X-COM: Ufo Defense

[Stefu]

Anyone still playing this game? I downloaded it about 4 days ago (Yes, I downloaded a game that Microprose isn't probably making any money with now, I'm bad and horrible person) and it still hooks me as it did when I first got it. There's just no substitute for going on nightly terror mission and first creature you see is an Ethereal.

Some aspects of game are quite funny, tho. Especially those super-soldiers. Now, my understanding is that all the chaps at X-Com are top soldiers of earth, right? So what's the explanation to one of them shooting at Sectoid that was RIGHT NEXT TO HER with Auto-Shot and all three shots missing?

[Colonâ„¢]

If you click on the rank sign of the soldier in question you get all the stats about him/her. A respectable aim should be one of 60 or so. Probably that guy has one of 10 or 20, or was wounded at the time.
Also, auto shots are less precise than snap shot and much less than aimed shots.

[Urban Ranger]

You should fire all those bums who can't shoot to save their lives (literally). Keep hiring until you have all crack shots.

[Richard Bruns]

I like that game. Truly a classic.

I've learned that auto shots are never a good idea. The statistics seem to say that they are better than snap shots, but they are not. An inaccurate shot, even if it hits the alien, will do very little damage. More often than not, this will cause the alien to turn around and calmly shoot the offending soldier in the gut. On the other hand, an aimed shot or a snap shot that hits will usually kill or incapacitate the alien. Ny casualties dropped a lot when I abandoned auto shots.

I try to use grenades as often as possible. It takes about as many AP as an aimed shot, and it tends to be more deadly, especially since they tend to go in groups. If my scout walks around a house and sees three enemies, I simply turn the soldier around and have the rest of the squad chuck explosives in the vicinity. Far more efficient and much less costly than a firefight. Even if they do survive, they never seem to shoot back. But the best thing is that they never miss and grenades ignore most obstacles.

Another funny thing is the salaries. Scientists get $30,000 a month. I'd like that job. Of course, they also never seem to sleep. They do 24 hours of work every day.

Also, I don't like the fact that the AP required to use weapons increases as the trooper gets more experience, and that troops with pathetic AP take a lot less AP to use weapons. That is illogical.

It also annoys me to have to reassign the proper equipment before every single mission. Why can't I assign the stuff to a soldier and not the craft? Stupid 80 item limit...

But I digress. Yes, I like the game and I would still play it if I had remembered to bring it to this college. It is the best $3 I ever spent.

Hmm, since I do own it legally and it isn't being used now. . . where did you download it?

[Dis]

I just got it from my brother about a year ago (I deleted it off my hard drive for some stupid reason).

I only played one complete game, but it was still fun as ever. I'll probaby play 1 game a year, it's still has that kind of entertainment value.

Yeah I keep hiring until I get good shots. I also try to go for decent bravery (I hate the wimps that get turned by etherals on the first turn- they kill more of my guys than the aliens do). They seem to be good shooters of my own men, but can't hit aliens worth a sh!t. Nothing worse than seeing you colonel or commander go down from a rookie

never tried grenades. but my favourite weapon is that aimed rocked launcher (can't remember name- it is an alien artifact). In the beginning I like rocket launchers. Sometimes incendiary is great for those buildings or wheat fields with aliens in it (just don't use it on terror missions in cities). But I love using those waypoints (must have good firing accuracy) to just level entire areas of the map . Can't use them too liberally since I never manufacture the ammo, I just use stuff I find.
[This message has been edited by Dissident (edited April 03, 2001).]

[Richard Bruns]

There is a trick to using blaster ball launchers. All of the waypoints will hit perfectly, but that last target depends on firing accuracy, so it can miss. To ensure perfect accuracy, make the actual target a waypoint and have the final target somewhere else. The shot will hit the "waypoint" with perfect accuracy and explode there. Or if that isn't possible, aim for a wall near the target.

Grenades also help with the mind slamming. If they never see you, the leader the can't hit you. This is another reason to use tanks as scouts. If they only see the machine before they die, they can't control anybody. If they do see someone and start the attacks on that person, then you can make that person drop their weapons. They won't pick them up when they eventually get controlled. But be careful, since the aliens can mind attack anyone that the controlled person sees, so it might be good to hit that person with a stun bomb. It may not be their fault, and you lose points if they get killed.

[DaveV]

I remember winning this game with blaster bombs and mind control. Once you mind control one alien, he gives you line of sight to others, and it's a domino effect. You can also launch blaster bombs through the halls in the last level and blow up the alien leader without risking any of your troops.

[Paul Hanson]

I really must play this again sometime. And then have a go at Terror from the Deep, followed by Apocalpyse and finishing off with Interceptor.

[Garth Vader]

I used snap shot mostly, the reason it uses more points as you gain more experience, is that it's based on a % and you get more total points with more experience.

I never liked grenades or explosives, they threw up too much smoke. Aliens seemed to be able to see through it but I couldn't. Once I used a blaster bomb on a house where I knew there was 3 aliens in it. I leveled the main floor, when the mission wasn't over I went in and found all three aliens alive on the main floor.

