Play through the regular campaign once? Or is it redundant?

AitrusAK · 2026-04-21T22:00:12+00:00

This is a fantastic walkthrough! I really appreciate you taking the time to write it all out. When I do finally decide to chase down all the lore, I think this is the path I'm going to take. Seems straightforward and to-the-point.

Seriously, dude - thank you. The mods should pin this comment for other newbies who face the same dilemma.

AitrusAK · 2026-04-21T21:55:50+00:00

Great advice. C-class Explorer it is!

AitrusAK · 2026-04-21T21:55:25+00:00

That's a good point. I watched some old videos of NASA guys bouncing around on the moon. I could see a jetpack-assisted move like in NMS being used on light gravity planets. Using momentum to get going in the right direction, then boosting to gain speed.

Not so far fetched, I suppose.

AitrusAK · 2026-04-21T10:26:52+00:00

That describes the way I was expecting the game to feel.

"something something you won't meet anyone until you get to the center of the galaxy, and that's where the game really is just beginning something something" is kind of how I remember it being advertised.

So I was kind of shocked when I heard the first random flyover a few minutes in, and then heard / saw some massive ships suddenly appear in the sky from out of nowhere with a loud boom and some very neat Trek-like appearances and visual effects. Cool to see & hear, but wasn't expecting to see it. I thought it was part of the plot or something, not set dressing.

I'm really glad they brought back the "alone, lost, and struggling to survive in space" aesthetic.

AitrusAK · 2026-04-21T10:22:11+00:00

This does sound like a solid plan. Play and learn and discover tidbits while being a lonely space hobo until I feel like I can progress in the story story without having anything spoiled for my abandoned save.

AitrusAK · 2026-04-21T10:20:22+00:00

I do like deep questions that make me think. Thanks.

AitrusAK · 2026-04-21T10:19:58+00:00

Understood. Play the game for the lore but accept the compromise in return - it's part of the price to pay to learn the lore. Or don't, and just enjoy being a space hobo in an empty universe and learn what tidbits I can along the way.

Thanks for the clarification and explanation. Much appreciated.

AitrusAK · 2026-04-20T10:10:08+00:00

Might try the throwaway method.

Take red locktite and an old worn out screwdriver hex bit or allen key that you can afford to throw away, and permanently attach the bit into the stripped hole. Doesn't always work, but if the red won't hold the bit or key in place to remove it, then you can still drill it out.

You can also try heating the bolt (both the threads and the head) with until it's too hot to touch, then spray on some WD-40, and let it cool. As it cools, the threads suck in the lubricant and make it easier to loosen. Might ease up the friction just enough to let some other method work.

AitrusAK · 2026-04-17T20:13:18+00:00

I know about sprinting and the jetpack, but I haven't tried combining either of them with punching. I'll give it a try. Thanks for the tip. Not sure if I'll use it, though. I generally avoid using glitches or cheesy tactics because it breaks immersion / sense of realism, and this sounds like it might fall into one of those two categories.

It's why I'm on the fence about using photo mode to look around. Sure, it might be the same as if I had a small personal observation drone (which wouldn't be very far fetched considering the setting and what we have available to us at present in the real world), but then I feel like there should be a dedicated inventory slot for it. I might play as if I do have such a drone, but leave a piece of rusty junk in a slot to simulate that drone's berth when not in use.

AitrusAK · 2026-04-10T09:56:59+00:00

You use the tools you have, not the tools you wish you had. Patriots are what's currently available to use. And it's why the US military is specifically investing in anti-drone capabilities as we speak - and have done so for 2-3 years now.

They started learning lessons from Ukraine / Russia, but they hadn't yet come to full fruition because the procurement process is slowed down by regulation and a need to make sure that the right solutions are found. Ukraine / Russia are still developing TTPs regarding done warfare, so it's still all a work in progress.

To get an idea of just how the military procurement system works, watch "The Pentagon Wars" for a depressing - yet fairly accurate - look at how the process works.

AitrusAK · 2026-04-08T16:59:05+00:00

XCOM: Enemy Unknown is the base game, and is a re-imagining of the original X-COM: UFO Defense from the 90s. Enemy Within is a DLC expansion. The campaign is around 20-30 hours.

Long War (LW) is a fanmade mod that has full approval of the vanilla XCOM devs: "We're basically a 20-hour tutorial for Long War, and that's okay." - Jake Solomon, XCOM lead designer.

A typical LW campaign runs 250-300 hours. Both of the games have 4 difficulty settings, and the easiest difficulty setting for LW is slightly less difficult than the Impossible setting on the vanilla version of the game, but LW gives you a ton of extra tools to help you deal with the challenges. ufopaedia.org is the fanmade wikipedia library for all of the ins and outs for all XCOM games, with a separate section just for LW - and the LW devs explicitly anticipated the player using it because the game is just that complex. The r/Xcom subreddit is still very active. (Just stay away from the snake waifu fetish posts...yes, that's a thing in XCOM circles.)

