Alpha Centauri 2

Other Games => Other Games => Topic started by: Unorthodox on February 05, 2016, 05:29:26 AM

Title: Xcom 2
Post by: Unorthodox on February 05, 2016, 05:29:26 AM

Sitting here waiting for an update, despite having preloaded....


Can't recall the last time I bought a game at release. 

I even have the day off tomorrow.  (coincidence)

Title: Re: Xcom 2
Post by: Unorthodox on February 05, 2016, 11:59:18 AM

I've studiously avoided anything resembling a spoiler prior to release. 

New mechanic took me a couple missions to get used to.

(https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-cAKwb9sg3pI/VrSMfP9X1hI/AAAAAAAAfvA/WTf7RX4ImQw/s800-Ic42/2016-02-05_00001.jpg)


I've watched far too many Outer Limits to not notice the left the story open for a huge twist.  And it makes a lot of sense, really.   

4-5 missions in and they're still spoon feeding elements to me.  I'm ready to just grab the reigns. 

Thematically, not a huge fan of the sword in Xcom.  Functionally replaces run n gun from the last game but is far less flexible in its application. 

Title: Re: Xcom 2
Post by: Unorthodox on February 07, 2016, 12:44:27 AM

1 HP damage, healed in the field, gravely wouded and out for 20 days, wtf?

(https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-yL4AZRGnxwY/VraMN974o6I/AAAAAAAAfvc/it3xZ4dPu8c/s800-Ic42/2016-02-05_00004.jpg)

Soldiers wdevelope PTSD, great....

(https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-E7ox10Hk6h4/VraMN2H1JsI/AAAAAAAAfvk/c3H3jTew0_s/s800-Ic42/2016-02-06_00001.jpg)

Title: Re: Xcom 2
Post by: Unorthodox on February 08, 2016, 03:28:26 PM

First thing to strike me:

No iron man mode, wtf?  However, looking back, that was a later addition to the last game as well.  I'm sure this and the various other tweaks (most of which I ticked on) that were added to the last one will be added in at some point. 

Among them, the randomizing of rookies, presently, all rookies share the exact same stats.  It is what it is. 

The story...well, I've watched enough Outer Limits to wonder if there isn't a massive twist coming. 

Caveat:  I'm playing on sissy normal, because I didn't want to have to play to win, but rather play to try out as much stuff as I could whether it was the 'best' option or not.  It's too easy for my skill level, and I recognize that. 

I also haven't felt the need to expand my squad size past the initial 4 as a result. 

The Economy:

The economy breaks down into Supplies and Intel. 

And right now, it feels really unbalanced. 

I'm always scraping for supply, and leaking intel out every orifice.  Your monthly supply comes from the number of territories you have resistance cells in, and it costs Intel to gain more territories.  However, you need to build comm equipment on your UFO to hold more territories, and that equipment needs power, so you need more power couplings as well, both of which cost supply.  Lots of supply.  You can also build radio beacons in territories that increase a countries supply (and decreases the intel cost of close by territories), but it costs supply as well, and takes 2 months (on average) to get your investment's worth. 

There is a black market (now a physical location) where you can buy items with intel.  However, it's most efficient straight up buy ~100 supply for 30 intel is limited to once a month.  You can roundabout buy an upgrade for intel and sell it back for supply as well, or sell data caches of intel for funds, but both are far less efficient than the straight up supply exchange. 

There are also bonuses to having a resistance cell in every region of a continent.  Right now, none of the ones I have help the economy, but I haven't really looked into other continental bonuses. 

Curiously, spending time at your home base, you can generate intel, but not supply. 

It's come to a point where I determine which missions I go on based on how much supply they give me, not which evil event I'm going to stop. 

scientists and engineers

As with above, the research/production section of the game feels a little off balanced as well. 

I presently have 1 laboratory with 2 scientists.  I have 4 engineers, 2 of them working in a workshop (which gives you 2 engineer robots for each engineer in the workshop), so I effectively have 6 engineers.  AND I NEED MORE ENGINEERS, not scientists. 

Scientists (at least so far) can research in the lab.  You already have a default research rate.  1 scientists = 33% reduction in time.  The second scientist?  additional 17%.  If that diminished return keeps going, my third scientist is only going to add another 9%, and a fully staffed second lab's fourth scientist only 5%. 

