Messages

16

Design / Re: "FIX BAYONET"

« on: May 01, 2011, 03:31:55 pm »

Yes, all of the new lenses and items that go on the new rails systems of the M16 variant, (what is it the A3?) would definitely get mangled.  I concede that.

Unless combat training this last decade has changed, Quester refers to the bayonet training during basic training (BCT) that is only sufficient enough to get you killed, absolutely.  While I was with the 82nd Airborne Div and at a little bit at Ranger School, we had more "advanced" training that was more geared toward small unit tactics and my favorite was the company live fire engagements and impact area advance where live fire was actually drop in front of you (I was a forward observer, 13F1V).  Some of the training included bayonet drills and the famous pugle sticks where the weapon and boyonet was taught to a greater extent than that of BCT, with people who sucked at it given extra training.  Don't get me wrong, the use of a bayonet is for crowd or POW control, a weapon of last resort and the British have used them in both the Gulf Wars and Afghanistan (I believe the primary kinetic weapon here in this is the Austrian Steyr (?) and I do not know whether or not it even has a bayonet lug.

I was shocked, however, when I saw that the Army stopped teaching bayonet drills in 2010.  I asked a buddy of mine in the Army (LTC) about it and apparently only infantry advanced training (AIT/BCT) teaches it and he complained about the quality of new recruits.  Interestingly enough, the Marines still teach the bayonet and a type of judo martial arts with belt color denoting hand-to-hand rank. 

17

Design / Re: "FIX BAYONET"

« on: April 26, 2011, 04:47:38 pm »

"Correct me if I'm wrong, but bayonets aren't as effective as handheld melee weapons."

They are more effective than handheld melee weapons because you have an advantave of a moment arm (physics) and can put more distance between you and your attacker/target.  The weapon (rifle) becomes a defense and the ability to parry agianst another melee weapon wielder.  Of course this assumes you are not being shot at...then it is worthless.  (Brings up the jokes about someone bringing a knife to a gunfight.)  But against another foe with a melee weapon, it becomes who has the longest reach to the point of a previous poster point mentioned about being a spear. 

18th Century heavily relies on the bayonet to instill fear moreso than any other weapon on the field.  However bayoneted muskets were a bit long compare to anyone wielding a saber or cutlass who would parry, step inside and dispatch their victim.  The morale in the game should actively reflect from both sides that when the melee weapons are used, others on the opposing side should lose morale points when they see a team mate cut down.

Again, this is my opinion, a good coversation, and good rhetoric.

18

Design / Re: "FIX BAYONET"

« on: April 25, 2011, 02:12:31 pm »

Bayonet tactics are still taught and practiced.  However, I concede that I do not know of an instance whereby the U.S. Military has used it since the Central American Drug wars (1988) or the National Guard in Katrina (New Orleans & Biloxi) for crowd and looting control, and then only for show.  The bayonet will easily penetrate the kevlar armor, not the plates.  Then by your arguments, why even use the combat knife, or the alien hybrid knife?  They are devasting in this game at close range.  If they are fixed to the rifle, then you save the TU's and brutalize the alien.  Being attached to the weapon gives you a lever arm and can really mess up the alien; isn't the alien hybrid the knife is supposed cut through the nano armor?

19

Design / "FIX BAYONET"

« on: April 24, 2011, 03:39:58 pm »

Since I was an American Comabat Arms paratrooper, how about an option to "Fix Bayonets" with devastating damage effects.  Rationale:  Throughtout the 18th, 19th and 20th Century, infantry tactics inluded bayonets.  It was the bane of the early American Revolution when British would approach and devestate the raw American Lines with bayonets.  Currently, the tactics are used for crowd suppression and fending off an overrun enemy attack.  Adding the ability to use the combat knife and its alien successor to attach to the assault weapons and laser rifles would add an interesting ability for close range combat.  How many times have I turned a corner and come face to face with an Ortnok or Taman.  Stabbing and/or slashing would be an excellent addition to the gameplay, in my opinion.

Anyway, 2 cents from an Artillery Officer and Fire Support Specialist, and Airborne Ranger.  "All the Way!"

20

Bugs prior to release 2.4 / Production Cues

« on: February 04, 2011, 03:45:38 pm »

With the lastest 2.4 version, there appears to be problems with the production cues counting down once the first UFO is introduced.

21

Windows / Re: Dev 2.4 versus 2.3.1 Difference Question

« on: January 15, 2011, 12:36:53 am »

For the most part, 2.4 plays and sounds better, and has more maps and features.  The lastest patch doesn't play very well on my 'puter, but the previous patch is almost excellent.

22

Tactics / Re: What's your favorite weapon?

« on: December 24, 2010, 03:10:54 pm »

AutoCannon in support of squaddies with rifles.  Beware of the splash, though.

