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Off-Topic Discussion => Gaming Discussion => Topic started by: NGTM-1R on October 08, 2012, 06:30:41 pm

Title: HLPX-COM 3: A Very Firaxis Sequel
Post by: NGTM-1R on October 08, 2012, 06:30:41 pm
Well, it's that time again: time to play X-COM and get loads of forumites killed to no good purpose, and possibly save the world depending on how much and how badly I screw up. I promised to Let's Play this game when it came out, and against all good sense I'm gonna do it.

So we have four people from last time who never made it into HLPX-COM 2. Scourge of Ages, Talon 1024, esarai, and DireWolf volunteered to be cannon fodder back then, so they're going to be waist-deep in the madness that is X-COM now. In addition, there's the usual selection of people we're going to need, pilots, spare soldiers, a few research types. Oh and we're replacing Bradford, asshole doesn't know how to cover flanks, if somebody wants to man the floor in the war room, speak up.

Volunteers are encouraged to let me know their nationality so I can get it right if they're cannon fodder. No, I won't fix your gender or facial features. We'll talk about alternate armor kits when the game comes out, hopefully in the five hours Steam says it will.

The X-COM Roster

Soldiers
Scourge of Ages
Talon 1024
esarai
Direwolf
Polpolion
Pred The Penguin
crizza

Pilots
Dragon (Interceptor 1)

Base Personnel
Spoon (Tank Ops)
z64555 (Head of Technology)
Title: Re: HLPX-COM 3: A Very Firaxis Sequel
Post by: Dragon on October 08, 2012, 06:32:21 pm
Well, count me in as an interceptor pilot.
Title: Re: HLPX-COM 3: A Very Firaxis Sequel
Post by: Polpolion on October 08, 2012, 06:43:25 pm
dibs. also can I have a machine gun?
Title: Re: HLPX-COM 3: A Very Firaxis Sequel
Post by: Pred the Penguin on October 08, 2012, 07:01:08 pm
Aaahhh soldier!
Title: Re: HLPX-COM 3: A Very Firaxis Sequel
Post by: Spoon on October 08, 2012, 07:04:11 pm
Need a tank operator?
Title: Re: HLPX-COM 3: A Very Firaxis Sequel
Post by: crizza on October 08, 2012, 07:24:05 pm
Count me in, I'm german, although I don't know whats that good for...
Title: Re: HLPX-COM 3: A Very Firaxis Sequel
Post by: z64555 on October 08, 2012, 07:29:11 pm
I'll take up my old role as a researcher. Those mini-spoonzers fascinate me. :lol:
Title: Re: HLPX-COM 3: A Very Firaxis Sequel
Post by: Rodo on October 08, 2012, 07:33:40 pm
Cool!, I want in.

Name: Rodd
Nick: Rodo
Nationality: Argentinian
Role: Heavy
Title: Re: HLPX-COM 3: A Very Firaxis Sequel
Post by: NGTM-1R on October 08, 2012, 07:35:01 pm
Count me in, I'm german, although I don't know whats that good for...

The game actually has the soldier's nation-of-origin flag on their armor for at least some of the suits, so I'd like to get that right where possible.
Title: Re: HLPX-COM 3: A Very Firaxis Sequel
Post by: LHN91 on October 08, 2012, 07:45:07 pm
If there's still space, count me in wherever I may fit. I'm Canadian.
Title: Re: HLPX-COM 3: A Very Firaxis Sequel
Post by: Mort on October 08, 2012, 07:51:14 pm
Sign me up for cannon fodder. Doubt they have the Singaporean flag though
Title: Re: HLPX-COM 3: A Very Firaxis Sequel
Post by: SpardaSon21 on October 08, 2012, 07:54:28 pm
I'm in as an American assault trooper.  Let's shotgun some alien scum.
Title: Re: HLPX-COM 3: A Very Firaxis Sequel
Post by: FireSpawn on October 08, 2012, 08:09:47 pm
Sign me up as the overly polite and somewhat snobbish British sniper if you may, good sir.
Though I doubt they will, if there is an England flag rather than a GBR one I would prefer that.
Title: Re: HLPX-COM 3: A Very Firaxis Sequel
Post by: NGTM-1R on October 08, 2012, 08:27:27 pm
I can't guarantee a class (well, not without futzing with who's who after rookie), but I'll try.
Title: Re: HLPX-COM 3: A Very Firaxis Sequel
Post by: IronBeer on October 08, 2012, 08:39:13 pm
If you need the extra meat, go ahead and toss me in. Here's hoping I won't get zombified or teamkilled this time around- dying heroically (for what it's worth in XCOM) against the alien menace is more my cup of tea.

For Earth!

Callsign: IronBeer
Nationality; 'MURICAN
Spec: (No preference)
Title: Re: HLPX-COM 3: A Very Firaxis Sequel
Post by: redsniper on October 08, 2012, 09:07:08 pm
I'm in.
American.
Title: Re: HLPX-COM 3: A Very Firaxis Sequel
Post by: Scourge of Ages on October 08, 2012, 09:08:46 pm
Oh yeah, can't wait...
Just give me whatever flag feels appropriate, and a shotgun if possible. That should be enough. Heh. And a melee weapon when (if) available.
Title: Re: HLPX-COM 3: A Very Firaxis Sequel
Post by: DireWolf on October 08, 2012, 09:25:04 pm
When I die, all I want is for the High-Definition™ footage of my exploding cranium to become part of the HLP X-Com training films (and maybe a clone).

American, preferably armed with something that will bring me eye to eye with the enemy (while peering through a high powered scope).
Title: Re: HLPX-COM 3: A Very Firaxis Sequel
Post by: StarSlayer on October 08, 2012, 10:44:38 pm
Once more into the breach.

Nationality:
'Murica

Any oh-three MOS will do.
Title: Re: HLPX-COM 3: A Very Firaxis Sequel
Post by: Scotty on October 09, 2012, 12:17:07 am
Pilot.  Of course.  No one here has as many sorties, kills, and flight hours as I do. :D

EDIT: First priority is Interceptor pilot, but I'll take the Skyranger if you need one.
Title: Re: HLPX-COM 3: A Very Firaxis Sequel
Post by: KyadCK on October 09, 2012, 12:22:10 am
Put me on the front lines!

American.
Title: Re: HLPX-COM 3: A Very Firaxis Sequel
Post by: Droid803 on October 09, 2012, 12:25:42 am
Oh oh! I'll man the floor in the war room! :D
Title: Re: HLPX-COM 3: A Very Firaxis Sequel
Post by: JGZinv on October 09, 2012, 12:37:01 am
I want something that is pilotable and blows stuff up....    :pimp:

American of course.

(http://www.smiley-lol.com/smiley/deplacer/militaires/chartire.gif)        (http://www.smiley-lol.com/smiley/deplacer/militaires/deplac.gif)
Title: So It Begins
Post by: NGTM-1R on October 09, 2012, 12:42:57 am
Well it turns out I can't edit the flag. Crap! I guess you'll all just have to move or something. All screenies are levelshotted.

(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v307/ngtm1r/2012-10-08_00001.jpg)

Our first mission was to central Germany, after a local recon team was lost. It did not go well. Central Officer Bradford was fired for the resulting fiasco, which cost three troopers. (You've all seen the demo.) We're replacing him with Watch Officer Droid803.

The Skyranger comes in to land.
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v307/ngtm1r/2012-10-08_00002.jpg)

The German recon team...were a bit of a mess.
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v307/ngtm1r/2012-10-08_00003.jpg)
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v307/ngtm1r/2012-10-08_00004.jpg)
The last member of the recon team actually shot at us and then blew himself up with a frag grenade.

Scourge of Ages was the only survivor. It's clear that non-forumites aren't going to survive! Farewell, Redshirts 1, 2, and 3!
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v307/ngtm1r/2012-10-08_00005.jpg)

Our second mission is to Chicago. (Also like the demo, yet not.) We had a long-range fire duel with several enemy troops after the rocket Scourge fired, which was meant to kill them, went wide.
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v307/ngtm1r/2012-10-08_00008.jpg)

He was injured by retaliatory fire after the alien weapons proved able to penetrate even the heavy-gauge steel of a shipping container, but survived. (See the damage notifier?)
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v307/ngtm1r/2012-10-08_00009.jpg )
With suppressive fire from the rest of the team, esarai worked in near enough to get a grenade into the structure they were using for cover. This ended things in our favor.

(Now that we're out of the stuff in the demo, we'll be covering more completely.)

Esarai is now a support trooper; your class comes at random when you make Squaddie, though the first guy out of the tutorial is always heavy weapons. The active squad is currently (from left to right) Direwolf, esarai, Talon 1024, and Polpolion. Those of you without two-part names just get the questionmark, which is awkward labeling group shots!
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v307/ngtm1r/2012-10-08_00012.jpg)

Oh, and if you all want, we can switch out the armor for the sort you can see in the demo. I'm currently going with black for a color (there are thirty-two colors, providing a screenshot for each was impractical); we haven't fought a single daylight mission.
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v307/ngtm1r/2012-10-08_00006.jpg)

Our next mission is as follows: an alien abductee has been located after having somehow escaped. The Council requests that we deploy at once. We will honor that request.
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v307/ngtm1r/2012-10-08_00011.jpg)
Title: Re: HLPX-COM 3: A Very Firaxis Sequel
Post by: The E on October 09, 2012, 02:02:47 am
Wouldn't be HLPXCOM without me, so I'm in as well. Just put me in the next available slot.
Title: Back In Action
Post by: NGTM-1R on October 09, 2012, 02:12:59 am
We've arrived.
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v307/ngtm1r/2012-10-08_00013.jpg)

Twenty-four hours ago, the Nigerian government, responding to reports of alien activity, evacuated the area we will be operating in and cordoned it off. Three hours after that, someone identifying herself as “Anna Sing” used a radio within evacuated area requesting help. Anna Sing was the name of an abducted civilian during the attack on Shanghai, a former British Army corporal visiting a friend of the family when she was abducted. Given her background, it's likely she would have noticed things of importance to us.
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v307/ngtm1r/2012-10-08_00014.jpg)

The Nigerians launched an extraction mission. They've lost several armored vehicles and gutted an infantry company trying to make progress, but they're tying down a large alien force. We're going in to locate Anna Sing and extract her if possible. If this is a trap, we evac. Hopefully intact.
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v307/ngtm1r/2012-10-08_00015.jpg)

Landing and deployment are smooth. The Skyranger took no fire, but local aircraft that flew escort were both shot at and damaged. Our stealth system appears to be effective against the aliens for now.
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v307/ngtm1r/2012-10-08_00016.jpg)

First contact. A man in a business suit, but he doesn't move human, and he's armed. The area is supposed to be evacuated. Direwolf and Polpolion both take shots. Direwolf misses. Polpolion hits, but the alien does not go down.
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v307/ngtm1r/2012-10-08_00017.jpg)
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v307/ngtm1r/2012-10-08_00018.jpg)
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v307/ngtm1r/2012-10-08_00019.jpg)

Esarai brings it down in the next turn. The alien's plasma weaponry ruined that rather nice fountain when it fired on us in its own turn, but it did not connect. It also exploded into some kind of cloud, which suggests a defense mechanism.
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v307/ngtm1r/2012-10-08_00020.jpg)

Several turns of careful advance bring us into contact with more hostiles. Polpolion and Talon 1024 move up by fire and movement.
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v307/ngtm1r/2012-10-08_00021.jpg)

Then Polpolion gets shot.
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v307/ngtm1r/2012-10-08_00022.jpg)

The hit's bad, but a frag grenade lobbed back hurts the alien and blows up the car it was using for cover. Esarai moves in and kills it, but his fire buddy Direwolf reports contact on the other flank.
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v307/ngtm1r/2012-10-08_00024.jpg)

Then Direwolf is hit. The surviving alien of the pair also fires at Polpolion, but misses. This is going to **** pretty quick.
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v307/ngtm1r/2012-10-08_00025.jpg)

The damaged car explodes, too.
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v307/ngtm1r/2012-10-08_00026.jpg)

Esarai, Talon 1024, and Polpolion combine fire to bring down the enemy on the right flank of our advance, with Polpolion hitting and Esarai finishing again.
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v307/ngtm1r/2012-10-08_00027.jpg)

Esarai runs back to support Direwolf, who is effectively pinned while the enemy maneuvers, while Talon and Polpolion continue the advance cautiously.
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v307/ngtm1r/2012-10-08_00028.jpg)

Direwolf deals with his tormentor of the last three turns when it tries to flank him only to miss the shot. Grenade out!
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v307/ngtm1r/2012-10-08_00029.jpg)

Esarai reports eyes on the objective, one hostile remaining. They have good cover, and grenades risk the objective.
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v307/ngtm1r/2012-10-08_00030.jpg)

I thought we'd have to flank, but esarai took the last alien out easily.
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v307/ngtm1r/2012-10-08_00031.jpg)

Esarai approaches Anna Sing cautiously while the others cover. After the German fiasco, we half-expect aliens to swarm out of the woodwork instantly. It doesn't happen. Miss Sing is coherent and able to move. We're getting out of here.

Talon spots an alien moving in and fires at it, hurting it. Esarai, now known as Captain Killsteal, takes it down. It jumped out of a nearby building onto a truck, and was immediately fired on by both soldiers before it could realize its danger.

Miss Sing is directed to stay close to Direwolf while we extract. And keep her head down.
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v307/ngtm1r/2012-10-08_00032.jpg)

Droid803, monitoring from home base, reports the Skyranger is tracking multiple small hostile airborne contacts inbound. We expect enemy troops to drop momentarily. One alien stands between us and the Skyranger. Its plasma fire nearly takes Talon's head off and blows a massive hole in the bus behind him. Talon's return fire, however, brings it down quick and painless. This is what you get for standing the open!
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v307/ngtm1r/2012-10-08_00033.jpg)

Droid reports troop drops in the surrounding area, but there's no further contact before we make it aboard the Skyranger.
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v307/ngtm1r/2012-10-08_00034.jpg)

Both Talon and Polpolion were badly hurt and will be out of action for nearly two weeks, but the mission was a success.
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v307/ngtm1r/2012-10-08_00036.jpg)
Title: Re: HLPX-COM 3: A Very Firaxis Sequel
Post by: Doc Fox on October 09, 2012, 02:21:02 am
Looks like I've got my work cut out for me in the ward.

Better get to work.
Title: Re: HLPX-COM 3: A Very Firaxis Sequel
Post by: Scotty on October 09, 2012, 02:39:29 am
Wow.  The improved scope of missions already has me impressed (considering the previous options were "kill everything" and "kill everying in the friendly/enemy base").
Title: Re: HLPX-COM 3: A Very Firaxis Sequel
Post by: Scourge of Ages on October 09, 2012, 02:51:22 am
I am Heavy Weapons Guy. And this is my weapon. She weighs 150 kilo-grams, and fires a single, $3000 (US) custom RPG at over 400 m/s. It is not very accurate, but who needs accuracy when you are playing with explosives?

Some aliens think they can outsmart me. Maybe. *snuff* Maybe. I have yet to meet one that can outsmart rocket.

Yeeeeehhhhh! Waaahhhhhhh! Ah ha ha ha! Cry some more! Heh heh, cry some more...

(And that's how I ended up in medbay)
Title: Re: HLPX-COM 3: A Very Firaxis Sequel
Post by: TrashMan on October 09, 2012, 02:56:33 am
Name: TrashMan
Nationality: Croatian (I dont' think it's there, so I'll take US)
Role: Standard soldier
Title: Re: HLPX-COM 3: A Very Firaxis Sequel
Post by: CommanderDJ on October 09, 2012, 03:05:16 am
Sign me up for the redshirt queue as well. :D
Title: Re: HLPX-COM 3: A Very Firaxis Sequel
Post by: FireSpawn on October 09, 2012, 06:23:35 am
If you want to add a second part to my name, make it 'McLovin'.  :cool:
Title: Re: HLPX-COM 3: A Very Firaxis Sequel
Post by: Gortef on October 09, 2012, 07:06:41 am
I'll certainly join in. Put me into a slot you see to be most suitable, and the call sign is of course "Gortef".  Nationality is not needed anymore I assume but If it becomes relevant again it's Finland.

Also since I'm not familiar with the soldier recruitment tools Random Gender Generator behavior and how easy it is for the player to actually have any power in it you can also use a call sign "Gortina" if my destiny is to be a female soldier.
Title: Re: HLPX-COM 3: A Very Firaxis Sequel
Post by: Fury on October 09, 2012, 08:55:55 am
Count me in, preferable role either assault or heavy. :)

Also, I hate you so much for getting xcom before us europeans. :(
Title: Re: HLPX-COM 3: A Very Firaxis Sequel
Post by: jr2 on October 09, 2012, 11:03:32 am
Once more into the breach.

Nationality:
'Murica

Any oh-three MOS will do.

Ditto, if you have room.
Title: Re: HLPX-COM 3: A Very Firaxis Sequel
Post by: Herra Tohtori on October 09, 2012, 11:16:04 am
Well, if there's room, I would also love to make an apperance on this series.

If there are any scientist/researcher characters depicted in the game in any meaningful way, I'd say that's what I would want to be.

If that's not possible, then I'd rather be a pilot.

If all pilot spaces are also taken, I would still wish to defend the planet as a ground team member.

Nationality: Finnish.
Title: Re: HLPX-COM 3: A Very Firaxis Sequel
Post by: Oddgrim on October 09, 2012, 11:34:40 am
Sign me up as an assault/close combat class If available! XD
(or the first position that gets available first :p )
Nationality:Norwegian
Title: Re: HLPX-COM 3: A Very Firaxis Sequel
Post by: esarai on October 09, 2012, 12:06:55 pm
Personal Log: Cpl. Esarai
Date: Where the hell are the clocks in this place?
Begin Log:
Finally!  Took a few decades of cryostasis but I HAVE A JOB AGAIN! YES.  Killing more aliens but hey, that's how it rolls, yeah?  What do they have with our planet, anyways?  They've had at us twice before... wait are you serious?  You don't... know about Cydonia?  WAIT WHAT YEAR IS IT?  2015... 2015?  But I was awake in 2040.  And you're serious, Cydonia never happened?  The Skyrangers.... christ they look just like the old Mark 1s.  Did... Did I completely hallucinate the last 25 years?  What, I don't even...  I can't dwell on it.  Must've been one hell of an acid trip.  Guess that's what I get for signing on with military RnD.

