Xcom

[Serrano]

They don't go into story or reveal new aliens and weaponry. It's just a couple of tactical missions early on in the campaign showing you the game mechanics. If you've played the original x-com you will not see anything story or character related that you wouldn't have expected to be in the game anyway.

Edited August 29, 2012 by Serrano

[Hurlshort]

Watching a video of a turn based game sounds terrible to begin with. It needs a demo to really give the feel of it. I'm just going to buy it though, I trust the developer.

[Spider]

I thought it looked really good from the video. Certainly has enough tactical choices to make it fun and interesting. Only watched the first mission though (and start of second), but definitely buying this day 1.

 

I also think showing off the game in this way at this stage proves that the devs have confidence in their product.

[entrerix]

i also trust the developer and i want to encourage more tactical turn based games being given more than an indie budget.

 

i'll buy it on day 2, just to make sure its not a total mess of a game

[Morgoth]

They're going to show the PC UI for the first time this weekend at PAX. Fingers crossed.

[Bendu]

For a strategy game, AI is the key. And since this game is developed for consoles, the AI will suck, therefore the game will suck.

[Hurlshort]

I wouldn't really call the AI brilliant in the original. I remember quite a few suicidal sectoids.

 

I'm also not sure how the console development makes the AI dumber. I have many concerns about whether they will utilize the PC fully, but AI is not one of them.

[MacMichael]

It's now available for pre-order on Steam, along with some weird new tier system for pre-order bonuses. More bonuses unlock as more people pre-order. Not sure about this extra shove for pre-ordering, but I might do so anyway. Just not yet.

[ShadySands]

Have they mentioned if it will require Steam?

[MacMichael]

Have they mentioned if it will require Steam?

 

Just did a quick check. Amazon doesn't mention it, but Green Man Gaming lists Steam as being required.

[Morgoth]

You can pre-order the game now on Steam and other digital outlets.

 

System requirements:

 

Minimum Requirements:

OS: Windows Vista

Software: Steam Client

Processor: 2 GHz Dual Core

Memory: 2 GB RAM

Hard Drive: 20 GB free

Video Memory: 256 MB

Video Card: NVIDIA GeForce 8600 GT / ATI Radeon HD 2600 XT or greater

Sound Card: DirectX Compatible

 

Recommended Requirements:

OS: Windows 7

Processor: 2 GHz Dual Core (Intel Core 2 Duo 2.4 GHz or Athlon X2 2.7 GHz)

Memory: 4 GB RAM

Hard Drive: 20 GB free

Video Memory: 512+ MB

Video Card: NVIDIA GeForce 9000 series / ATI Radeon HD 3000 series or greater

Sound Card: DirectX Compatible

 

No XP support. About time they drop that turd.

[Spider]

Just prebought it from GMG, it's a fair bit cheaper than on steam (especially since the have a 25% off voucher listed on the game page).

[Morgoth]

Just prebought it from GMG, it's a fair bit cheaper than on steam (especially since the have a 25% off voucher listed on the game page).

 

Indeed, I just did the same: The voucher code is: GMG25-1BW0K-K1A3G for those interested.

[Orchomene]

On Gamersgate, it's pretty explicite :

• Platform:PC
  
• Categories:Action, Strategy, Tactical Action
  
• Publisher:2K Games
  
• Developer:Firaxis Games
  
• DRM:Steamworks (Requires a third-party download and account)
  
• Activation:Must be activated on Steam
  

[Majek]

LOL, with the speed this is going they'll really be giving free CIV5 allaround on Steam. :D

[pmp10]

Did anyone hear how the campaign structure is handled?

I'm hearing that it's actually scripted to significant degree.

No randomized maps and fixed mission sequence would be particularly worrisome.

[Drowsy Emperor]

You can pre-order the game now on Steam and other digital outlets.

 

System requirements:

 

Minimum Requirements:

OS: Windows Vista

Software: Steam Client

Processor: 2 GHz Dual Core

Memory: 2 GB RAM

Hard Drive: 20 GB free

Video Memory: 256 MB

Video Card: NVIDIA GeForce 8600 GT / ATI Radeon HD 2600 XT or greater

Sound Card: DirectX Compatible

 

Recommended Requirements:

OS: Windows 7

Processor: 2 GHz Dual Core (Intel Core 2 Duo 2.4 GHz or Athlon X2 2.7 GHz)

Memory: 4 GB RAM

Hard Drive: 20 GB free

Video Memory: 512+ MB

Video Card: NVIDIA GeForce 9000 series / ATI Radeon HD 3000 series or greater

Sound Card: DirectX Compatible

 

No XP support. About time they drop that turd.

