Click To Unmute

Want us to remember this setting for all your devices?

Sign up or Sign in now!

Please use a html5 video capable browser to watch videos.
This video has an invalid file format.
00:00:00
Sorry, but you can't access this content!
Please enter your date of birth to view this video

By clicking 'enter', you agree to Giant Bomb's
Terms of Use and Privacy Policy

XCOM Developer Diary Part I

XCOM developers answer the most important question: What is XCOM?

Sep. 22 2011

Posted by:

58 Comments

Avatar image for meatsim
MeatSim

11201

Forum Posts

150

Wiki Points

0

Followers

Reviews: 0

User Lists: 23

Edited By MeatSim

I would stop bringing up X-COM so much to avoid more anger.

Avatar image for audiosnow
audiosnow

3926

Forum Posts

729

Wiki Points

0

Followers

Reviews: 0

User Lists: 0

Edited By audiosnow

@Nethlem: I think that most people who read my original comment misinterpret it, because they consider BioShock and System Shock to be at least slightly similar.

What I had hoped to convey was the complete disconnect between the two. In my mind, BioShock and System Shock could not be farther from each other. The only reason I knew that one was the spiritual successor of the other was because I was told so. In the same way, the only connection between the original X-COM games and the reboot is the name.

That is why I have ignored the attempted link between them, because it is much easier to accept this game when I examine it for what it is, rather than what it will never be: a proper sequel to X-COM.

Avatar image for nethlem
Nethlem

828

Forum Posts

0

Wiki Points

0

Followers

Reviews: 0

User Lists: 0

Edited By Nethlem

@mlarrabee said:

This is to X-COM what BioShock is to System Shock.

You are beeing too generous there...

Bioshock at least managed to stay in the same genre and deliver somewhat similiar gameplay while actually feeling fresh/different.

But this?

The original never had been an FPS to beginn with, that's not THAT bad. Because when they first showed it they at least delivered some interesting enemy designs and talked about interesting gameplay mechanics.

I believe at that point quite a few fans of the original gave the game still a chance. But since then more and more gameplay of the game has been shown and by now it just looks like "Mass Effect in First Person set in the 60's" with tons of bipedal enemies and cover based shooting. So even the original creative spin that made it unique seems gone now.

That's neither fresh nor original... compared to that you could consider a Bioshock the official System Shock 3 and that's a generous thing to say because imho Bioshock had been a dissapointment to system shock fans.

Avatar image for rwcohn
rwcohn

147

Forum Posts

0

Wiki Points

0

Followers

Reviews: 0

User Lists: 1

Edited By rwcohn

As soon as he said "put together by an idiosyncratic thinker" I knew what type of narrative it was going for.

Avatar image for roger778
Roger778

960

Forum Posts

0

Wiki Points

0

Followers

Reviews: 0

User Lists: 0

Edited By Roger778

So, it's mainly going to be a Shooter game, but it will also have some RPG elements, and the ability to have conversations with other characters. 
 
Sounds very intriguing to me so far.  I'm wondering what's going to be the strategy part of the game, though.
Avatar image for incrediblebulk92
IncredibleBulk92

948

Forum Posts

-1

Wiki Points

0

Followers

Reviews: 1

User Lists: 6

Edited By IncredibleBulk92

It's weird I can see the cool game in this. A first person re imagining of X-COM, you pull in all the cool stuff about not knowing exactly what your fighting and developing a team and the equipment you take and you could have yourself a cool game. Unfortunately they seem to be missing the point slightly, they've played mass effect and thought that you need to know every detail of every character and that wasn't the cool bit of X-COM. It was always the stories that you came up with yourself due to the decisions you've made.

I probably won't buy it but I do see what they're going for.

Avatar image for egge
Egge

565

Forum Posts

583

Wiki Points

0

Followers

Reviews: 1

User Lists: 4

Edited By Egge

As much as it pains me to see developers have zero faith in the tense tactical gameplay which defined the real X-COM games, I have to admit that this reboot looks far more imaginative, clever and ambitious than, say, what Bethesda did with (or, rather, to) Fallout or even how Irrational utilized the System Shock legacy.