Meanwhile, my engineers are needed to staff everything else on the ship. Have to staff the power couplings with engineer, the med bay, production, practical research on the theoretical research the scientists did, communications, salvaging ship areas, building new rooms.  (Caveat, there are bonuses for building certain room types on certain areas, I just barely noticed the popup on that, don't think there was good documentation, so I've probably built the place all wrong and could have saved some staffing)

As it is, I bought a scientist early (for supply, damnit) and whish I hadn't.  Should have just waited for the next rescue mission and bought another engineer.  Not really a problem, just curious.  Why can't a scientist staff the med bay?  (not it's real name, but that's the function) 

Unfortunately, producing things to sell at black market is inefficient.  (at least what I can produce so far)

Some of that is due to most production now uses up corpses. (which is...really disgusting)  And I don't know what corpses are going to be valuable yet as a result.  Now that you're not shooting down UFOs, you need to rip the armor off the dead to put it to use.  This is also thematically odd for the story when you think about it, your missions are mostly 'get in and get out' guerilla tactics, sneak and small engagement.  But make sure you take the time to drag all the corpses with you.  Just don't think about it too hard and roll with it. 

Concealment

This is a big focus...and yet it's not. 

Many missions, you start hidden and are free to sneak by enemies and set up ambushes.  In the right circumstance, it's a riot to devastate hoards and pay them back for all the traps you fell into in older Xcoms.  In reality, you need to just wipe out the first patrol you see ASAP with it.  Be advised, breaking concealment initiates the double move from the last xcom on the alien's part.  They see you (hopefully you just tossed a grenade into them or sniped the biggest threat), and they get a free dash to cover.  Concealment allows you to get reaction shots in as they head for cover.  However, it's often better to just not set up overwatch, let them scatter, then perform your normal moves. 

Once concealment is broken, any enemy that sees you gets their free cover dash, which can be either advantageous to you or not.  If they move into visibility on their turn, see you, their free dash ends their turn.

The Missions:

Mission type 1:  Go destroy/hack/recover item.  Time limit 8 turns, timer stops when you get the thing.  Begin concealed, free to sneak up and set an ambush. 

Of these, I like the destroy option best.  A couple grenades in a building and the timer is done with.  Generally takes 2-3 turns just to reach the object, and that's if you don't run into patrols (unlikely).  There is an upgrade in the guerilla tactics room that allows additional movement while you're concealed that will make the timer much more manageable. 

Mission type 2:  Rescue/escort person.  Time limit 12 turns, no stopping, must reach an evac point.  Begin concealed, free to sneak and set ambushes.  *ANYONE THAT DOES NOT EVAC IN TIME IS LOST* 

Turn timer is ROUGH on these.  Again the guerilla tactics upgrade is useful, so are some of the armors that increase movement options to an extent (you can't armor your VIP).  Protip: While normally dashing immediately ends your turn and you can't take an action after, you CAN evac after a dash. 

Mission type 3:  "Retaliation".  The new terror mission.  No concealment, no time limit, kill everything, rescue civilians. 

Classic feel, love these.  Once a month.  Ish. 

Mission type 4:  Base attack.  Start concealed, no time limit.  Plant device and evac. 

Finally a time for the concealment to shine. 

I'm sure there are a few more types for special circumstances.  I know one dark event is interceptors hunting your ship down, so presumably a base defense situation. 

The Classes:

Sharpshooter:  Sniper, yay...but sniping doesn't really fit with those timer limits...so one skill tree is devoted to pistol use.  The pistol option is actually viable from what I've seen.  I've got one trained as pistols for the timer missions, and one traditional, and am bringing up a mixed training. 

Specialist:  Feels the freshest of the set.  The new hacking risk reward system will have you wanting one of these hackers.  Team critical boost, team concealment, team dodge, etc can all be had if you hack the enemy.  Failing tends to call in reinforcements.  They also work as your medic or support, really well balanced. 

Scout:  I am not a fan, thematically, of swords in my games with aliens.  I just don't see the situation where I wouldn't just shove the shotgun in the alien's face instead of pulling out a sword.  That said, I have one decked out fully in the sword skill tree, and she does kick major ass...and causes lots of bugs with her free melee attack on anything that gets that close.  The other side of the tree allows more concealment than normal, which is a double edged sword I haven't figured out how to fully utilize. 

Grenadier:  Out of the gate, felt really weak compared to the last game's heavy.  Some tech and skills later, and they've become among my favorites. 

