Besides me... has anyone else who has pre-purchased XCom: Enemy Unknown already started planning out their first game? What continent to build on? What approach will you take as far as research and development?

I know its too soon to get down to details like how you will level your team but I've even looked into that a bit. I'm excited to see the release so close.

I was going to chose Africa as my continent but the 30% increase in monthly pay doesn't kick in until the end of the first month in-game. So I think I will go with North America for the 50% cheaper Aircraft & Weapons. Which will allow better coverage of those nations in panic. Not sure how well it will play out over the course of the game since events are randomized. But that is the beauty of this type of game. If the basics are good the random paths to the end game make it unfold differently. And knowing there are almost three times as many maps than you will see in a play-thru will add to the tactical portion staying fresh. Plus the changing spawn locations and changing enemy types, locations, numbers... well, it is going to be a blast.

So looking forward to it.

I've had a few beers so I will admit I'm feeling good... still, some of you guys made me LMAO. Thanks.

Who suggested Romero was not involved? You were kidding right? He is right there in the video (four times) and the shot of the studio staff (dead center). Hell, if you pledge 10k he will deliver the game to your house.

Like I said before I am down. What can I say I love picking the underdog. Still they need to show us some of the work in progress or something... anything... to give us an idea of what their vision is. Because two games in one year I am think something along the lines of Legend of Grimrock. Unless their studio is a lot larger than the video led me to believe.

Somehow I ended up on the LoG website last night and I saw this. This should be a very good thing. Can't wait to see what the community comes up with.

1st Person or 3rd, I will be highly surprised if they do not meet their primary goal to fund. I'd be even more surprised if they haven't learn from Obsidian. It is best to keep dangling a new carrot every couple days. If they can start a slow steady release of info and stretch goals they will have no trouble meeting their goals.

Still I'd rather not have an old school 1st person RPG. Legend of Grimrock was fun but not as fun as an isometric cRPG could have been. On the other hand too much of anything is never a good idea either.

So as you can tell I am on the fence and feeling no rush to jump off.

edit: @Mr. Tact, that comment was more about KS as a whole than just Loot Drop's KS. At the rate we are going there will be dozens of larger studios all trying to pitch a project to us via KS. Over all not a bad thing but we can only fund so many. As others have stated I would like to see something release before putting too much more of my money into projects. I've already spent over three hundred and Eternity has yet to fund.

This comment was edited on Oct 4, 2012, 22:36.

It seems to be picking up steam... this runaway train that Kickstarter has become.

Loot Drop will be funded no doubt but I have my reservations. Two RPGs (plus a Pen & Paper version of one) in twelve months time? Thinking they may have got a bit too rambunctious.

I'm in for at least the minimum. I loved Anachronox and Jagged Alliance 2. And I would love to see Romero turn things around for those of you who still hate him. Although the Internet Animosity for him has never reached the levels to which Derek Smart still claims... I know some of you may pitch in the minimum ($15) just so that you can again say John screwed you. Hey to each his own.

No seriously... its all good. I think he is a big enough person to realize his name still carries some or maybe a truck load of negative memories. I never invested emotionally into Daikatana or Romero so when I saw how bad it was I just enjoyed the show... since he set himself up for that with all that crazy hype.

As far as their Kickstarter I need to see something that gives me an idea of what they are doing besides all the references to "old school". Have they been working on something already? How are they going to do this (possibly two old school cRPGs) in just one year? Too many questions at this point. So I hope they give some details soon.

I was in for 35 but think I will up it to 140. What can I say I'm a fanboi. This whole thing sounds like we have stepped into a time machine. And I love that they have already hinted at making this an on going IP.

My major concern is that in the latest Ars preview they state the game is maybe about 16 hours long and really doesn't seem to have any replay value. So no random maps, editor, etc. is making me go 'Hrmm' now. I think I may hold off for a little bit after launch for some more feedback.

@Cutter don't believe that dumbass. He even claims no replay value? He is no X-Com fan. Shit he must not have played the version he had for very long either. Otherwise he would have noticed all the C & C (choice & consequences) built into the game. I read the review and knew right away the guy was fucked in the head or full of shit.

