Firaxis has promised since last year that XCOM 2’s mod support would be “robust” enough to support player-created co-op play. We asked Team Dragonpunk, a modding team that has long since signaled its intention of creating an XCOM 2 co-op mode, how progress was going since the launch of XCOM 2 and the release of XCOM 2’s sizable mod kit.
“We're going to try Firaxis' way first and release [an XCOM 2 co-op mod] within the month,” said Daniel Connery, founder and funder of Team Dragonpunk .
“Our original plan was to program in native code to ensure lower latency (lag), like Divinity: Original Sin ,” Connery said. “Now that we've had time to review the extensive documentation that came with the XCOM 2 SDK however, there is a much simpler way via scripting by passing the Game State changes (deltas) used by the new MVC architecture Firaxis built for XCOM 2. It's actually the same way XCOM 2 multiplayer currently works right out of the box! So, the main challenge now is implementing it in real-time in the single player tactical game.”
Connery is optimistic the method outlined above will work, but in case it doesn’t, “then we'll go the native code route (which could take months).” But odds seem good that a working XCOM 2 co-op mod will be available by the end of February.
Conneryis unreserved in his praise of XCOM 2 itself. Launch bugs and graphics quality aren’t something that concerns him.
“While strategy games like XCOM simply aren't funded on the same level as Destiny or COD , I'm still constantly impressed with the high production quality that Firaxis achieves,” he said. “Most importantly though, I honestly can't remember the last game in which winning (or losing) carried such emotional weight. So many great games like Titanfall or Order 1886 simply drift away because they fail to captivate the player on an emotional level, yet people are still playing XCOM: Enemy Unknown now 4 years later.”
As far as the XCOM 2 mod kit is concerned, Connery’s praise is more measured. While he appreciates that the kit is “substantial” and considers it an “empowering” tool for developers, Connery points out a few things he feels could be added.
“We’ll need logic flow layouts for in depth programming changes and design documents with color palette and poly count for new 3D art assets,” he says.
Overall, he’s cautiously optimistic with the efforts Firaxis has made to court and inspire modders. “Many studios see modders simply as a great source of free labor, but the mod communities that last do so because the studio continues to invest and support the community,” Connery said. “From everything I've seen, Firaxis is the latter, but only time will tell.”
Connery and Team Dragonpunk, a group of 11 “hobbyists and professionals,” are also working on a titular Dragonpunk mod. Their vision of Dragonpunk promises to bring the draconic cyberpunk of Shadowrun to the dystopian alien war of XCOM 2, including “everything from Dragons to new Species to new Drones.” The project is in honor of Connery’s father, a fan of both games whose recent passing inspired Connery to “make the game my father and I used to daydream about.”
Any other interesting XCOM 2 mods on the horizon? Feel free to leave us a tip in the comments section.
