X-COM XCOM 2 + War of the Chosen Expansion Thread

[ArchAngel]

Or a nice middle ground is to not play on impossible difficulty lol. Losing 1 or 2 soldiers is not that bad if you are playing on lower difficulty.

 

[cvv]

"The Exalt base is in a country you can play in Civilization 5"....proceeded to falsely accuse India, China and France. The only country left was Mexico....can't be....yup, the Exalt base is in Mexico. Then it hit me - the Aztecs!

 

[cvv]

What what? You collect clues for the location of the Exalt base and one of them says "The base is in a country you can play in Civilization 5". The base is in Mexico. There is no Mexico in Civ5 but there are Aztecs. Eh.

 

[mastroego]

Didn't get that line, or don't remember.
Also, no Civ 5 for me.

 

[Serus]

Playing XCOM 2 and XCOM 1 now back to back I think my biggest problem is: this type of game is absolutely meant to be play without save scumming. Constantly reloading after a catastrophic turn (or even one bad crit) completely sucks the fun out of the game. Problem is the game is VERY taxing if you play Ironman, especially LW. It CAN be done, I'm watching a LW1 Impossible/Ironman playthrough and the dude is acing it. But you have to be extremely careful and 150% focused every single second. A mission can take anywhere between 30 mins to an hour. Plus you gotta know the game like your own nose.

So that leaves you with two options - either you save scum and lose interest in the middle of the campaign because zero tension and/or stakes....or you play Ironman but you gotta be a goddamn savant to pull it off. My thinking is both games would be much more fun if Ironman was the default mode but the game was built so that anyone can play it that way, including noobies or just normal, average players.

Funny thing, I don't remember any save scumming spree in the original UFO games. Maybe the basic design - troops are numerous and cheap - allowed for chill play. Losing two, three soldiers didn't blow a huge hole in your campaign. Anyone knows how are Xenonauts in this regard?

I generally agree with your assessment. It's indeed best played without reloading but getting a squad wipe, especially early can doom your whole campaign. One thing that can be done is choosing lower difficulty level (via main difficulty setting or perhaps through a second wave option or two). That's how I played my unfinished Ironman campaign (but successful and abandoned in late stage after successfully assaulting alien bases and already having stuff like multiple tier 3 mecs). It was Ironman but only classic difficulty, which means there is room for errors. As long as you don't loose too many soldiers, you are ok. And I'm not that good at LW1, believe me.
Also as someone mentioned, some middle-of-the-road approach can be used. Playing self-enforced IM but allowing limited reload - but only and exclusively if, for example, more than X number of soldiers die in a mission. Requires not cheating yourself but that's a given. Not a perfect solution but it mitigates the problem somewhat.

As to original UFO/X-Com. Soldiers were more expandable, that's true. But another reason was that those games were quite easy. I'm serious, if you played the original UFO/X-Com on PC in the 90s then it had this nasty bug where every game always reset to the lowest difficulty level no matter which one you set up at the start.

 

[Falksi]

Playing XCOM 2 and XCOM 1 now back to back I think my biggest problem is: this type of game is absolutely meant to be play without save scumming. Constantly reloading after a catastrophic turn (or even one bad crit) completely sucks the fun out of the game. Problem is the game is VERY taxing if you play Ironman, especially LW. It CAN be done, I'm watching a LW1 Impossible/Ironman playthrough and the dude is acing it. But you have to be extremely careful and 150% focused every single second. A mission can take anywhere between 30 mins to an hour. Plus you gotta know the game like your own nose.

So that leaves you with two options - either you save scum and lose interest in the middle of the campaign because zero tension and/or stakes....or you play Ironman but you gotta be a goddamn savant to pull it off. My thinking is both games would be much more fun if Ironman was the default mode but the game was built so that anyone can play it that way, including noobies or just normal, average players.

Funny thing, I don't remember any save scumming spree in the original UFO games. Maybe the basic design - troops are numerous and cheap - allowed for chill play. Losing two, three soldiers didn't blow a huge hole in your campaign. Anyone knows how are Xenonauts in this regard?

Yup. It all kinda comes back to how volatile one turn can be, especially in X-COM2. Set those pods off at the end of your turn, and you can get wiped out through little fault of your own, just simply not knowing the map and exploring it.

The game should encourage that exploration, not punish it for happening in the wrong part of the turn.

Is pretty poor really. Both games have loads of good points, but until that fundamentally flawed design changes they'll keep falling short.

 

[eXalted]

One more reason to use the Battle Scanner.

 

[Gord]

Ok, had an unexplainable itch for XCOM2 recently and got WotC in a sale. Started downloading. 60GB.

 

[eXalted]

Started another playthrough modded around the "A Better XCOM" series and I must say I'm quite impressed. Still in the beginning but really having a blast with new mechanics. It's a breath of fresh air.

