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[a1s]

I'm not quite sure why they get paid at all. Can't spend money if your couped up in a military base fighting off aliens.

Well some people like to think ahead, studying aliens is fun and exciting, but once you are done it would be nice to have something physical for it. plus maybe they have families and send money home.

[beorn080]

I don't mean that they won't ever get paid, merely that life in a secret military base doesn't have much in the way of personal expenses. Naturally, the money would be held for them for when the war ends. What that effectively means is that they don't get paid for the duration.

[Wooty]

This topic inspired me to try X-Com. I'm about a month into the game and so far it is AWSOME. They just don't make games like they used to... the graphics and so on of course suck, but just the way it looks it and feels and the gameplay more than make up for that. I haven't actually read any of this thread other than the OP because I don't want to see any spoilers about the plot/technology/late game stuff.

My only problem so far is how you only seem to be able to see aliens once they start shooting - Half my squad was wiped out by a ghost alien that would exit the spacecraft, shoot, and reenter all in the same turn (I didn't see the door). Maybe they're just really sneaky.

[mainiac]

edit: actually scientists only earn 30k a month, coming to $360k per year, with all of the above, I'm pretty sure it's you who is ripping them off in this transaction. (it's probably their natural curiosity- I mean "OMFG! Alien0rz!", right?)

Even if the scientists are working for free, 30k a month means they're pinching pennies when it comes to budgeting their research.  Walk into a lab sometime and tally the value of all the equipment laying around.  I image the X-com scientists are forced to resort to absurd shoe-string measures to stay under budget.  By which I mean they are using their shoe-strings to hold together the crude device they made to run their failure tests on alien alloys.  Once those tests are done, they will need to recycle the shoe strings.

[Skyrage]

Aaaah, X-Com....the urges are coming back once more. Such a frigging awesome game!

And yes, they don't make games like this anymore. Not by a longshot. Should perhaps get it from Steam or GOG now that it's up for sale there...

[Ioric Kittencuddler]

I say get it from GOG.  No DRM, and no extra program in the background.  Plus you can put it on a flash drive and install it wherever you want to.  They've also got a much better community, and Extra goodies!

[Skyrage]

Hmm, GOG didn't have X-Com after all...strange, I thought they did. Ended up getting Seven Kingdoms instead though...

[Sergius]

My only problem so far is how you only seem to be able to see aliens once they start shooting - Half my squad was wiped out by a ghost alien that would exit the spacecraft, shoot, and reenter all in the same turn (I didn't see the door). Maybe they're just really sneaky.

I'm not sure if there's a stat that allows you to see aliens better. However many factors like cover are important (it's very hard to see an alien in the middle of a crop field). Maybe you're engaging too many aliens during the night - when I played I generally always waited until dawn to attack unless I was in a hurry.

The insides of UFOs are generally darker than broad daylight.

[Il Palazzo]

Always try to attack during the day - at night the aliens can see farther than humans. If you really have to fight in the dark, then bring lots of flares.

[Mephansteras]

Flares are key. Also helps to have some people with lots of aps and good throwing skill to get them out where you need them.

[Skyrage]

To be honest you will want to fight in the night, because the aliens are just as limited in the darkness as you are. Throwing flares all around whilst staying in the darkness gives you a hell of an advantage. 1-2 flares per soldier is enough, and all you do is keep picking up and throwing flares when advancing.

[Cajoes]

Flares? What the heck do you think the autocannons are for? Incindiary ammunition, kids. Burn the place to the ground!

But yeah, a few flares would be okay.  Especially when the aliens are standing right below the dropship but you can't see the nuisance until you've stepped out and gotten shot six times...

Fighting Ethereals in night condition is not a option.

[Il Palazzo]

To be honest you will want to fight in the night, because the aliens are just as limited in the darkness as you are.

might be true in ufo1, but not in terror from the deep

[Aqizzar]

For night missions, I just take a lot of explosives, and blow the hell out of anything an alien might be hiding in.  No chances, no prisoners, no mercy, no regret.

As for aliens darting in an out of cover, think about it.  Do you not have your soldiers walk around a corner, shoot at the aliens, then walk back, when you have the opportunity?  It one of the logical shortcomings of a turn-based combat system.  What makes the X-COM AI nasty is that the aliens know how to use it as good as players.  One of the developers actually said that they programmed a strategy into the aliens, that they'll scout forward, spot an agent, then walk back out of sight range and shoot at where they now know the agent still is.  Nasty buggers.

[Mephansteras]

Not to mention that the aliens have a general advantage over you, since they're mostly sitting around waiting for you to show up so they can shoot you. You're the one with the goal, so you're stuck sending people forward knowing that the aliens will often get a chance to shoot before you spot them.

Nothing worse then starting a mission with a couple of aliens standing outside the ship to shoot your guys as they come out. You can lose 3 or 4 guys without even getting a chance to fire back.