Messages

1

Artwork / Re: Alien bestiary

« on: March 24, 2011, 11:28:20 pm »

oh, well i guess i misunderstood the purpose of this thread. I thought this thread was for discussing ideas for new aliens. I can see why it would be difficult for artists to get an idea of what to do.. I myself was going to submit artwork for this game, that's what led me here, but I gave up on it because I couldn't find out what anyone wanted.
So to clarify, the only aliens that artwork is wanted for are the ones described at the top of this thread? Those are for sure going to be in the game?

sorry for any confusion i've caused for any artists, i was just brainstorming ideas because i thought that's what this thread was for. Although if I were to create art for this game I wouldn't get into anything I didn't know until i knew what was wanted for sure. Unless I wanted to do it for my own fun.

If you want people to get started on artwork for anything you should definitely make up a list of things that are for sure wanted in the game, and descriptions of what aspects and details of any specific alien you want to look like, etc..give as many hints as you can, this will make the artist's job so much easier. Also artists should be ready to rework and redesign their art if needed. This is graphic design 101. Artists should keep this in mind, unless they don't mind their artwork possibly never being used, and they're just doing it for fun.

anyways, about the combat spider thing, I guess it's just a matter of opinion. I for one would find it more entertaining to encounter a brand new enemy in which i would be forced to come up with a whole new set of tactics to fight against than to just use more firepower killing the same enemy with the same tactics. Although I think it would be cool if somewhere along the game the aliens decide to upgrade thier bloodspiders to be more combat effective and render the bloodspider obsolete with a "combat spider" which still had the ability to gather corpses and such.
once again, just my 2 cents,
(note to artists, do not draw my ideas)

2

Feature Requests / Re: Robots?

« on: March 21, 2011, 08:33:09 pm »

You can't terminate the terminator!

but seriously, I think robots would suit this game well in terms of reality. They already use robots in the military today as scouts and packmules and they have designed robots to go into the battlefield to retrieve fallen solidiers. The only thing stopping them from strapping a machine gun on them are moral issues. Which I don't think would be a problem when trying to save the planet from a hostile alien race. As far as the terminator thing, they have been making androids in Japan for years and it's only common sense that one day they will make one advanced enough to do something like go to war. ...I hope they never do, but i would never say never in the future.
Although I think a cooler idea would be cyborgs. Or at least the ability to hire soldiers with mechanical implants that make the soldier unique somehow. This is definitely not far fetched.
Ultra pacemakers!

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Artwork / Re: Alien bestiary

« on: March 21, 2011, 08:14:36 pm »

My ideas for the aliens are inspired by X-com yes, but isn't this whole game inspired by x-com? I didn't say anywhere that i think you should completely replicate aliens from x-com. Nobody holds the copyright to an alien that spawns other aliens at death..I dont think..
 I think the feral alien idea at least diversifies the ranks a bit more than putting another mechanical spider in the game. I don't care what you do for a quick stealthy alien, but why just make an alien thats so similar to an alien already in the game? Its a waste of an alien I say. The combat spider would be a bigger badder version of the blood spider right? If so I think this idea is kind of a waste, no offense intended to whoever came up with that idea, but it should be something thats not already in the game i think. Why not just modify the existing bloodspider? Right now they are not very deadly anyways, and they could look deadlier too.

 I see i'm not the only one that thinks a multiworm inspired alien would be a cool idea. If it can be done I think you guys should try it.

Hertzilla, I agree the smaller drones would be difficult to fight but there could be strategies around this. I know in x-com if you stun a multiworm it's spawns don't emerge. Also killing them with fire works well. Or maybe just blowing them to shit could work as well.

Geever, I understand you want the game to be original and not copying x-com but i don't think you should reject ideas so quickly just because they are inspired by x-com. X-com were very good games because of these ideas and since playing this game I went back to playing X-com apocalypse and found that it is so much more fun because of these ideas. I think this game should be original and something different than x-com, but so far from a tactical standpoint these aliens are boring to fight.
I think some of the best things tactically in x-com were the multiworms. And the brainsuckers that would hatch from dead alien's inventories unless you got to them in time. That and the stun and fire grenades. area damage.
Again, i dont think you should simply rip off these ideas but keep them in mind when making your new aliens because tactically thats exactly the kind of thing this game needs. Take those ideas and create something new from that.

