General > Discussion
Feedback and impressions after 1 campaign
kouko:
Moro! (Hi, greetings from Finland)
Introduction:
I am a fan of the original X-COM, and ended testing this UFOAI project through a lot of googling of the original game. This is the best freeware game i have played, so thank you guys! I enjoyed finding new aliens and stuff :D...
Next some impressions after playing the campaign (stable version 2.4.). I do my best to be constructive in my criticism...
Overall, I am impressed with what the team has achieved (like the thread starter...). This game is quite good balanced, fun to play and special thanks about throughout descriptions of tech tree upgrades.
I immediately enjoyed the variety of equipment and weapons available. You can really pick the weapons you like, anyways more of this under topic Tactical mode. First something about geoscape...
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Geoscape:
Overall the system is good.
I like the radar system and UFO intercepting system with rockets or beams... I was expecting one of the UFOs to just bomb a SAM site eventually... That didn´t happen at version 2.4.
However a couple of things, if my interceptor go to same position with UFO, the game might get stuck and the game loads a long time between each rocket and bullet that my interceptor fires... Usually 30-180 sec waiting helps.
Also i would like option, that if you shoot a UFO scout with best weapons available they would blow up, not just take damage or drop into ocean :D
Too much UFOs spawns, I saw over 300 before ending the game... Balance between advancement and dozens of useless missions could be a bit better.
UFOs attacking your base, you should be able to shoot em down, not just engage aliens at battle inside the base.
It didn't help that I got stuck in the tech tree for a moment (capturing aliens... I think there should be more hints of what to do).
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Tactical mode:
Vision... You can see everything, day and night. That makes game pretty easy and night missions less spooky.
I think you guys should not show what kind of mix of aliens you are going to fight against, so different load screens pls :D
I think my troops never fired reaction fire (RF), even with TU reserve. But guess this problem is noted elsewhere, so enough of that.
I enjoyed testing variety of weapons. Anyways, pretty quick I formed squad of 8: 2 Rocket launchers, 2 grenade launchers, 3 snipers and one assault men (assault rifle ->plasma rifle). Maybe my game would be easier with different combination, but that 8man group did last from the start to end.
So i think that you should have a bit more differation between earlygame weapons and lategame (alien) weapons, ´cos the earlygame weapons are sufficient to drop every alien you encounter.
Also there should be more troop advancement, i think they should also gain speed some times... I didn´t regognize any use of skill mind of my troops.
Medkits... The healing system isn´t perfect. Maybe at different game skill levels you should drop the soldier max hp to half of the amount it is right now. You don´t have to be afraid of the aliens, ´cos they can´t kill your units very easily, and after firefight you can heal your troops pretty easily.
I would personally enjoy having one tank or mech at my team, as well as UFO:s having theirs.
At UFO harvesters the aliens get often stuck between the two mid stairs in their ship. Also, why the heck everyone assault off their ship... Why they just don´t wait and kill the incoming attackers. Could use more differation of alien tactics (easy to wish, hard to make...)
Aliens should also use more grenades and explosing weapons, so you can´t form 3-5man firing groups so easily. Overall the aliens should be more unfair: more troops, better weapons and better vision etc.
I got the impression that the AI will typically fire weapons at the beginning ot the turn, and move to open at end of turn. However they have enough TUs for reaction fire even after that.
The maps are mostly good, I enjoy having plenty of differation and different details, such as flickering TV:s at em. So good job!
...But damn those wooden fences can take hit :(
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Conclusions:
Thank you for making a good game
Wouldn´t made any kind of feedback for a bad one :D
Hopefully someone will enjoy my 5 cents, see you again shooting some plasma rifles!
-Kouko
H-Hour:
--- Quote from: kouko on November 28, 2012, 04:08:11 pm ---I was expecting one of the UFOs to just bomb a SAM site eventually...
--- End quote ---
It can happen.
--- Quote from: kouko on November 28, 2012, 04:08:11 pm ---Too much UFOs spawns, I saw over 300 before ending the game... Balance between advancement and dozens of useless missions could be a bit better.
--- End quote ---
Significantly revised campaign progression in 2.5.
--- Quote from: kouko on November 28, 2012, 04:08:11 pm ---UFOs attacking your base, you should be able to shoot em down, not just engage aliens at battle inside the base.
--- End quote ---
If you see them making a beeline for your base, launch some interceptors.
--- Quote from: kouko on November 28, 2012, 04:08:11 pm ---It didn't help that I got stuck in the tech tree for a moment (capturing aliens... I think there should be more hints of what to do).
--- End quote ---
There is an in-game message events system now. You should get a message early in the game to capture live aliens.
--- Quote from: kouko on November 28, 2012, 04:08:11 pm ---Vision... You can see everything, day and night. That makes game pretty easy and night missions less spooky.
--- End quote ---
One of my wishes, but I don't think it will happen soon. Not an easy task and requires some programmers with special skills.
--- Quote from: kouko on November 28, 2012, 04:08:11 pm ---I think you guys should not show what kind of mix of aliens you are going to fight against, so different load screens pls :D
--- End quote ---
Not sure what you're talking about, but we've got a new mission loading screen in 2.5 anyway.
--- Quote from: kouko on November 28, 2012, 04:08:11 pm ---So i think that you should have a bit more differation between earlygame weapons and lategame (alien) weapons, ´cos the earlygame weapons are sufficient to drop every alien you encounter.
--- End quote ---
Done in 2.5. Expect it to get pretty hard by the third month.
--- Quote from: kouko on November 28, 2012, 04:08:11 pm ---Also there should be more troop advancement, i think they should also gain speed some times... I didn´t regognize any use of skill mind of my troops.