End Log

---------------

So what's the tactical role of a support trooper? And hahahahaha Captain Killsteal :lol:
Feel free to adjust my appearance if you want.  More lolz, I'm Russian.
Title: Re: HLPX-COM 3: A Very Firaxis Sequel
Post by: MP-Ryan on October 09, 2012, 12:24:40 pm
Sign me up.  I'll take whatever role becomes available.  Canadian.
Title: Re: HLPX-COM 3: A Very Firaxis Sequel
Post by: StarSlayer on October 09, 2012, 01:47:01 pm
Task Force Maple!
Title: Re: HLPX-COM 3: A Very Firaxis Sequel
Post by: Scotty on October 09, 2012, 02:50:06 pm
So, was that first mission you getting hugely lucky with wounds, or is the rest of the game that non-lethal to your squaddies?
Title: Re: HLPX-COM 3: A Very Firaxis Sequel
Post by: DireWolf on October 09, 2012, 02:58:47 pm
Personal Log: Squaddie Dire Wolf
Date: March 6, 2030
Log Begins:
As services to the world go, dying generally accomplishes very little. However, managing to take a plasma bolt to the chest while remaining just alive enough to necessitate being hooked up to a machine consuming the electrical output of the Central African Republic probably manages to accomplish even less.
Thankfully, it seems I will have the chance to do something more constructive (destructive?) when I get out of medical in the next few weeks: I'm getting my very own sniper rifle! Learning how to use it in the field should be an interesting experience.

Log Ends
___________________

I'm actually kind of curious to see the way that snipers work in practice, since there is nothing really comparable in UFO Defense.
Title: Re: HLPX-COM 3: A Very Firaxis Sequel
Post by: NGTM-1R on October 09, 2012, 04:14:57 pm
So, was that first mission you getting hugely lucky with wounds, or is the rest of the game that non-lethal to your squaddies?

It's on Classic.

One more hit, any hit, would have killed Popolion or Dire Wolf. They were both shot at again at least twice. A first hit critical would have done them both in. A slightly higher first hit damage roll would have killed them. I'm basically lucky as hell.

So what's the tactical role of a support trooper? And hahahahaha Captain Killsteal :lol:

Supports are basically your do-everythings. In addition to the standard utility slot everyone has, they carry smoke grenades, have options for improved overwatch, suppression fire with their rifle, better medikits. They're armed with assault rifles, which actually makes them easier to use than other classes at first because they don't have the range-bracket struggle going on. (As time goes by, assaults in particular handle long ranges better and heavies get tolerable. I haven't had enough snipers to see how they go.)
Title: How The **** Do I Play This Game?, with Zoe "Fox" Anderson!
Post by: NGTM-1R on October 09, 2012, 10:56:52 pm
Let's take a brief time-out from the adventures of HLPX-COM to explain this crap so everyone knows what's going on. The screenies are lvlshotted, so you'll want to view this full screen so you can see what the hell I'm babbling about.

So, the UI. Demonstrating for us is Zoe Anderson, from my Easy-level practice game. Be nice to Zoe. She snipes people and she's part of a multinational black ops agency who can find out where you live.

First, the buttons and switches and knobs.
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v307/ngtm1r/basicswithzoe.jpg)
Red is the buttons you'll never use. The leftmost is End Turn, which there is never ever any reason to use unless you're catastrophically stupid. The question mark, next in, is the Soldier Info button, which there's no reason to use even if you are catastrophically stupid, but it won't hurt you the way End Turn can. Then there are the next/last soldier buttons on the right, which you might use if you have somebody off alone or a group off alone but since you probably shouldn't do that, you probably won't use them. The reason none of these buttons matter? The game automatically cycles next soldier once you've used up one's allotted actions for the turn, and automatically ends turn once everyone is done. Also you have a mouse and can scroll around and select the people you want easier that way then switching through them one by one. And finally, all the soldier info stuff is available between other things that don't require pushing a button.

Yellow is the main reason you'll never use the info button. Can't interact with any of these, they're just informational. Rank (Captain) is on the left of the nickname and name, class (Sniper) is on the right. The bottom set is Zoe's passive abilities; in her case Squadsight (which lets you fire at any enemy you can trace theoretical LOS to if a squadmate sees them), Opportunist (which lets you take Overwatch or other reaction shots without the aim reduction and do critical hits with reactions) and Damn Good Ground (which gives you an extra bonus in both defense and aim for having higher ground than a hostile).

Blue is Zoe's active abilities which you click or hit a number button to use. The ones that are also blueish greenish whateverish are common to all classes; Fire is first, the eye at 4 is Overwatch (which lets you take reaction shots), the flippy gun in slot 5 is Reload, and the last one in slot 6 is Hunker Down (which doubles your cover bonus). Hunker Down is something you're not likely to use with anyone but snipers who are coverhopping forward, since they can't move and shoot or move and Overwatch. Everyone else is probably going to move/overwatch. The yellow-colored abilities are unique to the Sniper class; Zoe has Headshot at the 2 position, the basic sniper ability which doubles critical chance, and Weapon Disable at the 3 position, which does exactly what it says on the tin by knocking someone's weapon out until they have time to use a Reload, which sucks their actions for the turn. Note also that non-unique abilites can be done after moving (with certain exceptions like the sniper's not shooting an moving unless they have an ability) but the yellow ones can't.

If you're having trouble figuring out the gun silhouettes and the alien head are, first I'm very disappointed in you, and second we'll get to that later.

Now we'll use a non-scribbled-on-in-paint picture to discuss the rest of it.
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v307/ngtm1r/basicswithzoe2.jpg)

The little tooltip popping up from Zoe herself in the center of the screen shows how many HP she has left at the top, her cover class at the right side (half cover), and her actions left at the bottom. Her HP and actions are full because Zoe hasn't done anything this turn and hasn't been shot.

Zoe's movement range while using one action is visible as the irregular blue shape on the ground. You can move further, using up two actions, but there aren't many times you'll actually want to. That would show up in gold/yellow, if I had a screenshot. I'm stupid so I don't.

For demonstration purposes, I've also got a square she could move to lit up; it's the one with the blue light column. The line to it is how she'll move to get there if I right-click on it. You can see that the game also shows the cover class and direction she'll have if she moves to that spot, and the cover class and direction of spots near it. (Cover symbols for cover that's not going to protect you from nearby hostiles appears as red rather than blue. Cover that will only protect you from some of them is yellow.)

But we're not going to move Miss Anderson because she can already see an alien and if she moves, thanks to my ability choices, she can't also shoot. Instead, we're going to try to kill the alien.

This is what you see when you issue a fire or firing-based ability command.
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v307/ngtm1r/basicswithzoe3.jpg)
It's mostly the same, obviously. Tooltips pop up when you select an ability and you have to confirm a selection, so you that you know all your hideous mistakes were completely your fault rather than anyone else's. The alien is visible downrange with its health bar just like Zoe's, and we can make a pretty good guess at full cover because full shield (although I've seen the game bug on this once or twice so I don't trust it). Unfortunately for it, Zoe is awesome and has a 58% chance to blow its goddamn head off when it peeks around the corner (as it was doing a lot) anyways.

The gun, you might notice, looks different. The silhouette, like the one for the pistol is now, starts full. As you fire, it empties out in chunks to represent the use of ammo. Notice that part the sniper rifle is a different color, because that's the amount of ammo Zoe will use if she fires. The red alien head has brackets around it because it's the one she's firing at; if there were others in her field of view they'd be lined up down there but not bracketed.

We will return the regularly scheduled exploits of HLPX-COM tomorrow, after Zoe kills this alien.
Title: Re: HLPX-COM 3: A Very Firaxis Sequel
Post by: deathfun on October 10, 2012, 04:20:12 am
Well damn, this looks pretty damned good

And count me in. I'm always a fan of getting myself killed
Title: Re: HLPX-COM 3: A Very Firaxis Sequel
Post by: TrashMan on October 10, 2012, 06:05:50 am
Your name sez it all.
 

Gentlemen..mentelgen.. I love war. I adore war!
ETERNAL WAR!!!
ON TO RUIN AND GLORIOUS CARNAGE!
Title: Re: HLPX-COM 3: A Very Firaxis Sequel
Post by: Alex Heartnet on October 10, 2012, 08:38:02 am
One of the local radio channels, quiet ever since the attack, suddenly blares back to life.

"Attention citizens of Earth!  Are you not aware of the lies and manipulation from those that consider themselves your masters?"

"This alien invasion is being staged by a heartless few in order to dominate humanity.  Regardless of the outcome of the war, the oligarchs will win and humanity will lose."

"To those that would seek to control us, I have only one thing to say to you."

"Viva!  Viva la Revolution!"

Title: Re: HLPX-COM 3: A Very Firaxis Sequel
Post by: NGTM-1R on October 10, 2012, 04:09:54 pm
"Viva!  Viva la Revolution!"

This gets considerably more funny if we pull a specific council mission...
Title: Re: HLPX-COM 3: A Very Firaxis Sequel
Post by: z64555 on October 10, 2012, 10:32:22 pm
Personnel Log: "z64555"
Subject: Out of the Ice, Into the Fire

Ahh, yes. Cryostasis. Seems those aliens can't get enough of us, always coming back for more!

Timestamps seem to be off, 2015 it keeps telling me, which I know shouldn't be right as the Cydonia incident happened... much later? I'll have to look into this phenomenon sometime late. [mumbles]Chrono sphere, what have you done now?

Hmm, ah, yes. The Present.

Presently, the team's equipment appears to be in good shape, although due to the Ice it looks like even our most respected Psi troopers have lost their abilities for now. Even I can't read the mind of Herra anymore, which means I'll lose again to his card games if he ever brings it up... blast!

They've put me back in charge as Head of Technology, and I've got the boys n' girls working round the clock on making a new Spoonzer. The Skyranger we have now can't lift the old Mk 1's nor the newer Disruptor Mk 3's, so we'll have to settle with something much more miniaturized. I've asked our machinist to actually watch Short Circuit so he can get an idea of what we'll be working with. While in the mean time, I'm working with our Comms engineer to see if we can get the Spoonzer command console up and running over a secure radio channel.

Reason I asked for the "secure" radio channel is due to some dufus calling herself "Betty Boom," she seems to like clogging up the airwaves with her propaganda about "Tropico," wherever the hell that is.

[beeps in background] Excellent! The E should be just about done thawing out now, I'd better go and check on how he's fairing.
Title: Re: HLPX-COM 3: A Very Firaxis Sequel
Post by: NGTM-1R on October 11, 2012, 02:27:34 am
UFO detected in flight near our base. Launch the interceptors!
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v307/ngtm1r/2012-10-10_00001.jpg)

Raven-1, with Dragon at the controls, is dispatched to intercept. The modern Interceptor is a massively over-engineered craft with four engines and an internal weapons bay because we had problems with external weapons being torn loose by the slipstream. It's capable of extremely high altitudes and speeds. You might remember in HLPX-COM 1 how the aliens were effectively immune to interception in their 5000 knot atmospheric entry and exit phases of flight. This interceptor can catch them.
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v307/ngtm1r/2012-10-10_00002.jpg)
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v307/ngtm1r/2012-10-10_00003.jpg)
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v307/ngtm1r/2012-10-10_00005.jpg)

There is a brief engagement. The Interceptor takes several hits but downs the UFO with a few missiles. Raven-1 will be out of action for four days.
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v307/ngtm1r/2012-10-10_00006.jpg)
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v307/ngtm1r/2012-10-10_00007.jpg)

Cheering and clapping in the Mission Control room. (No really, it's kinda awesome, it's like NASA after a launch or something.)
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v307/ngtm1r/2012-10-10_00009.jpg)

Droid quiets the room down and tasks a recon sat for imagery. The UFO appears to be intact on the ground. Time to launch the Skyranger.
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v307/ngtm1r/2012-10-10_00011.jpg)

One of our people is back from the infirmary this time. Scourge of Ages returns to us after being injured in his second outing. Talon 1024 and Esarai are both still on the team. In addition, we have newcomer Pred the Penguin.
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v307/ngtm1r/2012-10-10_00013.jpg)

For this mission it might as well be local time as well as base time, it's so close.
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v307/ngtm1r/2012-10-10_00014.jpg)

Welcome to your own personal slice of hell. Fortunately the area is sparsely populated. The nearest structure is several klicks away.
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v307/ngtm1r/2012-10-10_00015.jpg)

Just follow the big skid-marks in. (If you get the reference, I'm proud of you.)
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v307/ngtm1r/2012-10-10_00016.jpg)

Esarai finds the enemy. “Contact! Sectoids, direct front!”
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v307/ngtm1r/2012-10-10_00017.jpg)

Pred picks one off with a well-aimed burst from his rifle. Congrats, you're a Squaddie now.
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v307/ngtm1r/2012-10-10_00018.jpg)

Talon 1024 is going to make use of the Assault-class special ability, Run and Gun, which allows a Dashing move and then to fire or use a firing-based ability at the end.
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v307/ngtm1r/2012-10-10_00019.jpg)

Unfortunately, the shot was a miss.
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v307/ngtm1r/2012-10-10_00023.jpg)

It also flushed two more Sectoids and now Talon's ass is hanging out way up front of the line. I want to move Scourge up to cover Talon's flank, but the most suitable cover is just out of his reach. Have to move in closer and provide less coverage than I'd like. (Barely more than Esarai, really.)
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v307/ngtm1r/2012-10-10_00021.jpg)

One alien goes on overwatch. One fires at Talon, but misses high. Esarai fires back, but no hit.

Pred pushes up to threaten the far flank, being shot at by the alien on overwatch, but the aliens remain clueless when it comes to how to shoot. Stay dumb, comrades!
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v307/ngtm1r/2012-10-10_00024.jpg)

Esarai and Scourge of Ages both make short moves to cover Talon's flank and obtain better firing position. Scourge spots that the two aliens are closer together than is wise, and preps a frag grenade. (grenade-throwing interface visible)
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v307/ngtm1r/2012-10-10_00026.jpg)

Two kills to Scourge.
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v307/ngtm1r/2012-10-10_00028.jpg)

The last alien, inside the ship, fires at Scourge of Ages in retaliation. But he's still dumb. Maybe if Sectoids didn't shoot gangsta-style.
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v307/ngtm1r/2012-10-10_00029.jpg)

“Think that's the front door, sir.” Pred says. “And the one Dragon added to the ship.”
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v307/ngtm1r/2012-10-10_00030.jpg)

“No shot!” The range and the good cover the alien has are preventing us from killing it.
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v307/ngtm1r/2012-10-10_00031.jpg)

Well I guess we do this the hard way. Talon and Esarai lay down covering fire while Scourge moves to the door. Pred provides close cover in case something comes out the doorway. The alien responds by firing at the person not shooting at it, Pred.

But Talon's Run & Gun has recharged.
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v307/ngtm1r/2012-10-10_00032.jpg)

“What the ****!” “Sir that one just rose up out of the damn deck!” “Scourge, watch your flank, it's coming in behind you!” “Pred!”
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v307/ngtm1r/2012-10-10_00033.jpg)

“I got him!” And Pred does. Normally a rifle can't even necessarily take one of those down in a single, but Pred critted. It goes down, vanishing completely in the process. (In hindsight, this was actually a bad thing; Scourge would have gone in through the breach in the far side of the hull if I'd had to use him to take down that alien, the Sectoid would not have been able to reposition far enough for a clear no-cover shot, and neither he nor Talon would ultimately have been injured. Derp.)
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v307/ngtm1r/2012-10-10_00035.jpg)

Talon, unnerved, misses the shotgun shot again. “Weapon's dry!”

Well ****.

Esarai and Scourge provide covering fire. The alien responds by repositioning, and hurting Scourge fairly badly. He ducks back out the door while shooting back. Pred also takes shots, while Esarai provides overwatch in case the alien repositions again. The alien's much too interested in shooting at Talon, who is also hurt this time...which provokes reaction fire from Esarai, which kills the alien.
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v307/ngtm1r/2012-10-10_00037.jpg)

Mission accomplished. The new guy had a weapon heavier than the Sectoids. If he'd got a shot off, we'd be hauling back a body bag. As it is, Scourge and Talon will be out of action for five days.
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v307/ngtm1r/2012-10-10_00038.jpg)

Esarai, you might notice, tries to create a different nickname with his promotion to Sergeant. (Which is where you get a nickname.)
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v307/ngtm1r/2012-10-11_00001.jpg)
Not happening man.
Title: Re: HLPX-COM 3: A Very Firaxis Sequel
Post by: Scotty on October 11, 2012, 02:31:50 am
Your last six or seven pictures are red xs of doom to me.
Title: Re: HLPX-COM 3: A Very Firaxis Sequel
Post by: NGTM-1R on October 11, 2012, 02:37:19 am
Well great, it might be time to invest in a PB upgrade. (Not for me, but oh well.)
Title: Re: HLPX-COM 3: A Very Firaxis Sequel
Post by: deathfun on October 11, 2012, 02:43:55 am
I really ought to get this game
I mean ****
Title: Re: HLPX-COM 3: A Very Firaxis Sequel
Post by: Scourge of Ages on October 11, 2012, 02:47:08 am
Dear log:

Shooting aliens is fun!

