XCOM Debut Trailer Revealed!

[NKF]

X-COM at the start wasn't a very open organization. They certainly started becoming more open in later games. In TFTD still somewhat secretive. They were rather out in the open by Interceptor and in Apocalypse they're an organization well known to the various key stakeholders. The game doesn't really tell you all these details, but whether or not word got out about their existence at the start they're've continued to be rather secretive in their hideouts and operations.

 

Of course, if you haven't, try googling or wikipedia'ing SHADO, the organization in the old UFO TV series. I don't know how much influence this had on X-COM, but that's good reference material for any fan of the first game to look into about how the X-COM would theoretically operate (with some refinement).

 

I do hope they go cross-platform and eventually have a PS3 release. Unless they really drop in price, I'm not particularly inclined to buy an XBOX360 just to play one game.

 

- NKF

[Bomb Bloke]

I always got the impression that the initial "secrecy" of X-COM was more in the location of their bases then their existence. Certainly, the aliens knew of X-COM (they launched attacks against said bases whenever they found one), and the general populous would've noticed the logos stuck on the side of the X-COM interceptors/dropships fairly quickly once the aliens started directly attacking major cities.

 

Granted, they probably weren't putting up recruitment posters like they were in Apocalypse. It all depends on your definition of "secret organisation", I suppose; even in the third game, they didn't exactly have the company logo tacked up over their front door, they hid in abandoned warehouses.

 

... there's a lot of love for Apocalypse, [...] And like it or not, you cannot call that X-Com.

I'm pretty sure you've made a typo somewhere in there?

 

Anyway, what we've been "told" is that this new game "follows the formula". What we've been shown is that it's BioShock without all the water.

 

For example, all we know about research is that we're supposed to take photos of things. We don't know how many photos, whether research is performed automatically on the basis of just these photos (do we have any control over it other then that?), let alone how the heck some scientist is supposed to make a "blobotov" (let alone a lightning gun) from just a photo.

 

It's completely up in the air as to how it works. We simply don't have any information.

 

(Actually, a basic lightning gun isn't that complex to build. Making one that doesn't kill you when you fire it, or one that hits multiple targets at once, is a different story. It's also somewhat questionable as to what the blobs would be doing using something like that - my best guess is that the lightning gun is purely a terran weapon, like the laser tech from the original EU).

 

Then there's the matter of squad management. Everything we've been shown is that there is none. We haven't been "told" anything about the matter. Assuming it works the way it's presented, it's a far cry from the original games - our agents aren't really going to be our agents, they're just going to be some NPCs who run around getting themselves (and perhaps us) killed. Hard to feel responsible when the daft idiots are getting themselves killed. I still have no idea how the devs hope to avert the "one man army" syndrome common to FPS games either, because so far I can't recall reading a "preview" in which anyone other then the player character survived the mission. Surely there must at least be a way to talk to your goons, tell 'em stuff like "run to the car and don't stop to shoot"?

 

Finances? Base design? New bases? Staff management? Tactics? No one knows anything about these aspects of the game, one way or the other.

[Space Voyager]

By that logic, explain the hate for Apocalypse, Interceptor and Enforcer.

Firstly, I LOVE(D) Apocalypse. Some parts were not as great (like soldiers' faces) but all in all IMO it was a LEAP FORWARD.

 

And secondly, Interceptor and Enforcer were simply BAD GAMES. If Interceptor was a great simulator, FINE. It was not. If Enforcer was a great FPS or ActionRPG or whatever FINE. But it was a brainless game.

 

I hope this explains it.

 

If X-COM is about Sectoids and Muttons etc. than even TFTD is CRAP. Because there are no Sectoids there, there are no Muttons and no Floaters. There are creatures that roughly equivalent some of the originals but there are no originals.

 

So I don't give a damn how creatures in XCOM are called and what they look like. Change of creatures is one of the most basic rules in X-COM.

 

Again, ANY good X-COM game is good for X-COM in general. Some can't wrap their heads around a FPS (and don't care how good it will be) BUT even they have a better chance of getting a new good X-COM strategy if there are good X-COM games being made.

 

Instead of a nail in an X-COM coffin I'd rather call it a nail in a new X-COM tower.

[Matri]

In TFTD still somewhat secretive.

They weren't secretive, they were forgotten. After Cydonia was conquered, funding dwindled. The only reason we were caught with our pants only halfway down was because a private investor funding just enough to keep one base from falling apart long enough detect the aliens.

 

Okay, time to step back and re-analyze the first X-Com.

 

It was campy.

