Yes. Thank you for that.
In the original game, you had the Geoscape. Clicked on Bases in the menu. Then, Equip Craft. Then, Skyranger.
So, that's:
BASES\EQUIP CRAFT\SELECT CRAFT\EQUIPMENT
or
BASES\EQUIP CRAFT\SELECT CRAFT\SOLDIERS
or
BASES\EQUIP CRAFT\SELECT CRAFT\ARMOR
These gave you limited options, and assumed that your soldiers would equip themselves. Player could manage what went on the dropship, but any soldier could load up any equipment on the craft once the mission started. This meant that your sniper might be carrying the only rocket launcher, or your medic had all of the grenades.
However, before the mission spawned your soldiers, a sort of LAST CHANCE TO EQUIP SOLDIERS screen would open up, and you had an opportunity to move around equipment, dropping stuff and picking it up with your veterens. It made for an intense moment of long thought and planning, with the forthought that certain men were going to die instantly, and others might survive long enough ot get out of the ship, and light the terrain up with Electoflares, or Smoke Grenades.
IMO this made for a much more exiting and thoughtful deployment, than simply droping the soldiers ala DMZ on Hamburger Hill.
Since UFO is more of a turn based game of chess, than a Goldeneye 'snipers run' through the Barracks, Time Units took on a very significant role. It meant that you could, if you liked, play a game of stealth, and coordinated flanking manuvers, that would be represented by a sort of cutscene. I remember when cutscene based games were the bomb, (yes, I'm really that old) and you had to wait until the computer had finished it's full calutaion to see if your hero lived or died. It was really exciting.
Now that we can do everything in real time, it seems antiquated and foolish to overmix the different games styles. Strategy games like Age of Mythology, or Galactic Battlegrounds would work just fine, but it diminishes the intensity of the gaming experience that one might see in a turn based game like Risk.
Perhaps I am overthinking the entire process, but still, I prefer to plan, plan, and plan some more, than just use 'P' for PLENTY. lol
I do belive that with todays incredible grafix and AI architectures, that UFO: AI could dazzle and amaze the spectator. It's all about the Enemy Turn. So, here's what I suggest:
After the player has moved, reserved TU's, and finished his turn, the game should go into a supercycle. A fully animated battle sequence, in which the Player gets to watch a movie of the Enemy Turn. This could be done easily with the new routines developed by Maya, or other automated soldiers generator. A very large battle could ensue, complete with sound effects, grafic explosions, blood splatters, and the occational disater. Character developement could be enhanced with closeups, using virtual actors, showing the actual facial expressions of each actor at just the right moment, to make things even more exiting.
Once the enemy turn was over, the Engine would simply go back into Battlescape Mode, and the player's next turn would begin. Each turn would repeat in this manner, until the brave soldiers of Phalanx are wiped out, or, victorious.
Something to ponder, maybe? Too much work??
Perhaps, but I do see the potential of a truly extraordinary gaming experience here.
