Joystiq http://www.joystiq.com Joystiq http://www.blogsmithmedia.com/http://www.joystiq.com/media/feedlogo.gif Joystiq http://www.joystiq.com en-us Copyright 2013 Weblogs, Inc. The contents of this feed are available for non-commercial use only. Blogsmith http://www.blogsmith.com/<![CDATA[XCOM lead designer goes undercover to sell his game]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2012/10/03/xcom-lead-designer-goes-undercover-to-sell-his-game/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/10/03/xcom-lead-designer-goes-undercover-to-sell-his-game/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/10/03/xcom-lead-designer-goes-undercover-to-sell-his-game/#comments

The crew at Firaxis is pretty passionate about XCOM: Enemy Unknown, few more so than lead designer Jake Solomon, who went to a local shop to pitch the upcoming game to customers. In his own special way, he tries to get customers to give the game a shot come launch day.

If you appreciate Solomon hamming it up, be sure to give our Gamescom podcast a listen, where he joins us as a guest with XCOM producer and designer Garth DeAngelis. They eventually get around to talking about XCOM, but it's a fun and bizarre journey before we get to that point. XCOM: Enemy Unknown will begin abducting your time October 9.

JoystiqXCOM lead designer goes undercover to sell his game originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 03 Oct 2012 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>2k-gamesfiraxisJake-Solomonmicrosoftpcplaystationps3xboxxcom-enemy-unknownWed, 03 Oct 2012 18:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Sid Meier joins XCOM in new video, first PC screens revealed, digital pre-sales open]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2012/09/07/sid-meier-joins-xcom-in-new-video-first-pc-screens-revealed/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/09/07/sid-meier-joins-xcom-in-new-video-first-pc-screens-revealed/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/09/07/sid-meier-joins-xcom-in-new-video-first-pc-screens-revealed/#comments
Alongside the announcement of Steam pre-sales for XCOM: Enemy Unknown, 2K has released a gameplay walkthrough narrated by lead designer Jake Solomon. Things don't start out looking very good for humanity ... until Sid Meier's psionic powers turn the table, that is.

In addition to the new video, we also have the first screens of Enemy Unknown's PC version. Apart from the obvious point-and-click differences, the PC version also features a traditional grid system, which should be familiar to fans of the series.

Finally, 2K has announced that digital pre-orders for Enemy Unknown are now open. In addition to Steam's pre-order promotion that Valve revealed yesterday, the downloadable version of the game is available from other outlets as well, including GameStop and Amazon. As with its retail counterpart, pre-orders of the digital version include the "Elite Soldier Pack," which features the original X-COM flat-top hairstyle, among other soldier customization options.

Gallery: XCOM: Enemy Unknown (PC Interface)

Continue reading Sid Meier joins XCOM in new video, first PC screens revealed, digital pre-sales open

JoystiqSid Meier joins XCOM in new video, first PC screens revealed, digital pre-sales open originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 07 Sep 2012 08:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>2k-gamesfiraxisJake-Solomonmicrosoftpcplaystationps3xboxxcom-enemy-unknownFri, 07 Sep 2012 08:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Here, watch this hour of XCOM gameplay]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2012/08/28/here-watch-this-hour-of-xcom-gameplay/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/08/28/here-watch-this-hour-of-xcom-gameplay/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/08/28/here-watch-this-hour-of-xcom-gameplay/#comments
Were you looking to watch an overabundance of new XCOM footage? 2K Games and Firaxis are sure hoping so, as the two companies took to Twitch.tv yesterday afternoon for just that - an entire hour of XCOM: Enemy Unknown hosted by Firaxis' Jake Solomon and Garth DeAngelis.

What's that? You want even more XCOM coverage? We've got this handy, international-flavored podcast with the aforementioned Firaxis devs right here. You can almost taste the Gaffel Kölsch!

JoystiqHere, watch this hour of XCOM gameplay originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 28 Aug 2012 11:20:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>2k2k-gamesfiraxisfiraxis-gamesgameplaygarth-deangelisjake-solomonlivestreammicrosoftpcplaystationps3streamtake-twotake-two-interactivetwitch.tvxboxxcom-enemy-unknownTue, 28 Aug 2012 11:20:00 EST<![CDATA[Exploring the unknown parts of XCOM: Enemy Unknown]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2012/07/30/exploring-the-unknown-parts-of-xcom-enemy-unknown/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/07/30/exploring-the-unknown-parts-of-xcom-enemy-unknown/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/07/30/exploring-the-unknown-parts-of-xcom-enemy-unknown/#comments Speaking with XCOM: Enemy Unknown producer Garth DeAngelis earlier this year, I managed to unearth a little information that had been (appropriately) unknown about the game at the time. Specifically, I learned that aerial combat is returning in Enemy Unknown. Dogfighting alien aircraft played a huge role in the original X-COM, a game that developer Firaxis is trying very hard to live up to.

But what other secrets are housed within Enemy Unknown? We've been privy to plenty of information when it comes to ground combat and tactics. Make no mistake, that's the meat of the XCOM experience, but the core gameplay of outwitting alien combatants is all supported by the structure of scientific research and aerial combat.

To uncover more pieces of Enemy Unknown's intricate design puzzle, DeAngelis has returned alongside designer Jake Solomon to exclusively explain to Joystiq about gunning down UFOs, scouring its wreckage, and turning its alien tech back against the invaders.

Gallery: XCOM: Enemy Unknown (UFO Combat and Research)

Continue reading Exploring the unknown parts of XCOM: Enemy Unknown

JoystiqExploring the unknown parts of XCOM: Enemy Unknown originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 30 Jul 2012 13:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>2k2k-gamesfiraxisgarth-deangelisjake-solomonmicrosoftpcplaystationps3xboxxcom-enemy-unknownMon, 30 Jul 2012 13:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Sid Meier indirectly involved in XCOM: Enemy Unknown]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2012/03/01/sid-meier-indirectly-involved-in-xcom-enemy-unknown/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/03/01/sid-meier-indirectly-involved-in-xcom-enemy-unknown/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/03/01/sid-meier-indirectly-involved-in-xcom-enemy-unknown/#comments XCOM: Enemy Unknown's lead designer Jake Solomon may be part of a conspiracy at Firaxis that finds studio head Sid Meier experimenting on employees. Asked by PC Gamer if the legendary creator of the Civilization series is involved in the development of XCOM, Solomon noted he and Meier interact on an almost daily basis.

"I say 'Look, I have this problem. What do you think I should do?' and he's a very gifted designer. He can look at a situation and he can say 'have you tried this?' And I'll be like, 'oh, that's really good.' I claim all the credit for it, but I rely on him so much," Solomon said, before saying too much. "I'm now to the point where I can basically hear his voice in my head, which is probably not healthy. He tells me to hurt people. [laughs]"

Fight the chip inside your head, Solomon! We believe in you.

JoystiqSid Meier indirectly involved in XCOM: Enemy Unknown originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 01 Mar 2012 13:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>FiraxisJake-Solomonmicrosoftpcplaystationps3sid-meierxboxxcom-enemy-unknownThu, 01 Mar 2012 13:00:00 EST