--- End quote ---
Known, not sure if any improvements will make it into 2.5.
--- Quote from: kouko on November 28, 2012, 04:08:11 pm ---Medkits... The healing system isn´t perfect. Maybe at different game skill levels you should drop the soldier max hp to half of the amount it is right now.
--- End quote ---
THere is now a wounds system in place.
--- Quote from: kouko on November 28, 2012, 04:08:11 pm ---Aliens should also use more grenades and explosing weapons, so you can´t form 3-5man firing groups so easily. Overall the aliens should be more unfair: more troops, better weapons and better vision etc.
I got the impression that the AI will typically fire weapons at the beginning ot the turn, and move to open at end of turn. However they have enough TUs for reaction fire even after that.
--- End quote ---
Alien AI is significantly smarter. They are still not "smart" per se, but they are definitely not as stupid as before.
Check out this thread for a run-down on some of the major changes.
znachor:
I'll add my feedback. I'm in a similar situation to Kouko, having just finished one Standard-difficulty campaign in version 2.4.
The number of encounters has been covered many times, so I'll only say that yes, there are many. Around 250 in my game. I'm not sure what missions the aliens are pursuing - do they scout first, then try to terrorize and/or use "diplomacy" to try to steer a region away from the player? Do they harvest randomly? I guess the sheer number of encounters would not be a bad thing if they were part of an overall strategy. For example, the aliens could just decide to blitz the Revolutionary Countries to try to permanently turn them against the player (maybe they already do this?)
Combat - here I'll compare the game to the X-Com series. In X-Com, there were the following killers: mind control (not yet implemented, so no comment here), explosives (grenade falling at the foot of a soldier is murder, regardless of armor), "terrorists" such as the Tentaculat or the Brainsucker from X-Com Apocalypse, and last but not least, close combat. In my most recent play-throughs of Apocalypse and Terror, easily 80% of my casualties came from the above sources. Any sort of regular bullet-type fire the player can compensate for via armor, cover, tactics etc.
Now, UFO AI: Aliens rarely use grenades. They don't seem to have any other explosive weapon, either. There are no alien terrorists that can see you, come to you across half a landscape, and kill you or worse unless you get lucky with your reaction shots. So, reaction shots are a luxury, not a necessity. Aliens ARE very effective at close combat - when they use it. I lost a few guys to the plasma blade. It's more effective than a pistol - so maybe they should use it more often? Instead, I see aliens actually walk right past my guys, and end their turn in the open, instead of using the TUs to whip out a plasma blade and butcher one of my guys.
Overall, though, I think that the game is great and it will only get better. Even the pretty consistent criticism of "too many encounters" can be overcome if these encounters become as lethal as X-Com Terror encounters, for example (I *never* went into those thinking that all of my guys have a 99% chance of survival). Easier said than done, I know.
That's my two cents. Thanks for a great game.
geever:
--- Quote from: kouko on November 28, 2012, 04:08:11 pm ---I like the radar system and UFO intercepting system with rockets or beams... I was expecting one of the UFOs to just bomb a SAM site eventually... That didn´t happen at version 2.4.
--- End quote ---
Maybe happened but SAM site won... This part needs some overhaul.
--- Quote from: kouko on November 28, 2012, 04:08:11 pm ---However a couple of things, if my interceptor go to same position with UFO, the game might get stuck and the game loads a long time between each rocket and bullet that my interceptor fires... Usually 30-180 sec waiting helps.
--- End quote ---
Known bug, fixed AFAIK.
--- Quote from: kouko on November 28, 2012, 04:08:11 pm ---Also i would like option, that if you shoot a UFO scout with best weapons available they would blow up, not just take damage or drop into ocean :D
--- End quote ---
It is too strong. :P
--- Quote from: kouko on November 28, 2012, 04:08:11 pm ---UFOs attacking your base, you should be able to shoot em down, not just engage aliens at battle inside the base.
--- End quote ---
You can shot them down, build and equip base defence buildings.
-geever
Wolls:
Umm, wow, some thread (still reading..) but in regards to SPEED and TU's, specifically actions cost:
As I understand the game's battlescape theory, as is, is centered on the small group tactics. Its a short intense firefight basically broken up into times units (TU's). I think a part of that, the sense of an elite group working in tandem to engage and neutralize the alien epidemic is dependent on them moving at the same speed. I mean take light vs heavy, 42 TUs and 18 TU's for the other, in gameplay both move at the same speed (more TU's but one is not moving any quicker then the other guy).
That is both soldiers take the same amount of TU's to achieve similar results, this helps maintain the battlescape theory of moving in-step. (The difference of TUs is that the 42 TUs soldier is active the entire turn while the 18 TU soldier is burdened under load and the cost of 'keeping in-step' is spending the other 24 TU inactive, presumably huffing puffing and casting murderous looks at his/her fleeter comrades).
One of the biggest advantages/surprises of having all units move in-step is that it highlights (dramatically) the new Wounds system. Where the cost of TU's can and does go up, based on severity of injuries.. it really makes the impression of 'whoa, this guy is hurt and can really no longer keep up' add the fact that he/she is suffering 'bleeding' damage and you notice that.
If you start messing with TU cost too much, on an individual level you would notice 'used to be this but now its this' however, on a group level I would worry about the wounded being lost 'there are slower non-hurt guys and the hurt ones can keep up / move at the same pace with them' its a mitigation/ diffusing of the overall tactical effect/price of having a wounded soldier in the first place, its the only time you really feel like a soldier is out of step.
Not sure if I'm making sense but in 2.4 you really DIDN'T care about getting hit and in 2.5dev you REALLY DO, I'd hate to lose this.
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