Avatar image for tesla
Tesla

2299

Forum Posts

1

Wiki Points

0

Followers

Reviews: 0

User Lists: 4

Edited By Tesla

This looks fucking awesome. Hey whiners: if you want to play the original XCOM, go play the original XCOM. It still exists, despite the horrible sacrilege that is this reboot.

You would think the dev team fucked your girlfriends or something with the way you're all carrying on.

Avatar image for insectecutor
Insectecutor

1264

Forum Posts

217

Wiki Points

0

Followers

Reviews: 1

User Lists: 2

Edited By Insectecutor

@gladspooky said:

@WSGabler said:

@Insectecutor said:

Like the art style, sure it isn't xcom but that'd never sell these days, so whatever.

It's thinking like this that has given us this.

It used to be only accountants thought of the company's bottom line, but now gamers are like "But those genres don't sell! It would be crazy to try something different! Don't you care about their marketing division?" No, no I don't. I would rather have a great game no one buys than the same game over and over again.

It'd sell but not to the market they want to sell it to which is not you or any one of the maybe few hundred thousand super hard cores who actually played the original games back in the frontier days of PC gaming. Times have changed. If you want game mechanics like the original x-com, you need to look to the indie scene which will cater for that type of specialist interest.

Sucks that they're using the name, but it was probably the marketing team who thought of that idea. It creates a kind of discussion that puts it at the top of forums but doesn't put off people who never played the originals, which is most people.

Avatar image for phonics
phonics

328

Forum Posts

107

Wiki Points

0

Followers

Reviews: 0

User Lists: 0

Edited By phonics

'XCOM developers answer the most important question: What is XCOM?'

I'm pretty sure none of the morons developing this game have an idea what people liked about xcom.

Avatar image for killydarko
KillyDarko

1991

Forum Posts

165933

Wiki Points

0

Followers

Reviews: 6

User Lists: 43

Edited By KillyDarko

I for one really like where this is going, at least in theory.

Avatar image for charlie_victor_bravo
charlie_victor_bravo

1746

Forum Posts

4136

Wiki Points

0

Followers

Reviews: 4

User Lists: 4

"Xcom is going to tell the origin story of the organization."

Fuck you. In the original game it was a global effort that formed XCOM in order to defend earth from the invasion. Not some some 50's secret organization from USA. Also it was last minute scramble effort, that is why you don't have advanced alien technology at the start of the game, or base or crew.

Avatar image for snaptroll
snaptroll

82

Forum Posts

0

Wiki Points

0

Followers

Reviews: 0

User Lists: 0

Edited By snaptroll

@LOZZAT: No one is saying an X-COM reboot has to be exactly like the original. But why not improve on the original? It's just easy for developers to abandon the strategy genre because it's harder to make a strategy game will mass appeal. This trend sucks dick.

Avatar image for aarduil
Aarduil

47

Forum Posts

0

Wiki Points

0

Followers

Reviews: 0

User Lists: 0

Edited By Aarduil

I recently spoke with Julian Gollop, creator of the original X-Com. I asked him what he thinks about the upcoming X-Com game and sadly, his response was "It looks interesting, but not as an X-Com game."

Avatar image for snaptroll
snaptroll

82

Forum Posts

0

Wiki Points

0

Followers

Reviews: 0

User Lists: 0

Edited By snaptroll

"X-COM is a really beloved franchise and it's one that personally means a lot to me."

Okay... so why are you doing this to the franchise?

"We really wanted to make you feel what it was like to be one of the squaddies and not the all knowing commander"

But, commanding around disposable troops that would inevitably die a horrible death was what made X-COM great! Fools! I don't understand why developers keep reviving old franchises that only older generation gamers know anything about, and doing the best job they can to piss off those people. Why does this even have to be an X-COM game? I don't get it. What's the benefit?

Avatar image for tennmuerti
Tennmuerti

9465

Forum Posts

1

Wiki Points

0

Followers

Reviews: 1

User Lists: 7

Edited By Tennmuerti

@Mercanis said:

Art style looks very pleasing. A little Bioshock. A little Team Fortress 2. Games could always use a little more Mad Men. Classy.

