2012 Video Games Thread

[mckerney]

Firaxis Re-Making XCOM: Enemy Unknown | Rock, Paper, Shotgun

They're finally making a new XCom game!

[CrimsonFox]

Don't you threaten US with video games, Mister!

[Lonnie]

Is that a threat or a promise?

Awesome news indeed.

[spleen1015]

I want Firaxis to remake Alpha Centauri.

[Honolulu_Blue]

Awesome. Awesome news!

I have been waiting for this for well over a decade.

[spleen1015]

I do think this is good news, though.

[mckerney]

Originally Posted by spleen1015

I want Firaxis to remake Alpha Centauri.

The rights to Alpha Centauri are owned by EA and Fixaris' is currently witk 2K as a publisher, so if there is a sequel or remake it won't be done by Firaxis.

[Matthean]

Sometime in 2010/2011 this was a rumor that went nowhere. Originally it was talked about why they skipped on Bioshock 2 was they wanted to do another X-Com game.

[EagleFan]

Originally Posted by mckerney

The rights to Alpha Centauri are owned by EA and Fixaris' is currently witk 2K as a publisher, so if there is a sequel or remake it won't be done by Firaxis.

parade pisser...

[chinaski]

errrr, um, hoooray!

[Honolulu_Blue]

Originally Posted by chinaski

This is going to blow. X-Com as a fps, with no strategic elements. Meh, grumpy old man mode initiated.

Did you read the article in the link? I don't think so.

Try this one:

http://www.gameinformer.com/b/news/a...y-unknown.aspx


"The huge feature in February's Game Informer goes into all the gory details of XCOM's destructible tactical environments, the interaction between the real-time strategic view and the turn-based combat, how the XCOM organization improves its capabilities as the war rages on, and much more."

This aint no FPS. This is X-COM, baby. Real time strategic/global view and turn-based combat.

Sounds like plenty of strategic elements.

[chinaski]

Originally Posted by Honolulu_Blue

Did you read the article in the link? I don't think so.

Try this one:

http://www.gameinformer.com/b/news/a...y-unknown.aspx


"The huge feature in February's Game Informer goes into all the gory details of XCOM's destructible tactical environments, the interaction between the real-time strategic view and the turn-based combat, how the XCOM organization improves its capabilities as the war rages on, and much more."

This aint no FPS. This is X-COM, baby. Real time strategic/global view and turn-based combat.

Sounds like plenty of strategic elements.

hahah, yea... I was thinking about the *other* X-Com game being worked on. This is good news indeed!

[cartman]

Some screen shots of the upcoming South Park RPG. Looks just like the TV show.

South Park RPG Looks Like South Park | Rock, Paper, Shotgun

It’s to be small parties and side-on combat, with classes chosen from fighter, mage, thief, cleric and Jew.

[mckerney]

An Exciting List Of PC Games For 2012 | Rock, Paper, Shotgun

I don't know how I missed this, but another Thief game is in the works and it's being done by the same studio that made Deus Ex: Human Revolution. Hopefully they've learned their lesson about boss battles.

[DeToxRox]

Report: BOTH New Xbox and PS4 Will Be Shown At E3 - Games News at IGN

A supposed informed source saying that PS4 and Xbox 720 will be shown off at E3 this year.

[jeff061]

Originally Posted by mckerney

An Exciting List Of PC Games For 2012 | Rock, Paper, Shotgun

I don't know how I missed this, but another Thief game is in the works and it's being done by the same studio that made Deus Ex: Human Revolution. Hopefully they've learned their lesson about boss battles.

Eidos Montreal admits Deus Ex boss error - Edge Magazine

[Honolulu_Blue]

Originally Posted by mckerney

Firaxis Re-Making XCOM: Enemy Unknown | Rock, Paper, Shotgun

They're finally making a new XCom game!

Some more info on this and a screenshot:

http://www.gameinformer.com/b/featur...y-unknown.aspx

Wasn't there another XCOM game?
Yes, 2K Marin is developing a previously announced first-person shooter, simply called XCOM. That game was originally scheduled to come out last year, but has since been delayed out of 2011.

How do those games relate to each other?
The shooter takes place earlier in the fiction, chronicling the aliens' first attacks in the United States. The strategy game we're talking about here deals with the global response to the later full-blown alien invasion of Earth.

