XCOM Squad!?

[Louis XXIV]

They havn't put it in for a 'joke' its simply a marketing strategy. New XCOM content is coming out...

So some marketing woman no doubt says "I have a great idea, lets put introduce an XCOM unit into a game people are actually going to buy to serve as a constant advert which costs us nothing"

Not that people don't play XCOM anyways, I do, I'm sure a few others do, but this to me isn't just an Easter Egg, its shameless marketing...

I'd have to disagree. Firaxis has a very collegial studio. Both games are in-house and XCOM is made by a guy who has been with Firaxis for well over a decade. I think it's definitely a tribute. It's not an Easter egg in the sense that it's not hidden, but it's not great advertising anyway because it'll rarely be seen. Unless the Civilopedia says "available in stores," it's possible for many people to miss the reference entirely.

 

[mo123567]

I love the idea of more futuristic units. I hope there are also some more as well, like future ranged, navy and air units.

I also think they should have an option in the game set-up screen that disables all fictional content like future units and El Dorado. That should help the people who do not want these things in their game.

 

[nokmirt]

I doubt it they would have been in there from the start. Nope GDR will remain the King of the games that could never have lasted longer.

To influence the game in a good way they should add units for the modern/postmodern and atomic eras. Of course anything in earlier eras would be helpful as well. If they want to create a future Civ game they should do it separately. That way nothing is out of place. On top of that I wonder why they did not do that before now. I for one would play it.

 

[TheMarshmallowBear]

I'm really gonna struggle to adjust having XCOM Squad.. something about it realy, really bothers me, but I can't really figure out why (maybe I just don't like in-game advertising)

 

[nokmirt]

I'm really gonna struggle to adjust having XCOM Squad.. something about it realy, really bothers me, but I can't really figure out why (maybe I just don't like in-game advertising)

I feel the same way for some reason. Maybe I am being selfish and want more units that interest me personally. Things like a cruiser or modern infantry. Something like that. I've just never fan of the GDR it is so out of place. It was a bad idea that should have been thrown out. In fact they should throw out the GDR and bring back the Pueblo. Change em to Navajo an option they came up with in another thread.

 

[filli_noctus]

I'm really gonna struggle to adjust having XCOM Squad.. something about it realy, really bothers me, but I can't really figure out why (maybe I just don't like in-game advertising)

I agree. Having read the Kotaku article I no longer believe this is a joke and I find it really grating. Love or hate the GDR it was at least kind of a homage to the community, even if it was a somewhat spammy inspiration.
This feels like when you're watching a favourite TV show and a couple of characters drive somewhere and have a pointless discussion about the nifty features of the car they're driving, followed by a close up of the badge. All it's likely to do is add XCOM to the list of things I won't buy due to hamfisted product placement, alongside the Toyota Prius, the Ford Kuga and the movie Avatar. Which is a shame as I've only heard good things about XCOM (bugs exluded) and was considering getting it once my finances are in healthier shape, not that 2k would care about one lost sale.

 

[smallfish]

well ya'll can always mod 'em out like the GDR so I'm honestly not seeing a problem with this

 

[NASAROG]

Maybe it's a precursor to a new Alpha Centauri?

 

[apocalypse105]

I'm really gonna struggle to adjust having XCOM Squad.. something about it realy, really bothers me, but I can't really figure out why (maybe I just don't like in-game advertising)

I'm more angry because they bring their wishes and ideas in the game without thinking about the consequenced and unbalances..

john shaver idea of making diplomacy to be "mysterious" and inscrutable to the human player. We all know how that ended..

some persons thought it would be cool to make the AI backstab you constantly and make him deceptive however i'm pretty sure a lot of fans don't like the diplomacy system.( There was a patch in gods and king which made the AI backstab you more often)

Proparly some people said to the it was a bad idea but they still implented because its their game..


The adding of a XCOM squad is the prove that ed beach and that other guy have the same ideology that civ 5 is a war game so as a result the AI will still be a douch bag and we will have to hope that civ 6 has diplomacy.

 

[mo123567]

If they want to create a future Civ game they should do it separately. That way nothing is out of place. On top of that I wonder why they did not do that before now. I for one would play it.

I personally would like to play a civilization from cavemen all the way to some sort of future transcedence in one game. That way it is a complete story from beginning to end. Obviously, people have different opinions and expectations from civ and everyone can't get everything they want (though more robust game set-up options could help). For me, more future units make me happy. (would like different names than GDR and Xcom squad however)

 

[Sherlock]

I agree. Having read the Kotaku article I no longer believe this is a joke and I find it really grating. Love or hate the GDR it was at least kind of a homage to the community, even if it was a somewhat spammy inspiration.
This feels like when you're watching a favourite TV show and a couple of characters drive somewhere and have a pointless discussion about the nifty features of the car they're driving, followed by a close up of the badge. All it's likely to do is add XCOM to the list of things I won't buy due to hamfisted product placement, alongside the Toyota Prius, the Ford Kuga and the movie Avatar. Which is a shame as I've only heard good things about XCOM (bugs exluded) and was considering getting it once my finances are in healthier shape, not that 2k would care about one lost sale.

