Let's talk about that BB4 update, people!

By now, you all must have seen it, but here it goes:

So, what are you more anxious to see? “Everything” is an expected, and totally normal answer, but let’s be more refined :blush: I’m going with that new Overwatch system. See, this is what I consider a really clever way to deal with the worst parts of a game. Turtle Overwatch was a way too common way to play the first FiraXCom, an issue that got an acceptable solution with the meld missions in XCom: EW, and got completely drowned in the smelliest septic tanks with the FiraXCom 2’s timed missions. The Overwatch cone is just simple intelligent game design.

Curious to see the Events System. I still have the feeling the Geoscape System will be what draws the line between PP being “just” a great game, or a game to truly stand the test of time, just as the original.

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I am still mostly curious about two aspects of the game that won’t be revealed in this backer build:
Fog mechanic and overall strategy Layer (economy, diplomacy).

From the additions that are there I am mostly curious about new weapons and enemies. Skill tree might be interesting to look at as well.

I’m still not sure what to expect from that. :wink:

This new system is great update to what we have seen in previous builds. But overall Overwatch is still prone to normal fire. So I will use it as last resort in defence against enemies running in tight corners. In more open space or in longer corridors I will definitely omit Overwatch, because of 4 reasons:

  • in Overwatch you don’t decide what enemy you will shoot, if enemy will use some brawler with heavy armour as first running alien from around the corner your shots will be wasted
  • in Overwatch you can’t manually aim at body parts and the latter is one of the most important features of Fire ability for me, allowing for more sophisticated, tactical elimination of most critical enemies, with Overwatch you can’t do that
  • Overwatch uses less bullets than regular Fire ability with burst weapons, thus is weaker while using the same amount of Time Units (pistols, sniper rifles and shotguns are not subject of this point, but still above points apply)
  • I think that Overwatch has some predefined miss chance like center of aiming circle is not at the center mass of the enemy (good example of that is sniper missing many overwatch shots in my BB3 campaign while he should perfectly hit enemy at such distance)

So those are reasons which usually prevent me from using Overwatch here. Most of them apply only in Phoenix Point, and were not issues in FiraXCOMs.

Those are perfectly reasonable arguments, but I think you answered yourself why I think is a great development

You see, this is what Overwatch should be. Not a powerful option, but a subtle approach. Let’s say you have a 1HP fireworm lurking around the corner, and instead of wasting the regular turn’s TU disposing of it, you go for the Overwatch. But of course, the fireworm can be assisted by a heavy brawler, and it’s up to you to decide if you want to invest in OW cone. Way better than FiraXCom’s OW, which was the only option to end a turn if no enemy was spotted.

Now there’s a good explanation. I always thought BB3’s snipers were way way unreasonably weak units, basically missing much more than they should.

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And that sweet sweet physics demonstration with the heavy hitting the truck? I gotta say it seemed way cool :smiley:

Well they are in some way weak. :wink: Their damage output compared to other classes is small, but they have great armour piercing capability. In some way they are anti-armour units. :wink: And have great damage at long distance.

Yeah, looks amazing.

I wonder now, if Project bases are multi-level, will there be elevators in the game?

Overwatch looks great.

Curious to see the Events System. I still have the feeling the Geoscape System will be what draws the line between PP being “just” a great game, or a game to truly stand the test of time, just as the original.

I wonder to what extent the world on the global level is live. I mean, whether you exist or not, things should happen. Could there be such situations, that, for example, you allied with Anu, but you aren’t doing great, and Anu too, but New Jerico expanding fast, becomes strong, and you can’t do much without their “approval”. Or something like that - some unpredictable strategic situations with which you have to deal somehow (maybe even betray your ally, because your alliance has shown itself as too weak). What I would not like to see is that “obvious” and “only” option: you choose an ally from the very start, then you fight together with the virus, and all other factions become just a minor distraction, existing there mostly for raids (from your side) and lore only.

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I was not very clear: what I wanted to say is that my main use for snipers is to count on them always getting their target. Not so much anti-armour, ou high damage, but getting their target. And in BB3 I always ended up with the idea they missed much more then they should.

I see no reason for elevators not to appear in the game.

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I still hope that developers would allow us to exclude enemies from overwatch and return fire by right clicking their icon at the bottom of the screen. :wink:

And my second hope is that we will be able to disable return fire even if soldier would be able to perform it - just to save ammo in critical situations.

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I think @JulianG said you could betray your allies, so it should be a very fluid system. Ally with them, get what you want, and then betray them, either by stealing tech, not answering a help call, or straight up attacking their havens. Every action will count towards your score with them. A lower score, they cut ties with you. A high score, expect secrets being shared and units being given. Something like Civilization.

I don’t doubt this will be possible. I’m talking about a different thing though - importance of strategic actions on the global level and array of strategic possible situations.

Ah, well. I think the developers are aiming for that, but will it be done? We won’t know it in BB4, I guess.

I know this isn’t necessarily one of the bigger features being added, but I’m super excited to have phoenix point soldiers. I know it might not make too much of a difference in gameplay and be more of aesthetics, but it’s super cool for me.

In BB4? Hardly )

As for “aiming” - well, maybe they do, but maybe not. If they take Xcom3 Apoc. route, this may happen, as that world (better say, City, perhaps) lived by its own, factions fought each other, this even affected the economy (prices, availability of goods). If they take first two classic Xcoms route, this won’t happen I think - the game was quite straightforward there.

It is not cosmetic. Specific factions have access to specific technology. So as Phoenix Project you will have different equipment than New Jericho. Forget about jet jump, about missile launcher shot through whole map, about mech arms heal, about deployable turret. Of course untill you acquire it from NJ in some way. :wink:

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I’m curious to see how PP and NJ units will differentiate themselves. I know NJ are more tank-y and heavy-y, but there’s got to me mpre than that.

On a related note: just got my EGS keys, guys and gals! Phoenix Point added to Epic library :smiley:

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Hurrah…?

Can we put the new key in Epic today? Or have to wait till tomorrow?
Thanks

you can enter the key today. access to the build will stay locked until tomorrow though