Currently playing the game at Commander level, I do find that I must constantly revert to saves to complete missions.
I find that it distract from my enjoyment of the game replaying single mission so many times, often because a team member dies, or I don't complete the mission withing it's time limit.
I was thinking to go down a difficultly level and just to play the game without loading within missions.
If you're playing at Commander level, you should expect team deaths. At a certain level of play, that has always been part of the X-Com experience since the UFO: Enemy Unknown in the early 90s.
Yup. That provides a strong incentive to develop "bench strength" and incorporate one or two less experienced guys in missions early on.
That was one of the things I didn't like about the game's shift to "class-based" advancement was that the wrong death to the wrong character was brutally hard to recover from. I always seemed to end up with 4 Snipers in reserve that I didn't really need, but could never get a reserve Assault guy.
I played X-Com: Enemy Unknown back in the day as much as any other game I owned, not named Railroad Tycoon II, or Civilization I.
Having said that, the only do-overs I allowed myself was to fire all new soldiers with bravery less than 40. They just couldn't survive the tough missions.
These new versions are much the same.
For X-Com fans, I would like to direct your attention to Xenonauts, on Steam, which is a near copy of X-Com, but better in most respects.
I second that on Xenonauts. I played both 40+ hours, and Xenonauts is the superior title. Production values aren't nearly as slick, but the game play is much more immersive, especially if you like a little more complexity. It's also a very faithful reproduction of the original X-Com game. And the scientist write-ups are hilarious...
One reason I didn't buy this game was the time limit missions. I have no time for them - pun intended.
Mate - rather than get down about the difficulty, lower the difficulty. It's not like you're finding the game difficult but are at the lowest setting. Why :pullhair: when you can lower the difficulty and have a :bd: gaming experience?
I am playing on Veteran and find the gameplay plenty challenging, especially with the timed missions.
Quote from: JudgeDredd on January 09, 2017, 01:54:12 AM
One reason I didn't buy this game was the time limit missions. I have no time for them - pun intended.
Mate - rather than get down about the difficulty, lower the difficulty. It's not like you're finding the game difficult but are at the lowest setting. Why :pullhair: when you can lower the difficulty and have a :bd: gaming experience?
Picked up XCom 2 in the sale. There are Time Limit mods. One I think that gives 4 more turns for most missions and one that makes most unlimited.
This mod is not seen as cheating as more time allows for better tactics. :bd:
Agree with the general sentiment that X Com is about being bloody and loosing a steady stream of guys on each mission. But sure, dial down the difficulty and enjoy. Even at the low difficulty there will be hard moments.
Quote from: fabius on January 09, 2017, 10:58:51 AM
This mod is not seen as cheating as more time allows for better tactics. :bd:
Besides, on the Terror missions (and their ilk), there's a reasonable and
variable time limit inherent with the mission style: the aliens are doing something there on the board, and if you're skillful (and lucky) you can extend the delay of their success.
Quote from: fran on January 07, 2017, 08:36:49 AM
Currently playing the game at Commander level, I do find that I must constantly revert to saves to complete missions.
I find that it distract from my enjoyment of the game replaying single mission so many times, often because a team member dies, or I don't complete the mission withing it's time limit.
I was thinking to go down a difficultly level and just to play the game without loading within missions.
Hi fran,
Drop the difficulty level. The difference different between Veteran and Commander is substantial and unforgiving. Aliens and Advent have greater hitpoint levels in Commander level that mean you need to hit most enemy at least twice. They also have better firing accuracy. They start flinging grenades around much earlier in the story line as well. Different enemy types show up earlier as well.... and your research takes longer, as does the costs of all things.
Cumulatively it is a really... really nasty jump in difficulty. So, you may want to drop a level and preserve soldiers, or learn to enjoy soldier's funerals a bit more at Commander level.
XCOM2 is a good remedy for hubris. It hurts so good.
Quote from: JasonPratt on January 09, 2017, 11:06:22 AM
Quote from: fabius on January 09, 2017, 10:58:51 AM
This mod is not seen as cheating as more time allows for better tactics. :bd:
Besides, on the Terror missions (and their ilk), there's a reasonable and variable time limit inherent with the mission style: the aliens are doing something there on the board, and if you're skillful (and lucky) you can extend the delay of their success.
Oh yes, I have a love-hate relationship with terror missions. I still remember my shock of playing my first Xcom Reboot 1.