So this is some kind of RTS?
No, not in the way the term "RTS" typically applies to games like StarCraft. The real-time element of XCOM is confined to the global view, where the player keeps track of known UFOs and abductions going on around the world. Managing research and development at the XCOM organization's secret base can be done at the player's leisure, and all combat is completely turn-based.

You switch between real-time and turn-based?
Yes. When your aerial transport lands at an abduction site, the game switches to a tactical view and you command your squad of personalized soldiers in battle against an unknown alien threat.

So what do you do in the real-time global view?
On the strategic layer, players direct research into alien technology, give their engineers and foundries fabrication requests, interact with the nations of the world (who have to be mollified to secure funding for XCOM), intercept airborne UFOs with jet fighters, level up their soldiers and recruit new ones, and dispatch the Skyranger transport to engage alien incursions on the ground.

Is this a remake of the original?
Kind of. Re-imagining is probably a better term. Firaxis' XCOM: Enemy Unknown doesn't directly copy the underlying game systems – for instance, soldiers have different stats than they did in the 1994 original – but the concepts are still here. Players still have to manage multiple resources and threats on a global scale in a seemingly hopeless war against extraterrestrial forces with far better technology and capabilities.

Is this going to be dumbed down for the "wider console audience"?
Firaxis is undeniably streamlining aspects of the game and removing no small amount of micromanagement, but from what I've seen I wouldn't call it "dumbing down" the game so much as getting rid of tedium and uninteresting mechanics. Soldiers still die permanently, fog of war and line of sight are hugely important in combat, and you absolutely can lose the game if you screw up too badly.

Does it look awesome?
I came away from our visit to Firaxis' studio extremely impressed by XCOM: Enemy Unknown. The project is far from done, but I am personally thrilled at the prospect of playing the final game.

[mckerney]

XCOM Remake: Screens, Details, Worries | Rock, Paper, Shotgun

OK, here we go. Brace for impact. Barricade yourself in your home. An American magazine has just put the first screenshots of the XCOM remake ‘reimaginging’, some teasy details, plus the vital answers to to whether it’s linked to the XCOM shooter and if it’s been… altered for consoles.

Good news! Well, ish.

Two key things to stuff in your head first:

1) “The shooter takes place earlier in the fiction, chronicling the aliens’ first attacks in the United States. The strategy game we’re talking about here deals with the global response to the later full-blown alien invasion of Earth.”

Which is why the aliens on show look like lanky G-Men rather than trad. X-COM baddies, I guess. (Pure speculation here, but I bet that hints at some kind of multiplayer, with an even humans vs human-likes playing field).

2) “Firaxis is undeniably streamlining aspects of the game and removing no small amount of micromanagement, but from what I’ve seen I wouldn’t call it “dumbing down” the game so much as getting rid of tedium and uninteresting mechanics.”

Uh. Um. Aaargh. I’ll reserve judgement until that’s clarified, but “tedium and uninteresting mechanics?” What tedium and uninteresting mechanics? You don’t throw that kind of vague insult at such a revered game unless you’re fully prepared for angry consequences from the internet or you just have no idea what kind of fire you’re playing with. That’s the magazine writer summarising the game as he sees it rather than the devs’ line, so hopefully they’d explain things less dismissively and in detail rather than generalisations. Yeah, there’s a fair bit of annoying/outdated interface stuff in the original but that sounds like features being thrown out wholesale. I am okay with that in theory – Firaxis are seasoned strategy devs, after all – but I want to know what and why rather than be left to worry what “streamlining” means.

By way of reassurance, there’s “Soldiers still die permanently, fog of war and line of sight are hugely important in combat, and you absolutely can lose the game if you screw up too badly”, but, well, the micromanagement was always a big part of X-COM. I want to micromanage! I like micromanaging! Micromanagement is my middle name! (Or I wish it was, anyway. My real middle names are far more embarrassing. Yes, ‘names.’ Sigh).

Also confirmed: global management view, soldier levelling, interceptions, managing R&D, chasing funding, more. So the major ingredients are there – it’s a matter of which minor ones have been thrown out in order to make XUO gamepad-friendly, I guess. Worried! Also, hopeful. But worried. Worriedly hopeful.

