Let's Play X-COM: UFO Defense

[Hawkwings]

I would be interested in seeing that. Heck, I might even run it, assuming I eventually finish my own game of classic X-COM that I'm playing right now.

[Nephtys]

I figured if I did an X-COM LP, it'd stray a bit away from Guava's excellent LP. It'd be more focusing on the fun bits you can do with X-COM Apoc. Like sure, you'd have the usual UFO Shootdowns and forum members dying and such, but I'd do things like buy boatloads of Griffon AFV Tanks and blow the hell out of organizations I didn't like with giant 200-ton tanks. Or demolishing every square inch of Nutrivend Farms. I wonder if I could hack back in some stuff from the game files that's not active, like the Forceweb system or tracker gun into something useful.

Apoc isn't as good as UFO Defense (The greatest game ever made of course), but can be entertaining to watch. It'd drag once we got to the part where you can strike back at the aliens though.

[CaiusWickersham]

Director's Log -- Toyotomi, Amaya
Timecode: 01.07.1999 0800 GMT

As we progress and become more efficient in what we're doing, I'm finding it less necessary to append mission transcripts to find out what we're doing wrong in retrospect.
This month was largely one for research. We finally figured out how the aliens put their ships together on the 3rd.

Only two missions really need highlighting. We actually got one of their smallest ships on the ground. Only one floater as crew and a pittance of salvage. It just happened and we went with it.
The aliens aren't holding to their usual schedule of one major operation a month. I'm hoping the destruction of one of their bases threw off their timetable. On the 12th, the floaters struck London. It was nothing the team hasn't seen before, though apparently one Floater killed a teammate attempting to shoot Karrick and another killed itself with a grenade trying to kill some more civilians. All in all, the tean performed extremely well.
Because of the top-heavy nature of the team at the central HQ, I'm transferring some people around to get everyone an opportunity for some experience. OmegaChief was transferred to the USA in exchange for JonB. JonB made Sergeant his first time out.
The science team finally worked out schematics for a new fighter craft on the 15th. With the new workshop up and running and an engineering team of 50 working on it, we expect to have the first finished within the week. Once built, we will replace our Interceptors with the new craft, codenamed "Firestorm".

To make sure Nitram isn't whining about his new obligations, I had him join me in some combat crud. The doctors tell me the wrench should come out easily and no permanent damage should ensue.
With the Firestorm ready for production, I've had research shifted to the alien weapons. We've completed research into what is termed the "heavy plasma" and final research into the weapon's ammunition storage unit should be completed in days.
June was another excellent month for us with increased funding. We've effectively rebounded from April's poor performance. We still need to thoroughly explore Asia for that other base, however.

[SirNitram]

Journal of "Sir" Nitram,

Ah, combat scrum. The boss even managed to stay up pretty long. He's not what I'd call a good opponent, but the thought's appreciated. And I'll show that.

What I don't plan to show is my intense love of these schematics the eggheads sent me. I don't know if we'll ever build a 'Firestorm'... But this thing is beautiful. This is why I joined. Elerium-powered combat craft.

I don't think it'll be, tactically, a great use of our elerium to power what amounts to a slightly better Interceptor. As long as I can keep these files on hand, I think I'll work on working better and ordering the rest of the crew to kick it into gear. Just can't let them think I enjoy my work, they might cut down my ridiculous benefit package.

[JonB]

I shot my first alien today! Apparently, I did so well over in London (now that I've been transferred to Sicily) that I got promoted within X-COM to Seargent. Woo-hoo!

I did notice something though. It's much easier the second time.

BRING ON THE ALIENS!

[CaiusWickersham]

Umm, Nitram? The Director is a woman. A very small woman who becomes an absolute beast in crud and leaves bigger and stronger men than her broken and bleeding on the floor. Rumors are she learned the game in a maximum-security Thai prison, but there's no confirmation. >.> <.<

[JonB]

Ack! Nitram is hallucinating from all the injuries he's received! Send him to the hospital, quick!

