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[RpgN]

^
Yep, that might be it. I read that you get 50 total, so you might have passed all of them.

RurouniZei, kind of a tough question. It seems you don't know when to move and when to stop. Try not to get too close and run around them too much. When you aim to attack them, they won't fire at you, giving you the opportunity to aim well. If you aim at their head, you can kill them in one round and they won't be able to counterattack you. Also your recruits does counterattack just like how they do it. I'm not sure why you're saying they don't.

 

[Llyranor]

After waiting long enough and EB/Amazon still having no clue whatsoever when the game is sometimes to be available in Canada, I've ordered from VG+. At least they ship their games.

 

[Baha]

Someone help me get this game! I downloaded the demo and I nearly died in the tutorial!

Believe you me when I say I want to love this game to death. It's made by the people who made Skies of Arcadia. The movement/turn system BLiTZ is very similar to the ARMS system from Sakura Taisens 3-5. It's got Hitoshi Sakamoto music. It's got drop dead gorgeous graphics.

But I can't enjoy a game I've struggling to play! Not like "Ah it's too difficult!". Difficult I can handle. This is more like "I don't understand what I have to do to play the game correctly."

Like, I'll move my squad member to a position to attack an enemy. But when I attack the enemy, they start attacking back. Heck, even if I move into certain areas they start shooting, but my characters don't do the same when the enemies move. It's like if feels like it's supposed to be turn-based, but kinda isn't. I'm really struggling to get a feel for this.

Suggestions anyone?

Well everything is in real-time whenever you move someone I guess. If you move within their range, they will open fire on you if a) they're facing you and b) they aren't a sniper or lancer (those 2 classes don't counter), the same goes for tanks.

Now there's a rock/paper/scissors mechanic here for classes. Scouts move the farthest of any class, have great range but have weak defense and weak firepower.
Shocktroopers have stronger firepower and better armor but move less further than scouts, they're your offensive class.
Engineers are similar to scouts except that they move a tad less farther, can repair tanks, sandbags, and other destructive objects as well as resupply allies with ammo by being near them.
Lancers have strong armor, withstand anti-personnel attacks better (i.e. tank shells) but have limited movement and are defenseless against rushing scouts/engineers or shocktroopers who get close for headshots. They're best against tanks (obviously) as well as mortar guns, etc.
Finally you have your sniper, great range, weaker than your scout. They work best against standing enemies from afar since crouching ones take multiple hits to kill.

A few tips for the demo, use cover & try to group allies together behind cover for assists when attacking and firing at running enemies during their turn. Use your tank for cover, it works great as a shield and as a turret if enemies come close. Don't forget to use grenades for blowing up sandbags & crouching enemies (the blast, if it doesn't kill them, will make them stand up making them more vulnerable). Also don't forget about your ragnite (healing item). Both the 'nades and ragnite can be accessed by hitting square but they count towards your action so you can't heal & fire during the same turn.

 

[Alidar]

Someone help me get this game! I downloaded the demo and I nearly died in the tutorial!

Believe you me when I say I want to love this game to death. It's made by the people who made Skies of Arcadia. The movement/turn system BLiTZ is very similar to the ARMS system from Sakura Taisens 3-5. It's got Hitoshi Sakamoto music. It's got drop dead gorgeous graphics.

But I can't enjoy a game I've struggling to play! Not like "Ah it's too difficult!". Difficult I can handle. This is more like "I don't understand what I have to do to play the game correctly."

Like, I'll move my squad member to a position to attack an enemy. But when I attack the enemy, they start attacking back. Heck, even if I move into certain areas they start shooting, but my characters don't do the same when the enemies move. It's like if feels like it's supposed to be turn-based, but kinda isn't. I'm really struggling to get a feel for this.

Suggestions anyone?

Scouts, shock troopers, and tanks, I believe, have intercepting fire. Basically if you control a character and they're in range (and depending on the direction they're facing, scouts have a 270 degree fire radius and the other two only 90 degrees), then they can fire, reload, fire, and keep at it while you control the character.

Also, scouts and shock troopers (and maybe add engineers to this list and the last one) will counter attack if your attack doesn't kill them and you're in their range.