 

[Mazisky]

Ok, had an unexplainable itch for XCOM2 recently and got WotC in a sale. Started downloading. 60GB.

You don't need to feel shame for liking a good game or to praise a bunch of butthurt haters nerds on the forum.

 

[lightbane]

I watched a video of the new Legacy missions. No wonder they released that DLC for free, they are shit and the only reason to play them is to listen to Bradford's monologues, which helps you realize that nope, he's still as incompetent as ever, because he somehow got access to experimental plasma weaponry and servo-suits, and yet these are lost by the time the Commander is awakened.

 

[Tytus]

I watched a video of the new Legacy missions. No wonder they released that DLC for free, they are shit and the only reason to play them is to listen to Bradford's monologues, which helps you realize that nope, he's still as incompetent as ever, because he somehow got access to experimental plasma weaponry and servo-suits, and yet these are lost by the time the Commander is awakened.

He also forgot about the super powerful aliens he met on those missions and during the campaing they are a surprise to him
These missions really needed new enemies - for example XCOM 1 redone units.

 

[Mazisky]

The legacy pack is just useless flavour, but can't complain much cause it's free.

They are clearly working on Xcom 3, that was the last update for X2 as they said they can't do more with the actual engine.

 

[Gord]

(Potentially) Stupid question:

I made one round of venomous ammo by a proving grounds project.
Equipped a soldier with it, but the soldier got captured during a mission. Venomous rounds are gone now and I can't seem to produce another one? Am I missing something?
They don't show up in the engineering facility and while there is another experimental ammo project, I suppose that will just produce another type of new ammo (at least that was the case before)?

 

[Mazisky]

(Potentially) Stupid question:

I made one round of venomous ammo by a proving grounds project.
Equipped a soldier with it, but the soldier got captured during a mission. Venomous rounds are gone now and I can't seem to produce another one? Am I missing something?
They don't show up in the engineering facility and while there is another experimental ammo project, I suppose that will just produce another type of new ammo (at least that was the case before)?

Those are random experimental ammos, so even if you research it again, the result may lead to another type of ammo.

I suggest you to craft the bluescreen ammo, not only because they are not random like others (so you don't have to bet for the result), but also because they are the most useful ones.

 

[Gord]

Is it just me, or are Aliens and Lost somewhat reluctant to attack each other?
If I spot a group of each of them while I'm still concealed, they often seem to favor moving over attacking and if I'm revealed they actually prefer attacking my guys even if a potential alien/lost target is much closer and would be a more logical choice.
I do see them fighting each other (esp. Vipers grabbing a Lost unit), it's just that the player units apparently have a much higher priority.

 

[Galdred]

Is it just me, or are Aliens and Lost somewhat reluctant to attack each other?
If I spot a group of each of them while I'm still concealed, they often seem to favor moving over attacking and if I'm revealed they actually prefer attacking my guys even if a potential alien/lost target is much closer and would be a more logical choice.
I do see them fighting each other (esp. Vipers grabbing a Lost unit), it's just that the player units apparently have a much higher priority.

They are indeed: They have a higher chance of attacking the player, but if your guys are not in LoS, they will target the aliens.

 

[eXalted]

Yup, that's why I use https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=1123260291

 

[Mazisky]

Is it just me, or are Aliens and Lost somewhat reluctant to attack each other?
If I spot a group of each of them while I'm still concealed, they often seem to favor moving over attacking and if I'm revealed they actually prefer attacking my guys even if a potential alien/lost target is much closer and would be a more logical choice.
I do see them fighting each other (esp. Vipers grabbing a Lost unit), it's just that the player units apparently have a much higher priority.

In vanilla game the lost are set to attack more the player than the aliens, like a 70%. That percentage is editable on ini files.

 

[CthuluIsSpy]

Turns out that you just need one reaper for an alien facility mission, as its totally possible to sneak past everyone, plant the bomb, and then gtfo out of there. Its because planting the X4 charge takes no actions if you do it first, so after you place the bomb you still have enough to dash out of there into an evac zone. The fact Firaxis didn't catch that is just embarrassing.
Though I suppose that does make up for the fact that the reaper is a bit crap offensively. The vektor is weaker than an assault rifle.

Another stupid thing is that for whatever reason, Lost count towards the neutralize all enemies objective. Which means you have to scour the map, killing every zombie you can find, all while fighting infinitely spawning zombies. You can't just bail out of their after completing the objective, because apparently that still counts as mission failure. Another stupid design choice.

