Posted October 06, 2008
For an X-Com like game I recommend UFO: Alien Invasion. It isn't finished yet, but it does a good job at capturing the X-Com feel. Also I didn't like U:E either.
DuneSoldier
New User
Registered: Sep 2008
From United States
illegalyouth
old user
Registered: Sep 2008
From United States
Posted October 06, 2008
i just wanted to chime in and say that i also think that UFO:E is a terrible game. i posted a rather lengthy deconstruction of the game elsewhere; i can link to it here if people are interested.
UFO:AI is a good recommendation. i'd also check out UFO:2000 -- a fan remake of X-COM that's multiplayer.
As for games to add to GOG -- i'd be for the first three X-COM games. although, steam just re-released them in a bundle not too long ago. i'm not sure what the point would be. as for the UFO:After[...] games, i'd say pass.
UFO:AI is a good recommendation. i'd also check out UFO:2000 -- a fan remake of X-COM that's multiplayer.
As for games to add to GOG -- i'd be for the first three X-COM games. although, steam just re-released them in a bundle not too long ago. i'm not sure what the point would be. as for the UFO:After[...] games, i'd say pass.
Fenixp
nnpab
Registered: Sep 2008
From Czech Republic
Posted October 07, 2008
... nah. X-coms at least entertained and sucked me in. UFO: AI almost killed me by boredom. At least if environments were destructible (no, it wouldn't save the game in my eyes, but a little bit of unnecessary destruction is always good :D. ... Oh, by the way, are they? I played some beta...) Also, it had horrible graphics - X-com was much better on my eyes :D as well as new UFOs, by the way. But it's freeware, which kinda redeems everything, since I didn't PAY for it :d
Skreczi
Horn of Blasting
GOG.com Team
Registered: May 2008
From Poland
Posted October 07, 2008
Sorry - totally forgot about it ^_^'
Well - as for defending...
U:E do not try to hide it tries to be X-Com 1. It did it in like 75% but modes has been created and it becomes 100%. Its not perfect but its cool and as I have played it right after refreshing memories with X-Com series I must admit it actually did it pretty good in comparison with UFO series (according to me). It also tries to be a little bit up to date with interface and game play (it actually allows to choose from few interfaces). You either like it or not - it was risky and it is probably its biggest + and -. As its try to hit original fans they copy some ideas from X-Com story (like some aliens design etc) as a fan service. Of course by coping some stuff from X-Com they miss on one important thing - going forward. But I think they was aiming on going retro with new graphics and they did... ok.
I am not saying U:E is perfect but it is a very good game that was aiming on emulating fun that creates and games was missing for past few years.
About UFO series - first one suppose to be a unofficial new part of X-Com series created by original X-Com team. It was called Dreamland Chronicles but then it was bought by Altar and remade with very few elements left in that project. For me story was cool but game totally to buggy - weapons and aliens unbalanced, missions has a quite a few bugs etc. U:E was simple and do not have place for bugs, and story was still interesting. It has this same approach as old X-Com and that's why I like it. Saying that it was unmoral that designers took so much from an original is strange. Gamers want new X-Com turn-based strategy for quite a long time and game companies keep ignoring us for that time. I remember only UFO series as an attempt and to many it wasnt enough. I do not see anything bad about creating an remake of original. They took only turn-base mechanics and part of the story - like many other games that try to remake some classics (Jagged Alliance copies, Transport Tycoons clones, 1000 of simlike games, S/f RTS, Fantasy Warcraft wannabe RTS, Heroses of Might and Magic wannabe turn games and many more like new WW2 one-man-army shooters - btw. if any game designers is reading this WE HAVE ENOUGH! TRY TO DO SOME GAME ABOUT OTHER WAR! LIKE CIVIL WAR! WW1! VIETNAM WAR! IRAQ WAR - FOR GOD SAKE THERE IS SO MANY CONFLICTS LEAV WW2 ALONE ALREADY! GOD....). For one time sbd try to copy X-Com so us fans can play it with new graphics so why not? Its cool.
