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Author Topic: XCOM: Enemy Unknown (New by Firaxis)  (Read 969282 times)

BigFatStupidHead

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Re: XCOM: Enemy Unknown (New by Firaxis)
« Reply #9255 on: August 10, 2015, 12:36:03 am »

But Long War randomizes spawns, making the intended route meaningless and therefore making me have to spend more of my time hunting for aliens and the objectives. I want to have the intended experience, and I definitely don't want to spend half of my time in the battlescape playing hide and seek with aliens.

Remember TFTD, trying to find that last lobster man who has holed up inside some civvies closet? That was the best! [/sarcasm]

Yeah, can't say I love the bug hunts.
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Sergius

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Re: XCOM: Enemy Unknown (New by Firaxis)
« Reply #9256 on: August 10, 2015, 01:03:11 am »

But Long War randomizes spawns, making the intended route meaningless and therefore making me have to spend more of my time hunting for aliens and the objectives. I want to have the intended experience, and I definitely don't want to spend half of my time in the battlescape playing hide and seek with aliens.

Remember TFTD, trying to find that last lobster man who has holed up inside some civvies closet? That was the best! [/sarcasm]

Yeah, can't say I love the bug hunts.

Oh yeah, 4 story cruise ships where 90% of the space where 2x2 bedrooms + 1x1 closet were tons of fun...
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Flying Dice

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Re: XCOM: Enemy Unknown (New by Firaxis)
« Reply #9257 on: August 10, 2015, 01:33:16 am »

Huh, I actually really like the randomized spawns, since it made certain maps less painful because you didn't always start in a shitty position with no good cover along any of your potential approaches.
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Rince Wind

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Re: XCOM: Enemy Unknown (New by Firaxis)
« Reply #9258 on: August 10, 2015, 02:09:34 am »

For better aim you can also start with cinematic mode.
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kilakan

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Re: XCOM: Enemy Unknown (New by Firaxis)
« Reply #9259 on: August 10, 2015, 07:39:51 am »

Yeah I considered playing with cinematic mode awhile ago when I got annoyed with the constant misses... but the way your aim spikes up later on due to ranks and laser tech makes cinematic mode no fun anymore.   'Oh look steve, every shot against the aliens in full cover is 100%.... wonder what the danger is?'
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Sonlirain

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Re: XCOM: Enemy Unknown (New by Firaxis)
« Reply #9260 on: August 10, 2015, 04:41:11 pm »

Yeah I considered playing with cinematic mode awhile ago when I got annoyed with the constant misses... but the way your aim spikes up later on due to ranks and laser tech makes cinematic mode no fun anymore.   'Oh look steve, every shot against the aliens in full cover is 100%.... wonder what the danger is?'
Tjis is why they call it cinematic.
You are watching a movie where humans are literally destined to win.
Also the mode is a lie. I still have 60 fps instead of the cinematic 30.
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umiman

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Re: XCOM: Enemy Unknown (New by Firaxis)
« Reply #9261 on: August 10, 2015, 05:22:34 pm »

24fps isn't it? Or is it the Ubisoft "cinematic"?

Graknorke

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Re: XCOM: Enemy Unknown (New by Firaxis)
« Reply #9262 on: August 10, 2015, 05:57:48 pm »

24fps isn't it? Or is it the Ubisoft "cinematic"?
Actually, even the instigators of the "cinematic" thing, the devs of The Order 1886, admitted that they picked 30fps because 24 was unplayable.
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Sonlirain

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Re: XCOM: Enemy Unknown (New by Firaxis)
« Reply #9263 on: August 10, 2015, 06:10:55 pm »

This gives me an idea. Make a let's play... with recording set to 24 fps.
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umiman

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Re: XCOM: Enemy Unknown (New by Firaxis)
« Reply #9264 on: August 10, 2015, 07:42:19 pm »

A bit off topic, but if you guys don't know, it's possible to simulate 24fps videos (like anime, movies, or porn) in glorious 60fps.

It looks a bit weird at first but once you use it, it's very difficult to go back.

http://www.svp-team.com/

Rolan7

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Re: XCOM: Enemy Unknown (New by Firaxis)
« Reply #9265 on: August 10, 2015, 08:42:23 pm »

I'm giving Long War second attempt and... well, I don't have a fair response yet I think.  Last time I threw up my hands at the first terror mission, because I was *not* ready for those chryssalids.  Also I didn't understand that I could lose more than 5 countries (if that was even true at the time.  I certainly don't remember all these different starting bonuses).  I know part of the point is to retreat from some battles, but losing two countries so early just seemed insurmountable.  I also kinda tried to satellite rush, heh.

