X-COM Homage - 'UFO: Alien Invasion'

[Aelfric]

http://ufoai.sourceforge.net/?page=Home

I stumbled across this looking on freshmeat for a good open-source rpg. I spent countless hours in my youth playing X-COM, and this group has put together an awesome open-source homage using slick new 3d graphics and some neat innovations (including customizable maps and multiplayer).

To quote from the site: "The game takes a lot of inspiration from the X-COM series by Mythos and Microprose. However, it's neither a sequel nor a remake of any X-COM or other commercial title. What we as a team wanted to make is a brand new experience that tries to surpass the quality of games from 1992, rather than simply recreate them with flashier graphics."

Any of you who are fans of the classic, or who like turn-based tactical should seriously check it out. It is still in development, but at ver 2.21 it is a completely playable and enjoyable game.

[Trieste]

Makes me happy I'm not dating someone obsessed with X-COM any longer ... I'd never get any cuddlin'! *grin* ;)

[HairyHeretic]

The hours I spent on UFO ....  ;D

You never forget the first time you ran into the Chrysalids .. and then ran like hell from.

[ZK]

My boyfriend and myself were obsessed with the UFO series. It was sad that it died. Bad Microprose for selling out then being shut down. :(

[HairyHeretic]

I believe it can still be tracked down on those abandonware sites.

[Celestial Goblin]

I played X-Com recently. I think I'll download it again and start a new campaign soon. It's a neat game.

[Aelfric]

;) the advantages of this homage is that 1. it is new, thus improved graphics/engine. 2. it is open-source distribution, thus requires no felonies to obtain... 3. It is in continuous development.

Well, there are more but you'll have to see for yourselves.

[Darthvegeta800]

Ah UFO it's lingering in my father's library lol. I really should give it a try myself, having heard a lot about it.
I actually bought it for my father's birthday.

[Steel]

Great find Aelfric busy DL'ing it now.

[Lilian]

I bow to you, right the heck on! =3

[Le RandomBloke]

I think I played that game on the playstation when I was younger, confused the hell out of me.

[magnamos]

I consider X-Com Apocalypse the best part of the X-Com Series. Everything that appeared after X-Com Apocalypse were only "Games".

If you like X-Com you might want to check out Abomination. It was fun too. Thought it's not directly compareable.

[HairyHeretic]

Really? I thought Apocalypse was weaker than the first two, though I'll admit I never got that much into it.

[magnamos]

I like the different Setting and the more interesting Gameplay about Apocalypse. Terror from the Deep was incredibly hard. Almost unbeatable for someone who has never played Enemy Unkown. I think the things I like best about the whole X-Com Series are the detailed descriptions of your enemy. You catch a living Alien and start to analyze, after you got enough Data you let your Whitecoats do an autopsie and there is actually a complex Ecosystem with almost all the enemies beeing part of behind that. Today's Games lack that kind of story depth.

[KG]

I just downloaded Apocalypse a few days back - if it weren't for Elliquiy, that would be my new addiction.
I loved UFO Defense, though.  Apocalypse doesn't have quite the same feel - in UFOD it was you against them - Apoc has a more political feel to it, despite the less-than-complete integration of the company/organization aspect.
Then again, I'm still learning the system - I can't figure out how to make money.  It's been about a week and I'm running low on stun grenades and cash.

[magnamos]

That's perfectly fine. You should have done good in the first week and you get a massive cash amount in the second.You also get some new Tyos like the Marsec Flightmodule. Having a 6-Dudes Squad equipted with the Marsec Flight Module and the Rest of the Body armored with standard XCom-Bodyarmor, you are safe from Brainsuckers in Buildings with a high cealing.

Once you shot down your first UFO you should have TONS of Explosive and Ignition Ammo for the Autocannons. The best would be to have some really heavy dudes (preferbly Androids) kneel in a row with one field in between and have like 3 People at least float above them. Equipt them all with at least one Autocannon and as much Explosive and Ignition Ammo as they can carry. It should look like this:

X X X
X X X X

You should use the time to cover there flanks with motion sensor mines. It's dangerous because of the Poppers. Usually they should die in a Firestorm if they try to charge you headon. At least one of the floaters should carry a Laser Rifle with 2-3 Energyorbs. Sometimes even the small UFOs carry the airborn yellow Aliens ( I always forget there names... ) which are quiet hard to hit with heavy weapons.

Basicly you shouldn't care much for accuracy in the outskirts of town. You can go all out. Load up with Ignitionammo, set your Autocannon to Fullauto and show those E.T. Assholes who's the man.

You should change your strategy though when the first PSI capable Aliens apear. They happen to mindcontrol (except droids or strong Mutants) one of your squad and then it get's really nasty when he's still loaded up with a Explosivammo Autocannon on Fullauto...

[KG]

I'm approaching the end of week one, slowly - I keep getting distracted from gaming by a certain forum, but I'm making progress.

It's good to know I will be getting cash for performance at some point - I'm down to about 20K.
Equipment so far is fairly meager - I just stock up on stun grenades and run in, green smoke blazing, and use whatever weapons they've started with or I've thrown on them upon recruitment.

Took me a while to figure out recruitment. 

Very eager to see the end of the week now.  Excuse me while I load 'er up. :P

[ZK]

Speaking of X-Com, Steam has the entire collection up for sale. Still ON SALE for 14.99 at the moment.

[KG]

Might be worth checking out - I'd feel good paying for the game, for once - I'm never sure when or where to find it.

Thanks for the tip, ZK.

[ZK]

It's also Windows friendly... it's all of the games, X-Com UFO Defense, X-COM, Terror From the Deep, X-Com Apocalypse, X-Com Interceptor, X-Com Enforcer.

[magnamos]

Enforcer was kinda fun but I constantly died because of my Speed upgrade. At one point you fight on roofs. With the Speedupgrade at max it's hard to stop in time. I was always flying down into some high-tower-chasm. Though it has more in common with Unreal than XCom. The Enemies are partially of XCom. The rest is complete Unreal :D