[SirNitram]

Umm, Nitram? The Director is a woman. A very small woman who becomes an absolute beast in crud and leaves bigger and stronger men than her broken and bleeding on the floor. Rumors are she learned the game in a maximum-security Thai prison, but there's no confirmation. >.> <.<

Keep in mind the sheer dosages used to keep my alter-ego from violence against X-Com, world governments, the aliens, and the Judea's People's Front. He is hallucinating from near OD levels of drugs.

[CaiusWickersham]

Director's Log -- Toyotomi, Amaya
Timecode -- 15.07.1999 0800 GMT

The first Firestorm was finished on July 2nd. Starglider has used it several times and it fits our needs for a strong fighter that can keep up with the faster UFOs. The second was finished on the 13th and sent to the USA to replace the other Interceptor. Phred should be happy with his new toy. A third to cover east Asia will be built once X-COM Asia has completed its hangar.
Research into the plasma "clip" (actually a magazine) was completed on the 5th. We now have a new mainstay firearm that fares against the strongest aliens.


While we could build these magazines ourselves, we acquire more than enough from recovery missions we shouldn't have to. The research got to Head Scientist and he started working on another project. The Bear was let loose on another Sectoid navigator and was able to get more information from it. It appears these alien attacks on cities are part of a terror campaign to intimidate the governments into abandoning us. So far, this hasn't worked on our funding nations thanks to our prompt responses to these attacks. I'm letting Bear have three more subjects for getting this information. He is under a guideline that he can't use "Two Girls, One Cup" without at least using "Chocolate Rain" at least once.

We got our first field test of the heavy plasma on a UFO recovery mission. Floaters are weak as-is, but there was greater efficiency in killing them. Thanks to a lucky shot, we lost our venerable laser tank. Head Scientist assures me he'll have a much better replacement once he's done.
For once, he actually came through, producing a plasma weapon large enough for vehicle mounting. These plasma beams are mounted on the Firestorms and a new tank is to finish production tomorrow.

We got a better test of the heavy plasma on a Snakeman terror mission in Novosibirsk. We encountered more of those black insectoid aliens that cost us VX-145. Thanks to the heavy plasma, only one civilian was lost to these aliens, termed "Chryssalids" by the science team.
There is know confirmation of a fourth species in this invasion. Picking up a small scout in the arctic, we found this pink humanoid aliens in tight green jumpsuits. More information will be found in the necroscopy.
The plasma beams showed their mettle against the larger ships. One of the three-story ships that nearly destroyed our first Firestorm while armed with a laser cannon and missiles was unable to engage it while armed with plasma beams.
Alien activity is picking up in the Arctic with these large ships, there must be something big there. We keep sending patrols in but we can't find anything. WHAT ARE THEY DOING UP THERE?!
((Author's note: I need more soldier people for X-COM Asia. I've got everyone in a base, including the recycled ones. I will post a staff listing next update.))

[Karza]

Author's note: I need more soldier people for X-COM Asia.

Well, sign me up. It's been a while since a soldier bearing my name got killed in one of these.

[White Haven]

Throw in Weapon McSoldier of the clan McSoldier, and make sure his line dies a whooole lot lot. Nepthys will understand.

[Nephtys]

Throw in Weapon McSoldier of the clan McSoldier, and make sure his line dies a whooole lot lot. Nepthys will understand.

I find your sense of humor most vulgar, sir! Leave that poor man alone!

[White Haven]

But Neeeepthys, the Helmet of the Golden M exists to be shattered!

[Scottish Ninja]

I'll enlist; hopefully the Inverse Law of Ninja Strength will keep me alive for a while.

[Edi]

Yay, I'll sign up for field duty. Rifle & grenades

[Force Lord]

Tankman's Log:

Australia? So I finally get to see Sydney...

I guess the xeno attacks haven't been all bad, in a small way.

Still, I intend to see aliens see the barrel of my tank before this blows over!

[CaiusWickersham]

Director's Log -- Toyotomi, Amaya
Timecode: 01.08.1999 0800 GMT

We captured on the largest UFOs on the ground on July 16th from the Floaters. The thing stands on four "legs" holding the reactors with a central access shaft. The amount of salvage from this sort of ship is staggering with not only precious Elerium, but other items for research.

The Bear was able to squeeze information out of two captured engineers -- one Floater, one Sectoid. These two revealed much about some of the ships used by the aliens.


