Putting the 'role' back in role-playing games since 2002.
Donate to Codex
Good Old Games
  • Welcome to rpgcodex.net, a site dedicated to discussing computer based role-playing games in a free and open fashion. We're less strict than other forums, but please refer to the rules.

    "This message is awaiting moderator approval": All new users must pass through our moderation queue before they will be able to post normally. Until your account has "passed" your posts will only be visible to yourself (and moderators) until they are approved. Give us a week to get around to approving / deleting / ignoring your mundane opinion on crap before hassling us about it. Once you have passed the moderation period (think of it as a test), you will be able to post normally, just like all the other retards.

KickStarter Phoenix Point - the new game from X-COM creator Julian Gollop

Shog-goth

Elder Thing
Patron
Joined
Feb 23, 2018
Messages
596
Location
R'lyeh
Steve gets a Kidney but I don't even get a tag.
Honestly I can't bear to see the original concept: so much charisma in that artistic vision in contrast to the childish current one. But, hey, we got PADS!!!
 

Grotesque

±¼ ¯\_(ツ)_/¯
Patron
Vatnik
Joined
Apr 16, 2012
Messages
8,987
Divinity: Original Sin Divinity: Original Sin 2
scr4.png


free+aim.png

Replenish_01.jpg
 

Taka-Haradin puolipeikko

Filthy Kalinite
Patron
Joined
Apr 24, 2015
Messages
19,118
Codex 2016 - The Age of Grimoire Make the Codex Great Again! Grab the Codex by the pussy Bubbles In Memoria
https://phoenixpoint.info/blog/2019/8/12/august-development-update
August Development Update
We want to focus this backer update not on individual pieces of content, but on the studio, our teams, and what each of our teams is working on. Our hope is that this will give backers deeper insight into where we are in terms of progress on our development goals. First, we need to break down a bit of how our dev team is structured.

The Phoenix Point overall development team is split into 6 main sub-teams:

The Game Design Team: responsible for the overall workings of the game. Building the core loops, making sure they’re fun, deciding how in-game mechanics work and how the game functions as a whole, right down to individual skills and items.

The Level Design Team: works on all of the different tactical maps in Phoenix Point, as well as optimizing the procedural generation of map elements, to ensure they’re fun and fair while still providing a challenge.

The User Interface Team: designs and implements all of the icons, buttons, text boxes, menus and generally all of the on-screen player feedback across the entire game. UI designers’ skills go across art, programming, and design.

The Tactical Team: works on the tactical combat side of Phoenix Point. This includes the artists working on the aesthetic look of the maps and of the soldiers, as well as a team of programmers putting it all together.

The Geoscape Team: much like the tactical team, the Geoscape team works on the strategic element of the game. This includes designing all of the encounters between factions, world generation, mission generation and base management.

The Quality Assurance Team: plays a lot of Phoenix Point, helps track down and squish bugs, ensures the game is optimized properly, and generally represents the consumer experience to the design team as best as possible.

What have we been working on?
Game Design
Lately, the game design team has been working on balancing the tactical game. This includes adjusting the numbers for damage and hit points on both player and enemy characters. In general, health pools will be much larger but damage will also be much greater. This gives a more nuanced approach to receiving small amounts of damage multiple times, or one large blast, which dovetails well with Phoenix Point’s ballistics system involving multiple shots each time a player fires.

Health, armor and damage pool numbers have been increased

" id="yui_3_17_2_1_1565910917454_105">
health.png

Health, armor and damage pool numbers have been increased

Enemy AI (Artificial Intelligence) is another priority for the design team. Enemies will now be more likely to make use of cover, break lines of sight and attempt to flank your team.

While it won’t be in the upcoming backer build, the design team is also working hard on a tutorial for players of various skill levels that will go into the final build of Phoenix Point.

Level Design
Almost all of the maps in Phoenix Point are procedurally generated. This means each map is dynamically assembled from a number of pre-designed building blocks and placed in accordance with certain rules. The level designers are responsible for making those building blocks and the rules, too.

