Just remake UFO: Defense with modern graphics

[Mazisky]

Xcom 2 + Wotc is a good game but totally different from the original Ufo
Xenonauts is a clone with worse graphics and atmosphere than the original Ufo
Phoenix Point is a clone of both Xcom 2 and the original Ufo and manages to being worse than both.
Xenounats 2 seems a clone of Xenonauts 1

It's mindblowing to see that one can just do a Ufo: Defense copy paste with Xcom 2 graphics to be a better game than all the above

 

[dacencora]

If you think that muddy 3D graphics with simple polygons is more aesthetically pleasing than charming 2D art, I don’t know what to tell you.

 

[Norfleet]

It's mindblowing to see that one can just do a Ufo: Defense copy paste with Xcom 2 graphics to be a better game than all the above

Well, OpenXCom exists, so hop to it. All the game code is already done, you just have to replace every graphic in the game. Chop-chop!

Me, I say, GRAPHICS SCHMAPHICS, FORSOOTH.

 

[Darth Canoli]

Xcom 2 + Wotc is a good game but totally different from the original Ufo
Xenonauts is a clone with worse graphics and atmosphere than the original Ufo
Phoenix Point is a clone of both Xcom 2 and the original Ufo and manages to being worse than both.
Xenounats 2 seems a clone of Xenonauts 1

It's mindblowing to see that one can just do a Ufo: Defense copy paste with Xcom 2 graphics to be a better game than all the above

I don't think it's easy but making a easy to mod newer engine would be great.

• 2D engine, BB like but with a better optimization.
• A better diplomacy layer, think Apocalypse but with working mechanism and some depth to it.
• Good UFO shooting engine/mini-game.
• Great SFX and ambient, just like the original.
• Good art direction.
• Easy to use and well organized UI
• An AI that's as good as the original.

Well, I don't see it happening, it'd require at least a mid-size dev team with enough resources and an efficient publisher or good enough marketing department to actually sell the game.

 

[Hobknobling]

The number one problem in those new games was how they limited the squad size to make the game faster for casual console audiences and push higher visual fidelity on limited hardware. This leads to a problem where losing a single soldier has a way higher negative impact on your game and this in turn makes Overwatch crawling the winning tactic. That is why they added a timer to the second game. It is better but ultimately a band-aid solution to this problem.

The second biggest issue is that the games look and sound like the most average bargain bin sci-fi ever. It is a testament to the original design that the games were as good as they were despite of this.

 

[ArchAngel]

The number one problem in those new games was how they limited the squad size to make the game faster for casual console audiences and push higher visual fidelity on limited hardware. This leads to a problem where losing a single soldier has a way higher negative impact on your game and this in turn makes Overwatch crawling the winning tactic. That is why they added a timer to the second game. It is better but ultimately a band-aid solution to this problem.

The second biggest issue is that the games look and sound like the most average bargain bin sci-fi ever. It is a testament to the original design that the games were as good as they were despite of this.

That timer in Xcom 2 was terrible idea and it played terrible. LW2 made it much better.

 

[Falksi]

The number one problem in those new games was how they limited the squad size to make the game faster for casual console audiences and push higher visual fidelity on limited hardware. This leads to a problem where losing a single soldier has a way higher negative impact on your game and this in turn makes Overwatch crawling the winning tactic. That is why they added a timer to the second game. It is better but ultimately a band-aid solution to this problem.

The second biggest issue is that the games look and sound like the most average bargain bin sci-fi ever. It is a testament to the original design that the games were as good as they were despite of this.

Add to those the fact that the new games aren't really about out-thinking your enemy, they're about setting pods off a the right time. The entire game becomes about avoiding setting pods off mid or late turn, and that fucking sucks.

 

[ghostdog]

What's wrong with OpenXcom?

 

[ValeVelKal]

Old XCOM has a lot of issues that we all forgive, but you would need to fix those. The worst one being the whole psyonic minigame (thankfully removed from Xenonaut), but also the grind which is not in today's taste.

Xenonaut tried to be a copy (+ minor features and different air combat) but failed, which shows it is not THAT easy.

 

[Serious_Business]

This is a beaten path. UFO is UFO ; it's a product of its times and never will be made again. Don't fucking cry your heart out, you can still play it. It's a brilliant game of course, but I've come to the conclusion that the new iterations are not intrinsinctly inferior. Even the Firaxis remake has its merits, although it's greatly augmented by Long War - just like UFO is augmented by OpenXcom. The interesting thing about tactical or strategy games in general may be that they can all have alternative formulas and be engaging ; there is no obsession to whatever fucking ideal game should exist, unlike with most rpg players. I don't explain it very well, but no strategy community, even of the real grognards, think UFO is the end-all of tactical gaming. No 4x gamer think Alpha Centauri is the game they should play for all time, even if they do think it's an incredible game. They just move on and play different things. The point is that the old games aren't inferior to the new ones, but they're not by definition superior either. It's not fucking hard to understand, but you have to remove your fucking reactionary cap first or whatever it is that's making you stupid.

 

[TheSoul]

Wasn't Firaxis xcom originally designed as a remake but then people who never liked x-com told them to change it. I don't think the stars are going to align for this to happen, these projects just lack either the right ideas or the proper talent and there's not much incentive to recreate it right now.

 

[Konjad]

Send the idea to Ubisoft

 

[jebsmoker]

this game already exists technically:

 

[somewhatgiggly]

this game already exists technically:

And it's a terrible piece of shit which doesn't have half the options UFO Defense did.

