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Article #522

Re: An idea for a new X-com

#522
From: plj... Paul Jan
Date: Tue, 29 Sep 1998 00:00
61 lines
3960 bytes
I think Turn-based still has a chance. Currently, popular RTS hasn't
gotten past "attrition-based" strategy, where the AI is dumb, and the
winner, more often than not, is the one who simply has the bigger mob,
and can move the mouse at light-speed. Star-COM is not something I
want to see.

More options. I've never seen a game fail because your character had
too many things to choose from. This is different than too many things
to get. (ie micromanagement) I've never heard anyone complain that
there where too many things you could put on a ship in MOO II.
 
   a) Ship Equipment: being able to alter your aircraft was an
improvement in APOC. However, more equipment options should have been
availible. For instance, the uselessness of much equipment (land
vehicles, Retribution missiles) cut into the options. If a ship is on
the ground, it should get some ground support weapons as an option.
(Remember your guys getting potted in the back by some sectoid
standing right in front of the plane?) If game balance these should be
weaker/less armored than realism would dictate, and the ship can take
damage from ground fire.

   b) Soldier Equipment: In a new classic type X-Com, night vision
equipment would be nice. I heard that such equipment becomes useless
where there are bright flashes (weapons fire). Alternatively, you
could get a spotlight - at risk of making the poor sap holding it a
target. Options of adding secondary weapons onto rifles. (Heavy Plasma
or Plasma Rifle w/ grenade launcher?)  High Accuracy/Low RTF(high MP
cost)  variants for snipers. A HTH weapon that you could use to cut
through walls (Laser Tech?). Breaching charges to enter UFOs (hack
into UFO and boost Hi-Ex damage a little). Claymores, shotguns,
flamethrowers, grenade launchers, and alien versions of the same. "Hey
scientist-guy! Build me a proximity fuse for that alien grenade will
you?" 

   c) Tanks. We all love 'em. Customize tanks as in Mechwarrior. Extra
armor cuts down on MPs, and it's bulk cuts down on weapons space.
Special-tanks only weapons: Sub-muntions rockets: like a normal
rocket, but goes on a ballistic tragectory, and everything caught in
the blast takes the full damge. Build tanks with nothing but front
armor. Hide your troops behind it as you move your mobile wall. Run
over Crysalids with your wall, too.

   d) Things to shoot. Try to get an engine that can handle more
aliens. Then put in cannon-fodder aliens: guys that don't lower morale
if they die. (Oh, boo hoo. our attack dog-bug died. Send in the other
30.) These mooks should-swarm attack, making area-effect weapons
nesscessary. Get a better AI, with aliens who don't stand around
blithely while you make a racket killing his buddies in the next room.
Of course, you could be making a racket to get them to walk into your
gunsight....

   e) Options in shooting them: in TB, set a squad to concentrate fire
on a target, depriving it of reaction fire (which should be more
dangerous). Heck, syncronize weapons in each hand for 2-fisted John
Woo action. :)

-------------------------------------------------------------
It can't be! How... How is this possible? No one can defeat me! 
I'm invincible! That's right honey, keep telling yourself that.
- Jazelle, Gold Digger # 36
-Paul Jan-<plj...@hotmail.com, @ignmail.com>--ICQ 18014273---
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From: plj...@hotmail.com (Paul Jan)
Subject: Re: An idea for a new X-com
Date: 1998/09/29
Message-ID: <36121424.4305888@news.sprint.ca>
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