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Subject: "Hello, Commander..." Archived thread - Read only
 
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BZArchermoderator
Member since Nov-9-05
1783 posts
Feb-02-16, 10:51 AM (EDT)
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"Hello, Commander..."
 
   Just a subtle reminder that XCOM 2 comes out in three short days...

---------------------------
Jaymie "BZArcher" Wagner
She/They
@BZArcher / bzarcher at gmail
"Life is change. Let’s live.”


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  Subject     Author     Message Date     ID  
  RE: Hello, Commander... dbrandon Feb-02-16 1
  RE: Hello, Commander... The Traitor Feb-02-16 2
  RE: Hello, Commander... Verbena Feb-02-16 3
     RE: Hello, Commander... BeardedFerret Feb-03-16 7
  RE: Hello, Commander... Sofaspud Feb-03-16 4
     RE: Hello, Commander... dbrandon Feb-03-16 5
     RE: Hello, Commander... BZArchermoderator Feb-03-16 6
  RE: Hello, Commander... Nathan Feb-04-16 8
  RE: Hello, Commander... BZArchermoderator Feb-05-16 9
     RE: Hello, Commander... Gryphonadmin Feb-05-16 10
         RE: Hello, Commander... The Traitor Feb-05-16 11
             RE: Hello, Commander... MoonEyes Feb-06-16 12
                 RE: Hello, Commander... zwol Feb-06-16 13
                     RE: Hello, Commander... Matrix Dragon Feb-06-16 14
                     RE: Hello, Commander... MoonEyes Feb-06-16 15
             RE: Hello, Commander... MoonEyes Feb-07-16 16
  RE: Hello, Commander... zwol Feb-08-16 17
     RE: Hello, Commander... BZArchermoderator Feb-08-16 18
         RE: Hello, Commander... Verbena Feb-08-16 19
             RE: Hello, Commander... zwol Feb-08-16 20
                 RE: Hello, Commander... BZArchermoderator Feb-08-16 21
                     RE: Hello, Commander... Matrix Dragon Feb-08-16 22
                         RE: Hello, Commander... BZArchermoderator Feb-09-16 23
                             RE: Hello, Commander... Verbena Feb-09-16 24
                                 RE: Hello, Commander... Matrix Dragon Feb-09-16 25
                                     RE: Hello, Commander... StClair Feb-09-16 26
                                         RE: Hello, Commander... Gryphonadmin Feb-09-16 27
                                             RE: Hello, Commander... Verbena Feb-09-16 28
                                             RE: Hello, Commander... Matrix Dragon Feb-10-16 30
                                         RE: Hello, Commander... CdrMike Feb-09-16 29
                                             RE: Hello, Commander... Verbena Feb-10-16 31
                                             RE: Hello, Commander... Sofaspud Feb-10-16 32
                                             RE: Hello, Commander... MoonEyes Feb-11-16 33
                                             RE: Hello, Commander... BZArchermoderator Feb-11-16 34
                                             RE: Hello, Commander... ratinoxteam Feb-11-16 35
                                     RE: Hello, Commander... Sofaspud Feb-12-16 36
  RE: Hello, Commander... Matrix Dragon Feb-12-16 37
     RE: Hello, Commander... The Traitor Feb-13-16 38
  RE: Hello, Commander... Gryphonadmin Feb-14-16 39
     RE: Hello, Commander... drakensis Feb-14-16 40
     RE: Hello, Commander... Nova Floresca Feb-21-16 46
  RE: Hello, Commander... twipper Feb-15-16 41
     RE: Hello, Commander... Verbena Feb-15-16 42
     RE: Hello, Commander... Sofaspud Feb-15-16 43
         RE: Hello, Commander... The Traitor Feb-15-16 44
     RE: Hello, Commander... Arashi Feb-22-16 48
  RE: Hello, Commander... Matrix Dragon Feb-21-16 45
     RE: Hello, Commander... Gryphonadmin Feb-22-16 47
         RE: Hello, Commander... Angurvddel Feb-26-16 54
             RE: Hello, Commander... Peter Eng Feb-26-16 55
             RE: Hello, Commander... Verbena Feb-29-16 57
         RE: Hello, Commander... Matrix Dragon Feb-26-16 56
  RE: Hello, Commander... Nova Floresca Feb-22-16 49
     RE: Hello, Commander... BZArchermoderator Feb-22-16 50
     RE: Hello, Commander... Angurvddel Feb-26-16 53
  RE: Hello, Commander... Sofaspud Feb-22-16 51
     RE: Hello, Commander... ebony14 Feb-23-16 52
  RE: Hello, Commander... Mercutio Apr-03-16 58
     RE: Hello, Commander... BZArchermoderator Apr-03-16 59
         RE: Hello, Commander... StClair Apr-05-16 60
             RE: Hello, Commander... zwol Apr-05-16 61
                 RE: Hello, Commander... Gryphonadmin Apr-05-16 62
                     RE: Hello, Commander... SpottedKitty Apr-06-16 64
                 RE: Hello, Commander... ebony14 Apr-06-16 63
                     RE: Hello, Commander... Mercutio Apr-06-16 65
                         RE: Hello, Commander... Proginoskes Apr-07-16 66
                             RE: Hello, Commander... rwpikul Apr-07-16 67
  RE: Hello, Commander... MoonEyes May-17-16 68
     RE: Hello, Commander... drakensis May-19-16 69
         RE: Hello, Commander... BZArchermoderator May-19-16 70
         RE: Hello, Commander... Mercutio May-20-16 71
             RE: Hello, Commander... Verbena May-20-16 72
                 RE: Hello, Commander... Gryphonadmin May-20-16 73

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dbrandon
Charter Member
220 posts
Feb-02-16, 11:09 AM (EDT)
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1. "RE: Hello, Commander..."
In response to message #0
 
   >Just a subtle reminder that XCOM 2 comes out in three short days...

I'm probably going to wait at least a week; make sure there aren't any horrible launch bugs.

-dbrandon


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The Traitor
Member since Feb-24-09
1197 posts
Feb-02-16, 12:16 PM (EDT)
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2. "RE: Hello, Commander..."
In response to message #0
 
   I'm watching a new-ish LP of it by Quill18 (he got a pre-release copy) and, um, Lily Shen is... let's say she's a really good fit for UF. Her opening cutscene is just AUGH SO CUTE COME HERE AND BE HUGGED.

---
"She's old, she's lame, she's barren too, // "She's not worth feed or hay, // "But I'll give her this," - he blew smoke at me - // "She was something in her day." -- Garnet Rogers, Small Victory

FiMFiction.net: we might accept blatant porn involving the cast of My Little Pony but as God is my witness we have standards.


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Verbena
Charter Member
1107 posts
Feb-02-16, 12:41 PM (EDT)
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3. "RE: Hello, Commander..."
In response to message #0
 
   Bah! Got excited for a moment, but then I realized the line I thought I'd read was 'Welcome back, Commander.' Ah, well.

I will get XCom 2 eventually, mind you, but probably not launch day. Aside from the bug thing (which should be fine since I doubt they'd need a new engine) I rather disliked the assumptions made about how the first war ended. Loss is one thing, but this...nngh.