 

It was everything about aliens that we knew growing up. The Roswell Greys tooling around in flying saucers abducting humans & cattle for experiments, little green men ("little" as in Little John) going around zapping people with ray guns, mysterious alien beings with mind control powers to turn you into zombie slaves, yes even a page taken out of the Aliens facehugger-chestburster manual, and most importantly Mars.

 

Then it took all that, mixed it up, and turned it up to Serious.

 

And change of creatures? I agree. I have yet to see anything offered in this game. As BB pointed out, all we're seeing is BioShock: Dry Land Edition.

 

One more thing: Where's the concept art? Barely a month after the announcement and we have a full gameplay preview already. Then came the video and yet another gameplay preview. And what does it feature? A rather unhealthy obsession with slime.

 

Where are the aliens? No names? No tease? No barely-in-focus glimpse? Not even crude pencilled concept art? All we have are two gameplay previews and a video with a disturbing focus on slime. Slime trails to draw the character in, slime residue on dead humans, slime creatures attacking in the most varied ways, and even two pieces of technology built entirely around slime.

 

Do we even have other aliens?

[Sunflash]

*SNIP*

 

Then there's the matter of squad management. Everything we've been shown is that there is none. We haven't been "told" anything about the matter. Assuming it works the way it's presented, it's a far cry from the original games - our agents aren't really going to be our agents, they're just going to be some NPCs who run around getting themselves (and perhaps us) killed. Hard to feel responsible when the daft idiots are getting themselves killed. I still have no idea how the devs hope to avert the "one man army" syndrome common to FPS games either, because so far I can't recall reading a "preview" in which anyone other then the player character survived the mission. Surely there must at least be a way to talk to your goons, tell 'em stuff like "run to the car and don't stop to shoot"?

 

Finances? Base design? New bases? Staff management? Tactics? No one knows anything about these aspects of the game, one way or the other.

 

 

I wonder...

 

Have you ever played Republic Commando, an old squad-based FPS? I shall sum-up for you, as lightly as I can: You play as the squad-leader to three other squad members, up against whole armies, yadda yadda yadda. The whole idead behind it is that, and I quote, "Your squad is your weapon." For as old a game as it is, the AI for both sides is rather solid. They'll seek cover when they can (Though their version of cover doesn't include everything it should (HELLO OTHER BADDIE)), don't spare the grenades, cover fire, etc.

The advantage your squad has, and the point of my rambling, is that all over these levels there's various stations and pieces of cover (broken pillars, built-in shilelds, turrets, etc) that you can 'interact' with. However, interacting with them from a distance did the magic trick: It ordered one of your teammates to utlize the object in question.

 

Picture: Enter a small clearing infront of a bunker. The foe air-drops a quick force to delay you while the interior forces prepare to sortie out after you; but as they drop down they knock over a pillar infront of your face. You point at the right flank of the pillar, and your explosives expert grabs his grenades and ducks behind it; constantly lobbing boom-death over at the foe. Meanwhile you point at an outcropping of rock towards the back, and your sniper prepares to ventalite some heads. You take up a center poistion to attrack attention while the third member covers the left flank and occupies his free time with blasting the turret near the bunker door. When a heavily armored/armed foe appears, you point at the punk and your entire squad focuses their fire on the poor sap from their various positions.

 

Another very nice trick is that even if, somehow, yourself should fall; the game isn't over. So long as SOMEONE is still alive, you and all your other squad mates can be revived. If you've played any of the battlefield games (2 and on), it's basically like the medic revives; only it's in single-player. Further, if you go down in the middle of a firefight, you can order your teammates to clear the area first /OR/ break tail to get your up asap.

Of course the revesrse is true, should you find yourself the last one standing it's quite easy to revive your comarades.

 

 

 

Now, picture all this with X-COM agents.

"Jim I just saw something in that window. Cover me from the car. Alex, watch the streets. Leslie, you're with me."

*break down doors*

"Clear!"

"Goo-trail in the hall-way, can't tell which way it is."

"We'll move down the hallway back-to-back. Jim, anything moving from the side of the house."

"Negat-HOLD it, dog just came out from the east end. Watch it."

 

 

etc etc etc.

Is that what I was seeing in that video? Nope. Then again, I wasn't seeing much in that video other than someone using a shotgun to deal with a black pudding in a way that makes my DnD habits scream idiot.

HOWEVER, I think it's something worth keeping in mind. Most of the squad-FPSes I've seen/played since commando have been multi-player designed with a single-player thrown in, and thus the AI has suffered. A semi-new game (depending on which side of the flame-war/argument you're on) based on a game with a history in squad-combat? I think we might have a chance at a fairly decent game...

