Tales from:

UFO Defence

• Using flying suits with heavy plasma to make holes on the top of an alien space ship and dropping High Explosives in the subsequent hole, alternatively getting visual on aliens with blaster launchers and mind controlling them
• Using low psionic skill soldiers as stun rod specialists and using them as point men on missions
• Doing Terror Missions and completing them with a positive score
• The feeling of power having global radar coverage, a powerful airforce, and enough ground defense systems to ignore any alien attempt to try and stop you from shooting down all their UFOs

TFTD

• Being able to smack a lobsterman with a melee weapon
• Being able to complete at least one of every terror mission type specifically cruise ships and artifact sites
• Learning about and being able to prevent the sneaky ambush attacks the enemy likes to do

Apocalypse

• Successfully identify and investigating infected buildings and getting a 100% hit rate
• Watching highly advanced trans-dimension alien craft being shot down by a swarm of hoverbikes
• Laughing maniacally when the aliens drop a Kaijuu on the city and it targets your enemies first
• When you can research and build shields and teleporter packs and can be decked out in XCOM propriety armour

XCOM Enemy Within

• MEC Trooper kinetic punch execution animation on all the big aliens
• Building a sniper that acts as a guardian angel with an archangel suit
• Making sure tutorial survivor, Hernandez does every mission and becomes the Volunteer
• Doing a mission with Annette and the Furies once they are Psi-Ops

XCOM 2 War of the Chosen

• Having to deal with a Warlock Avenger Defence during the Lost Dark Event, casually sniping for an hour trying to thin the aliens out, out pops a surprise Gate Keeper, PC stutters and I thought it froze as it revives I can only assume minimum 50+ enemies, most of it Lost and me bringing out every weapon and ability at my disposable to make sure the Gatekeeper dies before I do. I think that mission ended with close to 400 kills
• Having a templar rush into a group of enemies, activate his ghost, and have one of the ghosts and the templar reflect on the same turn from two different enemies while having bladestorm kick in with both ghosts and templar.
• Using a Reaper on supply drops with Lost, try get the Lost and Advent fighting each other while I keep my team hidden nearby the supplies for quick tagging when I need to go loud.
• Do final mission for legendary win - which is like attempt 80+ or something for this run, with a team of faction members plus 3 of my best units - templar is my unit I put most care into, chip down the last objective enemy, rush it with the Templar, it standing next to his objective and finishes it off with an Ionic Storm

I played X-COM UFO defence, TFTD, Apocalypse, XCOM Enemy Within, XCOM 2 War of the Chosen and even Chimera Squad.

One thing I can say is I like these type of games for different reasons, the older games were more logistically focused, less individually power fantasy but you knew your star players eventually from exemplary service and the gear you crafted did the heavy work. The power scaling felt good in the sense of being a managerial super star making sure your pixels were well equipped and armoured, you tried to understand your enemy and targeted their weaknesses. Bonus for the bullet physics felt “fair” - in the sense that it would go in the general direction where you fired.

Personally liked Apocalypse setting the best, even if it was incomplete and not fully realised.

Older games, I felt like desk jockey general drawing out the plans and thinking of the big picture.

The newer XCOMs streamlined the logistics and focused on that individual power scaling and making each soldier important as you are restricted to less per mission. I loved the MEC suits in Enemy Within and it played a lot smoother than the old ones, and I got used to and learned to enjoy the camp with War of the Chosen. It really made one care for soldiers and allowed for easier roleplaying. I personally get annoyed at the animation jank( especially misses) but overall the focus on ground combat is fun and challenging and I have a far easier time making stories in my mind how an operation played out.

I felt like my job was battlefield analysist and I would provide “real time” intelligence support.

Chimera Squad, I enjoyed the world building, breech mechanics and the turn system I think is a step in the right direction. I can accept the voiced and locked in team, but didn’t like the lose of freedom to manage a team. Felt like streamlining too far, still was a fun contained spin-off that has the roots of Apocalypse dragging around.

Loaded post incoming:

My tastes I think have “adjusted” with my age.

Always have had a thing for “tactics” games, was mostly into shooters (1st and 3rd person), jrpgs and strategy games.

I have moved onto liking but being terrible at metrovanias ( thoroughly enjoyed Ori and the Blind Forest) and Hollow Knight ( some gamer pstd inducing platforming for me that is horrible at it but otherwise is a great game)

I feel I enjoy more lore heavy or story focused games which push heavily into DnD type games like Pathfinder, Pillars, Baldur’s Gate, Planetscape Torment, etc

It was Undertale that really helped pin down what I enjoy about gaming. I have always enjoyed a good roleplay like joys and freedom of Fallout 2 for example.