Such outrage over something so trivial.

Perhaps you should up yur dosage.

Moderator Action: Please be more civil. This constitutes trolling.
Please read the forum rules: http://forums.civfanatics.com/showthread.php?t=422889

 

[Louis XXIV]

The adding of a XCOM squad is the prove that ed beach and that other guy have the same ideology that civ 5 is a war game so as a result the AI will still be a douch bag and we will have to hope that civ 6 has diplomacy.

Actually, I see it as part of the concept that progress in technology results in doing things more efficiently. In old civ games, railroads removed the difficulty in unit movement because you could do it far more efficiently. This was especially useful for pollution because you could efficiently move your settler/engineer/worker where it needed to be the same turn something happened. I view this on the same lines. You are sufficiently advanced that the inconvenience of slow unit movement is a thing of the past.

 

[Matthew.]

but it's not great advertising anyway because it'll rarely be seen. Unless the Civilopedia says "available in stores," it's possible for many people to miss the reference entirely.

Advertising perhaps isn't the best word, but it is still in the same realm. The whole idea behind these cross-game references is to create a link between games by the same publisher/company in hope that fans will jump from one to the other instead of venturing towards other game companies.

It isn't so much of "Hey, buy XCom!" but more of a "Hey remember the other games we've made and how awesome they are? Stick with us!"

Yeah it is a stretch, but all advertising is. You aren't guaranteed to see a billboard or newspaper ad, but companies still push them out there. I'm still not sure how companies determine buying a 4 million dollar 30 second spot during the super bowl is worth it, but it must pay off some way or another.

 

[JanghanHong]

I remember building a ton of cities and once I went over my city-list, I got a city called "Thunderfall".


He's the admin of this forum, can anyone tell me if this is a tribute or is there an actual city called "Thunderfall"?

 

[Louis XXIV]

Advertising perhaps isn't the best word, but it is still in the same realm. The whole idea behind these cross-game references is to create a link between games by the same publisher/company in hope that fans will jump from one to the other instead of venturing towards other game companies.

It isn't so much of "Hey, buy XCom!" but more of a "Hey remember the other games we've made and how awesome they are? Stick with us!"

Yeah it is a stretch, but all advertising is. You aren't guaranteed to see a billboard or newspaper ad, but companies still push them out there. I'm still not sure how companies determine buying a 4 million dollar 30 second spot during the super bowl is worth it, but it must pay off some way or another.

I think the only reason I disagree is Civilization has been having XCOM-related scenarios since Civ2. They've been including tributes since before Firaxis made an XCOM game.

 

[kingchris20]

I think this is in no way an "advertising" ploy or anything other than a tribute to the very talented developers across the hall.

As I've said before, I am not a fan of XCOM: Enemy Unknown, but I am a fan of having the XCOM Squad in Brave New World.................besides, they said there are "several" new units...granted most of them will be UUs for the new civs, but who knows, there could be another actual new unit somewhere where all civs can build.........

 

[Matthew.]

Oh I'm not saying they aren't tributes: They are exactly that. The practice has been around probably for as long as video games themselves. Just noting that there has been a shift in how they are presented. Companies are starting to figure out ways to tie their games together for profit and this is one way of doing it. (See Activision/EA and all their buy game A and get item/skin for game B deals)

Whether this particular case is simply an old-fashioned nod or an attempt to follow the industry trend I have no interest in arguing, because it doesn't really matter either way.

 

[nokmirt]

I think this is in no way an "advertising" ploy or anything other than a tribute to the very talented developers across the hall.

As I've said before, I am not a fan of XCOM: Enemy Unknown, but I am a fan of having the XCOM Squad in Brave New World.................besides, they said there are "several" new units...granted most of them will be UUs for the new civs, but who knows, there could be another actual new unit somewhere where all civs can build.........

I'll just mod GDR and this XCOM squad out. No problemo. Not like they are present in most games anyway. That''s mostly why it was a wasted time adding them. This is civ not xcom, they shouldn't mix them together for publicity. Anyway, I am sure there will be a few new units other than UUs. CiV is not hurting for sales they don't need an XCOM unit in this game. I wonder what CiV reference will find it's way into XCOM, maybe an Impi warrior. That would be pretty cool.

 

[SamBC]

I think the only reason I disagree is Civilization has been having XCOM-related scenarios since Civ2. They've been including tributes since before Firaxis made an XCOM game.

To be fair, the original XCOM games and Civ2 were both made by Microprose.

 

[Scaramanga]

Maybe this is why the Pueblo nation didn't want their leader in the game. They were so outraged by the inclusion of XCOM Squad.