Most recently, the level designers have been working on the maps for alien bases. This includes making the layouts more varied and interesting while reducing the number of places that your squad can feel stuck or cornered.

Layout adjustments being made to the alien base maps

" id="yui_3_17_2_1_1565910917454_130">
ALN_Lair_A.png

Layout adjustments being made to the alien base maps

The first pass on the Synedrion maps has been completed. These are some of the last map types to be added to the game. They still need some work after testing and balancing.

A procedurally generated Synedrion map, including some temporary textures (the “rainbow” portions)

" id="yui_3_17_2_1_1565910917454_147">
SCR+3.jpg

A procedurally generated Synedrion map, including some temporary textures (the “rainbow” portions)

User Interface
The UI has had a complete overhaul with many elements being completely redesigned and polished. There’s still work remaining, but the Geoscape UI is ready to go in.

We have also added a character info panel to the tactical UI, showing the stats and combat status of each soldier in the tactical game.

A UI concept for the character info panel

" id="yui_3_17_2_1_1565910917454_181">
info+box.png

A UI concept for the character info panel

Right now, the UI team is working on presenting various different status effects (poisoned, burning, bleeding, etc.), along with a combat log, and refined damage prediction model.

Tactical
The tactical team is working on improving the camera, both overhead and tactical. The goal is to avoid camera angles which block important elements from view and help the camera keep track of the action particularly during the enemy phase and furious firefights.

We’ve also updated the deployment system, which is a subsystem that places both player and enemy forces on the map at the start of the battle. Up to this point, enemies tended to be clustered at the outset of missions, and that should be resolved now. In addition the revised deployment system should reduce the player’s chance of encountering a large number of enemies on the very first turn — except in specific circumstances. Further, most deployments should now see the player’s operatives within fairly easy reach of cover on their first turn, too.

Deployment also includes possible spawn locations for supply crates

" id="yui_3_17_2_1_1565910917454_198">
Capture1.PNG

Deployment also includes possible spawn locations for supply crates

In addition to the above, the team has worked hard on fixing bugs and optimizing, as well as refining the implementation of the Free Aim system.

Geoscape
The Mist is no longer just an expanding circle, but spreads across the map organically, faster over the oceans, slowing as it reaches the coastline.

The team is also doing a ton of work on base management, improving the interface for equipment management, among other things.

Improved equipment management screens have been added

" id="yui_3_17_2_1_1565910917454_232">
Replenish_01.jpg

Improved equipment management screens have been added

We’ve also put in a brand new enemy type, but we’ll keep this under wraps for now; it may or may not make it into Backer Build 5 this September.

QA
The quality assurance team is working hard to ensure that Backer Build 5 is stable and will work well for a variety of user configurations. They are also providing valuable feedback to each of the other development teams regarding usability, helping the other teams ensure their improvements are actually improvements and not just creating different problems.

The Weeks Ahead
Most of the content that we anticipate for Backer Build 5 is already in our development build at this stage, but we’re working hard over the next few weeks to tie everything together. Within the next week or two we will enter “content lock”. This is a soft cut-off point where no new content can be added to the current build, unless vitally required. All efforts then go into polishing and bug hunting before the build is released.

The teams have some specific areas of focus in the coming weeks. While some of this is for Backer Build 5, other teams will also be working on the final game release in December.

The level design team will continue to work on the Synedrion plots to get them perfected. The UI and Geoscape teams are also going to be putting work into the tutorial, as this is a vitally important element of the game.

Art teams are working on the various cosmetic options for your soldiers, such as different face options, hairstyles and clothing variations.

The writers are adding in the text for the tech trees, the diplomatic events on the Geoscape and the Phoenixpedia.

The sound department is working on SFX for the game and preparing to have the soldier barks recorded by voice actors (though Backer Build 5 will have placeholder barks). John Broomhall continues to work on the soundtrack.

We’ll provide more of these updates in future to keep you apprised of where we are with development. For now, we thank you all for your patience. You’ve been amazing and supportive and we appreciate that. We know you’ve been waiting a while and are all eager to get your hands on the finished game, we can’t wait to deliver something really fantastic.
 