Like maybe a flying alien that drops smaller aliens, or a vehicle that aliens can embark from unless you destroy it in time.
 Or maybe a multiworm inspired alien but you have 1 turn to destroy the eggs/drones/whatever before they hatch/activate.
Or maybe a quick stealthy type alien that has a strong chance of causing panic if it touches you.
Make players think about how they should go about thier missions instead of just shooting and taking cover.
anyways, thats my 2 cents for the day. good luck with the game.

4

Feature Requests / Re: Robots?

« on: March 20, 2011, 09:21:33 am »

i dont know about the other x-com games but in x-com apocalypse the robots were immune to the brainsuckers, at least the brainsuckers would just sit there and not attack unless there was humans or hybrids close by.

5

Artwork / Re: Alien bestiary

« on: March 18, 2011, 05:30:32 am »

my idea for the feral alien would be a cross between the Sheevar and the Breeder, although it wouldn't be a vehicle, it would be a humanoid alien capable of traveling anywhere on the map as it would not have big clunky tank tracks.

And my idea for the spitter alien would be like the breeder i guess, but it would be capable of psi control from a short to medium range depending if the shot hits and the mind level of the target.

I don't know, I think these are pretty valid ideas and they are different from everything else that's been talked about here.

6

Artwork / Re: Alien bestiary

« on: March 18, 2011, 05:21:49 am »

I have read all the posts. I'm just throwing ideas out there, didn't think it would hurt anything to brainstorm a little, different strokes for different folks i guess. I'm not so sure about the realism being thrown out the window on the spawning more creatures creature. There are lots of animals in the real world who carry their young with them. Many species of spiders, frogs, mammals, etc.. My idea was the creature would be carrying these smaller creatures inside of it, when destroyed the smaller creatures would emerge.
anyways, just throwing around ideas, sorry if I caused some sort of disruption.

Although my opinion is that there can be such a thing as too much realism. I mean really what do we know about realism anyhow? We do not know what kind of aliens there could be in the universe, why would it be so far fetched that there could be an alien which carries it's young inside of it? Or an alien that spits? If a spitting alien is unrealistic then I guess a spitting cobra is too?

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Discussion / Re: Wheres all the aliens?

« on: March 18, 2011, 05:08:38 am »

thanks, I figured as much but I thought I'd throw it out there.

8

Artwork / Re: List of wanted concepts for new aliens??

« on: March 17, 2011, 09:28:07 pm »

yea i've seen that. Is that the only list around? Seems kind of short. Anyways thanks.

9

Artwork / Re: Alien bestiary

« on: March 17, 2011, 09:26:08 pm »

I'm interested in designing some new aliens in flat 2D concept artwork to later be made into 3D working models. I would like to work with someone who knows how to make 3D models and would like to make them based on my concept art. If anyone's interested let me know.

Some ideas I have are inspired by XCom Apocalypse.
Such as the giant slug alien that when killed spawned several smaller alien slugs. It doesn't have to be a slug, but I always liked the idea of killing an enemy only to have it spawn several more to kill. This always required special strategy in the game like using grenades or fire.

Another xcom inspired idea is "the spitter". It was this humanoid alien with a giant funnel for a head that could shoot some sort of acid. I was thinking on a more realistic approach to this alien. Something more inspired by a spitting cobra or something similar. Something with a real head anyhow.. and spit that had some sort of special property to it, like psi control, or stunning or something like that. Maybe the spit has an area of damage?

Another idea I had was a feral alien. In one of the UFO AI research reports it says that the aliens became unintelligent and primal when seperated from the hive mind. My idea is to have an alien who is completely feral, wild and unpredictable. Very quick and agile. I was thinking of some sort of gland on the hands of this alien, when the victim is grabbed or touched by the alien he could be killed, stunned, psi controlled, etc... by a special substance leaked through the gland and absorbed through the victims skin and/or armor. This alien would need to be killed from range, and would not want to be fought via melee. Although these aliens would be rather weak, they would be quick with lots of turn points and could jump around a corner or off a rooftop and grab a soldier. Very sneaky.

