How a Terror From the Deep game could be made

[Rabidredneck]

I see all the games inspired by Xcom, like UFO:Extraterrestrials, UFO:AI a freeware game that looks to have a lot of potential, and the UFO:Aftermath and Aftershock games. I've felt for a long time that a TFTD style game could be pretty awesome if done right. Points I'd like to open for discussion are

1. Realism

2. Equipment & Vehicles

3. Soldiers and how to enable them to fight on the ocean floor

4. Aliens, how freaky should they be?

Realism is going to overlap a lot of things. I feel that having a strong sense of believability is important for the all-important immersion factor. For an example of what I mean, check out the general section of the UFO:AI wiki, especially the research section.

http://ufoai.ninex.info/wiki/index.php/Main_Page

They've gone to a lot of trouble to make everything seem as realistic as possible. I especially love the email-style of the breifings, and if I could make a TFTD style game, I'd definitely go in that direction.

One thing that TFTD didn't take into account, is they very nature of underwater battle. Throwing grenades and flares is right out for one thing, trying to throw a grenade underwater is just a messy way of commiting suicide. I envision the dart pistol instead of being a weapon would instead be more of a utility tool, shooting flare darts out to where they're needed, while explosives would be delivered by other tools and weapons.

I think the overall feel of the early game would be mankind is fighting a war in an environment we were never designed to be in. All of our weapons and tactics were developed and evolved for a land war, our aquatic technology would be sorely lacking since we never considered the possibility of fighting a conventional war underwater. On land and on surface ship terror missions, we can bring our conventional technology to bear and fight them on more or less even terms, underwater their guns work just as well or even a little better, while we face a serious disadvantage. By the mid-game, things would be more or less even, by the endgame we would be their equals.

I want to quit for now, but I do have a lot of ideas about this game, and I invite others to join in with their ideas.

 

[GarfunkeL]

Well considering that ~60 m is deepest that you can go with a dry-suit and oxygen. The whole idea of jumping out of a sub in the bottom of an ocean - over 1,000 meters below surface level, is insane. Remember that for every 10 meters you go below surface, you get 1 more bar of pressure. So while on surface, it's comfortable 1 bar, even 10 meters below it's already 2 bar. And you don't have to go very deep to crush humans into bloody pulps.
Okay, it's possible to build submarines which can go pretty deep and even specialized craft which can take the pressures under several kilometers of water but that's about it.

So even at the start, you need toss out realism out the window. Atleast partly.

 

[Fenril]

I would more likely play a purely GRAPHICAL remake of of the original XCOM.

But the XCOM gaming model sure is interesting and inspiring, research, economic management and turn based tactical combat combined into a sweet package.

I never played none of the recent "remakes" since I only heard crap about them.

 

[Claw]

I would like a remake of the original XCOM that includes TFTD, with some gameplay and interface enhancments, and a graphical update.

 

[Talby]

Me too, and not even particuarly fancy graphics at that. JA2 quality would do.

 

[Rabidredneck]

Well considering that ~60 m is deepest that you can go with a dry-suit and oxygen. The whole idea of jumping out of a sub in the bottom of an ocean - over 1,000 meters below surface level, is insane. Remember that for every 10 meters you go below surface, you get 1 more bar of pressure. So while on surface, it's comfortable 1 bar, even 10 meters below it's already 2 bar. And you don't have to go very deep to crush humans into bloody pulps.
Okay, it's possible to build submarines which can go pretty deep and even specialized craft which can take the pressures under several kilometers of water but that's about it.

So even at the start, you need toss out realism out the window. Atleast partly.

True enough. The challenge is striking a balance between what is realistic, and what is cool and fun. In fact in the UFO:AI forums in the artwork section, one of the threads contains a very heated argument between a modeler and one of the game's lead designers involving this very subject.

As for getting soldiers under the water, my idea was to have the game take place around 2050, thus allowing a good amount of time for scientific development. One of the bleeding edge technologies the navy has been developing is a highly advanced diving 'hardsuit' a robotic suit with carbon-nanotube constructed plating, an inner layer with a reinforcing/insulation gel and a liquid-oxygen breathing supply. Using a neural-telemetry control system, the suits servo assisted limbs can replicate human movements perfectly. After researching some alien tech you can research 'Armored Hardsuits", "Combat Hardsuits" and finally "Assault Hardsuits" each with improved defenses and some other bonuses as well.

Of course for land missions, most of the bulky life-support systems can be removed.

When it boils down to it, the realism can come mainly from the fluff text. For instance, the Barracuda in TFTD uses "Super Heated Laser Engines". which while sounding cool, doesn't really make sense. How does making a laser really really hot provide propulsion? I figured the fighter and transport subs would use a twin-engine system. Advanced miniature jet engines for flight, and Magnetohydrodynamic drives for sub propulsion.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Magnetohydrodynamic_drive

Since the game would take place a couple decades away, it's safe to assume the speed issues would have been worked out by then. The aliens on the other hand could use antigravity for arial propulsion and an advanced Supercavitation drive for underwater propulsion.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Supercavitation

 

[GarfunkeL]

Hmm, good points. Integrating XCom and TFTD in a single game would be awesome. You'd have aliens coming from the space and at the same time, they are activating long-since sleeping bases underwater.

Edit: crap, I gotta finish these fucking essays soon so I can get back to the LP!

 

[Rabidredneck]

Edit: crap, I gotta finish these fucking essays soon so I can get back to the LP!

Yes, yes you must

 

[ever]

An open source clone (faithful not this ufo shit) coded in c that utilizes the original game assets plus optional replacement/new assets ala OpenTTD would be perfect