[Urban Ranger]

I think the blaster rifles are the best weapons in XCOM: deadly accurate and do a lot of damage. Tanks are good since they have better armor than the operatives until late in the game.

I didn't use a lot of grenades though initially I relied heavily on rocket launchers.


Dissident,

You can make those blaster bombs. All you need is a supply of the alien element, something-115 IIRC. You can get those from attacking UFOs, and the best way to take out UFOs, esp battleships, is to attack from the top down. Take out the leader and the commander first, you should be able to find them with a few helpful mind-controlled aliens, as they are always in the contol room/bridge. Then send a couple blaster bombs their way. After you clear out the top work your way down.


Paul Hanson,

Skip Terror of the Deep. It's MOTS (more of the same). Almost identical to XCOM except you get all these ridiculously tough aliens and a deep sea setting. Not worth the time IMO. Apocalyse is decent, but lacks the tense, nailbiting atmosphere which made XCOM so good.

[Dis]

yeah I know you can use eurilym. but I usually try to save it for heavy plasma ammo and ammo for heavy plasmas on interceptors and fusion ball launchers etc. not to mention fuel for my manufactered alien tech ships. I love that new troop carrier that can carry a sh!tload of troops and equip. It can be restricting using the sky ranger sometimes.

How do you start at the top and work your way down? As far as I know, I couldn't blow the top of the ship apart with blaster bombs. I don't like to do too much damage to the ship so I can salvage a lot of eurlym and navigation systems etc. although maybe it is worth it against etherals and sectoid (I believe they have mind control as well). I lose too many high ranking guys sometimes. I can usually protect my commanders and colonels though. they always get the flying suits and blaster bombs (unless they lack the strentgh and time units)
[This message has been edited by Dissident (edited April 04, 2001).]

[Paul Hanson]

quote: Originally posted by Urban Ranger on 04-04-2001 02:42 AM Paul Hanson, Skip Terror of the Deep. It's MOTS (more of the same). Almost identical to XCOM except you get all these ridiculously tough aliens and a deep sea setting. Not worth the time IMO. Apocalyse is decent, but lacks the tense, nailbiting atmosphere which made XCOM so good.

I know, I own all of them.

TFTD: Yes, it`s much harder than UFO. I generally do fairly well until I come up against the Lobstermen, who can withstand pretty much all my weaponry.

Apocalypse: Are you kidding? This is about the most nailbiting one of the lot! The atmosphere brilliant! With the turn-based X-COM games, you know that an alien`s never going to pop out from behind a wall while it`s your turn. With Apocalypse, you never know what`s going to happen! And the music really helps, as do the sounds. You can hear aliens roaring, but you don`t know where they are or what they`re going to do. Second to none, I`m telling you!

Now, as for Interceptor: it`s lacks a bit of oomph. As a game it`s quite good, as a flight-sim it`s average to say the best.

[Kautilya]

"Yes, I downloaded a game that
Microprose isn't probably making any money with now, I'm bad and horrible person) "
As it happens I was just pondering today whether to buy the X-com game pack for ten bucks at my local software store. So yes Microprose is still making money on the game and you are indeed a bad and horrible person.

[Urban Ranger]

quote: Originally posted by Dissident on 04-04-2001 06:24 AM yeah I know you can use eurilym. but I usually try to save it for heavy plasma ammo and ammo for heavy plasmas on interceptors and fusion ball launchers etc. not to mention fuel for my manufactered alien tech ships. I love that new troop carrier that can carry a sh!tload of troops and equip. It can be restricting using the sky ranger sometimes. How do you start at the top and work your way down? As far as I know, I couldn't blow the top of the ship apart with blaster bombs. I don't like to do too much damage to the ship so I can salvage a lot of eurlym and navigation systems etc. although maybe it is worth it against etherals and sectoid (I believe they have mind control as well). I lose too many high ranking guys sometimes. I can usually protect my commanders and colonels though. they always get the flying suits and blaster bombs (unless they lack the strentgh and time units) [This message has been edited by Dissident (edited April 04, 2001).]

E-115: you get get lots of these by attacking enemy UFOs. The best ones to capture are the ones on the ground, not the ones you shoot down. Of course you can capture ammo from the aliens too.

IIRC you can blow a hole on the top of an UFO with blaster bombs. I think the trick to do it is to have it between your first and second waypoint. But it has been so long since I played it. I found it on my DOS machine though so I can start a new game

[Urban Ranger]

quote: Originally posted by Paul Hanson on 04-04-2001 08:50 AM Apocalypse: Are you kidding? This is about the most nailbiting one of the lot! The atmosphere brilliant! With the turn-based X-COM games, you know that an alien`s never going to pop out from behind a wall while it`s your turn. With Apocalypse, you never know what`s going to happen! And the music really helps, as do the sounds. You can hear aliens roaring, but you don`t know where they are or what they`re going to do. Second to none, I`m telling you!

Not in my experience, but maybe because I was playing the tactical combat turn based. Not that scary after I found a way to outwit the brain eaters.