While all rookies are carbon copies, stat wise, (they might statistically equal be whithin the same class at the same rank as well, I haven't gotten far enough to tell yet) one of the rooms (forgetting which) you build adds the possibility your soldiers learn random skills as they level up.  Skills outside normal tech trees.  These can make some hilariously fun combinations.  Characters that get free grenade tosses, or can dodge shots, etc. 

Psionic: Have not unlocked. 

Game likes to troll you as well...

(https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-E7ox10Hk6h4/VraMN2H1JsI/AAAAAAAAfvk/c3H3jTew0_s/s800-Ic42/2016-02-06_00001.jpg)

So, PTSD soldiers.  The cure is to get them through successful missions without taking damage.  That's fine and good for a sniper, but the scout is going to have a rough time of it. 

The AI

LOVES to go after the closest target.  Probably the highest percentage target, really.  Taking advantage of this with the device that makes a hologram of yourself, you can watch them wander out of cover to stand around the hologram swinging at air, and blast the crap of out them on your turn.  Trying not to abuse this, but it's a little 'get out of jail' card I keep around when things look bad. 

Certain enemies prefer certain actions as well.  Sectoids are going to psychic attack you far more than use their gun.  Snake men will try to ensnare you even though the gun is probably more deadly, bunched up soldiers are begging for the muton to toss his grenade, etc. 

Patrols seem to be programmed to converge on your target in timed missions too, so you're better off taking out the first group you see, or they're going to come up and cause trouble later. 

Overall

Games these days launch buggy, poorly balance, and incomplete.  This one isn't much different. 

If you liked the last XCOM, you'll like this.  It's still lacking that utter doom from the original.  Those shots from the dark that make you jump out of your chair and leave you wondering where it came from.  The alien double move is what it is, and concealment lets you play some of that to your advantage. 

The timers are getting the most negativity online.  It's a harsh timer, and it's over half the missions you'll play.  This can be modded if it's too terribly harsh, and might be patched.  If I was going to rate it fairly, I'd say right now it's a 7/10ish range.  I fully expect some things added via patch, and a balance patch down the road to get it to 8/10, maybe 9, which is where I would rate Enemy Within, but recognize enough randomness that this one probably has a better replay value.

Title: Re: Xcom 2
Post by: Unorthodox on February 15, 2016, 03:38:28 PM

Another weekend, and I'm circling in on the end game.  I know most people have already played, won/lost and started other campaigns or abandoned this all together.

Research is finished except for the special storyline items, one of which arbitrarily requires 4 scientists, when I've completed everything else with 2...

There's been a couple missions where I only did the bare minimum and evacuated because of nasty situations, but no further casualties to report. 

Now with top tier armor, my soldiers tend to come back "Wounded" as opposed to more seriously wounded.  Even at 1-2 HP's being lost (HP's granted by the armor, no less) (and healing mid battle don't matter).  Very few "lightly wounded".  Something is seriously wrong with the way this is calculated.  There's a unit ability that adds temporary "shield" HP.  I'd like to see all armors modded so they add that temporary HP instead of permanent HP.  (this messes with the healing in the game, so some kind of repair kit would be requisite to compensate)  This would stop the wounded nonsense. 

Top tier equipment and abilities have made timers inconsequential.

Random loot being key to how you equip your soldiers...I'm not sure whether I love or hate this method.  Maybe if I wasn't so grenade happy, blowing half of it up...

Random manufacturing...should be abolished.  I get that "experimental _________" should give a random item from a list the first time, but by damn let me build more of them from that blueprint, not go gambling again unless I want one of the other items form the list. 

I have 2 psychics, but aside from the curious "what does that skill do situations?" haven't felt the need to deploy them on serious missions, just wanting to see the top tier abilities.

A combat trained specialist may be the most well-rounded Jack of All Trades soldier.  (one of mine has a disgustingly high hack rating though, thanks to some random rewards, so that might biased my opinion.)

XP is heavily based on kills, which leaves me farming kills for lower xp soldiers instead of playing to best tactics at times.  With enemies that take focused fire from 3-4 people, that gets kind of annoying when person 2 suddenly criticals and kills it 'accidentally'.  If xp were more based on damage dealt, would be easier. 

Secotpods have yet to get a shot off in my game.  Whether they're attacking me, or I hack them and take over control...(the latter was my fault, didn't realize it was a charge up ability)

My previous sword complaint plays out in game, the guns totally outclass the swords in the end game, making the ability worthless. 

