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XCOM Debut Trailer and Preview

Sharkington said:
People don't need the XCOM name to make something that plays like an old XCOM. If someone wants to go do that, they can right now.

But if you are going to make an XCOM game then why not make something that isn't disappointing to most of the people who recognise the name?
 

Truant

Member
Exactly. While I personally think the game looks great, it just seems really strange to make this into an XCOM game seeing as XCOM fans all seem to hate it. It's basically a new IP in that regard, now, and that's what they should have done.
 

DiscoJer

Member
As many people said in the previous thread, they are likely trying to cash in on the "X-files" name/brand. X-com, X-files, it's close enough to confuse people.

Those black oil aliens are straight out of it (the tv show).
 

Lumine

Member
That looked actually kinda neat. I liked the setting and look in the trailer. Like a bioshock meets ghostbusters or something. :p

I'm not seeing any XCOM in there though. :|
 
The character models are very Team Fortress like. I didn't see anything special in that trailer. I need to see more than those "black blobs"
 

IdleRover

Member
The preview atleast read slighty interesting to me. The trailer, however, was pretty bad imo. I'm not going to discount it based on it though.

I'd stil wish they'd make a proper X-COM game, although Xenonauts will hopefully deliver in that category.
 

mujun

Member
jim-jam bongs said:
Uh... yeah? Neither was my comparison.

Except you questioned the validity of my comparison whereas I didn't question the validity of yours.

jim-jam bongs said:
Yeah, that and the sales comments would be really helpful if I were a 2k Games investor. Sadly I'm just a gamer who would like games that I enjoy playing to be made so that I may exchange money for them. Forgive me for not rewarding a publishing company for cynically trying to bolster sales of a b-grade FPS by attaching the name of a classic to it.

OK. It doesn't improve it. Doesn't detract from it either. I thought you wanted some more objective reason that the X-COM skin improves it, not just my opinion.

jim-jam bongs said:
And you and sharkboy or whatever the fuck his name is are way off-base with the "it's just a name, you have entitlement issues" crap as well. I'm not someone who watches out for every FPS game released, but I'll play a good one. This game looks bad, plain and simple. Playing a FPS which sees me running around 1950s suburbia chasing black blobs with a shotgun is as far from my idea of a fun game as you can get.

I find it really hard to decide how fun something is pretty much right up to the point I actually lay hands on it (even then it's hard, I need to get well in to a game to be honest).

Still the way you describe it, suburbia and black blobs intrigues me far more than some played out FPS with space marines. It's out there and original enough to really pique my curiosity.

jim-jam bongs said:
If it didn't have the XCOM name attached to it I'd not bother to call out how shitty it looks because I probably wouldn't even know it exists, so I guess you have me on that one.

You have to admit it gets peoples attention. To me all the hate for the game sounds like bitter payback from fans disappointed that the game isn't along the same lines as the original games. Let's not call it cynical till we've actually played it. For all we know at this point it's super faithful to the world described in the original games and offers something worthwile to fans of the series.



EmCee already covered this. If you think that they're going to turn around and say "The success/failure of that FPS XCOM game we made that was nothing like the original game proves that people want a game that's like the original game" then you are delusional.[/QUOTE]
 

DaBuddaDa

Member
mujun said:
You have to admit it gets peoples attention. To me all the hate for the game sounds like bitter payback from fans disappointed that the game isn't along the same lines as the original games. Let's not call it cynical till we've actually played it. For all we know at this point it's super faithful to the world described in the original games and offers something worthwile to fans of the series.

I have never played an XCOM game. I couldn't even tell you what they were about, when they were released or which genre they prescribe to, so I came into this thread with zero expectations.

Of course you cannot pass accurate judgment on a game before playing it through, but nobody is criticizing the game. We can't, we haven't played it. The developers have given us this trailer to judge their game by, and judging by the trailer, which is the only thing we can judge right now, the game looks like utter bollocks. Dated graphics, obnoxious sound, uninspired theme. I think 2k should have given the game a bit more time and polish before releasing the trailer.
 

V_Arnold

Member
mujun said:
In terms of tone. Not gameplay.

Wait, what?
Super faithful now means "their setting is kind of the same"?
Then any Star Wars game is super faithful to the Star Trek franchise, I guess.

But as far as lore (alien types, your units, your armor), design and gameplay goes, they are not even comparable. Get this symbiote **** out of here, put it back to Spider-Man please.
 

mujun

Member
V_Arnold said:
Wait, what?
Super faithful now means "their setting is kind of the same"?
Then any Star Wars game is super faithful to the Star Trek franchise, I guess.