The screens I just find confusing. They don’t much evoke X-COM in either aesthetic or interface, but then I didn’t want a straight retread anyway. The use of 3D terrain (terrain! This is like 2002 all over again) and cover is promising on a tactical level, I like the bulky body armour look, and there’s a reasonable amount of info scattered around the screen without taking up too much real estate. The base appears to be a full-fat base but in 3D, which I like – I want to explore my home as well as build it. There’s a lot to be excited about in there, but on the whole. I just don’t know what to make of it yet: I need more screens and a video. And a lie down.

More details and full-size versions of the screens at the magazine’s website.

No matter what, at least it’s not a shooter – this new XCOM really is a turn-based strategy game with a real-time management view. We didn’t think that was ever going to happen.

[Honolulu_Blue]

I know a ton of people love "Rock Paper Shotgun", but I find almost everything written on that site to be close to incomprehensible. I am not sure if it's the language barrier (them being British, but I've read a ton of stuff written by Brits and watched plenty of Brit TV/movies and have never had this problem) or just the style folks adapt. I am not fan of that site at all.

That said, there are pently of things to be "worried" about regarding the XCOM re-imganing or whatever the hell you want to call it. I do believe that it's a bit early to start now based on a couple of screen shots and some vague comments.

The original XCOM remains one of my favorite games ever. It's still on my PC. That said, it could use some streamlining in places, such as, for example, not having to re-equip your guys after each mission. It would be nice if the game saved your preferred load out for each soldier (assuming they survive) and just re-ammoed them (to the extent you have sufficient ammo).

[Vince, Pt. II]

Originally Posted by Honolulu_Blue

The original XCOM remains one of my favorite games ever. It's still on my PC. That said, it could use some streamlining in places, such as, for example, not having to re-equip your guys after each mission. It would be nice if the game saved your preferred load out for each soldier (assuming they survive) and just re-ammoed them (to the extent you have sufficient ammo).

A million times this.

I also agree that it's far too early to get reasonably worried. While I don't think they should change much, I wouldn't mind at all if they streamlined the "Manufacture cheap crap to sell on the black market to stay in the black" mechanic from the original. I loved the IDEA of having to come up with ways other than mindlessly relying on funding from the countries of the world every month for cash, but it quickly got to be a mindless repetition of how many Laser Rifles/Laser Cannons you could pump out to keep your coffers full.

[mckerney]

A game made 17 years ago could certainly use some UI upgrades and improvements to make play easier, the problem is that usually when "streamlining" and "reducing micromanaging" are used it's a nice way for the devs to say they're dumbing it down and cutting features. Too early to tell that this will be the case with X-Com, and I wouldn't expect that out of Firaxis at this point, but those phrases are never good to hear.

[Atocep]

Originally Posted by mckerney

and I wouldn't expect that out of Firaxis at this point

Did you play Civ 5 out of the box?

I'd rather see a full remake than a re-imagining that dumbs the game down. This is the game I've been waiting a decade for so I'm going to be nervous about the screwing it up until I get the chance to play it and see for myself.

I hope Firaxis realizes that this is something fans have been waiting a long time for and it'd be stupid to burn bridges between them and the fans in order to make the game "more accessible" for the console audience.

[MJ4H]

Anyone played Q.U.B.E.? Looks pretty cool.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lacW1...f=list_related

I'm interested to see if it has decent graphics options for lower end specs before I buy it, so if anyone has tried it, I'd love to know about that stuff. This type game is right up my alley. Lots of Portal influence here it looks like.

[gstelmack]

Originally Posted by Atocep

I'd rather see a full remake than a re-imagining that dumbs the game down.

Then what would you have them do exactly, just pretty up the graphics? You can download and play the original on Steam right now.

[BrianD]

Originally Posted by gstelmack

Then what would you have them do exactly, just pretty up the graphics? You can download and play the original on Steam right now.

For those of us who have never played XCom and would like to experience it, what would be the Steam option to go with? There appear to be 5 individual options and a collection pack. Are all 5 worth playing? Is there a definitive one to play?

[gstelmack]

Originally Posted by BrianD

For those of us who have never played XCom and would like to experience it, what would be the Steam option to go with? There appear to be 5 individual options and a collection pack. Are all 5 worth playing? Is there a definitive one to play?

X-COM: UFO Defense: X-COM: UFO Defense on Steam

Interceptor and Enforcer are not strategy games, they are a "flight" sim and an FPS respectively (I think that's right). Apocalypse and Terror from the Deep are real sequels, but start with UFO Defense, the original.