------
Fearless creatures, we all learn to fight the Reaper
Can't defeat Her, so instead I'll have to be Her


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BeardedFerret
Member since Apr-21-08
514 posts
Feb-03-16, 07:13 PM (EDT)
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7. "RE: Hello, Commander..."
In response to message #3
 
   >Bah! Got excited for a moment, but then I realized the line I thought
>I'd read was 'Welcome back, Commander.' Ah, well.
>
>I will get XCom 2 eventually, mind you, but probably not launch day.
>Aside from the bug thing (which should be fine since I doubt they'd
>need a new engine) I rather disliked the assumptions made about how
>the first war ended. Loss is one thing, but this...nngh.
>
>------
> Fearless creatures, we all learn to fight the Reaper
> Can't defeat Her, so instead I'll have to be Her

My first game ended in flaming disaster after a failed attack on the alien base. That's canon now.


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Sofaspud
Member since Apr-7-06
428 posts
Feb-03-16, 00:42 AM (EDT)
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4. "RE: Hello, Commander..."
In response to message #0
 
   Because I'm a horrible corporate shill (not really), and because I fully plan to take advantage of it myself, if you have an Amazon Prime account you can get a discount for ordering it there. Shaves about $12 off the total cost.

--sofaspud
--


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dbrandon
Charter Member
220 posts
Feb-03-16, 08:46 AM (EDT)
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5. "RE: Hello, Commander..."
In response to message #4
 
   >Because I'm a horrible corporate shill (not really), and because I
>fully plan to take advantage of it myself, if you have an Amazon Prime
>account you can get a discount for ordering it there. Shaves about
>$12 off the total cost.
>
>
>
>--sofaspud
>--

Actually, upon reflection, I may wait for the Inevitable Steam Sale.

-dbrandon


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BZArchermoderator
Member since Nov-9-05
1783 posts
Feb-03-16, 10:53 AM (EDT)
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6. "RE: Hello, Commander..."
In response to message #4
 
   I was gonna, but a friend just got promoted to a store manager at the local GameStop, so I went into boost his numbers a little.

---------------------------
Jaymie "BZArcher" Wagner
She/They
@BZArcher / bzarcher at gmail
"Life is change. Let’s live.”


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Nathan
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1382 posts
Feb-04-16, 01:18 PM (EDT)
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8. "RE: Hello, Commander..."
In response to message #0
 
   >Just a subtle reminder that XCOM 2 comes out in three short days...

My birthday is in April. I can wait that long.

-----

The most wonderful thing about BBs
Is BBs are wonderful things
Their sides are made out of iron
Their guns are made out of pain
They're crashy smashy bashy flashy fun-fun-fun-fun-fun
But the most wonderful thing about BBs
Is there is more than one
The~re is more than one!


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BZArchermoderator
Member since Nov-9-05
1783 posts
Feb-05-16, 11:46 AM (EDT)
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9. "RE: Hello, Commander..."
In response to message #0
 
   GOOD: OK, so far this is really interesting and fun.

EXPECTED: Yeaaaah, that difficulty sure did jack up.

WHAT?: No Russian voicepacks? Seriously? You buggers.

---------------------------
Jaymie "BZArcher" Wagner
She/They
@BZArcher / bzarcher at gmail
"Life is change. Let’s live.”


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Gryphonadmin
Charter Member
22375 posts
Feb-05-16, 12:55 PM (EDT)
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10. "RE: Hello, Commander..."
In response to message #9
 
   >GOOD: OK, so far this is really interesting and fun.
>
>EXPECTED: Yeaaaah, that difficulty sure did jack up.

It's traditional!

Steam has tried to sell it to me six times this week. I tell you what, if I never see that "sectoid head made of skulls" graphic again, it'll be fine with me.

--G.
-><-
Benjamin D. Hutchins, Co-Founder, Editor-in-Chief, & Forum Mod
Eyrie Productions, Unlimited http://www.eyrie-productions.com/
zgryphon at that email service Google has
Ceterum censeo Carthaginem esse delendam.


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The Traitor
Member since Feb-24-09
1197 posts
Feb-05-16, 04:30 PM (EDT)
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11. "RE: Hello, Commander..."
In response to message #10
 
   I'd strongly suggest giving in, though. It might not have Russian voices, and OG Dr. Shen might be a little bit sort of very slightly deadish, but the central conceit of XCOM:EU having been a failed campaign is explained in a very convincing and (IMO, YMMV) believable way. And while I get that this isn't the setup you necessarily wanted to be told, it's still a good setup for everything that made XCOM good.

And there's no more air war. And you can shut doors. And Lily Shen has decamped from Engineering and taken up residence in my tiny lesbian heart. It's an... evolutionary sequel rather than a revolutionary one, though the Concealment mechanic is ace and the Council has been replaced by something less stupid. Also SECTOPODS ARE EVEN MORE TERRIFYING.

And I can have an entire squad of red-headed, sword-wielding Irish ninja women. You have no idea how much this pleases me. No. Idea. How. Much.

---
"She's old, she's lame, she's barren too, // "She's not worth feed or hay, // "But I'll give her this," - he blew smoke at me - // "She was something in her day." -- Garnet Rogers, Small Victory

FiMFiction.net: we might accept blatant porn involving the cast of My Little Pony but as God is my witness we have standards.

I CANNOT WAIT FOR XCOM 2: LONG WAR AND IF YOU CAN YOU ARE A LYING LIAR WOT LIES


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MoonEyes
Member since Jun-29-03
1125 posts
Feb-06-16, 02:34 PM (EDT)
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12. "RE: Hello, Commander..."
In response to message #11
 
   >I'd strongly suggest giving in, though. It might not have Russian
>voices, and OG Dr. Shen might be a little bit sort of very slightly
>deadish

And no-one knows what happened to Dr. Vahlen. I, however, have a lead, I do!!!

...!
Gott's Leetle Feesh in Trousers!
Well, I had to, didn't I?
Though, 'Moira'? Seriously?!


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zwol
Member since Feb-24-12
299 posts
Feb-06-16, 05:31 PM (EDT)
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13. "RE: Hello, Commander..."
In response to message #12
 
   >
>

Do you get to write trooper bios, or is that Official Game Text?


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Matrix Dragon
Charter Member
1893 posts
Feb-06-16, 06:07 PM (EDT)
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14. "RE: Hello, Commander..."
In response to message #13
 
   You can write bios. Currently working on a certain group of survivors from Boston here...

Matrix Dragon, J. Random Nutter


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MoonEyes
Member since Jun-29-03
1125 posts
Feb-06-16, 06:24 PM (EDT)
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15. "RE: Hello, Commander..."
In response to message #13
 
  
>Do you get to write trooper bios, or is that Official Game Text?

You can edit pretty much every damn thing. Name, nickname, country, bio, gender, outfit, scars, personality, tattoos, props...you name it, almost.

...!
Gott's Leetle Feesh in Trousers!


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MoonEyes
Member since Jun-29-03
1125 posts
Feb-07-16, 02:47 PM (EDT)
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16. "RE: Hello, Commander..."
In response to message #11
 
   >And I can have an entire squad of red-headed, sword-wielding Irish
>ninja women. You have no idea how much this pleases me. No. Idea. How.
>Much.

While I'm not entirely sure as to why the squad...Jane Kelly, who ends up being a ranger, is indeed a red-headed Irish-woman in this play-through, and all due to chance, too. Well, except for the ranger part, but still.

...!
Gott's Leetle Feesh in Trousers!