But as far as lore (alien types, your units, your armor), design and gameplay goes, they are not even comparable. Get this symbiote **** out of here, put it back to Spider-Man please.

I assumed they were following the lore set out by the earlier games. If that's not the case then I'm wrong on that point, disregard my comment.

Seems fans of the series should steer clear of this.

This thread has taught me a valuable lesson. I need to spend more of my free time talking to people in real life and less time doing it on forums :lol
 

V_Arnold

Member
mujun said:
I assumed they were following the lore set out by the earlier games. If that's not the case then I'm wrong on that point, disregard my comment.

Aye, this might have caused the confusion. The UFO games had the very stereotypical alien designs... the little gray, the elliptic tank, the xenotic alien, the grunt-type - none of these are present in this trailer. These look more like something born out of a week long session of watching Supernatural and X-Files.

Edit: Not saying it is BAD, though. It looks okay. But it has nothing in common with its name. Like something Re4 would have been if it were without Leon. So it might end up a good game regardless.
 
bhlaab said:
If anything the trailer just reminded me of that awful Alone in the Dark reboot.

yes! totally Alone in the Dark 2008 plus Resistance 2

the trailer made this game looks really bad. I don't care if it is nothing like the old Xcom games, it looks rank on its own. Maybe they'll have something at E3 that doesn't make it look so bad.
 
Man, I don't understand a lot of you. You constantly assail this title for not being a good representation of the original X-Com you love, yet all the focus seems to be on the rather meh trailer instead of the previews which paint a far more interesting and traditional X-Com experience. If there's gonna be an aim toward trashing the game, shouldn't it be based on the detailed gameplay described in previews and hands-on time that the new one offers rather than short, highly edited, and action-focused FPS footage? I mean, you guys are really going for the low-hanging fruit sort of stuff. And if you're really so interested playing up the new title's lack of 'respect' for the old games which you say you love so, why not go all the way by talking about the gameplay which is central to that classic experience and how it compares to the new one in a broader, fairer way? Or does whatever else that this new XCOM might offer have to be made available in video form first?
 

BobsRevenge

I do not avoid women, GAF, but I do deny them my essence.
This game looks so fucking cool. The art style is awesome and I'm loving the lack of HUD. Hopefully they keep it that way.
 
MightyHedgehog said:
Man, I don't understand a lot of you. You constantly assail this title for not being a good representation of the original X-Com you love, yet all the focus seems to be on the rather meh trailer instead of the previews which paint a far more interesting and traditional X-Com experience. If there's gonna be an aim toward trashing the game, shouldn't it be based on the detailed gameplay described in previews and hands-on time that the new one offers rather than short, highly edited, and action-focused FPS footage? I mean, you guys are really going for the low-hanging fruit sort of stuff. And if you're really so interested playing up the new title's lack of 'respect' for the old games which you say you love so, why not go all the way by talking about the gameplay which is central to that classic experience and how it compares to the new one in a broader, fairer way? Or does whatever else that this new XCOM might offer have to be made available in video form first?

.

Read the previews, people. The Bioshock comparisons are totally off-base. This is not a linear corridor-shooter like Bioshock was.

It might not be a true XCOM sequel either but the previews make the gameplay seem more like XCOM than Bioshock.
 
I don't think the graphics look bad either when you take in mind that the game has huge open-world environments rather than focused linear environments. I really dig the style. The lighting and animations are nice too.
 

Brolic Gaoler

formerly Alienshogun
Koopakiller said:
I don't think the graphics look bad either when you take in mind that the game has huge open-world environments rather than focused linear environments. I really dig the style. The lighting and animations are nice too.

I don't know why they don't just redo the original with some tweaks. Hell valkyria chronicles is very "Xcom" in it's execution, just a little more modernized for gameplay sake..
 
mujun said:
Really? What's in a name? They can drag it through the mud for all I care, won't detract from any of the fun I had with the original games.

Two types of people I suppose. How do you feel about the LOTR movies? I didn't really like them because they weren't half as good as the books but I'm happy for them to exist because there seems to be a lot of people who do like them.

Seems similar to people who get shitty when something exclusive to their platform of choice goes multi-plat, like it detracts from fun they've already had with the game.

Too much sense of entitlement?

being multiplatform didn't seem to harm XCOM 1 at all.

x-com_ufo_defense_front.jpg



then again back then every game didn't need to sell 500k/1million/whatever to break even, so maybe games could be different, or niche, or against the norm. However, now we are stuck with having to dudebro' everything up so companies can stay afloat in the HD money pit we ran headfirst into without thinking.


