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

[Sundevil96]

Just play this: https://rpgcodex.net/forums/index.p...ildren-isometric-tactical-korean-srpg.130559/

You can thank me later....

 

[Matador]

Bought the game on sales, and after some learning Iron Man vanilla campaigns picked WOTC.

I'm playing an Iron Man campaign on Veteran with no timers on missions mod. I would have picked the double timer option but I didn't know it existed.

I like the game a lot, having great fun. I'm a little overwhelmed with the avatar counter added to the chosen stuff, but that has created a more interesting and challenging campaign than vanilla XCOM2.

It has been a tense experience with some tough and close battles like the avenger defense, and some soldiers lost. It's not classic x-com, but I think is a very good fun game.

PD: The avenger defense has to be one of the most intense battles I remember in a videogame. 3 hours fighting without my previously injured medic, fighting with OP pods, the assassin chosen appearing while I'm fighting a group, turrets destroyed, my reaper major escaping acid poison with 1 HP, almost everyone with <33% health... Felt great winning even with 2 lieutenant deaths.

 

[eXalted]

Just play this: https://rpgcodex.net/forums/index.p...ildren-isometric-tactical-korean-srpg.130559/

https://openxcom.org/forum/index.php?topic=3626.0

You can thank me later....

There. Fixed.

 

[Borian]

... slavishly devoting themselves to trying to replicate the magic of the original game.

I felt like XCOM was a completely different thing from X-COM, like a reimagining. What makes you say they were slavishly devoted to replicating the magic of the original?

 

[Zeriel]

... slavishly devoting themselves to trying to replicate the magic of the original game.

I felt like XCOM was a completely different thing from X-COM, like a reimagining. What makes you say they were slavishly devoted to replicating the magic of the original?

I really don't want to spend my night digging up old articles, but Jake Solomon was a huge X-COM fan and tried his best to shove as much of the original in as he could. The first prototype was an autistic clone that everyone else at the studio hated and had to be streamlined to get a released game, but the list of things that are cargo-culted over into the new, dumbed-down system are pretty long in XCOM 1: the geoscape, air-game (nonexistent in 2) + interceptors, all the visual and map motifs, most of the enemies, etc.

Obviously it is a re-imagining, but it's a re-imagining that just slightly recontextualizes but includes most memorable things from X-COM that aren't purely systems based. i.e, you have autopsies that actually matter, you have capturing aliens for research (this got totally jettison'd in the sequel), you have the weapon progression, you have the blaster bomb launcher. Even the different alien ships I would argue is a hold-over from UFO Defense in terms of them not really matching the systems and gameplay, but being there because Solomon wanted to include as much as he could. The battleship is totally pointless in terms of gameplay and systems and you don't have to ever do the battleship mission to win the game, but it's there because that ship type was in UFO Defense too, complete with a research from it that is also totally unnecessary.

And I'm saying this as someone who loves all of this stuff. It's all these little details they copied over that make dumbed down XCOM 1 so much more "magical" than XCOM 2.

 

[CthuluIsSpy]

Yeah, XCOM 2 feels like a different game. They went for more of big dumb hollywood approach, where you play as guerilla rebels and it strips out most of what made X-COM X-COM.
Apparently Americans are still living through the War of Independence, because the rebels are always the good guys.
I mean, can you name an American production where rebels are the antagonists? I can't think of one.

No interceptions, no capturing, no scanning, but a whole lot of scripted events, even more so than the first game.

I mean, its a decent game, but it doesn't quite scratch that itch, you know? It gets pretty repetitive after a while, because you know how everything is going to play out.

 

[Raghar]

Yeah, XCOM 2 feels like a different game. They went for more of big dumb hollywood approach, where you play as guerilla rebels and it strips out most of what made X-COM X-COM.
Apparently Americans are still living through the War of Independence, because the rebels are always the good guys.
I mean, can you name an American production where rebels are the antagonists? I can't think of one.

Black hawk down.

 

[Raghar]

... slavishly devoting themselves to trying to replicate the magic of the original game.

I felt like XCOM was a completely different thing from X-COM, like a reimagining. What makes you say they were slavishly devoted to replicating the magic of the original?

I really don't want to spend my night digging up old articles, but Jake Solomon was a huge X-COM fan and tried his best to shove as much of the original in as he could. The first prototype was an autistic clone that everyone else at the studio hated and had to be streamlined to get a released game, but the list of things that are cargo-culted over into the new, dumbed-down system are pretty long in XCOM 1: the geoscape, air-game (nonexistent in 2) + interceptors, all the visual and map motifs, most of the enemies, etc.

Obviously it is a re-imagining, but it's a re-imagining that just slightly recontextualizes but includes most memorable things from X-COM that aren't purely systems based. i.e, you have autopsies that actually matter, you have capturing aliens for research (this got totally jettison'd in the sequel), you have the weapon progression, you have the blaster bomb launcher. Even the different alien ships I would argue is a hold-over from UFO Defense in terms of them not really matching the systems and gameplay, but being there because Solomon wanted to include as much as he could. The battleship is totally pointless in terms of gameplay and systems and you don't have to ever do the battleship mission to win the game, but it's there because that ship type was in UFO Defense too, complete with a research from it that is also totally unnecessary.

And I'm saying this as someone who loves all of this stuff. It's all these little details they copied over that make dumbed down XCOM 1 so much more "magical" than XCOM 2.

But, air interceptions are important, when it's not a dumbed down scripted event with where you are pressing button for dodge. And when you can use, and risk, more than one airplane. Located on strategically placed bases. Full of expensive equipment. Which can be destroyed by alien attack. Which can REALLY screw up the budget.

