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XCOM: Enemy Unknown |OT| Neo GAF is Under Alien Control

So I just got back to playing the game again after a long hiatus. My last playthrough, I got to the month of August on Classic before quitting.

That said, I'm jumping back in with my previous knowledge to inform me on crafting a long term strategy. I understand that it's crucial to train your weaker soldiers as backup in the event that your higher ranked officers are killed off. However, I've taken to the idea of holding off on training any soldiers from scratch until I can unlock the feature in the Officer Training School that allows for your soldiers to begin with one of the 4 designated classes. It just seems like a waste of time trying to level a soldier up from scratch, only to get the wrong class.

My basic team now consists of 2 assaults, 2 snipers, a heavy, and a support. All of them are nearly maxed out, so some point I want to slowly begin training some of the weaker soldier once I'm able to do so. Of the six I have now, which can I afford to layway while I begin training my weaker men? are two trainees instead of one viable for building up or am I asking for trouble? How many of the same class is it recommended to build up by the end of the game? Three each? Four, five, six, etc.? Which are the best mission types to farm and exploit for leveling up my weaker members? Which should be considered off limits under any circumstance? Are grenades or scopes for trainees more ideal in making the kills?

I'm approaching the month of June, which has been devoted to aggressively researching laser and armor technology. I have a small cadre of light plasma rifles, but haven't bothered researching yet due to other pressing priorities that have kept my research and development occupied. I have 8 satellites in place. I plan on installing satellite nexuses by the next month.

As far as my interceptors go, I have 2 stationed for each of the satellites I have launched. All are equipped wit phoenix cannons. This is what screwed me the last time. Is it possible to improve the armor defense in each of the interceptors? I kept with avalanche missiles the last time, and wisely invested in phoenix cannons, But I also realize that the phoenix cannon is one of the weaker armaments. I don't want to be caught off guard with a frigate or battleship with outdated technology.

I don't have alot of sectoid and floater carcasses to fall back on because I spent the early part of the game selling off every conceivable spoil I earned in order to remain afloat and to press ahead with the innovations that demanded my resources. Yes, I know it's encouraged not to sell everything, but on classic difficulty, that doesn't seem like a viable option, especially when the alternative is having to deal with mutons and cyberdics with conventional earthbound weapons. I know some players have touted the advantages of skipping laser weaponry in favor of plasma technology, but I just dont see how that's even possible when the funds aren't even there to finance laboratories early on.
 

DY_nasty

NeoGAF's official "was this shooting justified" consultant
Are there any good mods for the PC version of this?

I give up on waiting for DLC
 

TheSeks

Blinded by the luminous glory that is David Bowie's physical manifestation.
I know I got them. But I can't shoot them anywhere.

Did you build a Sat network building in your base? If yes, go to the X-com council board and then "launch sat" and highlight an area that doesn't have a sat and click X to launch it.
 
Bought this during the Steam sale and finally got around to playing it last week.

I love it to death.

I'm nearing the end of my first playthrough and I am beyond impressed with this game. It didn't look that entertaining to me in videos but the satisfaction of seeing your tactics pay off and annihilate the enemy is just so satisfying. I am really considering playing through the game again after I beat it, which is something I almost never do these days thanks to my limited free time. So far I'd put XCOM up there as one of my favorite games of this generation, I can't wait for a sequel (I'll be buying The Bureau but it looks a little too action-y for my tastes).
 

McNum

Member
I thought I can shoot a 2nd one to every country...fuck it. Game is really poor at explaining stuff.
Well, it's not a total loss to have spares. If a UFO gets away, it'll call for backup to kill the sat. So, for that just in case moment, it's good to have one spare. Unless you have firepower to kill a Battleship, of course, then you can let a smaller one get away on purpose and ambush the reinforcement Battleship. Good fun.
 

DY_nasty

NeoGAF's official "was this shooting justified" consultant
Started playing again. Couple of things

The 'longer game' thing is a kick in the balls because you WILL lose countries. Edit: Marathon. 20 days to research tier 1 anything? I was 3 months in before I could even get to comfortably researching laser weapons lol

Randomized damage is bullshit. Edit: Damage Roulette - I had an Outsider hit me for 7 damage in the face. An Outsider. No critical.
 
not sure if this has been posted, but 2k confirmed they're announcing the next XCOM (likely titled XCOM: Enemy Within) at Gamescom later this month.

