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[Mephansteras]

Sometimes the randomized skill tree gives you some very difficult choices. Like, do I give my close combat Assault Lightning reflexes or Rapid Shot? One lets you get close to kill things without dying to overwatch, the other lets you shoot things really well.

Tough, tough, call. Especially since I don't have enough LR on the team as it is. But ultimately I decided the two shots were more important. Mostly it sucks that she can't get both now.

[umiman]

Yeah, I'd have gone with rapid shot too.

Super important. Especially in impossible. Gotta kill things.

[Darkening Kaos]

The choice I had for my Sergeant Sniper was either Suppression, {which might have been awesome with the Plama Sniping Rifle}, or Rapid Reaction, {a second reaction shot if on Overwatch and the first hits}.  I don't know if I'd play with training roulette next time, but it certainly has been fun.

Spoiler: What a choice (click to show/hide)

btw: I chose Rapid Reaction.

[GreatWyrmGold]

See? You're learning. When you get frustrated, switch to CI. It's like training while wearing weights, when you get to the actual thing you were practicing for it will be worlds easier.

CI?

Classic Ironman. It should really be IC, though, since II is usually Ironman Impossible instead of vice versa. On another note, I'd also recommend only playing Ironman. It's better to just not have the temptation to savescum.

I haven't ever (intentionally) savescummed ever. And I suspect that Ironman's autosaves-without-absurd-numbers-of-backups would be very useful indeed...
And I'm mostly trying Impossible to see how well I do. And I've been giving it some thought, and realized that the sectoids on Mission One are superior in basically every way...

Spoiler: Explanations (click to show/hide)

Alright, XCOM has grenades. One per soldier.
They have the same health, and I think their weapons have about the same statistics.
The plasma weapons of the sectoids definitely seem to be better at range, though.
Also, their soldiers can buff each other. A +25% health bonus and +10% Aim bonus are pretty significant.
I'm not sure, but I think they're faster.
They inherently understand how range, cover, flanking, and whatnot work; this allows them to know how to position their soldiers so they have ideal positioning, whereas all but the best XCOM players need to just guess.
Obviously, they outnumber you.
Oh, yeah, and they also get to move several spaces for free when you first make contact with any given squad.

Annoyed by that $20 I spent on a game that apparently overloads my video driver thingy, I decide to try something...interesting.
Who wants to take bets on how long I last on Impossible difficulty? (Also, all of the base Second Wave adjustments were enabled.)

There is a fix to the video card problem. It's actually an issue with Steam. There is a third party program which disables something called 'Steam CEG' or something like that, which will make the game run properly though it has to be run prior to starting the game every time you restart your computer.

Anyone want to back this guy up? I'm a bit wary about downloading stuff from the advice of one guy I don't even recognize.
A bit of an explanation of how it helps or the problem Steam causes wouldn't hurt.

I got the worst mission name ever today.

Indeed.

The choice I had for my Sergeant Sniper was either Suppression, {which might have been awesome with the Plama Sniping Rifle}, or Rapid Reaction, {a second reaction shot if on Overwatch and the first hits}.  I don't know if I'd play with training roulette next time, but it certainly has been fun.

Spoiler: What a choice (click to show/hide)

btw: I chose Rapid Reaction.

I bet the choice for Corporal was tough...

[Mr Space Cat]

I got the worst mission name ever today. It turned out alright, though.

Your giant robot's paint job is pretty fabulous.

[MetalSlimeHunt]

I got the worst mission name ever today. It turned out alright, though.

Your giant robot's paint job is pretty fabulous.

It was my Valkyrie mission, so I figured I'd go all out on the color schemes. I can't actually find a color I really like for my MECs.

[Mageziya]

I got the worst mission name ever today. It turned out alright, though.

Your giant robot's paint job is pretty fabulous.

It was my Valkyrie mission, so I figured I'd go all out on the color schemes. I can't actually find a color I really like for my MECs.

I tend to color my MECs stupidly bright colors with matching hair. Doesn't look too bad.

Also, GWG, didn't you say you have all of the Second Wave options on? You might want to turn some of those off, especially Red Fog.

