XCOM: Enemy Unknown

[Farsight]

Yeah, you can't artificially delay the aliens. But, I also don't rush the story elements. I don't bother trying to capture aliens unless there's an easy opportunity, which often requires a sniper that can break their guns, or armor so my guys can take a hit without exploding. Lasers keep me viable until end-game basically, as a sniper with a laser sniper rifle, seeing through his teammates' eyes and getting two shots a turn can take out almost anything.

I don't think I usually even build the Containment lab until I have 5-6 soldiers and laser sniper rifles.

[Libuke]

Originally Posted by Savok

Gotta keep the guy who went into the chamber back at the base alive until the end so he can do the cutscene shit

If you've done that, welcome to bug number #526097.

I did do that.

[Savok]

I'm not entirely sure how it's possible a tile/turn-based game can be one of the most broken titles of the year but here we are.

My only suggestion is redo the entire horrible mission starting from the "Geoscape" if you can. If you want the achievements anyway, otherwise just pat yourself on the back, uninstall the game and cry yourself to sleep like I do most nights.

[iHap]

Originally Posted by Savok

I'm not entirely sure how it's possible a tile/turn-based game can be one of the most broken titles of the year but here we are.

I need you to explain in exceptionable detail on what you mean by this.

[Khrymsyn]

Originally Posted by iHap

I need you to explain in exceptionable detail on what you mean by this.

Just read through the posts in this thread by him. Every single one is a complaint. That'll give you a nice long list to go through. We're all deluded in enjoying this game because it's so obviously a broken, horribly programmed, horribly balanced, horribly put together hot mess.

[crazyD]

It is pretty goddamned buggy, which is unacceptable for something so unambitious. I still came out really liking it, but it is a bug ridden mess.

[Ink Asylum]

The worst bug I ran into during my two playthroughs were some lagging animations that made cinematic shots take too long.

[Libuke]

Originally Posted by Savok

I'm not entirely sure how it's possible a tile/turn-based game can be one of the most broken titles of the year but here we are.

My only suggestion is redo the entire horrible mission starting from the "Geoscape" if you can. If you want the achievements anyway, otherwise just pat yourself on the back, uninstall the game and cry yourself to sleep like I do most nights.

Ironman; can't go back. except for the turn before I kill him. I tried but still ended the same way.

Edit: I agree with Savok on a lot of points on his issues with the game. I still enjoyed the game but I think it could have been even better, and would have preferred less bugs. At one point in the second last mission I couldn't move a character except down a level because I could not click on the level he was on. It made moving my sniper up there useles and kept him out of the fight for about 4 turns. By then he was not needed.

As an aside I see no reason to get DLC for the game.

[Vandabo]

Yeah, I've hit several bugs and there is some very annoying UI design, but it is fun enough to look past those problems most of the time.

[Khrymsyn]

Meh, my post was probably a bit harsher sounding than I meant it. lol.
I was just referring to the statement of an "exhaustive list", so I figured I'd just point out you could take all of Savok's posts as the exhaustive list. heh

[Vigil80]

Originally Posted by Ink Asylum

The worst bug I ran into during my two playthroughs were some lagging animations that made cinematic shots take too long.

Same. Not to start a round of "works fine for me" or anything, but I think "buggiest title" is hyperbole by a wide margin.

On the occasions that I'm having trouble moving units among different heights - which primarily happens on abductor ships - simply rotating the camera around to the other side allows me to select the spot I want.

[Savok]

Originally Posted by iHap

I need you to explain in exceptionable detail on what you mean by this.

You know what's going to be happening at any given time and where, that should cut down potential problems by magnitudes. No falling through geometry, no memory problems from too much happening at once, no one doing anything bizarre and unexpected thanks to the lack of freedom (not a complaint dammit, it's a TBS). Look at the camera for christ sake, they fucked up the camera on a game like this. It's a shoddy, lazy game, the 2nd worst remake/reimagining I've ever played (that I can think of right now anyway). Firaxis is dead to me.

[Savok]

Originally Posted by Vigil80

Same. Not to start a round of "works fine for me" or anything, but I think "buggiest title" is hyperbole by a wide margin.

I had several occasions where the UI just up and vanished on me or froze unable to do anything. Had to use Task Manager to end the process.

Also I said it was buggiest title I've played this year not counting MMOs.

[jpublic]

Has anyone noticed that for a game that has supposedly random outcomes, things are remarkably non-random?

Great example: If a guy has a 90% chance to hit an enemy and misses, you can reload the game a dozen times and he'll miss every time. You can quit the game, reboot your computer, and reload the game and he'll still miss.

Shouldn't he at least have hit that shot 90% of the time?

[Ink Asylum]

Originally Posted by jpublic

Shouldn't he at least have hit that shot 90% of the time?

They've explained this. When you start a mission a seed number is generated. For the rest of the mission all "random" outcomes are generated from that seed. A 90% outcome does have a 90% chance of being a "hit" from that seed, but reloading mid-mission won't randomize that outcome again.

