[360/PC/PS3] XCOM: Enemy Unknown

[TiLT]

•   AI teleport bug fix
o   Minimizes the bug where aliens teleport into the middle of a player’s squad

See? The bug did exist. It's very rare, only occuring once an entire game, maybe once every two games. I've only played through twice, but I had it happen once in each play through.

Nice to see it fixed.

Quoted for TILT.

Why? I've seen this bug in action too. What's your point exactly?

[jztemple2]

FYI for folks... I haven't finished my first campaign, so when I tried to start another campaign, here are the only Second Wave options offered:



And for those wondering, here is a list of all the options plus descriptions from GameInformer:

    Damage Roulette: Weapons have a wider range of damage.
    New Economy: Randomized council member funding.
    Not Created Equally: Rookies will have random starting stats.
    Hidden Potential: As a soldier is promoted, stats increase randomly.
    Red Fog: Combat wounds will degrade the soldier’s mission stats.
    Absolutely Critical: A flanking shot guarantees a critical hit.
    The Greater Good: Psionics can only be learned from interrogating a psionic alien.
    Marathon: The game takes considerably longer to complete.
    Results Driven: A country offers less funding as its panic level increases.
    High Stakes: Random rewards for stopping alien abductions.
    Diminishing Returns: Increased cost of satellite construction.
    More Than Human: The psionic gift is extremely rare.

[Ralph-Wiggum]

I think there are actually additional options from the ones listed above that open up if you beat the game on Impossible (something about Elirium having a half-life and one where funding levels drop every month).

[Blackjack]

RPS tracked down Jake Solomon for some comments (the publisher's forums on X-COM have basically become devoid of any official info in recent months):

Solomon Vows: Firaxis on XCOM’s Second Wave Add-On
http://www.rockpapershotgun.com/2013/01/08/solomon-vows-firaxis-on-xcoms-second-wave-add-on/

Jake Solomon: It’s sort of like the Iron Man option, but there are sixteen options in total and they just sort of change the way that the game plays. When it goes live, you’ll automatically get four new options to play the game and there are 12 other options that unlock if you beat the game on normal, classic and impossible. And it’s retroactive, so if you’ve already beaten the game it will recognise that and unlock all the other options as well.
...
RPS: So you need to have beaten all three difficulty settings to get all the new options? I’m not sure I can ever finish it on Impossible.

Jake Solomon: Right, and I’m typically not a big fan of unlocks, but the reason why we decided to do that is that the ones that are behind Classic and especially Impossible are really, really punishing. The idea with the unlocks behind Impossible are… Well, I said this about Impossible and it turned out not to be true. People have beaten impossible Iron Man, but this time, I’m telling you, it really won’t be about beating the game but rather it’s supposed to be like a roguelike. It’s a little more like Dwarf Fortress, like how long you can survive not that you can beat the game. I say that knowing full well somebody will beat the game with those options unlocked.
...
The idea for Second Wave came about really, really late in the project – well past alpha, well past beta probably. ...

So we were right at the end and I was sort of running out of things to do, so I was reading comments, and honestly it was probably RPS, but people were worried about how the original did something and it doesn't sound like this game would. I started thinking, 'well, this stuff's not actually that hard to give to people.' So I started working on this Second Wave thing really, really late in the project, and the idea was never to release it with the core game, but to release it later.

Some of those options are meant to mimic the original game in that they're more unpredictable. Things like weapons have a wider range of damage, rookies have random starting stats, their stats will increase randomly. Marathon mode at least doubles the length of the game, if not triples. So things that can give you a little bit more of the feel of the original game.

Oh, as Ralph-Wiggum pointed out above:

And once you’ve completed the game on Impossible difficulty (which seems something of a contradiction):
War Weariness: Funding goes down over time.
E-115: Elerium degrades over time.
Total Loss: Lose all soldier gear upon death.
Alternate Sources: The power source cost to build facilities increases dramatically.

RPS plans another interview with Solomon that's more of a post-mortem on the game and a look to the future.

My impression is the game sold well but not Spectacularly. Hopefully though, well enough that turn-based squad strategy games won't be a pariah anymore. 

[KC]

I'm about to start the final assault mission of the game.  Should I staff my team with more support members to take advantage of their multiple medkits? Is it important to have more than 1 psi soldier? Also, has anyone used a Shiv on the final mission?

[The Rocketman]

I always wish I have more medikits, but I completed it on Classic with 1 support guy. So not necessary, but always handy.
A shiv might be interesting, because there might be just a bit of mind control fun going on
1 psi soldier is enough, just be sure to protect him/her!

[KC]

Just finished the game and loved it.  Loved the atmosphere and tension.  During the final boss fight, my colonel uber-sniper had a perfect headshot lined up . . . and missed.  I had to charge with one my Support team to deliver the killing shot.

Minor spoilers below for some minor comment/unfulfilled wishes:

Spoiler for Hiden:

1. The end reminded me of Star Trek II. I guess the sequel can have us searching for the soldier who sacrificed himself.

2.  Would it have killed them to include a medal award ceremony at the end like in Star Wars? Look Ma, I save the world and all I got was to watch the ending credits!

3.  I wish that there were more weapons/armor/accessory types. Not a crazy lots like Diablo, but more toys to play and experiment.

Don't get me wrong, I did love the game.

[EddieA]

Firaxis may be teasing a sequel or expansion at PAX.

[Turtle]

Expansion most likely. They love expansions.

[TiLT]

Now we'll just have to speculate on whether this is a variant of Terror From the Deep, or something else entirely.

[CeeKay]

Now we'll just have to speculate on whether this is a variant of Terror From the Deep, or something else entirely.

Didn't X-Com Apocalypse have aliens from another dimension that appeared and disappeared quickly?

[siege]

http://ign.com/videos/2013/03/23/xcom-enemy-unknown-ipad-tour

Xcom coming to iOS this summer. Interestingly enough, it's the complete version with only some maps missing.

[Bullwinkle]

http://ign.com/videos/2013/03/23/xcom-enemy-unknown-ipad-tour

Xcom coming to iOS this summer. Interestingly enough, it's the complete version with only some maps missing.

I don't think you understand the word "complete"

[siege]

http://ign.com/videos/2013/03/23/xcom-enemy-unknown-ipad-tour

Xcom coming to iOS this summer. Interestingly enough, it's the complete version with only some maps missing.

I don't think you understand the word "complete"

Obviously not the word I should have used but you know what I meant.

[Bullwinkle]

http://ign.com/videos/2013/03/23/xcom-enemy-unknown-ipad-tour

Xcom coming to iOS this summer. Interestingly enough, it's the complete version with only some maps missing.

I don't think you understand the word "complete"

Obviously not the word I should have used but you know what I meant.

True, but when the snarky comment is served on a platter, you don't wait for the napkin.

[jztemple2]

And with that, a new sig file message 

[Bullwinkle]

Ha!  Well, that made my day.