modern day graphics without it looking a bit silly.

If it's like the original in scope, 50-100+ hours of gameplay (for a single play through) should be expected without using faqs/exploits. I don't know what you mean, do you not think turn-based strategy games should get retail releases? How does it look less than say a Civ game to you?

Though I'd wait for a few dozen more screens (with more useful zoomed-out camera positioning) and videos before judging it too harshly visually, another 6 months of dev time probably won't hurt either.

 

[jim-jam bongs]

Go is the most streamlined game in existence.

 

[r1chard]

I thought I was about as excited as I was going to get after watching the video interview with the devs in which they repeated, about a bazillion times, how they are huge fans and want to keep with the original gameplay as much as possible while just fixing the UI and a few other things... and now I'm more excited

 

[subversus]

I see the soldier in the screenshot has an accuracy of 65%. I guess that's much better than 23% in the original.

I played X-COM yesterday and had an accuracy of 73% in my first mission on beginner.

 

[ThoseDeafMutes]

I'll play it. Not as excited as I thought I would be.

Spoiler

Xenonauts 2D graphics <3 <3 <3

 

[careful]

Turn based. Sold.

 

[McNum]

You know, all this X-Com talk is making me want to return to good old UFO: Enemy Unknown and erase that black mark from my "games I wanted to beat, but never did" list. But in light of the good news, would anyone be up for a GAF plays X-Com thread? It could be fun to see how each of us tackle the invasion, plus UI aside, it's a pretty good game and I think there's that XComUtil thing to help with the UI, even if that's cheating a bit, perhaps.

Anyone up for a series of 2012 alien invasions?

 

[Jintor]

Only if you develop it into an incredible story in the vein of the Something Awful or Penny-Arcade Let's Plays. (Seriously, Fishman's story is amazing).

Oh, and all the soldiers are named after Gaffers, and then they all die horribly.

 

[Lactose_Intolerant]

I just wish they would hire a good environmental artist. Those textures are pretty bad. The log almost has the same texture as the rock next to it. Everything else looks decent to great.

Now we just need to see some gameplay. We need more playable characters too.

 

[McNum]

Only if you develop it into an incredible story in the vein of the Something Awful or Penny-Arcade Let's Plays. (Seriously, Fishman's story is amazing).

Oh, and all the soldiers are named after Gaffers, and then they all die horribly.

I usually don't rename my soldiers (which probably explains why I keep losing), but yeah, I'd be happy to make it to some kind of narrative. Of course, the idea of a GAF plays is to encourage other people into the fun. Otherwise it's just a McNum Plays, which I'd probably like, but could get dull to everyone else.

I've read the SA Let's Play (So many Chryssalids!), which basically was what got me to buy the package on Steam, haven't read Fishman's yet. I can see that on an earlier game, I actually kept notes in character. Why would I do that? Probably because writing after-action reports in the character of "that commander no one liked, so we shipped him off to head that silly alien fighting thing no one believes in" is funny. But a proper GAF plays would likely need a decent opening post. I'll try mixing something up and see if anyone wants in. I do have the ulterior motive of having somewhere to cry for help if things go south. Well, more south than normal in X-Com.

 

[Calavera520]

can anyone speak to the quality of xenonauts? There is a beta out there for those who preorder right? Anyone try it out?

 

[duckroll]

I played X-COM yesterday and had an accuracy of 73% in my first mission on beginner.

Why are you playing on beginner?

 

[FStop7]

If anyone is looking for at least a small taste of the goodness that was the original X-Com while we wait for the new game, I really suggest you check out Ghost Recon: Shadow Wars. Amazon has it for $15.50 right now. It's really good. Not as brutally difficult (at least not in the early game) as X-Com and there doesn't seem to be a component for R&D or recruitment, but the turn based action is a mix of X-Com and Advance Wars.

 

[HK-47]

I played X-COM yesterday and had an accuracy of 73% in my first mission on beginner.

Superman Antarctica challenge or bust, pansy.

 

[Emitan]

Why are you playing on beginner?