 

Of course, no sense counting chickens before the eggs hatch, right?

[Matri]

Also, the car.

 

Your loot is gonna be seriously limited by your trunk space. Seriously.

 

And I pity the poor guy who will have to clean the alien blood after every excursion.

[Space Voyager]

We'll just have to get a truck, WON'T WE?!

[flark]

I'm not a fan of X-Com because I love games about secret organizations trying to save the earth against an unknown menace. I'm an X-Com fan because I love turn based tactical / strategy games and X-Com is one of the best, if not 'the' best ever made.

 

When X-Com ceases to be a turn based tactical / strategy game and evolves into mainstream FPS - I cease being a fan. I will move on in the increasingly difficult search to find the next decent turn based tactical / strategy game.

 

God help us if there is ever a new Jagged Alliance or Silent Storm game released...

[Space Voyager]

Just like me, you are a fan of A PART of X-COM. Cause there is very little chance you are a fan of Interceptor and Enforcer, and they are both X-COM, neither being a turn-based strategy game.

 

I don't mind if I add one more X-COM to my fandom, TBS or not.

[Pete]

I'm holding out on further judgement til they show something at E3. The recent vague articles in magazines and on the web are vague for a reason - E3 is where the real news will out, which is nice because it's not going to be a long wait then

 

And NKF - I chatted to one of the X-COM UFO devs many years ago and it is indeed influenced by the old UFO television series. Not just a coincidence on the whole secret underground base, interceptor squadrons, crazy outfits (I remember ladies with purple hair in that series which isn't a far cry from some of the mad hair-do's on the squad equipment screen in the game ). They drew a lot of inspiration and ideas from things they grew up with, definitely.

 

And I'm sure I've mentioned it somewhere before, but in the original UFO there were supposed to be Men In Black (definitely) as a third side (possibly - cannot remember for sure) which sounds very FBI'ish to me. Sadly they weren't included in the game as I've always found the fact that there is no reaction from any other part of society (let alone farmers with pitch-forks ) in UFO to be one of the very few things missing from making it a perfect game.

 

In a perfect world, this would be the beginnings of the Men In Black that were cut from that game, and lead to their inclusion in a sequel that's a little closer to what we remember to be X-COM in a game set in 1999, and would explain why you can have FBI agents we've not heard of before set in an X-COM game prior to what we think of as the beginning of a franchise we know and love. In a perfect world*.

 

*2K Marin: please do feel free to make it turn out exactly as above. Just remember to stick my name in the credits and bung me some freebies.

[Bomb Bloke]

Republic Commando sounds a lot like Conflict: Desert Storm, though perhaps with better AI.

 

Played Conflict many years ago as a GameCube rental, co-op with my brother. I think the computer-controlled squad members had two modes, "follow the player" or "hold ground", and other then that they'd just fire at whatever threats they saw. You could take direct control of squad members if you needed them to perform complex tasks on their own.

 

However, the medic thing was also present: If a unit ran out of hit points, you had about half a minute or so to use a medkit on them before they died (dead members would be replaced at the end of the mission, but surviving members gained "experience points" or something).

 

So, my main tactic against tanks was to take control of the demo-man, and have him run right up to the things, avoiding the turrent as he went. He'd then set a charge and promptly detonate it - there wasn't much need for him to get clear first.

 

"Medic!"

 

I gather Alliance was going to have something similar, but rather more realisitic - if a unit took a shot to the legs, he'd have to resort to crawling. Another unit could then attempt to drag him to safety. The game was also going to have video-feeds of what each of the other units could see (via your helmet), Space Hulk style.

 

Anyway. I decided to take a few screenshots of a blue glowing explody thingy from the video. Apparently it came out of one of the blobs?

 

[chiasaur11]

Commando wasn't quite like that.

 

First, no time limit. Sev, Scorch, and Fixer could wait as your as your conscience allowed.

 

Second, no takeovers or special skill sets. Anyone could do any task okay, it's just more hands.

 

Third, more orders. There was attack and hold position, sure, but also stay by me, target a specific enemy, sniping in sniping spots, grenades in grenade spots, ect. And of course hacking and demo work.

 

Finally, it wasn't disposable troopers. You had your buddies. They had you. Actually likable cast in that one.

 

 

Actually seems like conflict, although a worse game from what I hear, would be a better reference generally.

 

But the context commands would be useful.

