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Giant Bomb XX | Donut Create Push

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Archaix

Drunky McMurder
And it had a human-to-cyborg transformation cutscene, with makes it an automatic 5 stars. There needs to be a concept page for this (with quake 4 at the top ofc)


I loved how nonchalant the XCOM soldier was about the process. "Welp, guess I got some metal limbs now" followed by Shen telling you that you actually need to build a combat suit now, he just wanted to amputate somebody for funsies.
 

Frith

Member
I'm going to make a t-shirt

"I found out about Jeff's wedding from John Vignocchi's periscope"

who wants one?
 

Noaloha

Member
Spoiler-ey comments are super fine, dandy and cool. Spoiler tags exist for a reason and they largely do a perfect job.

My personal irk is any instance where spoiler-ey shit is put behind tags with nary a pissing clue as to what is contained within. Please, I implore thee, clue me the fuck in on as to what you did done type in there, please. Spoiler tags devolve into some shitty niche feature if their purpose is simply to distinguish between the "LOL I don't give a fuck" types and every other person on the planet.
 
Man, XCOM 2 is so good. It's kind of a bummer that so many people (at least going by Steam) are getting caught up on the time limit thing. I'm glad Firaxis pushed things in a new and more aggressive direction since it's both a great subversion of what worked in the first game, plus more fitting to the XCOM-as-outmanned/outgunned insurgents narrative.
 
Man, XCOM 2 is so good. It's kind of a bummer that so many people (at least going by Steam) are getting caught up on the time limit thing. I'm glad Firaxis pushed things in a new and more aggressive direction since it's both a great subversion of what worked in the first game, plus more fitting to the XCOM-as-outmanned/outgunned insurgents narrative.

But I totally get it because if someone isn't used to taking risks or is more familiar with the XCOM style of play, to them it seems like they're being punished for wanting to be careful in a game that isn't too subtle about "hey we're limited on resources here." You're not allowed to play in this way that you're familiar with or prefer.

Personally I kinda hate the time limit missions even in EUEW where the timers counted down at the start of the mission without the conceal mechanic. It actually has been something keeping me away from the game considering how many missions seem to have a time mechanic.

I'm also just slightly salty at the idea that EUEW didn't happen.
 

Noaloha

Member
But I totally get it because if someone isn't used to taking risks or is more familiar with the XCOM style of play, to them it seems like they're being punished for wanting to be careful in a game that isn't too subtle about "hey we're limited on resources here." You're not allowed to play in this way that you're familiar with or prefer.

Personally I kinda hate the time limit missions even in EUEW where the timers counted down at the start of the mission without the conceal mechanic. It actually has been something keeping me away from the game considering how many missions seem to have a time mechanic.

I'm also just slightly salty at the idea that EUEW didn't happen.

I'm still early in the game and currently ruminating on my feelings about its design choices (early game at least), but I'm really liking it so far.

I think tactics/strategy games can genuinely benefit from mechanics which force the player to take a step outside of their comfort zone. It's something of a counter to the potential problem of turn-based games where they can, by the very nature of their non-real-time-iness, exist as a very laid-back, ruminatory experience, such that these calm water considerations fly in the face of a strong theme that the turn-based game is trying to replicate.
 
Anybody heard rumors of timeline when controller support will come to XCOM2? I know it supports the Steam Controller, but I don't care for that thing. I really want to play the game, but I'm hunched over a keyboard 8 hours a day at work and don't feel like doing it at home when I relax.
 
Man, XCOM 2 is so good. It's kind of a bummer that so many people (at least going by Steam) are getting caught up on the time limit thing. I'm glad Firaxis pushed things in a new and more aggressive direction since it's both a great subversion of what worked in the first game, plus more fitting to the XCOM-as-outmanned/outgunned insurgents narrative.
The only thing that I think sucks about the time limit is that it counts down when you're in the undetected state.
 
Anybody heard rumors of timeline when controller support will come to XCOM2? I know it supports the Steam Controller, but I don't care for that thing. I really want to play the game, but I'm hunched over a keyboard 8 hours a day at work and don't feel like doing it at home when I relax.

I don't think it will any time soon, the Steam controller support seems like it was their answer to the people whining about no controller support. If a console version ever happens, I could see the controller support making it's way into the PC version.
 

AcridMeat

Banned
I get not wanting to port it to consoles, but not having controller support sucks so much.

I also suck ass at xcom woo boy.
 
But I totally get it because if someone isn't used to taking risks or is more familiar with the XCOM style of play, to them it seems like they're being punished for wanting to be careful in a game that isn't too subtle about "hey we're limited on resources here." You're not allowed to play in this way that you're familiar with or prefer.

That's why I think it's great, though -- it's completely inverting how you think you should play XCOM. It's a response to how pretty much everyone played the first game. While just more of the same would have been fun, it's even better that they turned the XCOM formula on its head. It's made me nervous and uneasy and unsettled after feeling like I had a comfortable handle on the first game...which is just what an XCOM should do.

The only thing that I think sucks about the time limit is that it counts down when you're in the undetected state.

Yeah, if I could change anything about it, that would be it. No reason for the timer to be ticking when the aliens are just chilling.
 