23

Tactics / Re: Base invasion

« on: December 23, 2010, 07:49:55 pm »

My two cents would be to allow control of 8-10 soldiers with the remaining cadre being computer controlled.  Plus, you may have a stray worker, pilot, or scientist get caught in the firefight such as the civilians during the alien missions.  You lose a worker, pilot or scientist, you would have a "job opening" and suffer the loss of that individual.  Computer controlled soldiers fire and defend similar to the aliens, hopefully they want shoot your own sqaudies.  Anyway, my two cents worth.

24

Windows / Re: Cant run 2.3 or 2.4

« on: December 13, 2010, 05:29:57 pm »

I get the hint that Muton may be directing you to a FAQ.  These versions run fine on my computers, however they do require up-to-date video drivers, and proper computer requirements.  Btw guys, 2.4 is one of the best turn-based strategy games I've ever played (LuckyLindy takes his hat off in salute).  It is only getting better.

25

Discussion / Re: Can't open doors? Makes fuel depot map unplayable

« on: December 06, 2010, 03:48:30 pm »

Bomb does work.  I can't get the trigger menu to come up.  When I place it the first time, the actor died and the game ended with "defeat."  I retried and remove the actor after placing it, blew up the gate and the battle ended in "defeat."  Since I have updated to the latest 2.4 development build, however i lost my progress (going to 2.3 to 2.4).

26

Windows / Re: Attn Windows players with lag/slow performance w/2.4 dev builds

« on: November 20, 2010, 12:05:35 am »

The HP makes a 1000% difference!  Game works perfectly.  To bad I lost all of my progress; oh well, I will just start over.

27

Windows / Re: Attn Windows players with lag/slow performance w/2.4 dev builds

« on: November 18, 2010, 10:42:14 pm »

I appreciate it...I took it back (actually before I read the above when it miserably failed Company of Heroes and ArcGIS was giving onboard graphics a fit) to best buy since I could not install my graphics card from its little cousin that I used prior without PSU issues.  Mine is a clear case of assuming it was the same basically made and "ass out of me."  I am replacing it with a HP quad core AMD Athlon II tower build with Radeon HD4350 and replacing the PSU with a 500w unit and upgrading to 8 gb memory.  Later I should be able to upgrade to higher grade components.  (HP P6654Y AMD 2.8 Quad Core, 4 gb (upgrading to 8 gb), 500w PSU upgrade.)  Can't complain, they threw in the 4 gb "no charge" (yeah right). Thanks guys!

28

Windows / Re: Attn Windows players with lag/slow performance w/2.4 dev builds

« on: November 18, 2010, 01:58:57 pm »

Gateway SX 2801 Slimline, Pentium Dual-Core E5700 @ 3.0 (3.2) gHz, 6 GB memory.  On board G45 Intel express chipset, however next week it will change to Radeon 5570 1 GB DDR2 SDRAM (dual screen support).

I am not a techy, I am an environmental geologist and I run memory intensive modeling software; ArcGIS, ModFLOW, and AutoCAD (I use slimline computers for deskspace).  These are running fine.  Windows 7 is updated and running fine and I ran Would in Conflict on medium graphics setting fine last night, however high detail settings caused it to lag.  My laptop is windows vista and the game (ufo:ai) runs fine, but I have cooling problems and don't like to run games on it and use it for fieldwork and presentations.  I was going to test company of heroes later, but it may be tomorrow (field work today).

29

Windows / Re: Attn Windows players with lag/slow performance w/2.4 dev builds

« on: November 17, 2010, 10:01:09 pm »

Is this a problem with just Windows 7?  I am having problems with the newest development build and the stable build.  I am not having any problems with others memory intensive games.  Right now, with the frame rate at about 2 per sec, it is unplayable.  I tasked out, set the prority to high and set to both cores.  Another problem is that I bought a kind'of cheaper gateway, intel chipset, dual core 3.0 ghz, off the shelve model.  I have update all of my drivers, however it is still unplayable.

30

Design / Re: Sugestion for Early Progression

« on: November 14, 2010, 02:59:39 pm »

I would like to add that the campaign really drags on during the deconstruction phase of the first primary ufo's.  Some new missions and maps have been implemented, however, I suggest a new "heavy" fighter ship and/or species with the direct story line arcs with several story arc driven missions.  Being more specific, while the story arcs may not need to actually support plot, they can be used to drive a small three or four mission sequence such as a Phalanx fighter is shot down.  A rescue mission is generated, followed by discovery of alien small prosessing base in an abandoned warehouse or factory, followed by a counter attack resulting in a downed ufo whereby a wounded alien is recovered that needs to be research with the interrogation data having some twist towards the plot.

Adding a "heavy fighter" with several new maps and then adding several unique terror missions that may add some twist to the plot will go a long way towards improving the plot generation.  Keep in mind, that I have played this game for a couple of years, but right now I am in the grind for building the first alien/phalanx ship.  I had been in the habit of downloading the new developer builds and starting over.  Graphically, this game is superior to anything like it in its genre.

Lastly, this needs to have an end with perfection of the plot, maybe with the suggestions above.  Then work on a sequal.

Thank you, a humbled Phalanx soldier.