Title: Re: Xcom 2
Post by: Unorthodox on February 18, 2016, 03:27:24 PM

Now hitting the top level training with everyone, and fully unlocked gear. 

About secondary weapons in general:

Grenade launcher:  Gets one upgrade to range (and prior to that upgrade one has to wonder why you don't just throw the grenade).  Really feels like it should have a second range upgrade, but still useable.  Lots of grenades to choose from with varying effects, though acid and plasma seem to be the best.  The former strips the most armor off enemies, the latter is your best means of environmental damage.   

Gremlin:  2 upgrades, feels well balanced.  The boosts to hacking are probably the most important factors, though to be able to reliably take over enemy robots, you need some RNG success at some additional upgrades.    Aside from one or two skills, the more defensive side of the skilltree is lackluster. 

Pistols:  2 upgrades...and both fairly weak.  With a whole skill tree devoted to pistols, they leave something to be desired.  Allowing them to get weapon mods like other guns would solve most of this. 

Swords:  Ah swords.  So, a fully upgraded melee ranger's sword can match her shotgun in damage.  However, the first sword upgrade adds a stun effect to your attack, making it a useful tool if you don't kill, you might stun.  The second upgrade replaces that with a burning effect...if you don't kill in that case, chances are you're dead to a counter attack.  Best use I've found is cleanup duty.  If I can wound a bunch of enemies with the rest of the squad, the grim reaper skill can let my sword ranger clean up a good number of enemies (theoretically infinite) and retreat to cover after. 

I don't know if it's by design or what, but the AI seems to REALLY like to single one soldier out at a time.  Not terrible tactics, mind you. 

Story:  They seem to be playing it straight rather than throwing in a twist...

Inconsistancies: 

Month report:  Aliens completed base, increased avatar counter by 2. 

Xcom destroyed enemy base, killed spoiler enemy, hacked spoiler thingy, guerilla mission, stopped a retaliation, rescued VIP.  Decreased avatar count by 5. 

"your performance has us wondering if we've chosen the right direction" 

Really? 


Anyway, waiting on arbitrary upgrades and research times before moving the story on. 

Title: Re: Xcom 2
Post by: vonbach on February 20, 2016, 05:33:43 PM

I tried the series. I stopped playing it to avoid the inevitable raising of my blood pressure.
Its a shame because its probably the best tactical shooter sim I've ever seen.

Title: Re: Xcom 2
Post by: Buster's Uncle on February 22, 2016, 10:26:52 PM

(https://scontent-atl3-1.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-xpa1/v/t1.0-9/12745821_10153856898910359_2182009737573621044_n.png?oh=d69fb821f26ddea98e8e144ed3b50071&oe=575DA5C0)

Title: Re: Xcom 2
Post by: Unorthodox on February 24, 2016, 04:30:30 PM

Finished over the weekend.  The story played it straight all the way through, and I'm still not convinced there's not a big twist yet to come.  (more in a spoiler later) There are just too many little tidbits left behind, and one big thing that is either really poor writing, or a huge clue. 

Iron Man is now possible, and appreciated.  Don't know why it wasn't available the first go round.  Curiously, NOT playing the tutorial leaves me in better shape than playing the tutorial.  WTF? 

Stepped up to Commander difficulty/iron man, and am enjoying so far, though the increased difficulty really just boils down to an adjustment lowering your % to hit.  As a result, my early game strategy revolves around supremely aggressive play that gives me the best % chance to hit. 

Might get around to an AAR.  Any volunteers to die horrible deaths? 

Title: Re: Xcom 2
Post by: Unorthodox on February 24, 2016, 04:54:44 PM

XCom 2 Story:

(click to show/hide)

Game opens with you being rescued from an alien facility, where they have implanted a chip into your brain, and the resistance removes this chip.  During the procedure, you experience several "flashbacks" to when the aliens put it in in the first place. 

This immediately triggered the thought in my head:  Are we really seeing the truth, or am I under mind control, the implanting being made to look like a rescue?  The lineup of the flashbacks with the 'normal' views is near perfect.  Too perfect. 

It's explained you've been out 20 years, and the Aliens won.  They now use Advent to control the human population, which provides us with the primary enemy for Xcom 2.  What aliens we do get to see are in support or leadership roles, usually with 2-3 advent troops. 

