Research and Story/Gameplay progression

[Chriswriter90]

What if the aliens don't use their more advanced stuff until you've researched what they're currently fielding.

For example, researching the Taman autopsy results in Ortnoks being deployed, then Shevaars after the Ortnok autopsy.

Researching Plasma Pistols results in Rifles and later Heavy Plasma. Completing Heavy Plasma would result in Aliens using Particle beams.

It's just an idea based on the war escalating realistically.

I think it's a passable suggestion and feedback would be welcome.

[Legendman3]

It would sure as hell make the game easier to play

[Yatta]

That would triple bad :
- the player can lock the game progression by stopping researchs.
- the pressure of the technology race is lost - even more, if you do research, you end up helping the enemy.
- you get a linear research tree as one thing unlocks the next, no choices.

Sorry, bad idea.

[Legendman3]

That would triple bad :
the player can lock the game progression by stopping researchs.

even more, if you do research, you end up helping the enemy.

For the first part that helps me actually and to the second part how  it dosent make sense to me.

[geever]

For the first part that helps me actually and to the second part how   it dosent make sense to me.

It's easy. If you research their weaponry they get better -- according to your suggestion.

-geever

[Sgt. Hatter]

Giving the player any degree of control over what the aliens use and when is definitely bad for the game.  Players could stall at a "comfortable" location in the storyline and stockpile weapons, gear, and money, then use it to totally overwhelm the aliens once they're ready to progress.

IMO, it's best if things remain as they stand, forcing people to think smart, and think on their feet in order to stay caught up or ahead of the alien technology curve.

[talon]

there was a mix of this in some of the ufo sequel games. you research  x and the game becomes harder aliens start using new tech. but there was also a time limit flag where the aliens would start using new tech after a certain point in time so you could not just stall

[BTAxis]

When designing the campaign system I made a point of making the aliens' progression completely independent of the player's. The campaign is something for the player to challenge and overcome. It should not make itself harder or easier depending on what the player does, in any way whatsoever.

[Sgt. Hatter]

there was a mix of this in some of the ufo sequel games. you research  x and the game becomes harder aliens start using new tech. but there was also a time limit flag where the aliens would start using new tech after a certain point in time so you could not just stall

They did this in X-COM Apocalypse, and it broke the game.  Early on, you had to be careful of doing exceptionally well, or even just winning a lot of missions poorly, or the aliens would skip entire tiers of spacecraft that you needed to shoot down, capture, and research, resulting in a broke game that you could never complete because you're missing that one UFO type needed to produce a certain vehicle or piece of tech you need.  You could miss out on the necessary research topics to create the Dimension Probe, which you can't complete the game, or develop alien-based aircraft, without.

BTW - they didn't do this via research.  They actually tracked a score that was based by how many troops you lost/kept alive on your missions, whether you won or lost, how many aliens/enemies you took down, how many UFOs you shot down on the cityscape, how much research you finished, and how much alien infiltration you allowed in other organizations.  The higher your score was at the end of each monthly period, the more your funding would be adjusted (higher score = more funding) for the next month, and the faster the aliens would progress up the tech tree, up to and including skipping entire tiers of technology.  The Alien Dimension was reset monthly (with the exception of destroyed alien buildings) and the UFOs and aliens populating it would be determined by your score.

Trust me, things are better off how they stand.  At least you can't screw yourself and make the game unwinnable just by playing well.