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

[ArchAngel]

I kinda want "real X-com 2", even if Phoenix Point might be enjoyable.

Xenonauts 2 might be that.

 

[Grunker]

How is Xenonauts not what you people are looking for? It's a great game. Hard to believe all this "omg why no xcom 2" is genuine and not just posturing considering we have that and what seems like a promising sequel on its way.

 

[Achilles]

UnstableVoltage Can you share some details on how unit detection works? In the nuXCOM games your whole squad is visible to the enemies as soon as one unit breaks concealment. If one of my units is detected by the enemy does that mean that all of the enemy units now know the exact position of all members of my squad?

 

[mwnn85]

I'm expecting Xenonauts 2 to be a modest improvement over the first and I'll have to give the public test version on GOG a go.
I do like the new 3D battlescape with isometric camera angle and rotation.
Generally liking the footage I've seen of it.

I wanted to like Xenonauts as it's the closest thing we'll probably ever get to UFO/TFTD.
Despite them carbon copying most of the features - it just felt a little off.
I didn't like the new air combat at all; didn't need to change this.
I didn't like strange LoS situations where it looks like you have a shot at an enemy but scenery blocks the shot - the reverse angle isn't affected.
Combat felt like there's far too many misses over fairly short distances for trained soldiers - even with aimed shots and sniper rifles; enemies consequently felt a bit like bullet sponges.
Virtually every prop on the map penalises shot accuracy heavily - even more so when several objects are in the way.
You have to practically be adjacent to hit anything reliably - you can see examples in the sequel footage above.

I've played worse xcom clones but there was definitely room for improvement. The music and general appearance of it was a high point.
I should probably give it another go with the latest Xenonauts: Community Edition update - unless that isn't recommended.
Or just wait for the sequel.

 

[Jimmious]

I should probably give it another go with the latest Xenonauts: Community Edition update - unless that isn't recommended.
Or just wait for the sequel.

The Community Edition is pretty much necessary

 

[Alienman]

How is Xenonauts not what you people are looking for? It's a great game. Hard to believe all this "omg why no xcom 2" is genuine and not just posturing considering we have that and what seems like a promising sequel on its way.

The first Xenonauts is okay, but the engine is so damn messy. Weird los problems and so on. To me it was a nice game, but not a X-com replacement. After a while I actually felt why play this when I can play the superior original. Xenonauts 2 might be the one, but who knows when that will come out.

 

[ArchAngel]

How is Xenonauts not what you people are looking for? It's a great game. Hard to believe all this "omg why no xcom 2" is genuine and not just posturing considering we have that and what seems like a promising sequel on its way.

The first Xenonauts is okay, but the engine is so damn messy. Weird los problems and so on. To me it was a nice game, but not a X-com replacement. After a while I actually felt why play this when I can play the superior original. Xenonauts 2 might be the one, but who knows when that will come out.

I discovered Open Xcom after I finished Xenonauts once and I never went back. Open Xcom is a better game in all ways.

 

[Grotesque]

Open Xcom is a better game in all ways.

even graphics?

 

[ArchAngel]

Open Xcom is a better game in all ways.

even graphics?

There are filters on Open Xcom. And you can set a better resolution. Art direction of Xenonauts is ugly.

 

[Mazisky]

Open Xcom is a better game in all ways.

even graphics?

There are filters on Open Xcom. And you can set a better resolution. Art direction of Xenonauts is ugly.

Yeah, i couldn't play Xenonauts because of the flat and unispired art style. Both X com and Nuxcom are better in this regard.

 

[Latelistener]

even graphics?

Even by today standards it has nice pixel graphics with good art design.

 

[Grotesque]

Phoenix Point

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[Ezeekiel]

Open Xcom is a better game in all ways.

even graphics?

There are filters on Open Xcom. And you can set a better resolution. Art direction of Xenonauts is ugly.

Yeah, i couldn't play Xenonauts because of the flat and unispired art style. Both X com and Nuxcom are better in this regard.

Xenonauts' artstyle really hurt its atmosphere compared to TFTD. I think the latter also has a much more atmospheric soundtrack, but then I can't even remember xenonauts' score apart from maybe the main theme.
No cool underwater missions either, boo.

 

[Grotesque]

I just orderd the CE for this game.

Now let's hope it will not be just another paperweight like Numenera is.

 

[Black]

I just orderd the CE for this game.

Now let's hope it will not be just another paperweight like Numenera is.

To avoid paperweights you could just not preorder.

 

[Grotesque]

I just orderd the CE for this game.

Now let's hope it will not be just another paperweight like Numenera is.

To avoid paperweights you could just not preorder.

I am physical game collector and usually collector's editions are not available after release

 

[Space Satan]

I have a feeling this will be a new Torment: ToN - a commercial failure, venerated by Codex.

 

[PEACH]

I have a feeling this will be a new Torment: ToN - a commercial failure, venerated by Codex.

