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

[luinthoron]

why is the bottom part of the UI so crowded?

Less way to go when you play with a controller, I suppose.

Same also applies to a mouse. though. And your eyes. No need to unnecessarily stretch it out unless it would get too high otherwise, it's much easier to have a good overview of the UI elements and the information/choices presented there if it's nice and compact. It should still be understandable what the elements mean, of course, so there are limits to that as well, though.

That said, I'm not too big a fan of using the class indicators for choosing soldiers - it can get a bit confusing with multiple soldiers of the same class in a team. At the very least, this would need a mouseover text with the soldier's name.

 

[Shog-goth]

Same also applies to a mouse. though. And your eyes. No need to unnecessarily stretch it out unless it would get too high otherwise

Well, I have played a good part of the strategic/tactical classics since '80 but I don't remember ever thinking that an UI was dispersive, stretched out or unclear; they weren't always perfect but they served well, only nuisances I had started with console bastardization and all the damned compromises it has brought.

 

[luinthoron]

Same also applies to a mouse. though. And your eyes. No need to unnecessarily stretch it out unless it would get too high otherwise

Well, I have played a good part of the strategic/tactical classics since '80 but I don't remember ever thinking that an UI was dispersive, stretched out or unclear; they weren't always perfect but they served well, only nuisances I had started with console bastardization and all the damned compromises it has brought.

Screens are bigger these days, though, and especially wider now that the standard has pretty much gone from 4:3 to 16:9. The additional space is great and useful if necessary, but at the same time, it might not be a good idea to spread the UI elements too much or make them too big just because you can. Sitting here on a 1920x1080 screen and just moving the mouse around, just quickly moving the wrist lets me reach only about a third of the width of the screen - which is also about how much the most important elements of the PP UI seem to take. Seems about perfect to me then.

 

[PanteraNera]

 

[ArchAngel]

UnstableVoltage I got a question that I don't remember anyone asked or answered yet: Will there be night missions in PP and will they have any gameplay effect?

 

[Mustawd]

Not much new in the video presentation itself. But the Q&A was interesting:

-Some aliens can capture your soldiers and turn them into mutated aliens
-You can capture aliens and interrogate them for further info like bases
-First prototype of tactical combat was done in a graybox environment, and it was deterministic
-Steam workshop will be included but not in initial release (wow...that''s gonna hurt). JG says they don't have the resources. I guess if PP's successful then it can have an expansion in which case modding will be in already.
-Alien mutations can be different in different geographical locations (im assuming randomly based)
-No definitive plans on how difficulty will be scaled. But Julian is thinking it might be a combination off how quickly the aliens mutate and changes to the strategic layer. No plans to change base stats of characters or enemies to change difficulty.

 

[PanteraNera]

Development seems to go really slowly. Sure they added the free-aim-system but besides that there is not much new to see (after 2 months of development between PC Gamer Weekender and EGX). Same goes for the Backer Build One in 16 days, not much new, but the inventory-system will (hopefully) be added. Hope development picks up more speed soon, as currently it mostly feels like that I am posting the same news again again, only with slight differences .

 

[PanteraNera]

-Steam workshop will be included but not in initial release (wow...that''s gonna hurt). JG says they don't have the resources. I guess if PP's successful then it can have an expansion in which case modding will be in already.

This is potentially a very good thing. I would much rather that the PP mod scene, if it exists, be in full bloom on nexus than crippled on steam workshop. It would be nice to have an SDK like X2 though.

I think that is very unlikely, as Julian Gollop said that they have not the resources to give mod-support from the start (no SDK). Still could be possible for Modders, to mod it anyways.

 

[Irata]

I can't say I'm that informed about the Steam Workshop, but what limitations does it have? I assume they don't allow porno mods, but are there other rules?

 

[ArchAngel]

Development seems to go really slowly. Sure they added the free-aim-system but besides that there is not much new to see (after 2 months of development between PC Gamer Weekender and EGX). Same goes for the Backer Build One in 16 days, not much new, but the inventory-system will (hopefully) be added. Hope development picks up more speed soon, as currently it mostly feels like that I am posting the same news again again, only with slight differences .

I would say that it only seems slow because they are finishing and polishing features so they can add them into the backer build. If this was a standard made game with no crowdsourcing they would just work on everything and finish it and polish it in last few months.
But because of us they must finish every part of the game immediately.

 

[luinthoron]

-Alien mutations can be different in different geographical locations (im assuming randomly based)

If the plans haven't changed since the campaign, they should be based on animals from the location.

