Firaxis + XCOM, that is all.

nicked on 6/1/2012 at 20:12

But this one does the same thing only better:

Inline Image:

http://24.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_lx6o3iiyAu1qdunk8o1_500.gif

Not sure yet what to make of this. On the one hand, turn-based proper XCOM, yay! On the other, there are some horrifying words like "reimagining" being bandied about... :p

Neb on 6/1/2012 at 21:07

X-COM was entirely about game play. Aside from a better interface and improved graphics, I don't see what the purpose of not reimagining it would be.

Jason Moyer on 6/1/2012 at 21:17

I kinda hope they take the approach they did with Pirates! where it was basically a remastered version of the original with a handful of new features thrown in.

demagogue on 6/1/2012 at 21:34

@Neb, half your post reads like there's no need for a reimagining (aside from graphics and UI) just keep the gameplay; the other half reads like of course it's going to be reimagined, there's "no reason not to". To clarify, did you mean that double-negative in that second sense?

Obviously it's not going to be a straight port from the original just with updated graphics & UI. Too many of the original mechanics are just very dated ... the ship-to-ship encounters have to be redone; the locations & events were very abstracted (a lot of things were dots on a map with properties and half the game you're just clicking menus); the land-encounters need to be overhauled even keeping the basic turn-based approach. So there has to be some reimagining going on somewhere. That doesn't have to mean it has to dumb stuff down, though it'd be admittedly unfortunate if they meant it as a euphemism for that.

Neb on 6/1/2012 at 22:57

My brain is leaking out of my ears right now so I had to reread my post.

I meant that if they were making an X-COM true to the original then I would most want improved interface design and artistic/graphical improvements. Since it was a game with mechanics mostly driven by concept, and had no story or plot to get engrossed in, wouldn't a sequel do well to freshen things up a bit by altering the concept? Maybe even if it's just based on science fiction tropes that came after the 1950s.

It doesn't worry me at all that they might have thought through whether an X-COM game really needs abductions, classic flying saucer invasions, or any of what we have seen to actually tick. Heresy, I know, but there's so much that could be done with an alien threat and a whole geoscape, and I also like to think there are game designers out there who can thrive in dreaming up new appealing scenarios.

I can understand concern about "reimagine" being a euphemism for being so accessible that there's nothing really incredible to strive for, though.

icemann on 7/1/2012 at 05:12

You don't necessarily need an extensive story for a game to be made "better". Hell some games don't need a story at all to be good.

In XCOM the story is simple. The aliens are invading and your the head of a government agency assigned to stopping them. The rest you fill in with your imagination.

The end.

Which is all that was needed.

nicked on 7/1/2012 at 06:32

Yeah and the setting and flavour text did the rest. Thing is, if the gameplay is the same, but the setting and atmosphere is tied in to the FPS, will the basic gameplay really be enough to save it?

june gloom on 7/1/2012 at 10:30

It honestly does not look like it. The 2K game is decidedly 50s-ish whereas this much more resembles the ugly 90s sci-fi of the original.

icemann on 7/1/2012 at 10:38

Be interesting to see a game set in the 90s done nowadays. Specially after how much the worlds changed since then.

EvaUnit02 on 7/1/2012 at 11:55

Quote Posted by Matthew

I'll wear my CDTV T-shirt in honour of the occasion.

While I would prefer the original setting for this game, I wonder if it'll have to be tied-in to the FPS version's backstory for marketing purposes. I wouldn't have a huge problem with it I suppose, as long as Avengers are still in anyway. :p

Take a look at the promo artwork that's being used as a (http://www.gameinformer.com/b/news/archive/2012/01/05/february-cover-revealed-xcom-enemy-unknown.aspx) Game Informer cover. Sectoid, contemporary city setting, military man with a crewcut and a big fuck off assault rifle. Just the Sectoid and the soldier alone are pretty far removed from the Xcom FPS's Tron-like enemies and clean cut "G-man" intelligence agents; much more akin to the original UFO Defense actually.

P.S. Give the My Little Pony shit a rest already. What you do in the privacy of your own home is fine, just stop pelvic thrusting it into our faces.