And flying.
I don't have any real design ideas yet for this alien but I was also thinking of some sort of flying alien. Something that could fly and shoot would be ideal. Maybe just an alien with a jetpack.? Can soldiers acquire suits capable of flight in UFO AI? I haven't seen that yet, but i havn't completed the game.

Anyways, my ideas for the new aliens serve to diversify the ranks a little. Instead of just having aliens with guns or aliens with melee abilities. Specialized aliens with special appearances and special jobs within the alien army.  I was thinking these new aliens would be a product of the perverse and twisted bio experiments on other alien species, kind of like the ortnok, i like that idea.
I also like the idea of an alien tank of sorts. But less tank like and more mech like? Something that wouldn't be restricted by huge tracks or wheels simply because I don't think aliens would make that kind of thing. But a half machine-alien is cool for sure. Something biomechanical.

So does anyone know where i can post my artwork? Here? there? anywhere? Let me know if ya know, thanks.

10

Discussion / Re: Wheres all the aliens?

« on: March 17, 2011, 08:36:08 pm »

ok thanks. So does that mean there is no official list of aliens that are wanted for the game? I can just come up with whatever i want? I kind of wanted to have a few clues as to what kind of alien would be put in the game so I don't spend a lot of time drawing something that can never be used.
I'm a graphic designer and I am interested in doing 2D concept art that would later be made into 3D models, animations, etc.. I have no clue how to make 3D models and no time to learn.

If anyone out there is interested in working with me on new aliens that knows how to make 3D models based on my concept art let me know.

I've been thinking of a few aliens inspired by X-Com apocalypse.
Like the giant slug that when killed spawned several smaller slugs, and also the spitter alien who could spit some sort of harmful bacteria, venom, acid, what have you..

heres a link to some photos from the game, the spitter is in there too.
I was thinking of a more realistic approach to the spitter, more inspired by a spitting cobra or something, a feral kind of alien.

http://lparchive.org/X-COM-Apocalypse/Update%2021/

The ideas i have are aliens that are mostly created through biomechanics, sort of like the ortnok, beings created and cloned by the aliens to fill out and diversify thier army.

Does anyone know how I might go about sending my artwork? Which forum page?
thanks

11

Artwork / List of wanted concepts for new aliens??

« on: March 17, 2011, 04:19:14 am »

Hey, I've been looking for a list of new aliens that are wanted, anybody know where i could find that? I would like to do some concept art for them but i need to know what is wanted first.

12

Discussion / Re: Wheres all the aliens?

« on: March 17, 2011, 04:15:21 am »

Could you please direct me to a list of aliens wanted for the game possibly?

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Discussion / Re: Wheres all the aliens?

« on: March 17, 2011, 12:22:44 am »

Really? oh that sucks. Is there anyone working on concepts for more aliens? I didn't see a demand for it in the lists. I'm a graphic artist and I'd be interested in submitting some concept art for alien species. Is there any specific things that are wanted in the new alien races? Where can I send the images I create and would jpg format be ok for concept art? I am not familiar with creating 3d working models or anything like that, just 2D concept art.
thanks

14

Discussion / Wheres all the aliens?

« on: March 16, 2011, 06:06:49 am »

Is there a certain thing I gotta research or do before I start seeing aliens other than Ortoks, blood spiders and the blue guys? Cause i've been playing for a while now, im just about to produce a dragonship thing, but i havn't seen anything but those 3 species of aliens.

15

Feature Requests / Re: Sprinting feature

« on: March 15, 2011, 11:22:11 pm »

I love this idea. I seem to remember being able to run or something in XCom Apocalypse. I could be wrong though..
I can't say how many times Ive played a map and my soldiers are placed on the far side of the map and all the aliens are hiding in thier ship all the way on the opposite side of the map. When this happens I waste like 10mins sometimes just walking to where the action is.
But sprint would also be a cool strategy to have.
..plus it just kind of makes sense that a soldier has the ability to run dont you think?