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Subject: "XCOM: Enemy Within"     Previous Topic | Next Topic
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BZArcher
Member since Nov-8-05
564 posts
Aug-21-13, 01:48 PM (EDT)
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"XCOM: Enemy Within"
 
   LAST EDITED ON Aug-21-13 AT 02:15 PM (EDT) by Gryphon (admin)
 
Here it comes!

Sounds like the MEC suit may be a way to preserve critically wounded / crippled squaddies if you don't want them to go to the DL for a few weeks. Really stoked for this.

(Alternative teaser: "We've put Jenkins' brain INTO the minigun robot.")

---------------------------
We will BUILD heroes!


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  Subject     Author     Message Date     ID  
  RE: XCOM: Enemy Within Mercutio Aug-21-13 1
     RE: XCOM: Enemy Within Gryphonadmin Aug-21-13 2
         RE: XCOM: Enemy Within BZArcher Aug-21-13 3
             RE: XCOM: Enemy Within Gryphonadmin Aug-21-13 4
                 RE: XCOM: Enemy Within SpottedKitty Aug-22-13 11
         RE: XCOM: Enemy Within Mercutio Aug-21-13 6
         RE: XCOM: Enemy Within twipper Aug-22-13 9
     RE: XCOM: Enemy Within CdrMike Aug-21-13 5
         RE: XCOM: Enemy Within Mercutio Aug-21-13 7
             RE: XCOM: Enemy Within CdrMike Aug-22-13 8
                 RE: XCOM: Enemy Within Mercutio Aug-22-13 13
  RE: XCOM: Enemy Within CdrMike Aug-22-13 10
     RE: XCOM: Enemy Within Matrix Dragon Aug-22-13 12
     RE: XCOM: Enemy Within StClair Aug-22-13 14
         RE: XCOM: Enemy Within BZArcher Aug-22-13 15
             RE: XCOM: Enemy Within Mercutio Aug-23-13 16
                 RE: XCOM: Enemy Within Matrix Dragon Aug-23-13 17

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Mercutio
Member since May-25-13
160 posts
Aug-21-13, 02:08 PM (EDT)
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1. "RE: XCOM: Enemy Within"
In response to message #0
 
   Sadly, the part that has me most excited is that there will be a button that lets me strip all soldiers not currently on the Skyranger of their gear.

This is pretty awesome, but I am somewhat irked that Firaxis is apparently exporting their Civilization business model to other games; release something good but obviously incomplete, then make people pay more to get the full game experience.

-Merc
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Gryphonadmin
Charter Member
12456 posts
Aug-21-13, 02:15 PM (EDT)
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2. "RE: XCOM: Enemy Within"
In response to message #1
 
   >This is pretty awesome, but I am somewhat irked that Firaxis is
>apparently exporting their Civilization business model to other games;
>release something good but obviously incomplete, then make people pay
>more to get the full game experience.

I was going to do a long and involved response to this involving calculated semi-agreement balanced against an acknowledgement that these things are after all a process and some consideration must be paid to that, but then I noticed the bit where it says

"Oh, and there's now a Reduced Beginner VO option that will shut up Drs. Vahlen and Shen"

FIRAXIS! STOP TALKING! SHUT UP AND TAKE MY MONEY RIGHT NOW!

--G.
-><-
Benjamin D. Hutchins, Co-Founder, Editor-in-Chief, & Forum Mod
Eyrie Productions, Unlimited http://www.eyrie-productions.com/
zgryphon at that email service Google has
Ceterum censeo Carthaginem esse delendam.


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BZArcher
Member since Nov-8-05
564 posts
Aug-21-13, 02:34 PM (EDT)
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3. "RE: XCOM: Enemy Within"
In response to message #2
 
   I'm also pretty stoked about adding the language packs for the squaddies. When my Canadian sniper named Francois Andre (I <3 name generator) whiffs on a shot, hearing him say "Aw, crap" is just not right.

I look forward to a nice robust "Osti!" as I sweat the charging chryssalid.

---------------------------
We will BUILD heroes!


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Gryphonadmin
Charter Member
12456 posts
Aug-21-13, 02:42 PM (EDT)
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4. "RE: XCOM: Enemy Within"
In response to message #3
 
   >I'm also pretty stoked about adding the language packs for the
>squaddies.

Yeah, that's a nice touch. I have to admit I was disappointed that they didn't at least have accents. I mean, what's the point of having a separate nationality for Scottish troopers if they're not going to sound the part?

>When my Canadian sniper named Francois Andre (I <3 name
>generator)

Heh, I have a Spanish Heavy named Fernando Alonso. I didn't name him that. He just appeared one day. :)

>whiffs on a shot, hearing him say "Aw, crap" is just not
>right.

Tabarnac!

