Phoenix Point

[Silent_Buddha]

A new crowd funding title being made by the original creator of X-Com. It's aiming to be the spiritual successor to X-COM: UFO Defense (Enemy Unknown outside of NA).

https://www.fig.co/campaigns/phoenix-point

It'll be interesting to see how different his take on what a modern version of X-Com would be like compared to the more simplified, less tactical, and more casual version by Firaxis. While great in its own right, the modern adaptation always leaves me wishing the combat was still more like the original (example, more flexible action points versus 2 actions per round in general).

One of the very few crowd funding initiatives I'm pledging to as I don't mind if the title never comes out. To me, it's still money well spent to reward Julian Gollop for creating X-Com.

Regards,
SB

 

[RancidLunchmeat]

I thought X-Com sold fairly well and had good reviews and a solid fan base.

Why does this game need to be crowd funded?

 

[Silent_Buddha]

I thought X-Com sold fairly well and had good reviews and a solid fan base.

Why does this game need to be crowd funded?

The modern X-Com is made by Firaxis and is a more simplified successor of the original. It's a fantastic game and did a lot to revive tactical strategy games on the PC.

Phoenix Point is being made by the original creator of the franchise. I'm hoping that gameplay is closer to the original versus the more streamlined and simplified version in the Firaxis version. If it turns out this way, I have a feeling it'll be less popular among the general gaming audience but more popular among people (like me) that played the original multiple hundreds of hours.

As to why crowd funding? These types of games aren't the type of games that publishers will generally fund. The exception being games targeted for the Japanese market which then sometimes get a localized release outside of Japan.

Regards,
SB

 

[Pressure]

I think some of the models are a bit far out. I played UFO: Enemy Unknown for years and years but the aliens being from actual space made it easier to swallow.

How and why they are merged with technology coming from the ocean rubs me the wrong way. I know they should technically be a remnant from space probably ... but still.

 

[Silent_Buddha]

Yeah, the premise is a bit different. Instead of being invaded by aliens from space, you are being invaded by a virus (which may or may not be alien in origin but matches no known virus on the planet) which was discovered in melting permafrost. The virus has the ability to invade and mutate host species. I'm assuming the story goes that as the permafrost melted, the virus was naturally spread to the oceans first. After that was incorporated, it started its invasion of land based creatures.

That would explain the ocean influenced physiology of the creatures.

Lots of questions. Will we see mutated versions of land based organisms as the game progresses? If the virus is alien in origin, will it be attempting to signal aliens in space somewhere to invade (perhaps setting up a sequel)? Is the virus some form of alien terraforming organism?

It's also interesting that it shows the organisms adapting to use human weaponry. That makes sense for a first encounter considering what little background they have revealed for the game. It's not like the organisms would have had a stockpile of alien weapons handy if it starts off as just a virus under the ice.

Regards,
SB

 

[Pressure]

Animals in nature already have crazy natural weapons and poisons. It would have fit better in my opinion. How they suddenly got bio-engineered together with machine guns is a bit puzzling. I may be missing some lore or fluff text but I think I read it all.

 

[Rodéric]

What I heavily dislike in Firaxis X-Com is that damage isn't tied to success margin (ie difference between the difficulty and the roll), which makes superb hits do no damage or reciprocally, of course it could also just make proper hit detection with more or less fragile/weak points on the target and have side effects (like unable to run, to use an arm...)...
Too simplified/abstract I guess.

 

[Kyyla]

The Firaxis X-Com was just too simple for me I guess. I couldn't really get into the combat. I hated the AP system. I just wish someone remade the original X-COM without messing with it too much.

 

[Rodéric]

Aren't there plenty of X-Com clones though ?
http://www.xenonauts.com/
http://ufo2000.sourceforge.net/

Well you may be happy with Phoenix Point, I'm really curious, I loved X-COM mood and gameplay, not sure Id have enough time to play something similar though ^^

 

[Davros]

Also
http://ufoai.org/wiki/Download

 

[Silent_Buddha]

They have answered a few questions in a short FAQ.

https://www.fig.co/campaigns/phoenix-point#faq

Looks like they are still experimenting with how actions work during combat. Unfortunately it's not currently what I was hoping for (the original AP system from XCOM: UFO Defense). But at least it's more flexible than the current modern XCOM system.

Also, currently they are planning for squads to be able to go up to a maximum size of 16 for missions. However, due to limited recruits, resources, and size of transport vehicle, it is unlikely that you'll actually be able to field 16 squad members in most missions.

Regards,
SB

 

[Bludd]

I pledged 30 spacebux

 

[Silent_Buddha]

Well, color me surprised, after giving their backers the middle finger, Snapshotgames are allowing their backers to choose what platform they want the Year One edition on. Something that was originally part of their crowdfunding pledge (choice of Steam or GoG) for the original game until Epic waved some money at them and they gave us all the middle finger.

Maybe too little too late to convert me back into a buyer of that company's games (if they do make more games), but it's something after they screwed us over. Maybe now I'll finally be able to finish playing the game.

They didn't have to do this, so it's a nice gesture. I'm just still not sure it balances out the big F-U they gave to the backers of the game, however.

Regards,
SB