Because no one uses the Other Games Forum: X-COM

[Kuciwalker]

The UI really, really needs some way to actually see the available lines of fire (and the lines that will be available if you move to a particular spot.

[snoopy369]

There are some indicators - the red shields for example showing you where you're not really in cover (where there would be cover if it weren't for somebody). But yes, I wish I could see more clearly where the aliens can hit.

[MRT144]

Yep, I did a few times, mostly VIP missions when the VIP got panic-killed; only once wasn't a VIP mission - my super-sniper (captain) bugged out when everybody else got smacked by some thin men.



I try to play conservatively... Unfortunately I run into the occasional time when I think I am being careful and then don't see a line of fire. Often it's because of new enemies that appear where I'm not expecting them, or a lucky shot by someone against one of my guys in cover.

I feel like you need to livestream this.

[MRT144]

The UI really, really needs some way to actually see the available lines of fire (and the lines that will be available if you move to a particular spot.

that would make the game way easier.

[Kuciwalker]

No, I mean where YOU can hit. When I click on a soldier and then move the cursor to some square within his movement range, the game needs some visual indicator of which squares can be shot at from that location. It needs to provide this even if there are no visible enemies. It is otherwise way too easy to screw yourself with e.g. poor sniper positioning.

edit: re: snoopy

[Kuciwalker]

that would make the game way easier.

All of this information is theoretically available in the UI already; the only "difficulty" this adds is in carefully tracing out the squares yourself (and I'm still not totally clear on how the engine traces elevation, etc.). There's also some terrain in the game where the precise hitbox for occlusion isn't really obvious, e.g. the fountain in the first Council mission.

It would also make the game "harder" if they removed the indicator of a soldier's movement ranges, but that would be stupid.

[MRT144]

No, I mean where YOU can hit. When I click on a soldier and then move the cursor to some square within his movement range, the game needs some visual indicator of which squares can be shot at from that location. It needs to provide this even if there are no visible enemies. It is otherwise way too easy to screw yourself with e.g. poor sniper positioning.

edit: re: snoopy

It's odd because both of you are the only people I've seen really voice this complaint. And I've been in a lot of xcom threads around the web.

[Hauldren Collider]

I agree with kuci. The lack of information on who you can actually hit with your soldiers is just idiotic. Not telling you this is just fake difficulty. ****ty interface design does indeed make a game harder, and good interface design does indeed make a game easier. But the difficulty it removes is just pointless frustration.

[MRT144]

I agree with kuci. The lack of information on who you can actually hit with your soldiers is just idiotic.

Ya'll are autistic.

[snoopy369]

If it were just me I'd assume people with FPS experience are better at judging this sort of thing. I am godawful at FPSs (8 year olds can usually beat me).

I don't think a livestream would work (especially at 11pm) but perhaps I can record some video of me playing, for your amusement. As that's what it would be, amusing...

[MRT144]

If it were just me I'd assume people with FPS experience are better at judging this sort of thing. I am godawful at FPSs (8 year olds can usually beat me).

I don't think a livestream would work (especially at 11pm) but perhaps I can record some video of me playing, for your amusement. As that's what it would be, amusing...

I'd love to see where things go horribly awry.

[snoopy369]

The reason I eventually had to stop playing chess competitively was that I am very good at implementing a strategy, but am not very good at paying attention to people doing a strategy in areas I'm not focusing my strategy on. So I might attack their king in one side of the board, but not notice a few moves that caused a hole in the other side of the board that I was vulnerable in.

Does this sound like the likely source of my problems in XCOM?

[MRT144]

The reason I eventually had to stop playing chess competitively was that I am very good at implementing a strategy, but am not very good at paying attention to people doing a strategy in areas I'm not focusing my strategy on. So I might attack their king in one side of the board, but not notice a few moves that caused a hole in the other side of the board that I was vulnerable in.

Does this sound like the likely source of my problems in XCOM?

Somewhat, yes. How often are you withdrawing troops from positions once they see an enemy such as when they have bad cover or are an easily flankable position?

[snoopy369]

Not often enough... I tend to try and reach good cover on each move, but of course that's not always possible. And sometimes you have to dash, so you are stuck.

How much does cover that you aren't next to help? Like if you're on tile 1, and in front of you is cover, and three tiles to your right is cover, say a pickup truck (would be full cover if you were next to it). Are you protected from someone who is 8-9 tiles away (assuming they don't or can't move up)? Are you covered from straight line attacks but not from slight diagonals?

[regexcellent]

I have a tendency to like keeping eyes-on the enemy. That's much easier with stealth armor but in the early game not so much.