[Azrael Strife]

Each thing I read from the preview, makes me much more excited about this game

[Guest Guest_gunnergoz_*]

Not my cuppa tea, I'm afraid. I'd pay $50 or even a bit more for a real X-Com successor, if it was a strategy/tactics game with the bells and whistles of the original done up with modern graphics, etc but I'd never bother with something like this since I'm not an action or shooter game fan at all.

I can't get too bothered about the franchise being "ripped off" in this way because it is how things work today in the modern gaming industry, which is all about investors, profits, lawyers and advertising and not at all about making quality games that thinking people would enjoy.

[chiasaur11]

Fair enough.

 

Heard about Xenonauts and that one Iphone game?

 

They're looking interesting. Old school with better graphics and that. Might be up your alley.

 

(Although not totally modern graphics. Way of the world right now makes graphics the most expensive part.)

[Kratos]

I think there just is too little info, like many people said, to judge it.

 

There are different people's views how X-COM SHOULD be, but all in all, everyone has different taste. I loved the tactical part of X-COM yes, but I also liked how it scared the shit out of me as a kid when I first played it.

 

Personally, from the video, I felt something quite interesting build up right at the cinematic beginning. There's something about the 50's that just immerses a good scenery for this type of "alien invasion" game. Having said that, gameplay is NOT cinema. No matter how hard you try to impress gamers with your cinematics, it all boils down to gameplay. I, myself, don't find the need for "ultimate graphics" and straying for such an endeavor has led to many disgraceful games. In fact, it downright pisses me off nowadays when I see a game trailer with a fucking cinematic and hardly (if ANY) gameplay. Seriously a game is NOT a movie, so stop it. If you can make a good game with a movie feel, good for you. Just stop scrapping an important part of the formula.

 

Now AFTER the cinematic, I got kind of disappointed. The blobs are OK (though the screams are kind of fun!), however, those floating totum poles or whatever they are, it better not be an alien (I may believe it being a craft?). A flying totum pole being an alien...now that would be a disgrace to not just the X-COM title, but all character designs. If there are more than just a blob and a totum pole (which I'm sure there is, who in their right mind would make a game with ONLY 2 types of enemies), then I would call it a disgrace along with many of the new games today. Oh and remember, Silacoids were borderlined blobs (ok, brain blobs?) in X-COM 1. So TECHNICALLY, if I developed X-COM 1 today and just showed you that as a trailer, people being mauled by Silicoids, you would flip probably.

 

But I'd quit this "THIS IS NOT X-COM" or you may never find out if they pull the plug on the thing from so many damn hate mail. While I'll end up probably hating it like any other new game today, I'm going to find out before I send in the "You suck" mail to the developers. Time will only tell...

[Matri]

Still doesn't explain the lack of concept art when there's a full-featured preview already. Where are the names?

 

And while everyone's still doing comparisons, why hasn't anyone brought up Fallout 3 yet? That's an FPS made out of an isometric-squad game.

 

Despite the ever-present hate, it is still a Fallout game:

- Post-nuclear apocalypse wasteland? Check.

- Open-ended world? Check.

- Vaults? Check.

- Vault-dwelling humans? Check.

- Tribal humans? Check.

- Irradiated human "ghouls"? Check.

- Mutated humans? Check.

- Companions? Check.

- Radiation-mutated creatures? Check.

- Familiar mutated creatures? Check.

- Weapons? Check.

- 50's-mimic technology? Check.

- Enclave? Check.

- Dogmeat? Check!

 

Conclusion: The world is there. The lore is there. The game bible(s) are adhered to.

 

And this? 2k Marin has promised a lot without promising a lot, but all they have to show us is slime.

 

And Kratos? Silicoids are "blobs" in exactly the same way Jabba the Hutt is a blob. And he definitely don't look like these blobs. You must be referring to Celatids, but those are more water balloons. Or maybe you're talking about Micronoids, which are a hundred years later.

 

Say it with me: Concept. Art.

[Space Voyager]

I'm sure we haven't seen the first damn thing about the XCOM. It is a teaser. Early one.

[Azrael Strife]

I'm sure we haven't seen the first damn thing about the XCOM. It is a teaser. Early one.

You're missing the point, WHERE IS THE CONCEPT ART!? THIS NO XCOM WITHOUT CONCEPT ART!

 

just kidding. I think it's pretty good for a teaser, it does tease me, a lot. The Totem I expect it's an Alien weapon, maybe some kind of timed-bomb (a massive one, at that).

 

I would, too, be relieved to see at least Sectoids in the teaser, I think all X-Com fans were expecting to see them, but I can wait for some actual information on the game.