Jimmious

Arcane
Patron
Joined
May 18, 2015
Messages
5,132
Steve gets a Kidney but I don't even get a tag.
Some decent stuff.
The main thing that bothers me is that the character models are generic sci-fi shit and they all look very "glossy".
Other than that though, the UI looks better every time, the geoscape looks OK, the game generally seems to be shaping up decently. I'm pretty interested to try it out eventually
 

luinthoron

Learned
Joined
Apr 24, 2017
Messages
263
Location
Estonia
I'm really happy to see the mist spread update, the circle spread of the previous builds was a real disappointment to see.

Also, looks like the related video didn't survive the blog repost, so have it as well:

 

Israfael

Arcane
Joined
Sep 21, 2012
Messages
3,580
Lately, the game design team has been working on balancing the tactical game. This includes adjusting the numbers for damage and hit points on both player and enemy characters. In general, health pools will be much larger but damage will also be much greater. This gives a more nuanced approach to receiving small amounts of damage multiple times, or one large blast, which dovetails well with Phoenix Point’s ballistics system involving multiple shots each time a player fires.
Sometimes I seriously wonder why they always try to reinvent the wheel and then they inexorably return to original x-com approaches towards the gameplay. Maybe in one or two updates they'll see that classes are an atavism of boardgame design and scrap them completely.
 
Joined
Feb 20, 2018
Messages
999
I wouldn't keep sperging out about the game if I didn't genuinely want to like it but the new artstyle alone is so hideous that it shits on anything else the devs do right. Maybe it'll be the super complex successor to X-Com we all want but I just can't get past the plasticy, generic, low detail, consolised artstyle.
 

ArchAngel

Arcane
Joined
Mar 16, 2015
Messages
19,889
I wouldn't keep sperging out about the game if I didn't genuinely want to like it but the new artstyle alone is so hideous that it shits on anything else the devs do right. Maybe it'll be the super complex successor to X-Com we all want but I just can't get past the plasticy, generic, low detail, consolised artstyle.
Who ever said 'Dex is not full of graphic whores was lying.
 

Suicidal

Arcane
Joined
Apr 29, 2007
Messages
2,208
I wouldn't keep sperging out about the game if I didn't genuinely want to like it but the new artstyle alone is so hideous that it shits on anything else the devs do right. Maybe it'll be the super complex successor to X-Com we all want but I just can't get past the plasticy, generic, low detail, consolised artstyle.
Who ever said 'Dex is not full of graphic whores was lying.

For all their posturing, the Codex is one of the most graphic whore-infested forums I've seen on the internet. They like to pretend that it's all about art style and how being an artstyle whore is somehow superior to being a graphics whore, but at the end of the day it's all the same shit - except that one group refuses to play a game because the graphics are bad and the other - because a character's should pads are 20% larger than they should be or whatever.
 

Taka-Haradin puolipeikko

Filthy Kalinite
Patron
Joined
Apr 24, 2015
Messages
19,118
Codex 2016 - The Age of Grimoire Make the Codex Great Again! Grab the Codex by the pussy Bubbles In Memoria
I wouldn't keep sperging out about the game if I didn't genuinely want to like it but the new artstyle alone is so hideous that it shits on anything else the devs do right. Maybe it'll be the super complex successor to X-Com we all want but I just can't get past the plasticy, generic, low detail, consolised artstyle.
Who ever said 'Dex is not full of graphic whores was lying.