As for people who want an XCOM that follows the original's strategy roots, such genres simply don't have the audience to warrant AAA funding. That's what awesome indie devs are for: http://www.giantbomb.com/xenonauts/61-30865/

Geanre doesn't sell well is a bullshit excuse for laziness. Just like the recently revealed Syndicate reboot. The Dawn of War 2 games are practically the same thing as the original Syndicate games, and those do very well for themselves despite being limited to a single platform even. Niche geanre games can be unapealing to some big companies true enough, but others realise that being in a niche has its advantages of minimal competition and solid guaranteed market. With some smarts a proper X-com can be made even today and still sell well.

Avatar image for oneman_nohorse
oneman_nohorse

70

Forum Posts

0

Wiki Points

0

Followers

Reviews: 0

User Lists: 0

Edited By oneman_nohorse

@DefAde: Agree wholeheartedly. This better be lengthy and deeper then they can convey at the time or this is going to be shitty shit. Also NO multiplayer please.

Avatar image for prestonhedges
prestonhedges

1961

Forum Posts

42

Wiki Points

0

Followers

Reviews: 0

User Lists: 0

Edited By prestonhedges

@Mercanis said:

@gladspooky said:

@Mercanis said:

As for people who want an XCOM that follows the original's strategy roots, such genres simply don't have the audience to warrant AAA funding.

Then why does it have to be AAA?

It's because a large publisher-developer owns the intellectual property. Like any business that answers to stock holders, 2K is going to use their available properties to earn as much profit as possible.

By making a derivative cover-based shooter with a name that's only going to anger a very specific section of their audience and interest no one else? And saying "Oh, money, that's why," is basically like saying "Yeah, they're pissing on X-COM's legacy so they can make a few dollars." It doesn't really engender one to their effort.

Avatar image for defade
DefAde

285

Forum Posts

4

Wiki Points

0

Followers

Reviews: 0

User Lists: 1

Edited By DefAde

As long as this proves to be a good 30-50 hour epic, i'm all for it... If it turns out to be a 6-10 hour snooze fest, it'll go on the 'ignore' list

Avatar image for satelliteoflove
SatelliteOfLove

1379

Forum Posts

2315

Wiki Points

0

Followers

Reviews: 0

User Lists: 8

Edited By SatelliteOfLove

There's auteurs making games for themselves that don't sell, then there's this.

Avatar image for jeffk38uk
jeffk38uk

726

Forum Posts

0

Wiki Points

0

Followers

Reviews: 0

User Lists: 5

Edited By jeffk38uk

Was wondering when they'd start showing more Xcom vids, so diary vids are a-ok. Still optimistic about this game, still like the setting and the base options despite the obvious "This isn't Xcom blargh" comments.

Avatar image for mercanis
mercanis

967

Forum Posts

23877

Wiki Points

0

Followers

Reviews: 5

User Lists: 14

Edited By mercanis

@gladspooky said:

@Mercanis said:

As for people who want an XCOM that follows the original's strategy roots, such genres simply don't have the audience to warrant AAA funding.

Then why does it have to be AAA?

It's because a large publisher-developer owns the intellectual property. Like any business that answers to stock holders, 2K is going to use their available properties to earn as much profit as possible.

Avatar image for prestonhedges
prestonhedges

1961

Forum Posts

42

Wiki Points

0

Followers

Reviews: 0

User Lists: 0

Edited By prestonhedges

@Mercanis said:

As for people who want an XCOM that follows the original's strategy roots, such genres simply don't have the audience to warrant AAA funding.

Then why does it have to be AAA?

Avatar image for wsgexe
WSGEXE

139

Forum Posts

0

Wiki Points

0

Followers

Reviews: 0

User Lists: 0

Edited By WSGEXE

Let this be a lesson. There are those who feel Diablo III should have been in first-person.

Avatar image for i_smell
I_smell

4221

Forum Posts

1650

Wiki Points

0

Followers

Reviews: 5

User Lists: 11

Edited By I_smell

Some parts of this game look cool, but as soon as I see that the aliens can take the form of humans, and shoot at me from behind cover...

@EastboundSpider said:

oh sweet can't wait to take cover behind a wall and shoot a gun

--yeah...

I think the big spinning cube things are awesome, and the living oil things are cool as hell, but I feel like there's a big chunk of this game that is Dark Void. And they're hoping I won't notice.