I hope this turns out good, even baby steps away from bromantic shooters is a good thing, shame it couldn't have been a nice niche turn based tactical strategy game with R&D, but then again we get 1 of those every week of triple A quality, so it wasn't a waste of an IP.
 

Mifune

Mehmber
MightyHedgehog said:
Man, I don't understand a lot of you. You constantly assail this title for not being a good representation of the original X-Com you love, yet all the focus seems to be on the rather meh trailer instead of the previews which paint a far more interesting and traditional X-Com experience. If there's gonna be an aim toward trashing the game, shouldn't it be based on the detailed gameplay described in previews and hands-on time that the new one offers rather than short, highly edited, and action-focused FPS footage? I mean, you guys are really going for the low-hanging fruit sort of stuff. And if you're really so interested playing up the new title's lack of 'respect' for the old games which you say you love so, why not go all the way by talking about the gameplay which is central to that classic experience and how it compares to the new one in a broader, fairer way? Or does whatever else that this new XCOM might offer have to be made available in video form first?

Uh, people don't read here.
 

bhlaab

Member
MightyHedgehog said:
Man, I don't understand a lot of you. You constantly assail this title for not being a good representation of the original X-Com you love, yet all the focus seems to be on the rather meh trailer instead of the previews which paint a far more interesting and traditional X-Com experience. If there's gonna be an aim toward trashing the game, shouldn't it be based on the detailed gameplay described in previews and hands-on time that the new one offers rather than short, highly edited, and action-focused FPS footage? I mean, you guys are really going for the low-hanging fruit sort of stuff. And if you're really so interested playing up the new title's lack of 'respect' for the old games which you say you love so, why not go all the way by talking about the gameplay which is central to that classic experience and how it compares to the new one in a broader, fairer way? Or does whatever else that this new XCOM might offer have to be made available in video form first?

Well yeah it sounds just like the traditional X-Com experience, especially the single base that you don't build, the first person shooter combat, those classic blob enemies, the completely localized setting, the emphasis on storytelling, and researching with the Bioshock camera.
 

Massa

Member
MightyHedgehog said:
Man, I don't understand a lot of you. You constantly assail this title for not being a good representation of the original X-Com you love, yet all the focus seems to be on the rather meh trailer instead of the previews which paint a far more interesting and traditional X-Com experience. If there's gonna be an aim toward trashing the game, shouldn't it be based on the detailed gameplay described in previews and hands-on time that the new one offers rather than short, highly edited, and action-focused FPS footage? I mean, you guys are really going for the low-hanging fruit sort of stuff. And if you're really so interested playing up the new title's lack of 'respect' for the old games which you say you love so, why not go all the way by talking about the gameplay which is central to that classic experience and how it compares to the new one in a broader, fairer way? Or does whatever else that this new XCOM might offer have to be made available in video form first?

Could you translate this post into a gif? People would see it then.
 

derFeef

Member
Sorry for the non-hate post, but I have to say that I love the sounds in this trailer. The thing crawling into this guys throat and the "monolith" thing are pretty sweet.
 
bhlaab said:
Well yeah it sounds just like the traditional X-Com experience, especially the single base that you don't build, the first person shooter combat, those classic blob enemies, the completely localized setting, the emphasis on storytelling, and researching with the Bioshock camera.
Uhhh...it sounds a lot closer to the traditional elements than most in here even bother to mention...which was my point about how people are so laser-focused on the FPS action. Face it, a modern turn-based tactics title isn't going to sell to the a large number of people. So, it's either a small-time title cloning or remaking the old games (and there are several out there now for cheap), or something of a hybrid that might produce an interesting new take and could draw newcomers into those not-so popular gameplay elements of tactical design...leading to growing an audience that might want more focused turn-based titles in the future. Don't act like you can't just go and play the old games if you want. They're out there and cheap as dirt these days. The whining and bitching doesn't surprise or bother me, but I wonder if being overprotective at the cost of trying new things with some old things is ever going to be acceptable without some people acting like they've been personally violated.

A lot of gamers are just too damned insular and reactionary...and much to their own detriment if they really want more of these long-ago marginalized genre and gameplay concepts to come back to the fore or, at least, have more of a presence in modern gaming. Better to try and bridge to new gamers who didn't even know they could play such things or enjoy them alongside familiar gametypes...building a new audience for those experiences and gameplay focuses that doesn't resemble the current ghost town with tumbleweeds rolling on by.
 