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zwol
Member since Feb-24-12
299 posts
Feb-08-16, 12:42 PM (EDT)
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17. "RE: Hello, Commander..."
In response to message #0
 
   I thought of this question because of the discussion of Enemy Within cyborgs over on the NXE board, but it no longer has anything to do with NXE, so.

One of the most frustrating things that can happen in Enemy Unknown/Within (in my experience) is when you have a bunch of green recruits with lousy aim. On my last playthrough, I turned three such recruits into cyborgs, which didn't help — in fact, it made them worse, since they could no longer be equipped with S.C.O.P.E.s nor light plasma rifles. I then wasted an awful lot of Meld to discover that upgraded combat chassis do not help with this either.

BRADFORD: Dr. Shen, we sank the entire budget for the month into the MEC project, and now you're telling me you couldn't make room for a targeting computer?

So my actual question is: in XCOM 2, can you send troops to drill at the firing range until their aim improves?


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BZArchermoderator
Member since Nov-9-05
1783 posts
Feb-08-16, 12:54 PM (EDT)
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18. "RE: Hello, Commander..."
In response to message #17
 
   Sort of. There's a slot for personal training simulations that the troops can use to improve various things, and aim is one of them.

---------------------------
Jaymie "BZArcher" Wagner
She/They
@BZArcher / bzarcher at gmail
"Life is change. Let’s live.”


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Verbena
Charter Member
1107 posts
Feb-08-16, 05:05 PM (EDT)
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19. "RE: Hello, Commander..."
In response to message #18
 
   Every few days I look in Steam to see if they have fixed the bizarre and inexplicable design decisions that change turn-based strategy into a hair-pulling, run-and-gun free-for-all with no strategy whatsoever, enemies that don't obey the same rules you do, and a strategic aspect that gives you research and doesn't let you research it.

Every few days, I look to see if anything has been patched. There never is. At least there's mods. Still not convinced my $60 would be worth it.

------
Fearless creatures, we all learn to fight the Reaper
Can't defeat Her, so instead I'll have to be Her


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zwol
Member since Feb-24-12
299 posts
Feb-08-16, 09:00 PM (EDT)
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20. "RE: Hello, Commander..."
In response to message #19
 
   Huh, this is the exact opposite of what I've heard elsewhere - other people seem to be saying that the changes relative to EU make the game more strategic and less RNG-screwy. Would you mind elaborating on those "bizarre and inexplicable design decisions" a bit?


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BZArchermoderator
Member since Nov-9-05
1783 posts
Feb-08-16, 09:26 PM (EDT)
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21. "RE: Hello, Commander..."
In response to message #20
 
   I will say one thing that gets me is the time management is CRAZY.

You have a literal doomsday clock at the top of the world map - trying to slow down / stop the oh-so-forboding AVATAR PROJECT.

But when you try to devote time to that (contacting resistance cells near AVATAR facilities so you can raid them, and thereby knock the clock back a few ticks) you are almost constantly interrupted by side missions and requests for aid - and every time you act on them, you get yelled at for letting the Aliens continue their work. :/

Unsurprisingly, several modders have published posts on how to slow down and/or extend the clock so you have more time to ACTUALLY PLAY THE F***ING GAME.

*cough* Sorry. Lost a little cool there, I did.

---------------------------
Jaymie "BZArcher" Wagner
She/They
@BZArcher / bzarcher at gmail
"Life is change. Let’s live.”


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Matrix Dragon
Charter Member
1893 posts
Feb-08-16, 10:10 PM (EDT)
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22. "RE: Hello, Commander..."
In response to message #21
 
   I have to admit, I'm only a few months into the game, but I'm loving the juggling act so far. Do I get those supplies, or build the radio tower? Should I take the Blacksite out now, or wait to research Gauss rifles? I think it helps that I've occasionally run into other ways to knock a dot off the doom counter while doing other missions.

Matrix Dragon, J. Random Nutter


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BZArchermoderator
Member since Nov-9-05
1783 posts
Feb-09-16, 00:23 AM (EDT)
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23. "RE: Hello, Commander..."
In response to message #22
 
   I mostly get annoyed when I'm in the middle of a (VITAL!!) 4 or 5 day task only to get interrupted by another (URGENT!!!!) 2-3 day task, plus travel, which if I finish and attempt to return to what I was doing, often gets interupted by a reprisal attack or a council mission.

---------------------------
Jaymie "BZArcher" Wagner
She/They
@BZArcher / bzarcher at gmail
"Life is change. Let’s live.”


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Verbena
Charter Member
1107 posts
Feb-09-16, 05:08 AM (EDT)
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24. "RE: Hello, Commander..."
In response to message #23
 
   My understanding is the ridiculous time constraints aren't just in the overworld map, they're in the missions as well. Remember the missions where you have a time limit? Many of the negative reviews talk about how -most- missions have such a turn limit timer, it's if anything more strict than in EU, and the new ambush, stealth, etc. mechanics are worthless not because they don't work, but they take time to set up, and you're basically winning with only one round left when you're running full speed. That isn't strategy, in my book.

I also believe the difficulty is silly, from what I hear--even easy is much harder than it was. In my book, there's nothing wrong with playing at that kind of difficulty, but that's what hard mode is for. Not everyone -likes- playing at that level and forcing it, while basically taking away the new mechanics they've developed, and throwing harder foes sooner, isn't challenging, it's punishing. I don't have enough free time to waste it on something that's going to piss me off.

------
Fearless creatures, we all learn to fight the Reaper
Can't defeat Her, so instead I'll have to be Her


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Matrix Dragon
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1893 posts
Feb-09-16, 05:31 AM (EDT)
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25. "RE: Hello, Commander..."
In response to message #24
 
   Honestly, while a number of the missions have time constraints, I'm not finding it as horrible as the negative reviews say. There are times you're going to be cutting close, with one or two turns left, sure, but I've found they're more in the minority, if you're clever about it, and if the RNG is on your side. The stealth mechanics work just fine, and I've had the time of my life setting off some truly hilarious ambushes. Also, one occasion where stealth, hacking and luck let me take out the timed objective before more than two soldiers had left the LZ. That was a fun mission.

If you're really finding the timers too offensive, there's mods that slot into the game just fine that disable or extend them, and you can find them in about two seconds in the Steam Workshop.

As for the difficulty? It's harder, but not as much as the doomsayers cry. I'm on normal, and only lost one soldier on my current run, and that was just the RNG being mean and giving the enemy a critical hit at the wrong time. Other than that, the worst I've taken on ground missions is some tough fights, and some of my soldiers spending time in the hospital.

Matrix Dragon, J. Random Nutter


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StClair
Charter Member
831 posts
Feb-09-16, 02:38 PM (EDT)
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26. "RE: Hello, Commander..."
In response to message #25
 
   I suspect the devs weren't happy when people responded to their first game by playing it maximum-cautious ... which, given the parameters they set, was the smart way. So rather than actually change the punishing design, they've added other mechanics with each iteration to "encourage" and/or force reckless play.


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Gryphonadmin
Charter Member
22375 posts
Feb-09-16, 02:41 PM (EDT)
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27. "RE: Hello, Commander..."
In response to message #26
 
   >I suspect the devs weren't happy when people responded to their first
>game by playing it maximum-cautious ... which, given the parameters
>they set, was the smart way. So rather than actually
>change the punishing design, they've added other mechanics with each
>iteration to "encourage" and/or force reckless play.