[MetalSlimeHunt]

Red Fog is truly evil. It would be better if it applied to both X-Com and the Aliens, making it a Heaven and Hell-type difficulty, but as it stands it just makes the game nigh-impossible.

[GreatWyrmGold]

Also, GWG, didn't you say you have all of the Second Wave options on? You might want to turn some of those off, especially Red Fog.

I assume that that's from EW? Which I don't have?
EDIT: I have never beaten the game. Ever. Not available.

Also:

Anyone want to back this guy up? I'm a bit wary about downloading stuff from the advice of one guy I don't even recognize.
A bit of an explanation of how it helps or the problem Steam causes wouldn't hurt.

[Sean Mirrsen]

I'd first try to fiddle around with config files before you go and download any programs.

Firstly, what is your graphics card?

Second, if you navigate to your user documents folder, there in the folder My Games/XCOM - Enemy Unknown/XComGame/Config, there is a file XComEngine.ini . Towards the bottom of that file is a swath of general engine settings, under the header "[SystemSettings]" (search for it). Copy that settings block and paste it here, I'll try to see what you can change for the better.

[GreatWyrmGold]

I'd first try to fiddle around with config files before you go and download any programs.

Firstly, what is your graphics card?

Um...is that like the video card you instructed me to figure out? That would be an Intel(R) HD Graphics 4000.

Second, if you navigate to your user documents folder, there in the folder My Games/XCOM - Enemy Unknown/XComGame/Config, there is a file XComEngine.ini . Towards the bottom of that file is a swath of general engine settings, under the header "[SystemSettings]" (search for it). Copy that settings block and paste it here, I'll try to see what you can change for the better.

Spoiler: SystemSettings (click to show/hide)

