X-COM: Enemy Unknown remake by 2K / Firaxis!

[thespyder]

I think some of you are missing the target audience for this game. It is not people who already played it almost 20 yrs ago (because such people are at least 35 yrs old now, and some of them are not gaming anymore), but new generation of players ... hence making it for consoles as well. In other words, difference between games will not irritate new players.

Not 100% sure where this comment is aimed, but.... Clearly the "Target Market" is that which can capitalize on the franchise name. Otherwise there is no reason to use the same name. They could call it something completely different and not be limited by the existing cannon. So in using the same name, the only reason to do it is to generate that nostalgia spend. Oh, and possibly bring newer players into the fold into the bargain.

With that having been said, I think you really need to do some demographic searches. Us "Old Dudes" that are "at least 35 years old now" still play games. Been playing since back in the Zork days and still put a decent number of hours in every week (not to mention a heck of a lot of disposable cash that younger players may not have). I am not saying I am the target market. But I will say that I would have totally ignored the game if it hadn't carried the Xcom name. And I expect it to hold to the Xcom tradition in style and core playability. If it doesn't I feel 100% justified in criticizing it.

 

[Mem]

Not 100% sure where this comment is aimed, but.... Clearly the "Target Market" is that which can capitalize on the franchise name. Otherwise there is no reason to use the same name. They could call it something completely different and not be limited by the existing cannon. So in using the same name, the only reason to do it is to generate that nostalgia spend. Oh, and possibly bring newer players into the fold into the bargain.

With that having been said, I think you really need to do some demographic searches. Us "Old Dudes" that are "at least 35 years old now" still play games. Been playing since back in the Zork days and still put a decent number of hours in every week (not to mention a heck of a lot of disposable cash that younger players may not have). I am not saying I am the target market. But I will say that I would have totally ignored the game if it hadn't carried the Xcom name. And I expect it to hold to the Xcom tradition in style and core playability. If it doesn't I feel 100% justified in criticizing it.

I think the other guy misses the point,I did play the original decades ago and still play games at almost 50 years old.

I can name you dozens of even older players that still play games and MMORPGs like TOR etc...age has nothing to do with games,as to console ports well we know what happens when it goes from console to PC ie dumb down to 25 IQ level.


When doing cross platform games ie for PC,PS3,360 etc its take more time and money and a lot of software companies have limited money and resources so they have to make decisions on what their games will be designed for.

 

[iCyborg]

I think some of you are missing the target audience for this game. It is not people who already played it almost 20 yrs ago (because such people are at least 35 yrs old now, and some of them are not gaming anymore), but new generation of players ... hence making it for consoles as well. In other words, difference between games will not irritate new players.

If this is the case, then developers shouldn't make claims to the contrary. And we're not really missing this fact, we're afraid this might be true despite trying to reassure us that it will keep the same spirit.

And a turn-based strategy/battle mix game might not be interesting for new players who've never played the old XCOM. And if you also lose the old players, who are they making the game for then?

 

[postmortemIA]

"Old dudes" (including myself) will have word-of-mouth advertising of this game, no doubt. I was careful to say not ALL old dudes are not playing, but just SOME.

Same thing happened to Civilization V. It is definitely aimed to new people as game play is way simpler than in previous series.
Developer tries to play fine game of not offending old players, and bringing in bunch of new players.
It all has to do with fact that old players alone buying this game will not make it profitable. So they have to expand target audience.

 

[NTAC]

More info on the Aliens:

http://www.gameinformer.com/b/featu...n-breeds-the-evolution-of-xcom-s-enemies.aspx

 

[Ganeedi]

oh shit the Cyberdisc is in? Man I hated those.

 

[you2]

So is this gonna be a great game ?

 

[NTAC]

oh shit the Cyberdisc is in? Man I hated those.

They were susceptible to laser weapons I think... and you had to shoot them in the back... I know, its hard to tell the front or the back on that thing, but its there, if you pay close attention

 

[AyashiKaibutsu]

They were susceptible to laser weapons I think... and you had to shoot them in the back... I know, its hard to tell the front or the back on that thing, but its there, if you pay close attention

Everything was susceptible to heavy plasma to the face.

