Messages

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Discussion / Re: UFO:ai the novel - update and feedback thread

« on: January 07, 2015, 04:41:50 pm »

It sure does - firedance are pretty thorough with that sort of thing Fingers crossed this means good quality control! 

Of course, the game grows at the pace the real world allows it to, that's fair enough - if the book takes off and there's an influx of interest I hope there'll be some high quality additions to the team, or at least more people on multiplayer to massacre

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Discussion / Re: UFO:ai the novel - update and feedback thread

« on: December 30, 2014, 04:26:46 pm »

Well, 5-6 weeks may have been optimistic - but we've now got our second structural edit back!

This means we're almost nearly about to be ready to go for an early January release. Just have a few last things to iron out, like when and how we can help marketing the game and stuff.

As ever - any questions or suggestions can go here or to either of our email addresses 

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Discussion / Re: UFO:ai the novel - update and feedback thread

« on: August 21, 2014, 11:26:16 pm »

Thanks IMBACORE! I really appreciate that - any help in the run up to the launch (as I expect you know!) has a big effect.

I'll have to add your LPs to my to-watch list immediately

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Discussion / UFO:ai the novel - update and feedback thread

« on: August 08, 2014, 04:43:33 pm »

For the uninitiated

The first UFOAI book, "Hive Mind" written by Gary and Christy Bonn (that's me) is to be published in January. This is the first book in a series of three (maybe more if you like them). Many of you have read the rough first draft - there are many more chapters and events now.
 
We are writing free parallel chapters (to show you what's happening behind the scenes of Hive Mind) - you can take a look at the first. This is in response to Amazon refusing to allow us to distribute free to the UFOAI people unless Amazon get exclusive distribution. Instead, we'll set it at minimum price (about $0.99) one day before the official launch - and give you plenty of warning.

Meanwhile, our artists are coming up with cover design roughs. We'd appreciate your comments on these too. If you feel they're in keeping with the aesthetic of the game and the feel of the book (or not!) do tell us. You can refer to them by number from left to right.

Thanks to everyone for the help choosing the cover by the way!

We're also looking for pre-release reviewers. In return for an honest review (posted to Amazon - and Goodreads, if you have an account there), we'll give you a free download of Expect Civilian Casualties as a thank you. If you do want to do us this favor - it's on the understanding you don't freely spread your copy all over the internet we need to convince the publisher, Amazon, flashwords, Kobo etc that this series is worthwhile, and the only language they speak is sales figures (even if it's $0.99 a sale for you guys )

If you have any questions, comments, or suggestions, please contact us through http://garybonn.com/ or leave a post here.

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Discussion / Re: Base Transfer gone wrong... A situation where all you can do is laugh...

« on: October 19, 2013, 04:16:56 pm »

I *like* 2.5... although during study jams my flatmates seem not to be too happy when I suddenly burst out laughing having wiped out my entire team with a mis-click. I'll convert them though.

The best parts are when you think you're taking a calculated risk with the grenade launcher - like taking out a certain ortnok sniper through a small window - when something totally unaccounted for happens instead - like a sudden burst of reaction fire from an unseen enemy breaking the glass you were hoping to bounce 'nades off and suddenly all the civilians are plasma-cooked...

heh.

Oh wait, I'm supposed to be trying to win or something, aren't I...

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Discussion / Re: The UFOFic project thread: Getting Published. Also, cover competition anyone?

« on: August 12, 2013, 04:54:48 pm »

Ah, ninja'd. This is what happens when I update a few days late

One day I'll raid my uncle's game collection and actually play the old XCOMs, instead of just reading about them.

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Discussion / Re: The UFOFic project thread: Getting Published. Also, cover competition anyone?

« on: July 10, 2013, 09:19:03 pm »

If we're lucky, he might get rained on.

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Discussion / Re: The UFOFic project thread: Getting Published. Also, cover competition anyone?

« on: July 08, 2013, 09:09:27 pm »

Haven't we Grown the Beard yet? Ugh. One would've hoped that by now we'd have got there

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Discussion / Re: The UFOFic project thread: Getting Published. Also, cover competition anyone?

« on: July 08, 2013, 12:13:24 am »

Forget about you? Never! Forget about actually editing in the updates after giving the link to the host page... Maybe

Good news is the saga continues, and no sign of sequel decay (tvtropes warning) yet. We hope...

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Discussion / Re: disappearing posts?

« on: May 28, 2013, 05:03:36 pm »

I thought that was just my laptop being daft. At least the Korpiklaani link survived!

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Discussion / Re: The UFOFic project thread: Getting Published. Also, cover competition anyone?

« on: May 28, 2013, 05:02:36 pm »

You can be real if you want to be, but you have to find a blue fairy or something first.

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Discussion / Re: The UFOFic project news and feedback thread: Book one all online!

« on: May 27, 2013, 07:02:13 pm »

List updated. Also...

Cover competition. This is going to be a real book, so it'll need real graphics for real people to look at. If you're interested - ping Gary an email or PM.

Details to come.

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Discussion / Re: The UFOFic project news and feedback thread: Book one all online!

« on: May 06, 2013, 12:41:04 am »

Those are very small numbers, wonder if one could put them down to spelling errors?

Häkkinen's easy, it's Räikkönen I always have problems with. Keep wanting to put an umlaut/diaphoresis/(whatever they are in this context) over the i and e...

Ah, Finland, where would the world be without gems like these?

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Discussion / Re: The UFOFic project news and feedback thread: Book one all online!

« on: April 29, 2013, 02:13:22 pm »

Mikka's a real name. The spelling "Mika" has been traditionally scandinavian - look at Mika Häkkinen for example. It sounds cool to me, anyway.

Much better for a PHALANX commander than some of the bizarre names UFO sometimes generates, although they tend to become one's favourite soldiers in game

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Discussion / Re: A few complaints

« on: April 21, 2013, 05:13:40 pm »

Yeah the pre story isn't perfectly polished yet - although that's cool, rather have great gameplay and a dodgy story than the opposite

This might have been discussed to death, but it's pretty fascinating still;

The first attacks in Mumbai and Bonn showed an entirely different military paradigm - I would assume the aliens were equipped with endgame armour and weapons as well as top notch psychic powers. It wouldn't be unreasonable that they're using powerful weapons of mass destruction either. Add the fact that the ability to jam and decrypt all of our communications and we're left with not an army but groups of disconnected soldiers who don't know where anything is, don't understand the enemy and probably haven't fought in any prolonged conflict given Earth's peaceful state.

Why the aliens lose all their gear, cohesion and strategy by the time the game starts is probably some cool mystery to be worked out later. It also seems like they've never had particularly good intel about humanity's organisation. They just turned up, saw some large cities and thought "That looks like fun.". Possibly got some XVI going too, and left that to finish the job. The actual government and military weren't really threats to that goal anyway. The subsequent raids are probably just to distract humanity from the other activity.

PHALANX's personnel are the absolute elite, have communications that the aliens can't mess with and know enough about them to identify and exploit their sudden weaknesses.

I know that doesn't address everything, but those are my suggestions for now

Do bear in mind I've only played 2.4 through to the end (Looking forward to having my mind blown by 2.5 full release!).