Getting shot by aliens, not so much. At least I get to relax a few days while my skin grows back.
Title: Re: HLPX-COM 3: A Very Firaxis Sequel
Post by: crizza on October 11, 2012, 07:38:33 am
Looks great :)
If I ever get the chance, heavy weapons or a pilot would be great, if I'm stuck in the cannonfodder role...anything with long range would be great^^
Title: Re: HLPX-COM 3: A Very Firaxis Sequel
Post by: TrashMan on October 11, 2012, 08:09:58 am
You should update the roster.
Title: Re: HLPX-COM 3: A Very Firaxis Sequel
Post by: Kobrar44 on October 11, 2012, 08:35:14 am
Count me in if you lose enought men. I'm from Poland, but China will do, since this is what is gonna be here in 20 years anyway. Make me a sniper, a calm professional. And make me sexy.
Title: Re: HLPX-COM 3: A Very Firaxis Sequel
Post by: Pred the Penguin on October 11, 2012, 11:05:01 am
Heck yeah! Two kills on my first mission. Also, very largely built penguin if I do say so myself. :lol:
Title: Re: HLPX-COM 3: A Very Firaxis Sequel
Post by: Colonol Dekker on October 11, 2012, 05:18:54 pm
Sign me up as anything..
ENGLISH!
Title: Re: HLPX-COM 3: A Very Firaxis Sequel
Post by: Phantom Hoover on October 11, 2012, 05:49:18 pm
can i join too
Title: Re: HLPX-COM 3: A Very Firaxis Sequel
Post by: NGTM-1R on October 11, 2012, 07:40:51 pm
Looks great :)
If I ever get the chance, heavy weapons or a pilot would be great, if I'm stuck in the cannonfodder role...anything with long range would be great^^

Actually you're next in line if none of the current guys are back to action in time.


Also we're drafting JGZinv for Skyranger duty.

Title: Re: HLPX-COM 3: A Very Firaxis Sequel
Post by: z64555 on October 11, 2012, 07:49:05 pm
Looks great :)
If I ever get the chance, heavy weapons or a pilot would be great, if I'm stuck in the cannonfodder role...anything with long range would be great^^

Actually you're next in line if none of the current guys are back to action in time.


Also we're drafting JGZinv for Skyranger duty.

Be sure to stock up on barf bags. :D
Title: Re: HLPX-COM 3: A Very Firaxis Sequel
Post by: crizza on October 11, 2012, 08:06:07 pm
Looks great :)
If I ever get the chance, heavy weapons or a pilot would be great, if I'm stuck in the cannonfodder role...anything with long range would be great^^

Actually you're next in line if none of the current guys are back to action in time.


Also we're drafting JGZinv for Skyranger duty.
Sounds great and I can't wait, so trooper it is..but still...long rong range or something would be nice^^
Title: Re: HLPX-COM 3: A Very Firaxis Sequel
Post by: JGZinv on October 12, 2012, 12:12:32 am
Ranger Lead ready for duty Sir.

We'll make sure to drop you off in one piece, and pick up all the pieces on the way out.
Title: Re: HLPX-COM 3: A Very Firaxis Sequel
Post by: Scotty on October 12, 2012, 03:02:17 am
Is there only one Interceptor so far?  I would have sworn I volunteered for either Interceptor or Skyranger way back.
Title: Re: HLPX-COM 3: A Very Firaxis Sequel
Post by: NGTM-1R on October 12, 2012, 07:39:04 am
There's a second. It just hasn't been launched.
Title: Re: HLPX-COM 3: A Very Firaxis Sequel
Post by: crizza on October 12, 2012, 09:50:42 am
If its possible to enhance the physics of a human...I hereby volunteer  :drevil:
Title: Re: HLPX-COM 3: A Very Firaxis Sequel
Post by: Ravenholme on October 12, 2012, 11:07:13 am
I volunteer for either interceptor duty (If you put some in the EU), or if you get a Scottish Soldier, I will volunteer to be him.
Title: Re: HLPX-COM 3: A Very Firaxis Sequel
Post by: NGTM-1R on October 12, 2012, 11:48:28 pm
We've actually been doing RESEARCH as well.

First, we need to capture aliens alive probably. We're not interested in long-term storage. (Another difference from the original X-COM, where you could build a POW Camp in your basement.) However we do want live bodies for interrogation, if possible, and for biological and chemical weapons checking. It'd be nice, though not likely, if we can find a toxin that works on them but not humans. So we need to store aliens. Briefly.
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v307/ngtm1r/2012-10-08_00037.jpg)
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v307/ngtm1r/2012-10-08_00038.jpg)

Second, capturing them alive means coming up with a way to subdue them, and while Sectoids are pretty useless without a gun we can't rely on everyone being so inept. Hence the Arc Thrower. Unfortunately, we're broke, so we can only build two of them.
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v307/ngtm1r/2012-10-12_00001.jpg)

We're also working on putting together both the alien gear we've got, and the fact we have access to advanced research from every major power on Earth, so we have a lot of interesting bits of technology we could put together. We'll be passing a lot of the DARPA and equivalent agencies' stuff it off to the engineering team for examination and possible deployment...once we have the money. We did manage to build some weapons enhancements, but we need a dedicated facility to pursue this further and we can't pay for that quite yet.
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v307/ngtm1r/2012-10-09_00001.jpg)
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v307/ngtm1r/2012-10-12_00002.jpg)

And the Council calls. Alien incursion reported in France. One of our major civilian backers, a General Dynamics executive named Thomas Hutch, is in the strike zone. He was in France conducting talks with the local government about the importance of the HLPX-COM project and we are going in to get him out alive; we look after our friends. Given the importance of the mission, and the fact our wounded are back to battery, we'll be deploying Scourge of Ages, Esarai, Talon 1024, and Pred The Penguin rather than giving any rookies field experience. (Sorry folks.) Scourge and Talon will carry the Arc Thrower prototypes. Pred will be field-testing the new SCOPE computer-assisted targeting module for our Sniper Rifles.
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v307/ngtm1r/2012-10-12_00016.jpg)
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v307/ngtm1r/2012-10-12_00017.jpg)
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v307/ngtm1r/2012-10-12_00018.jpg)

Here's our person to keep safe. Problem: there are Sectoids on the other side of the road with an elevated position.
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v307/ngtm1r/2012-10-12_00019.jpg)
See?
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v307/ngtm1r/2012-10-12_00020.jpg)

Also a Thin Man turned up and flanked Pred as he moved to provide cover. And killed him. We're going into the ****ter early on this one.
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v307/ngtm1r/2012-10-12_00021.jpg)
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v307/ngtm1r/2012-10-12_00022.jpg)

Esarai makes a run for Mr. Hutch, evading fire on the way. Only it's not Mister Hutch, just his security people. He pulled a runner while they were pinned down by the aliens. Now they're out of ammo and have their thumbs up their butts since they can't move without getting gunned down.
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v307/ngtm1r/2012-10-12_00023.jpg)

Talon closes on the Thin Man which killed Pred, ducking as it fires back.
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v307/ngtm1r/2012-10-12_00024.jpg)

Esarai wasn't as lucky and took some plasma from two of the Sectoids. He's actually pretty badly hurt.
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v307/ngtm1r/2012-10-12_00025.jpg)

Talon meanwhile kills the Thin Man.
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v307/ngtm1r/2012-10-12_00026.jpg)

Esarai runs for more cover, evading more shots.
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v307/ngtm1r/2012-10-12_00027.jpg)
He also finds another alien which Scourge brings down. Meanwhile, somewhere off in the darkness, an alien for some reason fires at a car it's standing next to and then blows up along with the car the next turn. No I don't know either.
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v307/ngtm1r/2012-10-12_00028.jpg)

Esarai and Talon combine fire to kill a Thin Man which just dropped in. Talon experiences the rare joy of being the one who killsteals Esarai.
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v307/ngtm1r/2012-10-12_00029.jpg)
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v307/ngtm1r/2012-10-12_00030.jpg)

One of the Sectoids across the street has, actually pretty cleverly, moved to flank Scourge and shoots him, but Scourge survives and repositions, then returns fire, killing it.
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v307/ngtm1r/2012-10-12_00031.jpg)
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v307/ngtm1r/2012-10-12_00032.jpg)

The last remaining Sectoid has set up to cover the stairway. We can't get Hutch, or ourselves, back to the Skyranger. Well, unless Scourge just blows its ass up with a rocket.
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v307/ngtm1r/2012-10-12_00033.jpg)
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v307/ngtm1r/2012-10-12_00034.jpg)

Two more Thin Men drop out of the sky and Overwatch, literally to either side of Hutch. (Are you trying to **** with me, game?)
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v307/ngtm1r/2012-10-12_00035.jpg)
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v307/ngtm1r/2012-10-12_00036.jpg)

Talon, however, takes one out instantly with a reaction shot. As our turn opens, the other also goes down to Talon.
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v307/ngtm1r/2012-10-12_00037.jpg)
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v307/ngtm1r/2012-10-12_00038.jpg)
(I'm surprised at this moment to abruptly recognize him speaking in the dulcet tones of Ashley Williams.)

Mission complete. No opportunities for capture presented themselves, and the team was badly shot up just completing our normal objectives.
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v307/ngtm1r/2012-10-12_00039.jpg)
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v307/ngtm1r/2012-10-12_00040.jpg)

Frankly, it is only by the grace of the random number god that we didn't wipe here. One more hit to anybody hurt would probably have left us without enough guns to win through, and if Scourge hadn't made a low-probability shot to gun down the Sectoid he was fighting on the bridge we would have had a long, inconclusive fire duel at the stairs with plenty of chances to kill another one of our troops.
Title: Re: HLPX-COM 3: A Very Firaxis Sequel
Post by: General Battuta on October 13, 2012, 12:10:14 am
build more satellites
Title: Re: HLPX-COM 3: A Very Firaxis Sequel
Post by: z64555 on October 13, 2012, 12:16:23 am
How's the status on the mini-Spoonzers? I hope it's not too far down the tech tree before we get to see them (and I hope they're not horribly expensive).
Title: Re: HLPX-COM 3: A Very Firaxis Sequel
Post by: Scourge of Ages on October 13, 2012, 01:42:52 am
Dear log:

We lost another man today, Pred this time. But as strange as it sounds, it could have been worse. We were outgunned and outflanked, but everybody pulled together and just shot those alien buggers straight to alien hell.

Also I got shot again. On the ride back, Talon made a joke as I was trying to hold my blood in. He said:
"Hey Scourge, I thought you quit?"
"What, Talon?"
"Smoking. I thought you quit, but I see very clearly a cloud of smoke coming off your armor."
"$#!@, thought I put that out."
"Lol, Smokey Scourge of Ages, that's you!"

If anything happens before Fox lets me out of the medbay, Talon's going to be the one to take out a squad of rooks. I'm sure they'll be fine.
Title: Re: HLPX-COM 3: A Very Firaxis Sequel
Post by: deathfun on October 13, 2012, 05:58:02 am
SQ. Pred The Penguin
Shot by a twig


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rEX1dYyvmig
Title: Re: HLPX-COM 3: A Very Firaxis Sequel
Post by: crizza on October 13, 2012, 06:28:39 am
Wow :eek2:
Whats the matter with those thin men?
Alien infiltrators?
Title: Re: HLPX-COM 3: A Very Firaxis Sequel
Post by: Ravenholme on October 13, 2012, 07:54:51 am
Wow :eek2:
Whats the matter with those thin men?
Alien infiltrators?

Partway to being alien infiltrators, they're attempting to adapt to Humanity to become so, and they're also the game's snakemen. And a reference to Slenderman
Title: Re: HLPX-COM 3: A Very Firaxis Sequel
Post by: NGTM-1R on October 13, 2012, 08:23:45 am
Partway to being alien infiltrators, they're attempting to adapt to Humanity to become so, and they're also the game's snakemen. And a reference to Slenderman

No, no, yes, and no.
Title: Re: HLPX-COM 3: A Very Firaxis Sequel
Post by: Ravenholme on October 13, 2012, 08:39:33 am
Partway to being alien infiltrators, they're attempting to adapt to Humanity to become so, and they're also the game's snakemen. And a reference to Slenderman

No, no, yes, and no.

Actually Yes to all counts, someone in the game mentions their very human-like appearance and it's suggested that they are attempting to adapt, and yes, they were confirmed to be a slenderman reference ages ago. Hence the name. Thin (slender) men.

Annnnd just checked my autopsy and interrogation of them to double check. Yes, I was correct :P They are alien infiltrators, it's just surmised in the dialogue at one point that the process isn't complete. (I think either in the interrogation or autopsy cutscene)
Title: Re: HLPX-COM 3: A Very Firaxis Sequel
Post by: crizza on October 13, 2012, 09:13:45 am
Ok...so I'm the rookie about to die on the next mission, eh?
Can't wait :mad:
Title: Re: HLPX-COM 3: A Very Firaxis Sequel
Post by: TrashMan on October 13, 2012, 10:43:23 am
2 woulded, 1 dead.

Looks like I'll be seeing some action. But now I wish I wouldn't.
Title: Re: HLPX-COM 3: A Very Firaxis Sequel
Post by: esarai on October 13, 2012, 11:11:46 am
Personal Log: Sgt. Esarai
Date: 21-03-2015
Well I must say, after our assault on the alien spacecraft I thought we had a pretty good squad--we worked well to cover our flanks, didn't give much opportunity for the enemy to open up, and hit em where it hurt.  I liked that new guy, Pred.  He seemed like he had the chops to be a damn fine soldier, if he hadn't gotten capped a few steps out of the Skyranger today.

Mission went through the ****house.  We were trying recover some big-shot civvy CEO.  Not that I care much for corporate types, but I guess if this guy's gonna keep our guns loaded we gotta do our part, right?  I got my armor melted off with two plasma shots.  Fused the kevlar and steel with my skin.  Took the medbay guys three hours just to get me out of my suit and FF**K this still hurts. 

Doc! Got more painkiller? <Indistinct chatter>

>>Log auto-closed for inactivity<<
Title: Re: HLPX-COM 3: A Very Firaxis Sequel
Post by: Alex Heartnet on October 13, 2012, 12:44:32 pm
Citizens of Earth!

Can't you see the greedy war profiteering of the rich and powerful?  Instead of properly preparing our soldiers for the challenges, the military-industrial complex tries to squeeze as much money out of them as possible!  What has this war come to, that our forces are reduced to selling stuff on the grey market just to scrape by?!

And now my sources inform me that our limited resources were put forth to save one of the exploitative bigwigs!  The slaughter of innocents continues.  People are starving in cities because food shipments keep getting abducted.  But the needs of our oligarchs clearly outweighs things of such trivial importance.
Title: Re: HLPX-COM 3: A Very Firaxis Sequel
Post by: NGTM-1R on October 13, 2012, 10:20:25 pm
Actually Yes to all counts, someone in the game mentions their very human-like appearance and it's suggested that they are attempting to adapt, and yes, they were confirmed to be a slenderman reference ages ago. Hence the name. Thin (slender) men.

Annnnd just checked my autopsy and interrogation of them to double check. Yes, I was correct :P They are alien infiltrators, it's just surmised in the dialogue at one point that the process isn't complete. (I think either in the interrogation or autopsy cutscene)

Then you have some kind of problem with your game, because you claimed they were modified humans partially modified into alien infiltrators when the autopsy says they're modified aliens and this is as far as they could manage to mod them so they're complete rather than partial, and the designers have waffled back and forth on the Slender Man reference being intentional five or six times.

Or you're just not reading what you posted the first time and claiming it's correct.

Title: Re: HLPX-COM 3: A Very Firaxis Sequel
Post by: Pred the Penguin on October 14, 2012, 09:15:30 am
Nooooo! I died on my second mission. :(
Title: Re: HLPX-COM 3: A Very Firaxis Sequel
Post by: Turambar on October 15, 2012, 01:19:16 pm
Throw me in there too.  I may be running my own game at home, but there's no reason I can't catch plasma in this one!  No preference on combat role, just label a Squaddie Turin Turambar and see what he turns into.
Title: Re: HLPX-COM 3: A Very Firaxis Sequel
Post by: NGTM-1R on October 15, 2012, 10:13:43 pm
Nooooo! I died on my second mission. :(

It could be worse. You could be Crizza.


So we got some research done, just autopsy work, but still good.
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v307/ngtm1r/2012-10-15_00001.jpg)
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v307/ngtm1r/2012-10-15_00002.jpg)

Another round of abductions is in progress. We're deploying to Mexico this time. In attendence are DireWolf, Talon 1024, Scourge of Ages, and Rookie crizza.
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v307/ngtm1r/2012-10-15_00003.jpg)
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v307/ngtm1r/2012-10-15_00004.jpg)

Gee, this looks familiar.
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v307/ngtm1r/2012-10-15_00005.jpg)

Two Sectoids move towards us, causing everyone and their dog to reaction-fire at them. The only one who connects is DireWolf, with his pistol, which does a measly one damage. Well crap.
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v307/ngtm1r/2012-10-15_00006.jpg)

One moves back out of range. The other avoids everything we throw at it, while Scourge suppresses its buddy. Then Talon, moving up for a better shot, flushes two more Sectoids. While not in a position to flank Talon, having our opponents multiply like this is getting a bit worrying.
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v307/ngtm1r/2012-10-15_00009.jpg)
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v307/ngtm1r/2012-10-15_00008.jpg)

Crizza, drops the alien on the second turn of firing at it while Scourge reloads. DireWolf, repositioning, plinks another one of the aliens with his incredibly lackluster pistol again. Seriously, did we arm everyone with .22 saturday night specials for a backup?
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v307/ngtm1r/2012-10-15_00011.jpg)
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v307/ngtm1r/2012-10-15_00010.jpg)

Talon here is showing off one of the Assault passives, Lightning Reflexes, which makes the first reaction shot at you miss. Problem: the missed shot set the car Talon was going to use for cover on fire so immediate repositioning was necessary.
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v307/ngtm1r/2012-10-15_00012.jpg)

Crizza moves up to fire on the other aliens. He gets away with it on the alien reaction fire, but is shot dead on the alien turn. Didn't even make it one mission. DireWolf is also shot and hanging on with just one HP left.
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v307/ngtm1r/2012-10-15_00013.jpg)

This is what DireWolf had to say about that.
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v307/ngtm1r/2012-10-15_00014.jpg)

Flushed from cover again by Talon's aggressively turning their flank for third time this mission, the last remaining Sectoid on that side attempts to retreat. It can't run quite far enough and Talon catches it in the open.
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v307/ngtm1r/2012-10-15_00015.jpg)

Scourge meanwhile has been having a private duel with the partner to the Sectoid that we all shot at way back on turn one. He finally brings it down at the same time, moves up, and spots two more...
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v307/ngtm1r/2012-10-15_00016.jpg)

One of which flanks him and nearly kills him with a single shot. Now he can deal with one of the two threats with the single burst left in his gun, maybe, and then probably get shot by the other. Or instead he can launch a rocket at the Sectoid psi-boosting the other, killing the far one directly and the near one with psychic backlash. Let's do that instead.
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v307/ngtm1r/2012-10-15_00018.jpg)

Gee, that operation name is kind of prophetic.
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v307/ngtm1r/2012-10-15_00019.jpg)

WELCOME TO ****ING HLPX-COM. YOU WON'T SURVIVE YOUR FIRST DAY.
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v307/ngtm1r/2012-10-15_00020.jpg)
Title: Re: HLPX-COM 3: A Very Firaxis Sequel
Post by: StarSlayer on October 15, 2012, 10:20:44 pm
Heh I must admit on occasion I've used grenades to blow up cars just so I can advance and use them as cover without worrying about exploding gas tanks.
Title: Re: HLPX-COM 3: A Very Firaxis Sequel
Post by: Scourge of Ages on October 15, 2012, 10:38:48 pm
March 28, 2015. Dear log:

Another day, another sucking chest wound. But as is becoming our unofficial slogan at the barracks, "it could be worse". Just ask Crizza, who died last mission, to a Sectoid.
Title: Re: HLPX-COM 3: A Very Firaxis Sequel
Post by: deathfun on October 15, 2012, 10:55:08 pm
Rk. Crizza
Death by a small little gray man

At least he made it out the door



Although that genetic copy part reminds me of the Asgard from Stargate...