For all their posturing, the Codex is one of the most graphic whore-infested forums I've seen on the internet. They like to pretend that it's all about art style and how being an artstyle whore is somehow superior to being a graphics whore, but at the end of the day it's all the same shit - except that one group refuses to play a game because the graphics are bad and the other - because a character's should pads are 20% larger than they should be or whatever.
They shouldn't worry:
game also offers tampon option.
EBYqrl8U8AAPZVV.png:large
 

Grotesque

±¼ ¯\_(ツ)_/¯
Patron
Vatnik
Joined
Apr 16, 2012
Messages
8,987
Divinity: Original Sin Divinity: Original Sin 2

Now these are some shoulder pauldrons and armor design I dig.
I wonder why is that :)

header.jpg
Can you name anything else that Shock Tactics did right?
tenor.gif





Who ever said 'Dex is not full of graphic whores was lying.
Whoever says you know the difference between graphixx and artistic direction, is lying.


For all their posturing, the Codex is one of the most graphic whore-infested forums I've seen on the internet. They like to pretend that it's all about art style and how being an artstyle whore is somehow superior to being a graphics whore, but at the end of the day it's all the same shit - except that one group refuses to play a game because the graphics are bad and the other - because a character's should pads are 20% larger than they should be or whatever.

scram the fuck back playing EvE Online aka "the excel spreadsheet game"... or Diablo 3.
 
Last edited:

Grotesque

±¼ ¯\_(ツ)_/¯
Patron
Vatnik
Joined
Apr 16, 2012
Messages
8,987
Divinity: Original Sin Divinity: Original Sin 2
Unti111tled.png


lol
Who will launch first?
Wasteland 3 or Phoenix Point, to get all the credit for this revolutionary, ingenious and brilliant body part aiming system representation?
 

Mustawd

Guest
Unti111tled.png


lol
Who will launch first?
Wasteland 3 or Phoenix Point, to get all the credit for this revolutionary, ingenious and brilliant body part aiming system representation?

Yah I saw that today. Was thinking the same thing.
 

Infinitron

I post news
Staff Member
Joined
Jan 28, 2011
Messages
97,236
Codex Year of the Donut Serpent in the Staglands Dead State Divinity: Original Sin Project: Eternity Torment: Tides of Numenera Wasteland 2 Shadorwun: Hong Kong Divinity: Original Sin 2 A Beautifully Desolate Campaign Pillars of Eternity 2: Deadfire Pathfinder: Kingmaker Pathfinder: Wrath I'm very into cock and ball torture I helped put crap in Monomyth


In this video, we explore some of the key differences in mechanics between XCOM and Phoenix Point. This episode - The Action Point System

Phoenix Point is a turn-based squad tactics game from the creator of X-Com.

You can find more information about Phoenix Point on our official website: http://www.phoenixpoint.info

You can pre-order Phoenix Point and get instant access to the Backer Build with our Platinum or Signature Edition: https://buy.phoenixpoint.info

#phoenixpoint #earlyaccess #backerbuild
 

luinthoron

Learned
Joined
Apr 24, 2017
Messages
263
Location
Estonia
New update on the blog:

https://phoenixpoint.info/blog/2019/8/28/backer-build-5

Backer Build 5
Backer Build 5 is almost upon us! On September 3rd we will be releasing our most comprehensive and feature loaded build yet. There are a huge number of additions and changes, some major and some subtle. We won’t cover all of them in this update (we’ll be releasing a full set of patch notes along with the build) - but let’s jump right in with an early look at some of the things you can expect in Backer Build 5.

Tutorials & Objectives
When you start a fresh game of Phoenix Point you will have the option to enable the tutorial. For now, the tutorials are text based and not as complete as they will be in the finished game.

tut1.jpg

A sample tutorial screen

These tutorials will guide you through setting up your base, finding missions, equipping and training your squad along with manufacturing and research.

If you’re ever unsure of what to do next, refer to the objectives in the top left of the screen.


tut2.jpg

Current objectives are always in the top left corner of the screen

Base Management
You now have the ability to construct new facilities within your base and assign staff to them. New base facilities require a free building plot, knowledge of the appropriate technology and the resources for building.


base+1.jpg

The base management screen

Some facilities can have workers assigned to them to increase their productivity or usefulness. You can also toggle the power of individual base facilities when not it use, or if you have a power shortfall. You can also demolish existing facilities here, or repair damaged ones.

base+2.jpg

The facility management window

Personnel Management
The personnel management screen makes it easier to see the status of your soldiers at a glance. From here, you can easily reassign them, head over to training to increase their skills, or head to the inventory to change their loadout.

personnel.jpg

The Personnel screen

Inventory management has also had an overhaul. You can now filter items by type and by class. Players now have an inventory storage limit which can be increase by building additional storage facilities at your bases.

