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

[Parabalus]

Yeah, the delirium stuff did make me a bit wary as well. I guess they made it so you'll have more soldiers that you can swap out, but that just means more micromanagement as you have to equip/unequip stuff before every encounter.

Why would you want to do unequip/equip before every encounter? And how is that different than what you did in UFO and nuXcom?! Equipping soldiers before every missions has been staple of this genre from the start.

Here you have multiple squads, moving in physical vehicles to multiple missions, but their items can teleport between squads.

Very egregious compared to nuXcom.

 

[ArchAngel]

So is the mod good or does it just add more tedium than what already exists in the game? any reports?

It looks like it adds more DLC-like micromanagement mechanics which was one of the main problems with the original game. Haven’t tried it though

Explain?! It just takes existing mechanics and makes them better or more influential (like with Delirium). And still it is not even close to UFO, I was pushing we make it closer to UFO all the time but they didn't want to. For example I wanted us to limit using global inventory only when at base.

“the Phoenix Rising team has re-introduced Oneiric Delirium, a game mechanic that takes its toll on your soldiers’ psyche as the campaign progresses. Players must manage their soldiers carefully to keep them operational, as Delirium saps their Willpower, but it can also be harnessed into unique perks or advantages. Be warned, though, as the Oneiric Delirium Index increases, more powerful and harsher effects will rear their head, but players can remove this threat as they progress through the story.”

This sounds like exactly the type of shit that soured me on the main game; instead of interacting with the complex and fairly robust core gameplay and management, the further the game went on the more I was forced to do some simplistic, routine micromanagement side gimmicks to the point where I ended up spending more time doing all of that boring mini game stuff compared to interacting with systems that had actual work put into them

There are two reason for this:
1. It is way more Lovecraftian than what devs did with the game when they removed it few years back. It gives back way more horror elements into the game.
2. It promotes squad rotation (along some other changes) so you are not always using same 6 (or 8) guys like in nuXcom. So it plays a bit more like UFO where you will sometimes leave a soldier in base and take another. It is still way less micromanagement than both Long War mods where for each mission you had to take some other soldiers and spent a lot of time preparing before each missions.

 

[ArchAngel]

Yeah, the delirium stuff did make me a bit wary as well. I guess they made it so you'll have more soldiers that you can swap out, but that just means more micromanagement as you have to equip/unequip stuff before every encounter.

Why would you want to do unequip/equip before every encounter? And how is that different than what you did in UFO and nuXcom?! Equipping soldiers before every missions has been staple of this genre from the start.

Here you have multiple squads, moving in physical vehicles to multiple missions, but their items can teleport between squads.

Very egregious compared to nuXcom.

Nobody is forcing you to swap items around. I almost never do that and I don't have any problems finishing the game. At best I will "teleport" newly built items to squads that are somewhere going to a mission.
While devs didn't block this (probably just so people didn't need to micromanage base inventory and different ship inventories) game was not designed around 3 squads using 1 set of items. You can easily have a set of items for each soldier.

Anyone complaining about this would have hated even more if inventory worked like in UFO. That management was 3x more complicated. You could also have multiple teams going to multiple missions at same time (from multiple bases that each had its own inventory list).

 

[Jaedar]

Yeah, the delirium stuff did make me a bit wary as well. I guess they made it so you'll have more soldiers that you can swap out, but that just means more micromanagement as you have to equip/unequip stuff before every encounter.

Why would you want to do unequip/equip before every encounter? And how is that different than what you did in UFO and nuXcom?! Equipping soldiers before every missions has been staple of this genre from the start.

Here you have multiple squads, moving in physical vehicles to multiple missions, but their items can teleport between squads.

Very egregious compared to nuXcom.

Nobody is forcing you to swap items around. I almost never do that and I don't have any problems finishing the game. At best I will "teleport" newly built items to squads that are somewhere going to a mission.
While devs didn't block this (probably just so people didn't need to micromanage base inventory and different ship inventories) game was not designed around 3 squads using 1 set of items. You can easily have a set of items for each soldier.

Anyone complaining about this would have hated even more if inventory worked like in UFO. That management was 3x more complicated. You could also have multiple teams going to multiple missions at same time (from multiple bases that each had its own inventory list).

Careful now, your rabid fanboy is showing.

It is optimal to build 1x of each equipment and teleport it between your squads. And each piece of equipment is VERY expensive which provides ample incentive. It would be better if the game was designed with cheaper gear that was stuck in the ship, so you could still have multiple squads with good gear.

Speaking of UFO, I have admittedly only ever played openXcom and UfoExtender, both of which add lots of features to combat micromanagement. But also, gear in UFO is really, really cheap, even before accounting for the economy being broken by laser cannon manufacturing. And it is also tied to the ship, which means you can only share blaster launchers if you physically share them. And you know, you pretty much never need two squads running around at the same time in UFO, just enough boots on the ground to replace losses.

