Mind-reading mutants who fight aliens! We're not X-Men. We're XCOM.

The Something Awful Forums > Discussion > Video Games > Let's Play! > Mind-reading mutants who fight aliens! We're not X-Men. We're XCOM.

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Archenteron: Nov 3, 2006

Speedball posted:

Absolutely not!

...It isn't Old Strangelove, is it?

# ? Sep 8, 2014 20:29

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# ? Jun 10, 2024 08:44

Mycroft Holmes: Mar 26, 2010; by Azathoth

I volunteer! Mycroft Holmes, Ozzienaut, at your service.

# ? Sep 8, 2014 22:22

Speedball: Apr 15, 2008

Part 10. Stupid Nicknames

quote:

The Thin Man was up to a whole new level of creepiness; he started calling out people by name, trying to make it look like he knew everyone and everything. It was very Stephen King�s Storm of the Century, and some of us started to panic. But then he screwed up. He looked at me and called me �Carol Allen.� So we knew they didn�t know about the switch. Then he tried to give me some kind of command phrase to (we assume) make me do something to either break him free or go berserk.

Back when we saved General Van Doorn, Carol was separated from us for a minute or two in the trench with a Sectoid she killed, and she said it had tried to hypnotize her. We now think it succeeded; somehow it read her mind, passed on the information to the others, and (possibly) passed on a posthypnotic command.

Since we know exactly when they got all their information, we know exactly how out of date it is. We also know to never be alone with the Sectoids, as they may be more dangerous than we assumed (there�s rumors of a �Command Sectoid� able to completely brainwash people in its proximity).

That accidental body switch may have saved more lives than we could have possibly imagined. I�ve got even fewer regrets about it now than before.

Game of the week: Jenga. It�s to help Naomi maintain her nimbleness with her cybernetic hands. It�s also symbolic of how overextension can destroy what you�ve built; something to remember with all the expenditures we�ve had lately.

Alright, rookies�and by �rookies,� I mean, ALL OF YOU�we�ve been working on your bodies. Now we need to strengthen your minds. You will study differential calculus. You will play logic puzzle games. You will learn to take my copious verbal abuse during all of this to deal with stress while facing uncomfortable situations. Once during each session, there will be a 20% chance of a small paint-filled bomb going off during the test. You will learn to IGNORE the danger while always being aware of it.

That sounds kind of expensive, do we need to do this now?

ABSOLUTELY! If you don�t break bad habits soon and start good habits early, it�s worse later on.

I�m gonna need to sell so MUCH alien scrap�

Naomi, you didn�t let me look at that armor until the mission was over. That blast came too close to your organics! You need to be less reckless!

You�ve taken too many hits for me already. Now it�s my job to take the hits for the rest of you.

And who can you protect when you�re dead, Mimi? You need to do everything you can to keep yourself alive! You want to leave me alone?

Alright�I promise.

I�ve been studying�

We have a medical gun that sprays mist made out of the nanites found in meld. It�s designed to patch up holes in armor and flesh. I�ve been studying how to use it most efficiently. Nobody�s tried to use it in the field yet, it�s no good for full healing, but it�s great for patch jobs.

If you promise to keep from charging ahead too much, I�ll follow along and keep you going.

Me being the big shining knight, and you the flying pixie keeping me healed? Heh. Sounds like a good team.

TIME PASSES!

Didn�t know cyborgs needed cardio.

My heart�s still human, and even if it�s only sympathetic, moving my limbs around a lot makes it pump faster. Keeping my heart in shape keeps my brain in shape. What about you?

My muscles regenerate really fast, so I have a much shorter recovery time after a good workout. But I do still need to work out.

Why are you always sleeveless?

The gene mods work best when my skin can breathe. That�s why the Sectoids are naked.

We really should get regenerating health on Leroy and whoever else we can afford to�I�ll bug the commander about it later.

Holy poo poo, a totally intact UFO has landed! Get everyone over to the site, NOW!!!

Okay, everybody, there will probably be a shitload of aliens on this craft, so expect a heavy firefight. We might find one more of those weird crystal Outsider things, too, and since shattering the crystal just breaks it, I�ll try to get in close and use the Arc Thrower.

�CAMMY! Why is my listed code name �Pixie?� Why is Bar-Lev �Mimi?�

I have no idea.

Watkins! Were you listening in on us?!

Nope. But once everyone hears your stupid nickname, the genie is out of the bottle.

�gently caress! NOBODY CALL ME THAT BUT LEROY!

Heh heh�

Gonna kill someone� Kill�

Floaters!

KILL!!!

