Hard Light Productions Forums

Off-Topic Discussion => Arts & Talents => Topic started by: Sheepy on July 09, 2003, 03:45:30 pm

Title: Nothing special
Post by: Sheepy on July 09, 2003, 03:45:30 pm
But its my new wallpaper

clicky (http://www.fattonys.com/images/upload/planets1.jpg)

Comments?
Title: Nothing special
Post by: Nico on July 09, 2003, 04:52:51 pm
looks like a pic out of the first Xcom game intro :)
Title: Nothing special
Post by: Sheepy on July 10, 2003, 04:53:02 am
Is that a good or bad thing?
Title: Nothing special
Post by: mikhael on July 10, 2003, 09:23:59 am
Nothing related to XCom is a good thing, unless you're one of the brainwashed masses.

On the other hand, that looks reasonably groovy for a background.
Title: Nothing special
Post by: Sheepy on July 10, 2003, 09:41:44 am
Never played X-Com so i wouldnt of known, and thanks :D
Title: Nothing special
Post by: Taristin on July 10, 2003, 10:16:34 am
Hehe...

My desktop (http://freespace.volitionwatch.com/us/images/mods/snipes/ferrari3kgt.jpg)
Title: Nothing special
Post by: Nico on July 10, 2003, 10:37:02 am
It's a good thing.

Quote
Originally posted by mikhael
Nothing related to XCom is a good thing, unless you're one of the brainwashed masses.

On the other hand, that looks reasonably groovy for a background.


see? Mike doesn't like Xcom, so it gotta be a good thing :p
Title: Nothing special
Post by: Nico on July 10, 2003, 10:40:41 am
Quote
Originally posted by Raa Tor'h
Hehe...

My desktop (http://freespace.volitionwatch.com/us/images/mods/snipes/ferrari3kgt.jpg)


mine (http://www.swooh.com/premium/venom/reallifestuff/Tenjou_Tenge_Aya_Wall.jpg)  :p
Title: Nothing special
Post by: mikhael on July 10, 2003, 03:45:36 pm
Quote
Originally posted by Venom


mine (http://www.swooh.com/premium/venom/reallifestuff/Tenjou_Tenge_Aya_Wall.jpg)  :p


I think that is my new desktop. :D

My old one was a very nice Matrix Sentinel model, but the server I got it from is down.
Title: Nothing special
Post by: mikhael on July 10, 2003, 03:54:36 pm
Quote
Originally posted by Venom
It's a good thing.
see? Mike doesn't like Xcom, so it gotta be a good thing :p


I don't like pretty much ANY strategy game except those in the Civilisation/Alpha Centauri line (only the Sid Meier ones tho!). Xcom and all RTS games are about TACTICS, not STRATEGY. I also don't like realtime game play except in FPS style games.
Title: Nothing special
Post by: Nico on July 10, 2003, 03:58:44 pm
? Xcom is turn based, you know... anyway, I don't see the relevancy between my little joke and the difference between strategy and tactics ( which, to beotians such as me, is really obscure - the difference, I mean ) ;)
Title: Nothing special
Post by: mikhael on July 10, 2003, 08:50:22 pm
Quote
Originally posted by Venom
? Xcom is turn based, you know... anyway, I don't see the relevancy between my little joke and the difference between strategy and tactics ( which, to beotians such as me, is really obscure - the difference, I mean ) ;)


I know Xcom is turn based, it still doesn't appeal. It just means it appeals slightmore than RTS games. ;)

Strategy defined:
Quote

The science and art of military command as applied to the overall planning and conduct of large-scale combat operations.


Tactics defined:
Quote

The military science that deals with securing objectives set by strategy, especially the technique of deploying and directing troops, ships, and aircraft in effective maneuvers against an enemy.


Real time "strategy" games are about tactics. You almost never control the STRATEGY of the conflict. Tactics cover what you do on the battlefield itself. Strategy covers how you manage deployments and resources and pick the battles throughout the whole theatre of a conflict.

4X games (Explore, Expand, Exploit, Exterminate) like Masters of Orion, Civilisation, Pax Imperia, Stars!, and every other empire building game are Strategy games. Xcom is a tactical game, as is Fallout Tactics (appropriately named), and all of the StarCraft/WarCraft/RedAlert/C&C games.