 

[Parabalus]

While devs didn't block this (probably just so people didn't need to micromanage base inventory and different ship inventories)

Letting you freely transfer between bases, and blocking ship2ship transfers would be an improvement.

 

[Visperas]

Honestly, I'm fine with instant and free transfer of items. To me, managing that is not fun and just busywork.

 

[Raghar]

ArchAngel is still defending the game at all costs.

 

[ArchAngel]

ArchAngel is still defending the game at all costs.

Game has its problems, but this is not it.

 

[Parabalus]

Honestly, I'm fine with instant and free transfer of items. To me, managing that is not fun and just busywork.

Exactly, this is why it should be disabled.

 

[Grunker]

Honestly, I'm fine with instant and free transfer of items. To me, managing that is not fun and just busywork.

Exactly, this is why it should be disabled.

Indeed, that's the whole point lol "I'm fine with this. I also hate this." nigga what

 

[Grunker]

ArchAngel is still defending the game at all costs.

Game has its problems, but this is not it.

Tedious management of superficial subsystems is the game's primary issue. It is everywhere.

 

[Raghar]

I like micromanagement. Simplifying game to simply send a squad and shoot. Where is the fun?

 

[Jaedar]

I like micromanagement. Simplifying game to simply send a squad and shoot. Where is the fun?

It can be fun if there's thought behind it. If you're just doing the same rote action over and over, it's not.

 

[ArchAngel]

ArchAngel is still defending the game at all costs.

Game has its problems, but this is not it.

Tedious management of superficial subsystems is the game's primary issue. It is everywhere.

You find anything tedious old man. Maybe you should just spend your money into hookers to suck your cock instead of playing games, you don't need to do anything there.

 

[ArchAngel]

I like micromanagement. Simplifying game to simply send a squad and shoot. Where is the fun?

Seems a lot of simpletons loved this aspect of Xcom 2012.

 

[ArchAngel]

What you guys are asking is not a small feat. You need to have different inventory for different locations with UI for that, then have new UI for transfering stuff between inventories and then rebalance costs for all items which pulls who knows how much other stuff. And for what? Because few players cannot self limit themselves because they think this is optimal play when it is not needed as I have been easily finishing the game on legendary honestman without doing that "optimal" play.
And then in addition you would piss off all the players that do not want more inventory management.

 

[Heroic Liberator]

So what would you guys say are the main issues with the game in its current state?

 

[Cyberarmy]

So what would you guys say are the main issues with the game in its current state?

Gets repetitive fast for this kind of game, kind of easy, getting all factions to your side is really easy and also our gear and soldiers feels soulless.

 

[scytheavatar]

So what would you guys say are the main issues with the game in its current state?

Game was sold as a return to the roots of XCOM UFO Base Defense, what it ended up being was an indie unpolished version of Nu-XCOM. Why would I play this game when I can play NU-XCOM instead?

 

[Heroic Liberator]

Why would I play this game when I can play NU-XCOM instead?

I prefer the setting and the visual design of it, but oh well. Not worth it if it's too subpar.

 

[ArchAngel]

So what would you guys say are the main issues with the game in its current state?

Game was sold as a return to the roots of XCOM UFO Base Defense, what it ended up being was an indie unpolished version of Nu-XCOM. Why would I play this game when I can play NU-XCOM instead?

Because it has 2x better mechanics than nu-Xcom. It is like saying why would I play Pathfinder Kingmaker when I can play Dragon Age 2.

 

[Grunker]

So what would you guys say are the main issues with the game in its current state?

It has the best bullet model ever designed for a tactical game and contrary to what you might think, this really adds to the gameplay in a huge way, making enemy and your attacks more a gradual thing than binary.

Unfortunately it is held back by having tons of uinteresting systems where you fiddle with small numbers to avoid small nuisances and none of it feels like you're making fun decisions.

 

[Modron]

Better bullet modeling than say JA2 and Silent Storm? Still fondly remember playing the SS demo and having to hit the deck at the end of my turn near an almost waist high raised curb and a lamppost and watching two MGs (among other soldiers) light the area up hearing all the ricochets off metal. Was too far to any meaningful cover so just played Sergeant York from there while redirecting other characters to flank. Granted skilling up makes everything far too accurate eventually in SS.

 

[scytheavatar]

Why would I play this game when I can play NU-XCOM instead?

I prefer the setting and the visual design of it, but oh well. Not worth it if it's too subpar.

Problem is that the setting and visual design is like more or less exactly the same as NU-XCOM............ same plastic Power Rangers designs. It is kind of weird to say one is better than the other.

 

[Heroic Liberator]

It is kind of weird to say one is better than the other.

Monster designs look less goofy, factions are neat and the whole plague scenario is better than both nuXcom 1 (in which Earth isn't too affected by the alien invasion which you ultimately repel) and 2 (in which aliens become conventional overlords and you play as lame ass guerillas against the alien-led government).