 

The whole managing the base from a first person perspective sounds very appealing to me, reminds me of the visits to the UNATCO base between missions in Deus Ex. I felt the base was alive, existing without me seeing it, from the preview I think we can expect something similar here, and that would be awesome.

[flark]

Fair enough.

 

Heard about Xenonauts and that one Iphone game?

 

They're looking interesting. Old school with better graphics and that. Might be up your alley.

 

(Although not totally modern graphics. Way of the world right now makes graphics the most expensive part.)

 

Thank you Chiasaur11. I hadn't heard about Xenonauts. This is more like it!!

 

Also, what are you referring to about an Iphone game? I'd like to know more.

[Pete]

They don't always release concept art at the beginning. Chillax.

 

And I realise I've chosen the least calming pseudo phrase. May well have been on purpose

[chiasaur11]

Thank you Chiasaur11. I hadn't heard about Xenonauts. This is more like it!!

 

Also, what are you referring to about an Iphone game? I'd like to know more.

 

It's Isochron.

 

Might be good. Might not. Here's hoping.

[flark]

It's Isochron.

 

Might be good. Might not. Here's hoping.

 

Thanks again chiasaur11. You've raised my spirits after the disappointment of this FPS Xcom.

 

Long Live The Turn Based!

[Kratos]

And Kratos? Silicoids are "blobs" in exactly the same way Jabba the Hutt is a blob. And he definitely don't look like these blobs. You must be referring to Celatids, but those are more water balloons. Or maybe you're talking about Micronoids, which are a hundred years later.

 

Say it with me: Concept. Art.

Who cares what it actually is...my point it's a very simple creature concept. I can come up with a giant organ (brain, whatever) moving around on the ground, causing everything to catch fire as it rubs its ass on the grass, and mauls people randomly. My point is it's just as simple of a concept.

 

I don't need concept art to preview a game. What are you talking about?

 

Wait until a full game review is out and it's released? Honestly, we have too little information to judge. Calm down.

[Psy Guy]

2K has been given (or bought) a golden goose which is X-Com. Sadly this poor goose has had some horrible owners in the past and because those owners tried to rush egg production, didn't feed the goose, and then locked the goose away in storage. This poor goose never got the chance to live out its life properly and yield a good batch of eggs so it sits quietly hoping to be able to one day see the sun again, receive the love it deserves, and be able to again lay some eggs. Well it seems 2K decided to let the goose out of storage and is giving it what it needs to lay more eggs. But instead of letting it lay the golden eggs that its meant to do there planning on taking there rare and unique eggs and turning them into an omelet. The same omelet that any chicken egg can make in doing so destroys everything that makes the golden eggs so unique.

(if you don't get the message 2K is taking X-Com and instead of using the parts of the series that made it so wonderful there just using the other parts to make something that any other IP can do.)

 

Why would somebody take a legendary series like X-Com that never really made a ton of money and ditch the aspects that makes it legendary?

 

X-Com is great because (IMO)...

- The insane levels of tension (the feeling that every move you make can get your soldiers killed)

- The randomly generated soldiers that develop based on mission performance (also that these faceless soldiers start to become the key pieces to your squad. Risking these soldiers adds layers of tension and the resulting anguish from there death gives an experience that very few games can duplicate)

- Randomly generated levels (so you are never 100% sure where the enemy is)

- The macro game of balance between money, research, production, and base building.

- An enemy that both easy to hate and yet sometimes scary without actually trying to scare you.

- An end result that creates limitless replayability, great memories of both legendary soldiers and epic battles, absolute fun, and entirely organic without annoying story or scripted events to try to force to you act or feel a certain way.

 

There are ways to make X-Com into something besides a tactical strategy but 2K just seems to be completely leveling the foundation to the point that none of this had any similarity to X-Com.

 

Its a bad sign when the game doesn't fit into the series its suppose to be apart of, and resembles other IPs far more than this one (This game screams the X-Files. I even recall there being black goo creatures infesting or taking over people in an X-Files episode)

 

While having sectoids wouldn't distance it from the X-Files (Mulder if I'm not mistaken had some run ins with the grays), at least it would remotely try to tie the games together.

 

Side Note: Sectoids (Grays) are iconic UFOlogy that goes back before the Roswell incident. The 40s to 70s had a major amount of published government activity in the search for UFOs, and even some search for extraterrestrials. Not having them in the game would be a complete disservice to both the X-Com series and the entire UFO lore which X-Com is heavily based on. Not having Mutons and Chrysalids would just be a waste of good source material.

Also 2K restart X-Com Genesis and publish it for hand-held consoles and PC.