X-COM THINK TANK (Out of Character Discussion about X-COM and the Series)

[Dragonivon]

You know, with all the people who applied but didn't get a role, I have an idea for those who want to still be involved even if on a more informal basis: What about creating a separate thread where people can make stories from the viewpoint of the ALIENS in a whole bunch of one-shot or perhaps small series stories about some reactions from the other side? Granted, it probably would be a LOT harder to write for but perhaps writing as the Sectoid killed last on a mission, watching a dozen companions picked off by the weak earthlings first, might be a challenge worth taking. Considering that Outsiders are literally psionic antennas both receiving and broadcasting signals, it's not beyond belief that some last minute psionic impressions might be documented on the motherships for later perusal.

Would anyone be interested in perhaps trying something like that to supplement the worldbuilding of the usual character stories from the XCOM side?

 

[Meaningofbread]

I'm thinking about it... I would love to see my head canon for Annette Durand shared with everyone else. I'm not sure, though. I've never played Portent and never gained her as a soldier. I don't really know much about her. I'd hate to start headcanoning for her character and find out later that I've gotten something about her wrong.

You can't get anything wrong! Her character is so blank, and she arrives in such strange circumstances, you can do almost anything with her.

 

[Necrolight132]

Congrats to all who were accepted, I'm considering applying for a engineering role, however i may simply wait until enough people are dead that Christopher accepts some more names. Fingers crossed the first few mission go poorly, jking of course

 

[ACisHere]

You can't get anything wrong! Her character is so blank, and she arrives in such strange circumstances, you can do almost anything with her.

Can you tell me anything about her friends, the ones she's all gung ho to save? I don't know anything about them. Haven't found info on them looking through the wiki yet, either.

 

[Meaningofbread]

Can you tell me anything about her friends, the ones she's all gung ho to save? I don't know anything about them. Haven't found info on them looking through the wiki yet, either.

When it comes to the bottom line, these people are in all intensive purposes, civilian. They have had no prior combat experience before their abduction, and the only thing that you know about these dudes and dudette is that Annette thinks that they are important enough to rescue. Otherwise, you have no idea as to who these people are, so play with it!

 

[Dragonivon]

Can you tell me anything about her friends, the ones she's all gung ho to save? I don't know anything about them. Haven't found info on them looking through the wiki yet, either.

Considering the Furies (they come in with the nicknames of the three furies) can be renamed/reskinned like any normal soldier really there's no 'canon' about them other than a few facts: they were experimented upon, they had a rare psychic power of able to influence multiple people at once that got burned out of them afterwards though they have normal psionic ability regardless, and evidently have SOME military experience as denoted by their rank. Other than that they are blank slates, likely only met in passing by Annette while undergoing testing together.

However... there IS one caveat you would have to watch. Odd will be taking the names from the original 28 (unless we have truly horrific casualties) chosen as soldiers to fill the positions of the Furies for this season. So you might wait to figure out who gets assigned to those roles before building up too much of a world around them. But the impression I got from the cutscenes in game is that they knew each other as prisoners but not a lot else at first.

 

[Meaningofbread]

Considering the Furies (they come in with the nicknames of the three furies) can be renamed/reskinned like any normal soldier really there's no 'canon' about them other than a few facts: they were experimented upon, they had a rare psychic power of able to influence multiple people at once that got burned out of them afterwards though they have normal psionic ability regardless, and evidently have SOME military experience as denoted by their rank. Other than that they are blank slates, likely only met in passing by Annette while undergoing testing together.

However... there IS one caveat you would have to watch. Odd will be taking the names from the original 28 (unless we have truly horrific casualties) chosen as soldiers to fill the positions of the Furies for this season. So you might wait to figure out who gets assigned to those roles before building up too much of a world around them. But the impression I got from the cutscenes in game is that they knew each other as prisoners but not a lot else at first.

It's up interpretation really, so everyone can be right in their own way.

 

[ACisHere]

Considering the Furies (they come in with the nicknames of the three furies) can be renamed/reskinned like any normal soldier really there's no 'canon' about them other than a few facts: they were experimented upon, they had a rare psychic power of able to influence multiple people at once that got burned out of them afterwards though they have normal psionic ability regardless, and evidently have SOME military experience as denoted by their rank. Other than that they are blank slates, likely only met in passing by Annette while undergoing testing together.

However... there IS one caveat you would have to watch. Odd will be taking the names from the original 28 (unless we have truly horrific casualties) chosen as soldiers to fill the positions of the Furies for this season. So you might wait to figure out who gets assigned to those roles before building up too much of a world around them. But the impression I got from the cutscenes in game is that they knew each other as prisoners but not a lot else at first.

Well, that actually makes it a lot easier... I didn't really have anything for them in my headcanon.

 

[Frostlich1228]

You know, with all the people who applied but didn't get a role, I have an idea for those who want to still be involved even if on a more informal basis: What about creating a separate thread where people can make stories from the viewpoint of the ALIENS in a whole bunch of one-shot or perhaps small series stories about some reactions from the other side? Granted, it probably would be a LOT harder to write for but perhaps writing as the Sectoid killed last on a mission, watching a dozen companions picked off by the weak earthlings first, might be a challenge worth taking. Considering that Outsiders are literally psionic antennas both receiving and broadcasting signals, it's not beyond belief that some last minute psionic impressions might be documented on the motherships for later perusal.

Would anyone be interested in perhaps trying something like that to supplement the world building of the usual character stories from the XCOM side?

I would love to Write a story as a Cryssalid Queen, Commanding and controlling my army of bloodthirsty monsters from the Alien Mothership!

 

[Wedgekree]

Whoot! Made it! Thanks everyone for thier support and suggestions and chatter!

