Game: X-Com: Tactical

Thread: Re: what a happy suprise

chaosbreaker — 2008-07-18T22:25:28+00:00

jakobrogert wrote:
And then there's the multiplayer only ufo2000 (freeware) which is surprisingly well made and very faithful. Highly recommended.
http://ufo2000.sourceforge.net/

and an award winning: http://ufoai.sourceforge.net/

Thread: Re: what a happy suprise

jakobrogert — 2008-07-18T12:15:59+00:00

And then there's the multiplayer only ufo2000 (freeware) which is surprisingly well made and very faithful. Highly recommended.
http://ufo2000.sourceforge.net/

Thread: Re: what a happy suprise

Yargo — 2008-07-17T18:51:54+00:00

Flamin_Jesus wrote:
You're right, I should have said "possibly legally, anyway, nobody cares anymore", though admittedly there is a surprising number of games that get reregistered with people who had absolutely nothing to do with its creation, got the licence for free and try to make a cheap buck out of others creativity (Copyright law, I salute thee!), not necessary legal, you're right, but legal enough for me

Oh how I love those mafia-like organizations and their cosa nostra methods, without them, 90% of all lawyers would be out of their job, and furthermore we'd be overrun by dinosaur riding supernazis, obviously, I'm so glad there is a valiant vanguard of hedge-lawyers, protecting civilization against the unwashed hordes of open software or the possible loss of 5 bucks

In case you wonder, I'm just ranting about... Well, the man I guess?
I have plenty of rants about the same stuff, copyrights are way way too long. And the various **IA organizations have adopted ganglike methods to try and ensure thier domination, instead of trying to innovate and make more money.

Heck, ONE vote differance on supreme court (betamax vs sony case), and videotape recorders (VCRs) would have been made illigal in the USA, all the studios were afraid they'd lose money from people being able to record things. And guess what instead happened? VCRs singlehandedly created a gigantic movie and tv show rental and retail market, and the studios made many more piles of money than they had previously. And the successor to the VHS tape was the DVD which made many many more piles of money for the studios.

Ironically, hollywood themselves were started by a bunch of patent fugitives. Edison owned most of the patents on various filmmaking technology and he was on east coast. The people who started hollywood didn't want to pay Edison his fees, so they ran as far away as they could get and set up shop on the west coast.
Eventually the patents ran out or were canceled by the supreme court.

The crazy patent and copyright stuff that that goes on today STIFLES innovation rather than encourges it (the constitutionally stated PURPOSE of patents and copyrights is that they are supposed to be to ENCOURAGE innovation).
In fact, I'll quote from the US constitution:
To promote the Progress of Science and useful Arts, by securing for limited Times to Authors and Inventors the exclusive Right to their respective Writings and Discoveries.

Anyway, there's a small rant of my own

Thread: Re: what a happy suprise

Flamin_Jesus — 2008-07-17T18:14:43+00:00

You're right, I should have said "possibly legally, anyway, nobody cares anymore", though admittedly there is a surprising number of games that get reregistered with people who had absolutely nothing to do with its creation, got the licence for free and try to make a cheap buck out of others creativity (Copyright law, I salute thee!), not necessary legal, you're right, but legal enough for me

Oh how I love those mafia-like organizations and their cosa nostra methods, without them, 90% of all lawyers would be out of their job, and furthermore we'd be overrun by dinosaur riding supernazis, obviously, I'm so glad there is a valiant vanguard of hedge-lawyers, protecting civilization against the unwashed hordes of open software or the possible loss of 5 bucks

In case you wonder, I'm just ranting about... Well, the man I guess?

Thread: Re: what a happy suprise

Yargo — 2008-07-17T18:01:50+00:00

Flamin_Jesus wrote:
It's abandonware, you can download it for free, legally (try www.the-underdogs.info)

But yeah, I'd love to see a good X-Com game released in a gargantuan box with a few billion plastic pieces

And then an add-on that adds the overworld map and a campaign to the game...

God help me, I'd actually buy that...

Twice
Abandonware does not nessasarily mean the same thing as legally downloadable. It depends on specific laws in your country, etc, if the author has given permission, and perhaps other things.
For example, a quick google shows that Germany has adopted the EU copyright directive and has 70 years copyright after death of author.

Now morally may be a differant question, but you specifically used the term "legally"

Legally I got a copy of xcom 1 & 2 when PC gamer gave it away on a cd with one of thier issues a few years back.