--G.
-><-
Benjamin D. Hutchins, Co-Founder, Editor-in-Chief, & Forum Mod
Eyrie Productions, Unlimited http://www.eyrie-productions.com/
zgryphon at that email service Google has
Ceterum censeo Carthaginem esse delendam.


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SpottedKitty
Member since Jun-15-04
161 posts
Aug-22-13, 11:59 AM (EDT)
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11. "RE: XCOM: Enemy Within"
In response to message #4
 
   >I mean, what's the point of having
>a separate nationality for Scottish troopers if they're not going to
>sound the part?

They would have had to implement subtitles. <evil grin>

I'm reminded of a series of non-Flashman short stories by George Macdonald Fraser; a unit of a Highland regiment commanded by a very junior, very un-Highland officer somewhere in the Near East/North Africa shortly after WW2. A few of the characters would definitely have benefitted from subtitles.

--
Unable to save the day: File is read-only.


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Mercutio
Member since May-25-13
160 posts
Aug-21-13, 03:18 PM (EDT)
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6. "RE: XCOM: Enemy Within"
In response to message #2
 
   >I was going to do a long and involved response to this involving
>calculated semi-agreement balanced against an acknowledgement that
>these things are after all a process and some consideration
>must be paid to that,

I'm only a bit annoyed for X-Com; they were taking a real risk revisiting the franchise after all these years and Enemy Unknown, while rough in places, is very clearly "complete" in a way that Civ V, their company flagship title, very clearly was not. Still, though. It's an annoying trend.

>"Oh, and there's now a Reduced Beginner VO option that will shut up
>Drs. Vahlen and Shen"
>
>FIRAXIS! STOP TALKING! SHUT UP AND TAKE MY MONEY RIGHT NOW!

My "I would forgive them everything else" feature would be the ability to load up a new game and immediately be able to look and see what the base layout is like; when attempting Ironman runs, the location of those steam vents is what's going to decide whether you go for it or reload.

-Merc
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twipper
Member since Jan-8-03
172 posts
Aug-22-13, 11:42 AM (EDT)
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9. "RE: XCOM: Enemy Within"
In response to message #2
 
   heh. hehhehehheh.

I think I agree completely with this sentiment.

Brian


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CdrMike
Member since Feb-19-05
291 posts
Aug-21-13, 03:16 PM (EDT)
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5. "RE: XCOM: Enemy Within"
In response to message #1
 
   >Sadly, the part that has me most excited is that there will be a
>button that lets me strip all soldiers not currently on the Skyranger
>of their gear.
>
>This is pretty awesome, but I am somewhat irked that Firaxis is
>apparently exporting their Civilization business model to other games;
>release something good but obviously incomplete, then make people pay
>more to get the full game experience.

On the plus side, it's not the EA model of nickel and diming you for everything, up to and including releasing Day One DLC with little notice.

--------------------------
CdrMike, Columbia pilgrim

"Why do you ask 'what'?"
"When the delicious question is 'when'?"
- Robert & Rosalind Lutece, Bioshock Infinite


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Mercutio
Member since May-25-13
160 posts
Aug-21-13, 03:21 PM (EDT)
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7. "RE: XCOM: Enemy Within"
In response to message #5
 
   >On the plus side, it's not the EA model of nickel and diming you for
>everything, up to and including releasing Day One DLC with little
>notice.

Yes. Yes, this is true.

Day One DLC is just another way of saying "we wanted to charge you more, but we think you're dumb enough if we do it this way you won't notice."

Mister, I will pay extra moneys to go wake up Javik on Eden Prime, but I do not have to like it!

-Merc
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CdrMike
Member since Feb-19-05
291 posts
Aug-22-13, 11:14 AM (EDT)
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8. "RE: XCOM: Enemy Within"
In response to message #7
 
   LAST EDITED ON Aug-22-13 AT 11:14 AM (EDT)
 
>Yes. Yes, this is true.
>
>Day One DLC is just another way of saying "we wanted to charge you
>more, but we think you're dumb enough if we do it this way you won't
>notice."
>
>Mister, I will pay extra moneys to go wake up Javik on Eden Prime, but
>I do not have to like it!


"Okay, so that's the collector's edition of the game, the strategy guide, and oh by the way, would you like to purchase the DLC that came out with the game for $10 more?"

"Would I like to? No. Will I? You bet your ass."

Think that's honestly the difference between Firaxis and EA, the former will give you a great game and then say "Would you like to supersize that?," while the latter gives you a game that's obviously missing pieces and then charges you for the pieces one-by-one.

--------------------------
CdrMike, Columbia pilgrim

"Why do you ask 'what'?"
"When the delicious question is 'when'?"
- Robert & Rosalind Lutece, Bioshock Infinite


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Mercutio
Member since May-25-13
160 posts
Aug-22-13, 09:24 PM (EDT)
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13. "RE: XCOM: Enemy Within"
In response to message #8
 
   >"Okay, so that's the collector's edition of the game, the strategy
>guide, and oh by the way, would you like to purchase the DLC that came
>out with the game for $10 more?"