[Groundhog]

Originally Posted by gstelmack

X-COM: UFO Defense: X-COM: UFO Defense on Steam

Interceptor and Enforcer are not strategy games, they are a "flight" sim and an FPS respectively (I think that's right). Apocalypse and Terror from the Deep are real sequels, but start with UFO Defense, the original.

Warning: You will die. A lot.

[Honolulu_Blue]

Originally Posted by gstelmack

X-COM: UFO Defense: X-COM: UFO Defense on Steam

Interceptor and Enforcer are not strategy games, they are a "flight" sim and an FPS respectively (I think that's right). Apocalypse and Terror from the Deep are real sequels, but start with UFO Defense, the original.

I never played Apocalypse, but I would avoid "Terror from the Deep." It's a horrible sequel. Just awful.

Just stick to X-COM: UFO Defense. That's all you'll need.

[CrimsonFox]

Originally Posted by mckerney

An Exciting List Of PC Games For 2012 | Rock, Paper, Shotgun

I don't know how I missed this, but another Thief game is in the works and it's being done by the same studio that made Deus Ex: Human Revolution. Hopefully they've learned their lesson about boss battles.

Everyone and their mother has made fun of the Thief 4 logo....that it's spelt

T H I 4 F



But oh man I can't wait for it. The first 2 are my favorite games ever.

[Tasan]

For some XCOM:TFTD action, see this http://www.operationsports.com/fofc/...ad.php?t=73741

[sterlingice]

Originally Posted by Groundhog

Warning: You will die. A lot.

I hate to say it, but it's a game where you should read the FAQ as you are playing or you will get snowed under. Even better is when you get in a 5~10 hour death spiral where you don't realize that it's already checkmate until you get much closer to the end. It's from an unforgiving era of gaming.

SI

[Vince, Pt. II]

Originally Posted by sterlingice

I hate to say it, but it's a game where you should read the FAQ as you are playing or you will get snowed under. Even better is when you get in a 5~10 hour death spiral where you don't realize that it's already checkmate until you get much closer to the end. It's from an unforgiving era of gaming.

SI

"Nintendo hard."

[Groundhog]

I don't think I've ever re-loaded a game as much as I have X-Com. Even games like HL/FO3 etc. where I save/load a fair bit (usually after doing something stupid).

[Marc Vaughan]

Originally Posted by gstelmack

X-COM: UFO Defense: X-COM: UFO Defense on Steam

Interceptor and Enforcer are not strategy games, they are a "flight" sim and an FPS respectively (I think that's right). Apocalypse and Terror from the Deep are real sequels, but start with UFO Defense, the original.

My therapist warned me about people like you, dangling my addictions in front of me ... enabling a relapse ... I won't give in damn it, I've been free for years now ....

Well maybe just one short burst won't hurt

[whomario]

very long but worthwile read over at grantland on Madden/video sports games today (and tomorrow): Tom Bissell on the making of 'Madden NFL' - Grantland

[Matthean]

Got into the Path of Exile(F2P hack 'n' slash) beta. I give it a solid thumbs up so far. Patch number is 0.9.5h with 0.9.6 coming soon. Still some technical issues to be hammered out, but for the most part it plays fine.

[Matthean]

Done with Act I. I figured out how to get past the one thing that was annoying the hell out of me. I felt like hanging my head in shame after I did since it was so logical of an answer. The game could run smoother, but it's still in beta. This has potential to surpass Titan's Quest for me. I would say it's past Torchlight, but that had near zero depth to it due to how quickly they made the game. So far there are only two acts and then higher diff settings.

[Lonnie]

I signed up for the beta for Path of Exile back in September after seeing the Total Biscuit WTF, still haven't heard anything yet.

[DeToxRox]

Resident Evil 6 Trailer

[mckerney]

Level playthrough of Monaco.

[Matthean]

Originally Posted by Lonnie

I signed up for the beta for Path of Exile back in September after seeing the Total Biscuit WTF, still haven't heard anything yet.

I have a key to give so I will PM it to you.