Avatar image for mercanis
mercanis

967

Forum Posts

23877

Wiki Points

0

Followers

Reviews: 5

User Lists: 14

Edited By mercanis

Art style looks very pleasing. A little Bioshock. A little Team Fortress 2. Games could always use a little more Mad Men. Classy.

As for people who want an XCOM that follows the original's strategy roots, such genres simply don't have the audience to warrant AAA funding. That's what awesome indie devs are for: http://www.giantbomb.com/xenonauts/61-30865/

Avatar image for eastboundspider
EastboundSpider

106

Forum Posts

36

Wiki Points

0

Followers

Reviews: 0

User Lists: 1

Edited By EastboundSpider

oh sweet can't wait to take cover behind a wall and shoot a gun

Avatar image for prestonhedges
prestonhedges

1961

Forum Posts

42

Wiki Points

0

Followers

Reviews: 0

User Lists: 0

Edited By prestonhedges

@WSGabler said:

@Insectecutor said:

Like the art style, sure it isn't xcom but that'd never sell these days, so whatever.

It's thinking like this that has given us this.

It used to be only accountants thought of the company's bottom line, but now gamers are like "But those genres don't sell! It would be crazy to try something different! Don't you care about their marketing division?" No, no I don't. I would rather have a great game no one buys than the same game over and over again.

Avatar image for veektarius
veektarius

6420

Forum Posts

45

Wiki Points

0

Followers

Reviews: 11

User Lists: 1

Edited By veektarius

I feel like this game has been in development too long for what it is.

Avatar image for gee_rad
Gee_rad

232

Forum Posts

225

Wiki Points

0

Followers

Reviews: 0

User Lists: 4

Edited By Gee_rad

From the 20-minute gameplay video (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IeVTqf0RHHc), it looks like yet another linear, highly scripted, chest-high wall-filled cover shooter. It also looks boring as hell. Good thing there's Xenonauts.

Avatar image for tennmuerti
Tennmuerti

9465

Forum Posts

1

Wiki Points

0

Followers

Reviews: 1

User Lists: 7

Edited By Tennmuerti

Original X-com means a lot to us, so we made it into an FPS...

Suck a dick.

Avatar image for 234rqsd2323d2
234r2we232

3175

Forum Posts

2007

Wiki Points

0

Followers

Reviews: 0

User Lists: 16

Edited By 234r2we232

This looks thoroughly interesting, and a good use of the fiction. If this isn't breathing new life into an old and stale series, I'm not sure what is :)

I get the impression they're having to hold back a lot of information due to spoilers and stuff. The premise they're offering here is fantastic, though.

Avatar image for thatdutchguy
thatdutchguy

1301

Forum Posts

1

Wiki Points

0

Followers

Reviews: 0

User Lists: 0

Edited By thatdutchguy

What is videogames ?

Avatar image for lockwoodx
lockwoodx

2531

Forum Posts

6

Wiki Points

0

Followers

Reviews: 0

User Lists: 0

Edited By lockwoodx

This should not be related to the PC XCOM in any way.

Avatar image for lozzat
LOZZAT

258

Forum Posts

7

Wiki Points

0

Followers

Reviews: 0

User Lists: 4

Edited By LOZZAT

I like this, it's a shame to see so many video game conservatives who want the same product repeatedly. Do you think X-COM as it was would do well today? This actually looks interesting which is saying a lot.

Avatar image for phantomgardener
PhantomGardener

559

Forum Posts

0

Wiki Points

0

Followers

Reviews: 0

User Lists: 0

Edited By PhantomGardener

@meaninoflife42 said:

Spoony says:

Spoony needs to calm down.

Avatar image for wsgexe
WSGEXE

139

Forum Posts

0

Wiki Points

0

Followers

Reviews: 0

User Lists: 0

Edited By WSGEXE

@Insectecutor said:

Like the art style, sure it isn't xcom but that'd never sell these days, so whatever.

It's thinking like this that has given us this.

Avatar image for cornman89
Cornman89

1600

Forum Posts

0

Wiki Points

0

Followers

Reviews: 1

User Lists: 0

Edited By Cornman89

My heart aches for 2K Marin. Thankless task after thankless task... That said, even as someone who never played the original XCOM, I'm not particularly interested in this game.