Game developers deliberately setting out to sabotage players they don't feel are Doing It Right? That sounds cryptically familiar.

--G.
-><-
Benjamin D. Hutchins, Co-Founder, Editor-in-Chief, & Forum Mod
Eyrie Productions, Unlimited http://www.eyrie-productions.com/
zgryphon at that email service Google has
Ceterum censeo Carthaginem esse delendam.


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Verbena
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1107 posts
Feb-09-16, 04:10 PM (EDT)
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28. "RE: Hello, Commander..."
In response to message #27
 
   LAST EDITED ON Feb-09-16 AT 04:15 PM (EST)
 
Yes; yes, it does.

If they wanted to encourage more aggressive play without punishing defensive play they could normalize the accuracy somewhat. I'd favor further changes but that, to my mind, is what feels most like punishment--missing in situations where aliens usually hit.

The object is to make offensive play a calculated risk of your health and defensive play a calculated risk with the timer. The potential for balance is there, I just don't think they quite have it.

Mind you, this is all speculation and educated guessing, since I don't yet have the game. Given the number of mods that fix whatever I think needs fixing, I think I'll pick it up soon.

Just wanted to add this: Punishing players who aren't Doing It Right is not only frustrating, it's a bad business decision. If they want people to play a certain way they should make a game that doesn't include tools for playing any other. If they make multiple ways to win, each way needs to be different but equally viable. Deus Ex: Human Revolution, for instance, gets that balance pretty close. I can't help but think Firaxis should be looking at how they can make every path the game allows fun and exciting.

------
Fearless creatures, we all learn to fight the Reaper
Can't defeat Her, so instead I'll have to be Her


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Matrix Dragon
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1893 posts
Feb-10-16, 06:09 AM (EDT)
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30. "RE: Hello, Commander..."
In response to message #27
 
   >Game developers deliberately setting out to sabotage players they
>don't feel are Doing It Right? That sounds cryptically familiar.

I wouldn't go that far. There are plenty of missions where the old Overwatch crawl works just fine. And while I've never managed to combine it with concealment to the point I can get in and out without ever firing a shot, I have managed to get quite a decent way into the mission, or at least massacre a few alien squads at once before they realize I'm there.

It's more that they've addded a bit more variety to the missions. The time-based missions are really like the bomb ones from the first game, although they don't feel as annoying. Possibly because XCOM troopers, when used well, are even better at killing aliens than last time around. Sharpshooters especially. It's like Firaxis looked at them and went 'okay, they're a little broken with sniper rifle skills, so let's dial up the hand cannon as well, make it more fun.'

Matrix Dragon, J. Random Nutter


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CdrMike
Member since Feb-20-05
889 posts
Feb-09-16, 07:38 PM (EDT)
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29. "RE: Hello, Commander..."
In response to message #26
 
   >I suspect the devs weren't happy when people responded to their first
>game by playing it maximum-cautious ... which, given the parameters
>they set, was the smart way. So rather than actually
>change the punishing design, they've added other mechanics with each
>iteration to "encourage" and/or force reckless play.

As I remember it, the devs originally thought that Ironman Impossible was...well, impossible to beat. They thought that it would end up being a bragging rights territory, where players sat around talking about how far they got before either the aliens won or they gave up in frustration. But once people began posting wins in II, the devs released Second Wave and even admitted that these were options they'd originally cut out because they thought they'd be too cruel to add to the game. And they introduced Meld canisters with timers and cranked up the AI for EW in order to encourage defensive players to take more risks for more rewards.

But the fans didn't think that was challenging enough, so we got Long War, which is considered sort of the "must have" mod if you're such a badass XCOM player that you consider II tame. Build times measured in weeks/months, tougher aliens and terror missions much earlier, a difficulty curve that has an overhang, and a ridiculous amount of changes to weapons and equipment. So, what did Firaxis do? They brought LW devs into the fold and pulled a Bioware by making Normal every bit as spine-breaking as Classic was in EU.

And still, people are beating the game, even dealing with the colony of bugs that have cropped up since launch. I'm not sure where they go for the DLC/expansions, but I'm betting it's not going to be making the game easier.

--------------------------
CdrMike, Overwatch Reject

"You know, the world could always use more heroes." - Tracer, Overwatch


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Verbena
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1107 posts
Feb-10-16, 08:32 AM (EDT)
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31. "RE: Hello, Commander..."
In response to message #29
 
   And yet I see negative reviews talk about how much more punishing the game is. I can't help but point back up to one of my comments earlier about how that's what hard mode is for. Different people have different ideas of how difficult they want the game to be. You can't please everyone no matter what single setting it's at, and while I can't speak for anyone else on this, I tend to get indignant when a game dev (or anyone else!) tells me I'm a wuss for wanting the same difficulty as the last game, or that I have no right being annoyed when the devs declare what the New Normal is.

If I'm going to sink $60 into a game (and I did last night but haven't had time to play yet) I'll play it the way I want, because the object is to have fun. Not to please the devs, not to compare to anyone else's skill at the game, and not for bragging rights. I want to have fun. So, yeah, I'm going to mod it--don't know how much yet, I'll get a feel for the game myself first--but when I do I won't feel the slightest shred of remorse. I paid my money, and ultimately, that is what's important.

------
Fearless creatures, we all learn to fight the Reaper
Can't defeat Her, so instead I'll have to be Her


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Sofaspud
Member since Apr-7-06
428 posts
Feb-10-16, 12:55 PM (EDT)
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32. "RE: Hello, Commander..."
In response to message #31
 
   I'm getting an angry vibe from this thread -- and it may just be me reading too much into the tone, I dunno -- but the last bit there really makes me head-tilt and stare blankly.

You say you won't "feel the slightest shred of remorse" over modding the game. I'm trying to understand why you seem to think the devs would want you to. They built mod support in to the game, for precisely this reason: so the playerbase could do what they wanted with it.

I don't feel Firaxis has in any way, with XCOM 2 or with the EW expansion, been trying to punish the players or make them play 'the right way'. They've been falling over themselves to offer more options, but they are options -- take 'em or leave 'em, your choice. Hell, the canon ending of XCOM (and thus, the start of XCOM 2) were based on what happened with the majority of the playerbase, rather than some sort of developer fiat.

I'm not understanding where the idea that the XCOM devs want to punish us is coming from.

--sofaspud
--


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MoonEyes
Member since Jun-29-03
1125 posts
Feb-11-16, 06:26 AM (EDT)
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33. "RE: Hello, Commander..."
In response to message #32
 
   LAST EDITED ON Feb-11-16 AT 06:27 AM (EST)
 
>I'm getting an angry vibe from this thread -- and it may just be me
>reading too much into the tone, I dunno

As I am too, I can say that, no, it isn't just you. It seems as if quite a few people are pre-determined to not like the game for some reason. Which, you know, fine...but wouldn't that sort of run counter to the 'fun' part that is mentioned as the goal for a game?

Anyway, I can only agree entirely with Sofaspud.

...!
Gott's Leetle Feesh in Trousers!


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BZArchermoderator
Member since Nov-9-05
1783 posts
Feb-11-16, 09:32 AM (EDT)
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34. "RE: Hello, Commander..."
In response to message #32
 
   I've had some frustrating moments, but I'm still having fun.

---------------------------
Jaymie "BZArcher" Wagner
She/They
@BZArcher / bzarcher at gmail
"Life is change. Let’s live.”


