Episode #15: Tactics, Company of Heroes & XCOM

 

Contact Information

Jon Shafer – @JonShaferDesign, www.JonShaferOnDesign.com, Jon.Shafer@ConiferGames.com
Dirk Knemeyer – @DKnemeyer

 

Episode Outline

• 0:01:35 – Housekeeping

• 0:02:15 – Company of Heroes
• 0:07:50 – Realism & Randomness
• 0:27:05 – Best and Worst Design Elements

• 0:40:50 – XCOM
• 0:54:40 – Tactical Combat
• 0:59:00 – Structure, Freedom & Discrete Decisions

Episode Outline (Detailed)

• 0:01:35 – Housekeeping

• 0:02:15 – Company of Heroes
• 0:04:10 – What Makes CoH So Great?
• 0:07:50 – Is CoH Realistic?
• 0:10:35 – Randomness VS Control

• 0:16:45 – Mini-Goals in Tactical Games
• 0:20:10 – Is the Power Curve Broken?
• 0:23:45 – Factions in CoH
• 0:25:15 – Techs in CoH

• 0:27:05 – What Are CoH’s Best Design Elements?
• 0:29:25 – Beta Testing isn’t Fun
• 0:32:35 – Was CoH “Overbalanced?”
• 0:36:40 – Bad Design in CoH

• 0:40:50 – XCOM
• 0:43:25 – The Player’s Role
• 0:45:55 – Connecting With Your Squad
• 0:50:40 – User Interface Problems

• 0:54:40 – Tactical Combat in XCOM
• 0:59:00 – Structure VS Freedom
• 1:03:10 – Discrete Decisions
• 1:05:00 – Real-Time VS Turn-Based

 

Digital Games

• Company of Heroes (Relic)
• XCOM: Enemy Unknown (Firaxis)