Crouching behind sandbags helps defensively - there's no handshot damage bonus and your evasion is up. I find it helpful to run to a specific sandbag, take cover, then aim and fire (all the action stops when you're aiming). After I'm done with my character's turn, I immediately end it - no sense in just standing there for 5 seconds and taking shots if you know you're done with that character. Keep in mind that enemies don't fire at any characters you don't control on your turn, so once you end that character's turn they stop shooting at them.

When it's the enemy's turn, your scouts, shock troopers, etc. will also intercept fire enemies that move (got a few kills this way), and counterattack and such.

That help?

 

[ukiraros]

I'm chapter 7 doing all fine with no deaths and then PEW PEW PEW from Selvaria, taking 3 allies in 3 turns, Rosie retreated and damn Hector got killed. Time to retry it without getting them killed this time.



Also I don't like that you need to do certain tasks in order to get certain recruits.

 

[SnakeXs]

*shields eyes*

Is this thread safe yet? I saw some spoiler-y scares earlier and have bailed out since. ;_;

 

[RurouniZel]

Now there's a rock/paper/scissors mechanic here for classes. Scouts move the farthest of any class, have great range but have weak defense and weak firepower.
Shocktroopers have stronger firepower and better armor but move less further than scouts, they're your offensive class.
Engineers are similar to scouts except that they move a tad less farther, can repair tanks, sandbags, and other destructive objects as well as resupply allies with ammo by being near them.
Lancers have strong armor, withstand anti-personnel attacks better (i.e. tank shells) but have limited movement and are defenseless against rushing scouts/engineers or shocktroopers who get close for headshots. They're best against tanks (obviously) as well as mortar guns, etc.
Finally you have your sniper, great range, weaker than your scout. They work best against standing enemies from afar since crouching ones take multiple hits to kill.

That definitely helps. I read the game's description but it confused me more than it helped. I guess it was a case of too much information.

Don't forget to use grenades for blowing up sandbags & crouching enemies (the blast, if it doesn't kill them, will make them stand up making them more vulnerable). Also don't forget about your ragnite (healing item). Both the 'nades and ragnite can be accessed by hitting square but they count towards your action so you can't heal & fire during the same turn.

How do I access grenades and ragnite? I thought each character just had a default weapon?

Scouts, shock troopers, and tanks, I believe, have intercepting fire. Basically if you control a character and they're in range (and depending on the direction they're facing, scouts have a 270 degree fire radius and the other two only 90 degrees), then they can fire, reload, fire, and keep at it while you control the character.

Okay, so I have to watch for those in particular? How do I tell which is which on the map? I have a hard time discerning what is what every time it zooms back out to that map.

Crouching behind sandbags helps defensively - there's no handshot damage bonus and your evasion is up. I find it helpful to run to a specific sandbag, take cover, then aim and fire (all the action stops when you're aiming).

Oh, so you can crouch and then aim? Nice, I'll have to try that.

That help?

Very much. I will try these tips in the demo tomorrow after work.

 

[Alidar]

How do I access grenades and ragnite? I thought each character just had a default weapon?

Okay, so I have to watch for those in particular? How do I tell which is which on the map? I have a hard time discerning what is what every time it zooms back out to that map.

Oh, so you can crouch and then aim? Nice, I'll have to try that.

To change weapons, hit the Square button. Most characters have their standard weapon and a healing item (aim it at someone to use it on them, aim it at nothing to heal yourself), I don't recall if scouts have grenades in the demo. Tanks have machine guns, anti-armor rounds, and mortars. Grenades and mortars can destroy sandbags, leaving enemies hiding behind them vulnerable.

The symbol in the character's circle on the map indicates the character's class. If you put the cursor over them it gives specifics and should spell out their class. Scouts look like binoculars, snipers like crosshairs, etc.

Yeah, you can shoot when you're crouched behind cover. You'll quickly learn to make a beeline to the optimal sandbag and crouch, it helps a lot.

 

[ixix]

How do I access grenades and ragnite? I thought each character just had a default weapon?

Push the square button to cycle through a character's equipment. You can cycle through the equipment while moving or aiming. Everybody has, at minimum, a primary weapon and Ragnaid. Most also have grenades, and Engineers have a tool that lets them reconstruct destroyed sandbags and watchtowers and repair tanks. The Ragnaid carried by Engineers also heals more than the Ragnaid carried by other classes.

To use Ragnaid on an ally, move close to them and point the crosshair at them. If you're targeting them the crosshair will turn blue. If you want a character to use Ragnaid on themselves, point the crosshair at anything else. If the crosshair is white, they're targeting themselves.