BTW air interception mission were not originally in UFO:EU, they were added later in development on request of producer representative, who was gamming fan and thought these ground mission feels disconnected, and asked them to add something that would somehow glue them together. They added air combat, and because they basically made it as a game played on background by aliens vs environment, it worked well for stuff that wasn't in original concept, and which had so little development time.

 

[CthuluIsSpy]

Yeah, XCOM 2 feels like a different game. They went for more of big dumb hollywood approach, where you play as guerilla rebels and it strips out most of what made X-COM X-COM.
Apparently Americans are still living through the War of Independence, because the rebels are always the good guys.
I mean, can you name an American production where rebels are the antagonists? I can't think of one.

Black hawk down.

Ah yes, those were rebels...who also happened to be Arabs, and its a film released during the Second Gulf War. :D
So basically its ok to be a rebel unless the US is at war with them, in that case being a rebel is bad, m'kay?

I'm taking the piss of course, and you do have a point that its not always the case, its just that there does seem to be a great number of "heroic" rebels in American fiction, unless said rebels are against the US.

 

[Spectacle]

Rebels are always good, unless they're evil, in which case they're no longer rebels but terrorists.

 

[Borian]

... slavishly devoting themselves to trying to replicate the magic of the original game.

I felt like XCOM was a completely different thing from X-COM, like a reimagining. What makes you say they were slavishly devoted to replicating the magic of the original?

I really don't want to spend my night digging up old articles, but Jake Solomon was a huge X-COM fan and tried his best to shove as much of the original in as he could. The first prototype was an autistic clone that everyone else at the studio hated and had to be streamlined to get a released game, but the list of things that are cargo-culted over into the new, dumbed-down system are pretty long in XCOM 1: the geoscape, air-game (nonexistent in 2) + interceptors, all the visual and map motifs, most of the enemies, etc.

Obviously it is a re-imagining, but it's a re-imagining that just slightly recontextualizes but includes most memorable things from X-COM that aren't purely systems based. i.e, you have autopsies that actually matter, you have capturing aliens for research (this got totally jettison'd in the sequel), you have the weapon progression, you have the blaster bomb launcher. Even the different alien ships I would argue is a hold-over from UFO Defense in terms of them not really matching the systems and gameplay, but being there because Solomon wanted to include as much as he could. The battleship is totally pointless in terms of gameplay and systems and you don't have to ever do the battleship mission to win the game, but it's there because that ship type was in UFO Defense too, complete with a research from it that is also totally unnecessary.

And I'm saying this as someone who loves all of this stuff. It's all these little details they copied over that make dumbed down XCOM 1 so much more "magical" than XCOM 2.

Not to diminish what you're saying, but I could easily replace everything you said with examples from the Star Wars prequels and it will sound exactly the same as an apologist's argument for those movies; just a funny thing. I had no idea any of that was going on in the background. Thanks for the info.

 

[eXalted]

but a whole lot of scripted events, even more so than the first game.

Yup, that was really bad. I didn't feel any freedom while I was playing it. I had the nagging feeling that I am playing through a linear scripted game. Have you tried Long War 2?

 

[CthuluIsSpy]

I have not. Does it add unnecessary pointless crap to the game? I find mods tend to do that. Like Misery for Stalker, or those Metro skins in Autumn Aurora.

 

[eXalted]

I have not. Does it add unnecessary pointless crap to the game? I find mods tend to do that. Like Misery for Stalker, or those Metro skins in Autumn Aurora.

It changes the whole flow of the game. Makes it a lot more open. Alien missions have to be discovered by you because they are dynamic. Their agenda changes depending on your actions. But as the name says, it's "long" wat so expect a lot of repeatable missions.

 

[Vibalist]

It's not compatible with War of the Chosen, fyi.

 

[eXalted]

It's not compatible with War of the Chosen, fyi.

You don't need anime enemies and power rangers in your squad if you are going for that OG feeling anyway.

 

[Mazisky]

Long War 2 adds complexity just for the sake of it, so players can feel they are hardcore and elite ones, at the cost of fun.

 

[Iluvcheezcake]

Soooo, new xcom when?

 

[eXalted]

I am actually more excited about this than new XCOM.

 

[Average Manatee]

I am actually more excited about this than new XCOM.

Features:
- Choose a sponsor country that will influence the rest of the game.
- Ordinary people can not resist the new threat, so develop your operatives, turning them into powerful mages.
- storm multi-leveled dungeons.
- Strong soldiers may become necessary for the base development.
- learn different magic schools with their skills.
- Make the UN work for you.
- ...

I dunno, this is getting a bit too fantastical.

 

[baud]

It's not compatible with War of the Chosen, fyi.

There's a port of LW2 for war of the chosen (called Long War of the Chosen), but it's not done by the original devs of long war 2 and I don't think it's left beta stage

 

[Alienman]

Been playing it, beta 3. Works very well.

 

[LizardWizard]

Apparently the Long War devs launched a kickstarter (with zero marketing) last month for their new game which was announced YEARS ago. Seems really desperate and a complete disaster tbh. They could have made more coin modding Xcom via Patreon or something.

 

[Alienman]

They made the kickstarter goal at least.

 

[Consul]

This is currently on sale and I've been wondering if it's perhaps worth getting? I've played nu-XCOM before and quite enjoyed it at the time, despite its simplicity, but today the thought of coming back to nu-XCOM 1 makes me feel nauseous. I don't really like the art style of the second game, I'm talking about the way ADVENT soldiers look, the enemy mechs etc. While the first game didn't have an amazing art style and looked bland, it was pretty tolerable. Here, the enemies, armor and the rest look like something out of an anime, which wouldn't be a problem in an anime game, but here it seems out of place. I also didn't like that in the end, the player becomes a character in the game and gets the chosen one treatment. I watched some gameplay of it long ago and had mixed feelings about it. If someone likes tactical games, is it worth playing?