Now I have no idea about x-com specifically.
But IMHO, one should avoid proclaiming a method "legal" unless one knew for sure.

Edit: BTW, x-com 2 (terror from the deep) is availible on Steam for $5.

Thread: Re: what a happy suprise

VonEpp — 2008-07-17T15:36:38+00:00

God help me, I'd actually buy that...

Twice

Ditto....I did the same for Starcraft! I bought three, gave one to a good friend.

Thread: Re: what a happy suprise

Flamin_Jesus — 2008-07-17T15:30:41+00:00

VonEpp wrote:
I had the same reaction and downloaded the content. I'm in the process of reading the rules, so I cannot comment on the game system. I do hope (and pray a little) that this would become a huge boardgame! loed it on DOS...lost my CDS for Windows+...arrgghh!

So cool of a game...I hope Fantasy Flight views this and moves forward with the design...

cool:

It's abandonware, you can download it for free, legally (try www.the-underdogs.info)

But yeah, I'd love to see a good X-Com game released in a gargantuan box with a few billion plastic pieces

And then an add-on that adds the overworld map and a campaign to the game...

God help me, I'd actually buy that...

Twice

Thread: Re: what a happy suprise

VonEpp — 2008-07-17T15:08:06+00:00

I had the same reaction and downloaded the content. I'm in the process of reading the rules, so I cannot comment on the game system. I do hope (and pray a little) that this would become a huge boardgame! loed it on DOS...lost my CDS for Windows+...arrgghh!

So cool of a game...I hope Fantasy Flight views this and moves forward with the design...

cool:

Thread: what a happy suprise

bongloder — 2008-07-17T00:56:53+00:00

When this little number popped up on the Hot Games list on the side of my BGG list, I was interested immediately. Then to see it was a homebrew game available to print and play, I was both disappointed and excited. Disapointed, because in my minds eye I had pictured a giant box set with maps and figures. But on the other hand, I can play this this weekend. Looking through it and reading the session reports, it sounds a bit complicated, but I'm interested in checking it out this weekend. I'm hoping theres some interest in this. I think a bit more development is needed, and I'd like to see or help with that. I'll post my thoughts later next week.

Thread: Re: X-Com UFO Defender: Scout lands with newbie team responding in SkyRanger

mbourgeois — 2008-07-13T00:09:24+00:00

I'm really only using some of the artwork for my own rendition of the game. If you want to try the game then go ahead but having read the rulebook... well I think you'd be better off just playing it off the cuff. Or if you'd like to try it with the flavor of X-Com and the ruleset from All Things Zombie then I think it'd be a great idea.

I'm playing the aliens from an intelligent (sort of) perspective and the ruleset does help a great deal to make them react in a reasonable fashion.

Shoot at an alien... he checks to see if he gets nervous... if he does he ducks back and if not he stands. If he stands he might return fire and depending on how many Action Points he has left he might 'shoot from the hip' (wild shot), 'aimed shot' (like it sounds careful deadeye aim) or if he's feeling lucky 'fire a burst' (three shots with better luck than from the hip but less than aimed shot). Aliens have better vision and thus see in the dark. They can see for 20 squares. Their weapons have almost unlimited range and can with luck burst through anything up to thick wood. That means if they burst at you when you're under cover... the first or second shot might get stopped but the following one will drill you clean through. (any weapon can break through most basic items... it just takes a lot of shots for some)

Anyways, I've had fun with the first two sorties... when I have more scenery made and a few more critters to use I'll expand my add-on rulesets and upload a bit of the graphics and info.

Thread: Re: X-Com UFO Defender: Scout lands with newbie team responding in SkyRanger

Shijuro — 2008-07-12T04:42:28+00:00

Thanks for the session reports, I've been really curious about this one and it's sounding like it captures the flavor of Xcom well.

Thread: X-Com UFO Defender: Harvester scenario. Medium Scout with terror troops.

mbourgeois — 2008-07-12T00:30:12+00:00

Turn One:

It's dark... really dark. Visibility is limited to 5 spaces unless using portable light source... then visibility is extended to 10 spaces.

Darkness makes gunplay that much harder. -1 to Rep for shooting.

Aliens can see in dark. Terror troops cannot.

Squaddies have new weapons. Laser Rifle and Pistols. For this encounter they are all armed with Laser Rifles, grenades and x1 Rocket Launcher with x4 reloads. (small boom)

SkyRanger lands and disburses 5 of the 6 squaddies. One remains to guard ship and the others fan out to the main cardinal points and one walks the ship perimeter. No aliens viewed.