I wonder who's next on the to-be-killed roster
Title: Re: HLPX-COM 3: A Very Firaxis Sequel
Post by: Goblix on October 16, 2012, 12:25:22 am
I feel you might need some more redshirts, so sign me up!

Nationality: American
Role: Support, but it doesn't really matter
Title: Re: HLPX-COM 3: A Very Firaxis Sequel
Post by: TrashMan on October 16, 2012, 01:25:45 am
Life expectancy : Short.

Wonderfull.
Follow me to victory or glorious martyrdom!
Title: Re: HLPX-COM 3: A Very Firaxis Sequel
Post by: z64555 on October 16, 2012, 01:54:48 am
Personnel log: "z64555" (Head of Tech.)

Spoon asked me again when the mini-spoonzers (the SHIV Heavy Weapons Platforms) would be put in action, and quite frankly I was curious myself. I asked the guys in charge of its development to see what it needs, and they bluntly said "someplace to actually build the damn things," which I took he meant a foundry or machine shop of sort.

Aside from a place to build it, they mentioned they might also need an armor upgrade to be any effective, as well as a weapon to arm them with. I asked them why they couldn't use something like a scaled down version of the M151 Protector, and the guy seriously waved me off, mumbling something quality servos.

I think the loss of our two soldiers recently has gotten to head engineer, so I'm going to ask HerraTohtori to see if he's interested in taking his place. I mean, seriously, we've got a team of high-profile HLPX-COM that's seen much, much worse that what's happening on the ground right now.

<ding!> Ah, coffee's ready...
[end log]
Title: Re: HLPX-COM 3: A Very Firaxis Sequel
Post by: TrashMan on October 16, 2012, 04:24:13 am
Personal log: "TrashMan"

The team that came back from the mission today looked like it had been trough hell. Two vets had been trailing their innards across the base floor. Looks like they'll be out of action for some time.
 
Poor crizza didn't make it back. I liked that guy. He was one of the few recruits that you could have a decent conversation with in the cafeteria. And now he's gone. His first mission too.

When guys like Eserai and Scourge barely make it back, it makes me wonder how long I will last. Probably not long. And with all the wounded, it looks like my number is up.

If I were to not make it back, I hearby leave all my earthly belongings to my pet hamster Bigglesworth Cadburry the Third.
Title: Re: HLPX-COM 3: A Very Firaxis Sequel
Post by: crizza on October 16, 2012, 05:14:55 am
At least I took one of those grey bastards with me :mad2:
Title: Re: HLPX-COM 3: A Very Firaxis Sequel
Post by: Patriot on October 16, 2012, 10:30:16 am
Sign me up for Assault duty, no Shotgun please.

Nationality: Dutch(or any english speaking one if unavailable)
Name: Xan Derr

The question marks are annoying to look at when you gear up for a mission, cant you give em some last names?
Title: Re: HLPX-COM 3: A Very Firaxis Sequel
Post by: Rodo on October 16, 2012, 10:41:59 am
--Rodd's Personal Log--

Entry 15:
Date 28-03-15 - 12:05:35

I just came back from the Hangar. I went there to greet Crizza about his first combat mission.
**** this **** man, why don't they tell us before we go all the way there... that ****ing black bag, that's all there's left of him?

Dammit.
We where close, I mean... I saw the list a few days ago when the commander was walking through the barracks. He was right before me on the list, so I knew. I told him right after the commander left. He went ballistic right on the spot.

Who wouldn't?.. we're here to make history... but.. for ****s sake! I can't keep this mockery of diary they make us write up, need a break.

-Log End-
Title: Re: HLPX-COM 3: A Very Firaxis Sequel
Post by: Phantom Hoover on October 16, 2012, 11:12:04 am
Holy ****, the aliens have Slendermen? i don't want to work for xcom any more
Title: Re: HLPX-COM 3: A Very Firaxis Sequel
Post by: crizza on October 16, 2012, 11:29:38 am
They should develope...cyborgs or something like that who're doing the dangerous part.
Guess I should've took the pilot duty while I still could^^
Title: Re: HLPX-COM 3: A Very Firaxis Sequel
Post by: Ravenholme on October 16, 2012, 01:47:08 pm
Actually Yes to all counts, someone in the game mentions their very human-like appearance and it's suggested that they are attempting to adapt, and yes, they were confirmed to be a slenderman reference ages ago. Hence the name. Thin (slender) men.

Annnnd just checked my autopsy and interrogation of them to double check. Yes, I was correct :P They are alien infiltrators, it's just surmised in the dialogue at one point that the process isn't complete. (I think either in the interrogation or autopsy cutscene)

Then you have some kind of problem with your game, because you claimed they were modified humans partially modified into alien infiltrators when the autopsy says they're modified aliens and this is as far as they could manage to mod them so they're complete rather than partial, and the designers have waffled back and forth on the Slender Man reference being intentional five or six times.

Or you're just not reading what you posted the first time and claiming it's correct.

I wish I could rate you bad reading. Re-read what I originally posted - "Adapt to humanity", not "adapt humanity". The latter would imply what you seem to think I said, the former implies that the aliens are adapting to humanity, to blend in, which is a no brainer given the Thin Men's appearance.

So, actually, I am reading what I originally posted and claiming it's correct, because, y'know, it is.
Title: Re: HLPX-COM 3: A Very Firaxis Sequel
Post by: DireWolf on October 16, 2012, 04:01:28 pm
Personal Log: Corporal Dire Wolf
Date: March 25, 2030
Log Begins:
Another day, another casualty.
Real damn shame, too. I only knew crizza for a few days since I just got out of medbay a week ago, but he seemed to be a nice enough guy. Got along with the rest of the squad pretty well. Pred seemed like a pretty good guy as well, and from what I heard he had lots of potential. Losing two guys in four days is a little sobering. It's true that most of us have gotten shot up pretty badly (even with all these painkillers I'm aching so bad I can hardly write), but we've all pulled through and lived to fight another day. What can you do, I guess.

At least I capped the bastard who killed crizza and put me back in here.
Actually, I think I answered my own question.


Log Ends
___________________
Title: Re: HLPX-COM 3: A Very Firaxis Sequel
Post by: NGTM-1R on October 16, 2012, 04:39:12 pm
Some more research. Just basic materials stuff this time, which we're not likely to use, but oh well. Progress towards eventual development of superior armor is good. We're going to start on lasers now.
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v307/ngtm1r/2012-10-16_00001.jpg)

The Council's happy with us at least, but god are we broke. Half of the money that came in went right out again and we're short on power and we need more money for satellites and uplinks and the lasers we hope to have soonish.
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v307/ngtm1r/2012-10-16_00002.jpg)

In any case, UFO. Raven-2, with Scotty at the controls, is launched to engage. The battle is actually hard, with the interceptor taking nearly 50% damage from repeated hits. The UFO crashes pretty much right outside our base.
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v307/ngtm1r/2012-10-16_00004.jpg)

The Skyranger is outbound. Polpolion, Talon 1024, Esarai, and rookie Rodo. We're hoping Rodo actually comes back. And we still need to capture an alien.
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v307/ngtm1r/2012-10-16_00005.jpg)

Somebody isn't going to be taking their deer home. Actually, does Germany even do hunting seasons at all? Somebody call The E! Maybe we have to arrest poachers too!
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v307/ngtm1r/2012-10-16_00006.jpg)

Uh, new guys. Talon fires on them reaction during the turn, but it's a wash. Shotguns and range don't mix. Talon pulls back on our turn to try and lure them back into the rest of the team, who move into cover predicated on this idea. I really hope this works...
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v307/ngtm1r/2012-10-16_00007.jpg)

It does. Sort of. One Floater, as we're calling them now, is now stuck in the open where both Talon and Rodo can see it, and has already absorbed reaction fire from Rodo that injured it. It shoots back rather than grab cover, missing Rodo.
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v307/ngtm1r/2012-10-16_00009.jpg)

The other has used a somewhat annoying ability of Floaters to make a jet-powered jump across a great distance without drawing reaction fire. It was trying to find our flank, and in a sense it did. It even landed in good cover. But it's also used up all its actions for this turn and is within easy striking distance of Polpolion and Esarai, both of whom could move right up next to it and blow its head off. Whoops!
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v307/ngtm1r/2012-10-16_00010.jpg)

The first Floater is sitting out in the open with a thumb up its butt. It's out of ideas, out of actions to move or shoot, out of time as the turn clicks over, and now with Rodo firing on it also out of remaining hitpoints. Congrats on making Squaddie.
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v307/ngtm1r/2012-10-16_00012.jpg)

Esarai tries to stun the second, but I derped out about LOS somehow, and so instead Polpolion jumps in behind it and with a one-square-perfectly-clear-shot kills it. (Recurring theme this mission.)
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v307/ngtm1r/2012-10-16_00013.jpg)

Something I haven't noted before now but which I probably should have: your troops can not only see the aliens, but also hear them clomping around. (So can you, which is actually petty helpful once you learn to distingush the sounds they make.)
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v307/ngtm1r/2012-10-16_00014.jpg)

Moving in a couple of Sectoids run out to meet us, and then run back inside for cover.
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v307/ngtm1r/2012-10-16_00015.jpg)

We move in a bit more and then up pops an Outsider. It moves around a bit, and then like the other Outsider, it exposes itself to fire from a flanker. Granted it's only a 12% shot from Polpolion due to the range. He made it anyways. (Damn.)
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v307/ngtm1r/2012-10-16_00017.jpg)

The aliens, noticing we're assault-heavy, try to overwatch to keep us away. Talon sucks up their overwatch shot closing in again, and Polpolion tosses a grenade to clear out their cover and hurt them. Damaged and distracted, they don't overwatch again the next turn. Talon runs up and tasers one of the Sectoids into submission.
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v307/ngtm1r/2012-10-16_00020.jpg)

Polpolion runs up, puts a shotgun muzzle between the last Sectoid's eyes, and pulls the trigger. (Seriously look at that picture, tell me that's not exactly what happened!)
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v307/ngtm1r/2012-10-16_00021.jpg)

Mission complete. This was, despite the appearance of a new alien species, much smoother than the previous mission. Being able to temporarily reverse the usual equation and force the Floaters to attack into the dark to get us provided a very useful advantage and is one we'll have to keep in mind for the for the future. Polpolion deserves special mention for killing three aliens, one with an extremely difficult shot, and both Polpolion and Talon demonstrated a willingness to close with the enemy that was essential to our success.
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v307/ngtm1r/2012-10-16_00022.jpg)

We've switched research temporarily to the captured Sectoid's interrogation, as we suspect what we learn from it will be more interesting than anything in our laser research. (And I know we get research credit on lasers from it.)
Title: Re: HLPX-COM 3: A Very Firaxis Sequel
Post by: crizza on October 16, 2012, 04:54:33 pm
Voice out of the grave:
"We have hunting seasons in Germany."
Great...all return alive.
Title: Re: HLPX-COM 3: A Very Firaxis Sequel
Post by: Polpolion on October 16, 2012, 05:31:36 pm
Well I'm glad someone is getting assaults. I swear I've got like six or seven snipers out of twelve on my roster. :p
Title: Re: HLPX-COM 3: A Very Firaxis Sequel
Post by: Scotty on October 16, 2012, 05:47:59 pm
First sortie, first kill of the war.  Back in business, baby.
Title: Re: HLPX-COM 3: A Very Firaxis Sequel
Post by: Rodo on October 16, 2012, 10:03:22 pm
--Rodd's personal Log--

Entry 16:
Date 01-04-15 11:32:40

First mission out with the squad, boy that was intense!
These guys are real badasses, I watched amazed as Talon rushed to taze one of those sectoids.. only to be surprised even further by the bold stunt Polpolion pulled out of his ass! He literally buried his shotgun's barrel on the forehead of a frikkin' sectoid.
I mean, these guys are like... NUTS!
Baumgartner?, who's that guy???

Anyways... seems like I'll have to get some more training... a lot more, to get in level with them.

On the positive side, I killed one of those floating bastards.
He tried to blast me to hell a few times...

I'm starting to think that maybe...
never mind.
-Log End-
Title: Re: HLPX-COM 3: A Very Firaxis Sequel
Post by: StarSlayer on October 17, 2012, 12:26:51 am
One thing I've noticed, at least on Classic, seems like the non sectoid aliens with full HP seem resistant to the arc caster.  I think you need to take a piece out of an alien before you can taser it successfully. 
Title: Re: HLPX-COM 3: A Very Firaxis Sequel
Post by: Polpolion on October 17, 2012, 12:34:21 am
One thing I've noticed, at least on Classic, seems like the non sectoid aliens with full HP seem resistant to the arc caster.  I think you need to take a piece out of an alien before you can taser it successfully.

afaik the target needs to be below 50% hp for them to be reliably effective
Title: Re: HLPX-COM 3: A Very Firaxis Sequel
Post by: The E on October 17, 2012, 01:06:45 am
It's actually worse. The standard taser only works reliably on targets with 3 health or less. The advanced one raises that to 6.
Title: Re: HLPX-COM 3: A Very Firaxis Sequel
Post by: TrashMan on October 17, 2012, 01:34:31 am
The A-team need to take a break.
Next mission, send a team of all rookies. It will be a wonderfull meat grinder.


B.t.w. - anyone make Sgt? The squad size increase is one of the first things I get. Extra firepower!
Title: Re: HLPX-COM 3: A Very Firaxis Sequel
Post by: NGTM-1R on October 17, 2012, 01:55:39 am
Well I'm glad someone is getting assaults. I swear I've got like six or seven snipers out of twelve on my roster. :p

Considering I won the game on the skills of my Snipers, Fox and Checkmate, I'm not sure I see your problem. Seriously though, they can reach further and handle more than pretty much anyone else. Four ten HP hits with high crit chance per turn was a thing of beauty. If I had another Sniper of the quality they were I'd probably have used them.

It's actually worse. The standard taser only works reliably on targets with 3 health or less. The advanced one raises that to 6.

I almost never tried to use it on someone with more than three health. Some aliens seem to have better innate resistance, regardless; Mutons and up require the upgraded taser for real effectiveness at even 3.

B.t.w. - anyone make Sgt? The squad size increase is one of the first things I get. Extra firepower!

I actually just bought that.
Title: Re: HLPX-COM 3: A Very Firaxis Sequel
Post by: Mort on October 17, 2012, 02:32:29 am
You probably should bring along a few more rookies on easier missions because the vets will get wounded and the last thing you want is a full team of rooks
Title: Re: HLPX-COM 3: A Very Firaxis Sequel
Post by: NGTM-1R on October 18, 2012, 08:07:41 pm
So we interrogated the Sectoid.
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v307/ngtm1r/2012-10-16_00023.jpg)
The bald report omits several things. We would never have been permitted to use this process or many of these techniques on a human, regardless of the stakes. Most of the techniques used were immensely painful to the Sectoid. At least two of our soldiers who were present for part of the interrogation have expressed concern about the method and manner of it.

The probes caused permanent brain damage starting during the third hour, and ultimately the Sectoid entered a coma by hour six. There is no reason to suspect it will recover and it has been given over to the Special Weapons Group for biochem weapons testing.

Capturing the Sectoid also meant that its weapon did not self-destruct. As we suspected from wounds to our soldiers and damage to the environment, they are plasma-based. We haven't conducted full research on the subject, however, though there is news on that front.

The X-9 battle rifle has been the standard weapon of X-COM since the agency was first skeletonally set up in the 1990s. Designed by Fabrique Nationale d'Herstal, it has a number of features that are not present in other weapons. The cartridge is significantly heavier, a special 9mm rifle round, and the selector offers single shot and five-round-burst options rather than the common single and three-round. We had no idea what we'd fight ultimately, so massive overkill for humans was considered necessary. As a result the weapon has significant overpenetration issues against human or humanlike targets, punching small neat holes through them without doing much damage, which is why some aliens manage to stay up after a hit.

We have a solution.
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v307/ngtm1r/2012-10-18_00001.jpg)
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v307/ngtm1r/2012-10-18_00002.jpg)
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v307/ngtm1r/2012-10-18_00003.jpg)

The X-L1 Rifle. Using what we learned from examining the miniaturized power sources for the implants in the Sectoid, and the heat dump systems from their plasma pistol, we've managed to develop a workable, non-chemical laser weapon and the means to reload it in the field. It's expensive, each individual weapon costs over thirty thousand dollars US, but it is currently the best rifle deployed on Earth, even slightly outperforming known alien weapons.