These are only two, and not the most common we've seen so far. Currently, I have a mandate to capture navigators and engineers for more information on missions and crafts until further notice. If there were a way to determine class by sight, it would be very useful right now.
We also have more information on the Floaters as a species. Unlike the Sectoids, they are barely sentient and are apparently a client race for another species used as the backbone of the invasion force. They have been modified with bionics, namely an antigravity unit, hence the name. We don't know if the Floaters are the work of the Sectoids or some other race.

A necroscopy of the Chryssalid was also performed. It confirms many of our fears -- that the Chryssalid is a weaponized creature with only one purpose: procreation using humans as incubators.

We caught one of these terror ships in flight on radar above Africa. Starglider was able to shoot it down without incident thanks to the plasma beams. I am confident in saying we can now best all but the battleships in aerial combat.
The terror ship gave better proof of our fourth species. The first encounter was dark and we didn't see the alien closely until recovery was completed. We can confirm appearance and we know they have two other creatures for terror missions, like the Cyberdisks are attached to the Sectoids and Reapers to the Floaters.

One appears, as described by consequences who saw and killed the first one, like a "floating kidney".

The other is, as described by JonB, a "rock-blob-thing":

Our new tank is also operational and performing well under Hawkwings's piloting. It uses a plasma beam, but also uses some of the salvaged bits of the Cyberdisks to be able to float and hover. This lets us send out an armored scout to secure perimeters.

The last thing of note was capture of another battleship in Nigeria. Mutons were piloting this ship, but the mission went as well as the Floater capture. The only difference being that Mutons are a bit tougher than Floaters. With that successful recovery, we ended July on a very high note.

[CaiusWickersham]

Staff listing
X-COM Central:
consequences
Joviwan (injured, back in 3 days)
Bluewolf
Karrick
Dave
Darkdrium
White Haven
Rekkon
wautd

X-COM USA:
Eleas
Cpl Kendall
OmegaChief
Vendetta
MKSheppard

X-COM Australia:
Weemadando (Cmdr)
Coalition
RecklessPrudence
Ryan Thunder
Kryten
ForceLord (Marco Sanchez)
Torben

X-COM Asia:
VX-146
Karza
John Stewart
Patrick Stewart

The Stewarts were given to me by the computer. I couldn't resist keeping their names.

[VX-145]

Journal of VX-146, Entry 1:

I'm back! Woke up in the fishtank, remembering... bad memories, I'm not going to think about THAT again until I see a competant therapist. If I see another one of those bugs, I'm running the other way. Replacement bodies are way too expensive to waste. Which calls to me the question: Why did I go back to X-Com? The answer is, I didn't get a choice. Fuckers dragged me back, saying something like "Oh no, you never quit so you're not free yet!" Fucking paperwork. Then they decided that since I was already in Asia, I may as well get posted to some out-of-the-way shithole. If there's one thing I hate more than Italian, it's the stuff that seems to be generic in this corner of the world. Oh yeah, and the assholes didn't even send me my stuff, so no gum - or anything else for that matter - for me until either I scare someone into sending me it or I scavenge some up here.

This new body feels... weird. Well, at least I woke up properly this time. Drowning in that red stuff is not as pleasant as it would appear.

[Edi]

Hey! When do I get added to the roster? Soon? Pretty please?

[CaiusWickersham]

Want to take the third Firestorm, Edi? I need another pilot for that.

[weemadando]

X-COM Australia - Codename "Bruce".
WeeMadAndo - Bruce Six
Weemadando (Cmdr) - Bruce
Coalition - Bruce
RecklessPrudence - Bruce
Ryan Thunder - Bruce
Kryten - Bruce
ForceLord (Marco Sanchez) - Bruce
Torben - Bruce.

[Lord Relvenous]

I'm in for assignment to Asia.

[Edi]

Want to take the third Firestorm, Edi? I need another pilot for that.

I'm more of a groundpounder type, so I'd ratehr take an Asia base assignment, but if nothing else is available, the Firestorm is okay.

[JonB]

Ack! I died!

Ah well, someone had to at some point. I mean, why else wouldn't I be on any X-COM listings?