XCom type game - looking for user feedback

Discussion in 'General Game Discussion and Questions' started by JSeuss, May 10, 2009.

  1. JSeuss

    JSeuss Active Member

    May 10, 2009
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    #1 JSeuss, May 10, 2009
    Last edited: May 10, 2009
    Hi Everyone,

    I'm an iPhone developer and I'm putting together my next title. As a bit of an experiment, I'm looking for input from players this time rather than just developing it all in secret.

    It's going to be something in a similar genre to X-Com, but it's going to get there gradually. Initially it'll have more basic tactics like a space hulk type game, and then it'll grow up if there's enough interest in it.

    I've already put together an isometric engine with line of sight and some basic unit control commands are done. It's basically a clean slate ready to put tactical gameplay on top of. I'd love to get input on what people would like to see in terms of tactics and gameplay, but right now I need a name for the project.

    If you go to the link below you'll find a basic background of the game world, an alpha screenshot of the engine and some info on the naming competition.

    http://game.jseuss.com

    For winning ideas and suggestions I'll be handing out promo codes for my other apps and you'll also get promo codes for this one when it's done.

    So spread the word and I hope to hear from you!

    Thanks,
    Josh (JSeuss Software)
     
  2. LordGek

    LordGek Well-Known Member
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    Feb 19, 2009
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    I'm hoping for some random map generation in there. Games like this lose a lot of their power once you know pretty much where everybody is coming from and how they're equipped. If random maps aren't feasible, at least randomized deployment of opponents' equipment and positioning would be appreciated.
     
  3. Kevd

    Kevd Well-Known Member

    Mar 22, 2009
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    Can't wait to check it out.
     
  4. JSeuss

    JSeuss Active Member

    May 10, 2009
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    Yeah, I was planning to start with a campaign mode to sort out the tactics, then move to random levels/zones. But if no one wants a campaign mode, I could just scrap that idea.

    For the random levels, I plan to have a bunch of pre made level building blocks that are stuck together in a random fashion to create the whole level.
     
  5. DOOMBOT

    DOOMBOT Well-Known Member

    Apr 14, 2009
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    Oh god. I LOVED X-COM!! That game was so much fun. I would kill for a port of the original.
     
  6. 1337brian

    1337brian Well-Known Member

    Oct 12, 2008
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    Dude great idea! X-Com and Terrors from the deep were 2 excellent and unique titles IMO... Is your theme going to be alien themed? I have a suggestion, why not go Zombies? :eek:
    Now that's a promo winning idea... ;)
     
  7. hazmat95

    hazmat95 Well-Known Member

    Feb 11, 2009
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    looks sweet, but i think there should be an option to autotomoate battles in game 3 like in total war
     
  8. deputy

    deputy Well-Known Member

    Apr 8, 2009
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    My most important suggestion would be to include lots of interesting loot. People go wild for collecting loot and it could help a lot with the re-playability of the game. Make squad members unique (maybe include different "classes" with unique skills) but only allow certain numbers of squad members to be taken on missions. This allows for players to mix and match different team members to fit their play style. Giving squad members names, abilities, and background stories can really go a long way to connecting players with their characters.

    I'm not sure what the scope of this game is, but I think if you did it the right way it could be a big seller. I've been waiting for a tactical squad-based RPG ever since the creation of the App Store.
     
  9. cadence

    cadence Member

    Mar 28, 2009
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    From the screenshot I hope that there is a zoom feature, hopefully a multitouch pinch zoom like other apps. Also a way to scroll like touching with 2 fingers and dragging.

    This could be really cool; looking forward to it.
     
  10. crawfordmatt80

    crawfordmatt80 Well-Known Member

    Dec 20, 2008
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    You could call it the name of the outpost planet, whatever that maybe. It seems in your story that the planet is important enough to fight over so I figure it would be kindof like the main character.

    Maybe the planet has other secrets, maybe there is an artificat that drew the aliens there, maybe there is a secret base that the search party doesn't know about.

    What if there is a terrible secret there that the aliens infested it to destroy the planet and unbeknowest to the humans they fight them off only to allow something much much worse loose?

    I know it isn't a direct answer for your game name more like a direction.
     
  11. crawfordmatt80

    crawfordmatt80 Well-Known Member

    Dec 20, 2008
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    I love the idea of loot and a multitude of abilities, levelable or not. I loved the final fantasy tactics series!!

    I like the idea of having skirmishes (even the ability to play as the aliens) along with a story. Story missions can be something to introduce us to the controls and concepts of the game, but i usually wind up playing skirmish more because I hate being limited to just what the map gives me.

    I like the idea too of having reinforcements, maybe we could the ability to call reinforcements?

    We could also have some sort of check point gathering like i must capture this node ... ala advance wars for DS! These elements add more to the strategy too.
     
  12. Clymos

    Clymos Well-Known Member

    Mar 22, 2009
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    I like the secret on the planet idea and that can be a way to supply more difficult enemies as they could be some hostile race residing within the planet that the aliens were trying to kill. I will post a name idea later if I thin of something good.
     
  13. Wegmans

    Wegmans Well-Known Member

    Oct 31, 2008
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    You could call it "Recon"
     
  14. crawfordmatt80

    crawfordmatt80 Well-Known Member

    Dec 20, 2008
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    Web Designer
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    Planet Death
    Outpost Seirra, Rune, (or any other name you can think of)
    Last Stand
    Last Outpost
    Lost Outpost
     
  15. Pinoykid

    Pinoykid Well-Known Member

    game name uhmmm

    CapCom :] however its spelled
     
  16. JSeuss

    JSeuss Active Member

    May 10, 2009
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    Wow, some great ideas coming about.

    I had considered zombies.. But they are really just fun fodder :)

    The planet secret sounds good - but combined with zombies would be better I think.. How about the first foe is zombies, then *surprise* you 'find out' they are the base inhabitants turned zombie by an alien horde (not a surprise really). Only after fighting the aliens for a bit you find out the aliens come in zombie variants too... puzzling. After pushing the aliens back you realize there is a third foe in the mix, and the three way battle reveals that this planet is more strategically important than you realized..
     
  17. Clymos

    Clymos Well-Known Member

    Mar 22, 2009
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    I think just different variants of aliens would make more sense than zombies.
     
  18. JSeuss

    JSeuss Active Member

    May 10, 2009
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    Currently one finger drag will move the map around, and zooming will only go in two steps - normal and double size.

    No need at this stage to restrict panning to two fingers.. And I'll have pinch zooming in there soon, but one step zooming is much easier! :)
     
  19. Coachflaps

    Coachflaps Active Member

    May 6, 2009
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    I checked out the site and this definitely looks like a game I would play. X-Com is a classic. I like the campaign idea and the random level generated skirmishes. One thing that would be cool would be to have the option to play as the aliens, preventing the humans from taking over the outpost.
     
  20. idespair

    idespair Well-Known Member

    Oct 15, 2008
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    All of which sounds suspiciously like the plot of a little-known Xbox game called Halo.

    I'd like to see destructible scenery (simply give each object a health value), fog of war/line of sight and choice of deployment. Rather than enemies dropping loot, it would be nice to see research, though with a broader basis than the typical RTS tree.

    To make things more interesting, rather than research being time based you could make it material based, so that players would need to balance the mission at hand against salvaging technology, transporting material and stealing data - each of which could form the basis for different activities on a campaign map, or just within levels, especially if working to a strict turn limit.
     

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