As we are responding to alien abduction being reported in Manchester in the UK, the two prototypes have been issued to Esarai and rookie LHN91. Also attending are Polpolion, Talon 1024, and Rodo. (I switched it around so everyone's names would be visible in screens like this if they had a 1-part name.)
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v307/ngtm1r/2012-10-18_00004.jpg)
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v307/ngtm1r/2012-10-18_00032.jpg)

Look children! Targets for Esarai to test his new laser rifle on. Then he misses, disappointing me greatly.
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v307/ngtm1r/2012-10-18_00033.jpg)

Rodo clears up a minor cover-related issue with a grenade. Sadly our standard frags aren't actually powerful enough to kill Floaters. Their mechanical bits provide just enough protection to their vital organs for fragmentation weapons to lose a lot of their value.
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v307/ngtm1r/2012-10-18_00034.jpg)

Talon, being Talon, turns their flank and kills one.
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v307/ngtm1r/2012-10-18_00035.jpg)

Polpolion gets the other. Nothing to see here folks, just the HLPX-COM Assaults cleaning house again.
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v307/ngtm1r/2012-10-18_00036.jpg)

Well, the laser rifle made a hell of a mess of that door anyways.
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v307/ngtm1r/2012-10-18_00037.jpg)
And nobody can use it now because it's on fire. This causes some Sectoids to come check it out and then immediately run for cover when they realize that HLPX-COM is here to **** them up. Esarai fires, but misses again, and says something about still trying to compensate for recoil his weapon doesn't have.
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v307/ngtm1r/2012-10-18_00065.jpg)

Moving up, he finds the Sectoids, who blow their reaction shot at him.
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v307/ngtm1r/2012-10-18_00066.jpg)
And he also found some Thin Men who are pretty awkwardly placed and could flank without much effort, so he pulls back again...and gets shot by another Sectoid which apparently didn't spend its reaction fire. The injuries aren't too serious. (But since he followed the same path it doesn't really make sense there was unspent reaction fire.)

Polpolion tosses a grenade, clearing cover and hurting a couple of the Thin Men. Rodo follows up by bringing one of the injured ones down.
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v307/ngtm1r/2012-10-18_00067.jpg)
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v307/ngtm1r/2012-10-18_00068.jpg)

LHN91 moves up and puts Esarai to shame by scoring a solid laser hit, which kills one Sectoid directly and one from psychic backlash.
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v307/ngtm1r/2012-10-18_00069.jpg)

The aliens retaliate. Rodo is hurt by one of the Thin Men spitting some kind of poison, while another tries and fails to hit Talon at a range of about two meters.
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v307/ngtm1r/2012-10-18_00070.jpg)
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v307/ngtm1r/2012-10-18_00071.jpg)

Polpolion does some more of that turning the flank thing that Talon made a name doing. Say goodnight, Thinnie.
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v307/ngtm1r/2012-10-18_00072.jpg)

LHN91 moves up and the last Sectoid blows its reaction shot high and to the right. Then comes the laser back along the shot trajectory, and it's all over for this particular Grey.
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v307/ngtm1r/2012-10-18_00073.jpg)
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v307/ngtm1r/2012-10-18_00074.jpg)

Talon stuns the Thin Men that's still alive and was injured in the grenade blast.
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v307/ngtm1r/2012-10-18_00075.jpg)

A couple of Floaters turn up. LHN91 misses his first laser shot of the mission, but severely ****s up a building with it. Talon and Polpolion combine fire to kill the Floater that didn't retreat out of sight. (Note that I added a screenshot of Polpolion knocking out the window with a shotgun butt; your troopers do this for windows and doors when they're standing next to them and going to shoot through them.)
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v307/ngtm1r/2012-10-18_00076.jpg)
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v307/ngtm1r/2012-10-18_00077.jpg)
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v307/ngtm1r/2012-10-18_00079.jpg)

Then the one that retreated hops forward and blows away LHN91 with a single shot. Son of a *****! I thought we had this mission in the bag and then some alien cock jockey ruins everything.
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v307/ngtm1r/2012-10-18_00080.jpg)

Esarai rushes forward and fires, finally connecting. The Floater goes down dead with half its head gone.
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v307/ngtm1r/2012-10-18_00081.jpg)

The mission to Manchester must be considered a success, despite the loss of LHN91 on his rookie mission. He showed great promise, and was instrumental in the proving of the X-L1 Rifle, making making his loss triply painful.
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v307/ngtm1r/2012-10-18_00082.jpg)
Others have survived similar hits without being nearly so injured. (It was a straight 6-damage no-crit on a weapon that usually does 3 or 4 damage despite its theory cap of 6.) As near as we can tell, LHN's armor was defective. z64555 has sacked the responsible technicians and testing of the existing armor stocks is underway. This won't happen again.
Title: Re: HLPX-COM 3: A Very Firaxis Sequel
Post by: TrashMan on October 19, 2012, 01:40:03 am
Another tragic loss for the HLP X-Com :(

Victoy is won, but it has been paid for in blood. Farewell LHN91, we salute you.
Title: Re: HLPX-COM 3: A Very Firaxis Sequel
Post by: JGZinv on October 19, 2012, 01:42:09 am
I really wish y'all'd  come back in one piece... the deck on my bird is getting messy and smells.
Title: Re: HLPX-COM 3: A Very Firaxis Sequel
Post by: deathfun on October 19, 2012, 03:42:47 am
Always the rookies
It seems if they make it past their first mission, they last a great deal of time

Shame. It was going so well



Rk. LHN91

Techs gone ****ed up, and cost him his life
Title: Re: HLPX-COM 3: A Very Firaxis Sequel
Post by: TrashMan on October 19, 2012, 03:51:35 am
I can't recall ATM, but if a soldier dies, his equipment is gone, right?


EDIT:
Hey, if you put in me the team, I request a man avatar. Cause I am a MAN. *punch*

Also, put a helemet on me . The 3rd, stormtrooper-like one. It's too dangerous out there to be running around without a helmet.
Title: Re: HLPX-COM 3: A Very Firaxis Sequel
Post by: esarai on October 19, 2012, 06:54:49 am
Personal Log: Lt. Esarai
Date: April... something
Well the techs have done well, that X-L1 is a beast.  Did everything the training videos and documentation said it would, and then some.  Sure yeah we get to vaporize Sectoids like they vaporize us, but the real fun starts when this thing starts lighting **** on fire.  I just wish I hadn't accidentally switched rifles with LHN... I couldn't hit jack without a properly zeroed sight and he might still be here.  They're telling me it was a defect in his armor that cost his life.  I just... don't know, man.

These newbies have it rough, our sorties chew through them like potato chips.  Should ask the commander if there's anything we can do to increase squad survivability.  Also, should talk to commander about sunscreen for X-L users.  I've got a pink rectangle on my face.
Title: Re: HLPX-COM 3: A Very Firaxis Sequel
Post by: Rodo on October 19, 2012, 12:20:30 pm
--Rodd's personal Log--

Entry 17:
Date 01-04-?? ??:??:??

Another day, another corpse, this time LHN91.

I didn't knew the guy that much, but he seemed ok.
He was all pumped up with his experimental laser, well to be fair I would be myself... after watching that display of firepower.
His demise was a weird combination of unlucky events that chained together, like for example equipping a defective armor with some kind of crack or something like that (as the techs said) and then getting shot right on that spot!
I don't know... the regular team seems to be discussing about changing the team nickname to 'rookiegrinder' or something like that.
I wonder how will I go.

Yes, I no longer hope for survivability, I know I'm as good as dead.

Might as well kill some alien scum in the process.

Speaking of which, +1 to the count. (I've been scratching the wall right to the side of my bunkerbunk so I can keep track of my kills)

That's 2 aliens for me so far, need to get to 20 to consider myself satisfied.

RIP LHN91, farewell fella.
That's all.

-LogEnd-

Edit: lol
Title: Re: HLPX-COM 3: A Very Firaxis Sequel
Post by: z64555 on October 19, 2012, 01:00:57 pm
[Personnel Log: "z64555" (Head of Tech)]

Damn it, I told those dumbasses that our boys and girls needed the best the Earth has to offer...

With the death of our 3rd soldier in the field, I personally examined the armor to see just what the hell was going on. I've read a memo back when we first got the armor that there was a 5% chance of the armor failing due to high temperatures. It seems that is in fact closer to 40%, because when I took samples of each armor near the impacts, I found that they had lost its hardness by well over 70% and didn't disperse the heat as it was spec'd to do.

In short, the armor didn't melt, it vaporized, instantly leaving all of the poor victim's vitals exposed to the heat and God knows what else is inside that "plasma" bolt.

I've since sacked the two techs responsible for the development and manufacturer of the armor, perhaps they'll do well in marketing as they have a talent for passing bull****. In the mean time, I've instructed the quarter master to send the armor we have to the labs to double check their integrity, and the labs to reject the armor if any defect is found. Our soldiers need the best gear, not the second best!

<ding>it's about time... <grumble>
[end log]

Title: Re: HLPX-COM 3: A Very Firaxis Sequel
Post by: TrashMan on October 19, 2012, 02:40:43 pm
Yes, I no longer hope for survivability, I know I'm as good as dead.

(http://images2.wikia.nocookie.net/__cb20091225025609/ssbbcustom/images/5/5a/7796_500sq.jpg)
Title: Re: HLPX-COM 3: A Very Firaxis Sequel
Post by: Patriot on October 20, 2012, 06:36:53 am
Oh in case im close to getting a sortie in, i would like to change my class to Support, because i don't like shotguns in this game :)
Title: Re: HLPX-COM 3: A Very Firaxis Sequel
Post by: esarai on October 20, 2012, 09:42:11 am
All troopers start as a generic class, and once you make squaddie it's randomly assigned, if I recall.
Title: Re: HLPX-COM 3: A Very Firaxis Sequel
Post by: NGTM-1R on October 20, 2012, 09:56:04 am
Yeah, I can't promise you a class. Sorry.
Title: Re: HLPX-COM 3: A Very Firaxis Sequel
Post by: Fury on October 20, 2012, 11:26:13 am
There is research that makes rookies into squaddies though. But I'm sure you knew that.
Title: Re: HLPX-COM 3: A Very Firaxis Sequel
Post by: Alex Heartnet on October 20, 2012, 06:48:21 pm
*A news logo flashes on the television screen, followed by a nicely-dressed female reporter*

Our top story today concerns the laser pistols the Argentinan government started issuing to civilians for civil defense purposes.  Officials believe that this will help contribute to the casualty rate, but similar proposals have been met with fierce opposition within the USA.  Citizens are reminded at all times to follow safety procedures when operating lasers, and never under any circumstances to remove the built-in tracking chip.  Details at 11.

In other news today, a group of anti-human traitors were taken into custody today.  To discuss this latest development, we have expert psychologist Mike Migel on the line.  So, Mr. Migel, what is your take on the latest arrests?

"It's great!  These terrorists were spreading harmful propaganda in an effort to undermine humanity's survival.  It would of proved disasterous if they weren't caught."

There are those that believe that even in the wake of the ongoing invasion, personal freedoms remain important.  Would you agree with this sentiment?

"Absolutely not!  We are fighting a war for our very survival here.  If we had people just doing whatever they wanted, there would be no coordinated effort, and the war would already be lost."

Thank you for your time, Mr. Migel.  This has been Aleccia Heartnet, reporting from GNN headquarters in New York.
Title: Re: HLPX-COM 3: A Very Firaxis Sequel
Post by: LHN91 on October 20, 2012, 08:54:36 pm
Dang it. Started off the mission so well, too.
Title: Re: HLPX-COM 3: A Very Firaxis Sequel
Post by: Mort on October 21, 2012, 12:39:44 am
And another one bites the dust
Title: Re: HLPX-COM 3: A Very Firaxis Sequel
Post by: NGTM-1R on October 21, 2012, 06:45:22 pm
Some more research has been accomplished in the Laser field. We now have viable designs for replacing all our existing weaponry with laser-based alternatives. Unfortunately, cashflow means that we've only been able to deploy one other weapon besides the two prototype rifles: the X-L2 Sniper Rifle has been issued to Dire Wolf for field tests. Talon has inherited LHN91's X-L1, after tests proved it had conclusively superior damage output to the old shotgun.
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v307/ngtm1r/2012-10-21_00001.jpg)
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v307/ngtm1r/2012-10-21_00002.jpg)

Which is fortunate, because the aliens have launched a full-scale attack on Moscow. Units of the Russian Army and Air Force are responding piecemeal, but have encountered heavy resistance. Two full divisions are en route but may have trouble getting into the city. We have been asked to assist by cracking a point of particularly heavy alien resistance along Kutuzov avenue to clear the way for the advance of IFVs and mortar carriers from the 106th Guards Airborne Division. Saving civilians in the area is a secondary, but important, objective. The aliens are expected to have made efforts to entrench, but we will hit them before they've had much time. (Trivia note: I actually did listen to Rammstein's Moskau for this.)
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v307/ngtm1r/2012-10-21_00003.jpg)
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v307/ngtm1r/2012-10-21_00004.jpg)

Talon picks off one Floater that charged directly at a civilian, ignoring the presence of armed enemies.
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v307/ngtm1r/2012-10-21_00006.jpg)

Another Floater down to Talon.(This shot is suspicious, I'm not sure he actually made contact. Oh well, it did die.)
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v307/ngtm1r/2012-10-21_00007.jpg)

Two more advance, Talon missing one, but Scourge of Ages brings it down.
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v307/ngtm1r/2012-10-21_00008.jpg)
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v307/ngtm1r/2012-10-21_00009.jpg)

Dire Wolf moves to a billboard for a sniper perch. His first kill comes moments after he reports in position, picking off the second Floater.
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v307/ngtm1r/2012-10-21_00010.jpg)
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v307/ngtm1r/2012-10-21_00011.jpg)

“Contact! Unknown hostiles moving up!” After Esarai fires on one and injures it, it retreats. The fact the aliens have things capable of surviving direct laser rifle strikes is more than a little disturbing.
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v307/ngtm1r/2012-10-21_00013.jpg)
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v307/ngtm1r/2012-10-21_00012.jpg)

The second new alien charges. Unfortunately, it runs directly into the fire lanes of pretty much the whole team and gets plastered, going down in a heap before it can advance more than five meters.
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v307/ngtm1r/2012-10-21_00014.jpg)
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v307/ngtm1r/2012-10-21_00015.jpg)

The other returns, but Esarai is on the job and brings it down with a second laser between the eyes.
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v307/ngtm1r/2012-10-21_00016.jpg)

“Esarai here. We have a civilian moving in the alien-controlled area. The aliens are ignoring him...sir this guy is clearly hurt, he's not moving right and I see blood.”
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v307/ngtm1r/2012-10-21_00017.jpg)
“Confirm, I have eyes on him...Control, something's wrong with this guy. His skin color is...green. His eyes are glowing.”
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v307/ngtm1r/2012-10-21_00018.jpg)
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v307/ngtm1r/2012-10-21_00019.jpg)
“This is Droid, are you saying he's a zombie DireWolf?”
“Uh...affirmative Control.”
“Right. No chances. Take him down hard.”
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v307/ngtm1r/2012-10-21_00020.jpg)
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v307/ngtm1r/2012-10-21_00021.jpg)

Mission complete. Raven-1 and Raven-2 were deployed to assist in bringing down UFOs providing close support to alien troops on the ground, but further assistance from HLPX-COM ground forces was not required.
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v307/ngtm1r/2012-10-21_00022.jpg)
The Russian president and the commander of the 106th Guards Airborne send their thanks. The BMD-4s and 2S9s of the division were able to reach their jump-off positions and flank the main alien concentrations, leading to a quick and thorough defeat of the alien presence in Moscow. Our success here, and the Russian's public success, has done a great deal to calm fears in Europe. Promotions all around.
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v307/ngtm1r/2012-10-21_00023.jpg)
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v307/ngtm1r/2012-10-21_00024.jpg)
Title: Re: HLPX-COM 3: A Very Firaxis Sequel
Post by: z64555 on October 21, 2012, 07:14:12 pm
[Peronnel log: "z64555" (Head of Tech)]

Just got news from over the comms (ok, I snuck into the situation room, so what?) that we had our first successful mission in a while. By successful, I mean none of our boys or girls got the plasma special (and I'm NOT referring the $5 bloodbank fair last year).

I'm also a bit beside myself, this is the first time in HLPX-COM history that we managed to get a very decent laser weapon for our snipers, as well as a new shotgun type! While at first glance, it should be a no-brainer that a sniper laser is the way to go, but you have to keep in mind that previous attempts had a serious problem with blooming as well as accurately linking the scope to maintain zero at any range. We've solved that bit by using a combination ultrasonic and IR laser ranger to synch up with a servo in the elevation control of the scope, and of course provide a manual override should either ranging device fail. I debated whether or not a windage control was needed, because lasers aren't affected by crosswinds, but then I remembered that it would still be a good idea to include one in case the scope got jostled around and lost its zero... since we didn't really want to spend much time in making the scope and the weapon's receiver in one solid piece.

I'm however a bit skeptical about the quality of the prisms in the shotguns. Oh, the facets of the prisms are no big issue, but rather the quality of the glass we're using. It turns out that it absorbs a bit more of the infrared spectrum than I would like, thereby not only reducing the power of each shot somewhat (compared to the same number of beams by the XL-1) but also increases the spread of the shots as the glass deforms. I've asked our materials engineers to look into experimenting with a glass mixture that uses some of the... optics, from all those plasma weaponry we've come across.

Oh, yes, I almost forgot about the heavy lasers! With these beauties, our interceptors should be able to bring more heat to the skys, heh.

<ding> over already? sheesh.

[end log]
Title: Re: HLPX-COM 3: A Very Firaxis Sequel
Post by: Droid803 on October 21, 2012, 07:52:10 pm
Zombies? O_o
Title: Re: HLPX-COM 3: A Very Firaxis Sequel
Post by: Mongoose on October 21, 2012, 08:12:46 pm
The idea of a laser shotgun is pretty ridiculous...ly awesome.
Title: Re: HLPX-COM 3: A Very Firaxis Sequel
Post by: StarSlayer on October 21, 2012, 08:13:57 pm
Hell's Highway is probably one of the best maps to take on a terror mission. plenty of cover to advance up and you can typically make first contact with the crysallids early and with a meat grinder to meet them.