Focus! Take cover behind these logs!

This cover is terrible, I�m popping smoke!

Aaaah! I�m pinned down!

One flew behind us! We�re flanked!

A third is on overwatch, ready to shoot anyone who moves. poo poo, we�re in a tight spot�

Eva. The far one on overwatch. Blow him up, then I�ll try to sneak out of this suppression!

Okies!

gently caress, gently caress! Singed my rear end!

Seekers!

Seekers?

The code name for the disappearing octopus! poo poo! Someone help me put a bullet in the side of this floater so he stops moving around so much and I can shock him!

On it�

Perfect! Bar-Lev, blow away the last floater. Doc, remain on overwatch�those drat seekers could be anywhere and I DON�T want to get my throat re-crushed!

KILL!

It�s behind you! Ahh, I�m so sorry!

NOT AGAIN! GGGGgggggfffffuuuuukkkkk�

Uhh�let me try again!

Whew�sorry I didn�t get it before�

ggggg�gggg�okay. It�s okay. Nice save. Thank you. Now. EVERYONE ON OVERWATCH!

I need to reload, sorry. This drat gun is dry after two volleys�

Behind us!

AAAH!

GOTCHA! Now, everyone, move up.

Whew�not a scratch on me�

Watkins, it looks like one of the meld containers nearby self-destructed. You need to try to move faster, though I understand why you had to camp for those drat seekers�we need anti-invisibility countermeasures soon�

Sectoids up ahead!

They wandered right into our overwatch! Two dead, one alive!

Great! Keep an eye out for that Outsider�

Final sectoid dead. Bloodlust sated.

Outsider spotted, it�s in the saucer!

UFO. Not flat enough to be a saucer. Someone help me shoot it in the foot again!

Aaach! It�s fine, it�s fine. I can�t shoot it nonlethally with this cannon, someone else do it.

Hell, I only nicked it!

It looks tough enough to survive a single grenade.

A grenade?!

In close quarters it shouldn�t even damage the ship�s vital parts�

It�s awfully close to me!

Consider it a trust-building exercise.

This isn�t like falling into someone�s arms!

Just hold very still. TRUST ME.

�I�m fine?! I can�t believe that worked! Holy poo poo, doc, do you do couples counseling?

I do!

Sign me up!

My turn!

Success! Great teamwork, everyone!

Whew�gonna need a couple of days in the hospital to make sure my throat heals properly�but yeah, no complaints!

Excellent work yet again, folks. Two live captures, a completely intact UFO (except for that one desk), including their navigational computers and power sources. Dr. Vahlen�s got way too much work cut out for her, we need to prioritize getting her more staff now� By the way, Naomi Bar-Lev. You�re promoted. You want a different code name, you can request one.

�sure. Soon as I think of one�

I kinda like �Pixie,� though�maybe I should get a haircut to match�

I�m gonna go watch movies in the hospital with Hilda�

To Be Continued

Speedball fucked around with this message at 23:48 on Sep 28, 2014

# ? Sep 9, 2014 00:10

Unclouded: Jul 14, 2012

Speedball posted:

I�m gonna need to sell so MUCH alien scrap�

My biggest embarrassment about the game is that the whole first game through I didn't realize/remember you could sell things on the Gray Market. Was always wondering how you were supposed to afford anything in the game and only on my second game did I find out.

Wonderful update as always.

# ? Sep 9, 2014 01:25

Glazius: Jul 22, 2007; Hail all those who are able,
any mouse can,
any mouse will,
but the Guard prevail.; Clapping Larry

So since you ignored Brazil is Argentina just freaking out right now?

# ? Sep 9, 2014 02:48

Speedball: Apr 15, 2008

Glazius posted:

So since you ignored Brazil is Argentina just freaking out right now?

Oh, yes indeed. But when I throw satellites over it it will be better.

# ? Sep 9, 2014 02:52

Endman: May 18, 2010; That is not dead which can eternal lie, And with strange aeons even anime may die

Nice update; I'm loving the characterisation so far.

As for my :psyduck:

comment a couple of pages back, I was just making a vague allusion to Nazis in Argentina, but the Kreiger comparison is hilarious. Loads of that alien research happens way faster than would probably be possible without cocaine.

# ? Sep 9, 2014 03:59

SwissArmyDruid: Feb 14, 2014; by sebmojo

Unclouded posted:

My biggest embarrassment about the game is that the whole first game through I didn't realize/remember you could sell things on the Gray Market. Was always wondering how you were supposed to afford anything in the game and only on my second game did I find out.

