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Author Topic: Proposal: X-COM: Genesis revival  (Read 3744 times)

Offline Ace009

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Proposal: X-COM: Genesis revival
« on: September 06, 2018, 01:42:10 am »
So, on the Discord, I was thinking of something that was lingering in my head for some time recently and had even begun work on this as a possible concept. That concept being what I want to ask about: is it possible to resurrect X-COM: Genesis as a game or at least make it an OpenXcom mod? Because I read through the plot document and I thought that, although it was interesting, it does leave me wondering: what could they have done with the story instead?

And now, 19 years later, I am wondering if reviving the game's development is possible and even releasing it for free. In fact, I already came up with a revision to the Genesis plot to the point that Apocalypse, Interceptor and Alliance are no longer canon in the Genesis timeline. Either that or the Apocalypse/Interceptor/Alliance timeline is still canon, it is just not the main timeline anymore.

Anyway, without further ado, here is the Prelude to X-COM: Genesis:

https://docs.google.com/document/d/148W3_MTem3uCBLBcuomqlVE8RiH8hScfY_EANd72lAk/edit#

Until I can make the design document, enjoy! :P

Offline Hobbes

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Re: Proposal: X-COM: Genesis revival
« Reply #1 on: September 06, 2018, 04:06:40 am »
Why do you need to revive Genesis, if you're already skipping Apoc, Alliance and Interceptor?

You already made an effort to create your own backstory with that document, and IIRC, the reason why XCOM 6 was called Genesis is because if the player won the game, Earth would be restored to a pristine state because of captured alien terraforming technology, after the ecological mayhem caused by TFTD that led to the construction of the megacities in Apoc.

Also, that document is good for fanfiction but most of the historical events described are irrelevant to a player - someone might read it out of curiosity but it's still 20 pages - since they will serve no propose for gameplay. For you to have an idea, this is the current background for the Tech-Comm mod:

Quote
INTRODUCTION

It is 2027, nearly thirty years after Judgment Day.

The war against the machines has entered a dangerous phase: in 2025 the resistance attacked Cheyenne Mountain in a gamble to destroy Skynet's Core and end the war. After months of preparation and gathering the necessary forces, the resistance forces were able to overcome the complex's massive defenses but the A.I. had long predicted such a move and had already relocated itself to a currently unknown location prior to the attack.

Although successful in taking the complex despite the heavy casualties, the Resistance's victory become a phyrric one after the battle: Skynet immediately launched a counter-offensive worldwide to terminate key resistance units and bases, taking advantage that many had redeployed for the Cheyenne Mountain offensive.

For the past year Skynet has reduced its activities, allowing the Resistance groups to recover but reports indicate that the machines have been developing new technologies and mass producing new Terminator units and Hunter-Killer craft, and getting ready for a new offensive destined to crush the Resistance and drive humanity into extinction.

However, at the insistence of John Connor, one of the Resistance's most successful leaders, the human factions have decided to combine their efforts into creating an elite unit charged with researching the machines' technology in order to defeat Skynet's legions and win the war for human survival.

And nothing else is required, because the essential of the story will be told through gameplay - and this is what you should be focusing, on what exactly will take place during the game and start implementing it. Otherwise you'll simply be writing design docs with no end.

Just my 2c - good work on your project :)

Offline Ace009

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Re: Proposal: X-COM: Genesis revival
« Reply #2 on: September 06, 2018, 07:51:05 pm »
Why do you need to revive Genesis, if you're already skipping Apoc, Alliance and Interceptor?

You already made an effort to create your own backstory with that document, and IIRC, the reason why XCOM 6 was called Genesis is because if the player won the game, Earth would be restored to a pristine state because of captured alien terraforming technology, after the ecological mayhem caused by TFTD that led to the construction of the megacities in Apoc.

Also, that document is good for fanfiction but most of the historical events described are irrelevant to a player - someone might read it out of curiosity but it's still 20 pages - since they will serve no propose for gameplay. For you to have an idea, this is the current background for the Tech-Comm mod:

And nothing else is required, because the essential of the story will be told through gameplay - and this is what you should be focusing, on what exactly will take place during the game and start implementing it. Otherwise you'll simply be writing design docs with no end.

Just my 2c - good work on your project :)

Good point. Anyway, thank you! Besides, I am still going to keep the pulpy aesthetics, but I am making the science in X-COM more consistent/grounded to an extent. Either way, thank you!