XCOM: Enemy Within expansion announced
- Thread starter GoodSarmatian
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PhilBowles
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I never played the game that way anyway, so I doubt it will make that much difference - I was disappointed that the interview indicated the timer for meld will be in double-digits, since few of my battles last that long.
Nevertheless, the interview makes me somewhat more interested in the expansion:
http://www.rockpapershotgun.com/2013/08/27/the-mod-squad-xcom-enemy-within-interview/
There's no new campaign, it's just new content for the existing game structure. There will presumably be more story missions within the campaign - it's not at all clear that the base invasion previewers keep asking about will be included, since that's a key enticement you'd have expected to be in an early announcement, but it's a possibility. As there are supposedly several new enemies, the campaign needs to be long enough to allow them to all be introduced, which the current one barely is.
The original game in any case seems to be intended to play with the Marathon Second Wave option, which makes a lot of the base facilities (particularly laboratories) more relevant and the strategic layer actually a challenge due to the increased cost of satellites and the longer period before the base assault.
Pikkis
Prince
Definitely a day one purchase for me too; extremely excited about this (with some 220 hours of XCOM:EU played, it has started to feel a bit repetitive).
I fear the new Foundry project alongside the Deep Pockets change will make Support class much less interesting. I hope they'll find ways to keep the balance.
Snap Shot / Squad Sight changes are definitely a personal favorite kind of thing, since I prefer mobile strategies and thus usually choose Snap Shot.
I hope they'll also add new armor types besides the MEC suit. Something like upgraded Skeleton Suit (i.e. of high mobility) that comes before Ghost Armor would sound good.
My guess is that this refers to the gene mods which require the alien's meld resource.
Great! I hope they'll also fix the multiplayer bugs.
I fear the new Foundry project alongside the Deep Pockets change will make Support class much less interesting. I hope they'll find ways to keep the balance.
Snap Shot / Squad Sight changes are definitely a personal favorite kind of thing, since I prefer mobile strategies and thus usually choose Snap Shot.
I hope they'll also add new armor types besides the MEC suit. Something like upgraded Skeleton Suit (i.e. of high mobility) that comes before Ghost Armor would sound good.
My guess is that this refers to the gene mods which require the alien's meld resource.
Great! I hope they'll also fix the multiplayer bugs.
Omega124
Challenging Fate
This is true, but a lot is still going to be added to it
The DLC is including the previously thought to be cancelled Progeny DLC, which was supposed to be a follow up to Slingshot. It was believed to be canned previously due to the bad reception of Slingshot, but the main reason was in fact they had issues with the DLC at the end and by that point it was better off putting it into Enemy Within.
The only thing we know about it, via looking at unused data and steam achievments that are as-of now removed, is that it's about a Frenchwoman known as Annette (Who might be the same as Anna Sing, the woman that escapes aliens in one of the generic council missions), it would had been three council missions much like Slingshot, and involved a dam in one of the missions. Also I heard its supposed to explain the nature of the aliens more in depth, but I can't find a source of that (I believe it was a 2K Forum post from before EW was announced, so good luck finding it).
Also
I feel like this is going to be a good expansion.
EDIT: A good, frequently updated source of all the info we have. I highly suggest OP updates the first post with a link to here
This is true, but a lot is still going to be added to it
The DLC is including the previously thought to be cancelled Progeny DLC, which was supposed to be a follow up to Slingshot. It was believed to be canned previously due to the bad reception of Slingshot, but the main reason was in fact they had issues with the DLC at the end and by that point it was better off putting it into Enemy Within.
The only thing we know about it, via looking at unused data and steam achievments that are as-of now removed, is that it's about a Frenchwoman known as Annette (Who might be the same as Anna Sing, the woman that escapes aliens in one of the generic council missions), it would had been three council missions much like Slingshot, and involved a dam in one of the missions. Also I heard its supposed to explain the nature of the aliens more in depth, but I can't find a source of that (I believe it was a 2K Forum post from before EW was announced, so good luck finding it).
Also
I feel like this is going to be a good expansion.
EDIT: A good, frequently updated source of all the info we have. I highly suggest OP updates the first post with a link to here
Thanks for this link, made for interesting reading. I would like to know how too much meld can corrupt your soldiers.
I think it looks as though its going to be good. I would like a few more details on aliens though. I think they should get rid of heavy floaters and heavy mutons in view of mechs. Why not re introduce some of the older aliens like reapers, silicoids or celatids (granted not the most memorable of aliens from the original, but then neither were sectopods and they certainly are in the remake).
I also think, perhaps not in this expansion, that they need to introduce some form of base management, defense and strategy. There isnt really much depth as it is, just pick where to build your various base components in a limited space. It would be much better if geography played a part. So then you could introduce things like spheres of influence for you and the aliens. You could also introduce a meaningful base defense system and also have the aliens invade your bases. This would make the game much better.
I think the remake pretty much nailed the tactical combat system apart from a few bugs. It was weaker on the base management and interception side. that is where the focus should be for the future.
Pikkis
Prince
Descriptions of the new achievements have arrived in Steam.
Spoiler :
SS-18 ICBM
Oscillator
That's interesting.
So does this suggest that base defence is in? I am all over this, sounds awesome. And also sounds like a pretty big expansion. The real question now is balance?
PhilBowles
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The reference to this and Medics suggests either that the aliens get XCOM personnel (which would tie in with the title), or just that you get the achievement for killing your own mind-controlled soldiers.
Pikkis
Prince
Well, there are several possibilities. It has been mentioned that too much Meld can corrupt a soldier; we don't yet know what exactly are the consequences of that: death or something else? Also, one theory could be that the aliens would pair up with a rogue military group, but that would be an odd shift of focus. Would explain the new threat though. Achievement for killing own soldiers would seem extremely weird.
Another consideration is the wording: not just "sniper" and "medic," but "elite sniper" and "elite medic." Just one of many questions the achievements cause.
Mod support isnt on the cards, but apparently they are moving more of the code to the ini. from the unreal engine. i think that is the long term view though, maybe after another expansion.
Co op support would be an interesting feature, especially if you could make it so that you both have a base, only you take the missions on together.
Pikkis
Prince
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fd9CmpLZVMI
Rogue military group it is. I feel this is going to be a truly phenomenal expansion.
Rogue military group it is. I feel this is going to be a truly phenomenal expansion.
Well, that certainly got the blood pumping. Its nice to see that turn based games can appear so exciting.
PhilBowles
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Yes, this sounds fantastic - concerns are that being able to stop a side firing altogether by intercepting their comms is a bit silly (you'd expect them to fire at ememies they can see, and in any case this is a terrorist cell rather than a military hierarchy with centralised communications), and that there may end up being fewer Exalt encounters in a campaign than advertised (particularly if you only need three clues to identify the Exalt base, with one clue per successful mission).
http://www.pcgamer.com/previews/xco...el=ref&ns_source=steam&ns_linkname=0&ns_fee=0
Wolfbeckett
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Well remember that 3 clues only means you can start accusing countries of harboring the HQ. You may need to collect more than that before you'll be certain enough of it's location to make an accusation without having countries leave you.
PhilBowles
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If the clues are really of the form "it's not in Europe", then there won't be many options after eliminating three continents - two, to be exact.
Which could be 8 countries - Europe + Asia are your two suspects, each have 4 countries, so a 1 in 8 chance of guessing correct. I dont like those odds. I think the country leaving is a bit harsh. Maybe push them to max panic rather than a straight withdrawal. That could make things a little dicey in view of the doom counter. 8 Countries leaving = game over. 1/8 chance of guessing correct.
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