Doom Counter/time limit

[Martha Pepper]

Hi, whenever I search about this subject there are no straight answers (probably because it hasn't released yet!) buuuut, does anyone know if there an overall time limit to the game?

As in when I reach a certain amount of days in-game, will the game give me a message saying that I have a certain amount of time left to reach the end point otherwise It's automatically game over?

[DaviddesJ]

I don't think anyone knows and the Early Access game may not even have the ending? At least, I haven't played that far in the beta. The game does say that you lose if two regions are conquered, so it may get harder and harder to fend that off, to the point that if you don't win before some data you effectively will lose, but it may not be a fixed date but more a result of you fighting off the "exponentially increasing" alien threat.

[Martha Pepper]

Originally posted by DaviddesJ:

I don't think anyone knows and the Early Access game may not even have the ending? At least, I haven't played that far in the beta. The game does say that you lose if two regions are conquered, so it may get harder and harder to fend that off, to the point that if you don't win before some data you effectively will lose, but it may not be a fixed date but more a result of you fighting off the "exponentially increasing" alien threat.

Gotcha, losing due to the exponentially increasing alien threat makes sense, in that after a certain point it will just be impossible to win. I guess we'll just have to wait and see! Thanks for the reply anyway DaviddesJ :)

[Ozone]

So, there's no set time limit to the game, as in a specific number of in-game days when the game would end automatically. Instead, it has something called a "Terror counter." Each country has one and if you lose two countries, that's game over.

Alien activities cause this "Terror counter" to go up. You can help slow it down by completing certain missions which lower this counter by 10 points all around the world.

In my own beta gameplay (from the June/July update), I was pretty good at fending off the aliens. Because of that, the "Terror counters" didn't go up much at all. This means if you're effective in the game, you could potentially avoid losing countries indefinitely.

So, in short, there's no fixed time limit, but the game's progression is influenced by this "Terror counter," which you can manage to a certain extent through your strategic actions.

Of course, all this can change during Early Access; so take it with a pinch of salt.

[Martha Pepper]

Originally posted by Ozone:

So, there's no set time limit to the game, as in a specific number of in-game days when the game would end automatically. Instead, it has something called a "Terror counter." Each country has one and if you lose two countries, that's game over.

Alien activities cause this "Terror counter" to go up. You can help slow it down by completing certain missions which lower this counter by 10 points all around the world.

In my own beta gameplay (from the June/July update), I was pretty good at fending off the aliens. Because of that, the "Terror counters" didn't go up much at all. This means if you're effective in the game, you could potentially avoid losing countries indefinitely.

So, in short, there's no fixed time limit, but the game's progression is influenced by this "Terror counter," which you can manage to a certain extent through your strategic actions.

Of course, all this can change during Early Access; so take it with a pinch of salt.

That definitely sounds like something you can at least have some control over just by virtue of being decent at the game ;) Thanks for the detailed explanation, much appreciated <3

[Goldhawk]

Originally posted by Martha Pepper:

Hi, whenever I search about this subject there are no straight answers (probably because it hasn't released yet!) buuuut, does anyone know if there an overall time limit to the game?

As in when I reach a certain amount of days in-game, will the game give me a message saying that I have a certain amount of time left to reach the end point otherwise It's automatically game over?

This is a good question. In the final game, the game will have a "doom counter" in the sense that the aliens have an orbital superweapon that will slowly raise panic once you get towards the end of the campaign (although good players will be able to survive this longer than less skilled ones).

However, we quite a few people just don't like the idea of doom counters at all - and that's fine. There'll be an option to reduce or disable the effect when you create a campaign, so people can play the game however they want.

[Sunday Driver]

Originally posted by Goldhawk:

Originally posted by Martha Pepper:

Hi, whenever I search about this subject there are no straight answers (probably because it hasn't released yet!) buuuut, does anyone know if there an overall time limit to the game?

As in when I reach a certain amount of days in-game, will the game give me a message saying that I have a certain amount of time left to reach the end point otherwise It's automatically game over?

This is a good question. In the final game, the game will have a "doom counter" in the sense that the aliens have an orbital superweapon that will slowly raise panic once you get towards the end of the campaign (although good players will be able to survive this longer than less skilled ones).

However, we quite a few people just don't like the idea of doom counters at all - and that's fine. There'll be an option to reduce or disable the effect when you create a campaign, so people can play the game however they want.

Perfect!

[ShAtTeR DrEaMz]

Originally posted by Goldhawk:

Originally posted by Martha Pepper:

Hi, whenever I search about this subject there are no straight answers (probably because it hasn't released yet!) buuuut, does anyone know if there an overall time limit to the game?

