Bringing back the Horror

[haudegen]

First I have to say that I really like the game until now. It is the best made XCOM style game I've ever seen, even if it is not finished.

The things that are missing are already mentioned in other topics. This are: full tech tree, stroryline, map improvements like distroyable terrain, doors, atmospheric sounds and so on. All this would be very nice to have.

The main thing I liked on the XCOM games was the horror. You walk around on a map where you can see just a small part of it. You don't know what kind of strange, unnatural and dangerous creatur is coming around the next corner. You make some steps, then you can see it, very close, to close to escape. And - what the hell IS it at all?

Then you have your scientists. You bring back the dead bodies for the autopsy. Then you know more about your enemy, giving the feeling that things are going to be under control. You need to know more. You need to catch them ALIVE! Then new and even more dangerous species appear. And you really need better weapons.

And so on. There are many things to bring this horror back to the game. Storyline, doors, atmospheric sounds, smoke and fog of war are such things. There are may be others. I just want to remember what the game is about. It's about beeing afraid of the unknown.

[boveele]

Good points!

 I kinda miss those doors on the alien ships.

 I also miss using alien grenades on those doors to open them... as smoky as it was afterwards, you could sit their and they would wander out one by one... Oh the hunt!

 Blowing stuff up... agree. I kinda miss the old scorched earth policy I had in X-com... torch the map, let the score keepers figure it out...

 Darker maps... yeah... I agree with that... its kinda.. cheating if you can see too far at night. Makes me feel like their is less a hint of danger, if its pitch black from the git go... a little more fear is involved. Unless its a day mission. Would need flares for that =) ... and smoke grenades too! =)

 Bringing back dead aliens to the scientists to research... to be honest... I just liked accumulating the dead bodies for count =) ... evil... yes.... fun... maybe.... worth the time to go out on the hunt... you bet.

 Good points!

Respectfully,
H0Z3R

[tempsanity]

Good points. I agree. I wanted to post a similar topic - at the moment UFO: AI has great perspectives, although no atmosphere. I mean - I really like playing it online, but the single player doesn't feel like the X-COM series. As you said, it lacks sounds, fog, doors etc. even such small things as a slower, fade-out effect at the end of the mission imho. I understand this is an open-source project created by fans so I know you try to do your best. And btw. since the beginning of these boards (before the hackers attack/crash) there were a lot of posts about destructible terrain, people ask about it a lot now as well. Well, the truth is it was a very IMPORTANT feature in the original series - I hope you guys will add a lot of destructible stuff in the future, even though I know Q2 isn't too flexible when it comes to this particular thing. But... there is a chance somebody will find a way to implement it! It would be a total blast.

The other suggestion - create a Chryssalid-like race - leaving eggs inside human bodies - that was great in X-COM.

Ok, I'll finish now. I'm really happy this project is being actively developed.

[Plaguicida]

Very good points, indeed!!! I was just coming to the forums to post my impressions about this UFO:AI (that looks like a promising project!) ... and it is a glad surprise to see that many other fans have nearly the same comments I wanted to post!

[haudegen]

I forgot to mention the screams. I remember that you could hear the terrified civilians when they got wounded or killed during the aliens turn. Today in UFO:AI they are still dying silently, giving the impression of chessmen.

[Mattn]

we already have screaming actors in current development versions

[Sectoid]

The atmosphere of the game will get even better as more of the sounds, artwork, and music get finished. So much of a good sci-fi/horror movie/game depends on little details.

I also really liked the Chryssalids. Having aliens races that fight hand-to-hand mixes up the gameply a bit and keeps things interesting.

[Blywulf]

I think some of the stunning atmosphere of the original X-Com game came from the fact that many of its events and features were based upon mainstream 'facts' about UFOs. Alien abductions, cattle mutilations etc. all of those things were included in the game. The way the aliens looked - small bodies, huge heads, almond shaped eyes - it was all there.
IMO All of the titles that followed were doomed from the start (I admit, I only enjoyed the original X-Com: UFO Defense, all the other titles from the series were average at best). Mainly because the story, the aliens and X-com itself had little connection with common UFO knowledge.