No alien presence.

Turn Two:

Corporal takes a 'what was that' check and passes one of two. Unknown presence to the South. (outside of visual but within aural) Corp has sufficient AP to fire twice. He fires a 'from the hip shot' and misses anything but a bush. However in doing so the passing laser illuminates an alien presence. Second 'from the hip shot' hits the alien and downs it. Unknow if dead or unconcious. All others find no alien presence.

No alien presence.

Turn Three:

Corporal arrives at alien point and collects unconcious alien grey.

Squaddies from North and West both find the alien ship.
North squaddie is hit by plasma blast and drops... body crumpled. A scream fills the air but no panic check is done as no one can see who got hit. West squaddies follows plasma blast back to origin and fires 'from the hip shot'. It psses by and explodes upon the corner of a small building. No further contact.

Blast from North hits the squaddie guarding the SkyRanger. Glancing blow with no damage. Second shot just misses and sparks off the wall of the ship.

Grenade from North hits area near Sergeant under the SkyRanger. Blast fills space but does nothing more than ruffle the Sergeant's hair.

Sergeant takes a 'What was that' check and passes 2 out of 2. Alien to North East approx distance 6 spaces.

West Squaddie takes a 'What was that' check and passes 0 out of 2. Swats a mosquito.

Turn Four:

Corporal drops off body of alien with Sergeant.
Squaddie guarding Skyranger moves off to the North and views alien. Fires 'aimed' shot and drops the alien in it's tracks.
East squaddie arrives at edge of encounter site and turns north.
West squaddie fires 'burst' shot and despite three shots dead on the alien remains facing the other way. Another 'from the hip' shot misses entirely.

West squaddie takes a 'what was that' check and passes one of two. Strangely enough he sees an alien but he knew that one was there. He doesn't see anything else. West squaddie is hit by a plasma blast and dropped in his trackes. Squaddie is dying. Again no panic check as no one saw West squaddie drop.
West squaddie dies when second plasma blast from alien hits and obliterates him.

Turn Five:

Apart from Corporal with alien prisoner, the Sergeant, East squaddie and the guard squaddie all head north. Concentrated fire drops the visible alien grey and it's Obviously Dead. Sergeant takes a 'what was that' check and looks up (passing two of two) and sees a wavey shimmer in the air. He and Guard squaddie both snap off shots 'from the hip' and both shots hit dead on. The sound of grinding gears and the thing explodes in mid-air. A saucer tank drops to the ground... a lucky shot hitting it's blaster port and destroying it.

No alien presence.

Turn Six:

The three squaddies move towards the saucer. All three wait a distance from it with lasers trained on it's smooth mirror-like surface. (they're sure there is a door on this side) (all three have sufficient AP for x1 'from the hip' shot.)

Door to saucer opens. Sergeant and Guard both snap off a shot. Alien crumples to the ground from Sergeants shot and the Guards shot grounds out with a shower of sparks. Second alien peeks out of open door and shoots down the Guard squaddie. Guard squaddie's broken bloody body fills the others with grief. The sergeant tightens his grip upon his laser rifle. East squaddie cowers back a bit and looks around nervously. Alien turns and re-enters saucer.

Turn Seven:

Sergeant and East squaddie both approach saucer door. They separate and hide on other side of the saucer entrance. Both have x1 'from the hip' shot available.

Alien opens door and steps out. Looks from side to side and sees nothing. Turns around and is shot by East squaddie. Alien shoots East squaddie and misses. Sergeant shoots alien and drops it.
Alien opens door, looks out and then closes door.

Turn Eight:

Sergeant and East squaddie prime grenades and wait.

No alien presence.

Turn Nine:

East squaddie opens door and throws in grenade. East squaddie moves over past Sergeant. Sergeant throws grenade into saucer. Sergeant moves over to assume East squaddie's position. Door closes.

Alien opens door and grenades explode. Alien dies.

Turn Ten:

Alien bodies are collected. One alien body is missing. Alien items are looted from bodies and from ship. Squaddie bodies are collected. East squaddie and Sergeant change status for reactions.

End of the day/week. All is good.

Thread: Re: X-Com UFO Defender: Scout lands with newbie team responding in SkyRanger

TheCollector — 2008-07-11T16:25:50+00:00

Haven't tried it yet, but you might want to check this out:
http://www.matrixgames.com/products/342/details/UFO:.Extraterrestrials

Thread: Re: X-Com UFO Defender: Scout lands with newbie team responding in SkyRanger

autumnweave — 2008-07-11T10:56:31+00:00

Good report. Boy I miss X-Com.