 

[Shog-goth]

I would say that it only seems slow because they are finishing and polishing features so they can add them into the backer build. If this was a standard made game with no crowdsourcing they would just work on everything and finish it and polish it in last few months.
But because of us they must finish every part of the game immediately.

There is no finalized or polished feature at this very moment (as UnstableVoltage said many times) and i seriously doubt that the Backer Build may contain parts "finished" in any aspect. At this point they should be much more ahead in development, almost at beta level, and certainly not "pre-alpha" with very little to show. The release is scheduled and confirmed for the end of 2018, can you believe it?

 

[Mustawd]

At this point they should be much more ahead in development, almost at beta level, and certainly not "pre-alpha" with very little to show.

Why do you assume they need to show it now? If anything it behooves them for people to get familiar with one build a bit at a time.

 

[Shog-goth]

Why do you assume they need to show it now? If anything it behooves them for people to get familiar with one build a bit at a time.

I assume nothing, they objectively showed too little to be at more than 3/4 of expected development. I'm not talking about details or spoilers, but "geoscape", "base design and management", "4X elements", "working vehicles", "research", "stealth", "other factions" and much more. What we have to get familiar with? There is practically nothing to learn, everything is déjà vu.

 

[PanteraNera]

Here is a image of the new creature (altered queen) that got revealed at EGX

 

[Mustawd]

IIRC, the bottom one is the one who shoots shit at soldiers to slow them down and eventually capture them.

 

[Grotesque]

*edit* and I thought I was fabulously optimistic. You know this not going to happen?

What optimism got to do with anything?
I said what type of "carbon copy" of X-com I want Phoenix Point to be, I've not said what PP is going to be.

And this is the last time I'll ever use this idiotic "carbon copy" phrase.

 

[PanteraNera]

I was really curious to see what took you seven days to come up with.

"carbon copy"

 

[Modron]

Here is a image of the new creature (altered queen) that got revealed at EGX

Prosper should sue.

 

[Grotesque]

I was really curious to see what took you seven days to come up with.

"carbon copy"

Next time try to *edit* just your logic and the snarky remarks.
And while at it, learn the difference between safe and save.

 

[PanteraNera]

learn the difference between safe and save.

I try to, I really try to, same with belief and believe.
Also what I often mix up is there and their.
Like I said I am dyslexic I really try to get better.

 

[Infinitron]

YouTube version:

 

[Latelistener]

I'm not sure if that aiming system is a good thing.
The last time I saw it in Valkyria Chronicles, and I don't remember how many times I hit invisible obstacles instead of enemies.
I also used that many times against AI, where I could shoot enemy soldiers, but they could not shoot me (but they thought that they could, so they weren't trying to get a better position).

He also didn't explain much regarding the class system.
Does every faction faction has its own classes, or they are just 4 basic archetypes with some modifications?
What kind of classes Phoenix Project has by default? Or you can only hire soldiers from other factions?
How exactly can you combine them?

 

[Taka-Haradin puolipeikko]

Gollop said about mixing & matching different armor and helmet types.
Any info available about how many inventory slots there will be for armor pieces?

 

[PanteraNera]

I'm not sure if that aiming system is a good thing.
The last time I saw it in Valkyria Chronicles, and I don't remember how many times I hit invisible obstacles instead of enemies.
I also used that many times against AI, where I could shoot enemy soldiers, but they could not shoot me (but they thought that they could, so they weren't trying to get a better position).

We will see how that works out, I think they aim to have free-aim as something optional. But we will see how it will evolve.

He also didn't explain much regarding the class system.
Does every faction faction has its own classes, or they are just 4 basic archetypes with some modifications?
What kind of classes Phoenix Project has by default? Or you can only hire soldiers from other factions?
How exactly can you combine them?

All good questions, in the original pitch on Fig, every faction had their on heavy for example. As far as I am informed the "elite heavy" (not sure if heavy and elite heavy are the same) is exclusive to New Jericho in the current iteration of the game.
Synedrion was (or is) supposed to have Infiltrators as their special class.
Disciples of Anu currently unknown (there was a heavy concept for them in the Fig pitch)
So far we know that there will be four classes for New Jericho, Assault, Heavy, Sniper. And the Technician, but they haven't finished him.
Yes the plan is that you gain access to certain classes, once you "ally" / get better reputation with the non-player-factions.
What Phoenix Point will have as default is currently unknown. My bet would be Assault and Sniper for sure.
Also how you can "combine" them is not known for now. My guess would be that it will have something to do with the "skill-trees".

Gollop said about mixing & matching different armor and helmet types.
Any info available about how many inventory slots there will be for armor pieces?

Not for now.

I try to find some answers