The zombie is a host while the chrysallid larva is gestating.
Title: Re: HLPX-COM 3: A Very Firaxis Sequel
Post by: NGTM-1R on October 21, 2012, 08:26:09 pm
Zombies? O_o

Die to Chryssalid melee attack.

Turn passes.

Get up as zombie.

Last...3 turns? I've never let one do it.

Turns into new Chryssalid.
Title: Re: HLPX-COM 3: A Very Firaxis Sequel
Post by: z64555 on October 21, 2012, 08:40:34 pm
The idea of a laser shotgun is pretty ridiculous...ly awesome.

It was featured in two mod/expansion packs for Fallout 3, "Broken Steel" gave you a 3-shot laser rifle, while "The Pitt" gave you a proper shotgun pistol (Metal Blaster) as a prize for collecting enough steel ingots from the trog field. I do not know if it was used elseware.
Title: Re: HLPX-COM 3: A Very Firaxis Sequel
Post by: deathfun on October 21, 2012, 11:37:26 pm
The idea of a laser shotgun is pretty ridiculous...ly awesome.

It was featured in two mod/expansion packs for Fallout 3, "Broken Steel" gave you a 3-shot laser rifle, while "The Pitt" gave you a proper shotgun pistol (Metal Blaster) as a prize for collecting enough steel ingots from the trog field. I do not know if it was used elseware.

You forgot the unique laser pistol you could get normally in Fallout 3 which acted as a shotgun. I believe it was called Protectron's Gaze



And damn, that was a fast and hard mission right there. In, out, many dead bodies, not a single injury
Not bad
Title: Re: HLPX-COM 3: A Very Firaxis Sequel
Post by: esarai on October 22, 2012, 12:07:43 am
Personal Log: Cpt. Esarai
Date: 04-21-2015
Well holy crap, we all made it back in one piece.  These new laser rifles are some fearsome monsters.  New alien appeared today--command's calling them Chrysalids.  They're tough as f**k, can take a XL shot to the face, but not much more than that.  'Rookiegrinder' worked well today, kept to cover and combined fire to mow these ****ers like an overgrown lawn.  Combined XL-small arms fire is a thing to see--Chrysalid's carapace cracks under laser fire, then the bullets shatter it like a window, and another volley of XL sears the innards to dust.  If only our guncams had higher framerates.

Also saw a sight I'm not going to forget for a while--some poor russian bro was seriously f**ked up, turning green, his veins about to pop.  Usually the aliens just web people up... this was something else.  It was like he had something underneath all that, something inside pushing against his bones, keeping him from moving right.  Looked painful.  I hope the science types can tell us what the heck was going on there.

We met up with the Russians after the op incase further combat ops were required, but those guys are professionals.  They laid the law and didn't give the ET's an inch.  When we were on standby some of our comrades sauntered over and tried to talk to me, but dammit I don't speak russian.  They looked pretty confused.  I think being a yank with a Russian flag on my armor is what threw them... but hey, my great-grandfather was part Russian, so hopefully that counts?  Seriously how did my registration files get that wrenched?  Ah well, not worth command's time to sort it.  We're saving the Earth, and if we win no one's gonna give a damn about that stuff anyways.  We're supposed to be the best of humanity, not the best of Russia or the USA.

Oh and I'll need to remember to thank command for the sunblock--I only got half a sunburn this time.  Man, tanning salons are never gonna be the same.
Title: Re: HLPX-COM 3: A Very Firaxis Sequel
Post by: Fury on October 22, 2012, 12:35:36 am
NGTM-1R, out of curiosity. Why did you research and manufacture laser weapons? Plasma should be available fairly quickly. It doesn't seem to be possible to sell old equipment, or I have conveniently missed how.
Title: Re: HLPX-COM 3: A Very Firaxis Sequel
Post by: Scourge of Ages on October 22, 2012, 01:14:21 am
Because all plasmas must be captured (or built at extreme cost), and until you capture
Spoiler:
a Muton or Elite Floater, the biggest you'll get is a Light Plasma Rifle, which is functionally identical to the laser rifle, but way more expensive to build.
Title: Re: HLPX-COM 3: A Very Firaxis Sequel
Post by: TrashMan on October 22, 2012, 01:34:52 am
^
It also gets a +10 aim bonus for some reason and that actually makes it superior to he laser rifle.
Title: Re: HLPX-COM 3: A Very Firaxis Sequel
Post by: z64555 on October 22, 2012, 05:45:33 am
The idea of a laser shotgun is pretty ridiculous...ly awesome.

It was featured in two mod/expansion packs for Fallout 3, "Broken Steel" gave you a 3-shot laser rifle, while "The Pitt" gave you a proper shotgun pistol (Metal Blaster) as a prize for collecting enough steel ingots from the trog field. I do not know if it was used elseware.

You forgot the unique laser pistol you could get normally in Fallout 3 which acted as a shotgun. I believe it was called Protectron's Gaze

oh damnit. and it comes from the quest that I so often complete with taking both the AntAgonist and the Mechanist out of their costume shenanigans.

***z64555 checks to see if Fallout 3 is still installed on his desktop
Title: Re: HLPX-COM 3: A Very Firaxis Sequel
Post by: Fury on October 22, 2012, 06:34:33 am
Because all plasmas must be captured (or built at extreme cost), and until you capture
Spoiler:
a Muton or Elite Floater, the biggest you'll get is a Light Plasma Rifle, which is functionally identical to the laser rifle, but way more expensive to build.
Well, I did manage to equip my squad of six with plasmas before I had even researched laser. :nervous: On the other hand, I'm playing on easy because I got tired of getting roflstomped later in the game because I didn't quite understand all game mechanics yet. I didn't play any of the old xcom games either.
Title: Re: HLPX-COM 3: A Very Firaxis Sequel
Post by: NGTM-1R on October 22, 2012, 07:12:14 am
NGTM-1R, out of curiosity. Why did you research and manufacture laser weapons? Plasma should be available fairly quickly. It doesn't seem to be possible to sell old equipment, or I have conveniently missed how.

23 days to research light plasmas, plus at this level trying to take down big aliens with standard weaponry is a *****.
Title: Re: HLPX-COM 3: A Very Firaxis Sequel
Post by: TrashMan on October 22, 2012, 07:46:55 am
23 days? Did you capture and interrogate?

I researched them in ..6-7 days.

HMmmm..I think I had mutton captives by that point, so the 50% research bonus applies.
Title: Re: HLPX-COM 3: A Very Firaxis Sequel
Post by: crizza on October 22, 2012, 10:39:11 am
Great, now that I'm wasted the weapons get better :banghead:
Title: Re: HLPX-COM 3: A Very Firaxis Sequel
Post by: NGTM-1R on October 22, 2012, 10:57:25 am
23 days? Did you capture and interrogate?

We just spotted our first Chryssalids, I don't think we've taken an Outsider alive or a Floater, there's no way I could capture a Muton yet.
Title: Re: HLPX-COM 3: A Very Firaxis Sequel
Post by: NGTM-1R on October 27, 2012, 06:59:25 pm
Abduction mission in Japan, saddle up! Joining us this time is Rookie Mort. I'd prefer it if Mort comes back alive, but given the way things have gone I'm not willing to bet on it. (We pretty much had to respond to the Asian abduction, or write off the whole continent; China's already in a panic because I'm a derp and gave it satellite coverage without interceptors.)
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v307/ngtm1r/2012-10-27_00001.jpg)

Enemy Unknown identifies the true cause of the alien invasion: rising gas prices.
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v307/ngtm1r/2012-10-27_00002.jpg)

We have a minimum of four Sectoids who closed to contact on the first turn. Mort brought one down (25% hit chance, not bad work), but the rest have managed to avoid dying to Esarai and others.
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v307/ngtm1r/2012-10-27_00004.jpg)
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v307/ngtm1r/2012-10-27_00003.jpg)
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v307/ngtm1r/2012-10-27_00005.jpg)

Then one of them blows it and gets taken out by Scourge of Ages for wandering across his field of fire.
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v307/ngtm1r/2012-10-27_00006.jpg)

DireWolf redeems himself after an earlier miss.
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v307/ngtm1r/2012-10-27_00007.jpg)

Mort reports three Thin Men, who immediately dash off into the dark after being spotted. Scourge of Ages brings down the last Sectoid.
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v307/ngtm1r/2012-10-27_00008.jpg)

And then the mission goes to **** as Esarai kills one Thin Man that charged, and the other two combine fire to bring him down with an impressively large hole in his chest.
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v307/ngtm1r/2012-10-27_00009.jpg)
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v307/ngtm1r/2012-10-27_00010.jpg)
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v307/ngtm1r/2012-10-27_00011.jpg)
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v307/ngtm1r/2012-10-27_00012.jpg)

Mort, moving up, reports that Esarai is still alive, but needs immediate medical attention. The team responds with a lot of explosives. First, Mort blasts one of the Thin Men with a grenade, badly injuring it and removing its cover. Second, Scourge of Ages uses his rocket to remove the front side of this store, so that DireWolf has better sight lines.
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v307/ngtm1r/2012-10-27_00014.jpg)
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v307/ngtm1r/2012-10-27_00013.jpg)
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v307/ngtm1r/2012-10-27_00015.jpg)

DireWolf promptly brings down the Thin Man that hasn't been hurt yet.
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v307/ngtm1r/2012-10-27_00018.jpg)

Talon stuns the injured Thin Man.
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v307/ngtm1r/2012-10-27_00019.jpg)

Three more Sectoids run in, and then dive for cover when they realize what's going on. Mort kills one.
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v307/ngtm1r/2012-10-27_00020.jpg)

Scourge misses another, but DireWolf gets it with a grenade.
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v307/ngtm1r/2012-10-27_00021.jpg)
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v307/ngtm1r/2012-10-27_00023.jpg)

The last one foolishly got way too close to Talon.
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v307/ngtm1r/2012-10-27_00022.jpg)

Mission Complete. Esarai's injuries mean a lengthy stay in Sickbay.
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v307/ngtm1r/2012-10-27_00024.jpg)
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v307/ngtm1r/2012-10-27_00025.jpg)

Out of character now, I'm pretty sure this game is going down in flames because I started this as my literally first game (savegame number 1) and didn't effectively manage my geoscape and cash early on. My inclination is to ride the bomb all the way down, but it's really up to you guys.
Title: Re: HLPX-COM 3: A Very Firaxis Sequel
Post by: Rodo on October 27, 2012, 07:33:52 pm
Well it's fun to know you can be in real trouble but still win, but being completely hopeless and surviving against all odds is even better.
Title: Re: HLPX-COM 3: A Very Firaxis Sequel
Post by: Kobrar44 on October 27, 2012, 07:40:21 pm
Fight to the end. You should be able to recover somehow, maybe. Also,
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v307/ngtm1r/2012-10-27_00002.jpg)
Sooooo funny  :lol:
Title: Re: HLPX-COM 3: A Very Firaxis Sequel
Post by: esarai on October 27, 2012, 11:44:18 pm
Personal Log: Cpt. Esarai
Date: <no data>
*respirator hissing*
Get shot, see explosions.  That'd've been a good send-off.  Rookiegrinder's got priorities straight.  Especially Mort.  He made it?  Good.  Solved problem with high explosives, head's in right place. 

Ride to valhalla on rockets' shockwave, hoo-rah.

We're doin' business too well.  Cooperation, massed fire, we're teaching the X's. stomped 'em with it, they turned it on us.  On me.  ****in' seared lung sandwich, anyone?  Ready in 9 days?  Asking for a miracle.  Techs do magic, though.  Need new lung.  More pain meds will stop heart. 

Commander, if dead, alien ass, up nuke shove...  my name...zzzZZZzzzz

<Log ended for inactivity>
Title: Re: HLPX-COM 3: A Very Firaxis Sequel
Post by: Mort on October 28, 2012, 12:11:15 am
Personal Log: Mort

Whew. Made it through my first mission alive. After a few of the other rookies got killed on their first mission, I was prepared that my first time in the field would be my last.

I'm amazed the captain managed to survive that hit. I've seen people die from lesser wounds. He's one tough son of a gun.

I'm glad I'm a sniper. I tell the others I like it because I'm a good shot but actually, it's because I feel my chances of surviving this whole invasion are higher from the back sniping the aliens. I always knew my survivor instinct was a bit too strong to be a soldier.

[End of entry]
Title: Re: HLPX-COM 3: A Very Firaxis Sequel
Post by: StarSlayer on October 28, 2012, 12:50:26 am
Hmm I went Carpace before kill power. Kept my first team alive and I was able to leap frog direct to Plas.  Until Cryssalids and Cyber Disks started showing up in force kinetics seemed to work fine for me, armor seemed important.
Title: Re: HLPX-COM 3: A Very Firaxis Sequel
Post by: TrashMan on October 28, 2012, 04:37:37 am
Mr. Killsteal is still with us. YAY!

Speakign of which, when do I come in?  ;7
Title: Re: HLPX-COM 3: A Very Firaxis Sequel
Post by: Droid803 on October 28, 2012, 11:54:59 am
Wow he survived that. O_o
Title: Re: HLPX-COM 3: A Very Firaxis Sequel
Post by: Scourge of Ages on October 29, 2012, 02:44:32 am
Personal after-action log.
Subject: Scourge of Ages
Date: I'll get to that later! Important news!

Our mission today was a resounding success! I've been nervous every time the Skyranger takes off lately, because I sensed a pattern. Aside from that one freaky mission, we've lost at least one soldier every single mission. They've had to regrow the skin on my chest so many times, I'm not sure how much is technically me.

But this last mission, everyone came back again! Even after we got ambushed by Skinnies, we all pulled through. Ol' Killsteal took a plasma to the face and I swore he had bit it, but the vital sign monitor said he was still ticking. We pushed through the x-rays and pulled him out of there and back to the Skyranger. The onboard medic station was able to keep him stable, and Doc Fox says he'll be just fine once they can find a few spare parts to replace the ones that got plasma cooked.

Let's see if our (my) luck holds to the end of the campaign. Then I can retire.

Here goes:
Alien plasmas will avoid Scourge of Ages body.
Alien plasmas will avoid Scourge of Ages body.
Alien plasmas will avoid Scourge of Ages body.
Alien plasmas will avoid Scourge of Ages body.


OOC: Ride it as far as it goes! Quitting is for losers!
Title: Re: HLPX-COM 3: A Very Firaxis Sequel
Post by: Doc Fox on October 30, 2012, 08:10:49 pm
They've had to regrow the skin on my chest so many times, I'm not sure how much is technically me.

Oh, don't worry. We take it off the clones we keep in the basement. It integrates better.

Night, you sure are keeping the medbay busy... How about a laser scalpel? I'm sure that could be real useful, I wouldn't have problems with disinfectant, and who knows what kind of microbes these aliens are carrying... So far, haven't been able to culture anything, which I find odd. Maybe I should make up some blood agar using sectoid blood... Hrm.
Title: Re: HLPX-COM 3: A Very Firaxis Sequel
Post by: z64555 on October 30, 2012, 10:07:00 pm
[Personnel log: "z64555" (Head of Tech)]

Another perfect mission today. Well, almost perfect. One of our captains nearly didn't make it out of there without the assistance of a body bag, a damn Thin Man tried to add a new hole in his chest, but luckily the armor did its job (for once!) and bought him enough time for our boys and girls to haul his ass outta there.

Speaking of which, I've gotten the 5th order from Doc Fox for a set of laser scalpels. <sigh> The only way for any sort of "laser scalpel" to be of any use would to have a machine or medibay to do the actual cutting, just to make sure the chopper in charge of the operation doesn't cut all the way through unintentionally. I haven't gotten any word on the status of the foundry, so it looks like it will be awhile until any sizable robotics, including the medibay and the SHIV, would be available for use.

<ding!> Hmm, I really ought to cut back on how much coffee I drink, my sleep cycle seems to be getting messed up, yet again. Maybe I could substitute it for a bit of cocoa...
[End log]
Title: Re: HLPX-COM 3: A Very Firaxis Sequel
Post by: Patriot on November 19, 2012, 09:55:33 am
want more? :(
Title: Re: HLPX-COM 3: A Very Firaxis Sequel
Post by: NGTM-1R on November 19, 2012, 01:10:06 pm
It turns out Let's Playing getting you all killed is actually kind of hard on me emotionally.
Title: Re: HLPX-COM 3: A Very Firaxis Sequel
Post by: Kobrar44 on November 19, 2012, 01:13:30 pm
Avoid the plasma and you won't get killed, soldier!
Title: Re: HLPX-COM 3: A Very Firaxis Sequel
Post by: Polpolion on November 19, 2012, 01:16:15 pm
Whatever happened to getting HLP X-COM 1 into Classics?
Title: Re: HLPX-COM 3: A Very Firaxis Sequel
Post by: Scotty on November 19, 2012, 01:32:49 pm
The establishment felt it wasn't significant enough to HLP's culture to warrant inclusion.

Yeah, I'm not sure how "significant enough" gets judged either.
Title: Re: HLPX-COM 3: A Very Firaxis Sequel
Post by: Rodo on November 19, 2012, 01:37:48 pm
I miss the thrill of living in the edge.
Title: Re: HLPX-COM 3: A Very Firaxis Sequel
Post by: SpardaSon21 on November 19, 2012, 01:43:36 pm
I'm pretty sure HLP recognizing The E as Earth's baddest mother****er because of that is a significant contribution.  Oh, and the fact operators of remote-controlled weapons platforms are now part of the Spoonzer Elite.
Title: Re: HLPX-COM 3: A Very Firaxis Sequel
Post by: Scotty on November 19, 2012, 01:45:32 pm
When I asked about it in Site Support, it got shot down.  Make what you will of that.

At any rate, I'd be okay with a restart as long as I can still be the pilot.  I'm always the pilot.
Title: Re: HLPX-COM 3: A Very Firaxis Sequel
Post by: StarSlayer on November 19, 2012, 02:04:39 pm
The establishment felt it wasn't significant enough to HLP's culture to warrant inclusion.

Yeah, I'm not sure how "significant enough" gets judged either.