In the case of Pax Imperia and Master of Orion, you also control tactics of each of the battlefields.
Title: Nothing special
Post by: Anaz on July 11, 2003, 01:03:40 am
starcraft, warcraft, red aleart, & various other C&C games aren't about tactics, they're about mindlessly mobbing of the enemy :hopping:

Turn-based tactics & strategy games rock. Period.
Title: Nothing special
Post by: Ace on July 11, 2003, 01:11:48 am
MOO3=Teh devil!

*sigh* I honestly hate how much they butchered the game, claiming that they were removing 'evil Sid Meier micromanagement' and returning to the MOO1 roots. Well it looked like MOO1 and played like Excel :p

What Excel isn't the greatest space empire sim ever? Tell that to Quicksilver...
Title: Nothing special
Post by: Nico on July 11, 2003, 01:58:02 am
Quote
Originally posted by mikhael

[...]


still, I don't see what's bad in Xcom ( 'cept it's very old now and don't run on my comp anymore ), and I don't see the link bteween that tactic/strategy thing and the original subject of that thread :)
Btw, you probably hate it, but I've bought Frozen Throne ( Warcraft3 addon ) and it ownz.
Title: Nothing special
Post by: Turnsky on July 11, 2003, 01:58:33 am
Quote
Originally posted by Venom


Btw, you probably hate it, but I've bought Frozen Throne ( Warcraft3 addon ) and it ownz.


:nod:
Title: Nothing special
Post by: Terawatt_99 on July 11, 2003, 01:12:39 pm
mikhael, based on your description of the differences between strategy and tactics, it seems to me that strategy is a more appropriate description for X-com, since earth is your theater of operations, you decide how many troops and what equipment/vehicles to send to battles (macromanagement), you can explore by researching alien technologies, and use them against the aliens in order to exterminate the threat.  As well, you can expand, by building more bases and recruiting more soldiers to get better coverage of your thater of operations.

Quote
The science and art of military command as applied to the overall planning and conduct of large-scale combat operations.

while i agree that there is a large ammount of tactics involved in the game, i feel that X-com actually fits quite nicely into your definition of strategy, since you are manageing virtually every aspect of a multinational military force organised to defend the entire planet from an alien threat.

(also, just to note, i am speaking based on my intricate knowledge of only the first two games, after that, the series went to ****)

edit:lol, i totally forgot what i meant to post after writing all that, cool pic sheepy :D:yes:
Title: Nothing special
Post by: Zeronet on July 11, 2003, 01:27:31 pm
My wallpaper :D (http://www.odeauk.fsnet.co.uk/mike/zerodesktop.JPG)
Title: Nothing special
Post by: mikhael on July 11, 2003, 01:39:48 pm
Quote
Originally posted by Venom


still, I don't see what's bad in Xcom ( 'cept it's very old now and don't run on my comp anymore ), and I don't see the link bteween that tactic/strategy thing and the original subject of that thread :)
Btw, you probably hate it, but I've bought Frozen Throne ( Warcraft3 addon ) and it ownz.


I just don't like Xcom because the whole tactical combat thing. Or the theme. It didn't grab me. Its a taste issue.

I don't hate Warcraft, really. I just don't like it. Warcraft3 I just looked at and went "oh look. its warcraft. meh--hey mail from Elan about things in Deus Ex 2 and hey, its my turn again in Alpha Centauri!" If it helps, I dislike games like Everquest and Asheron's Call and Anarchy Online, too. I'm very narrow in my tastes.
Title: Nothing special
Post by: Ulala on July 11, 2003, 08:38:37 pm
How about Star Wars: Galaxies? :D X-Com UFO Defense and Terror From the Deep are classics, they were like the first computer games I ever saw played (save the original Command & Conquer). XC:UFO is a great game I think, just gettin' old. I wonder if it'll even run on my computer anymore... *goes and looks for the disc*
Title: Re: Nothing special
Post by: J.F.K. on July 12, 2003, 05:29:07 am
Quote
Originally posted by Sheepy
Comments?


"Sublime". :)