Per Firaxis there are over 80 maps... though not randomly generated maps they have randomness built into them... random spawn points and random alien mix. Randomness built into the way the game unfolds. You'll see thirty something maps any play thru because of the different choices you've made. Fifteen hours was the low number on a play thru though I am assuming that is after you have played thru a time or two and learn a lot of the tech tree choices in advance. See my edit below for a link to the video interview/play thru.

I am sold and may also pre-purchase the Steam version now that Civ V is a sure thing. I want this game to sell well enough that they do an add-on or two. And hopefully another full release.

edit: And here is the question and answer... jump to 43:30 of The Giant Bomb video. Hell, watch the entire thing if you haven't yet.

This comment was edited on Sep 29, 2012, 20:43.

I've got to read this book. At work they cry about profits being down. If they collected even a third of that $500 billion then the US public owns the network not the corporation.

I loved the demo and for now will stick with my PC retail version. Looking forward to the geeky patch. But who knows I may go for the Steam purchase if they reach the Civ V goal. That is the only bonus I am interested in though at this point it may not make a difference.

As far as the tutorial part of the demo I also was at first let down I didn't get complete control of the squad from the very start. After thinking about it I realized this was for the best. Not everyone has seen the videos. Not everyone has played a couple dozen TBS games. Plus I'll bet its the first level of the game which helps to introduce you to the mechanics and a bit of the story... I think the demo sells it well. Though I too wish there were a half dozen levels to play through. I don't want to wait for the release.

After playing thru a second time and seeing slight changes from the AI I am left wondering how different the AI will be on the harder levels. I pray it will ramp up with each level. Not just increase the number of tangos on the map. Either way I am very much looking forward to October 9th. Tomorrow morning I plan on arranging the day off. Even if I have to take somebodies weekend duty.

Can't wait to play the game for a dozen hours straight making all the research choices we couldn't try in the demo.

Damn, I was gonna call in sick today but went in anyway. Does the demo allow you to play with either GUI?

Can't wait to get home...

Will W wrote on Sep 20, 2012, 12:51:

Cutter wrote on Sep 20, 2012, 12:25:
And after all the tax dollars ATT has received over the years HTF can they swing this?!

Not sure, and didn't read the article, but I'm guessing they don't own the copper, so they're simply not going to provide service over the copper. Most of the subsidies go to the local owner of the physical plant, and I think after the deregulation in 1996 AT&T pulled out of owning the physical side of things and concentrated on just providing service.

At&t doesn't take anything other than tax breaks they are allowed. Nothing new there. Google pays less than 4% tax on their billions of profit because of the legalized money laundering that is allowed when you have an office in the right country (Ireland) and then funnel your profits through a few other countries. After all why pay taxes leave that to the poor.

Anyway, as far as at&t taking the so call stimulus money... none of the big three would touch a cent of that money. You should know why? All that money comes with strings attached. See at&t wants to remove all regulations, all of them. Why do you think they all funnel so much money into Internet provided services? Because they are not regulated.

AT&T or rather the New at&t also know as SBC bought numerous LAN line companies over the past fifteen years because they are still hugely profitable. They cost a lot to maintain but that is the nature of the beast. Still they spent billions buying companies all over the globe. Why buy a sinking ship?

If you're a vampire and you need to feed you drain the victim and move on. So they bought these companies to fund their growth into the wireless giant they have become. Hell, most of their wireless back bone was/is installed and maintained by those wireline companies. Yeah, most has gone fiber optic but then so has most of the residential plant too... until the housing market crashed. So all that fiber is sitting there in those empty neighborhoods. Their plant. Their facilities. Those wireline companies owned. Which they now own.

As far as I know they don't use any networks they don't hold stock in or own out right. And they own large portions of companies all over the globe. They bought the old AT&T (wireless, long distance, and Internet back-bone) then sold the redundant wireless towers to their sibling T-Mobile.

Anyway, they now continue to cry about how costly it is to maintain and how nobody really wants wireline services anyway. But that is all smoke and mirror. They have done nothing but drag their feet with all wireline products. Even telling customers ADSL is not available in their area while the customer still has a working service in their house. They sell them on ADSL2 because it is not regulated.

What I don't understand is why they are running the company into the ground as they attempt to get the FCC to cut them loose. I know their goals are to get as many customer onto the non-regulated services (U-Verse and Wireless) as they grow their LTE market share. And soon will be launching LTE in home services to replace wireline services.

Here is even more of their contradicting information.