That's why I think it's great, though -- it's completely inverting how you think you should play XCOM. It's a response to how pretty much everyone played the first game. While just more of the same would have been fun, it's even better that they turned the XCOM formula on its head. It's made me nervous and uneasy and unsettled after feeling like I had a comfortable handle on the first game...which is just what an XCOM should do.

I'm sure they'll make adjustments down the road like they did with the Second Wave stuff.

Hey speaking of some weird mechanics, did they patch out the Overwatch trapping that was in the beta? I saw reports that you could set your guys on overwatch while concealed, use one dude to pop an enemy in the head, and then all your guys in Overwatch would start shooting as the enemy unit scrambled.
 
Hey speaking of some weird mechanics, did they patch out the Overwatch trapping that was in the beta? I saw reports that you could set your guys on overwatch while concealed, use one dude to pop an enemy in the head, and then all your guys in Overwatch would start shooting as the enemy unit scrambled.

That's in as a feature -- it's essentially your squad ambushing an enemy one all at once and a way to prevent the enemy from just running to cover after a single shot (though once you open fire, you can't do it again on that level since concealment is permanently lost). It's sooooo satisfying.
 
That's in as a feature -- it's essentially your squad ambushing an enemy one all at once and a way to prevent the enemy from just running to cover after a single shot (though once you open fire, you can't do it again on that level since concealment is permanently lost). It's sooooo satisfying.

Oh awesome. For some reason I'd seen people talking about it like it had been patched out because it was too OP, but that's exactly what I would want to do with a group of hidden guerrilla fighters. Still wish there was a way to regain concealment tho.
 

AcridMeat

Banned
Oh awesome. For some reason I'd seen people talking about it like it had been patched out because it was too OP, but that's exactly what I would want to do with a group of hidden guerrilla fighters. Still wish there was a way to regain concealment tho.
Agreed.

I like a bunch of the changes they've made, but you should regain concealment if there's no other enemy active/in line of site.

I'm sure they tried it but found the gameplay loop was much more confined as a result.
 

Noaloha

Member
I'm sure they'll make adjustments down the road like they did with the Second Wave stuff.

Hey speaking of some weird mechanics, did they patch out the Overwatch trapping that was in the beta? I saw reports that you could set your guys on overwatch while concealed, use one dude to pop an enemy in the head, and then all your guys in Overwatch would start shooting as the enemy unit scrambled.

That's in as a feature -- it's essentially your squad ambushing an enemy one all at once and a way to prevent the enemy from just running to cover after a single shot (though once you open fire, you can't do it again on that level since concealment is permanently lost). It's sooooo satisfying.

I think there is a specific new AI behaviour that's been implemenmted since the preview copies went out.

Used to be that you could set up a bunch of peeps in juicy positions and just have one unit right in the middle of an enemy pod's path. They would move, encounter, scramble for cover, get ripped by overwatch, then you'd get a full turn to clean up.

As a quick-fix, now the behaviour for 'docile' patrolling pods is to either scramble for cover or to just stand where they are and blast the shit out of your bait unit.

If I understand it correctly, it essentially removes an unintended exploitation of the patrol mechanic.
 
Agreed.

I like a bunch of the changes they've made, but you should regain concealment if there's no other enemy active/in line of site.

I'm sure they tried it but found the gameplay loop was much more confined as a result.

Well from the early story beats
since the soldiers are psyonically linked, it makes sense.
But yeah, I imagine if you got a squad put together that could nearly always pick apart the lesser units, it'd get broken real quick.

Argh. Ya'll are really tempting me to get XCOM 2.
 
I think there is a specific new AI behaviour that's been implemenmted since the preview copies went out.

Hm, that's interesting -- I haven't tried setting up an ambush with physically moving someone into their detection range, only by shooting/grenades. When your ambush setup works, it's amazing (they even give you an achievement for it).

Re: maintaining concealment, as fun as that would be, it would be fairly easy to completely break the game by abusing the ambush mechanic with the right squad setup.
 
It's one of my two main issues with the game at the moment, the other being that enemies get a free move when you encounter them.

yeah I don't like that one. you get everybody in place for an ambush and suddenly it doesn't matter because everybody except the one guy you popped ran for cover.

Personally I love the changes they made to the game, it keeps things so much more dynamic. it was way too easy to abuse the AI in EU by moving at a glacial pace and overwatching everything. now it's all about constantly moving to get flanking shots and being forced to move from your safe zones to get to the objective.

it's maybe too early to call it, but I'm almost certain this thing kicks the crap out of EU on so many levels
 

Noaloha

Member
Hm, that's interesting -- I haven't tried setting up an ambush with physically moving someone into their detection range, only by shooting/grenades. When your ambush setup works, it's amazing (they even give you an achievement for it).

