How to play?

[Deamon_Knight]

First, great project! Exactly what every gamer I know thinks should have been done a long time ago. Great work so far.

I just downloaded, and I have questions. Is the game complete? Some documentation is incomplete and icons are missing, but can the game be played from start to finish?

Second, with UFO as a reference, I usually hired a mob of scientists at the beginning of the game, I can't seem to hire anyone (Soldier, scientists, etc.) when I begin this game. A Bug? Or am I missing something. My squad gets bloodied too fast.

Encounter maps seem small. Looks like more are being developed by the community to be incorporated?

Suggestion, in tactical, make a hash mark on the TU bar indicating how many are needed for a primary and secondary fire. I can't seem to find the actual TU cost in game.

Also, Backpack seems to small. RLauncher and sniper rifle seem too big to fit in pack with anything, and usefull only in special situations. Seems better to simply outfit everyone with assault-rife than to drop the heavy weapons for an SMG if an alien jumps out from a corner, or can secondarys be used offhand with no penalty?

[inquisiteur2]

Welcome Deamon,

Im just a member, some of my answers might be not up to date.

Map size wont be larger, I think it currently suit weel for this game as bigger maps would extend too much tactical battle time, which may be a hassle in a normal ufo game.

You will be able to hire staff when you complete missions successfully. New recruits number seems to be based on countries satisfaction.

TU cost is normally highlighted when you select firing mod, you will see on your counter TU's that would remain after firing the shot. Similarly, if you point your mouse somewhere on the map you would also deduct how much TU it would require you to move to a specific point.

Regarding weaponry, indeed some weapons still need to be downsized to fit better into the backpack. Switching to secondary weapons will cost you UT, I still didn't figure out why I should use a Sub machine gun instead of an assault gun.

[Deamon_Knight]

Thanks for the reply, inquisiteur. Looks like more staff became available at the beginning of the next month. Still, seems that at best I could hire another 8 soldiers and scientists per month. Means you have to be careful about risking your guys, I average about 1 casualty per encounter, makes that first month hard.

Looks like SMGs would be better in real close quarters encounters, but you really don't get enough briefing info to make the decision. Also looks like they use fewer TUs per attack. However, I'm not sure that the Assault rifle isn't just plan better in a close fight because of the burst fire, laser don't do as much damage.

I asked about bigger maps because I'd only encountered the farm with the Barn in Rural N.America, seemed small by comparison to standard xcom maps. I've seen some bigger ones now, I like it. I do suggest a grid overlay, sometimes its hard to get a sense of where to click.

[neomunk]

DK: about the SMG...

If you have a 1 handed weapon in your holster you can draw and fire it 1 handed even while holding a 2 handed weapon in the right hand.  You don't have to have the off hand free to hold a 2 handed weapon, just to fire it.  The TU cost is pretty low to draw from your holster, and to return the weapon there.

I don't know if there's an accuracy penalty (probably) but that's not important when the alien scum is standing right inside a doorway you just walked into...

I've used that technique several times with outstanding results, like me shouting "Yeah!" and waking my wife up...  So much for using my headphones for her sake :-)

I think the SMG is a 1 handed weapon, but check first.

BTW, I'm talking about 2.0RC6

[Deamon_Knight]

Interesting Neomunk, but I think the SMG/Combat Shotgun/PLasma Atomizer are all two handed.

And ultimately your primary weapon has to go somewhere, (backpack), I usually holster a medkit and have a backup weapon in the backpack. Again, this is only useful in rare circumstances, and the TU hungry way to change weapons means I find the RLauncher, Plasma Launcher useless.

[neomunk]

I'm not saying the backpack space doesn't seem a little limited, it does.

What I'm saying, and I don't know if you're getting, is that you can fire a 1 handed weapon while still holding a 2 handed weapon in the other hand.
Like this...

I'm walking down a hallway, I walk past a doorway and there is a big snarling thing standing there looking at me hungrily.  I'm holding a rocket launcher and if I shoot him we're both gonna die, no good.  So I open up the inventory and, WITHOUT dropping the rocket launcher, take the pistol from my holster and put it in my left hand (which looks like it's holding a rocket launcher, but will still take the gun) for (I think) 4 TUs, fire off an 8 TU shot (maybe 2) and possibly even put the pistola back into the holster.  

That's a handy trick to know, as I don't think it worked like that in the original UFO/X-COM series.

[Deamon_Knight]

I follow Neomunk, I just haven't found any of the pistol weapons to be terribly effective. Not enough punch.