Wonderful update as always.

gently caress me, I just got the double-entendre of "Grey Market" :psyduck:

# ? Sep 9, 2014 04:08

Veloxyll: May 3, 2011; Fuck you say?!

Krysmphoenix posted:

Why would you ever put your sniper that close to the fight?

to proc ITZ, of course.

# ? Sep 9, 2014 05:16

FoolyCharged: Oct 11, 2012; Cheating at a raffle? I sentence you to 1 year in jail! No! Two years! Three! Four! Five years! Ah! Ah! Ah! Ah!
Somebody call for an ant?

SwissArmyDruid posted:

gently caress me, I just got the double-entendre of "Grey Market"

You're not alone in that one, good lord how did I miss that?

# ? Sep 9, 2014 15:58

Speedball: Apr 15, 2008

Oh, right, I forgot: I'm open to suggestions for new code names for Bar-Lev.

# ? Sep 10, 2014 01:42

tithin: Nov 14, 2003; [Grandmaster Tactician]

Mimi

# ? Sep 10, 2014 01:48

Night10194: Feb 13, 2012; We'll start,
like many good things,
with a bear.

Speedball posted:

Oh, right, I forgot: I'm open to suggestions for new code names for Bar-Lev.

Maccabee.

# ? Sep 10, 2014 01:52

Polaron: Oct 13, 2010; The Oncoming Storm

Speedball posted:

Oh, right, I forgot: I'm open to suggestions for new code names for Bar-Lev.

M-1

Also she really needs a helmet. The MEC Troopers look so weird with tiny heads without helmets of some kind.

# ? Sep 10, 2014 02:03

Mycroft Holmes: Mar 26, 2010; by Azathoth

Speedball posted:

Oh, right, I forgot: I'm open to suggestions for new code names for Bar-Lev.

Proportional Response

# ? Sep 10, 2014 02:09

tithin: Nov 14, 2003; [Grandmaster Tactician]

Mycroft Holmes posted:

Proportional Response

"But what are the civilian applications? "

# ? Sep 10, 2014 02:09

Drakenel: Dec 2, 2008; The glow is a guide, my friend. Though it falls to you to avert catastrophe, you will never fight alone.

Stay Calm and Die

without spaces if there's a small character limit

# ? Sep 10, 2014 02:12

Omobono: Feb 19, 2013; That's it! No more hiding in tomato crates! It's time to show that idiota Germany how a real nation fights!

For pasta~! CHARGE!

Speedball posted:

Oh, right, I forgot: I'm open to suggestions for new code names for Bar-Lev.

Laputan Machine

# ? Sep 10, 2014 02:18

Endman: May 18, 2010; That is not dead which can eternal lie, And with strange aeons even anime may die

Omobono posted:

Laputan Machine

Haha, I was going to suggest "Navarre".

# ? Sep 10, 2014 02:21

Speedball: Apr 15, 2008

Omobono posted:

Laputan Machine

Clearly she is more of a Flatlander Woman.

By the way, me roleplaying Eva as incredibly timid is not just for fluff, her will score is ABYSMAL. The Commander may have to give her the Magic Feather award.

# ? Sep 10, 2014 02:22

Bruceski: Aug 21, 2007; The tools of a hero mean nothing without a solid core.

Night10194 posted:

Maccabee.

Masada.

# ? Sep 10, 2014 02:26

IMJack: Apr 16, 2003; Royalty is a continuous ripping and tearing motion.; Fun Shoe

Night10194 posted:

Maccabee.

Bruceski posted:

Masada.

Nazir.

# ? Sep 10, 2014 02:39

The Dipshit: Dec 21, 2005; by FactsAreUseless

Polaron posted:

M-1

Also she really needs a helmet. The MEC Troopers look so weird with tiny heads without helmets of some kind.

Hey, she's Israeli, go with Merkava

# ? Sep 10, 2014 03:01

Agent Interrobang: Mar 27, 2010; sugar & spice & psychoactive mushrooms

Claverjoe posted:

Hey, she's Israeli, go with Merkava

This gets my vote.

# ? Sep 10, 2014 03:04

RickVoid: Oct 21, 2010

I don't care what gets picked, so long as the Mimi nickname sticks and everyone flat-out refuses to call her by the name we (she) picked. To her unending frustration.

# ? Sep 10, 2014 03:32

Speedball: Apr 15, 2008

RickVoid posted:

I don't care what gets picked, so long as the Mimi nickname sticks and everyone flat-out refuses to call her by the name we (she) picked. To her unending frustration.

*snort* Yeah. Yeah, that'll probably be how it plays out.