To be honest, I dont think the atmosphere of the original game can ever be recreated unless someone decides to do a blatant remake with revamped graphics and sounds.

[Surrealistik]

Mainly because the story, the aliens and X-com itself had little connection with common UFO knowledge.

Not true; Terror From the Deep borrowed extensively from UFO mythos. Allusions include the Bermuda Triangle (which is ultimately where the alien colony of T'leth is located), and mysterious ship/plane disappearances.

Personally I think UFO:AI will be largely able to recreate the atmosphere through the introduction of a Chryssalid-like alien, fog of war (the map should be shrouded save for the areas explored), psionics (having your troopers mind controlled by some unseen alien is creepy stuff), and appropriate sound. While many of the tracks are suitable, there are a few that completely destroy the kind of immersion that is attempted (Dawn, Deep Blue and the Stadium theme being a few of them). The music should be menacing, forboding, suspenseful and suggestive of the unknown.

[Blywulf]

Not true; Terror From the Deep borrowed extensively from UFO mythos. Allusions include the Bermuda Triangle (which is ultimately where the alien colony of T'leth is located), and mysterious ship/plane disappearances.

True but TFTD was basically same (good) old thing in a different setting which totally messed up the atmosphere of the original X-Com.
As for the story - It's probably just me but IMO The Bermuda Triangle and ship crew abductions were simply not enough to build a compelling background story. Unless you consider things like Lobstermen to be a part of the mainstream UFO lore .

[Wanderer]

Unless you consider things like Lobstermen to be a part of the mainstream UFO lore .

Mainstream Marvel or DC Comics lore, perhaps... I dunno about UFO... XD

[Surrealistik]

Yeah, TFTD was a shameless rehash of X-Com's engine, but it was an excellent one; the atmosphere I found remained largely intact, and even improved in some ways (the colonies and sea floors were far more alien and menacing than the battlescapes of the original).

Lobstermen were admittedly silly, but many of the other races were chilling (Tentaculats, Deep Ones and the Tasoth especially). Also, after further retrospect, I find that there are even more UFO lore correlations and references: alien/human hybridizations, extraterrestrial responsibility for the extinction of the dinosaurs, and Atlantis.

[haudegen]

The atmosphere of the game will get even better as more of the sounds, artwork, and music get finished. So much of a good sci-fi/horror movie/game depends on little details.

Great! I look forward to enjoy it soon! :-)

Civilians actually serve only one purpose (except of standing always on the wrong place): They let the aliens demonstrate their bestiality. They need to be sobbing, weeping, whining ... It should not be annoying, you know what I mean.

I agree with the little details. In my opinion, atmosphere is not only a matter of expensive features and special effects. Music and sounds are important. The style of pictures and colors. Also the language and style in messages or reports, let one feel the desperation. It is a matter of striking the right note. That's why I think UFO:AI even as a free game can create this atmosphere, if the developers not only focus on the already well done (and also important) tactics. And I'm glad to see that my post gets that many answers :-D

[Xarchon]

Hey all! I'm new here to the forums but have been lurking for awhile.

As far as "horror" goes, everything mentioned so far is pretty much true. It's very heavily dependent on atmosphere, sounds, etc.

I myself would love to see the sort of human/alien hybrids .. or even human soldiers taken over by some sort of alien parasite. You have to fight them, of course.  

Along the lines of mind control, the ultimate version of this would be to have either your dead or "possessed" soldiers reanimated during a mission or even on later missions. It would be creepy seeing someone who was in your squad not long before suddenly trying to kill his own teammates.

But obviously there are limits to what the engine can do with teams and mind control, etc.  

[BTAxis]

But obviously there are limits to what the engine can do with teams and mind control, etc.  

The limits here are more storyline-related than engine-related, really. We *did* consider reviving corpses during a mission, but it simply doesn't fit in with the rest of the background.