bUseMaxQualityMode=False
StaticDecals=True
DynamicDecals=True
UnbatchedDecals=True
DecalCullDistanceScale=1.000000
DynamicLights=True
DynamicShadows=True
DynamicShadowsFromDominantLights=False
LightEnvironmentShadows=True
CompositeDynamicLights=True
SHSecondaryLighting=True
DirectionalLightmaps=True
MotionBlur=False
MotionBlurPause=True
MotionBlurSkinning=1
DepthOfField=True
AmbientOcclusion=True
Bloom=True
bAllowLightShafts=True
Distortion=True
FilteredDistortion=True
DropParticleDistortion=False
bAllowDownsampledTranslucency=True
DownsampledTransluencyDistanceThreshold=1500.000000
FOWEnvelopeSpeed=170
bForceLowResFOW=True
bHighQualityFOWFiltering=False
PostProcessQuality=0
FXAAQuality=1
TextureLODBias=3
SpeedTreeLeaves=True
SpeedTreeFronds=True
OnlyStreamInTextures=False
LensFlares=True
FogVolumes=True
FloatingPointRenderTargets=True
OneFrameThreadLag=True
UseVsync=True
UpscaleScreenPercentage=True
Fullscreen=False
LockMouseToWindow=False
BorderlessWindow=False
AllowD3D11=False
AllowOpenGL=False
AllowRadialBlur=True
AllowSubsurfaceScattering=False
AllowImageReflections=True
AllowImageReflectionShadowing=True
bAllowSeparateTranslucency=True
bAllowPostprocessMLAA=False
SkeletalMeshLODBias=0
ParticleLODBias=0
DetailMode=2
MaxDrawDistanceScale=1.000000
ShadowFilterQualityBias=0
MaxAnisotropy=2
MaxMultiSamples=1
bAllowD3D9MSAA=False
bAllowTemporalAA=False
TemporalAA_MinDepth=500.000000
TemporalAA_StartDepthVelocityScale=100.000000
MinShadowResolution=32
MinPreShadowResolution=16
MaxShadowResolution=1120
MaxWholeSceneDominantShadowResolution=1344
ShadowFadeResolution=128
PreShadowFadeResolution=16
ShadowFadeExponent=0.250000
ResX=1594
ResY=831
ScreenPercentage=100.000000
SceneCaptureStreamingMultiplier=1.000000
ShadowTexelsPerPixel=1.000000
PreShadowResolutionFactor=0.500000
bEnableVSMShadows=False
bEnableBranchingPCFShadows=False
bAllowHardwareShadowFiltering=False
TessellationAdaptivePixelsPerTriangle=48.000000
bEnableForegroundShadowsOnWorld=False
bEnableForegroundSelfShadowing=False
bAllowWholeSceneDominantShadows=True
bUseConservativeShadowBounds=False
ShadowFilterRadius=10.000000
ShadowDepthBias=0.010000
PerObjectShadowTransition=60.000000
CSMSplitPenumbraScale=0.500000
CSMSplitSoftTransitionDistanceScale=4.000000
CSMSplitDepthBiasScale=0.500000
CSMMinimumFOV=40.000000
CSMFOVRoundFactor=4.000000
UnbuiltWholeSceneDynamicShadowRadius=20000.000000
UnbuiltNumWholeSceneDynamicShadowCascades=3
WholeSceneShadowUnbuiltInteractionThreshold=50
bAllowFracturedDamage=True
NumFracturedPartsScale=1.000000
FractureDirectSpawnChanceScale=1.000000
FractureRadialSpawnChanceScale=1.000000
FractureCullDistanceScale=1.000000
bForceCPUAccessToGPUSkinVerts=false
bDisableSkeletalInstanceWeights=false
HighPrecisionGBuffers=False
MobileFeatureLevel=0
MobileFog=True
MobileSpecular=True
MobileBumpOffset=True
MobileNormalMapping=True
MobileEnvMapping=True
MobileRimLighting=True
MobileColorBlending=True
MobileVertexMovement=True
MobileOcclusionQueries=False
MobileLODBias=-0.5
MobileBoneCount=75
MobileBoneWeightCount=2
MobileUsePreprocessedShaders=True
MobileFlashRedForUncachedShaders=False
MobileWarmUpPreprocessedShaders=True
MobileCachePreprocessedShaders=False
MobileProfilePreprocessedShaders=False
MobileUseCPreprocessorOnShaders=True
MobileLoadCPreprocessedShaders=True
MobileSharePixelShaders=True
MobileShareVertexShaders=True
MobileShareShaderPrograms=True
MobileEnableMSAA=False
MobileAllowSecondaryDisplays=False
MobileSeconaryDisplayMaximumWidth=1280.0
MobileSeconaryDisplayMaximumHeight=720.0
MobileContentScaleFactor=1.0
MobileVertexScratchBufferSize=150
MobileIndexScratchBufferSize=10
ApexLODResourceBudget=1000000020040877300000.000000
ApexDestructionMaxChunkIslandCount=2147483647
ApexDestructionMaxChunkSeparationLOD=1.000000
bEnableParallelAPEXClothingFetch=False
TEXTUREGROUP_World=(MinLODSize=256,MaxLODSize=1024,LODBias=1,MinMagFilter=Aniso,MipFilter=Point,MipGenSettings=TMGS_SimpleAverage)
TEXTUREGROUP_WorldNormalMap=(MinLODSize=256,MaxLODSize=1024,LODBias=1,MinMagFilter=Aniso,MipFilter=Point,MipGenSettings=TMGS_SimpleAverage)