We are still waiting for true X-Com Apocalipse (finished one with rts-turn-based mechanics and more diplomatic options, and more infiltration options etc). Or new X-Com or sth. Ppl out there – just do it finally. Please :3 But it is cool that sbd try to bring original one to newer times.
Of course we have one game thats pretty true to X-Com concept (it is only laking economic part of original game) - Silent Storm and for me it is almost perfect from point of view of UFO fan.
PS abt confusion with titles
@frostcircus - oh come on I now you was aware about which UFO game I was talking about. I made mistake with titles but it was pretty clear from context so no more low moves ;) kk? :)
Well - as for defending...
U:E do not try to hide it tries to be X-Com 1. It did it in like 75% but modes has been created and it becomes 100%. Its not perfect but its cool and as I have played it right after refreshing memories with X-Com series I must admit it actually did it pretty good in comparison with UFO series (according to me). It also tries to be a little bit up to date with interface and game play (it actually allows to choose from few interfaces). You either like it or not - it was risky and it is probably its biggest + and -. As its try to hit original fans they copy some ideas from X-Com story (like some aliens design etc) as a fan service. Of course by coping some stuff from X-Com they miss on one important thing - going forward. But I think they was aiming on going retro with new graphics and they did... ok.
I am not saying U:E is perfect but it is a very good game that was aiming on emulating fun that creates and games was missing for past few years.
About UFO series - first one suppose to be a unofficial new part of X-Com series created by original X-Com team. It was called Dreamland Chronicles but then it was bought by Altar and remade with very few elements left in that project. For me story was cool but game totally to buggy - weapons and aliens unbalanced, missions has a quite a few bugs etc. U:E was simple and do not have place for bugs, and story was still interesting. It has this same approach as old X-Com and that's why I like it. Saying that it was unmoral that designers took so much from an original is strange. Gamers want new X-Com turn-based strategy for quite a long time and game companies keep ignoring us for that time. I remember only UFO series as an attempt and to many it wasnt enough. I do not see anything bad about creating an remake of original. They took only turn-base mechanics and part of the story - like many other games that try to remake some classics (Jagged Alliance copies, Transport Tycoons clones, 1000 of simlike games, S/f RTS, Fantasy Warcraft wannabe RTS, Heroses of Might and Magic wannabe turn games and many more like new WW2 one-man-army shooters - btw. if any game designers is reading this WE HAVE ENOUGH! TRY TO DO SOME GAME ABOUT OTHER WAR! LIKE CIVIL WAR! WW1! VIETNAM WAR! IRAQ WAR - FOR GOD SAKE THERE IS SO MANY CONFLICTS LEAV WW2 ALONE ALREADY! GOD....). For one time sbd try to copy X-Com so us fans can play it with new graphics so why not? Its cool.
We are still waiting for true X-Com Apocalipse (finished one with rts-turn-based mechanics and more diplomatic options, and more infiltration options etc). Or new X-Com or sth. Ppl out there – just do it finally. Please :3 But it is cool that sbd try to bring original one to newer times.
Of course we have one game thats pretty true to X-Com concept (it is only laking economic part of original game) - Silent Storm and for me it is almost perfect from point of view of UFO fan.
PS abt confusion with titles
@frostcircus - oh come on I now you was aware about which UFO game I was talking about. I made mistake with titles but it was pretty clear from context so no more low moves ;) kk? :)
illegalyouth
old user
Registered: Sep 2008
From United States
Posted October 07, 2008
i only want to say one thing about why UFO:E is a broken game -- the design decision to have immortal soldiers. no, i'm not talking about immortal soldiers removing tension or anything like that. the decision to have immortal soldiers has further game mechanic implications that usually go unnoticed.
in relation to immortal soldiers, we have no encumbrance. instead of an encumbrance system, chaos concepts used a strength system -- each new weapon up the tech tree took more strength to carry than the last weapon. UFO:E had a lot of weapons -- more than 20, if i remember correctly. with immortal soldiers, a strength system works because soldiers never die and they will always be able to use the latest tech.
but when people tried to mod in soldier deaths, this problem came up. new soldiers were utterly useless because they could not carry the latest tech. the aliens in the game also scaled up as the player researched new weapons, so older weapons would become completely obsolete.