It was only untiI was confronted with the thought that I might have made a mistake buying Undertale and judging it on graphics but then, pleasantly, being proven wrong; did I really realise the value of good game comes not from graphics alone, but how well it can express and execute the core of what it is trying to do in a way that I feel respects who I am as a player

That is incredibly broad, but I suppose if I had to try condensing it into something shorter :

“Is this game fun, engaging and/or can I see a passion in what I am playing”

Sam Fisher ( Splinter Cell), Commander Shepard ( Mass effect), Solid Snake (Metal Gear Solid) and Kratos (God of War)

The first game I can really say I played was probably Contra 1 or Super Mario Brothers 2

Although first PC game I can recall playing is Hereos of Might and Magic 1. Didn’t remember doing much of anything but recall feeling very powerful fighting and winning with my small Black Dragon stack that had magic immunity

Realized while writing that it is spurring me into a textual diaherrhia so please note wall of text ahead, which probably veers off into a rant.

If I had to surmmarise into tldr:

The system™ feels exploitative, and unless you partake in the exploiting then one must feel like their value systems are useless because it is not bringing in value.

Also rant about personal country government that seem to be failing upwards

End tldr

I read what was written and somehow felt a need to express, so apologies upfront.

I am not an American, but I have lived a life trying to do what I thought is the right or correct thing. It has left me with more regret and resentment. And as an observer I think it is more a societal problem.

I mean doing whatever the fuck you want and not only getting away with it but be rewarded seems to be in the loop of positive feedback. Like why suffer and do the right thing when you can take advantage of another and get rewarded.

The whole corporate monopoly-type culture isn’t only an American problem, just have to look at the world where a narrative or agenda causes so much suffering.

Lets just take my country for example. South African, we have been sitting with a electricity issue for going on almost 20 years because there is only 1 power supplier and that is government mandated monopoly. The power issue concerns were addressed to government before it was an issue and they figuritively sat and twiddled their thumbs until it got to a point where they needed to stick their thumbs just a bit out their asses.

Added to that, we had an ex-president that is mired is so much scandal to the point where one( of many) of his great " achievements " is participating in state capture by selling sub-substandard/ ghost electrical supply contracts to special interest individuals for personal gain.

And to this day is playing the lawyer-long game to avoid any consequence add to that you get politicians saying we should leave him alone he is an old man.

So in essence it feels like a big : fuck the country, i got my own, you people deal with the shit I profitted off, not my problem.

And although I cannot equate to the struggles of minorities, I can relate a bit as I live with the a country that enforces quotas and it is shit feeling knowing no matter how hard you work or how well you do you cannot advance when a company is pushing government agenda in a bid to say " Look we are doing the thing, we are empowering"

I mean things had to be done with the history of our country, I wish it could have been done with a broader and more encompassing economical structure to ensure that the majority could actually be empowered and be able to uplift the country to allow it to flourish to allow it to open opportunities for all. But unfortunately the current economic system and structure has it sitting in a country with 32 % unemployment.

I mean maybe the goverment is trying, but they have piss poor accountability as there is constant news of corruption, mafia-like intimidation, mismanagement, incompetence, never-ending joke of broken promises and lately seems a constant rise in prices - which seems to be a world problem too. I am honestly surprised the country holds itself together, I suppose that is because of the taxman is a functioning government entity that collects its due and guess there is enough competent people trying to keep the boat afloat in the background

It is like if you don’t know someone or have some influence you are stuck to the whims of the system and I personally feel there is an attitude that those above will personally do as little as possible and rely on those below to pick up the slack. I don’t want to harp about ‘oh woe is me’ just feel that almost everywhere there are problems and unfortunately the structure of power demands that those in power must exert power or coerce others to maintain it.

This is probably coming from someone who has been broken by a system coming in with naivete, so please take it as such, I am relatively fortunate to have what I have because of help of family so I cannot be a total victim to the system. But I still feel disillusioned by it and human nature because it is exploitative by design and I am too pigheaded to want to become a unfeeling husk and give into that base nature completely.

I agree on a lot of points, although it seems I have a more pacifist outlook while you have a more active outlook which if I am honest does more for progress.

I see freedom of speech - in the general sense - as a means to be able to express yourself and your opinions and I feel that if people could express that without outright spreading a feeling of hatred and rage then I feel pretty much anything goes within reason. As even innocuous well meaning ideas can lead to dangerous outcomes.