And for how you prounounce it I've always used Sec-Sannia Aye-Riss-Ach.

Or just CeeCee, which is what I always used previously.

Let's go bust some ET!

 

[Taxor_the_First]

Am I disappointed that I didn't get in? Hell yeah.
Do I think that I was unfairly treated in any way shape or form?
...
Bitch please. No way. Everyone who got in damn well deserved it. Congratulations, all of you!
Noticed Dragonivon talking about getting in because of no competition. Personally, I think that's because everyone saw yours and went "Nope, can't beat that." You earned it. Don't be all modest and self-derogatory. Quote Joker in ME1: "All those commendations in my file? I earned that." Y'all did fantastic.
Like I've said before and now am saying again; regardless, I am looking forward to this. Good luck out there Odd Squad!
Edit: Post #1111. I am bizarrely proud of that.

 

[Brian]

I would love to Write a story as a Cryssalid Queen, Commanding and controlling my army of bloodthirsty monsters from the Alien Mothership!

That would be damn awesome ha.

 

[Brian]

You know, with all the people who applied but didn't get a role, I have an idea for those who want to still be involved even if on a more informal basis: What about creating a separate thread where people can make stories from the viewpoint of the ALIENS in a whole bunch of one-shot or perhaps small series stories about some reactions from the other side? Granted, it probably would be a LOT harder to write for but perhaps writing as the Sectoid killed last on a mission, watching a dozen companions picked off by the weak earthlings first, might be a challenge worth taking. Considering that Outsiders are literally psionic antennas both receiving and broadcasting signals, it's not beyond belief that some last minute psionic impressions might be documented on the motherships for later perusal.

Would anyone be interested in perhaps trying something like that to supplement the worldbuilding of the usual character stories from the XCOM side?

Actauly,I can imagine it being something like after the war, humans found journal recordings of the aliens and found a way to transfer them to English or some language. I think that would be very interesting. What if X-COM had a mode where you played as the aliens and you could decide where you want to attack That would be pretty bad ass.

 

[Dragonivon]

Actauly,I can imagine it being something like after the war, humans found journal recordings of the aliens and found a way to transfer them to English or some language. I think that would be very interesting. What if X-COM had a mode where you played as the aliens and you could decide where you want to attack That would be pretty bad ass.

Actually there IS a multiplayer mode where you can play as aliens. It might make for a fun change of pace to have CommanderOdd take on somone else in pvp and there could be stories rising from that. Again, just brainstorming here but I think there's a nugget of a good idea in there somewhere. Just depends on how much CommanderOdd wants to do some multiplayer maps and who would get chosen to go against him.

 

[Meaningofbread]

Actually there IS a multiplayer mode where you can play as aliens. It might make for a fun change of pace to have CommanderOdd take on somone else in pvp and there could be stories rising from that. Again, just brainstorming here but I think there's a nugget of a good idea in there somewhere. Just depends on how much CommanderOdd wants to do some multiplayer maps and who would get chosen to go against him.

Oh my lord, that would be amazing. I only play on Classic/Impossible now and I'm too scared to move up a difficulty level. Maybe I played against someone of his skill level, I could learn how to take on Impossible/Ironman without actually having to play it.

 

[Brian]

Actually there IS a multiplayer mode where you can play as aliens. It might make for a fun change of pace to have CommanderOdd take on somone else in pvp and there could be stories rising from that. Again, just brainstorming here but I think there's a nugget of a good idea in there somewhere. Just depends on how much CommanderOdd wants to do some multiplayer maps and who would get chosen to go against him.

I knew there was a multiplayer mode where you could be aliens, but I meant a Single Player mode.

 

[Zain Shah]

You know, with all the people who applied but didn't get a role, I have an idea for those who want to still be involved even if on a more informal basis: What about creating a separate thread where people can make stories from the viewpoint of the ALIENS in a whole bunch of one-shot or perhaps small series stories about some reactions from the other side? Granted, it probably would be a LOT harder to write for but perhaps writing as the Sectoid killed last on a mission, watching a dozen companions picked off by the weak earthlings first, might be a challenge worth taking. Considering that Outsiders are literally psionic antennas both receiving and broadcasting signals, it's not beyond belief that some last minute psionic impressions might be documented on the motherships for later perusal.

Would anyone be interested in perhaps trying something like that to supplement the worldbuilding of the usual character stories from the XCOM side?

Maybe someone would role-play as the uber ethereal. "cough""cough"

But seriously; it would be interesting to dive into the uber ethereal's mind and watch as each alien disappoints you.

 

[too_spooked]

If you think about it, the Ethereals must be pretty pissed off that they have to work with the other alien species. I mean, they're smart as hell, and having aliens not being able to embrace the gift is kind of like how annoying it is when someone doesn't understand something you're trying to explain to them. Though more aggravating for them. And when they found humans, they actually probably believed they were doing good for them, trying to evolve them to become psionic or 'gifted.'

 

[Zain Shah]

Actually, the ethereals don't necessarily have to work with the other aliens but instead command them. You could imagine that the person you're playing against in the single player is the uber ethereal who decides what the other aliens do.

Although, you could see the other aliens as pawns and each time humanity finds a way to kill the new species, the ethereals are forced to up their game eventually leading to them fighting the humans face-to-face.

 

[ChristopherOdd]

When it comes to the bottom line, these people are in all intensive purposes, civilian. They have had no prior combat experience before their abduction, and the only thing that you know about these dudes and dudette is that Annette thinks that they are important enough to rescue. Otherwise, you have no idea as to who these people are, so play with it!

Common grammatical error that people make is saying "intensive purposes." It's actually, for all "intents and purposes."