See that's why you need to make the most of every opportunity and ensure it stays culturally relevant to HLP:

We can't let infighting tear us apart! What if we compromise and target all humanoids with pointy ears? That way we also get rid of the Vulcans!

Also I don't have any personal quarrel with Spoon! It's for the good of humanity, there's no other way.

I don't think you quite understand but he's the Goddamn Spoonzer Elite.  About the only thing xenos scum soil themselves in fear of more is The E.  He's a cold metal menace and I'd take my chances against any extraterrestrial threat backed by the dread armor of the one known as Spoon...
Title: Re: HLPX-COM 3: A Very Firaxis Sequel
Post by: SpardaSon21 on November 19, 2012, 06:38:54 pm
I'm pretty sure The E carries around the paw of a Demented Fuzzy Shivan for good luck. :nod:
Title: The Fine Art of ****ing Up
Post by: NGTM-1R on November 22, 2012, 08:39:59 pm
So **** has gone south. Or north. It's hard to tell when you're in this deep.

India and China pulled out, North America is on the edge of losing it, and we're still broke. But we're hitting North America in response to an abduction mission now. Attending are Talon 1024, Scourge of Ages, Polpolion, Dire Wolf, and Rodo.
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v307/ngtm1r/2012-11-22_00001.jpg)
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v307/ngtm1r/2012-11-22_00002.jpg)

I have no idea what that is, but it looks pretty badass. And here we are with only a couple of lasers in the squad. **** **** ****.
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v307/ngtm1r/2012-11-22_00004.jpg)

Sectoids add the to the problem as Rodo misses two shots at the nearest new enemy.
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v307/ngtm1r/2012-11-22_00006.jpg)
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v307/ngtm1r/2012-11-22_00005.jpg)

The situation is bad. A grenade has badly injured two of our troopers, causing Rodo to panic. (Fortunately also causing Rodo to gun down the grenadier.) We have hostiles on both sides and we've lost track of one of the alien heavies. Polpolion is stuck out so far front that there's no cover from both groups, and others are taking fire that's fortunately not hitting from the Thin Men that appeared behind us or the Sectoids in front of us.
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v307/ngtm1r/2012-11-22_00008.jpg)
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v307/ngtm1r/2012-11-22_00009.jpg)
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v307/ngtm1r/2012-11-22_00010.jpg)
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v307/ngtm1r/2012-11-22_00011.jpg)

Dire Wolf provides a bright spot by bringing down the most distant Sectoid, which also kills the one it's psychically linked to.
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v307/ngtm1r/2012-11-22_00012.jpg)
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v307/ngtm1r/2012-11-22_00013.jpg)

Polpolion redeploys with the reduced Sectoid threat, only to stumble onto some Floaters. Still, one of the Thin Men goes down. This might be salvageable, particularly since Scourge killed another Sectoid.
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v307/ngtm1r/2012-11-22_00015.jpg)
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v307/ngtm1r/2012-11-22_00016.jpg)
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v307/ngtm1r/2012-11-22_00014.jpg)

...I should learn not to say things like that. Dire Wolf just got blown away by a grenade and some plasma fire. The second heavy appeared and though it was shot up by Scourge it's not dead. Talon 1024 brought down one Thin Man by standard reaction shot and one by extra short-range reaction shot, finally clearing that flank.
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v307/ngtm1r/2012-11-22_00017.jpg)
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v307/ngtm1r/2012-11-22_00018.jpg)
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v307/ngtm1r/2012-11-22_00019.jpg)

But Polpolion gets shot in the process.
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v307/ngtm1r/2012-11-22_00020.jpg)
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v307/ngtm1r/2012-11-22_00021.jpg)

Rodo and Scourge manage to kill the heavy with a grenade and a rocket, but both have empty guns and the Floaters move up, killing Talon 1024.
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v307/ngtm1r/2012-11-22_00022.jpg)
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v307/ngtm1r/2012-11-22_00024.jpg)

Options are limited. Reloading in place will let the floaters probably kill both surviving troopers before they can return fire. There's no room to pull back and reload in, unless we do it on the Skyranger. I can try to keep the fight going, and lose everyone and the mission, or save two, and lose the mission anyways.

Mission aborted.
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v307/ngtm1r/2012-11-22_00024.jpg)

Four countries just panicked. Four.

This was a ****up of massive proportions. Talon has been with us since the beginning, and the others were mostly experienced and capable. The appearance of the Thin Men and their large frontage on one flank, and the lack of room to pull back and redeploy, caused the team to be torn to shreds. I was hopeful when the Thin Men effectively wasted a turn of fire, but the inability to eliminate either side as a going concern in one turn and the appearance of the Floaters meant that the mission was still fishbait.
Title: Re: HLPX-COM 3: A Very Firaxis Sequel
Post by: Mort on November 22, 2012, 09:06:27 pm
Keep going! I'm interested in seeing how this ends
Title: Re: HLPX-COM 3: A Very Firaxis Sequel
Post by: Polpolion on November 22, 2012, 09:06:54 pm
It's kinda hard to tell what's been going on here. Did we just get overextended, or did aliens just randomly appear out of nowhere? Or both?
Title: Re: HLPX-COM 3: A Very Firaxis Sequel
Post by: deathfun on November 22, 2012, 09:47:51 pm
Damn
What caused China and India to pull out?
Title: Re: HLPX-COM 3: A Very Firaxis Sequel
Post by: NGTM-1R on November 22, 2012, 09:58:34 pm
It's kinda hard to tell what's been going on here. Did we just get overextended, or did aliens just randomly appear out of nowhere? Or both?

A little of both. This particular map is a bad one to fight on, and you have to gamble on whether the Thin Men spawn point is being used or the aliens are in the building. I bet it wasn't being used, and I lost that bet.

Everything after that was downhill, since I didn't have the ability to arrest the slide by knocking out one side of the ambush in a turn.

What caused China and India to pull out?

My own derpiness. I was using satellites to manage panic levels and didn't realize unintercepted UFOs raise them. This was literally the first game I ran.
Title: Re: HLPX-COM 3: A Very Firaxis Sequel
Post by: Rodo on November 22, 2012, 10:28:51 pm
--Rodd's personal Log--

Entry 18:
Date 05-05-15 11:05:32

*static*
*static*
*static*

I ****ed.

*static*
*static*
*static*

We're ****ed.

*static*
*static*

-LogEnd-
Title: Re: HLPX-COM 3: A Very Firaxis Sequel
Post by: TrashMan on November 23, 2012, 01:24:21 am
If you do plan to re-start I reccomed you use the Warspace Extension mod.

And friggin hate enemies appearing out of nowhere OR getting double moves. Taht is not difficulty. That is garbage.
Title: Downward Spiraling
Post by: NGTM-1R on December 17, 2012, 12:54:17 am
We now return to the downward spiral.
Abduction mission, Paris. Rookies SpardaSon and Firespawn join Esarai, Scourge of Ages, and Mort.
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v307/ngtm1r/2012-12-09_00001_zpsd7da5fc7.jpg)

We're going to touch down just about first light. We won't be operating very deniably, but at this point it probably doesn't matter. This could easily be our last operational mission.
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v307/ngtm1r/2012-12-09_00002_zpsb5da2434.jpg)

The alien plot revealed: attack our fast food. We wanted to move up quick, establish some depth so if the aliens rush us we can trade space for time, but FireSpawn finds the hostiles too soon, and his shot misses. Then he gets poisoned and shot at (but missed) while the main stop line in the parking lot can hear things moving around in the kitchen.
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v307/ngtm1r/2012-12-16_00002_zpscd62ba5a.jpg)
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v307/ngtm1r/2012-12-16_00003_zpse95fec1f.jpg)

Scourge of Ages takes a shot at a bunch of Mutons running out of the kitchen. He misses. So does Mort's and  Esarai's overwatch shots. (Esarai killed the door, but it's okay, it was a bad door.)
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v307/ngtm1r/2012-12-16_00003_zpse95fec1f.jpg)
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v307/ngtm1r/2012-12-16_00006_zps52b9c317.jpg)

First FireSpawn has to get the hell away from the car, because it's going to blow. The answer to large numbers of hard-to-kill hostiles is, of course, explosives. FireSpawn contributes a grenade and Scourge adds a rocket. This doesn't actually kill any of them unfortunately, but it strips their health down to a manageable size.
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v307/ngtm1r/2012-12-16_00007_zps6bdab54a.jpg)
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v307/ngtm1r/2012-12-16_00008_zpscf8e3234.jpg)

Esarai then shoots one of them in the face.
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v307/ngtm1r/2012-12-16_00009_zps731c6289.jpg)

Told you the car was going to blow.
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v307/ngtm1r/2012-12-16_00010_zpsc2456474.jpg)

The Aliens decide the real problem is Mort, and react accordingly. The first shot misses. The second does not.
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v307/ngtm1r/2012-12-16_00011_zps2e5eeb04.jpg)
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v307/ngtm1r/2012-12-16_00012_zps7fb81ea8.jpg)

Scratch Mort. Incidentially, this causes FireSpawn to panic. Dammit, here we go with the downward spiral.
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v307/ngtm1r/2012-12-16_00013_zps7cc1ee01.jpg)

Scourge brings a Muton down. So does Esarai, so we've dropped the heavies, just leaves a couple of Thin Men and probably another pair of aliens of some sort.
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v307/ngtm1r/2012-12-16_00014_zps18fdc37f.jpg)
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v307/ngtm1r/2012-12-16_00015_zpsd23ed9c7.jpg)

Like Floaters! Nothing wrong with Floater-aww ****, did you really just get overwatched SpardaSon!? I'm pretty sure these bastards didn't actually set overwatch! At least that apparently snapped FireSpawn out of the panic.
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v307/ngtm1r/2012-12-16_00016_zps972490e1.jpg)

Esarai and FireSpawn both blow shots at the aliens. Scourge is reloading. (Esarai had an 85% to-hit chance. That's the second time this mission and it's kinda ****ed up, game.)
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v307/ngtm1r/2012-12-16_00018_zps36b21352.jpg)
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v307/ngtm1r/2012-12-16_00019_zps40d6ea09.jpg)

This Thin Man? He actually missed FireSpawn from that range.
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v307/ngtm1r/2012-12-16_00020_zps0c90c151.jpg)

Then his buddy poisions FireSpawn, again.
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v307/ngtm1r/2012-12-16_00021_zps74cb8792.jpg)

But it was a Floater than actually killed him. We're now down two rookies and a squaddie.
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v307/ngtm1r/2012-12-16_00022_zpsf11d8adc.jpg)

We pull out, we're losing Europe. Failure is not an option. (Except when it is, as you'll see!) Naturally, Scourge of Ages feels the need to fail hideously at that point, missing two shots at the Thin Man near where FireSpawn died.
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v307/ngtm1r/2012-12-16_00023_zps0c1def0f.jpg)

Can you spot the problem here? I didn't. It's going to hurt in a moment. (Hint: the car next to Esarai is ****ing on fire.)
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v307/ngtm1r/2012-12-16_00024_zps32ccd4d6.jpg)

Esarai, wounded by the car explosion, is taken out by a Floater. So Scourge panics and hunkers down.
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v307/ngtm1r/2012-12-16_00027_zps1976411f.jpg)

That didn't work out so well for him.
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v307/ngtm1r/2012-12-16_00028_zpsf2629c75.jpg)

"Base this is JGZinv. Status Black. Emergency abort."

We lost the squad.
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v307/ngtm1r/2012-12-16_00029_zpsb87f6036.jpg)

Two more countries have panicked and our reserve at this point consists of Rodo, who's injured, and the two rookies I can afford to buy. We're genuinely about as ****ed as it's possible to get here. And there's a UFO in the air nearby now.
Title: Downward Spiraling: Post Mortem
Post by: NGTM-1R on December 17, 2012, 01:04:40 am
I shouldn't have sent SpardaSon forward.

If I could take back one thing about this mission, that's it. I don't think it would have delayed the Floaters moving up by more than a turn, and it might not have mattered at all, but quite aside from killing SpardaSon it doubled the number of aliens I had to deal with right at the moment I was all out of Area Of Effect Death with which to solve such problems.

I would have still lost Mort, and I probably would have lost one or two other people, but I think the mission could have been won if the Floaters hadn't arrived at that moment.
Title: Re: HLPX-COM 3: A Very Firaxis Sequel
Post by: Scourge of Ages on December 17, 2012, 02:38:37 am
Well that's the way it goes. I lost so many squads when I played on ironman...
And now I'm dead too. Send in the clones!
Title: Re: HLPX-COM 3: A Very Firaxis Sequel
Post by: deathfun on December 17, 2012, 03:41:00 am
Watch these rookies he sends in next completely demolish the entire world of aliens
Title: Re: HLPX-COM 3: A Very Firaxis Sequel
Post by: TrashMan on December 17, 2012, 04:15:03 am
Looks like it's time for a new game.

I shall again reccomend you use the warspace extension mod (or my own tweak file I linked a few posts ago)
Title: Re: HLPX-COM 3: A Very Firaxis Sequel
Post by: Rodo on December 17, 2012, 07:37:39 am
No! I ain't dead!..Give me my glorious death!
You can't leave me like a POW :C

Besides.. I might just win this all by myself  :p
Title: Re: HLPX-COM 3: A Very Firaxis Sequel
Post by: Mort on December 17, 2012, 07:46:05 am
Talk about a mission that went FUBAR
Title: Re: HLPX-COM 3: A Very Firaxis Sequel
Post by: TrashMan on December 17, 2012, 07:57:41 am
Speaking of which - Y U only have 1 satellite?

Sat = cash = love.
Title: Re: HLPX-COM 3: A Very Firaxis Sequel
Post by: esarai on December 17, 2012, 08:00:56 am
Well, I always wanted to go out with a bang :P  Pity it wasn't larger and didn't take any ETs with it.  And a real shame we don't have a target to launch nukes at.
Title: Re: HLPX-COM 3: A Very Firaxis Sequel
Post by: NGTM-1R on December 17, 2012, 08:39:17 am
Speaking of which - Y U only have 1 satellite?

Sat = cash = love.

You might want to read the last update, which sorta mentions this.

EDIT: or maybe not. Anyways this was literally my first game, I derped out on placement, put it where I didn't have interceptors.
Title: Re: HLPX-COM 3: A Very Firaxis Sequel
Post by: FireSpawn on December 17, 2012, 12:51:50 pm
Someone once told me that showboating after dodging volatile plasma bolts from point blank range would get me killed...
...
...
Crap.  :(
Title: Re: HLPX-COM 3: A Very Firaxis Sequel
Post by: z64555 on December 18, 2012, 12:01:34 am
Unknown log.
Personnel: "z64555" - head of technology, HLPX-COM 3

So, it's come to this again. I've prepared a chrono capsule that can contain most of our mission records. But, in order to keep paradoxes from occurring, data, and only data, can be sent back in time. (and even then the chances of the data being intact is... slim).

I would have so liked to be able to send some physical matter back along with the capsule, other than just a bunch of solid-state drives and our prayers. Maybe not a full person, but one of our most recent weapons or armor we had just discovered... but that's neither here or there.

To those reading this. Know that we did our best, and we all hope, and pray, that you will succeed where we have failed.

--z64555 signing off
[end log]
Title: Re: HLPX-COM 3: A Very Firaxis Sequel
Post by: Patriot on December 18, 2012, 08:14:53 am
Yay, now it's my turn to completely fail at killing aliens! :D
Title: Re: HLPX-COM 3: A Very Firaxis Sequel
Post by: JGZinv on December 18, 2012, 10:03:50 am
At this rate maybe we should kick a bomb off the deck of the ranger, level the area, then send in troops....

Just saying...
Title: Re: HLPX-COM 3: A Very Firaxis Sequel
Post by: NGTM-1R on December 18, 2012, 10:23:46 am
I suggested the nuclear option, but it apparently upsets the involved countries more than Earth being conquered.
Title: Re: HLPX-COM 3: A Very Firaxis Sequel
Post by: Colonol Dekker on December 18, 2012, 10:25:35 am
Sign me up.......

Squaddie (as i'm a squaddie :/)

Or Pilot, as i like stewardesses......... ;7
Title: Re: HLPX-COM 3: A Very Firaxis Sequel
Post by: Scotty on December 18, 2012, 10:27:30 am
I must always be one of the pilots.  I just must.  Still haven't died from that original HLPX-COM LP. :P
Title: Re: HLPX-COM 3: A Very Firaxis Sequel
Post by: IronBeer on December 18, 2012, 11:16:16 am
If you're still hiring, I'm up for defending my planet in whatever capacity I can. (Or if you've decided that the current run is assholed and are starting over, my offer still stands)
Title: Re: HLPX-COM 3: A Very Firaxis Sequel
Post by: NGTM-1R on December 18, 2012, 12:26:00 pm
I'm...probably going to take a break after this, and do some kind of Rebuild bit later. Once I've run this one into the ground.

Because I think I've said it, but actually having all you guys get killed, over and over, has a surprisingly hard impact on me in this game. You're not very 2D anymore and you actually have death screams that sound like screams and you're still folks I kinda like, so losing you is considerably more painful than when we were running around in spriteland in 1 and 2.
Title: Re: HLPX-COM 3: A Very Firaxis Sequel
Post by: Scourge of Ages on December 18, 2012, 01:32:39 pm
Because I think I've said it, but actually having all you guys get killed, over and over, has a surprisingly hard impact on me in this game. You're not very 2D anymore and you actually have death screams that sound like screams and you're still folks I kinda like, so losing you is considerably more painful than when we were running around in spriteland in 1 and 2.