i see this as a side effect of immortal soldiers -- i'm sure it was easier to implement a strength system than to create an encumbrance model, and the developers could do it because of the immortal soldier design.
in addition to this is the fact that you could not pick up an "incapacitated" (the game's way of "killing" soldiers in mission -- if the mission was completed successfully, those soldiers would be brought back to base to be revived in the hospital) soldier in the tactical game. so if things were going badly, you'd have to leave soldiers behind to actually die (the only way soldiers could die in UFO:E). any replacements you received (which the game sent to you, one at a time, about every other month) would be baseline rookies. if you were far along in the game, the loss of a soldier would be game ending because the new recruits would not have the strength to carry the latest weapons required to combat the scaled up aliens.
and this, ultimately, destroyed why chaos concepts said they put in immortal soldiers -- to prevent players from reloading the game every turn if something went wrong. as the game is, you have to reload if you lose a veteran -- rookies are useless towards the end of the game.
in relation to immortal soldiers, we have no encumbrance. instead of an encumbrance system, chaos concepts used a strength system -- each new weapon up the tech tree took more strength to carry than the last weapon. UFO:E had a lot of weapons -- more than 20, if i remember correctly. with immortal soldiers, a strength system works because soldiers never die and they will always be able to use the latest tech.
but when people tried to mod in soldier deaths, this problem came up. new soldiers were utterly useless because they could not carry the latest tech. the aliens in the game also scaled up as the player researched new weapons, so older weapons would become completely obsolete.
i see this as a side effect of immortal soldiers -- i'm sure it was easier to implement a strength system than to create an encumbrance model, and the developers could do it because of the immortal soldier design.
in addition to this is the fact that you could not pick up an "incapacitated" (the game's way of "killing" soldiers in mission -- if the mission was completed successfully, those soldiers would be brought back to base to be revived in the hospital) soldier in the tactical game. so if things were going badly, you'd have to leave soldiers behind to actually die (the only way soldiers could die in UFO:E). any replacements you received (which the game sent to you, one at a time, about every other month) would be baseline rookies. if you were far along in the game, the loss of a soldier would be game ending because the new recruits would not have the strength to carry the latest weapons required to combat the scaled up aliens.
and this, ultimately, destroyed why chaos concepts said they put in immortal soldiers -- to prevent players from reloading the game every turn if something went wrong. as the game is, you have to reload if you lose a veteran -- rookies are useless towards the end of the game.
Throdax
Evolution
Registered: Sep 2008
From Switzerland
Posted October 07, 2008
The UFO Series tried to modernize much of the X-COM elements and failed, in my opinion.
No more base management, no more big squads managements (I mean, 7 guys to control? Come one, I miss my 30 soldiers deploy missions from Apocalypse), no more vehicles, IIRC and I think the RPG element applied to it with the level up and all detracted from the overall experience.
One of the things I liked most in Apocalypse was the ability to put soldiers in training, the ability to deploys 10 hovercars to try and tackle a alien mothership, the thing relation between all the different factions inside the city and the turn base elements (although apocalypse also had an option for semi-realtime) and I feel the UFO series removed all those elements from the game.
Just select your seven soldier, move a city block, destroy anything that moves, rince and repeat.
Meh, sure it was fun at some times, but it was not X-COM and much less and homenage to it..
In the end I blame people trying to reinvent the wheel or old formulas that worked, hence my step after X-COM was Battle Isle: Andosia Wars a few years later. :D
No more base management, no more big squads managements (I mean, 7 guys to control? Come one, I miss my 30 soldiers deploy missions from Apocalypse), no more vehicles, IIRC and I think the RPG element applied to it with the level up and all detracted from the overall experience.
One of the things I liked most in Apocalypse was the ability to put soldiers in training, the ability to deploys 10 hovercars to try and tackle a alien mothership, the thing relation between all the different factions inside the city and the turn base elements (although apocalypse also had an option for semi-realtime) and I feel the UFO series removed all those elements from the game.
Just select your seven soldier, move a city block, destroy anything that moves, rince and repeat.
Meh, sure it was fun at some times, but it was not X-COM and much less and homenage to it..