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ratinoxteam
Member since Jun-6-05
229 posts
Feb-11-16, 10:05 AM (EDT)
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35. "RE: Hello, Commander..."
In response to message #32
 
   >I'm not understanding where the idea that the XCOM devs want to punish
>us is coming from.

A couple of places.

The first is TFTD Syndrome. A minority of players complained about the previous iterations being too easy so the devs have cranked up the difficulty. I for one never complained that EU/EW were too easy so the increased difficulty of X-COM 2 comes across as unnecessary and spiteful.

The second is the premise that X-COM 2 picks up where ironman games failed. I for one never actually played ironman mode. Basing the new game on things that many players never did in the previous game conveys a feeling that we weren't playing the game the way the devs intended.

--
Rat
That and five bucks will get you a small coffee at Starbucks


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Sofaspud
Member since Apr-7-06
428 posts
Feb-12-16, 12:30 PM (EDT)
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36. "RE: Hello, Commander..."
In response to message #25
 
   Just as anecdotal evidence of sorts, last night I was playing and on a mission to stop a transmitter relay from broadcasting. Only 8 turns to find and neutralize it. Whoo, I better get cracking!

After avoiding alien patrols and sidling past two chatty civilians who really oughta have been home at that time of night instead of yakking on the sidewalk, I found the transmitter. 4 rounds left.

Crap! There are aliens guarding it! Firefight ensues. I take them down, keeping one eye on the clock, and finish the last one with... 1 turn to go. I don't have enough actions left to run up to the transmitter and shut it off. Crap! I'm outside one-turn-move range. Mission's gonna fai-- wait.

It's TARGETABLE?!

Mission Success!

So, yeah. My point is that, while they may be making more use of timed missions than before, they've also introduced new ways to deal with them. In EU/EW, I'd have been boned, because the only thing you could do was run up next to a $thingy and do a free action -- the kicker being you had to have an action left, even though interacting with the $thingy didn't use it up.

I'm quite happy with this :)

--sofaspud
--


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Matrix Dragon
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1893 posts
Feb-12-16, 10:09 PM (EDT)
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37. "RE: Hello, Commander..."
In response to message #0
 
   Sectopods. Gigantic walking weapons platforms. Guns, guns, and more guns. Enough firepower to kill entire squads. Anything in their path dies, including entire buildings that they just walk on through. The first time I saw one, it took the combined firepower of my entire squad to take down.

Every time since then, my specialist Caitlin 'Skuld' O'Connell has seen it, made a happy noise, and promptly hijacked it for her own evil ends. Every single time. And now that Nene 'Sidehack' Romanova has taken to the field as well...

Matrix Dragon, J. Random Nutter


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The Traitor
Member since Feb-24-09
1197 posts
Feb-13-16, 11:54 PM (EDT)
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38. "RE: Hello, Commander..."
In response to message #37
 
   Grenadier. Acid Bomb. Sharpshooter. Bluescreen Rounds. Quick Draw. Lightning Hands. Fan Fire. Kill your Sectopods the way God intended. =]

---
"She's old, she's lame, she's barren too, // "She's not worth feed or hay, // "But I'll give her this," - he blew smoke at me - // "She was something in her day." -- Garnet Rogers, Small Victory

FiMFiction.net: we might accept blatant porn involving the cast of My Little Pony but as God is my witness we have standards.

anyone who tells you they don't hear MC Hammer when your Ranger's Untouchable skill activates is a filthy bloody liar[/small


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Gryphonadmin
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22375 posts
Feb-14-16, 00:01 AM (EDT)
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39. "RE: Hello, Commander..."
In response to message #0
 
   Oh fuck, Jingles is doing a playthrough series. I guess I'm gonna have to get the game now.

--G.
-><-
Benjamin D. Hutchins, Co-Founder, Editor-in-Chief, & Forum Mod
Eyrie Productions, Unlimited http://www.eyrie-productions.com/
zgryphon at that email service Google has
Ceterum censeo Carthaginem esse delendam.


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drakensis
Member since Dec-20-06
415 posts
Feb-14-16, 04:51 AM (EDT)
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40. "RE: Hello, Commander..."
In response to message #39
 
   That's about my own reaction.

D.


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Nova Floresca
Member since Sep-13-13
554 posts
Feb-21-16, 10:57 PM (EDT)
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46. "RE: Hello, Commander..."
In response to message #39
 
   >Oh fuck, Jingles is doing a playthrough series. I guess I'm gonna
>have to get the game now.

This ended up being the final push driving me to get the game as well. So far, I have to say, it's a toss-up for which of the following wins the award for "most X-COM moment" in my playthrough:

1) Getting jumped by a Heavy MEC and mowing it down on my turn without taking a single point of damage, only to have a basic Advent grunt kill my Ranger Lieutenant the following turn, or . . .

2) Having my first "blow up an Avatar Project facility" mission named Operation: DRAGON STANK.

"This is probably a stupid question, but . . ."


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twipper
Member since Jan-8-03
279 posts
Feb-15-16, 10:02 AM (EDT)
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41. "RE: Hello, Commander..."
In response to message #0
 
   So, nearing the end of my first play-through. Figured I'd chime in before I run the last gauntlet so I can amend my current opinions if necessary. :)

I'm on the fence at the moment as to whether or not the tactical portion of the game is actually more difficult than XCOM:EW. The tech tree is really no different than it was after the introduction of laser weapons; basic ballistics--> railguns--> plasma weapons.

Same goes for armor; basic--> plate--> powered. I think one of the mechanics changes here is where most people feel the difficulty got ramped up (myself included); previously your squad member took no damage as long your armor wasn't degraded below the squad member's health portion of the count. Now you take damage (at least minimally) with most hits until you get armor with damage resistance. I'm playing on easy and EVERYONE on the roster has spent time in the hospital

I enjoyed however the addition of modifiable weapons. Not only does it give you additional tactical flexibility, it adds another layer of character development to your squad.

Where the game really changed (and where I've made most of my major mistakes during this first play-through) is on the strategic side. It seems that how you build out the Avenger significantly influences how your game will play out. Two examples: 1) you now have to take the time to build the Officers Training School rather than starting with it (so no squad size upgrades until you spend the time/resources) and 2) the Workshop is still vital for long-term success but placement is KEY (and I failed that test horrendously as I hadn't fully internalized base development mechanics yet).

So to reiterate what has been mentioned above, time and resource management is the real kicker in terms of actual game difficulty (for me at least). And if you have the $$$ available and you can hire another Engineer? DO IT!

So at the moment I'm very positive towards this game. I've enjoyed the story writing and cut scene acting. The tactical game play is familiar yet just different enough to make it fresh. The strategic game play is different enough that more than one play-through will be needed to really become proficient at resource management.

One last note: I've had very few actual programming bug issues. I haven't crashed to desktop once. The only game play glitch I've ran into the occasional 30ish second freeze after confirming a fire command before the firing animation will trigger. I've been pleasantly surprised at my lack of mechanics issues.

Brian


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Verbena
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1107 posts
Feb-15-16, 11:37 AM (EDT)
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42. "RE: Hello, Commander..."
In response to message #41
 
   After having, y'know, actually PLAYED the game I can confirm that the naysayers in the reviews were...well, yeah, it's hard, and I bailed out of the timers pretty damn quick? But I move fairly fast in these games anyway, tactically speaking, and I don't think it would have been quite the frustration the negative reviews were saying it was.