MightyHedgehog said:
Uhhh...it sounds a lot closer to the traditional elements than most in here even bother to mention...which was my point about how people are so laser-focused on the FPS action. Face it, a modern turn-based tactics title isn't going to sell to the a large number of people. So, it's either a small-time title cloning or remaking the old games (and there are several out there now for cheap), or something of a hybrid that might produce an interesting new take and could draw newcomers into those not-so popular gameplay elements of tactical design...leading to growing an audience that might want more focused turn-based titles in the future. Don't act like you can't just go and play the old games if you want. They're out there and cheap as dirt these days. The whining and bitching doesn't surprise or bother me, but I wonder if being overprotective at the cost of trying new things with some old things is ever going to be acceptable without some people acting like they've been personally violated.
So why isn't there a hybrid?
 

Mashing

Member
Ugh, I know it's an initial trailer and everything but all they did was slap this together to try to get FPS junkies interested in it. This does nothing for Xcom fans at all.

I suspect that may change once actually gameplay video's surface and impressions surface. There's gotta be some base building and research involved or it's just a complete waste of the license.
 

D2M15

DAFFY DEUS EGGS
MightyHedgehog said:
leading to growing an audience that might want more focused turn-based titles in the future.

I'm generally on your side when it comes to PC game talk, but seriously, this direction isn't testing the waters for a return to traditional gameplay. Regardless of the success or failure of XCOM - and they've sure set themselves up for an uphill battle - there will never be another turn-based X-Com game again, other than fan projects.

So it goes.
 
D2M15 said:
I'm generally on your side when it comes to PC game talk, but seriously, this direction isn't testing the waters for a return to traditional gameplay. Regardless of the success or failure of XCOM - and they've sure set themselves up for an uphill battle - there will never be another turn-based X-Com game again, other than fan projects.

So it goes.
Perhaps not...I share the pessimism, but there's a small sliver of a chance that, just due to association, a relative lack of cost in doing so, and help in raising awareness for the marketing of the new retail title, a PSN/XBLA version of classic X-Com may surface. That, by itself, could be very worthwhile.
 
I'm usually not that upset at the whole genre change thing as long as it's done well. Fallout 3 is an example, even though many of the Bethesda fears about mannequin people and no real humor turned out true. Thanks to NMA idiots though, now being extremely wary of such things (and XCOM seems a much bigger departure than FO3 was) is associated with being closed-minded.
 
EmCeeGramr said:
So why isn't there a hybrid?
Isn't this a hybrid of popular FPS design that everyone is familiar with and buys in great numbers these days crossed with some of those key elements of classic X-Com? Yeah, it doesn't sound like it's going to have all of it rolled into the game, like individual squadmate control or full responsibility over research and spending, but there's been no indication that those things have been completely taken off of the table yet. Obviously, there needs to be more revealed about the new title to be absolutely certain. Perhaps there will be changes made to appeal to those who want a much closer experience to the originals...I can't see why it wouldn't at least be possible as an 'advanced' option for players who want it.
 

D2M15

DAFFY DEUS EGGS
MightyHedgehog said:
Perhaps not...I share the pessimism, but there's a small sliver of a chance that, just due to association, a relative lack of cost in doing so, and help in raising awareness for the marketing of the new retail title, a PSN/XBLA version of classic X-Com may surface. That, by itself, could be very worthwhile.

Yeah, I wouldn't throw Enemy Unknown and Terror from the Deep HD out of bed.

I'm just wary of the bizarre threats-and-promises cycle that surrounded Shadowrun - 'If you don't support this game you'll never get a Shadowrun RPG!!!' - when a Shadowrun RPG wasn't going to happen one way or another.
 
D2M15 said:
I'm just wary of the bizarre threats-and-promises cycle that surrounded Shadowrun - 'If you don't support this game you'll never get a Shadowrun RPG!!!' - when a Shadowrun RPG wasn't going to happen one way or another.
Well, yeah, that was a total clusterfuck of epic proportions. Who knew MS could be so fucking stupid and clueless about their own IPs. Jesus...I want a real Shadowrun video game so bad. :(
 

D2M15

DAFFY DEUS EGGS
Also, the biggest indication that this isn't just a quick Bioshock bandwagon-jump (despite the trailer selling it as such) is that it's already much, much more creatively risky than Bioshock.

edit: this comment not pointed at anyone in particular.
 
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