Okay, so I have to watch for those in particular? How do I tell which is which on the map? I have a hard time discerning what is what every time it zooms back out to that map.

Engineers also have interception fire, but there are very few of those on the enemy side. It's something you should be aware of for your own use, though.

For the most part, it's interception fire from tanks and Shock Troopers that you have to worry about. Scouts and Engineers only get five shots before they have to reload, and as long as you're not running straight at them some of those shots are bound to miss. Interception fire from rifles can cause the death of a thousand cuts if you're not careful, but it's unlikely to kill you outright.

Tanks and Shock Troopers, on the other hand, intercept with machine guns. Shock Troopers get twenty shots before reloading, and with the spread of bullets some of those are bound to hit no matter how you're trying to dodge. If one hits you in the head it does plenty of bonus damage, which is no damn fun when you're on the receiving end.

Tanks fire from fixed points on the vehicle, which differ depending on the size class of tank you're dealing with. If you're a canny sort and know where they fire from you can usually get behind them to take a shot at their weak point without taking too much damage. Rushing down tanks is tons of fun. I highly recommend it.

Oh, so you can crouch and then aim? Nice, I'll have to try that.

You can also aim while crawling through tall grass. And entering aim mode freezes time for everyone but you, so you can use it to take stock of the situation. Any enemies you put the crosshairs on in aim mode will have their class type and HP displayed in the upper left.

Also note that enemies wearing red provide Command Points. Killing them will deprive the enemy of CP on their turn, giving them fewer total actions.

 

[∀ Narayan]

Just beat Chapter 7.

Spoiler

Fuck Selvaria.

That is all.

 

[Metroidvania]

Just beat Chapter 7.

Spoiler

Fuck Selvaria.

That is all.

Agreed, though for different reasons. You'll find out soon enough.

Engineers also have interception fire, but there are very few of those on the enemy side. It's something you should be aware of for your own use, though.

This is related to my only real problem with the game, the enemy always has interception fire, while honestly, in my whole playthrough, it only really helped me like twice from having a unit go "down".

Basically, as soon as you finish your attack (if you don't want to move more), hit the circle button as soon as you finish attacking/grenading/healing. The enemy AI will not wait otherwise.

 

[Baha]

How do I access grenades and ragnite? I thought each character just had a default weapon?

You should've read that part you quoted a bit more carefully

 

[kay]

Spoilers for mission names so don't read it if you don't want to know them in advance.

From clear data, most of them were pretty simple. Anyone got better?

 

[inner-G]

Don't wanna read through everything for fear of spoilers, but does anyone know the total # of chapters?

 

[kay]

Don't wanna read through everything for fear of spoilers, but does anyone know the total # of chapters?

Spoiler

18 + beginning and end

 

[El-Suave]

Finished chapter 15 last night. Took me three turns to find out how to beat the boss after I cleared the level. Stupid me - it's so easy.

I get quite a few D ranks, but that's OK. I prefer to clean the map usually with my entire squad rather than to quickly power through with a few units. With two or three skirmishes during my playtime I've always had enough money and experience to buy everything I wanted and pretty much everything there was.
So while getting low ranks doesn't hurt anything but your ego, I still would have liked a more complex rating system taking enemies killed, damage taken, orders given, units rescued or killed more into account.

Anyway that's just a tiny complaint - just one or two more days of VC goodness. :-(

I will replay this game though after I've beaten the other holiday releases and get the dlc of course.

 

[HylianScribe]

I do agree with you that in the videogame medium of storytelling, having a sympathetic villain many not be the best. After all, why spend 10-60 hours in a game to find out that the villain you hated the entire time was actually not a bad person. One of the best examples of it is Tales of the Abyss that came out a while back, the villains are not necessarily evil. They are after the same ultimate goal as the protagonists, but they have a different interpretation on how they should reach this goal. It is quite disheartening to know that your cast of protagonists could easily have been the antagonists.

More like this happens in EVERY recent Tales game...

Kratos? Check.
Van? Check.
Vesperia ...

Spoiler

Duke?

Check.
DotNW ...

Spoiler

Richter?

Check.

New Game+ makes getting A ranks a joke, but makes it so addicting to replay.

 

[Dave1988]

Question: Can you unlock potentials and additional personnel info while doing skirmishes? Or does it only work in Story battles?