Heart sinks when I hear the screams and see I have to save civilians. From then on it's all pump to get de job done. I find it hard to judge the risk reward of pushing to save enough or keeping the squad safe-ish.
This link takes you to a useful list of mods/tweaks for XCOM2 that can alter game difficulty.
http://www.pcgamer.com/best-xcom-2-mods/4// (http://www.pcgamer.com/best-xcom-2-mods/4//)
Once you've activated a time limit mod careful deliberate advance and the knowledge the A.I. is determined to run out to get itself killed -I've found the game's A.I. the worst of all versions. Even aliens with long range attacks will be run out into turkey shoots regularily. Time limits try to mask this---but even without modding them it is easily evident. Overall I think Firaxis lazily followed up on the success of the first- the overall premise really deserved more than a recolored version with the very same layout. Instead of a giant blimp sized ship covert operations really did deserve a return to multiple bases----that's how one really should be discovering allies in the different regions hiding covertly. They instead played it safe--regardless wether it really made any since. And snakemen walking down mainstreet really doesn't in light of the hidden helmeted aliens pretending to still be human. That discovery COULD HAVE been a major plot line---but instead your just fighting them everywhere within towns and cities---
It's still a fun game-and I really like the better soldier options and graphics-but this game really could have been so much more. If your really having trouble just remember---they will ALWAYS run out into a turkey shoot.
Wtf Ghost? The AU on Commander lever is awesome. The only time the aliens get stupid is when you lure them with a mimic beacon. It's like bacon for a groghead.
Quote from: Windigo on January 11, 2017, 02:16:53 AM
Wtf Ghost? The AU on Commander lever is awesome. The only time the aliens get stupid is when you lure them with a mimic beacon. It's like bacon for a groghead.
+1
+ 100
you want an example 6:45 at the angry joe review. makes no sense whatsoever why a snakeman would do that--
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1Jp8m2SPmzE&index=19&list=PLBBDDA4B202570E78
The A.I. really is horrendous. Taking position and letting them come to you works and works well.
That snek probably already used its two special abilities and had nothing left in its tool kit to try and score a hit on XCOM operatives. They are notoriously bad shots and shooting at enemy in cover and that have an advantage in height too....
Banzai!!!!!
Nothing makes the point better than to see how A.I. improvement mods operate.
http://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=618390218
This one actually deactivates A.I. routines to improve it. As quoted "The AI will entrench instead of running through your overwatches all the time, as silly as that was. "
Another area it is massively obvious is on terror missions. Here you can't sit back and wait-as your start losing civilians. But if you remember those early FPS games where the enemy stood frozen until you got close enough to activate it---the same applies here. They'll shoot civilians of course, until your close enough--then they will be-line towards you--even if standing right next to a cilvilian. So the strategy here is to send out an expendable soldier to get in range and get spotted-and have him lead the enemy back to the squad. If you take maximum movement to expose the entire map with this guy your regularily see little more than a couple civilian deaths on a mission.
Also note difficulty levels-unlike the first game-do nothing to change the behavior--it just adds numbers and gives aim and defense bonus's. In the first game upping the difficulty activated search and destroy patrols and more cooperative advances of the A.I.....none of that occurs in this game.
Trying to figure out how an expendable troop, going out to maximum aggro all the tangos on the map, would even survive long enough to succeed, much less lead them back into a kill zone...
Failing...
Maybe a highly leveled up assault guy with lots of special dodge abilities and tons of movement points?
Reinstalled yesterday - 2 50% squad wipes on the very first mission, man I'm out of practice - dialling back down to normal from hard and trying again later
Quote from: ghostryder on January 14, 2017, 01:25:22 PM
Nothing makes the point better than to see how A.I. improvement mods operate.
http://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=618390218
This one actually deactivates A.I. routines to improve it. As quoted "The AI will entrench instead of running through your overwatches all the time, as silly as that was. "
Another area it is massively obvious is on terror missions. Here you can't sit back and wait-as your start losing civilians. But if you remember those early FPS games where the enemy stood frozen until you got close enough to activate it---the same applies here. They'll shoot civilians of course, until your close enough--then they will be-line towards you--even if standing right next to a cilvilian. So the strategy here is to send out an expendable soldier to get in range and get spotted-and have him lead the enemy back to the squad. If you take maximum movement to expose the entire map with this guy your regularily see little more than a couple civilian deaths on a mission.