I know what you mean. This LP did seem to be a bit more of a downer than last time, even on this end. I wonder how to fix that? Turn off the sound, use funny colored armor? I wonder if there's a mod that lets you clone dead soldiers, or have them always be critically wounded (with no stat debuffs) instead of deaded?
Title: Re: HLPX-COM 3: A Very Firaxis Sequel
Post by: Herra Tohtori on December 18, 2012, 01:53:39 pm
If/when you start a new game, I want into the team too.  :p
Title: Re: HLPX-COM 3: A Very Firaxis Sequel
Post by: SpardaSon21 on December 18, 2012, 02:09:20 pm
I too desire reincarnation.
Title: Re: HLPX-COM 3: A Very Firaxis Sequel
Post by: Kobrar44 on December 18, 2012, 02:36:26 pm
My offer doesn't expire too. Also can't understand your insensitivity for sprites. I was always emotional about all the deaths.
Title: Re: HLPX-COM 3: A Very Firaxis Sequel
Post by: esarai on December 18, 2012, 03:12:12 pm
As always, I want to kick alien ass.  I'm down for a reincarnation.
Title: Re: HLPX-COM 3: A Very Firaxis Sequel
Post by: deathfun on December 18, 2012, 06:47:03 pm
I haven't even been deployed yet
Starting to think that was for the best
Title: Re: HLPX-COM 3: A Very Firaxis Sequel
Post by: TrashMan on December 19, 2012, 03:58:45 am
Given the mortality rate, I'd say you're lucky to not have been deployed. Me too.

But I'm up for a second round.
We can't let the aliens have the last laugh, now can we?
CLENSE! PURGE! KILL!
Title: Re: HLPX-COM 3: A Very Firaxis Sequel
Post by: Rodo on December 19, 2012, 08:12:10 am
--Rodd's personal Log--

Entry 19:
Date 15-05-15 06:05:32

There's no point, everyone but a few left an hour ago.
I see the head of the technology branch working frenetically on some kind of pod, I don't know what that is but it will surely not help us stop these buggers.

No, that's the goodbye work for me and the other two rookies left.
We're now waiting for the inevitable, right here.. playing cards at the barracks.
I'm sure an alien raid is about to come down. Everyone left... me? where I'm supposed to go now? Is there a place where I can go at all?

-LogEnd-
Title: Re: HLPX-COM 3: A Very Firaxis Sequel
Post by: Mort on December 19, 2012, 08:37:21 am
Well, add me to the roster for round 2. Reading this is more fun than I expected
Title: Re: HLPX-COM 3: A Very Firaxis Sequel
Post by: Patriot on December 19, 2012, 04:28:31 pm
I also sign up for Round 2 :)
Title: Re: HLPX-COM 3: A Very Firaxis Sequel
Post by: NGTM-1R on December 19, 2012, 05:22:39 pm
Geez people, I haven't even figured when I'll do Round Two, I'm not taking signups yet.
Title: Re: HLPX-COM 3: A Very Firaxis Sequel
Post by: Colonol Dekker on December 20, 2012, 03:06:26 am
Someone else do EEEEEEET!!
Title: Re: HLPX-COM 3: A Very Firaxis Sequel
Post by: Kobrar44 on December 20, 2012, 09:13:50 am
I've been thinking about all of this, and you know what? I think this is just punishment for skipping Apocalypse  :p
Title: Re: HLPX-COM 3: A Very Firaxis Sequel
Post by: FireSpawn on December 21, 2012, 01:22:17 pm
I've been thinking about all of this, and you know what? I think this is just punishment for skipping Apocalypse  :p

LIES AND HERESY!
:mad2:
Title: This Is The Way The World Ends
Post by: NGTM-1R on January 07, 2013, 03:02:00 pm
Okay folks, back to the end of the world.

What I have a terrible suspicion will be our last operational mission is to Salvador, Brazil, for a Bomb Disposal on a bridge. Rookies Redsniper and IronBeer join Rodo for the finale.
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v307/ngtm1r/2013-01-07_00001.jpg)
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v307/ngtm1r/2013-01-07_00002.jpg)

Those little things with the green lights, and the one next to Redsniper without lights, are bomb power nodes. Plasma bombs are kinda power-intensive, you see. You get up next to one with moves left and you can turn it off (at no cost in moves) and delay the big kablooie.
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v307/ngtm1r/2013-01-07_00004.jpg)

Like so.
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v307/ngtm1r/2013-01-07_00005.jpg)

Rodo, flanked but not shot at by the aliens, takes cover behind a taxi and then blows one away.
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v307/ngtm1r/2013-01-07_00006.jpg)

Redsniper gets the other. We move up, takng down more power nodes and generally keeping the clock at three turns.
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v307/ngtm1r/2013-01-07_00007.jpg)

A couple more Thin Men bar the way, but fortunately IronBeer has a Cunning PlanTM.
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v307/ngtm1r/2013-01-07_00008.jpg)

Grenade out!
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v307/ngtm1r/2013-01-07_00009.jpg)

The aliens respond with plasma fire, but do note that car one of them is hiding behind is burning. That's going to be important.
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v307/ngtm1r/2013-01-07_00010.jpg)

Right about...now. Scratch a Thin Man.
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v307/ngtm1r/2013-01-07_00011.jpg)

Rodo runs up and flanks the other, killing it a spray of automatic fire.
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v307/ngtm1r/2013-01-07_00012.jpg)

Two more. 3 turns on the clock. The big glowy thing is the bomb. We might pull this off. One alien takes cover there.
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v307/ngtm1r/2013-01-07_00013.jpg)
The other's over here.
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v307/ngtm1r/2013-01-07_00014.jpg)

It repositioned, giving Rodo a chance to move up for beside it, but no flank because of the centerline divider. Still did some good damage.
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v307/ngtm1r/2013-01-07_00017.jpg)

Shame about the retaliation. IronBeer just panicked, so I'm left with two turns and Redsniper to win the mission with.
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v307/ngtm1r/2013-01-07_00018.jpg)

Unfortunately, he missed. Then he got posioned.
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v307/ngtm1r/2013-01-07_00019.jpg)
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v307/ngtm1r/2013-01-07_00020.jpg)

Then he got dead.
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v307/ngtm1r/2013-01-07_00021.jpg)

Just a panicked IronBeer left. He took a shot but missed. The return did not.
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v307/ngtm1r/2013-01-07_00022.jpg)
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v307/ngtm1r/2013-01-07_00023.jpg)

Well ****.
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v307/ngtm1r/2013-01-07_00024.jpg)

The end of the month hit. We're broke. We have no more soldiers. Four more countries left. The project was shut down. The aliens conquered Earth. Whoopsie! In all honesty, as our last mission was a council mission rather than a UFO recovery or the like, it can be said we genuinely did manage to go out fighting. The hit on Rodo wasn't really the end, it was the failed panic check.

FOR ALL THOSE WHO GAVE THEIR LIVES IN DEFENSE OF THEIR PLANET:

Captain Talon 'Pitbull' 1024, 14 kills, 10 missions, lost 5/5/2015
Captain Scourge 'Smokey' of Ages, 19 kills, 9 missions, lost 5/15/2015
Captain esarai 'Killsteal', 16 kills, 9 missions, lost 5/15/2015
Sergeant Dire 'Longbow' Wolf, 8 kills, 8 missions, lost 5/5/2015
Corporal Polpolion, 6 kills, 4 missions, lost 5/5/2015
Corporal Rodo, 5 kills, 5 missions, lost 5/20/2015
Squaddie Pred the Penguin, 2 kills, 2 missions, lost 3/21/2015
Squaddie Mort, 2 kills, 2 missions, lost 5/15/2015
Rookie crizza, 1 kill, 1 mission, lost 3/28/2015
Rookie LHN91, 3 kills, 1 mission, lost 4/72015
Rookie SpardaSon21, 0 kills, 1 mission, lost 5/15/2015
Rookie FireSpawn, 0 kills, 1 mission, lost 5/15/2015
Rookie IronBeer, 1 kill, 1 mission, lost 5/20/2015
Rookie Redsniper, 1 kill, 1 mission, lost 5/20/2015

The game starts on 3/1/2015.

I am however pleased to report that, thanks the use of modding tools to change the name of one soldier from the DLC, the possibilities for a second try at this look bright. I'll let you know when we're starting.
Title: Re: HLPX-COM 3: A Very Firaxis Sequel
Post by: Scourge of Ages on January 07, 2013, 04:27:42 pm
Ooof, shame about that. Not extremely surprising that it turned out that way, with only three soldiers against Thin Men, but still a good fight.

One thing though (unless they changed it): to disarm the power nodes, you don't actually need to have any movement left. You can spend both points to run up to one, re-select the soldier and power off the node. That fact saved my squad on one mission.
Title: Re: HLPX-COM 3: A Very Firaxis Sequel
Post by: NGTM-1R on January 07, 2013, 05:22:43 pm
One thing though (unless they changed it): to disarm the power nodes, you don't actually need to have any movement left. You can spend both points to run up to one, re-select the soldier and power off the node. That fact saved my squad on one mission.

I legitimately didn't know this, but then I'd never actually tried.
Title: Re: HLPX-COM 3: A Very Firaxis Sequel
Post by: IronBeer on January 07, 2013, 06:39:57 pm
Well, HLP-XCOM went down swinging, and I guess there's some dubious honor in being the last fighting soldier. We'll get them next time.
Title: Re: HLPX-COM 3: A Very Firaxis Sequel
Post by: Rodo on January 07, 2013, 07:28:45 pm
Now that's more like it, a good death.
Thank you sir.

Also, put me up for the next one when there's a free spot :yes:
Title: Re: HLPX-COM 3: A Very Firaxis Sequel
Post by: deathfun on January 07, 2013, 07:44:54 pm
I'm actually surprised there weren't more soldiers dead on that list...
Title: Re: HLPX-COM 3: A Very Firaxis Sequel
Post by: TrashMan on January 08, 2013, 04:20:14 am
Put me up for hte next one too.
I love these LP's.
Title: Re: HLPX-COM 3: A Very Firaxis Sequel
Post by: Colonol Dekker on January 08, 2013, 06:34:49 am
Me too.

#EOD
#LAZY

#INTERCEPTOR

#COMIC RELIEF

#HANDSOME
Title: Re: HLPX-COM 3: A Very Firaxis Sequel
Post by: FireSpawn on January 08, 2013, 08:21:16 am
Wow, I sucked donkey balls in this one.  :nono:
Title: Re: HLPX-COM 3: A Very Firaxis Sequel
Post by: StarSlayer on January 08, 2013, 08:30:50 am
Once more into the breach.

Nationality:
'Murica

Any oh-three MOS will do.

My initial offer still stands for the next go round.
Title: Re: HLPX-COM 3: A Very Firaxis Sequel
Post by: Patriot on January 08, 2013, 11:31:11 am
I'm still up for a next round, didn't even make it into this one xD
Title: Re: HLPX-COM 3: A Very Firaxis Sequel
Post by: SpardaSon21 on January 08, 2013, 12:52:30 pm
I'm up for the next one.
Title: Re: HLPX-COM 3: A Very Firaxis Sequel
Post by: Scotty on January 08, 2013, 02:28:43 pm
My name is still in the hat, I hope.

I'm just annoyed that I won't be able to see this played out in "real time" as it were, since I'll be going through Army BCT and AIT for the next, uh, 21 weeks or so.  Starting exactly one week from today.
Title: Re: HLPX-COM 3: A Very Firaxis Sequel
Post by: NGTM-1R on January 08, 2013, 03:15:31 pm
My name is still in the hat, I hope.

Folks who are still on the list:

StarSlayer
KyadCK
Trashman
Commander DJ
Gortef
Fury
jr2
Herra Tohtori
Oddgrim
MP-Ryan
deathfun
Kobrar44
Phantom Hoover
Turin Turambar
Patriot
Dekker
The E (already assigned a soldier by special order of the Director)
Spoon (SHIV Operator)

Dragon, JGZinv, Scotty, Droid, and z64555 will reprise their existing roles.

I'll probably start before you go. I just have to confirm the effectiveness of the mod I downloaded that lets you change DLC soldiers' names.

EDIT: It doesn't because of a patch from December 11th. ****. If anyone's got a working way to rename the DLC soldiers I'm all ears.
Title: Re: HLPX-COM 3: A Very Firaxis Sequel
Post by: FireSpawn on January 08, 2013, 03:57:16 pm
Drop me back in the pot, I got a bone/carapace to pick.
Title: Re: HLPX-COM 3: A Very Firaxis Sequel
Post by: IronBeer on January 08, 2013, 04:17:01 pm
Always up for another stab at the damn ETs, but I won't be bent out of shape if there's no room on the list.
Title: Re: HLPX-COM 3: A Very Firaxis Sequel
Post by: Mongoose on January 08, 2013, 04:38:11 pm
If you get through enough deaths to eat up that whole list, throw me into the fray too.
Title: Re: HLPX-COM 3: A Very Firaxis Sequel
Post by: Scourge of Ages on January 08, 2013, 04:38:40 pm
If you get through enough deaths to eat up that whole list, throw me into the fray too.
Same for me!
Title: Re: HLPX-COM 3: A Very Firaxis Sequel
Post by: esarai on January 10, 2013, 01:23:42 pm
WAIT I VOLUNTEER!  Well prolly just put me on the end because other people need a turn.
Title: Re: HLPX-COM 3: A Very Firaxis Sequel
Post by: An4ximandros on January 10, 2013, 01:39:47 pm
I volunteer to take part of the great HLP Alien Wars to defend the future of earth, preferably as a meat shield for my fellow HLP comrades! Just shove me down the bottom, don't worry about me.
Title: Re: HLPX-COM 3: A Very Firaxis Sequel
Post by: deathfun on January 14, 2013, 01:08:57 pm
I just learned that there's apparently another XCOM game in the works
http://ca.ign.com/games/xcom/pc-14252327
First Person Shooter...
Title: Re: HLPX-COM 3: A Very Firaxis Sequel
Post by: SpardaSon21 on January 14, 2013, 01:30:24 pm
That game doesn't exist. :P
Title: Re: HLPX-COM 3: A Very Firaxis Sequel
Post by: NGTM-1R on January 14, 2013, 03:06:49 pm
I just learned that there's apparently another XCOM game in the works
http://ca.ign.com/games/xcom/pc-14252327
First Person Shooter...

Can anyone else read this post? It's blank to me!
Title: Re: HLPX-COM 3: A Very Firaxis Sequel
Post by: SpardaSon21 on January 14, 2013, 05:32:23 pm
I can read it, but he seems to be posting something about a FPS version of XCOM that simply doesn't exist.
Title: Re: HLPX-COM 3: A Very Firaxis Sequel
Post by: deathfun on January 14, 2013, 07:54:34 pm
Quote

    Summary
    Features
    Game Editions

A re-imagining of one of gaming's most storied and beloved franchises, XCOM combines the strategic core of the groundbreaking franchise with a suspense-filled narrative and distills it into a tense and unique first-person shooter experience. The game depicts humanity's struggle against an unknown enemy, putting players directly into the shoes of an FBI agent tasked with identifying and eliminating the growing threat. True to the roots of the franchise, players will be placed in charge of overcoming high-stake odds through risky strategic gambits coupled with heart-stopping combat experiences that pit human ingenuity -- and frailty -- against a foe beyond comprehension.

By setting the game in a first-person perspective, players will be able to feel the tension and fear that comes with combating a faceless enemy that is violently probing and plotting its way into our world.
Release Date: TBA 2013
RP-T+ for Rating Pending, Targeting a Rating of Teen or Above:
Genre: First-Person Shooter
Publisher: 2K Games
Developer: 2K Marin
Title: Re: HLPX-COM 3: A Very Firaxis Sequel
Post by: z64555 on January 14, 2013, 08:03:34 pm
There was supposed to be two XCOM's made by Fireaxis, x-COM: Enemy Unknown, and XCOM. The latter seems to be what deathfun is talking about and they have had several YouTube previews of it since the development and release of X:EU, but it looks like XCOM is going to be finished by a different developer...
Title: Re: HLPX-COM 3: A Very Firaxis Sequel
Post by: SpardaSon21 on January 15, 2013, 01:47:48 pm
LA LA LA I CAN'T HEAR YOU THERE IS NO FIRST-PERSON XCOM.
Title: Re: HLPX-COM 3: A Very Firaxis Sequel
Post by: Rodo on January 15, 2013, 02:12:59 pm
LA LA LA I CAN'T HEAR YOU THERE IS NO FIRST-PERSON XCOM.

this.
Title: Re: HLPX-COM 3: A Very Firaxis Sequel
Post by: Patriot on January 15, 2013, 03:23:18 pm
just a third-person :P
Title: Re: HLPX-COM 3: A Very Firaxis Sequel
Post by: StarSlayer on January 15, 2013, 04:39:16 pm
I haven't really been following it too closely, what I've heard indicates its been having the dev troubles.

That said the fifties setting is kind of cool, could lend it a bit of a Dark Skies vibe.  A tactical FPS ala the old PC Rainbow Six games which joined the shooting with mission planning would make for a interesting game if executed properly.  I'd argue that XCOM's turn based future should be pretty secure after EU's success so I don't really think branching out into other genres would be much a threat to the franchise.
Title: Re: HLPX-COM 3: A Very Firaxis Sequel
Post by: Mongoose on January 15, 2013, 04:48:14 pm
Hell, if it was good enough, it might haul in people like me who aren't really into turn-based games but are interested in the overall X-COM universe.  Not that I'm expecting said product will be particularly good. :p
Title: Re: HLPX-COM 3: A Very Firaxis Sequel
Post by: Polpolion on January 16, 2013, 11:25:37 am
Hell, if it was good enough, it might haul in people like me who aren't really into turn-based games but are interested in the overall X-COM universe.  Not that I'm expecting said product will be particularly good. :p

I wasn't aware that the x-com universe was all that special. It was pretty much just your generic "o **** alien invasion" for the gameplay to piggyback on.
Title: Re: HLPX-COM 3: A Very Firaxis Sequel
Post by: Grizzly on January 17, 2013, 05:09:45 pm
Hell, if it was good enough, it might haul in people like me who aren't really into turn-based games but are interested in the overall X-COM universe.  Not that I'm expecting said product will be particularly good. :p

I wasn't aware that the x-com universe was all that special. It was pretty much just your generic "o **** alien invasion" for the gameplay to piggyback on.

But then again, so was the Half Life universe.
The System Shock universe was just "Oh **** why did nobody read Asimov"
Wing Commander was "Evil aliens"
Star Wars is basically "Good VS Evil with telekenetics"
etc.

And people are somehow quite interested in those games.

Also, sign me up.