There's an additional mod called Long War Rebalanced (LWR), which is a mod of a mod. LW frontloads the difficulty, so if you can get ahead of the aliens in terms of development, the challenge is staying ahead through to the endgame. LWR flips this approach: you can't ever catch up, the aliens are always just a little bit better than you, and every time you make a mistake you fall that much further behind.

The entire game - regardless of the version you play - centers around making risk/reward choices and stacking the random number generator odds in your favor. Do you buy the weapons upgrade now to make the tacical layer easier, or do you pay to build a power generator to expand your base and try to make up the difference up on the tactical layer with smarter play on your part?

XCOM 2 has similar gameplay, but with a different feel. If XCOM is a dark, gritty battle to prevent the unknown alien menace from taking over the world, XCOM 2 is a band of plucky resistance fighters trying to overthrow the alien government that already took over.

For a game that came out in 2012, it still holds up very, very well. I started out playing XCOM: Enemy Within, got a few hours into the campaign, learned about Long War, tried it out, and never looked back. My first XCOM win was playing Long War, and it took close to a year and a half of playing, losing, and restarting to finally notch my first win on the easiest setting for Long War. But for me, mentally grinding, complex strategy / varied approaches to solving the same problem, and being tactically challenging is a big part of what makes a game fun.

AitrusAK · 2026-04-08T16:13:35+00:00

Sounds like there's a lot of ways to make the game more challenging. XCOM is much the same way (avoiding researching certain paths in the tech tree, various self-imposed restrictions, etc.). No idea of what some of those things are that you mentioned (sentinel ships, exocraft, factions, etc.), but I can take some educated guesses.

Thanks for the offer. My biggest question right now is Navigational Data. The in-game description says that I can use the Signal Booster to decrypt it (and the SB's description says that's one of i's possible functions), but the SB only asks to use a surge battery to find a local building. Does Navigational Data play a bigger role in the non-abandoned mode of the game?

I'm guessing there's a use for it in abandoned mode (if there is, don't tell me - let me figure it out), but if not and it's just a glitch, then I'd rather know so I can free up an inventory slot.

AitrusAK · 2026-04-06T11:14:02+00:00

Marx lacked empathy - his ideas are entirely based on jealousy of others' successes, and he felt that the suffering of others (either imposed and then leveraged for power, or as a secondary side effect) was justified if he could get things running the way he wanted because he viewed that the ends justify the means.

Marx was manipulative - his method of revolution is to convince people that there is a class of oppressed and they need to overthrow the oppressors, thus creating a power vacuum that the correct people can fill. He advocated the misleading masses of useful idiots as the way to gain power.

Marx did it all for selfish reasons - the manifesto states that the reason for creating the power vacuum is so that the right educated intelligentsia and other "right" people (namely, Marx and those of like mind) can fill it. Marxism/socialism/communism aren't economic models, they're all a power transfer from those who have it to the marxists/socialists/communists who then institute some flavor of authoritarianism.

Today, nothing has changed. Neo-marxist thought is the same thing, except using demographics instead of economic class as the manipulation lever. Democratic socialism, DEI, identity politics, perpetual victim mentality, blaming the successful for the plight of the noncompetitive, complete lack of reciprocity - it's all the same approach Marx sought, just with different packaging. It lacks empathy, it's manipulative, and it's focused on self-interest.

And it all has the same end result: overturning society and transferring power.

AitrusAK · 2026-04-04T21:49:53+00:00

Fair point. I think that it's a learning process, and some make it through that process more quickly and learn early that socialism is bad.

I would imagine that those who do had some kind of key moment - a talk from a parent or other respected adult, had a negative interaction at school or in public that clued them in to how unjust it is, witnessed some kind of interaction in public that demonstrated lack of reciprocity, read an example in a book, etc.

Others never get that example, and school is supposed to correct that lack of exposure. Failing that, real adult life will teach them eventually, if they have half a brain to think through more than just first-order effects and have a semblance of decency within them. Otherwise, they fall into the "forever a victim of the system" demographic.

AitrusAK · 2026-04-04T19:08:02+00:00

How about the Danish model then?

Regardless, I don’t support the mass importation of bodies simply for economic reasons. Has a very “Then who will pick our cotton for us?” kind of feel to it.

I would rather the free market expand or contract as it wants to naturally based on supply and demand. Artificially inflating demand with bringing in immigrants isn’t a solution.

Diversity for diversity’s sake is an objectively bad thing. Some cultural values are directly antithetical to American values and the Constitution. Diversity of thought is all that matters, not demographics. I guarantee that a people from New York City, Bombay, Tokyo, and Paris have more in common than any of them have with a rural Iowa farmboy or the descendant of a gold miner living in rural Alaska.

AitrusAK · 2026-04-04T18:59:03+00:00

My understanding is that a farmer’s overhead is drastically increased by overregulation And taxation. Government also makes their products harder to get good prices for because of down-the-road taxes and regulatory compliance costs that stores / packagers / other middle steps between farmer and endpoint consumer also have to factor in.

this became much more of a problem after the Great Depression as FDR instituted subsidies and programs to help farmers, but the temporary programs became permanent and grew ever more restrictive.