Also note difficulty levels-unlike the first game-do nothing to change the behavior--it just adds numbers and gives aim and defense bonus's. In the first game upping the difficulty activated search and destroy patrols and more cooperative advances of the A.I.....none of that occurs in this game.
That article you're quoting from details a modder's thoughts on how aliens and advent should behave and flogs his product which he calls *cough* an improved AI.
The flag to me is that he considers entrenchment a better option than attempts at flanking. Currently, encounters with activated/patrolling pods feel like an old school fantasy kung-fu movie, lots of movement and special abilities used. The XCOM2 AI is optimized to utilizing those abilities. So, for example, a gatekeeper is going to crash through a building to get in range to utilize his psi abilities, not hide behind high cover with no LOS to the enemy. If the aliens/Advent entrenched more, I'd love it. Blow up their cover, shoot their sorry exposed selves into oblivion and repeat. Enemy movement brings more uncertainty into planning and executing your moves.
IMO, its easy to criticize AI - even good AI.
Quote from: undercovergeek on January 16, 2017, 09:57:45 AM
Reinstalled yesterday - 2 50% squad wipes on the very first mission, man I'm out of practice - dialling back down to normal from hard and trying again later
Early game is brutal, I rush research, either mag weapons or the improved armour... just survive and build up those regional contacts.
vigilo confido Commander!
Quote from: Windigo on January 16, 2017, 11:35:37 AM
Quote from: undercovergeek on January 16, 2017, 09:57:45 AM
Reinstalled yesterday - 2 50% squad wipes on the very first mission, man I'm out of practice - dialling back down to normal from hard and trying again later
Early game is brutal, I rush research, either mag weapons or the improved armour... just survive and build up those regional contacts.
vigilo confido Commander!
O0
I'd considered bee-lining for psi ops
Quote from: undercovergeek on January 16, 2017, 01:46:52 PM
Quote from: Windigo on January 16, 2017, 11:35:37 AM
Quote from: undercovergeek on January 16, 2017, 09:57:45 AM
Reinstalled yesterday - 2 50% squad wipes on the very first mission, man I'm out of practice - dialling back down to normal from hard and trying again later
Early game is brutal, I rush research, either mag weapons or the improved armour... just survive and build up those regional contacts.
vigilo confido Commander!
O0
I'd considered bee-lining for psi ops
That is not one approach I have tried, but the rush to improved armour has served me well, as has the Alien Hunters DLC weapons.
I don't give a rats ass about recovering loot until I get the special weapons from the mission. You grenade everything! Advent, aliens, civies if they are too close to the baddies.... grenades get you through.
he flag to me is that he considers entrenchment a better option than attempts at flanking. Currently, encounters with activated/patrolling pods feel like an old school fantasy kung-fu movie, lots of movement and special abilities used. The XCOM2 AI is optimized to utilizing those abilities. So, for example, a gatekeeper is going to crash through a building to get in range to utilize his psi abilities, not hide behind high cover with no LOS to the enemy. If the aliens/Advent entrenched more, I'd love it. Blow up their cover, shoot their sorry exposed selves into oblivion and repeat. Enemy movement brings more uncertainty into planning and executing your moves.
IMO, its easy to criticize AI - even good AI.
Running through a turkey shoot is NOT an attempt at flanking. Going around the turkey shoot and flanking would be-but the A.I. doesn't do that. One just needs to open the mod files to observe the commented out routines -- as well as the ones added to see the point.
Trying to figure out how an expendable troop, going out to maximum aggro all the tangos on the map, would even survive long enough to succeed, much less lead them back into a kill zone...
Failing...
Maybe a highly leveled up assault guy with lots of special dodge abilities and tons of movement points?
You certainly want as many movement points on him as possible. Also note you need to be in range to activate the node the A.I. is triggered from-and not your own perception of being in range to attack. Having coded A.I. for so long I'm perhaps better at observing that but I can't see why anyone else wouldn't get the hang of it after a couple tries. Don't forget the number one rule--always end your turn behind full cover. Always take the full sprint movement on this guy. his role isn't attack. it's activate the node and head back to the advancing squad. At most there will be two areas of the map this needs doing. You can spot these on the alien turn as they shoot civilians. Other GOF areas where there are no sounds can be ignored.