I'm not going to get into every little thing, but in general I've enjoyed the game immensely.

------
Fearless creatures, we all learn to fight the Reaper
Can't defeat Her, so instead I'll have to be Her


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Sofaspud
Member since Apr-7-06
428 posts
Feb-15-16, 01:01 PM (EDT)
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43. "RE: Hello, Commander..."
In response to message #41
 
   I ran into a doozy of a programming bug that didn't result in anything drastic like a CTD, but *did* cause me to lose a trooper and I was Not Happy about it.

So environments are more destructible this time around, which is in general a good thing. And they've modeled gravity after a fashion: a tried-and-true tactic for dealing with pesky rooftop turrets is to blow up the roof and let them fall down go boom.

When a roof is on fire, damage continues to spread. This is also good!

When your squaddie is standing on an undamaged patch of roof, which the RNG decides is the next patch to crumble between turns, sometimes... it doesn't crumble. And then your squaddie is stuck there, forever. Cannot move. They can still shoot and do other stuff, but they can't move.

On the plus side, I'm told that there are missions later on where I can rescue captured soldiers... so hopefully Specialist Andreyovitch, who was carrying my ADVANCED STOCK MAG RIFLE, DAMMIT, can be recovered.

--sofaspud
--


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The Traitor
Member since Feb-24-09
1197 posts
Feb-15-16, 02:57 PM (EDT)
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44. "RE: Hello, Commander..."
In response to message #43
 
   Speaking of destructible cover, the Grenadier skill Demolition is an attack that destroys cover if it hits. However, there's a chance that it will both do nothing AND set the aforementioned Grenadier on fire. Which is a less than stellar outcome for all concerned.

---
"She's old, she's lame, she's barren too, // "She's not worth feed or hay, // "But I'll give her this," - he blew smoke at me - // "She was something in her day." -- Garnet Rogers, Small Victory

FiMFiction.net: we might accept blatant porn involving the cast of My Little Pony but as God is my witness we have standards.


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Arashi
Member since Mar-12-10
118 posts
Feb-22-16, 01:01 PM (EDT)
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48. "RE: Hello, Commander..."
In response to message #41
 
   Having now gotten one full campaign done (campaign #6 following a few mod tries that didn't satisfy me, but since you can't continue a game with a mod disabled...) I have to say I enjoyed it more then EU/EW. A memorable moment where I almost felt sorry for the aliens being a sabotage mission later game.

Squad was still in concealment, T3 gear/mods, everyone at least a Major. Found an alien squad the pretty typical sectoid/ADVENT troopers, however when moving into ambush position, I uncovered a trio of archons that would be in attack range. I held off on issuing commands for a few seconds before setting up to (I had hoped) take out both squads in one round or at least weaken them.

Set the sniper (who had an advanced aim PCS, superior scope and superior ammo clip on her plasma sniper) into killing field 'Overwatch' with the sectoid squad mostly in the field of fire and the area gap between the two aliens covered by the rest. Rest of the squad was mostly angled to take out the archons with the ranger set to kick things off with a rapid fire assault from the shottie.

What followed was a case of cringe after cringe as the other side each moved and triggered 'someone's' overwatch. Made even better when a third squad charged in from above... right into the snipers field. Five shots, four kills for her. Final tally was 8 dead aliens who never even got hit one of my girls. Closest was the Gatekeeper who fired a rift at the area to raise 3 psi-zombies. Not that they did anything because a combo assault killed the gatekeeper on my next move and the zombies fell over dead. (again)

When in Danger, or in Doubt.
Run in circles, scream and shout.


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Matrix Dragon
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1893 posts
Feb-21-16, 01:24 AM (EDT)
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45. "RE: Hello, Commander..."
In response to message #0
 
   When fighting off an alien occupation, you need to recruit the best. Namely, the One Free Man.

http://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=628251683&searchtext=

Matrix Dragon, J. Random Nutter


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Gryphonadmin
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Feb-22-16, 01:00 AM (EDT)
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47. "RE: Hello, Commander..."
In response to message #45
 
   "Explosives keep my options open in a way nothing else can."

--G.
-><-
Benjamin D. Hutchins, Co-Founder, Editor-in-Chief, & Forum Mod
Eyrie Productions, Unlimited http://www.eyrie-productions.com/
zgryphon at that email service Google has
Ceterum censeo Carthaginem esse delendam.


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Angurvddel
Member since Feb-25-16
4 posts
Feb-26-16, 10:11 AM (EDT)
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54. "RE: Hello, Commander..."
In response to message #47
 
   LAST EDITED ON Feb-26-16 AT 10:12 AM (EST)
 
It's remarkable how accurately this quote actually is in XCOM 2. Frankly, there just isn't a lot of tactical problems in the game that can't be solved with generous applications of grenades, and rocket/blaster launchers. Especially now that the only repercussion is only that it'll destroy the occasional loot drop.

Most of my missions end up looking like an especially angry and large kool-aid man passed through the area.


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Peter Eng
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2045 posts
Feb-26-16, 03:13 PM (EDT)
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55. "RE: Hello, Commander..."
In response to message #54
 
   >It's remarkable how accurately this quote actually is in XCOM 2.
>Frankly, there just isn't a lot of tactical problems in the game that
>can't be solved with generous applications of grenades, and
>rocket/blaster launchers. Especially now that the only repercussion is
>only that it'll destroy the occasional loot drop.
>

"There are very few problems that can not be dealt with through the careful application of high explosives." - author unknown.

Peter Eng
--
Insert humorous comment here.


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Verbena
Charter Member
1107 posts
Feb-29-16, 09:00 AM (EDT)
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57. "RE: Hello, Commander..."
In response to message #54
 
  
>Most of my missions end up looking like an especially angry and large
>kool-aid man passed through the area.

Ironically, the game already provides that. I mean, tell me the Andromedon isn't just a Kool-Aid Man with acid?


------
Fearless creatures, we all learn to fight the Reaper
Can't defeat Her, so instead I'll have to be Her


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Matrix Dragon
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1893 posts
Feb-26-16, 07:21 PM (EDT)
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56. "RE: Hello, Commander..."
In response to message #47
 
   >"Explosives keep my options open in a way nothing else can."

So, Blacksite mission. Evacing after setting the explosives, and an ADVENT reinforcement flare just fired off. The soldier with the Freeman voice pack is the last one out, which means that the reinforcements flew in, saw the last XCOM trooper escape, yelling 'SUCKERRRR!' at them, and then it all exploded.

Yeah, this voice pack is working for me.

Matrix Dragon, J. Random Nutter


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Nova Floresca
Member since Sep-13-13
554 posts
Feb-22-16, 04:10 PM (EDT)
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49. "RE: Hello, Commander..."
In response to message #0
 
   So here's one of those things that somebody who has a video capture card could probably turn into comedy gold; apparently, if you have a Ranger with Bladestorm get grabbed by a Viper, Bladestorm will trigger, but if the Viper dies from it, the Ranger remains stuck in the "wrapped up and struggling" pose, even as he/she continues to act.

"This is probably a stupid question, but . . ."


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BZArchermoderator
Member since Nov-9-05
1783 posts
Feb-22-16, 04:31 PM (EDT)
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50. "RE: Hello, Commander..."
In response to message #49
 
   This happens to me...every other mission or so.