In the end I blame people trying to reinvent the wheel or old formulas that worked, hence my step after X-COM was Battle Isle: Andosia Wars a few years later. :D
Post edited November 04, 2008 by Throdax
Torgen
New User
Registered: Sep 2008
From United States
Fenixp
nnpab
Registered: Sep 2008
From Czech Republic
Faithful
Brain Freeze
Registered: Sep 2008
From United States
Posted October 09, 2008
Didn't most of the series use Starforce as the DRM?
I bought UFO:Afterlight because I understood it did not have Starforce.
I found Afterlight to be a fun game, but man is it hard.
I bought UFO:Afterlight because I understood it did not have Starforce.
I found Afterlight to be a fun game, but man is it hard.
frostcircus
FACE
Registered: Sep 2008
From New Zealand
Posted October 10, 2008
Yeah it's difficulty curve's a bit crap. It's really really easy and then BAM really hard.
Fenixp
nnpab
Registered: Sep 2008
From Czech Republic
Posted October 10, 2008
Umm, nope? I have the oldest release of UFO: Aftermmath, there's no StarForce as well - and It's not even in UFO: Aftershock, as well. Difficulty is not so horrible when you discover a few tricks and have well mixed group...
illegalyouth
old user
Registered: Sep 2008
From United States
Posted October 10, 2008
according to this list of games with starforce, UFO:Aftermath and UFO:Afterlight do not have starforce, yet UFO:Aftershock does (unless you purchased the game through the gamer's gate digital download service).
EDIT: according to these [url=http://reclaimyourgame.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=45&Itemid=11]websites, UFO:Aftermath and UFO:Afterlight use secuROM.
Post edited October 10, 2008 by illegalyouth
MBlueD
New User
Registered: Oct 2008
From Palestinian territories
Posted November 02, 2008
The only thing wrong with the UFO series is that it tried to market itself as XCOM, and failed. I got the second installment (Aftershock) on the promise that it was a new XCOM and was very disappointed. However, once you try playing the game AFTER realizing that it's NOT XCOM, it really shines. I loved Aftershock, and loved Afterlight even more.
Not XCOM for sure, but great games in their own right.
Not XCOM for sure, but great games in their own right.
UK_John
New User
Registered: Sep 2008
From United Kingdom
Posted November 02, 2008
You really have to get over the X-Com 1 thing to play the more modern UFO games, but if you can, you can have a really fun time. I always thought the Aftermaths and Aftershocks were hard because they knew ex X-Com 1 players who had beaten that (also hard) game were the most likely buyers of their game.
McDondo
Muton Slayer
Registered: Sep 2008
From Argentina
Posted November 04, 2008
UFO:xxx games weren't hard, they were only unbalanced.
Aftermath, where you had to hit a planter UFO in order to retrieve an intact biomass node thus researching an inhibitor for biomass. It relied solely on that factor, wich wasnt something easy to acomplish. The original XCom had a turning point like that one, but you could keep playing indefinitely so long as your tactics worked and your squad kept leveling :D
Oh and dont get me started on those plot missions where you started with 5 rockets incoming from alien supersnipers with barely 5 milliseconds to move SOMEONE out of the blast hahaha.
As the series progressed and started stepping away from the XCom series, it became a lot better to play with, even enjoyable to some extent.
I never liked the cartoony look of the third one, but its functional.
Silent Storm is a better spiritual succesor of the Geoscape mode in XCom games.
Aftermath, where you had to hit a planter UFO in order to retrieve an intact biomass node thus researching an inhibitor for biomass. It relied solely on that factor, wich wasnt something easy to acomplish. The original XCom had a turning point like that one, but you could keep playing indefinitely so long as your tactics worked and your squad kept leveling :D
Oh and dont get me started on those plot missions where you started with 5 rockets incoming from alien supersnipers with barely 5 milliseconds to move SOMEONE out of the blast hahaha.
As the series progressed and started stepping away from the XCom series, it became a lot better to play with, even enjoyable to some extent.
I never liked the cartoony look of the third one, but its functional.
Silent Storm is a better spiritual succesor of the Geoscape mode in XCom games.