Part 17: Audience Participation Time

Part 17: Audience Participation Time!

All right, staff and soldiers of XCOM: we’ve got options. Too many options to realistically pursue for the future. So I’m going to weigh my options with your help. Specifically, with regards to research paths.

Right now, we could focus on a number of different avenues, and which we choose first will determine the course of the war.

1. More specialized types of lasers. Big lasers for repeaters to replace our machine guns, laser cannons for our interceptors and a giant gun for Bar-Lev. This would take about 8 days. Other specialized lasers to fill the role of a scatter-gun and a sniper rifle would take about 9 days in addition to the simple big ones.

2. Carapace Armor. A good offense has helped us so far, but being able to take a hit from the enemy plasma weapons would be good too. Should we favor somewhat more defensive options then?

3. Outsider Shard Research. This is the key to locating the source of the alien threat on Earth, according to the scattered images we’ve seen in the minds of the interrogated aliens. It would only take 6 days to research, after which we could attempt to wipe out their supposed land base hidden somewhere on earth. This could make the immediate future much easier, assuming we believe our weapons are up to snuff for the moment. We would also likely get more alien power sources which we could use to upgrade Bar-Lev’s armor and secondary weapon systems.

We also need to decide what to do with our limited funding.

1. Satellites everywhere. Spending the time to get more advanced computer systems and deploy coverage over multiple continents as soon as possible, so that within two months time almost the entire globe is abduction-free.

2. Foundry Weapon Development. We are working on ways of creating an automated weapon system that could make rookies obsolete. Fully upgrading it would take a lot of time, money and parts, but the end result would be a fast, accurate rolling death machine with a lot of armor able to fit in the space of a single person.

3. Foundry Support Development. Better medkits formed from the disinfecting properties of Thin Man physiology, better pistols, minor upgrades to tertiary systems in our cyborgs and critical hit chances from our SCOPES, improved tactical rigging to get more pockets on everyone to carry more stuff. Nothing spectacular, but all-around, safer, better-supported troops.

4. Officer Development. Saving up money to complete all the training that General Van Doorn has to offer us, including rapid wound recovery, leadership skills that would let our squad leader inspire the weak-willed troops, and a faster learning curve in general for our rookies.

5. Meld Additional Traits. We still haven’t modified the eyes of our three mutant test subjects; how would you choose to do it and in what way (one is better for height advantages, the other helps them hit if they squint after a miss). Do we give jumpy legs to Princess? Regenerating health OR jumpy legs to Leroy? Mimetic Skin to Watkins? Do we give additional traits to our as-yet-unmutated troops Eva, Dr. Gomez or Hugo?

This is more than just a vote. Try to give your reasons for these things, either tactical, or aesthetic (“robots with lasers are cool!” “I love people who can leap tall buildings in a single bound!”)

FINALLY, for extra credit, we’re taking suggestions for movie night and game night. As the second-geekiest person here next to our dear departed Allen, Cameron Watkins will personally give her thoughts and overview on standout selections provided by you, the staff.