You can also experience similar good times if you have someone bleeding out. Stabilize them, revive them, and heal them...and they'll still spend the rest of the mission writhing on the ground in agony even as they lay waste to the alien buggers who did them in the first place.

Doubly amusing when it comes time for EVAC...

---------------------------
Jaymie "BZArcher" Wagner
She/They
@BZArcher / bzarcher at gmail
"Life is change. Let’s live.”


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Angurvddel
Member since Feb-25-16
4 posts
Feb-26-16, 09:54 AM (EDT)
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53. "RE: Hello, Commander..."
In response to message #49
 
   The funniest video glitch that I tend to get is definitely from Skulljacking. For whatever reason sometimes the advent trooper/officer's animation displays as about 3-4 feet higher than it should... making it look like my guy's performing less of a Skulljack and more of a.... crotchjack.


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Sofaspud
Member since Apr-7-06
428 posts
Feb-22-16, 06:55 PM (EDT)
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51. "RE: Hello, Commander..."
In response to message #0
 
   I would like to take a moment to reflect on what, I think, is the key difference between a seasoned veteran and a rookie.

No, it's got nothing to do with the skillset. Veterans have more options but a rookie with the same gear can deal out the same damage, in general.

And no, it's got nothing to do with how often they panic (though that CAN be a consideration, I admit).

What the key difference is, in my opinion, is that veterans are apparently made of condensed fuckoffium, their brittle bones and delicate skin replaced by adamantium-laced armor plating and a healing factor Wolverine would envy.

I had a mission go south, with a Sectopod deciding that my (colonel) Specialist was a nice, juicy target -- and after a thorough butt-kicking, she was lying there bleeding out. I managed a stabilize-and-revive combo on her, so she had one HP at evac time.

Meanwhile, my lieutenant Grenadier, wearing T3 powered armor, got winged by a ADVENT trooper shot and was down by 5 HP from their full total. So about 2/3rds HP left, give or take.

Three days later, the lieutenant is still in Sickbay, Gravely Wounded. The colonel? She's out in the field kicking ass and taking names again, having been deemed only Lightly Wounded by med staff.

--sofaspud
--


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ebony14
Member since Jul-11-11
437 posts
Feb-23-16, 10:05 AM (EDT)
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52. "RE: Hello, Commander..."
In response to message #51
 
   That LT is clearly slacking. Put him on latrine duty for a couple of days. :)

Ebony the Black Dragon

"Life is like an anole. Sometimes it's green. Sometimes it's brown. But it's always a small Caribbean lizard."


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Mercutio
Member since May-26-13
942 posts
Apr-03-16, 07:50 PM (EDT)
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58. "RE: Hello, Commander..."
In response to message #0
 
   Top mission names so far:

    Operation Doom God
    Operation Diamond Stank
    Operation Shackled Moan
    Operation Silent Chicken
    Operation Tomb Mother

I really thought nothing would top Operation Shackled Moan, and just today...

    Operation Night Hole

Maybe the aliens deserve to win.

-Merc
Keep Rat


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BZArchermoderator
Member since Nov-9-05
1783 posts
Apr-03-16, 09:25 PM (EDT)
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59. "RE: Hello, Commander..."
In response to message #58
 
   I'm still personally chuffed by "Operation Falling Fall", and "Operation Dying Death"

---------------------------
Jaymie "BZArcher" Wagner
She/They
@BZArcher / bzarcher at gmail
"Life is change. Let’s live.”


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StClair
Charter Member
831 posts
Apr-05-16, 05:57 PM (EDT)
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60. "RE: Hello, Commander..."
In response to message #59
 
   "Operation... Moon Moon?"


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zwol
Member since Feb-24-12
299 posts
Apr-05-16, 08:38 PM (EDT)
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61. "RE: Hello, Commander..."
In response to message #60
 
   LAST EDITED ON Apr-05-16 AT 08:38 PM (EDT)
 
> "Operation... Moon Moon?"

For no particular reason, this reminds me of a joke me and my wife have ... we live in Pittsburgh, whose airport is a ways outside the city limits, in the township of Moon. If you're going to the airport from the city, the freeway exit right before the main airport entrance is signed "MOON CARGO SERVICE". We like to imagine that there is so much cargo being shipped to the Moon that it's necessary to farm some of the launches out to small municipal airports like Pittsburgh's.


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Gryphonadmin
Charter Member
22375 posts
Apr-05-16, 09:17 PM (EDT)
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62. "RE: Hello, Commander..."
In response to message #61
 
   >> "Operation... Moon Moon?"
>
>For no particular reason, this reminds me of a joke me and my wife
>have ... we live in Pittsburgh, whose airport is a ways outside the
>city limits, in the township of Moon. If you're going to the airport
>from the city, the freeway exit right before the main airport entrance
>is signed "MOON CARGO SERVICE". We like to imagine that there is
>so much cargo being shipped to the Moon that it's necessary to
>farm some of the launches out to small municipal airports like
>Pittsburgh's.

Ha! Awesome.

The city of Oakland, California, has some streets that don't have names, they're just lettered. When I lived there, 20 years ago, there was an exit on I-880 in the middle of the city whose sign proudly declared,

A STREET
DOWNTOWN

I think it has since been amalgamated with another exit, so the sign now lists multiple streets and isn't as funny any more, but I remember being very amused by it a number of times when I lived there. It was on the route I had to drive to get between my house and the shooting range I frequented at the time.

--G.
-><-
Benjamin D. Hutchins, Co-Founder, Editor-in-Chief, & Forum Mod
Eyrie Productions, Unlimited http://www.eyrie-productions.com/
zgryphon at that email service Google has
Ceterum censeo Carthaginem esse delendam.


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SpottedKitty
Member since Jun-15-04
605 posts
Apr-06-16, 11:07 PM (EDT)
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64. "RE: Hello, Commander..."
In response to message #62
 
   >The city of Oakland, California, has some streets that don't have
>names, they're just lettered. When I lived there, 20 years ago, there
>was an exit on I-880 in the middle of the city whose sign proudly
>declared,
>
>
A STREET
>DOWNTOWN
>⟶

<snrk> That's even better than the classic out-in-the-country road sign a few hours' drive from here. It points to a little side road going even deeper into the wilds of the Scottish Highlands and reads, "Lost".

--
Unable to save the day: File is read-only.


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ebony14
Member since Jul-11-11
437 posts
Apr-06-16, 08:30 AM (EDT)
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63. "RE: Hello, Commander..."
In response to message #61
 
   >> "Operation... Moon Moon?"
>
>For no particular reason, this reminds me of a joke me and my wife
>have ... we live in Pittsburgh, whose airport is a ways outside the
>city limits, in the township of Moon. If you're going to the airport
>from the city, the freeway exit right before the main airport entrance
>is signed "MOON CARGO SERVICE". We like to imagine that there is
>so much cargo being shipped to the Moon that it's necessary to
>farm some of the launches out to small municipal airports like
>Pittsburgh's.

I'm down in Morgantown, so I'm familiar with the Moon Township area (as the Morgantown airport is tiny and only seems to serve as the home of the local Mediterranean restaurant). My former employers are in Coraopolis, which should totally have the local representatives of the Peloponnesian League in residence and have more neo-Grecian architecture, but does not.

Ebony the Black Dragon

"Life is like an anole. Sometimes it's green. Sometimes it's brown. But it's always a small Caribbean lizard."