TEXTUREGROUP_WorldSpecular=(MinLODSize=256,MaxLODSize=1024,LODBias=1,MinMagFilter=Linear,MipFilter=Point,MipGenSettings=TMGS_SimpleAverage)
TEXTUREGROUP_Character=(MinLODSize=256,MaxLODSize=1024,LODBias=0,MinMagFilter=Aniso,MipFilter=Point,MipGenSettings=TMGS_SimpleAverage)
TEXTUREGROUP_CharacterNormalMap=(MinLODSize=256,MaxLODSize=1024,LODBias=0,MinMagFilter=Aniso,MipFilter=Point,MipGenSettings=TMGS_SimpleAverage)
TEXTUREGROUP_CharacterSpecular=(MinLODSize=256,MaxLODSize=1024,LODBias=1,MinMagFilter=Linear,MipFilter=Point,MipGenSettings=TMGS_SimpleAverage)
TEXTUREGROUP_Weapon=(MinLODSize=256,MaxLODSize=1024,LODBias=1,MinMagFilter=Aniso,MipFilter=Point,MipGenSettings=TMGS_SimpleAverage)
TEXTUREGROUP_WeaponNormalMap=(MinLODSize=256,MaxLODSize=1024,LODBias=1,MinMagFilter=Aniso,MipFilter=Point,MipGenSettings=TMGS_SimpleAverage)
TEXTUREGROUP_WeaponSpecular=(MinLODSize=256,MaxLODSize=1024,LODBias=1,MinMagFilter=Linear,MipFilter=Point,MipGenSettings=TMGS_SimpleAverage)
TEXTUREGROUP_Vehicle=(MinLODSize=512,MaxLODSize=1024,LODBias=0,MinMagFilter=Aniso,MipFilter=Point,MipGenSettings=TMGS_SimpleAverage)
TEXTUREGROUP_VehicleNormalMap=(MinLODSize=512,MaxLODSize=1024,LODBias=0,MinMagFilter=Aniso,MipFilter=Point,MipGenSettings=TMGS_SimpleAverage)
TEXTUREGROUP_VehicleSpecular=(MinLODSize=512,MaxLODSize=1024,LODBias=2,MinMagFilter=Linear,MipFilter=Point,MipGenSettings=TMGS_SimpleAverage)
TEXTUREGROUP_Cinematic=(MinLODSize=4096,MaxLODSize=4096,LODBias=0,MinMagFilter=Aniso,MipFilter=Point,MipGenSettings=TMGS_SimpleAverage)
TEXTUREGROUP_Effects=(MinLODSize=128,MaxLODSize=512,LODBias=1,MinMagFilter=Linear,MipFilter=Point,MipGenSettings=TMGS_SimpleAverage)
TEXTUREGROUP_EffectsNotFiltered=(MinLODSize=128,MaxLODSize=512,LODBias=1,MinMagFilter=Aniso,MipFilter=Point,MipGenSettings=TMGS_SimpleAverage)
TEXTUREGROUP_Skybox=(MinLODSize=512,MaxLODSize=2048,LODBias=0,MinMagFilter=Linear,MipFilter=Point,MipGenSettings=TMGS_SimpleAverage)
TEXTUREGROUP_UI=(MinLODSize=512,MaxLODSize=1024,LODBias=0,MinMagFilter=Linear,MipFilter=Point,MipGenSettings=TMGS_SimpleAverage)
TEXTUREGROUP_Lightmap=(MinLODSize=1,MaxLODSize=4096,LODBias=0,MinMagFilter=Aniso,MipFilter=Point,MipGenSettings=TMGS_SimpleAverage)
TEXTUREGROUP_Shadowmap=(MinLODSize=1,MaxLODSize=4096,LODBias=0,MinMagFilter=Aniso,MipFilter=Point,NumStreamedMips=3,MipGenSettings=TMGS_SimpleAverage)
TEXTUREGROUP_RenderTarget=(MinLODSize=1,MaxLODSize=4096,LODBias=0,MinMagFilter=Aniso,MipFilter=Point,MipGenSettings=TMGS_SimpleAverage)
TEXTUREGROUP_MobileFlattened=(MinLODSize=1,MaxLODSize=4096,LODBias=0,MinMagFilter=Aniso,MipFilter=Point,MipGenSettings=TMGS_SimpleAverage)
TEXTUREGROUP_ProcBuilding_Face=(MinLODSize=1,MaxLODSize=1024,LODBias=0,MinMagFilter=Aniso,MipFilter=Point,MipGenSettings=TMGS_SimpleAverage)
TEXTUREGROUP_ProcBuilding_LightMap=(MinLODSize=1,MaxLODSize=256,LODBias=0,MinMagFilter=Aniso,MipFilter=Point,MipGenSettings=TMGS_SimpleAverage)
TEXTUREGROUP_Terrain_Heightmap=(MinLODSize=1,MaxLODSize=4096,LODBias=0,MinMagFilter=Aniso,MipFilter=Point,MipGenSettings=TMGS_SimpleAverage)
TEXTUREGROUP_Terrain_Weightmap=(MinLODSize=1,MaxLODSize=4096,LODBias=0,MinMagFilter=Aniso,MipFilter=Point,MipGenSettings=TMGS_SimpleAverage)
TEXTUREGROUP_ImageBasedReflection=(MinLODSize=256,MaxLODSize=4096,LODBias=0,MinMagFilter=aniso,MipFilter=linear,MipGenSettings=TMGS_Blur5)
TEXTUREGROUP_Bokeh=(MinLODSize=1,MaxLODSize=256,LODBias=0,MinMagFilter=Linear,MipFilter=Linear,MipGenSettings=TMGS_SimpleAverage)
Trilinear=True
TEXTUREGROUP_LightAndShadowMap=(MinLODSize=512,MaxLODSize=4096,LODBias=0,MinMagFilter=aniso,MipFilter=point)
TEXTUREGROUP_UI3D=(MinLODSize=128,MaxLODSize=1024,LODBias=0,MinMagFilter=Linear,MipFilter=Point,MipGenSettings=TMGS_SimpleAverage)
TEXTUREGROUP_WorldHIGH=(MinLODSize=256,MaxLODSize=2048,LODBias=1,MinMagFilter=Aniso,MipFilter=Point,MipGenSettings=TMGS_SimpleAverage)
TEXTUREGROUP_ColorLookupTable=(MinLODSize=1,MaxLODSize=4096,LODBias=6881396,MinMagFilter=Aniso,MipFilter=Point,MipGenSettings=TMGS_SimpleAverage)