That doesn’t mean people should expect the status quo, but sometimes I look at chimps and their “gang wars” and think we aren’t that much different sometimes.

For reference: https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gombe_Chimpanzee_War

We are primed to respond most strongly with hatred and rage… perhaps some deep primitive instinct and that gets taken advantage of.

Humans nature seems to be a violent one and if I look at history it is unfortunately violence that seems to be the most effective means to get through our thick human psyche to advance. Ancient Egypt, Alexander’s Legacy, Rome’s rise and fall, The Crusades, French Revolution, British Empire, American Independence, The World Wars.

We are forever doomed to repeat history it seems until history can no longer repeat

It is like humanity must experience great suffering and that suffering must reach a tipping point before we as a collective species change

What the next big tipping point will be that forces a change, if we last that long, I don’t know as well

I for one look forward to day that we are all free from the Patriot’s grasp

I agree, kinda of sad that pieces of fake paper and ego is a more valuable commodity for those are lost to it than seeing others as a human being

The foundation of the world’s economy

Thank you for that insight

You know I might just be in that same boat… hmm taskbar… or clipboat - preliminarily diagnosed ADHD

Thank you for your insight

Very poigant post

Okay an example if I must provide one

I feel according to brief look at American constitution in spirit if the Founding Fathers that governement should be neutral in religious matters and people have the freedom of religious choice without being discriminated against while still in the spirit of freedom and comradie not resort some sort of cannibal death cult.

The people have the freedom of choice, however the government must not be swayed and run by one motivating group or factor in the spirit of the writing how the British wished to exert their power and influence to control the then original 13 states

I also feel that again in spirit of what they wrote something like abortions shouldn’t be banned unless there was some catastrophic failure rate where government must intervene to prevent people from commiting suicide by doing so.

I am going to get flak by writing it but I believe that abortion can be made a case when it is ill advised at a certain point or if the if the parents decide that a birth is too dangerous, to be able to abort at a late stage.

By my limited understanding is that if doctors want to choose not to abort then are then in their right to do so if it is not life threatening. The government should not interfere but instead make it clear that individual practioners are under no obligation to help you if they strongly believe they don’t believe in it and within reasonable circumstance and that those that do wish to go with it should be given the option to instead of shutting them down.

But ultimately it should be the individuals choice to choose even if it is a bad choice and the unfortunate burden of guilt should be shouldered on an individual. I feel that is the freedom that was intended

Tldr:

I am have let myself be too soft as I have not invoked my freedom of expression and fair conditions and let them bypass responsibility and get away with imposing their way of business.

End tldr

You know reading these comments made me look at my Country’s constitution… South Africa

Makes me think that people in general don’t fully read them, myself included.

It is interesting because in a way some of the things written here can in practice get someone put in jail because of the stigma of the past - primarily racism

I was raised in the demographic as white but my mother is, and this the term they use here, coloured ( fair complexion) i am sure an internet search can confirm.

Also realised that when my last job told me I wouldn’t advance in the work because of the colour of my skin ( and I was too stupid and eager for a job I accepted) they were legally covering their ass as there is provision for it if it is formally accepted. That my rights were ebbed away with fine print ( example, they made me sign something inocculous 3 months into employment and fine out down the line that I missed out on receiving bonus by a month because of the signed document)

But even through all that and the contracts they made me sign i still had the right to strike or to unionized… of course they make sure that you can’t do that because they prey on that need and suppress your right to diginity

Really off topic apologies, brain wonders off and puts pieces into play that fell off the bandwagon😂

Bleh, it seems ideology is unavoidable😂, seems that can be applied to the world over actually if it examined where countries try not to rock the boat too much to ensure their best interests are not disrupted too much

Not an American, so the whole America politica is not my thing

My personal opinion or stance if I had to take one is one has the freedom to express themselves, but to also take into to try respect another’s beliefs and reasoning

So in this case, you have the right to express your opinions, you have made some assumptions, but still showed some level of restraint. Therefore I am, personally, going to respect your right to expression - seems sanctimonious for me to write that case but yeah… I do not know I am trying not to get into any ideology facets just trying to explore a question that has been bubbling in my mind.

( if you want my take on masks and you are free to disagree, is that during covid masks would lessen viral aerosol load… so not foolproof but I find dealing with a 10000 viral load easier to deal with than 100000000 viral load)

I am not an American, but reading your Constitution… with respect, I feel like your Founding Fathers would have many issues with how your Country is currently run, from what I have seen and read in the media

Makes sense keep forgetting how a minority make enough noise and saturates things to a point where it appears more common than it seems