But everything makes more sense now, which I think is partially due to updates.  And uh, actually reading the whole readme.txt.  I'm also playing in Normal Cinematic, so yeah, "ez mode".  Though I saw a lot of other ez mode second wave options that I held off on for now (had to scroll down, heh).  I just love all the choices, even though it makes loadouts and levelling take a lot longer.  It's also a lot more fun.  I ended up choosing the UK's Special Air Service (SAS) because it's a permanent +3 aim bonus, which I can't imagine ever regretting.  (Yeah I saw someone say aim gets high in late game with cinematic.  Somehow I doubt that actually means 100% to hit enemies in high cover)

Anyway.  Fought off a couple of sectoid abductions, no problemo (lost 1 guy each, rather avoidably).  Mostly used battle rifles to guarantee kills against the 3HP, 1DR sectoids.  Mobility is king yadda yadda, I don't want to rely on crits - and I can't exactly move up to flank because holy CRAP there a lot of enemies lurking everywhere.  Instead I'm only moving within cleared space, or scouting such that I can retreat and draw the enemies in.  Works pretty well (for now) since I can outgun the enemies alright.

Personnel grenades seem useless for now.  2 damage on an absolutely direct hit after DR, and that falls off fast (plus no cover destruction or penetration).  HE grenades are similar, but at least destroy cover (though even that's nerfed from vanilla).  I just got an engineer though, looks like they have perks for improving all that.

So the 15th rolls around and a large contact comes in... right towards the UK, where I'm at.  Hm.
Losing the first interceptor was a rookie mistake.  Losing the second was just stupid on my part.  $400 down the drain, fuck.  Buuut, it lands.  All aboard the suicide skyranger!

It's a supply ship.  Even after glancing over the alien missions yesterday, I'm not sure what it would be doing here.  Harvesting resources, I guess.  Or... getting captured nyar har har.  I move people up to cover, all quiet so far, aaaand obviously I trigger a pod with my last person.  A couple of sectoids.  No problem, they mindmeld and miss despite flanking.  What is *that* sound -  Oh it's a bunch of floaters rolling in from the opposite direction!  Everybody is flanked, nobody is safe!  Fortunately they don't get to fire yet.

So there I am with my nutjobs in a vice, but still in range of evac.  This is a flipping supply barge, even in vanilla they're full of sectopods and shit.  I have literally no research complete.  This must be one of those hopeless missions you're supposed to retreat from.  Buuut, if I do that, the alien plans might advance.  I really really want to delay the enemies from getting bonus HP.  Besides, maybe there's partial credit?  Was that a thing?  CHAAARGE THE SECTOIDS!

Yes, I evaded the ambush by charging the weaker flank.  There was a third sectoid but I managed to take them all down that turn, get out of sight of the floaters, and get the nearest people behind cover.  The floaters charged and took their shots against the first guy they saw, behind a full-cover tree.  Missed.  I think there were three of them (plus one who'd died to reaction fire earlier) and then, shortly, there were none.  Feeling quite satisfied with myself, I held position and had everyone reload (they were all out, or nearly so).  Huh another noise, really disgusting this time...  CHRYSALLIDS SERIOUSLY?

Four roaming chryssalids hopped out of the supply ship and ran right up to my guys.  Too far to get any swings in, fortunately.  It took exactly every shot we had to kill them that turn.  I dunno how much damage they do, but I'd honestly be surprised if even the tac armor and ceramic plates would be enough (7HP I think).

On my guard now, I had everyone overwatch.  Sure enough, more floaters charged out of the ship.  Piece of cake, but now my weapons were empty again.  Reloading...
ohai four more chryssalids, make yourselves at home
Again it took every shot.  No misses, some crits from the close range.  My squad was standing in a little semicircle of dead chryssalids.

It was at this point I realized two things:
One, nobody had even been wounded yet.
Two, we were flying this ship home.

Cue at least a dozen turns of very very very carefully advancing into the ship itself.  There was some sort of sight glitch with a pack of drones, but I think it was in my favor.  Otherwise the ship was empty, except for the bridge.  With it's three lovely points of entry, heehee (actually there were four, as I found out to my dismay later).  Two on each door, and I chose to open the middle first.

Four.  Flipping.  Outsiders.  Let's just say I'm just glad I knew about their regeneration, that would have been an upsetting surprise.  Two thin mints also, but I knew about their acid.  In fact, one of them took bad cover right next to two outsiders.  Pop!  DR 1 becomes DR 0, hehe.

