I still remember the first time i discovered UFO:X-COM or what exactly was it called. About fifteen years ago.. I spent many, many nights with my computer, cold sweat running down my spine, trying to survive.
I really do not know what it was that made this game so captivating; i mean graphics was inferior, even for that time; UI was terrible, requiring gazillions of mouseclicks; sound.. i never got it to work properly.
So i started to dream about what this game should look like. I dreamt a lot that time. And i wrote things down, very detailed. And i realised, with much, much sorrow, that i'll never going to see that game.
Many years passed, every once and a while i digged UFO out, played some, and dreamt again. It still is my favorite game, no other has given such feeling. But some joy is lost, because it is not what i dream about.
Last week i stumbled upon UfoAI (2.2). So i took a look.
Beautiful. Starting with installer - just beautiful. Not too many programs for linux contain decent installers.
Battlescape is EXCACTLY as i had visioned. Bullseye. 100% and some more. This isometric look-a-like 3D - just brilliant. First person view - super. Many thanks to developers who made it work. Special thanks to artists who have extremely well captured the cartoonish feel of original xcom but done that very subtly. So as i read from forums that lots of graphics is reworked, im kinda doubtful - is it possible to make even better or does it ruin some feeling? Time will tell.
Only one thing is that freaks the hell out of me - crouching. I certainly hope that this is well known problem, only temporary and never-again-seen in current development version, but really, are those soldiers making a poo onto battlefield? No soldier will squat like this if he has to aim and shoot. This position gives no stabilty, only good bowel movement. While shooting low, always one knee on the ground, elbow of gunsupporting hand onto another, raised knee, and your gun is not wobbling anymore.
I do realise why such effect came into play, its all about additional coding and artwork vs more important problems, right? So dont take it badly.
I would really play it even as it is (still talking about 2.2). I'd really like to. But i cannot.
Because i have children, and core team clearly has none. Or they would not make declarations like "battlescape save will never-ever happen". Not to mention that it is seriously hypocritical to talk about "exploiting save" and "breaking the feel of terror", while having large REPLAY button at the end of mission. Yes, i certainly believe that it is one helluva lots of hard work to code properly, but not impossible.
So perhaps in fifteen? years we shall meet again. Certainly hope so. Godspeed.
But meanwhile, a boys dream has come true. Thank you all. Sniff.