As in when I reach a certain amount of days in-game, will the game give me a message saying that I have a certain amount of time left to reach the end point otherwise It's automatically game over?

This is a good question. In the final game, the game will have a "doom counter" in the sense that the aliens have an orbital superweapon that will slowly raise panic once you get towards the end of the campaign (although good players will be able to survive this longer than less skilled ones).

However, we quite a few people just don't like the idea of doom counters at all - and that's fine. There'll be an option to reduce or disable the effect when you create a campaign, so people can play the game however they want.

IMO, DOOM counters are stupid. I applaud the fact you can turn it off, frankly...these games are so difficult you dont need to add another log into the fire...its hot enough.

[MissingTarget]

Originally posted by Goldhawk:

Originally posted by Martha Pepper:

Hi, whenever I search about this subject there are no straight answers (probably because it hasn't released yet!) buuuut, does anyone know if there an overall time limit to the game?

As in when I reach a certain amount of days in-game, will the game give me a message saying that I have a certain amount of time left to reach the end point otherwise It's automatically game over?

This is a good question. In the final game, the game will have a "doom counter" in the sense that the aliens have an orbital superweapon that will slowly raise panic once you get towards the end of the campaign (although good players will be able to survive this longer than less skilled ones).

However, we quite a few people just don't like the idea of doom counters at all - and that's fine. There'll be an option to reduce or disable the effect when you create a campaign, so people can play the game however they want.

Wow thats a great option to include and thanks for including it :) MVP move there

[Martha Pepper]

Originally posted by Goldhawk:

Originally posted by Martha Pepper:

Hi, whenever I search about this subject there are no straight answers (probably because it hasn't released yet!) buuuut, does anyone know if there an overall time limit to the game?

As in when I reach a certain amount of days in-game, will the game give me a message saying that I have a certain amount of time left to reach the end point otherwise It's automatically game over?

This is a good question. In the final game, the game will have a "doom counter" in the sense that the aliens have an orbital superweapon that will slowly raise panic once you get towards the end of the campaign (although good players will be able to survive this longer than less skilled ones).

However, we quite a few people just don't like the idea of doom counters at all - and that's fine. There'll be an option to reduce or disable the effect when you create a campaign, so people can play the game however they want.

That's fantastic news, thanks for the reply and thank you so much for including it as an optional feature (even the option to reduce it, that's great!).

[DaviddesJ]

Originally posted by ShAtTeR DrEaMz:

IMO, DOOM counters are stupid. I applaud the fact you can turn it off, frankly...these games are so difficult you dont need to add another log into the fire...its hot enough.

Frankly, these games are too easy if there's no time pressure.

[SmegAu]

Thanks for the option to remove the doom counter. That was the feature which had me worried after reading about evil satellite.

[LordBlade]

Originally posted by Goldhawk:

This is a good question. In the final game, the game will have a "doom counter" in the sense that the aliens have an orbital superweapon that will slowly raise panic once you get towards the end of the campaign (although good players will be able to survive this longer than less skilled ones).

However, we quite a few people just don't like the idea of doom counters at all - and that's fine. There'll be an option to reduce or disable the effect when you create a campaign, so people can play the game however they want.

Will definitely be turning that off. Doom counters are a terrible mechanic. Have the standard loss of territories if you don't fight off the aliens well enough, as it's supposed to be. But some creeping doom counter that you can delay but just drives you to a game over is just lazy and needlessly punishing. It also forces players to rush more than they'd likely want to.

[LordBlade]

Originally posted by DaviddesJ:

Frankly, these games are too easy if there's no time pressure.

The time pressure is supposed to be the aliens advancing in strength as the game plays out. Sending bigger ships and stronger, better equipped units on missions. Forcing the player to deal with more attrition (and costlier loses as they lose better gear). Trying to keep the threat at bay without losing territories to the aliens.

A doom counter is just an arbitrary "you lose" clock that's on top of the already built in progression of difficulty.

[DaviddesJ]

Originally posted by LordBlade:

A doom counter is just an arbitrary "you lose" clock that's on top of the already built in progression of difficulty.

It's not arbitrary, it ends exactly when the aliens complete their superweapon.

Of course you can also have huge increases in difficulty where you start having hundreds of aliens to defeat per mission, but would that really be more fun?

It also forces players to rush more than they'd likely want to.

Indeed, that's the idea. Just like giving the aliens weapons forces you to play more carefully than if they were all unarmed and harmless. "Games" become "challenging" because you can't just do whatever you want to.

[gruber12]

Originally posted by Goldhawk:

Originally posted by Martha Pepper:

There'll be an option to reduce or disable the effect when you create a campaign, so people can play the game however they want.

... SOLD