A really useful addition is the +Ammo button which will appear next to an equipped weapon in an inventory slot. Clicking on this button will automatically place one magazine or reload charge for that weapon into your inventory. If you do not have any in stores, but have the resources to manufacture them, it will automatically deduct the resources and add the ammo to your inventory.

inventory.jpg

The updated inventory screen

Research and Manufacturing
Providing you have a research lab at your base, you will have access to tech research. This is still a work in progress for Backer Build 5, and doesn’t include everything - but it will give you a good taste of how the research system works. There are independent research tabs for the 3 main NPC factions and a queue so that you don’t have to add each research item separately.

Many technologies have dependencies and will unlock more research options on completion.

research.jpg

The research screen

If you have a fabrication facility, you will be able to manufacture additional weapons, ammo, equipment, armor and vehicles (providing you have researched them). A production queue allows you to add multiple items for construction. Having additional fabrication facilities will reduce manufacturing times.

manufacturing.jpg

The manufacturing screen

Diplomacy
Once you have discovered and completed your research on the other factions of Phoenix Point and how to interact with them, you will be able to establish relationships with them and keep track of this in the diplomacy screen.

diplo.jpg

The diplomacy screen

You will be able to interact with any Haven you have already discovered by using the Haven info screen from the Geoscape. From here, you can find all kinds of useful information about the haven, as well as initiate trade or launch a mission against them to steal from them or sabotage their facilities.

haven.jpg

The Haven info screen

Tactical
There have been many improvements and additions to tactical combat, including a large overhaul of the user interface.

The main tactical UI allows you to see the remaining action points of your whole squad at a glance with the status indicator on the left, along with a better representation of your weapon’s damage capabilities and remaining ammo in the bottom right.

The aiming screen also now gives additional and clearer information about the likely damage to a target.

Tac+UI.jpg

The tactical user interface

Maps have had an overall improvement to lighting, including for night missions. We’ve also improved the perception system and how fog of war works. Hearing things scurry in the darkness is scary!

night.jpg

A night time mission

We have improved the level of detail on the maps generally, with more props and a higher variety of configurations.

detail.jpg

Improved map lighting and detail

We have added even more map types including the Disciples of Anu Temple districts and the Synedrion maps.

temple.jpg

A Disciples of Anu Temple

Syn.jpg

A Synedrion map

A useful soldier info screen has been added which can be accessed by a second click on your selected soldier, or by clicking their class insignia in the bottom left. This gives you at-a-glance information about that soldier’s current heath, equipment and abilities.

soldier+info.jpg

The soldier info screen

There’s a new enemy type now. We’ll let it surprise you with its abilities - but you can take a look at one of its possible configurations below.

enemy.jpg

New enemy type added

Even More
There are so many more additions in Backer Build 5 including new soldier classes from both The Disciples of Anu and Synedrion, as well as armor, items and weapons from both factions. Even though customization options are still to come, we have included female models in this build. Soldier audio barks are in, although they are just placeholders using voices from two of our developers. Try to guess which they are.

You will discover new missions types, such as attacking Havens, or even being ambushed.

The in-game soundtrack by John Broomhall is in the game, too. Mr. Broomhall was the composer for the original X-Com series.

And there are hundreds of extra little additions and changes. We very much look forward to you finding them all. More than anything, we want your feedback on the build. As always, please leave your feedback with us on our forums, on social media, via Discord, and make sure to use the in-game bug reporting too (F12) should you encounter any nasty things in the build (other than the ones you can kill with your guns, of course).

We hope that you have a great time with Backer Build 5!
 

As an Amazon Associate, rpgcodex.net earns from qualifying purchases.
Back
Top Bottom