I've always wanted to be in an XCOM roleplay, or heck, go out of my way to even run one. I've been in one before, long before the fall of the old guild, but it never worked out right from the beginning.

I have some very good ideas as to how it might work out, and how it might not. For one thing, the reason why the first XCOM roleplay I joined failed was because of overcomplication - basically, it has huge systems dedicated to numerous functions, and it's a nation roleplay with one player taking charge of one base. That way, it's also impersonal, with no connection between player and character.

A second XCOM roleplay I was in failed simply because people started quitting during the first mission. 'Nuff said. I guess something must be done so that only the most dedicated player will get in, or at least, the RP needs to be able to lose even half its players without dying.

One thing that seems to work though would be to build on what is given to us by the games. We shouldn't simply copy everything from the game, but improve on it. In my second RP of XCOM, what happened was that the scale of XCOM was raised realistically, with two to three dropships going in at once and not a squad going into battle, but up to 3 or 4. Furthermore, the stakes and difficulty in relation to the games were raised, and the overall atmosphere made quite realistic (aka What would happen if aliens really invaded a few years later from now). Therefore, expect things to be extremely different from the games. Any of them.

Like in the first RP though, the second RP suffered from having huge systems that pretty much killed the GM on the inside, so that's a big no-no.

Moving on... With the proliferation of XCOM spiritual successors, there's plenty of general settings we could choose from, say:
- 60s (As in The Bureau. Not recommended)
- '79 Cold War (As in Xenonauts. Could be interesting)
- Contemporary (To an extent, like in the originals, though everything should be modernised and made realistic. But I much prefer...)
- Near Future (As in the famous Firaxis XCOM: Enemy Unknown. Around 2020, with slight advances in technology and political changes going on)
- Apocalyptic Near Future (As in UFO: Aftermath. Not recommended)
- Far Future (As in UFO: Apocalypse and UFO: Afterlight. Not my cup of tea)

Then of course, there's how the RP ought to be RP'ed. As playing as commanders running entire bases didn't seem to work out, here's the other alternatives...
- Combat heavy (Focusing mostly on the battles. If this is it then I'm not getting into that RP)
- Character-driven (This seems to work best for me. Also, character-driven RPs tend to be the most interesting and longest lasting. Equal amounts of time will be spent on characters interacting with each other, NPCs and the world.)
- 'Nation' (A little too cold, clinical, impersonal and hard to pull off in my opinion. A flat NO)

And lastly, how the RP should start. We could consider...
- Starting immediately in XCOM HQ, be it in times of relative peace or just before the first battle.
- Starting together in some multi-national training exercise before being attacked (though this part is not necessary) then swiftly recruited by XCOM.
- Starting before being recruited and before any action happened.
- Or heck, starting in the middle of it all, with things already developing and all RPers coming in at the bottom rung of the soldier ladder and having the need to work their way up.

What do you guys think? Anyone willing to start an XCOM RP? Or should I give GMing a go?

Definitely interested in this, whether someone else is GM-ing or I am. For what it's worth, I personally would go for the following as my choices:





And I'd definitely include Enemy Within content, because who doesn't love cyborgs and supersoldiers?

Definitely, the contents of enemy within would make for some interesting elements. How could I miss that? Thanks for the heads up!

Any other suggestions?

Given the kind of environment the Xcom world is though, character development is going to get interesting, considering the implications of so many life-changing events and discoveries going on...

That said, I believe that a combat heavy Xcom roleplay would still be wasted potential, as Xcom has always been about the story as much as it is about the gameplay- and what is interesting is that the game has always allowed us to write our own stories, and I'm sure plenty of fan fiction writers did just that.

Terror from the deep

With researcher bug

Let's do this

Also given how much of a meat grinder this game can be are we gonna do like some sort of lethal battle system where we will control a bunch of inept rookies?

Lol... It'd be far more than that. I'd say we could have a main character with other characters if you could handle it. We'd have a ton of NPCs who may or may not be in the RP on the long term, who may or may not be important.

Inept rookies probably won't exist. There'd really be the best of the best in Xcom, but inexperienced against aliens predictably...

Furthermore, it would be some time before this starts as I prefer to get the system right before I begin. Also, it will likely be an advance RP, though I don't really like categorising things, so the end result might have traits of both casual and advance RPs.

Darkraven said That said, I believe that a combat heavy Xcom roleplay would still be wasted potential, as Xcom has always been about the story as much as it is about the gameplay- and what is interesting is that the game has always allowed us to write our own stories, and I'm sure plenty of fan fiction writers did just that.

I agree with all of this. I can't count the number of times I come up with complete personalities, interactions and offscreen shenanigans between my soldiers.

As for fan fiction, I've looked for those, and the number of XCOM ones is surprisingly small, unfortunately.

Darkraven said
Lol... It'd be far more than that. I'd say we could have a main character with other characters if you could handle it. .Inept rookies probably won't exist.

Dibs on the psychic sniper.

Darkraven said We'd have a ton of NPCs who may or may not be in the RP on the long term, who may or may not be important

Once again, dibs on the genetic modification specialist.

I'd vote for:

Near Future
Character Driven
Any other than before recruitment

Also how much are going to follow things like classes for characters? For example do we need to identify as a Sniper, Support, Heavy or Assault?
If so, are we allowed to base it off the expanded 8 classes from the Long War mod instead?