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Mercutio
Member since May-26-13
942 posts
Apr-06-16, 11:40 PM (EDT)
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65. "RE: Hello, Commander..."
In response to message #63
 
   >My former employers are in
>Coraopolis, which should totally have the local representatives of the
>Peloponnesian League in residence and have more neo-Grecian
>architecture, but does not.

I'll see you that and raise you the city and township names we have in upstate New York. A sampling:

Athens, Attica, Caledonia, Canaan, Carthage, Cicero, Cincinnatus, Corfu, Corinth, Elma, Fabius, Fredonia, Goshen, Greece, Hector, Hemlock, Homer, Ilion, Ithaca, Livonia, Lysander, Macedon, Malta, Manlius, Marathon, Marcellus, Minerva, Olean, Ovid, Palmyra, Phoenicia, Rome, Romulus, Sardinia, Savona, Scio, Scipio Center, Sodus, Syracuse, Troy, Utica, and Vestal.

And that's only a partial list.

Apparently there was a major neo-Greek revival in the early 19th century and we're not the only place in the country like this. Athena, GA springs to mind.

But still, those names have basically ruined the grandeur of ancient Greece for me, because with one or two exceptions they're all hick towns. Macedon isn't an ancient region with a proud history that produced Alexander the Great; it's a distressed township with an imploded industrial base that only avoids having a real meth problem because of a recent and unsustainable exurban housing bubbles. It's the kind of place where you look up at the hills in the summer and think "some dark shit is happening there."

There's a distinct lack of Hoplites.

-Merc
Keep Rat


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Proginoskes
Member since Dec-3-09
210 posts
Apr-07-16, 11:04 AM (EDT)
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66. "RE: Hello, Commander..."
In response to message #65
 
   Please tell me there's a regular Track & Field meet that has a marathon to Marathon as one of its events.

Also, if there's a Venice or a Phoenix (the latter being what the former means as a word), how is it in a place where no city belongs? The original in Italy is sinking into the lagoon, and Phoenix, Arizona is in the middle of a desert.


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rwpikul
Member since Jun-22-03
222 posts
Apr-07-16, 11:14 PM (EDT)
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67. "RE: Hello, Commander..."
In response to message #66
 
   >Please tell me there's a regular Track & Field meet that has a
>marathon to Marathon as one of its events.
>
>Also, if there's a Venice or a Phoenix (the latter being what the
>former means as a word), how is it in a place where no city belongs?
>The original in Italy is sinking into the lagoon, and Phoenix, Arizona
>is in the middle of a desert.

Sounds like they should get together so that their problems cancel each other out.

Either that, or the whole place turns to quicksand.

--
Chakat Firepaw - Inventor & Scientist (Mad)


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MoonEyes
Member since Jun-29-03
1125 posts
May-17-16, 11:58 AM (EDT)
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68. "RE: Hello, Commander..."
In response to message #0
 
   If you need a good solid laugh...well, Jingles has started to play XCom 2. The latest episode of a game came the other day, and, well, he runs into the Gatekeeper for the first time, which yields quite an interesting reaction.

But the laugh? Comes earlier, as he moves up his squad, consisting of, among others, himself, Rita, Quickybaby...and Ectar. Who appearantly has an extra-large head.
I thought I'd rupture something, last night. Which, I'm sure, was partially due to the hour. But not entirely, as I'm still getting giggles on and off as I think about the lines that came.


...!
Gott's Leetle Feesh in Trousers!


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drakensis
Member since Dec-20-06
415 posts
May-19-16, 01:58 AM (EDT)
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69. "RE: Hello, Commander..."
In response to message #68
 
   Those videos are what convinced me to buy the game.

One of my friends finds them difficult to watch for all the less than proficient gameplay since this was Jingles' first game some months ago.

Then again, Jingles horror at his first view of a Sectopod was more than enough entertainment for me.

D.


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BZArchermoderator
Member since Nov-9-05
1783 posts
May-19-16, 10:11 PM (EDT)
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70. "RE: Hello, Commander..."
In response to message #69
 
   Oo. I would like to see that video, please and thank you.

---------------------------
Jaymie "BZArcher" Wagner
She/They
@BZArcher / bzarcher at gmail
"Life is change. Let’s live.”


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Mercutio
Member since May-26-13
942 posts
May-20-16, 09:23 AM (EDT)
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71. "RE: Hello, Commander..."
In response to message #69
 
  
>Then again, Jingles horror at his first view of a Sectopod was more
>than enough entertainment for me.

Y'know, that thing LOOKS impressive as hell, but I actually really love to see it on a mission.

The game seems to "weigh" Sectopods extremely heavily in terms of balance. That is, one Sectopod is worth considerably more than, say, a Muton in terms of how many x-rays the game puts into a mission before it decides "enough." It often counts as an entire pod by itself.

And that's lovely. I can't speak for others, but what primarily gets me killed is not having the firepower (or the luck) to clear out an entire pod before they shoot back, and the primary determinant of that isn't so much the hardness of the individual targets but the number of them. Codex, for example, isn't such a bitch because she's particularly hard to kill; her total health isn't that high and she's not that hard to hit or damage. But her cute little copy power functions as an action sink, which is what actually makes her dangerous.

So I love to see a Sectopod, because that's a big, lone target. I can deal with that so much easier than a squad of softer targets. Especially because by the time they show up I never don't have the Shadow Chamber, which means I know it is there, and so it's like "Hi, Sectopod! Have you met my friend Colonel Yellen? She has a Level 3 Gremlin and is packing a skullminer, and she is here to enforce naptime. And have you met her friend, Captain Bernanke? He has some bluescreen rounds whose casings he spent five hours carefully carving the 90s-era Microsoft Windows logo into! But we're not here to judge."

Plus they blow up real nice.

-Merc
Keep Rat


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Verbena
Charter Member
1107 posts
May-20-16, 11:40 AM (EDT)
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72. "RE: Hello, Commander..."
In response to message #71
 
   LAST EDITED ON May-20-16 AT 11:41 AM (EDT)
 
I generally don't run into Sectopods alone (I think the only time I run into one truly alone is on the Forge special mission), but I do agree that when one is on a mission there tend to be fewer total units. And Sectopods do a ton of damage, but yeah, I depend pretty heavily on hacking and I try to have a gunslinger with bluescreen rounds, to maximize the extra damage they do. Sectopods don't stand a chance against that combination.

The action sink of Codexes is absolutely right. They're not all that dangerous by themselves, but it takes a lot of work to kill one and because of their reflexive splitting it's virtually impossible to take one out before they drop their disarm-then-explode psi power. Which means if they have allies, you're backing off and scrambling for cover instead of taking enemies out, giving them an extra round to fire at you.

(edit: spelling)

------
Fearless creatures, we all learn to fight the Reaper
Can't defeat Her, so instead I'll have to be Her


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Gryphonadmin
Charter Member
22375 posts
May-20-16, 11:54 AM (EDT)
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73. "RE: Hello, Commander..."
In response to message #72
 
   Whatever you do, guys, don't start a new thread. Nobody does that.

--G.
(too dry? :)
-><-
Benjamin D. Hutchins, Co-Founder, Editor-in-Chief, & Forum Mod
Eyrie Productions, Unlimited http://www.eyrie-productions.com/
zgryphon at that email service Google has
Ceterum censeo Carthaginem esse delendam.


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