 

Because Vista is so much more widespread to qualify as a min req? Or even a system worth supporting at all?

 

I sometimes wonder if you keep your brain in a jar next to the keyboard so it always fails to stop you on time before you write something Morgothy.

Edited September 9, 2012 by Drowsy Emperor

[Starwars]

Did anyone hear how the campaign structure is handled?

I'm hearing that it's actually scripted to significant degree.

No randomized maps and fixed mission sequence would be particularly worrisome.

 

I am unsure how the mission sequencing will look but no randomized maps is confirmed. They have mentioned though that there are a *lot* of maps (don't know if there's an exact number) and apparently there are many different spawn points in each map, and the possibility for different kinds of aliens.

Not a huge problem for me personally as long as there is a lot of maps. Most important bit for me will be that you won't know what type of alien you will encounter within any given map I think.

 

They have not revealed anything about the narrative I believe except that there will *be* some kind of narrative to the game. And I believe they have confirmed that there will be certain "key missions" that you will have to play at certain points in the game. I could do without the narrative thing to be honest but again... Will have to wait and see how it actually turns out.

[Morgoth]

Because Vista is so much more widespread to qualify as a min req? Or even a system worth supporting at all?

 

I sometimes wonder if you keep your brain in a jar next to the keyboard so it always fails to stop you on time before you write something Morgothy.

 

Hey, don't shoot the messenger!

 

Besides, XP is now over a decade old. Maybe devs are obliged through Microsoft's pressure to stop XP support now.

[J.E. Sawyer]

For a strategy game, AI is the key. And since this game is developed for consoles, the AI will suck, therefore the game will suck.

This game is both has both tactical and strategic elements. Games like the Front Mission series show that you can have challenging AI and deep strategic gameplay on a console (even last-gen). There's really nothing, logistically, that prevents solid AI on a console (especially when it's turn-based).

[Drowsy Emperor]

Because Vista is so much more widespread to qualify as a min req? Or even a system worth supporting at all?

 

I sometimes wonder if you keep your brain in a jar next to the keyboard so it always fails to stop you on time before you write something Morgothy.

 

Hey, don't shoot the messenger!

 

Besides, XP is now over a decade old. Maybe devs are obliged through Microsoft's pressure to stop XP support now.

 

Bang, bang! Its Microsoft that's putting a real effort into obliterating XP - to the point of kicking it from netbooks and pre installing Windows 7 exclusively.... Which runs horribly on their limited power. I have two almost identical ones and the one with Win 7 is a slow mess, without any palpable gain.

My main pc also runs XP and its been able to run every major PC game even during 2012, most of them on near maximum setiings. And its over 5 years old - the fact that consoles run the show really worked in my favor. XP is the only Microsoft product I ever liked :D

 

On topic... In all my gaming years haven't played more than a handful of games with decent AI anyway. FEAR and Half Life are the only ones that made an impression. All turn based tactical games I ever played had incredibly stupid AI, and were particularly prone to cheap tricks, like baiting and waiting around a corner.

[Spider]

like baiting and waiting around a corner.

 

You mean like basically every human players does in those types of game?

[Gorth]

I can only think of one really good non-cheating AI and that was a 25 year old shareware game for the Commododre Amiga (a Battlemech clone). Most AI's seems "serviceable" and does the job of putting up resistance in single player games.

[Drowsy Emperor]

like baiting and waiting around a corner.

 

You mean like basically every human players does in those types of game?

 

Yep. And its not like you have much choice, most of the time you're outnumbered and you have to whittle them down while keeping your team in one piece. If combatants were so stupid to charge people down around corners in real wars, every soldier would fight the way we play Jagged Alliance.

Edited September 11, 2012 by Drowsy Emperor

[Majek]

We don't all play JA like that. That's a boring tactic and you get fed up with the game quickly playing that way. The same in Xcom or any other tb combat game.