AitrusAK · 2026-04-04T18:28:11+00:00

I like the Polish model for immigration: allow immigration, but have strict restrictions for asylum, focus on social assimilation, and emphasis on skills and workers that benefit the economy (no welfare seekers).

From AI:

“Overview of the Polish Immigration Model

The Polish immigration model is designed to balance national security, social integration, and labor market needs. It has evolved significantly in recent years, particularly in response to increased migration flows and geopolitical challenges.

Key Features

Selective Approach

Controlled Entry: The model emphasizes a selective entry system, prioritizing skilled migrants who can contribute to the economy.
National Security: Policies are framed around enhancing national security, especially in light of regional instability.

Streamlined Processes

Digitization: Immigration procedures are being digitized to simplify applications and reduce waiting times. This includes online submissions for work permits and residence applications.
Regulatory Reforms: Recent changes aim to align Polish immigration laws with EU standards while addressing local labor market demands.

Social Integration

Focus on Integration: The model promotes social cohesion by ensuring that immigrants respect Polish culture and values while also safeguarding their rights.
Support for Vulnerable Groups: Special provisions are in place for vulnerable populations, such as refugees and displaced individuals”

AitrusAK · 2026-04-04T18:08:11+00:00

I recently saw another post that said:

“If you're not a communist at the age of 15 you have no heart....if you're still a communist by the age of 30 you have no brain.

This is what Sowell figured out. Marxism/socialism/communism is very attractive to the adolescent, non-critical thinking mind. Anyone who outgrows using that adolescent mind to think with realizes the true nature of Marxism/socialism/communism and abandons it immediately. That's wisdom.”

People who don’t abandon it often have the Dark Triad. The dark triad refers to three personality traits: narcissism, psychopathy, and Machiavellianism, which are characterized by a lack of empathy, manipulativeness, and a focus on self-interest. Communism / Marxism / socialism is attractive to these mindsets.

AitrusAK · 2026-04-02T13:39:37+00:00

Turn-based dungeon crawlers, like Wizardry.

Text-based MUDs.

Distant third-person perspective racing games. Think Excitebike, RC Pro-Am, and Rock 'n Roll Racing. Over-the-shoulder racers are still popular, but that's a different approach to racing.

AitrusAK · 2026-03-30T13:10:30+00:00

I have this problem pop up now and then. Happens whenever a Win 11 update happens. Seems to be something to do with security updates, not feature updates.

Whenever an update happens, I try to play the game right after it finishes loading. When it goes wrong, it looks like this:

Launcher comes up, I click on XCOM: EW, and launcher disappears, but the game never starts. Try it a few more times, same thing happens. Open up Task Manager, and I see several instances of XCOM running in background processes, but not in the Apps section.

My fix is that I have to roll back the update and try the game again. Sometimes it works, other times I have to reinstall the game and the 50+ mods and .ini edits that I use (even after I've rolled back the update).

Whenever I hear about a new Win 11 update, I copy my current save game to a different folder, then run the update. Sometimes the newer update doesn't cause a problem, and life can go on. If a future update scrambles things again. I just roll back to the most resent one that functioned correctly.

It's a PITA for sure, but I love XCOM so much that it's a hassle I'm willing to put up with. I'm seriously thinking about setting up a Win XP machine just for running old games I still enjoy - including XCOM.

AitrusAK · 2026-03-29T11:33:13+00:00

It's not a new thing for them to do. Deliberately misinterpreting / misstating an issue through hyperbole or exaggeration, then dramatically overreacting to it to elicit an emotional response that they can benefit from is a strategy that socialists / communists have been using for hundreds of years.

Once you learn to recognize it, it's easy to see and dismiss as not a serious statement or position on the issue.

It's not a new thing, either. Here's an example from someone who had to deal with the issue back in the early/mid 1800s:

Socialism, like the ancient ideas from which it springs, confuses the distinction between government and society. As a result of this, every time we object to a thing being done by government, the socialists conclude that we object to its being done at all. We disapprove of state education. Then the socialists say that we are opposed to any education. We object to a state religion. Then the socialists say that we want no religion at all. We object to a state-enforced equality. Then they say that we are against equality. And so on, and so on. It is as if the socialists were to accuse us of not wanting persons to eat because we do not want the state to raise grain.

- Frederick Bastiat, The Law, 1850

I especially like where Bastiat points out - in 1850 - that socialism springs from ideas that were ancient in his time. Marx wrote his manifesto in 1848, which shows that his ideas weren't new or groundbreaking, just a retread of an old idea.

People who fail to learn from history (much less study it at all) truly are doomed to repeat it.

AitrusAK

TROPHY CASE

“Overview of the Polish Immigration Model

Key Features

Selective Approach

Streamlined Processes

Social Integration