Avatar image for lydian_sel
Lydian_Sel

1872

Forum Posts

35

Wiki Points

0

Followers

Reviews: 0

User Lists: 11

Edited By Lydian_Sel

@mlarrabee said:

This is to X-COM what BioShock is to System Shock.

I'm kinda diggin' that!

Played the first X-Com as a kid and even though it was pretty above me at the time there was something really cool about being able to build and customise your bases and equipment and generally research new things. It's good to see they're at least keeping some aspect of this in the new game, though if you took it out then what would connect it to its predecessors other than name alone?

If the gameplay is fun and the management systems aren't tedious or clunky I can see some enjoyment to be had out of this reboot.

Avatar image for dagbiker
Dagbiker

7057

Forum Posts

1019

Wiki Points

0

Followers

Reviews: 0

User Lists: 16

Edited By Dagbiker

Why are they even calling this xcom?

Avatar image for lextalionis
Lextalionis

32

Forum Posts

0

Wiki Points

0

Followers

Reviews: 0

User Lists: 0

Edited By Lextalionis

This video has me super psyched for Xenonauts!

Also, why did they call this game XCOM? Was Tron Wars: The Invasioning already taken?

Avatar image for insectecutor
Insectecutor

1264

Forum Posts

217

Wiki Points

0

Followers

Reviews: 1

User Lists: 2

Edited By Insectecutor

Like the art style, sure it isn't xcom but that'd never sell these days, so whatever.

Avatar image for prestonhedges
prestonhedges

1961

Forum Posts

42

Wiki Points

0

Followers

Reviews: 0

User Lists: 0

Edited By prestonhedges

"That really holds true to the tenants of what made the original game so special."

Yes, by changing the gameplay, story, aesthetics, music, developers, enemies, and basically every single thing that made the original what it was. At least Fallout 3 had vaults and super mutants in it.

Avatar image for lordloc
LordLOC

399

Forum Posts

0

Wiki Points

0

Followers

Reviews: 0

User Lists: 2

Edited By LordLOC

I always love it when devs are excited about their product like these guys obviously are. Not to mention, the game genuinely looks interesting to me, though it is NOT X-Com per se. But that's alright I suppose.

Avatar image for actiontaco
actionTACO

496

Forum Posts

0

Wiki Points

0

Followers

Reviews: 0

User Lists: 0

Edited By actionTACO

ugh, this looks so boring.

"look over there.. what are the blobinoids doing to that town!?!"

"they seem to be transforming it into... my god... waist high walls!"

"those MONSTERS!"

Avatar image for packie
Packie

257

Forum Posts

5

Wiki Points

0

Followers

Reviews: 0

User Lists: 0

Edited By Packie

I absolutely love the aesthetics of this game. But judging from the 20-minutes gameplay video they've released a while ago, I'm disappointed in the gameplay. It looks nothing more than "Mass Effect in the 1960s", even downright to the abilities. I think it would've been far more interesting if it adapted a far more tactical, SWAT 4 type of gameplay where the death of your teammates is permanent and you have to carefully observe and study every situation before engaging in it. But that's just me.

Avatar image for liquidswords
LiquidSwords

2728

Forum Posts

0

Wiki Points

0

Followers

Reviews: 0

User Lists: 1

Edited By LiquidSwords

First page and people are already bawing. Is this a record?

Avatar image for richiejohn
RichieJohn

544

Forum Posts

7

Wiki Points

0

Followers

Reviews: -1

User Lists: 9

Edited By RichieJohn

Looks really interesting. It has a good look.

I have no opinion on the original so as far as I'm concerned this is a new IP.

Avatar image for leejunfan83
leejunfan83

1241

Forum Posts

54

Wiki Points

0

Followers

Reviews: 0

User Lists: 2

Edited By leejunfan83

fuck video games

Avatar image for crabslayerdefunct
CrabSlayerdefunct

30

Forum Posts

0

Wiki Points

0

Followers

Reviews: 0

User Lists: 0

I loved the original X-Coms, but this new re-imagining it looks.......ok.

I'll hold my opinion on the game until the final product comes out.