So, analyzing Advent, they are a military organization which have combined human and Alien DNA to form superior soldiers, and also field MEC troops.  This triggered another red flag immediately for me.  Xcom Enemy Within, you injected Alien DNA into your troops to enhance their abilities, OR cut them to ribbons to surgically create MEC troopers. 

Is Advent really Xcom?  Am I really fighting for the Aliens? 

Advent's goal is to create an AVATAR: a super psionic soldier, and they are screening the population for the best candidates.  Xcom: Enemy Unknown and Enemy Within, this was Xcom's goal.  Creating The Volunteer, a super psionic soldier, and they went about screening all their soldiers...

You no longer have a base, but instead fly around in a UFO, and launch clandestine operations in city centers, or defend your assets from Advent attack.  Is this not what the Aliens have done in previous games? 

And then there are fragments of story that pile up and just don't make a lot of sense. 

Our lead scientist has a huge, obvious scar on the back of his head.  The most likely explaination I can come up with is he's been implanted as well.  All other 'main' characters have hair that hide potential scars.  However, it's explicitly stated that you are the only one to ever survive this chip removal operation.  Is the scientist still implanted?  Where did his scars come from?  He admits to having worked for Advent at the beginning, and even worked on these chips.  Why is no one asking? 

Our old lead scientist is alluded to, but never found.  Yet, it's clearly her work in the advent soldiers.  Why was this left hanging? 

I don't think it's necessarily scripted, as a technically random 'dark event', but very likely you are going to get shot down at some point.  The ensuing mission, it's explicitely stated, THEY DON'T WANT YOU, THEY ARE TRYING TO CAPTURE YOUR UFO.  Now, if Advent/the aliens are really in charge, WHY would they want to kill everyone to capture what is supposedly an older UFO model?  Is this not exactly what Xcom would do?  There is no good reason for the aliens to capture and not destroy outright.  This is either poor writing or a huge clue that you are really the aliens this time around. 

In our final mission, the "elders" make a bit of an appearance, as you face a couple enemy Avatars.  They pretty much come right out and ask you to stop being manipulated and return to them.  Going to far as to say you've defeated "them" (meaning the people you are now working for) before, you can do it again. 

We are left with what appears to be an obvious setup for a terror from the deep remake as something starts being active in the ocean depths. 

 

Title: Re: Xcom 2
Post by: Buster's Uncle on March 10, 2016, 07:09:56 PM

Quote

(https://scontent-atl3-1.xx.fbcdn.net/hprofile-xap1/v/t1.0-1/p100x100/1497623_10153626833265171_1909457019_n.jpg?oh=bdfa8898e37635aa1687ce661e58d986&oe=5750BE40)  Firaxis Games (https://www.facebook.com/Firaxis-Games-134693940170/?fref=nf)
                              1 hr ·

An XCOM 2 patch just went live and we try Beaglerush's Competitive Co-op on our stream!

Patch Notes >>> https://xcom.com/news/en-xcom-2-patch-now-live (https://xcom.com/news/en-xcom-2-patch-now-live)
 Subscribe to our channel >>> https://www.twitch.tv/firaxisgames (https://www.twitch.tv/firaxisgames)

(https://scontent-atl3-1.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-xlt1/v/t1.0-9/12801300_10156707269375171_2432422552058923493_n.jpg?oh=f883d55e6009f127a34b7caf59fbc1ab&oe=574B84ED)

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Quote

(https://scontent-atl3-1.xx.fbcdn.net/hprofile-xap1/v/t1.0-1/p100x100/1497623_10153626833265171_1909457019_n.jpg?oh=bdfa8898e37635aa1687ce661e58d986&oe=5750BE40)  Firaxis Games (https://www.facebook.com/Firaxis-Games-134693940170/?fref=nf)
                              3 hrs ·

The XCOM 2 team had a blast making videos with Beaglerush at our studio. Now you get to watch the madness!
 Jake Solomon and Mark Nauta compete in a tactical Co-op challenge. Find out who won >>> youtu.be/ZtL4Ww5OOEw

XCOM 2: Live from Firaxis - Competitive Co-op (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZtL4Ww5OOEw#)

Title: Re: Xcom 2
Post by: Buster's Uncle on July 01, 2016, 01:11:35 AM

New XCOM 2 patch out: https://xcom.com/news/en-xcom-2-june-2016-patch