Hi guys,
I played X-COM even back in 1994 – yes, that long ago. My PC was painfully slow at the time, but with an upgrade to a Cyrix 586, the experience became quite decent. Ever since then, I’ve had this recurring 10-year cycle of returning to the game. And now it's that time again.
I’m well aware of the infamous research tree bugs in the original, and unfortunately I just got caught by one – the MC Reader. I sold it and immidietaly started research Deep One. Then it was impossible to start research of MC disruptor.
Anyway, on a whim, I decided to try out OpenXcom. Honestly, I wasn't even that excited to install it at first – I assumed it would be a total remake, like what happened with Panzer General (another one of my all-time favorites). But no – I was completely wrong.
You’ve done a phenomenal job preserving the atmosphere of the original game, while adding countless improvements. And I mean countless.
Higher tactical resolution
Funding shown right on the Geoscape
Quick Save/Load (thank you!)
Pre-assigning equipment to soldiers – hallelujah
More aggressive, dynamic aliens (that last one gave me real stress...)
Research bugs? Gone.
But there’s one thing I think didn’t quite hit the mark – the research tree feels too simplified. Maybe it’s a sign of the times, this trend of making everything more accessible. But for me, it really dulls the thrill of racing against time to unlock key tech.
That feeling of being forced into multiple missions against Lobstermen armed only with pathetic Gas Cannons... it was painful – and glorious.
For the record, I always play on Beginner difficulty. And even so, with this streamlined research flow, the game feels degraded in terms of long-term challenge and tension.
It’s like giving a Neanderthal a nuke – sure, he can use it, but does it feel right?
My dream solution? Just a config setting: researchTree=classic.
Keep the current version as the default, but let old-school players opt into the more demanding, structured tree.
Don't get me wrong – I'm not complaining. I deeply respect the incredible work you’ve done here. It’s amazing. Honestly, I wouldn't ever go back to the original version now. So, just sharing some impressions after a few hours of gameplay in OpenXcom.
Thanks again for bringing this classic back to life in such a brilliant way!