Could be a robust expansion or full on sequel.
 

Fireblend

Banned
not sure if this has been posted, but 2k confirmed they're announcing the next XCOM (likely titled XCOM: Enemy Within) at Gamescom later this month.

Could be a robust expansion or full on sequel.

With that name, I really hope it's an expansion. Plus they've severely under-utilized how well this game would work as a base for several expansions, IMO.

Also I hope they also announce Steam cards, so I can finally play through it again with the DLC I bought during the summer sale. I do want me color-coded soldiers :p
 
"the next XCOM" sounds a lot more like a new game.

I KNEW we wouldnt get a 2nd DLC.

color me disappointed.

those are my words, here's the quote from RPS:

Last night a mysterious entry appeared on the South Korean ratings board website – something called XCOM: Enemy Within. And that was all that was known. Technically, that is still all that is known, except that now we know it’s for real. Publishers 2K have confirmed to Eurogamer that it, whatever it might be, will be revealed at Gamescom later this month.
 

The Stig

Member
if theyre smart it'll, be a big DLC.

most likely theyve been surprised by the success of xcom and thought "lets make one every year" like COD.

which is the kind of thing gamers like us effing hate anyway.
 

Grimsen

Member
Can't wait 'till tomorrow!

bildvonxcom_898594.jpg



There's a thread on xcom.com talking about Enemy Within.
-Seems like there's a new playable faction, or branch of the XCOM project.
-Their motto is Bellator in Machina.
-The expansion and the main game take place simultaneously.
-More maps, extended maps, and double tghe multiplayer maps
-mecha unit class, and mecha sectoid class, possibly more.
-a new maguffin ooze you need to pick up to improve your soldiers. (mutagens? cybernetics?)
 
Customization is a different DLC (Elite Soldier pack).

Slingshot gives you 3 missions and a unique heavy. It's not really something you buy, play once and think "Well that was/ wasn't worth $7," you can do it every campaign in place of some regular council missions. It's not vital, but wouldn't hurt to get it whenever it's on sale. It also has a new map aesthetic (Chinese city). Which makes me really hope they add unique aesthetics depending on the country you're in for Enemy Within, because everything looking exactly the same everywhere in the world is tiresome.
 
Hinting at modability but not claiming outright support for Steam Workshop. This is my most requested feature.

Also, we need more UFO maps/variants - so tired of playing those same UFO maps over and over.
 
I actually consider playing on PC, but that 11GB size to download make me reconsider if there is any really significant difference between each version that would affect my enjoyment.

I also have both and PS3 version runs like garbage compared to the PC version. PC version takes 3 seconds to load anything, literally - PS3 version takes much longer and performance is stuttery.
 

Jintor

Member

I'm hype. XCOM has some serious metagame problems in my eyes because it's not the sandboxy experience of the original, but I cannot deny that it is still a hella baller game. IGN has the lowdown.

Mutare ad Custodiam = "Change to Protect" (I think)
Bellator in Machina = "Warrior in the Machine"

"VIGILO CONFIDO"
--TRANSMISSION TERMINATES--

PS

XCOM_EW_Screen_012-610x381.jpg
 

Fireblend

Banned
Any of you guys notice this symbol towards the end of the announcement trailer?


It doesn't look like either of the ones posted by Jintor.

Also, going by the words said in the announcement trailer, are sectoids in mechs really what they're referring to by "another force at work"?
 

Morokh

Member
Had my eye on this one for a long time, and grabbed this with the pre-order of The Bureau.

And I just love it ! Kind of messed my first game by delaying the Alien Base assault and having trouble with panic levels cause of a lack of satellite coverage, so I restarted after learning a few tips here and there.

Really like how they made generic disposable soldiers, and yet with a tiny bit of customization, nicknames, new abilities and so on, they almost make you feel bad when you loose them :p
The way they unfold the action with changing camera angles is also real nice and makes it feel more action-ish without altering the core of the game.

Obviously, few bugs and weird things, that are a bit annoying (and that surely are horrid in higher difficulty levels), hope they fix them with enemy within.

Will try to finish it, then make a classic play through, and I may even take a peak at the original.
 
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