Messages

1

Tactics / Re: dealing w/ the weight limits in new version

« on: November 30, 2012, 08:48:35 am »

In new games the generated soldiers have enough strength for a modest loadout.  I have no idea what in particular improves strength, but on my soldiers it seems to be related to missions and rank as much or more than anything. 

And training could be useful, but it could also break the "redshirt" effect on your green hires.  I don't think its really necessary, most of your soldiers should be able to carry everything they need.  Emphasis on "need" there; my green soldiers have just enough rope to fill the role I need them to.  The ones using heavier weapons simply cannot carry a medkit, and grenades in the field are at a premium.  If they're carrying a machine gun I cannot give them more ammo, and snipers are sometimes stuck without a pistol (which causes me to actually use MM knives). 

Really all it means for your more experienced soldiers is that they're not Gordon Freeman carrying around a dozen weapons and enough bullets to end the alien menace themselves. 

2

Bugs in stable version (2.5) / Re: Laser weapons research buggy

« on: November 19, 2012, 12:03:28 pm »

Not a bug, they changed when handheld laser come out and changed how some of the weapons work.  Lasers now come out after the aliens escalate a bit. 

3

Discussion / Re: Psyionic, poisoning or bacteriologic, what leads further in gameplay?

« on: November 19, 2012, 03:14:19 am »

There actually is a reason already in the game for their. . . questionable tactics.  You could look it up, or just keep playing until you get there (tip: catch some alive((tip:tip:if you don't know how to do that, kill an organic, research the corpse, and then research what that unlocks)). 

There's also a reason that psy-powers are in the game besides the game's heratige. 

Its also reasonable to assume that psy-powers would have some limits (such as proximity, specific targeting, and a relationship between the effectiveness of the power based on the number and strength of the users versus the number and strength of the victims) that would prevent the aliens from using it as an insta-win button. 

4

Discussion / Re: Alien Capture

« on: November 06, 2012, 03:55:16 am »

I saw something like this in 2.4 using the stun rod as well.  My personal experience was:

-Research stun rods.
-Read the research report, noticed that it was supposed to be a two handed weapon. 
-Made one and fixed a soldier load out for alien capture. 
-In battle realized that my soldier could use the stun fire modes with his pistol still in the other hand. 
-Tried it, result: "alien was stunned".
-Checked containment after the dropship returned, contents: none.
-Wave hands in the air in furry. 
-Try again, see previous three steps. 
-Chucked stun rod in storage where it collected dust. 
-Thought about it for a while, tired again without anything in the soldier's other hand. 
-"alien was stunned"
-Checked containment after the dropship returned, contents: DING! "You've got live alien!"

Maybe the stun rod should have whatever makes rifles, ect, unusable while something is in the other hand?

5

Tactics / Re: Production vs Buying/Selling

« on: October 30, 2012, 03:49:13 am »

Workshops are useful for producing things you cannot buy or buy enough of, which is a relatively short list.  In my 2.4 campaign the only earth tech things I could not buy were the stun gas grenades, the elctro laser, and the ammo for the electro laser.  Most of the weapons you research are available to buy after some period of time but if you need a lot you'll likely have to manufacture them.  For instance the nano composite body armor becomes purchasable reasonably quickly but I only ever saw three on the market at one time; meaning if I needed them to protect another squad I'd either have to either buy three months in advance or manufacture them yourself. 

For me most of the time my workers were scavenging UFOs for alien materials, which is something you cannot buy and which you need a lot of to make the powerful human/alien tech interceptors.  If the UFO is intact you'll also be able to scavenge antimatter, which you need to fuel the aforementioned interceptors, supposing you have antimatter storage in the base.  You can also manufacture alien weapons and some of their ammo using alien materials, but you'll likely find enough loot that that's not helpful. 

One other note, producing an item actually cost more than buying it, the production cost it lists does not include the wages you need to pay the workers every month or any building upkeep for the workshop. 

6

Discussion / Re: Suspension of belief

« on: October 29, 2012, 04:07:24 pm »

The starting gear doesn't bother me really.  At least for ground forces simpler gear is in general better than a more complicated parallel, even if they were somewhat more effective.  For instance, you could swap out all your forces' paper maps for PDAs, but what happens when your infantry gets stuck out on the front lines for a week or more without a place to charge the PDAs?  Same with your firearms, low maintenance guns means that your soldiers need fewer supplies to keep fighting. 

On an artistic note, it also provides a reasonably clear indication of whose tech is whose.  Human tech is more angular and boxy and dull colored, alien tech is curvy and bright or has lights, and the union of the two has some of both.  Including human gear that has the smooth, sleek design that a lot of people think of as futuristic would mess with the motif. 

There are some things in the game that gives me pause.  Most of it is stuff that is in development or has to do with needing more content.  Like the harvester crews that huddle together in a lower front room when you stand a soldier beside its hull.  And when you shoot down a craft over Antarctica the map is very much like the ones in (the populated sections of) Russia, and the women are wearing short skirts (not a single penguin or polar bear to see, either).  I'm fairly certain I saw the topless islander woman on a Saudi Arabia map, too.  Also, while I understand the point of merging nations together in the game, I find most of them hilarious when I think about it. 

One thing I would say is off is the first encounter story.  I get that ETs' strategies would not be our own, and that they strike in waves; but the initial urban attack sounds like it was heavier than anything I saw in the first year (standard difficulty, but still).  It would seem like the recon missions would be worrisome enough that they would form PHALANX.  It would also explain the apparent ambivalence at the start of the game; and as the alien assault grows in strength the nations would be willing to cough up more funding so long as you were protecting them effectively. 

Willing suspension of disbelief is fairly easy to keep up so long as there's no huge shark jumping involved.  Like if it turned out that the aliens were led by Elvis and the final mission had him as a boss riding a rainbow triceratops singing "Another One Bites the Dust" as he fires his dual belt fed particle cannons.