Based on your own experience, what do you like in Phoenix Point so far? I would rather prefer talking about existing features than those to be added in future
Maybe I start by myself. Things I like
obviously a mix of strategic layer with tactical turn-based missions
great looking geoscape, clear and readable interface.
original approach to the story (mutants instead of ETs, Planet which already lost and must be ārecapturedā)
randomized maps and geoscape - each game is different
design of mutants
mutations
free fire system and no RNG!
changing percentage into āpossibilitiesā while aiming
limb targeting system (enhancing tactical depth and giving new ways of dealing with enemies plus very satisfying element of gameplay itself!)
limb injury system: significant way of weakening enemies as much as element of risk for our soldiers.
mind fraggers: nasty creatures but fun to deal with. I like the fact that mindfragged soldier doesnāt equal to lost soldier - you can shoot/take monster off him to rescue him. This mutant gives great opportunities for AI programmer: mindfragged soldier could withdraw right away then hide and continue to fight with elements of surprise - maybe this behaviour pattern could be linked with some version of mutation?
Another AI pattern which comes to mind is withdrawing toward specific mutants/buildings to get captured or being mutated in some strange way (permanently). Just ideas.
overall idea of focus points system (needing some refining and play-testing obviously but itās already implemented)
good soundtrack fitting to the theme.
already good graphics.
already vast potential for great and unique game
So what are your thoughts, opinions, things to add?
the first thing that make me smile is the limb injury system, agree. Head damage lowers will, with an arm damaged you canāt use rifle giving the pistol a bigger role, legs less movement, the fact that you have more problems to deal with and i like that.
multiple weapons a soldier can use, in this way a player can build his own strategy on how to battle the enemy.
i would love a workshop to build new weapons, modify them, the more i can play around with the gear the better XD
Thinking of that I like almost everything. But the most fine elements:
setting - Earth ravaged by some strange virus mutating all living things is much better than alien invasion
simulation of different factions waging a war in above setting (not much of it, but I like how NJ looks like and their equipment) and that there will be diplomacy (currently limiting you where you can build)
manual aiming with simulation of every bullet
body parts with different effects and consequences of disabling (also disabling equipment)
inventory and lack of restrictions in equipping soldiers
Right, I forgot movement/turn units system which is so much less restrictive than that of Xcom
PS. Today I managed to play in Haven defense mission for the first time. What I didnāt like is that my guys were simply surrounded by numerous aliens at the very beginning of the mission and a regular shootout started right away. I think itās the matter of actual map sizes, though (which are rather small). Lack of LOS and fog of war comes to mind, too.
You know what. I like also mindfraggers. Maybe not to what they are or how they attack. Of course it is well though. But I like their hiding AI. Those little bastards hide really well behind partial cover. I discovered that sniper rifle is good at removing most of that partial cover, so then you can shoot with other soldier to kill them.
I am not going to list specific features, because frankly I find whole game fantastic (note - been playing ufo: enemy unknown since its release so I might be a bit biased here), but there are some things worth noting that make PP fun (my pov of course):
please-no-please-no-please-no factor - this crabman is not shooting some random game character, heās shooting my soldier, guy I know. Loud cursing included. Got immersed almost momentarily and cannot remember any new game that ensnared me so fast or so much. And it was only BB2.
music - I donāt know if itās final or is it Mr. Broomhallās work already, but it fits the setting perfectly and adds to the game. Relation between music and gameās visual atmosphere is there and - matter of taste, of course but - I donāt need to turn it off because itās perfect.
PP being there - I find it a true modern successor to ufo:eu+tftd, and I didnāt even know Iām wanting this game so bad or waiting for it unless it showed up Hats off to Mr. Gollop and the team for making game looking like a dictionary definition of x-com genre and yet not being a clone, sparkling with new ideas and freshness.
last but not least hunting bugs is great fun. My favourite was a typo on some warning plate texture
All of the music currently included in the Backer Build is composed by our sound designer, Simeon Dotkov. His music will be included in the final game alongside that of John Broomhall.