It's similar to how you can type a seed into Minecraft when generating a new world, then pass the seed to someone else and they'll generate the exact same world.

[Darkmatter]

Hey guys, I need some advice. I've been slowing playing through the game on normal after starting over once. Its currently the end of May in my game and I want to start building more sat's asap. My current inc batch will be ready in a week I think. The thing is, I'm a little short of cash so I was wondering if there would be a problem if I sold 1 nav computer and 1 power cell. (NOT BROKEN) I know I need these things for other stuff but I currently have 7 of each and I figure I'll end up getting more later.

Any thoughts?

Thanks!

Edit: 1 more question. They say you should not deploy sat's till the end of the month and I can see how that would be best if your dealing with a high panic country, but doesn't putting them up give me a higher chance of seeing and shooting down an alien ship? I need their loot and cash.

[Savok]

Originally Posted by jpublic

Has anyone noticed that for a game that has supposedly random outcomes, things are remarkably non-random?

Great example: If a guy has a 90% chance to hit an enemy and misses, you can reload the game a dozen times and he'll miss every time. You can quit the game, reboot your computer, and reload the game and he'll still miss.

Shouldn't he at least have hit that shot 90% of the time?

Pre-seeded. Funny thing is you can abuse the hell out of it for save scumming even more then having it actually random.

Take a turn with dice rolls that go 1, 10 and 20 (we'll use d20s because I like them). No matter who shoots first they're going to miss (unless it's 100% accuracy), it's always the first roll. Next is anything over 50% will hit, anything under a miss. The last is your hail mary that just about anything will hit.

You have three guys, a rookie trying to eat his own gun, an assault guy with decent accuracy and a decked out sniper. Go assault, rookie and then sniper, you'll only hit once with the sniper, unwittingly wasting the amazing roll on a 100% to hit. Reload and go sniper, assault and rookie, suddenly everyone hits and the enemy is wiped out.

Originally Posted by Darkmatter

Hey guys, I need some advice. I've been slowing playing through the game on normal after starting over once. Its currently the end of May in my game and I want to start building more sat's asap. My current inc batch will be ready in a week I think. The thing is, I'm a little short of cash so I was wondering if there would be a problem if I sold 1 nav computer and 1 power cell. (NOT BROKEN) I know I need these things for other stuff but I currently have 7 of each and I figure I'll end up getting more later.

Any thoughts?

Thanks!

Edit: 1 more question. They say you should not deploy sat's till the end of the month and I can see how that would be best if your dealing with a high panic country, but doesn't putting them up give me a higher chance of seeing and shooting down an alien ship? I need their loot and cash.

You're on normal, you can get away with less Firestorms fairly easily. Especially true if you've got plenty of steam, power cells become far less vital in general. I wouldn't sell a nav computer unless you've got your nexuses done though, those are vital.

My experience is sats do absolutely nothing in way of detecting UFOs. I saw no change in numbers of them from having fuck all sats to a full network. What I think happens is the game says "time for a UFO mission" and simply spawns one where you can see it. No more going over activity graphs and patrolling radar blindspots for us, aliens just fly straight into our guns.

[Farsight]

Originally Posted by Ink Asylum

They've explained this. When you start a mission a seed number is generated. For the rest of the mission all "random" outcomes are generated from that seed. A 90% outcome does have a 90% chance of being a "hit" from that seed, but reloading mid-mission won't randomize that outcome again.

This is true, except that the AI also uses those seeds for its' decision-making, so even small changes in your actions will cause different outcomes, once your turn has ended.

But yeah, saving, missing, reloading, and shooting again will never work.

Originally Posted by Darkmatter

The thing is, I'm a little short of cash so I was wondering if there would be a problem if I sold 1 nav computer and 1 power cell. (NOT BROKEN)

Edit: 1 more question. They say you should not deploy sat's till the end of the month and I can see how that would be best if your dealing with a high panic country, but doesn't putting them up give me a higher chance of seeing and shooting down an alien ship? I need their loot and cash.

You should try to avoid selling stuff you can only get from UFOs when possible. Sell off corpses first. After that, only sell UFO parts if you're desperate for something very important. If it'll save a panicked nation or prevent soldier deaths, go for it.

My Ironman playthrough is progressing... missions take a lot longer when every move is terrifying. It doesn't take anywhere near as long as games of the originals though, thanks to some excellent design decisions. While I really liked the original, I think I only beat it once, due to how tedious the micromanagement became. Moving one step at a time, managing whether you were crouched/prone/standing and which way you were facing were all vital in the older games, and they were all boring as hell. The pace on this one has been streamlined so well, I doubt I could ever go back.

[Narradisall]

I haven't picked this up yet (i'm in no hurry), but anyone reckon they will fix the PC bugs? I may wait for a Steam sale and hope they fixed the bugs by then.

[crazyD]

In my normal playthrough, I sold plenty of UFO parts. I'd say go for it.