# ? Sep 10, 2014 06:13

Vicevirtuoso: Feb 3, 2014

Claverjoe posted:

Hey, she's Israeli, go with Merkava

Can we get a Gordeau and a Waldstein too? We'll call it "Tier Whore Squadron."

So, I want to give a big shout-out to SwissArmyDruid for being generous enough to gift me this game on Steam! I decided to try it out this morning. By the time I looked at the clock, I had about 15 minutes to get to work...on an evening shift. Now I can re-read everything up to this point and actually have a fair understanding of what's going on in the screenshots. The gameplay honestly gives me a Valkyria Chronicles vibe, except without the game-breakingness of Orders. And the danger of losing highly-promoted Units you've grown attached to is something I really hope to recreate in Wish for the World.

Question: does taking cover apply defense to attacks made from any direction, or just the direction in which your character actually has cover?

# ? Sep 10, 2014 06:26

Night10194: Feb 13, 2012; We'll start,
like many good things,
with a bear.

Vicevirtuoso posted:

Question: does taking cover apply defense to attacks made from any direction, or just the direction in which your character actually has cover?

The latter. It's why, for example, you'll sometimes see enemy indicators outlined in yellow. It means they're 'flanked' and you're attacking them without the cover reduction AND with a big boost to crit chance.

# ? Sep 10, 2014 06:29

Speedball: Apr 15, 2008

Vicevirtuoso posted:

Question: does taking cover apply defense to attacks made from any direction, or just the direction in which your character actually has cover?

Any direction, provided you aren't fully behind the guy and flanking him (when that happens, the cover shield turns yellow). Though it tends to work best the further away from the sides you are, I believe.

# ? Sep 10, 2014 06:29

Glidergun: Mar 4, 2007

Vicevirtuoso posted:

Question: does taking cover apply defense to attacks made from any direction, or just the direction in which your character actually has cover?

When you character is up against a piece of cover, imagine that the shield icon is extended into an infinite plane. Any gunshot at them that passes through the plane gets the cover penalty; otherwise they count as "flanked" and get no cover bonus.

An additional quirk of the cover mechanics: when a character is on the edge of a piece of cover (i.e. they get cover from it, and if they moved one tile parallel to the "cover plane" they would no longer be in cover) they are allowed to have any of their shots count as coming from that one-tile-along space. For example, a character taking cover on the short end of a car gets flanking shots on everyone down the side of the car, even though the "cover plane" of the long edge of the car would theoretically block it, because he can lean out to be on the same side of the cover plane as the target.

# ? Sep 10, 2014 06:36

Ratoslov: Feb 15, 2012; Now prepare yourselves! You're the guests of honor at the Greatest Kung Fu Cannibal BBQ Ever!

Glidergun posted:

This should be in the tutorial somewhere. Thanks!

# ? Sep 10, 2014 06:58

Bruceski: Aug 21, 2007; The tools of a hero mean nothing without a solid core.

Speedball posted:

Though it tends to work best the further away from the sides you are, I believe.

Cover is just high/low/none unless you're playing with one of the Second Wave options on, in which case it works as you believe here.

# ? Sep 10, 2014 07:16

Speedball: Apr 15, 2008

Bruceski posted:

Cover is just high/low/none unless you're playing with one of the Second Wave options on, in which case it works as you believe here.

You're right, I got confused with that. Bah. What kind of lp am I running?!

# ? Sep 10, 2014 11:29

Siegkrow: Oct 11, 2013; Arguing about Lore for 5 years and counting

Speedball posted:

Oh, right, I forgot: I'm open to suggestions for new code names for Bar-Lev.

Gundam

# ? Sep 10, 2014 18:04

my dad: Oct 17, 2012; this shall be humorous

Siegkrow posted:

Gundam

Gundame

# ? Sep 10, 2014 18:05

kwokkie: Jan 19, 2011; Being a dumbass is the best form of defence.

Speedball posted:

Oh, right, I forgot: I'm open to suggestions for new code names for Bar-Lev.

Ripley

# ? Sep 10, 2014 18:17

moosecow333: Mar 15, 2007; Super-Duper Supermen!

Polaron posted:

M-1

Also she really needs a helmet. The MEC Troopers look so weird with tiny heads without helmets of some kind.

I'm digging M-1

# ? Sep 10, 2014 20:28

Chard: Aug 24, 2010

Claverjoe posted:

Hey, she's Israeli, go with Merkava

RickVoid posted:

I don't care what gets picked, so long as the Mimi nickname sticks and everyone flat-out refuses to call her by the name we (she) picked. To her unending frustration.

These two

# ? Sep 10, 2014 20:37