XCOM eyed as franchise

[MuzzyDev]

Heck yeah!

http://www.rtsguru.com/game/456/article/5693/XCOM-Enemy-Unknown-Potential-Basis-For-a-Franchise.html

[eyebiter]

Firaxis cashes in on game one, plenty of cut content from UFO Enemy Unknown to incorporate into the sequel(s).

Not to mention the inevitable FPS version, original Xcom port to phones, and a future Xcom animated movie.  (If Dead Space could get three animated movies, Xcom should be good for at least one).

[Arctic Blast]

Sweet! Happy to see where this goes.

[LongBlade]

Great find. Thanks, Chris!

[LongBlade]

Did a little thread necromancy here after searching on "Xcom." Turns out, this is the only thread on it.

I managed to play the game last night. It was a blast.

The game must be played with a smart phone or tablet. There are several phases to a turn but the interesting part is that several phases are part of a timed phase. Failure to complete actions within the allotted time result in penalties like less money or more aliens. It can get a bit crazy in those timed phases but that's half the fun. The other thing I liked about it is that you are constantly faced with more choices than you have ability to meet with resources. So you're constantly balancing neglect in one area to hold off the alien advance in another.

Great game. Best played with four people.

[Nefaro]

I'm still opposed to requiring a tablet to play a board game.  Kinda defeats the purpose.

[Arctic Blast]

Did a little thread necromancy here after searching on "Xcom." Turns out, this is the only thread on it.

I managed to play the game last night. It was a blast.

The game must be played with a smart phone or tablet. There are several phases to a turn but the interesting part is that several phases are part of a timed phase. Failure to complete actions within the allotted time result in penalties like less money or more aliens. It can get a bit crazy in those timed phases but that's half the fun. The other thing I liked about it is that you are constantly faced with more choices than you have ability to meet with resources. So you're constantly balancing neglect in one area to hold off the alien advance in another.

Great game. Best played with four people.

Seems that most reviews are very positive about it as well. I'm definitely intrigued.

I like the app and the way it's used here. Keeps you under a time crunch (I've been getting in to real time board games like Escape and Zombie 15 lately, anyway) and keeps shifting the AI plan without needing 73 decks of cards.

Incidentally, anyone wanting to play around with the app can get it here : http://www.fantasyflightgames.com/edge_minisite_sec.asp?eidm=269&esem=4

[LongBlade]

I'm still opposed to requiring a tablet to play a board game.  Kinda defeats the purpose.

It actually integrates very well, but pretty much everyone around the board had some techie in their blood. As a result it was a given we wouldn't have too much resistance.

My concern isn't so much that there's an app requirement. My question is how the game's app will adapt in 20 years. The app is a requirement to the game and the game isn't playable without it. I have an old boardgame around here somewhere that had a spooky VCR tape that you played along with the game. It would periodically interrupt (startle) the players and give orders to do something. It was cool at the time, but while I know where a VCR is in my house, there may be people who do not. I suspect Xcom may look similar in another 20 years.

That said, the game is a lot of fun. Might as well enjoy it while it's hot!

[Nefaro]

Aside from the software becoming outdated, I just have a general dislike of people with their eyes glued to their phones or tablets when trying to talk to others or in a social exercise such as tabletop gaming.  Gives some too much leeway to feed their phone addiction and lose focus.  I used to get some road rage, nowadays it's phone addict rage. 

[LongBlade]

Aside from the software becoming outdated, I just have a general dislike of people with their eyes glued to their phones or tablets when trying to talk to others or in a social exercise such as tabletop gaming.  Gives some too much leeway to feed their phone addiction and lose focus.  I used to get some road rage, nowadays it's phone addict rage. 

That's one thing you don't need to worry about - the tablet is managed by one person and the game is highly cooperative. The time when his head is glued to the tablet is when you have about ten seconds to complete a series of frenzied tasks and he's calling out the time as it counts down. At no point in the game did I feel any of us was detached from the game. To the contrary, we were all working on becoming a well-oiled machine.