Man, I worked for a number of years at an Electronics Boutique, way back when they were still Electronics Boutique and not EB Games or bought out by Gamestop. I remember when strategy guides were actually a thing worth buying, when I'd give people advice on which was better, the Prima or the Brady (usually the Prima) or perhaps the Versus (almost always, for the brief time Versus was in business.)

(These days, the only reason to get one is if you want to help out the guy on register. It's what's known as an 'attach' and it's the sort of thing that contributes to them not getting fired; margin on strategy guides is crazy, something like 75%.)

-Merc
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CdrMike
Member since Feb-19-05
291 posts
Aug-22-13, 11:58 AM (EDT)
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10. "RE: XCOM: Enemy Within"
In response to message #0
 
   Hell, if they just released the language pack, maps, and the little tweaks like the "make items available" button as a small DLC, I'd be tempted to buy it on release day. But all together, plus a whole new class, gene mods, and weapon mods? SOLD!

MEC suits - Definite appeal. You get towards the endgame, but that colonel Heavy you spent months building up fails the psi exam. Well, now you can cram him into some power armor and turn him into a 8ft tall tank.

Gene mods - Immunity to panic? Wall climbing? Invisibility without Ghost armor? Shut up and take my money!

New weapons/mods - Reaper rounds a definite plus in your first weeks before you develop laser weapons.

New maps - Pretty much a requirement with expansion packs.

New enemies - See above.

Tweaks - The "should have been there from the start" argument has weight to it, but the fact that Firaxis is addressing fan complaints instead of making a big speech about how that's the way the game was made to be played (I'm lookin' at you, Bioware!) covers for it. And just being able to shut up Vahlen in the tutorial is worth the price of admission. If she didn't want me using explosives, they shouldn't have given me those grenades!

And note that this is just stuff that's been admitted to by Firaxis so far. Could be other issues and ideas that are also in the expansion, like soldier customization or some way to mitigate the "3 missions, 1 team" scenario that makes people want to pull their hair out.

--------------------------
CdrMike, Columbia pilgrim

"Why do you ask 'what'?"
"When the delicious question is 'when'?"
- Robert & Rosalind Lutece, Bioshock Infinite


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Matrix Dragon
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1280 posts
Aug-22-13, 05:25 PM (EDT)
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12. "RE: XCOM: Enemy Within"
In response to message #10
 
   >If she didn't want me using explosives, they shouldn't
>have given me those grenades!

I have to blow everything up! It's the only way to prove I'm not crazy!

Matrix Dragon, J. Random Nutter


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StClair
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484 posts
Aug-22-13, 09:36 PM (EDT)
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14. "RE: XCOM: Enemy Within"
In response to message #10
 
   >some way to mitigate the "3 missions, 1
>team" scenario that makes people want to pull their hair out.

Unfortunately, this dev team seems to consider that a feature, not a bug.

They are apparently also, after doing absolutely everything they can to penalize any playstyle but "ultra-cautious" - never ever end a turn out of cover, or expose a square you don't have to, etc - adding goodies with a timer to tempt you into disregarding your better judgment and rushing in anyway.


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BZArcher
Member since Nov-8-05
564 posts
Aug-22-13, 10:32 PM (EDT)
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15. "RE: XCOM: Enemy Within"
In response to message #14
 
   To be fair, this is exactly what a good game designer should do for a major change / sequel. I approve of the decision to shake things up and give people a reason to try something different.

---------------------------
We will BUILD heroes!


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Mercutio
Member since May-25-13
160 posts
Aug-23-13, 01:00 AM (EDT)
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16. "RE: XCOM: Enemy Within"
In response to message #15
 
   Assuming they get the risk/reward ratio right, anyway.

I'll give moving forward aggressively to grab meld containers before they expire a shot, but if the payoff isn't worth losing even ONE soldier I've spent fifteen missions slowly promoting, I'll go right back to an ultracautious approach and simply make do with less income.

-Merc
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Matrix Dragon
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Aug-23-13, 01:51 AM (EDT)
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17. "RE: XCOM: Enemy Within"
In response to message #16
 
   >Assuming they get the risk/reward ratio right, anyway.
>
>I'll give moving forward aggressively to grab meld containers before
>they expire a shot, but if the payoff isn't worth losing even ONE
>soldier I've spent fifteen missions slowly promoting, I'll go right
>back to an ultracautious approach and simply make do with less income.
>

They've confirmed that there will be two containers per map. One of which will always be pretty close to the skyranger, meaning that even a cautious approach always has the chance of finding one in time.

Matrix Dragon, J. Random Nutter


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