 

[AyashiKaibutsu]

So is this gonna be a great game ?

It potentially could be. Lots of games have looked great while they were hyped up but not released.

 

[GoodRevrnd]

Actually I'm pretty sure the cyberdisc wasn't susceptible to anything, but it wasn't RESISTANT to lasers (or plasma).

 

[Martimus]

IIRC I needed to dedicate two troops entire turns to kill a disc with lasers. It was definitely doable though.

 

[NTAC]

Everything was susceptible to heavy plasma to the face.

Too bad these things show up far before you even know how to work a plasma rifle

Actually I'm pretty sure the cyberdisc wasn't susceptible to anything, but it wasn't RESISTANT to lasers (or plasma).

That's true, more like, Laser Rifles and high explosives was the best way to deal with them.

 

[mooncancook]

Can't wait. I still play JA2 with mods and I still find it to be very addicting. I just hope they don't mess with the formula too much. Wonder if we'll ever see a true successor to X-Com.

 

[Fanatical Meat]

It would be cool if there was some kind of match making/multiplayer deal where it's you could join up with some other guys to take on a super difficult/huge base or terror site. Keep friendly fire on & fog of war. Also allow competing factions to fight for the loot or if everyone agrees randomly split it up.

 

[Martimus]

Also, weren't cyber disks easier to hit when you were on a different elevation? I can't really remember.

 

[NTAC]

Can't wait. I still play JA2 with mods and I still find it to be very addicting. I just hope they don't mess with the formula too much. Wonder if we'll ever see a true successor to X-Com.

This is what this is though. People working on this have worked on the originals as well at Microprose... watch some of the videos with the interviews, this IS the true successor to X-Com. If this isn't, NOTHING will be This is as close as we're going to get, EVER!

1. Offical X-Com Property - CHECK!!
2. Reputable Company with a real budget working on the game - CHECK!!!
3. Programmers working on this game that have worked on the originals - CHECK!!!
4. Super duper fans of the original games, lead developers claim X-Com was their favorite game ever - CHECK!!!

Face it, this IS the successor. This IS the game we've all been wiating for since the original, it is FINALLY being made.

This isn't some UFO Afterlight or Aftermath BS, where they can't use X-Com property so they do some weird half assed spin off and this isn't some X-Com clone that 3 guys are writing in their basement. NO offense to those efforts, they are appriciated, but lets face it, theyr'e always going to come up short because they don't have the money to do it right.

It would be cool if there was some kind of match making/multiplayer deal where it's you could join up with some other guys to take on a super difficult/huge base or terror site. Keep friendly fire on & fog of war. Also allow competing factions to fight for the loot or if everyone agrees randomly split it up.

With the originals I always played with a buddy, we'd basically split up our squad in two and take turns moving our guys. It would be cool if they incorporated a similar co-op scenario, but doubtful.

 

[obidamnkenobi]

Not 100% sure where this comment is aimed, but.... Clearly the "Target Market" is that which can capitalize on the franchise name. Otherwise there is no reason to use the same name. They could call it something completely different and not be limited by the existing cannon. So in using the same name, the only reason to do it is to generate that nostalgia spend. Oh, and possibly bring newer players into the fold into the bargain.

With that having been said, I think you really need to do some demographic searches. Us "Old Dudes" that are "at least 35 years old now" still play games. Been playing since back in the Zork days and still put a decent number of hours in every week (not to mention a heck of a lot of disposable cash that younger players may not have). I am not saying I am the target market. But I will say that I would have totally ignored the game if it hadn't carried the Xcom name. And I expect it to hold to the Xcom tradition in style and core playability. If it doesn't I feel 100% justified in criticizing it.

Well, like it or not in the eyes of advertising or entertainment you're as good as dead once you're over 30-35. They apparently believe we're only interested in diapers, cheap beer, and viagra, and won't buy anything else.

Strategy games are already a niche, turn based even more so. But turn based strategy aimed at "old folks"? hah! good luck pitching that to the money counters..