That said, I am having fun and I do like the changes they made to the strategy layer. I like the new maps and mission types, and the legacy content is neat. The legacy missions though...not so much. I do like how they show what it was like in the early days of XCOM's fall, but they did a lazy thing and used the XCOM 2 alien models instead of revamped XCOM 1 alien models. This directly contradicts dialogue in the main campaign.
In the main campaign they said that Sectoids were spliced with human DNA, implying this happened after ADVENT finished taking over the world. The sectoids in the legacy missions look the exact same as in the campaign.
They said Mutons look different to what they used to. Yet its the same deal in the legacy missions; same looking penis monster.
The final bit of stupidity is in the last mission where

Spoiler

You fight Avatars. Really Bradford, you forgot? You didn't think to tell your commander "oh, by the way, the aliens have some Super Sayan looking weeaboo cunts that teleport around like special snowflakes" Fuck off sweater man

As for the Lost not attacking aliens...not true, actually. While most of them will attack the player, I have noticed some lost just running past my squad to attack aliens, even the Chosen. The aliens will even attack lost, and they use the same head shot mechanic. Lost aren't even that much of a threat anyway. Just use a sharpshooter or a templar with magnetic tier weapons. You can one shot most lost with them indefinitely, due to the lack of ammo restraints. There's even an Order that makes it so that a hit will always kill a Lost, no matter how much health they have.

Also, disable lost and abandoned. Its only worth it for the cutscenes and the cheevo. Otherwise it forces you into a series of scripted missions that you have to do, that will end up screwing you over in the long run. Its a lot more fun disabling it and getting random resistance factions. The only downside is that you start with a resistance hero as part of your initial squad, which I'm not a fan of.

(Potentially) Stupid question:

I made one round of venomous ammo by a proving grounds project.
Equipped a soldier with it, but the soldier got captured during a mission. Venomous rounds are gone now and I can't seem to produce another one? Am I missing something?
They don't show up in the engineering facility and while there is another experimental ammo project, I suppose that will just produce another type of new ammo (at least that was the case before)?

Its an experimental ammo type, so you have to make another at the foundry. I think there's an order to it, but I'm not sure. I think its dragon, venom, tracer, AP, talon, and then it repeats.
Or you can just rescue your soldier. Take a reaper and a specialist with revival protocol. You'll need him to hack the door without raising the alarm, and the revival protocol will revive your captured soldier so you don't have to carry him. The reaper is for scouting purposes.
If you get detected, retreat. If you stay and fight you'll raise the alert level higher, making it much harder for you to get out of there alive. At alert level 10 the AI will start spawning 2 soldiers per turn.

 

[Gord]

Turns out that you just need one reaper for an alien facility mission, as its totally possible to sneak past everyone, plant the bomb, and then gtfo out of there. Its because planting the X4 charge takes no actions if you do it first, so after you place the bomb you still have enough to dash out of there into an evac zone. The fact Firaxis didn't catch that is just embarrassing.

Yeah, Reapers make that mission stupidly easy, unless maybe one gets too confident/careless and is spotted before reaching the target location.

Another stupid thing is that for whatever reason, Lost count towards the neutralize all enemies objective.

Had that as well, was a pain in the ass, since the last remaining "regular" Lost was hiding on the opposite corner of the map.

As for the Lost not attacking aliens...not true, actually.

I didn't say that, though. Only that they favor attacking the player and sometimes both aliens and Lost act strangely while the player is still concealed (as in, rather moving twice than attacking an obvious target).

Or you can just rescue your soldier.

Unfortunately I never got the mission (or the covert action for finding her).

 

[Grokalibre]

There's a mod that make sure you get the rescue mission when one of your guy get abducted.

 

[Mazisky]

Since they are working on Xcom 3 on Unreal engine 4 since last year, when they will announce it in your opinion?

How many years a game like this need for development?

 

[CthuluIsSpy]

Probably in another 3 years, depending on how much they phone it in.
XCOM EU was released in 2012
XCOM 2 was released in 2016

I do wonder how they will cover the underwater theme, as that's what the end of XCOM 2 kept hinting at, that something is lurking in the sea.
Maybe they won't cover it that much (as in, not having you fight on the sea floor a la TFTD), and instead make all of the missions based on coastal towns and underwater facilities, and give your troops some sort of air meter or something for the few times your soldiers do fight underwater.
Like, if they take a crit, they will start losing air. Sort of like bleeding out, except you can still control your soldier.

 

[Mazisky]

Probably in another 3 years, depending on how much they phone it in.
XCOM EU was released in 2012
XCOM 2 was released in 2016

I do wonder how they will cover the underwater theme, as that's what the end of XCOM 2 kept hinting at, that something is lurking in the sea.
Maybe they won't cover it at all, and instead make all of the missions based on coastal towns and underwater facilities, and give your troops some sort of air meter or something.
Like, if they take a crit, they will start losing air. Sort of like bleeding out, except you can still control your soldier.

well, 2012, 2016, 2020? they may announce it next year then, since X2 was announced in 2015.