[CleBrownsfan]

Originally Posted by whomario

very long but worthwile read over at grantland on Madden/video sports games today (and tomorrow): Tom Bissell on the making of 'Madden NFL' - Grantland

One of the Madden devs I spoke to still remembers 2K5's day of sneak-attack infamy: "It scared the hell out of us." NFL Gameday proved an arguably tougher opponent (from the same dev who was scared by ESPN NFL 2K5: "We were always nervous about Gameday. We wanted to crush them"), in that it was a PlayStation exclusive and had all of Sony's considerable resources backing its development. In 2005, the Madden franchise outmaneuvered its rivals by securing an exclusivity deal with the league, effectively putting every other pro-football game out of business.

[MizzouRah]

Kingdoms of Amalur: Reckoning Demo

Anyone download this yet? I hope to get some time with it tonight and was wondering what anyone thought.

[hoopsguy]

Originally Posted by Lonnie

I signed up for the beta for Path of Exile back in September after seeing the Total Biscuit WTF, still haven't heard anything yet.

Same boat for me. Good to hear that someone from here made it into the beta and is enjoying the experience.

I played the heck out of Titan Quest, considerably less Torchlight. But I'm looking forward to Path of Exile, Torchlight 2, or Diablo 3 whenever one of these companies gets around to releasing their games.

[A-Husker-4-Life]

is the xcom remake a shell of the original? kinda starting to feel like it..

http://www.rockpapershotgun.com/2012...-the-new-xcom/

[Atocep]

Originally Posted by A-Husker-4-Life

is the xcom remake a shell of the original? kinda starting to feel like it..

Gollop Gossips About The New XCOM | Rock, Paper, Shotgun

Game Informer's preview was really positive. They're designing the camera to work similar to how it worked with Dragon Age: Origins. Because of hardware limitations console players will have a closer camera perspective while PC players will have the choice to go zoomed out like the original was or they can zoom in and play like the console players.

They made some minor changes to the disk of death alien, but it it's actually adding abilities rather than removing them. Outside of that it really sounds like Firaxis is trying to streamline things rather than dumbing them down.

This is the game I've been waiting for since I played the original many years ago so I'm incredibly worried that they're going to screw things up, but so far Rock, Paper, Shotgun has been the only place I've seen that's been really negative about it so far.

[Lonnie]

Originally Posted by Matthean

I have a key to give so I will PM it to you.

Highly ironic that after five months of waiting, as soon as you PMd me a key I also got an email that I was invited to the Beta.

So I didn't use your key and you can use it for someone else, maybe hoopsguy.

[Matthean]

Originally Posted by hoopsguy

Same boat for me. Good to hear that someone from here made it into the beta and is enjoying the experience.

I played the heck out of Titan Quest, considerably less Torchlight. But I'm looking forward to Path of Exile, Torchlight 2, or Diablo 3 whenever one of these companies gets around to releasing their games.

Since Lonnie got his invite, I'll pass you the code.

Originally Posted by Lonnie

Highly ironic that after five months of waiting, as soon as you PMd me a key I also got an email that I was invited to the Beta.

So I didn't use your key and you can use it for someone else, maybe hoopsguy.

Sweet. I got my main up to level 23. I finally died and maybe possible errors in my build prevented me from killing something(lack of DPS). I had a high level join me and he smacked it in one hit. I've had numerous close calls, but for the most part there have been few deaths. I'm playing a ranger. As always, if you get caught, you can get screwed. I have one of everything but my witch is in the hardcore league. I may reroll to the default league. There is currently two acts but four difficulty settings so you will repeat content a lot. The maps for Act II are huge though. Instances reset after 15 minutes of being empty. Note, this means your portal can go away if you play around in town too long. I died and didn't see a waypoint so I had a long walk back to where I wanted to and the previous area was already reset. I'm getting to the point where I don't really have much of any complaints, but the chat system needs work.

FYI, Without_Pause is my main but I can list my others if need be. I'm mostly sticking with the one until they "complete" the game but can switch if need be.

[hoopsguy]

Thanks for passing that key along, downloading the beta now.

[mckerney]

Report: Microsoft Points Will Be Phased Out | News & Opinion | PCMag.com

Microsoft is preparing to discontinue Microsoft Points, the virtual currency used to buy content on the Zune Marketplace and Xbox Live, according to a report.

Inside Mobile Apps reports that Microsoft will be scrapping its Points system in favor of real currencies - pounds sterling in the United Kingdom, for example, or dollars in the United States. Microsoft hasn't commented on what it calls rumors and speculation.

The transition will take place at the end of 2012, according to the site.