The specific 'exploit' as I understand it, wasn't moving *into* their line of sight with overwatch set up, but having overwatch set up and placing a unit in a spot such that the enemy walk on to them during the alien movement phase. This specifically is what allowed the overwatch shower (from their scatter reaction) plus an immediate full player turn.

edit: 'ambushes' are a concealment thing, and super, super powerful. you get one of them, mission allowing and assuming you don't get unlucky and stumble into a trigger square.
 
it's maybe too early to call it, but I'm almost certain this thing kicks the crap out of EU on so many levels

I think to knock it out of the park for me, just from what I've seen, would be a diverse cast of classes and subclasses. Right now, at least what was shown off from the devs, were 6 classes with two skill options on each level, like base EU. The Psi stuff from EU did fine to make them feel a little more interesting, but the amount of group diversity you got in EW was so good feeling between the Psi, Mech, and Gene units.

There could be something later on that changes it up though.
 

Archaix

Drunky McMurder
Yeah, if I could change anything about it, that would be it. No reason for the timer to be ticking when the aliens are just chilling.


Removing the timer at the start of the mission counteracts the entire point of the timer in the first place. They didn't like the overly cautious approach being objectively the right choice before you encounter your first alien. The timer exists specifically to make you move faster in early turns.
 
The specific 'exploit' as I understand it, wasn't moving *into* their line of sight with overwatch set up, but having overwatch set up and placing a unit in a spot such that the enemy walk on to them during the alien movement phase. This specifically is what allowed the overwatch shower (from their scatter reaction) plus an immediate full player turn.

Oh wow, yeah, I can see how that's easily abused. I'm pretty sure one dude did just straight-up shoot at me after patrolling into one of my soldiers so they I think they fixed it.

Removing the timer at the start of the mission counteracts the entire point of the timer in the first place. They didn't like the overly cautious approach being objectively the right choice before you encounter your first alien. The timer exists specifically to make you move faster in early turns.

Yeah, I can agree with that. I'm just being greedy since setting up that first perfect ambush is such a highlight.
 

Wunder

Member
having pods move after discovery makes sense, since you can see from concealment you can potentially wipe out an entire unit or at least heavily hamper them. If that was the case for every pod you encounter, you'd literally be fighting 1 or 2 guys on their turn
 

Noaloha

Member
having pods move after discovery makes sense, since you can see from concealment you can potentially wipe out an entire unit or at least heavily hamper them. If that was the case for every pod you encounter, you'd literally be fighting 1 or 2 guys on their turn

Yep, the meat of combat is balanced with regards to cover and puzzling your way, occasionally literally, around it. It feels somewhat essential that it be the default situation from which you then apply tactics, initial endorphin-poppin' ambush powerplay notwithstanding.
 
it's maybe too early to call it, but I'm almost certain this thing kicks the crap out of EU on so many levels

So far I'd agree with you. I went into it expecting it to just be more XCOM but it's really gone beyond that and I'm enjoying it way more EU because of all the extra stuff they've done.
 

Teddified

Member
Just finished Rise of the Tomb Raider, I'm surprised Jeff liked it so much. It's basically the same design of the first game just with some bigger "hub" areas. Also a bunch of crafting. I played the 2013 game just a few weeks ago too so maybe that is the reason I feel like this.
 
N

Noray

Unconfirmed Member
Just finished Rise of the Tomb Raider, I'm surprised Jeff liked it so much. It's basically the same design of the first game just with some bigger "hub" areas. Also a bunch of crafting. I played the 2013 game just a few weeks ago too so maybe that is the reason I feel like this.

Yeah I thought the same thing, don't really see why you'd dislike the first one but like Rise, it's almost identical design-wise. I liked TR2013 better, but Rise is good.
 
I'm playing Yakuza 5, as you do, and discover Sherlock Bones browsing manga in a store.

Sherlock Bones is the story of a young teenage boy who adopts a dog from the pound. Once the young boy discovers that his dog can talk with his grandfather's old pipe, they go on adventures and solve crimes.

Sherdog is the reincarnation of Sherlock Holmes who had died 100 years ago. He is a mixed breed puppy with floppy ears and wrinkly feet. Adopted by a teenage boy, he seeks to continue to solve crimes and protect the world from murderers.

He frequently forgets he is a dog, and continues to try and act like a normal human despite his physical appearance. Using a pipe kept by his owners family, he can speak to Takeru to solve the mysteries for him. Sherdog continues to learn about the new world he lives in and adapts to the everyday life of being a dog.

Why isn't this anime yet?
 

demidar

Member
starting fires is fun

Totally.

2510754-3363261264-24674.gif
 

sprinkles

Member
Anybody heard rumors of timeline when controller support will come to XCOM2? I know it supports the Steam Controller, but I don't care for that thing. I really want to play the game, but I'm hunched over a keyboard 8 hours a day at work and don't feel like doing it at home when I relax.
I have played XOM 2 a few hours now with the Steam Controller and I am loving it. The official profile works great out of the box so I am not missing support for other controllers.
 

jaina

Member
Just finished Rise of the Tomb Raider, I'm surprised Jeff liked it so much. It's basically the same design of the first game just with some bigger "hub" areas. Also a bunch of crafting. I played the 2013 game just a few weeks ago too so maybe that is the reason I feel like this.
I played TR 2013 in the past weeks and really liked it. Now I'm waiting with ROTR until I have a better monitor and/or graphics card.
From your experience that sounds good, to have some distance between the two.
 
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