X-COM: UFO Defense was such a perfect game. Twenty years ago, when I was a teen, I played this game so much and I loved it so hard. Even though a lot of people and companies tried to embody ideas of this game in their creations, the original plot of UFO Defense has never been improved. Nowadays, the original gameplay has been reproduced with great possibilities for mod makers in the OpenXcom project and fortunately it can be run on Linux. Despite the fact that OpenXcom is awesome I would like to introduce my collection of changes, that includes improved unit balancing, remastered graphics, amazing gameplay and everything else combined into one modification called Awesome Guns.
The main ideas of development
- Implement only the necessary changes. This modification is not a dump of different other mods.
- The main scenario and plot of the game should not be changed.
- Good balance everywhere, in manufacturing, in aircraft dogfights, in ground combats, especially alien's susceptibility to the various damage types.
- Alien technologies cannot be reproduced, therefore alien items cannot be manufactured.
- Alien weapons are controlled by alien's mind and cannot be used in the combats by humans.
- Fortunately, alien weapons and items can be redone and used in different cases.
- Conventional weapons should be suitable as long as possible.
- IRONMAN? - Pourquoi pas? Let's play hard and without saving. À la guerre comme à la guerre.
The implementation
- Improve the visualization without compromises.
Be sure, all introduced images, sounds and ideas were checked and corrected. Weapons and animation, shooting sounds and effects have been improved. Moreover, the process of improvement will continue... - Let be more realistic pistols, rifles, even grenade launchers and more different types of guns in the combats.
- Let the soldiers use different armours with different attributes and possibilities.
- Let be more explosives in the battles, more incendiary weapons and more smoke.
- And it should work on Windows and Linux without problems.
Starting base and facilities
Layout of facilities on the starting base has been improved for better defence. The small radar system in the center gives free space for maneuvers. The living quarters before small radar can be used for close range combat, because it is a good place for ambush. Building the large radar system after small radar proposes a good place for snipers.
Range of radars were balanced for aircraft and facilities. Also, the construction of facilities was balanced. The alien containment depends on Alien Biology (an autopsy of any alien is necessary).
The motion scanners, small first aid kits and different vests can be bought at the beginning of the game. And a small gift - there is a cannon tank on the starting base which can be turned into a laser tank later.
Aircraft and cannons
Aircraft and cannons were rebalanced - defence of standard interceptor and homing of rockets have been decreased. New improved interceptor (RAVEN) with a great defence and with increased radar range was implemented. In addition, the Lightning image has been enhanced. Existing cannons were redesigned. Some launchers and cannons were added. read more...
Conventional weapons
Awesome Guns modification implements a lot of new guns and items. There are the machine pistol, sniper rifle, a lot of shotguns, grenade launcher with different type of grenades and armor-penetrating rocket which can ruin UFO wall. Moreover, incendiary grenades, medicine chest and motion scanners are available from beginning. Also, the assault rifles and thunderbolt (a heavy sniper rifle) can be researched after alien alloys.
The bullets are not an exception - improved clips can be manufactured from alien alloys, alien corpses and Elerium. All these and many other items and weapons give an unforgettable experience. read more...
Laser weapons
The laser technology can be researched after Elerium and UFO power source. Unfortunately, the laser weapon overheats and cannot fire auto shots. Fortunately, the laser weapon is very accurate. Also, the laser shotgun has a great power. read more...
Alien weapons
The alien weapons were completely redesigned. Now these guns look really like extraterrestrial weapons. Moreover, the hand's and floor's images, the sound's files and hit animation were improved. read more...
Even though alien weapon cannot be used by humans, alien weapon can be converted for using in the combats. These weapons were redesigned also and look pretty good.
Melee combat
Are you ready for a face-to-face duels? Awesome Guns modification offers four types of melee weapons with different abilities and technologies.
Sounds and effects
Awesome Guns modification introduces a lot of high-quality sounds and visual effects. Sound effects of aircraft missiles, human and alien weapons, attacks and hit animations were improved.
Armours
New vests are allowed to buy at beginning of the game. Also, new armours can be researched after alien alloys. Awesome Guns modification implements different types of armours with different colours and possibilities. There are armours for scouts, snipers and heavy gun soldiers. The inventory and combats images have been corrected. read more...
Inventory screen
Inventory has been redeveloped. New quick-draw and breast sections were implemented. Shifting items between hand and holster is more quickly.
Awesome Guns modification can be incompatible with original OpenXcom saved files, because inventory is redone. To avoid problems with previous saved files your soldiers should be stripped before saving, at least the right shoulder, right leg, left shoulder, left leg, and belt must be empty.
Research
Research in the Awesome Guns modification conducts four sections: Biology, Aircraft and conventional weapons, Laser weapons and Alien weapons. These implementations give a lot of different guns and items. read more...
Manufacture
Some of manufacturing were changed and were balanced. There are new production processes. New items, new type of bullets and weapons were introduced. Production of laser weapons has been changed (now it consumes Elerium). Human tanks can be turned one into another one (Tank/Laser can be modified as Tank/Cannon, Tank/Cannon as Tank/Rocket). Alien items and weapons cannot be manufactured but can be converted into other items and more other.
Try and play
A lot of other innovation that Awesome Guns modification is offering, can be discovered in the game.
If you like the original plot of the X-COM game, this is the best offer. Awesome Guns is an awesome modification of the X-COM game with a minimal change of original gameplay, full visualization improvement and good game balancing.
Enjoy your time!
Time to play, is not it?