Because he wants to leave the Skyranger!

 

[subversus]

Why are you playing on beginner?

Because I haven't played this game before.

Well, I sort of played in 1996 but the art style looked so bad to me that I (we) ended up playing C&C.

 

[duckroll]

Because he wants to leave the Skyranger!

Fair enough! Lol.

 

[NinajHeartless]

Only if you develop it into an incredible story in the vein of the Something Awful or Penny-Arcade Let's Plays. (Seriously, Fishman's story is amazing).

Oh, and all the soldiers are named after Gaffers, and then they all die horribly.

I second this ;D

 

[jim-jam bongs]

You guys know we did an ironman challenge a couple of years back yeah?

http://www.neogaf.com/forum/showthread.php?t=392978

 

[Jintor]

That wasn't one centralised story yo

 

[gabbo]

I just wish they would hire a good environmental artist. Those textures are pretty bad. The log almost has the same texture as the rock next to it. Everything else looks decent to great.

Now we just need to see some gameplay. We need more playable characters too.

You're right. I assumed one was a stump and the other the tree off of it. Hopefully that gets worked out. That might be a screen with placeholder art at least.

 

[archnemesis]

You guys know we did an ironman challenge a couple of years back yeah?

http://www.neogaf.com/forum/showthread.php?t=392978

I'm making it an annual thing. This year it's Apocalypse!

 

[PantherAttacks]

Would love to see the PC interface.

I hope it has a PC interface. I don't want this console style thing in my XCOM. :/

 

[platypotamus]

Most anticipated game of the year for me. Maybe after Diablo III. Maybe.

 

[akira28]

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.

Men In Black. According to older than current UFO lore, it was thought that the MiBs could be aliens themselves, either working with the gov't or working to cover the activities of other aliens from the gov't. Some MiB encounters came with stories of men who acted "strangely" and people who encountered them suddenly could no longer remember details of their UFO experience. The men appeared in suits and sometimes appeared even before any reports were made public, and when authorities were asked about them, no one ever knew who they were or what bureau they represented. Sometimes they seemed like FBI agents, or G-men, or sometimes they seemed foreign or 'alien'. It's where the G-Man character in Half Life comes from.

 

[Emitan]

You guys know we did an ironman challenge a couple of years back yeah?

http://www.neogaf.com/forum/showthread.php?t=392978

I find winning a battle hard enough. Jeeze.

 

[gabbo]

Men In Black. According to older than current UFO lore, it was thought that the MiBs could be aliens themselves, either working with the gov't or working to cover the activities of other aliens from the gov't. Some MiB encounters came with stories of men who acted "strangely" and people who encountered them suddenly could no longer remember details of their UFO experience. The men appeared in suits and sometimes appeared even before any reports were made public, and when authorities were asked about them, no one ever knew who they were or what bureau they represented. Sometimes they seemed like FBI agents, or G-men, or sometimes they seemed foreign or 'alien'. It's where the G-Man character in Half Life comes from.

I believe the article explains that they look like GMen due to encounters with FBI agents in the past (ie with Marin's shooter) and that's part of the bridge between the two games.

 

[akira28]

I believe the article explains that they look like GMen due to encounters with FBI agents in the past (ie with Marin's shooter) and that's part of the bridge between the two games.

That would suck as an explanation. They look way too weird. Let Marin's shooter be a nonexistent figment, so we can all enjoy this game and pretend the other one never happened.

 

[Rentahamster]

Looks promising.

Make me cry on the hardest difficulty level, I love it.

 

[Fafalada]

This.

To be fair nothing could ever live up to nostalgia-tinted-pixel art, nothing exclusive to X-Com either. Though personally I never liked the original visuals much, they were - functional.

But the talk sounds good - streamlining makes sense, the original games have aged pretty badly when it comes to UI/controls. Give me a PSVita version and I'll preorder now.

 

[I should be doing hw]

Give me a PSVita version and I'll preorder now.

This, give me some backtouch crying in the backseat of the car. Wait, what.