The last one survived three turns (and got the only hit of the mission, wounding a squaddie).  The only other damage was from thinman acid, because I had the guy fall back to cover (his armor tanked it).  Everybody leveled, and most of them were 1 pt away from leveling twice.  What a coincidence ::)

Total kills:
2-3 sectoids
12 floaters (first encounter)
2 thin men (first encounter)
8 chryssalids (first encounter)
4 drones
4 outsiders (first encounter)
Losses:
2 interceptor pilots o7
1 hour or so

Sure is slower, guess that's why it's Long War.  And there was an option to reduce alien spawn numbers, but eh.
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Urist Imiknorris

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Re: XCOM: Enemy Unknown (New by Firaxis)
« Reply #9266 on: August 10, 2015, 09:05:27 pm »

Wait, only four outsiders? I thought they usually had six. I know the one I'm currently in the middle of (Operation Flying Future, which is a good sign) has six contacts in the bridge (thank you motion tracker, if only you could see invisible seekers).

EDIT: Oh, the thin men were the other two.
« Last Edit: August 10, 2015, 09:08:03 pm by Urist Imiknorris »
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Re: XCOM: Enemy Unknown (New by Firaxis)
« Reply #9267 on: August 10, 2015, 09:37:33 pm »

(100% to hit enemies in high cover)
You'd need something like 145 total aim to 100% hit anything behind high cover. Even then, it's still no match for the secret strategy of blowing up all the cover so you get the enemy exposed crit bonus :P
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i2amroy

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Re: XCOM: Enemy Unknown (New by Firaxis)
« Reply #9268 on: August 10, 2015, 09:51:10 pm »

Personnel grenades seem useless for now.  2 damage on an absolutely direct hit after DR, and that falls off fast (plus no cover destruction or penetration).  HE grenades are similar, but at least destroy cover (though even that's nerfed from vanilla).  I just got an engineer though, looks like they have perks for improving all that.
Yeah, honestly I never use personnel grenades unless I think I'm going to be dealing with chrysallids where the bonus damage can help make a bit of a difference.

HE grenades, on the other hand, are one of my bread and butters that I use to simultaneously remove cover and soften up whole groups so that I can finish them all off manually with guns. Combine it with the red fog option, and a couple of HE grenades can even work like a pseudo-flashbang (another bread and butter thing I always take 1-2 of on missions), since they can stack some nice wounded penalties onto alien move range and aim.

Seriously, a flash bang or two and a smoke grenade, along with some HE ones to clear out cover, makes missions go quite a bit faster since you can actually advance a fair bit faster on alien positions to get better shots without being as worried about taking death hits in return (which isn't near as important in cinematic mode due to the aim bonuses, of course, in normal mode getting to better locations to shoot from can be very helpful).

I've also had some great luck actually splitting my forces for pincer maneuvers, though the few times it fails it has done so fairly catastrophically. The new motion sensor item is a godsend for locating aliens, and only gets more powerful on cluttered areas where there's plenty of walls for you to hide behind, detecting the aliens on the other side without them seeing you. I usually bring like 2-3 on every single mission. Once you've found the aliens with the sensor, then it's just a basic pincer maneuver where you startle them from one side, then have the other side burst out behind them and just flank them to pieces. Of course even with the motion sensor there is some risk of accidentally startling another group of aliens, and I've had at least 2-3 times where my pincer group suddenly had to book it backwards and we all sat on overwatch waiting for the aliens we startled to show themselves (which is why if you split like that you should make sure to include at least 1 scout in each group, especially since they can get concealment on like level 4 which combined with a motion sensor lets them act as long range "mappers" to allow the rest of your group to advance very quickly. I even had a few times where I was able to reliably use dash to move into areas, since the scout had already mapped them and all relevant alien positions out).
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BigFatStupidHead

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Re: XCOM: Enemy Unknown (New by Firaxis)
« Reply #9269 on: August 10, 2015, 09:54:14 pm »

I chose to go the other way and embrace Xcoms lack of accuracy. South Africa for +1 HP on all my troops, and shotguns, shotguns, shotguns. I basically don't shoot until I see the inky black parts of their ocular receptors. My recon are geared with the SMG, and TAC vest for maximum flanking, and sawed off shotguns if things get out of hand. Soldiers stay forward in cover drawing fire; I've hunkered down more this game than in all my Xcom history. Lots of wounded, no dead. Early going still but it's really quite a bit of fun.


How do you get more engineers and scientists? Research is sooooooo slow right now.
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