EvaUnit02 on 14/5/2013 at 11:55
Quote Posted by faetal
but it's sad that the really cool alien concepts from the previous iteration have been ditched in favour of the ones from the turn based game, since they're clearly chasing tie-in dollars.
I'd say that they went for the traditional XCOM alien gallery because they had taken consumer outcry to heart. Both 2010 and 2011 builds of The Bureau were dragged kicking and screaming over hot coals.
Actually it's nice for a change to see a AAA publisher embrace fan feedback to the point that they would completely change the direction of a multi-million dollar budgeted game. Other publishers would've just moved forward regardless of the pre-release reception. Eg EA with Syndicate FPS.
faetal on 14/5/2013 at 11:59
I guess that's a better way to look at it.
What I could have said instead is that it's sad that some of the cool concepts they had in the earlier iterations might end up dead on the cutting room floor.
[EDIT] As also mentioned above, perhaps they took Syndicate's failure as a warning against straight FPS conversions.
N'Al on 14/5/2013 at 12:26
Problem is the 2010 and 2011 iterations were dragged 'kicking and screaming over hot coals' for not being a TBS game, NOT for not having any good ideas of their own.* Ok, they were to a certain extent, but that formed a much smaller part of the overall complaints.
Now it seems they've gone too far in 'embracing fan feedback' and are dismissing early ideas for all the wrong reasons. Ah, well, I'm still going to give it a chance, but I won't lie I liked the original idea much more.
Two ways this could've all been avoided:
* 2K accounce/release Firaxis' game first, then announce 2K Marin's shooter. People interested in the shooter would've been looking forward to it (with or without the XCOM branding), others would've simply ignored it.
* Shut down the internet.
* Triple negative, I know, but bear with it.
icemann on 14/5/2013 at 13:08
It's all risk analysis type stuff, and the games industry nowadays is very risk aversive unless your a small indie company. So sequels to existing franchises - tick, experimenting with new game styles - cross.
Personally I'm looking forward to playing the fan made recreation or mod of the 2010 build in 10 or so years, or better yet if fans get their hands on the source of it and fill in the blanks. Much like what is currently in the works for Resident Evil 1.5. VERY similar situation.
Till then it's this new style only.
faetal on 14/5/2013 at 13:16
In this thread, icemann is all about the long game.
I can understand the whole risk-averse thing, what with e.g. THQ folding and what not.
It's a standard product of the industry being share-holder owned. The ONLY obligation is to increase market value - everything else is secondary. No one wants sleeper hits / cult classics - they want cash-prize-money.
EvaUnit02 on 14/5/2013 at 13:39
Quote Posted by N'Al
Now it seems they've gone too far in 'embracing fan feedback' and are dismissing early ideas for all the wrong reasons. Ah, well, I'm still going to give it a chance, but I won't lie I liked the original idea much more.
The original concept was still essentially a glorified Bioshock mod. Going on X-Files-esque investigations to unearth aliens hiding in Norman Rockwell suburbia? Great. I'm still doing research by taking photos and my shotgun is a reskin from Rapture.
N'Al on 14/5/2013 at 13:49
Still sounds more interesting to me.
Then again, to be fair, that isn't what the original X-Com was about; it's rather more like X-Files, as you (and icemann) said.
faetal on 14/5/2013 at 14:02
I kind of liked the idea that the other XCOM has set this game free to be something more stand-alone. While it looks like it will still be very cool, I'm kind of slightly disappointed that they decided to go for a tie-in.
I guess the proof will be in the pudding though, as with all things. It's kind of making me want to play XCOM again.
icemann on 14/5/2013 at 14:10
Something tells me we'll see a weapon upgrade system similar to Mass Effect's. Hope not. Wonder if the levels are dynamic or done linearly on a straight forward storyline.
I did read something on AusGamers that you got to pick where you headed to next.
Quote Posted by faetal
In this thread, icemann is all about the long game.
I can understand the whole risk-averse thing, what with e.g. THQ folding and what not.
It's a standard product of the industry being share-holder owned. The ONLY obligation is to increase market value - everything else is secondary. No one wants sleeper hits / cult classics - they want cash-prize-money.
It's a sad fact of the world these days, when you have to look to kickstarter and indie companies just to get a little innovation.
faetal on 14/5/2013 at 14:15
Yeah. The irony of course being that innovation will eventually be seen as a market to capture by the big companies. I foresee many indie operations getting absorbed.
But yeah, KS etc... are great.
Re The Bureau - I can imagine that the levels will at least partly be pre-designed, based on what they say in the video. Perhaps they might have a few procedural ones for any random / recurring / sandbox components which might exist alongside the storyline stuff though. Who knows.