Anyone else getting surveys from them? I think this is my fourth since they went retail. I only filled out the first. I spent hours detailing what I thought was wrong with the game and what was right back in the beta test that was more of a marketing test. They required you to fill out a survey ever time you played the game or face getting dropped from the beta. I filled one out daily for a couple weeks if I remember correctly before I grew tired of the game and their freaking surveys.

I knew it was a sinking ship before it left the dry-dock. To me its another of those MMOs that you couldn't pay me to go back to.

A bit off topic but I must vent...

/rant on

Still loving the game yet growing to hate their shitty support more and more each day.

I could understand this if we were still beta testing but now that I am a paying customer I expect a response and shit to work as advertised. I can't even post a support request on their stupid site because they want me to agree to their EU BS for a third time and it's bugged... damn their buggy real money/gem store bullshit.

For the love of God I've already agreed to it repeatedly during the beta and account set up. Now I am locked out of filing a support post because of your shitty support?

/rant off

Sorry, I'm just getting tired of it. Still love the game play.

I wonder if they still believe EA buying them will not effect the way they run their studio?

I'm hoping they will stop being PC and tell it like it is now that they are no-longer employee by EA. But the odds are they signed something already that bound their tongues and forces them to put a positive spin on even the most negative of situations.

On the other hand they sold it for well over seven hundred million wasn't it?

I appreciate the stretch goals as it not only entices people to help fund but also gives us a feeling we are getting more because they are locking down some specifics for the final release.

I for one am extremely excited for this project and I am supporting them. Not only on this one but future releases as long as they continue to create the games they are well known for. This is truly a no-brain-er for anyone who played and loved their old titles.

Hell, I hope they do another Kickstarter with a second team to create a post apocalyptic title that plays like the original Fallout (I & II). That would be amazing!

So its Pay to Win?

What about the gameplay is it as bad as it looks in the videos?

I knew they would be finding their way to Kickstarter. I'm so very glad they are too. They can now turn to the players to help them fund a game that publishers won't touch. Face it most publishers/retailers don't/won't touch an old school RPG with adult themes. I think most of us understand this is a good thing.. a damn good thing.

I just can't decide how much to pledge. $100 was the sweet spot for me with Wasteland 2 but with Project Eternity it just doesn't get you as much. So for me it is apparent they are shooting for a much higher close than W2 was hoping for.

Off Topic if you don't already own all these amazing older games...

GoG.Com has some classics on Promo!

Damn, I was on the fence and thinking about holding off on this purchase... but after ten minutes of gameplay I was sold on the pre-order.

I agree- hopefully the game gets harder/bigger in the last half.

According to them it was being played on normal with an option to make it harder by going hard core. I love that option. Since death is permanent it makes it so much more painful losing a trained soldier.

Going to look for that PAX panel video and/or audio right now.

edit: Thanks dj LiTh, stolen thunder duly noted.

This comment was edited on Sep 8, 2012, 23:15.

I own and have messed around with all the old games but unfortunately never had a chance to play them all when they were in their prime. I doubt they will ever be able to recreate or recapture what was so special about most of the old games we loved simple because the technology has moved so far beyond the standards of old. Back then you had to use your imagination more. Today's games do much more of that for you with their shiny imaging.

Not saying you can't use DOSBox or whatever to have a good time playing old games. I do it myself from time to time. And occasionally I have an awesome time too. Its just never the same. You can't turn back time and you can't put the genie back in the bottle. At least I've never had the same satisfaction when I do dig out an oldie and play it now while comparing the experience to my memories of the first time. It is in part due to the so called rose colored glasses effect. Its just hard to go back once you've played so many games with flashy modern graphics.

I think the last TBS I loved warts and all was Silent Storm. After playing it through almost three times Sentinels came out and I played it through but I was less satisfied since they didn't really expand on the original.

That said... I like what I've seen with this remake or re-imaging to be more precise. I will most likely purchase this before the release. Wishing there were a demo out. I plan on watching the let's play type videos a bit later. Still at this time the only thing I can think about is GW2 and/or DayZ.

One risk and a huge one... spending five plus years developing a huge MMO to compete with WoW that has no subscription fees. Most other free to play MMOs look like shit compared to GW2.

Are you still there or did you log back into WoW? Oh, screw it I'm logging back into GW2. I need to get one of my characters up high enough to make enough gold and start unlocking those extras.