Xcom 2 + Wotc is a good game but totally different from the original Ufo
Xenonauts is a clone with worse graphics and atmosphere than the original Ufo
Phoenix Point is a clone of both Xcom 2 and the original Ufo and manages to being worse than both.
Xenounats 2 seems a clone of Xenonauts 1

It's mindblowing to see that one can just do a Ufo: Defense copy paste with Xcom 2 graphics to be a better game than all the above

Apparently, the NuXcom guy *DID* make Ufo: Defense in a modern engine. And every time he showed Sid Meier or the board, they hated it. Because it wasn't 'fun' or 'accessible' to the masses. The first time he did it, he says he was also unskilled, but the second time seems like it was a perfect remake...but no, it wouldn't sell. So he gutted it.

He should had told them to at least put it up digitally or something and see if there was a community who would buy it...ffs.

So...on a positive note, it's possible. But on a negative note, these profit loving boards and appeal to get the most cash as possible means they'll gut something, and end up with something so watered down it ain't worth shit. Like fine, a lot of people think the move-and-action thing might be better than TUs, but NuXcom really has no excuse to allow only one fucking base, or their linear stories with one alien base or going for the whatever project in 2....

Any spiritual successor is going to have changes, fine. But UFO:AI had ridiculous, whiny nations that pulled your funding because a few civilians died. UFO:Extraterrestrials has weird mechanics and gutted content. UFO:AFterX is sort of close to the normal stuff, but one puts you on Mars with a few personnel, another has you dealing with a dead world, another with cyborgs and mutants???; what am I missing....

 

[Mazisky]

Wasn't Firaxis xcom originally designed as a remake but then people who never liked x-com told them to change it. I don't think the stars are going to align for this to happen, these projects just lack either the right ideas or the proper talent and there's not much incentive to recreate it right now.

It wasn't people. It was the pubilsher who put money into the project that asked for a change.

 

[CthuluIsSpy]

Yeah 2k is shit. They're treating XCOM like EA did to C&C. Just another cash grab that forgot what it's supposed to be aping.
What was the latest entry again, Chimera squad? How did that turn out?

 

[udm]

What was the latest entry again, Chimera squad? How did that turn out?

The latest entry isn't Chimera Squad, my friend.

Spoiler

No, it's something much worse. Chimera Squad looks like a fucking masterpiece compared to this.

Spoiler

You ready?

Spoiler

 

[CthuluIsSpy]

Fuck, it really looks like a marvel comic.
Shit, and its a mobile game too. 2k really is treating XCOM like EA treated Command and Conquer.

 

[octavius]

Fuck, it really looks like a marvel comic.
Shit, and its a mobile game too. 2k really is treating XCOM like EA treated Command and Conquer.

Or like a baby treats a diaper?

 

[lightbane]

The latest entry isn't Chimera Squad, my friend.

*Checks* But of course, it is mobile trash. It still looks horryfing and shamelessly following the trend, which doesn't work for a game with XCOM.

 

[Darth Canoli]

The latest entry isn't Chimera Squad, my friend.

Spoiler

No, it's something much worse. Chimera Squad looks like a fucking masterpiece compared to this.

Spoiler

You ready?

Spoiler

Looks like a joke or a porn game, I hope they go bankrupt, get thrown out on the streets and have to beg and prostitute themselves to survive.

 

[Gumsmith]

What was the latest entry again, Chimera squad? How did that turn out?

It's okay if you can ignore its off putting qualities, though I never finished it. When the game released you could buy it for 50% off and I think that speaks of what you can expect from it, it's XCOM 2 but smaller, more experimental and with shitty art direction and bad writing.

 

[Serus]

The number one problem in those new games was how they limited the squad size to make the game faster for casual console audiences and push higher visual fidelity on limited hardware. This leads to a problem where losing a single soldier has a way higher negative impact on your game and this in turn makes Overwatch crawling the winning tactic. That is why they added a timer to the second game. It is better but ultimately a band-aid solution to this problem.

The second biggest issue is that the games look and sound like the most average bargain bin sci-fi ever. It is a testament to the original design that the games were as good as they were despite of this.

I'm not convinced about the squad size. Don't get me wrong the 4 to 6 limit in nuXCOM was ridiculously low. The 4 at the start was just a bad joke, and the 6 was still meh. OTOH the 14 (or was it even more?) you could put in a Skyranger was in my opinion too much. I know, heresy, but there is a reason why squads (on average 8-10 people, not 14) are often divided into smaller units - like teams. That's because with more than 8~10 units it gets progressively more difficult, both in real life and in games, to effectively command everyone. I believe that for a X-COM-like, middle ground would be best. 8 or 10 at most is great for a SF squad-level game. I'd even lean towards 8 on a regular basis, more for base assaults and the like. Unless you add some elements of automation, a commanding officer giving orders and team leaders acting on their own if separated, etc... But then you no longer have an X-COM remake or clone but more of a simulation. Which would be nice to have - for a change of pace - but that's not what we are talking about.

 

[gogis]

I completely disagree with squad size. 6 is ideal and anything above 8 is travesty. Even in my openxcom games 99% of missions I do is with 6 men. I can't care about soldiers if I have 14 of them in my mission.

On the topic - modded openxcom is better than anything can be done with shitty polygon vomit we are getting nowadays. Gief me my beautiful 2d handmade pixels and go away with your 3d shit, thank you

 

[CthuluIsSpy]

I think 8 soldiers is a pretty good number.
Starting with 4 in nuXCOM was too restrictive, imo. Phoenix Point did it right by starting you off with 6 and you can increase it to 8 if you have a bigger or second ship.
Kind of wished vehicles didn't chew up 3 squad member slots though, I would have preferred it if vehicles took up their own special slots.

But yeah, managing 14-26 soldiers is pretty overwhelming.

 

[ciox]

counterpoint: just remake Laser Squad, with classic graphics