[MetalSlimeHunt]

By the way, I've been been meaning to ask, why does the building directly in front of where you start in Newfoundland have an anarcho-syndicalist flag on it?

[Mephansteras]

The choice I had for my Sergeant Sniper was either Suppression, {which might have been awesome with the Plama Sniping Rifle}, or Rapid Reaction, {a second reaction shot if on Overwatch and the first hits}.  I don't know if I'd play with training roulette next time, but it certainly has been fun.

Spoiler: What a choice (click to show/hide)

btw: I chose Rapid Reaction.

I bet the choice for Corporal was tough...

Snap shot is more useful in EW since they reduced the penalty down. Now you can offset it by adding a scope, and I've got a SS sniper who's actually very useful on maps without a whole lot of long sightlines.

[Sean Mirrsen]

Hm. It doesn't seem any different from what I have on my tablet - but I hadn't played the Base Assault mission on my tablet yet either, so I might run into the issue as well.

I've no idea if it'll be any help whatsoever, but see if setting AllowD3D11 and AllowOpenGL to true will change anything. OGL sometimes tends to run better.

Also, try lowering the resolution, just for that mission. Like, literally push the resolution as low as it'll go, and play through the mission, then if it works out, put it back where it was. Cutting down on the amount of stuff the GPU has to draw might bypass the issue.

[GreatWyrmGold]

The choice I had for my Sergeant Sniper was either Suppression, {which might have been awesome with the Plama Sniping Rifle}, or Rapid Reaction, {a second reaction shot if on Overwatch and the first hits}.  I don't know if I'd play with training roulette next time, but it certainly has been fun.

Spoiler: What a choice (click to show/hide)

btw: I chose Rapid Reaction.

I bet the choice for Corporal was tough...

Snap shot is more useful in EW since they reduced the penalty down. Now you can offset it by adding a scope, and I've got a SS sniper who's actually very useful on maps without a whole lot of long sightlines.

He's using the Training Roulette. If I'm not mistaken, that's Run and Gun. It might be useful if one of the future advancements is Snapshot, but you can't determine that ahead of time now can you?

Hm. It doesn't seem any different from what I have on my tablet - but I hadn't played the Base Assault mission on my tablet yet either, so I might run into the issue as well.
I've no idea if it'll be any help whatsoever, but see if setting AllowD3D11 and AllowOpenGL to true will change anything. OGL sometimes tends to run better.
Also, try lowering the resolution, just for that mission. Like, literally push the resolution as low as it'll go, and play through the mission, then if it works out, put it back where it was. Cutting down on the amount of stuff the GPU has to draw might bypass the issue.

Resolution seems to be as low as it will go, by default.
I'll try allowing the other things. What do those options do, anyways?