Thread: X-Com UFO Defender: Scout lands with newbie team responding in SkyRanger

mbourgeois — 2008-07-11T05:57:01+00:00

This session is being run via TwoHourWargames basic ruleset. The aliens have no mental abilities and the squaddies are only carrying rifles and pistols for weaponry with no tank onboard.

Turn One:

No aliens in sight and squaddies disembark from SkyRanger in good order.

Six squaddies in crew. One squaddy remains behind to guard SkyRanger. The others hit the main cardinal points with one just doing a 360 to open up some viewable space. This was a day encounter as well.

Turn Two:

No aliens in sight but one alien sights Squaddie #3 to the South of the SkyRanger and knocks off a Fast Shot. Must have been some soft cover that deflected the plasma shot because the alien had him dead to rights. Following the path of the shot will give us a better idea of where the alien is by end of turn.

Scout ship is viewed in North Eastern corner by old barn. One squaddie turns to aliens firepath and follows until alien in view. One fast shot later the alien is down (unconcious not dead) Quick radio blip around about this and a cheer fills the air.

Other two squaddies are now in range of barn and within 10 paces of scout ship.

Turn Three:

No aliens in view. No shots fired by aliens unseen.

Two squaddies take alien prisoner and back to SkyRanger. (almost) Two squaddies under and on SkyRanger keep close watch on prisoner and guards.

Two squaddies who are near barn enter and give search to almost all of ground floor. No aliens in sight at end of turn.

Turn Four:

A 'what was that' check is made and two squaddies in barn hear a sound from nearbye. Something was entering or leaving the scout ship. (rolled two passes which allows direction and solid info on what the sound was)

No aliens in view. One shot from scout ship area leaves a squaddie on the ship dead, dead, dead.

Panic check is passed by all in view of the death. (only one squaddie was immediate in LOS and made two passes. Two passes allows no panic reaction to occur.)

Alien recovers conciousness. Alien tries to melee free for ranged attack. Alien dies in melee. Humans are much better hand to hand fighters. Remaining squaddie loots the corpse for science.

Squaddies in barn move towards end exit of the barn. From there they have full view of scout ship. From there they are in LOS of alien. Alien does not see them. (back turned because it lost the keys to the ship or something)

One aimed shot misses alien. One burst shot guns the alien down. Alien is dead.

Turn Five:

Ship is looted, alien is looted. Squaddies return to Base. Squaddies upgrade to Vetran Status. One Squaddie becomes Sergeant and other becomes Corporal.

Alien artifacts are identified (if possible) and lab boys go to work on trying to reverse engineer the items found.

All is quiet in this neck of the woods.

Thread: Re: Has anyone actually played this game?

asgelb — 2008-03-29T02:39:27+00:00

Haven't played it but wish they made a good game about X-Com...i'm surprised that no minis company made and x-com tactical skirmish game.

Thread: Has anyone actually played this game?

Norrmeister — 2008-03-28T23:21:42+00:00

Well, as it's free and there's material on it, is everyone getting scared off by the one rating it's given? Has even the one who rated it actually played the game?

Thread: Re: lost game

GaryP — 2007-09-20T21:50:20+00:00

The site was up not too long ago. If it doesn't come back up, I'll see if I still have it all and can try to contact the authors to see if they are cool with posting it on here. I know I downloaded it, but I may have deleted it when I switched computers assuming I could just download it later.

Thread: Re: lost game

Robrob — 2007-09-20T20:40:06+00:00

How does it handle the hidden movement and sighting rules?

Thread: Re: lost game

MSBorba — 2007-09-20T20:20:55+00:00

Hi Alfredo,

Using the Wayback Machine, I was able to download the Manual for the game.

Thread: lost game

alfblack — 2007-09-20T19:16:51+00:00

Unfortunatly, I visited the website. It doesnt exist anymore. Also tried the wayback machine internet archive with no results.

too bad.

Anybody got this game? could you upload it to the bgg files area.

Image

The Maverick — 2006-03-03T11:25:27+00:00

Map for Alien Small Scout Ship

Image

The Maverick — 2006-03-03T11:11:17+00:00

Map of X-Com Skyranger

Image

The Maverick — 2006-03-03T10:58:05+00:00

Map for Alien Terror Ship