Geospace, being able to explore new colonies and build new bases, would like to see this feature enhanced further but like the general concept
Recruit classes, enjoying the 4 different classes currently but would like to see this expanded as well, adding abilities based on classes acquired with experience.
In my opinion, this makes a perfect sense. you are responding to already happening clash. you donāt have an element of surprise.
And because you are defending a haven I guess you can land in very specific places, which would be controlled by enemy forces in a typical combat scenario.
Thatās why this is an additional risk ādo you want to join the fight?ā.
HOWEVER I expected to see some defenders fighting with the attackers. but for now, I was alone.
is it a BB3 thing? or in haven defence mission we are on our own with the attacker?
in my opinion, it would be great to fight along with the other faction, while this faction has slightly different priorities (e.g. they are using explosives even if you are in range)
I like the will mechanic. I like the Mercy (shotgun). I like the abilities of the basic trooper but the heavy and sniperās āperksā are a bit crap. I like electrocuting crabs. To an extent the gameplay. There are quite a few things I donāt like which probably most do not like also (e.g. return fire, mindfragger spam - 10+ in one may and they donāt bleed out, bases huddled in one area and so items being sent back to a base 8000 miles away that my Manticore canāt get to, slow resource appreciation, etc) but overall the gameplay indicates itās well thought out and does remind me of Apoc, which is heavily underrated. I like the exploration.
Well, I expected more āin-mission mutation and adjustmentā e.g. hitting enemies with same weapons or similar tactics would cause them to mutate a new replacement or stronger limb to adjust
(āvisible mutationsā)
as opposed to
Analytics of player tactics and overall specie adjustment after the battle (āinvisible mutationsā)
Apparent amelioration of the pod mechanic. This may recur once FOW was introduced, but I both hated / loved how enemies would react in pods, allowing you to leave them out of the game and/or bringing down hell on yourself with one misstep.
Lore. The investment in lore has made me much more interested in the game. I know, reading makes me a nerd. Iām over it.
Vehicles make an interesting add. I look forward to experiencing the enemyās bosses as a counter.
More than that I canāt say, weāll have to see how it looks later in development.
How didi you get this impression? As far as I remeber, as early as the fig campaign they proposed the enemy mutation as a AI reactiong to your stategy and developing counter tactics. And to be honest, the mutation system what was worring me the most when I supported the project, becuase you need a carefully balanced and immersive system coupled with a good AI that can use it.
And to be honest, I highly prefer the āinvisibleā mutation system than the āvisibleā one, itās much more ārealisticā in my point of view and more appropriate to the lore/context of the game.
I have been reading the briefings you receive. Some of it is way over my head but other stuff is darn interesting and has your mouth watering for the game.
I love stuff like this, it involves and absorbs you into the story and lore, making the whole thing more interesting.
That, even as pre-alpha backer build, I can already play it as a full game. For me, starting with Backer Build 3, PP doesnāt feel like a underdeveloped, feature lacking, FiraXCom black sheep brother, it already feels like something I can totally play: enter the Geoscape, find some scavenging sites, go for a bug hunting.
And as more and more features are added, it can only get better. The research and development of XCom was always my favorite part, but the upcoming classes (looking at you, Synedrion Infiltrator) look so promising!
As for the reasons that made me decide to back it: the aiming system just seemed so f*cking cool, the idea of aliens hoping around with no arms seemed it would never get old, and the sensibillity in Julian Gollop fully embracing his own legacy by, in turn, accepting Jake Solomonās work. Donāt want to sound all esotheric and stuff, but many more creators could follow with this idea.
And well, ever since I got BB3, I just erased most of games from my system. Just donāt need them
Not to stray off-topic, but the tactical VS. Strategic mutation discussion.: Maybe a compromise of a sort of non-crab grunt who are linked in some way develop resistance to the things they are getting hit with most in a missionā¦ Or a boss critter that does the same (as it/they would need to be on map long enough for it to have an effect). Could even be something sort of like a fungi, where you fight the sprouts, but theyāre all connected underground to a main enemy that could surface once itās auxiliaries are dead.
Unstable, I realize this is not relative to main commentary, if you feel like it needs to be a separate thread, let me know.