So not like ToN at all?

 

[PanteraNera]

I have a feeling this will be a failure

fixed sadly

I wanted to stay away from this, to not get hyped but a couple of weeks ago I read all the updates, stories and damn got I sucked in and hyped. Than I joined the official discord channel, mostly lurking there in the shadows. That was a downer.

Basically people saying stuff like that the early concept of New Jerchio was one of the reasons why they backed it (post apocalyptic style) and they dislike the new style. While I do not care much for that, the answer from the "community manager" puzzled me "Nothing is final all may change". Pretty much when ever someone criticized something that was his answer. Honestly I would be angry if I backed something and than stuff I liked get changed and I got an answer that sounds like "I don't give a shit". Another thing that was a downer to me, is that all the Virus-like (1999 movie) concept stuff, tech monster, is "complete bollocks" (quote from community manager). Puzzles me again, as in the fig campaign they linked this.

Like I said before, what I am worried most about is the budget, and the community manager knows about that as well, for example there will be very likely no cut-scenes, no money for it (was a downer for me, as I took it as granted that there will be a story and cut-scenes). I think this will be one of the points why it will commercially flop, nuXCOM had one thing for it going and that was all the cut-scenes (story is shit, but I really liked the "presentation"). So oXCOM-fans (which I count myself in) will pretty much dislike it because no TU and to much nuXCOM in it, and nuXCOM fans will say its a cheap XCOM rip-off, which with the budget it very likely will be.

I am also puzzled that they are redoing things like the crapman, I really like the result, don't get me wrong, but with a though budget I think its a waste of money, same with the redesign of New Jerchio, all of that costs money, that will not be there anymore for other stuff (more important stuff than graphics).

They do not know so far if there will be multiple-choice dialog with the other factions, also they do not know by now how to transport the story. That are some points that worry me personal. I think by now they should have a basic concept of things.

I think it could be an amazing game, but I do not believe that they are able to do it with the budget they got. I am mostly worried that they put to much money into graphics to attract a larger audience but fail to do so, as it will be lacking a lot of stuff that this broader audience wants as well (full voice-overs, cinematic stuff, cut scenes, AAA-stuff).

Oh and btw the community manager is not just a community manager, he explained that very well to some fool who called him that, not only does he do web-page stuff, he also has a saying in game design!

We live in the age of decline, we all should know by now. And still there is a tiny part in me that wants to belief

 

[Grotesque]

was a downer for me, as I took it as granted that there will be a story and cut-scenes).

they can make cutscenes at the quality of TFTD , as long the pace and mood is right. Also they should stay away from in-engine cutscenes.

Also having morons as community managers doesn't help.

 

[PanteraNera]

they can make cutscenes at the quality of TFTD , as long the pace and mood is right. Also they should stay away from in-engine cutscenes.

Absolutely!

Still I think they will not sell 1 mil copies like that (which is Julians goal).
Personally I think they should have just gone full 2D with their budget.
A 3D game these days will never hold up against tripple A productions.
What puzzles me is that their target audience is nuXCOM players (when talking about 1 mil copies) but making a game that is "worse" from their target audiences point of view.
Just ask yourself what are the corner stones of success of nuXCOM, I say the cinematic style /"immersion" definitely a big one.
The gameplay they showed is nuXCOM (also the cut scenes of the bosses, that is the main reason for me that I believed there will be story cut scenes).

Also having morons as community managers doesn't help.

I wouldn't call him an moron, just that he thinks of himself way to big and not being customer-oriented.

 

[luinthoron]

I believed there will be story cut scenes

I'm quite sure it was confirmed already at the start of the Fig campaign, or at least very early during it, that there would be none. Closest thing I can find on a quick look would be this quote from the reddit AMA:

It's not likely that we will have the budget for extensive cinematics - instead there will be some high quality writing.

 

[ArchAngel]

They can do cool still images instead of cut scenes.

 

[Alienman]

Like the floppy version of Terror from the Deep.

 

[mwnn85]

Cheesy in-engine cutscenes, narratation/narrator and/or bioware-like story aren't exactly in my top feature list of what makes an xcom game or any strategy game for that matter.
There's been plenty of games with a decent story/campaign (i.e. StarCraft) but the fundamental mechanics are take top priority.
At the very most I'd expect some slow-mo camera shots like what's in Blood Bowl, nuXCOM, etc.

The whole point of a highly randomised game like xcom is that you make up your own story.
If the factions, alien designs, lore and randomisation are good enough why would we need anything more?
To this day those old UFO units like the Ethereal and Chryssalid are infamous.
And the whole TFTD lovecraftian theme still makes it memorable despite being a carbon copy sequel.

I've not bothered playing XCOM 2 but the unit line up from first was extremely dull; the way the enemy units get activated/spawn - was a joke too.
I got the distinct impression that nobody here even considers the firaxis games to be canonical? I know I don't.