 

[Mermaidman]

They were susceptible to laser weapons I think... and you had to shoot them in the back... I know, its hard to tell the front or the back on that thing, but its there, if you pay close attention

Killing it is only part of the problem. It's the f'in collateral damage when the cyberdisc blows up that gets me. I learned to visualize a circle of 8-squares radius.

TFTD
I actually played TFTD first and then got X-Com a few years later, so I have a soft spot for TFTD. So many fond memories of calcinites, lobstermen, tentaculates (brain jellyfish), and bio-drones. The first time you run into a new alien is usually an "oh sh!t" moment when your existing guns do nothing.

 

[AyashiKaibutsu]

Well, like it or not in the eyes of advertising or entertainment you're as good as dead once you're over 30-35. They apparently believe we're only interested in diapers, cheap beer, and viagra, and won't buy anything else.

Strategy games are already a niche, turn based even more so. But turn based strategy aimed at "old folks"? hah! good luck pitching that to the money counters..

I would think the only place to aim turn based games would be the old hasbeens that have lost all their reflexes.

 

[AyashiKaibutsu]

Too bad these things show up far before you even know how to work a plasma rifle



That's true, more like, Laser Rifles and high explosives was the best way to deal with them.

You can get heavy plasma very quickly; it has no prereqs and is the best "rifle" type weapon in the game. It's fairly common early game and eventually aliens won't even carry the rifle versions. I usually take out cyberdisks with rockets or cannons if I don't have heavy plasma yet, but really you can take them down with concentrated rifle fire from outside their sight range (always should have a spotter and people covering them anyway) if you don't have heavier stuff handy.

 

[mooncancook]

This is great news. We got sequels to Jagged Alliance and X-COM, 2 of my all time favorite TB strategy games! If reviews are favorable I'm willing to pay full price to support their efforts.

 

[Born2bwire]

I would think the only place to aim turn based games would be the old hasbeens that have lost all their reflexes.

I think the main problem is that if you want the game to be exactly the same thing as before, then you can just play the original XCom. You can purchase and play it without troubles on a modern system. So unfortunately, you have to expect that they are going to be making gameplay changes to the new game if anything to differentiate it from the old game and make it an appealing purchase. Plus, there are other games that are meant to be "spiritual successors" like Xenonauts and UFO:Extraterrestrials. Though I would be disappointed if they removed the concept of time units and ammunition. Though I don't think ammunition mattered too much in the grand scheme of things. I never had a problem of running out of ammunition (except in TFTD, fuck you shipping lanes). The only tactical consideration was reloading and the time it took to do that. Still, I don't think that it is minor enough to remove.

 

[NTAC]

Killing it is only part of the problem. It's the f'in collateral damage when the cyberdisc blows up that gets me. I learned to visualize a circle of 8-squares radius.

TFTD
I actually played TFTD first and then got X-Com a few years later, so I have a soft spot for TFTD. So many fond memories of calcinites, lobstermen, tentaculates (brain jellyfish), and bio-drones. The first time you run into a new alien is usually an "oh sh!t" moment when your existing guns do nothing.

Hah I actually played TFTD first as well, up until the stupid commander bug where the research tree was broken

THen I discovered Ufo Unknown, and found it to be the same game only EVERYTHING was better The weapon designs were better, the people looked cooler, I just really liked everything about it more, except the TFTD troop transport was neater than the sky ranger...

You can get heavy plasma very quickly; it has no prereqs and is the best "rifle" type weapon in the game. It's fairly common early game and eventually aliens won't even carry the rifle versions. I usually take out cyberdisks with rockets or cannons if I don't have heavy plasma yet, but really you can take them down with concentrated rifle fire from outside their sight range (always should have a spotter and people covering them anyway) if you don't have heavier stuff handy.

You wont' get plasma early enough if you play it on a hard setting cause those terror units show up pretty quickly.

So unless you are packing a good amount of heavy explosives your in for a fight of your life I'd say.

I still find Lasers to be the best way to deal with them, no ammo issues, you can take a lot of shots with a laser pistol for example, and its great for reaction fire as well.

 

[GoodRevrnd]

OG XCOM designer weighs in...
http://www.edge-online.com/features/julian-gollop-xcom