Alright. I have an idea. Since there's some demand for a combat heavy Xcom roleplay, yet a character driven RP is the natural path for it, we could have the best of both worlds by swinging between them as the situation calls. The two different modes of RP could also draw elements from each other. I mean, who's to say that character development can't happen during combat? And that combat or dangerous things may not happen during the more restive and quiet periods in base? :)

Also, chances are, we'll be following real world classes than the kind set in the games, but I'm sure the real world will have plenty of analogies to the game classes. Plus, who's to say that there won't be an informal class system amongst the ranks? Or that some form of culture won't emerge at base?

Heh :)

So long as I get to kill lobster men with a massive drill that's called a lance I don't care

I could definatly get into this.

I am relatively fresh to the xcom world- enemy unknown being my only personal experience- but i have to admit to having created backstories and personalities for my squad on many an occasion, even going so far as to have their personalities impact how I played them as I immersed myself in the conflicts xD

Character driven and combat oriented can indeed go hand in hand; detailing our character's lives as they relax at HQ- just to suddenly be whisked away to an abduction/assault at a moment's notice!

As for setting- my only personal experience would be 'enemy unknown', so 'near future' is an admirable outcome- but I'm fine with researching any necessary information should the need arise.

As for starting point- my personal preference Always leads to as far before a key conflict as possible; Recruitment/training. It allows for adequete character development whilst allowing for the suddeness of an alien invasion to spur on further development and changes-- however, it is understandable if many wish to skip this. I have no single preferance for this, but if i had to place a vote it'd be 'at xcom before any major event' just for the sake of skipping possibly tedious (for others) recruitment/training situations.

Naturally, i'd be fine with whatever is decided- but that's just my little perspective

Thanks for the support, guys.

So basically, we have a rather mixed consensus on every aspect of the roleplay. Therefore, for every aspect of the roleplay, I will have to compromise. With more recent feedbacks, I guess I will also have to compromise on when the RP actually starts. Basically, some of you wanted it to be before the events start while others wanted after. One of you prefers not to waste time on recruitment/training - but really, no worries on that front, as there won't be a training phase, considering that the ranks of XCOM would be drawn from the best and brightest in the world.

In other words, I guess the RP will start in the XCOM base itself, and before the invasion happens. Basically, my idea is that XCOM would begin as a token organisation devised by the UN to unite the nations under the pretense of concern over the increased number of UFO sightings, incidents (though nothing deadly) and official sources. The base would barely be functional, soldiers and military presence would be next to nothing and the general mood would actually be cheerful and/or feeling absurd over the UN and the world being hysterical over a bunch of lights in the sky. Heck, I don't think it'd even be called XCOM at first since a war with aliens isn't expected.

Hmm... Next thing to talk about would be the range of characters we'd be creating. Here are the possibilities I think would do well...
- Only the best of the best, the most experienced and combat hardened soldiers will get to join XCOM. (Not recommended, as it limits character possibilities)
- The above, plus soldiers who are good on paper. So even top recruits and freshly graduated officers could be drafted. Furthermore, soldiers recommended one way or another (even if they are not necessarily the best of the best). (I think this is the best compromise)
- Anything goes. (Not recommended, as this will pretty much throw realism out the window even if it offers complete freedom. Also, I don't like the idea of expendable troops.)

I think the middle option there is best.

I also agree with the middle option, when you're fighting against an alien force against all of earth it makes sense your sending most of your manpower at it, but giving specific focus to the best soldiers among them.

Agreed; middle option allows variety whilst keeping realism in tact.

I am very interested, seeing as I have been interested in X-com for a loooong time.

However, the only experience I have of it is through youtube playthroughs, so I haven't really played it at all. Though, I am downloading Xcom Enemy Unknown on steam, currently.

Anyways, middle option sounds best.

Excellent, the very first universal opinion. Everything is going according to plan... :)

I'm glad that you're playing that game, Derpestein. You won't regret it, unless you lost your job because of it.

Anyway, another concern I have is how combat will work. It's not as straightforward as it seems, because I'm sure you guys know that combat with aliens can be extremely... Invasive :D Here's a few ideas, but it would be great if I could get some from you guys too:
- Player gets to act, but cannot decide the results. Aliens will act, and players cannot decide the results. (This is to follow in the spirit of Xcom, in which players must take what they are given, and suffer the pain of anxiety as they wait for aliens to appear in the horizon and fire a barrage of plasma at them. Especially in Iron-man mode)
- Players get to act and decide the results, while the aliens get the same privilege. (Not recommended, as this is not chess. I fear that it might just become a series of escalating ego contest)
- Players get to decide everything. (No, just no. There's no thrill in knowing everything :D)

What do you guys think?

I think simply so some players are able to RP a bit when the GM isn't present it's best to go option 2.

Darkraven said I'm glad that you're playing that game, Derpestein. You won't regret it.

Unless if he plays Ironman the first time. :P

Go ahead and call me a machochist. I won't give a damn about ironman until my...Squadsight sniper 'Nips McGee'...Gets KIA...

*cries*

I choose number one. Two and three seem...Too player controlled. What's the fun when there's not much risk?

Darkraven said
Excellent, the very first universal opinion. Everything is going according to plan... :)I'm glad that you're playing that game, Derpestein. You won't regret it, unless you lost your job because of it.

...

I'm looking forward to this XCOM RP too. As for combat options, option 1 unless no Co-GM or GM is present, then go with option 2.