 

[Shadow780]

Question: Can you unlock potentials and additional personnel info while doing skirmishes? Or does it only work in Story battles?

yes you can, but it only applies to recruits.

Officers have their own battles in order to unlock their final potential.

 

[kallisto76]

finally VC has arrived from thehut this morning!!!! can't wait to play this evening

 

[Barrett2]

Question for the Valkyria vets. This game is blowing me away, I am astounded how much I love it.

What are some similar titles to this I should look into?

 

[Durante]

Question for the Valkyria vets. This game is blowing me away, I am astounded how much I love it.

What are some similar titles to this I should look into?

None, really. That's why I put genre-redefining in the title

 

[neight]

Got the game yesterday. I wish the game was harder I was looking forward to unlocking the harder mode on game completion but apparently that's only for skirmish mode. The gameplay is very enjoyable I hope we see sequels and clones. Texture quality of the game is inconsistent you can see how low-res some of them are. I still like the visuals overall.

The art book you got for pre-ordering wasn't bad it provided backstory for the game that makes the game easier to understand going in plus interviews with developers on the last two pages.

 

[Barrett2]

The art book you got for pre-ordering wasn't bad it provided backstory for the game that makes the game easier to understand going in plus interviews with developers on the last two pages.

Art book? Damn, I should have pre-ordered. Ever since the 1UP Show segment about the game a few months ago, I knew I was going to buy it. I should have looked into the pre-order perks.

 

[Tempy]

finally VC has arrived from thehut this morning!!!! can't wait to play this evening

Do I unlock personnel data by just deploying a recruit in a mission (skirmishes too?), or do I actually need to use CP on that recruit?

 

[Durante]

Got the game yesterday. I wish the game was harder

How far into the game are you? If you have not yet completed, say, chapter 7, then you should be careful what you wish for.

 

[neight]

Hopefully that's true. I only said that because I remember reading the game was on the easy side. I think from someone that played the Japanese version.

 

[Durante]

Hmm, most western reviews that grade difficulty actually called the game "hard", as do some people in this thread. Personally I'd say it's not easy by any standard, probably of average difficulty by strategy game standards and hard by RPG standards.

 

[buffi]

It is definitely not easy, but it is not insanely hard either. I'd say that it's pretty average, maybe leaning a little bit towards the harder side.

 

[Hcoregamer00]

Question for the Valkyria vets. This game is blowing me away, I am astounded how much I love it.

What are some similar titles to this I should look into?

None, once you beat Valkryia start waiting for Valkyria 2.

Assuming it ever gets beyond the conceptual stages.

Hopefully that's true. I only said that because I remember reading the game was on the easy side. I think from someone that played the Japanese version.

The game is definitely not easy, but it is easier the better you grasp the gameplay and the stage set up.

 

[Volcynika]

There's acceptable hard, and then there's cheap hard. This is NOT the latter, so you shouldn't get too frustrated.

 

[RpgN]

There's acceptable hard, and then there's cheap hard. This is NOT the latter, so you shouldn't get too frustrated.

Agreed, it's pretty hard but it gets better once you have tried a level at least once and then you try to adjust your strategy. This game puts more emphasis on the strategy than over level up your recruits.

 

[Deleted member 20415]

There's acceptable hard, and then there's cheap hard. This is NOT the latter, so you shouldn't get too frustrated.

I agree and whenever I've gotten frustrated, it's usually my own damn fault... not thinking things through or placing someone where I shouldn't have.

 

[∀ Narayan]

How far into the game are you? If you have not yet completed, say, chapter 7, then you should be careful what you wish for.

Chapter 7 wasn't really difficult, in my opinion.

 

[Durante]

Chapter 7 wasn't really difficult, in my opinion.

I also did it on my first try without saving/loading, but only barely. My point wasn't that it was extremely hard, it was that no one could objectively call it "easy" IMO. In fact, 10 or 20 pages back when I finished Chapter 7 what I posted was "Wow, this game is not easy".

Anyway, I just unlocked 3 side/character mission at once

 

[Volcynika]

I might've missed this, but if a unit of yours falls in battle, and you complete the mission before the 3 turns/enemy approach happens, do you still keep them?

 

[slaughterking]

I might've missed this, but if a unit of yours falls in battle, and you complete the mission before the 3 turns/enemy approach happens, do you still keep them?

Yep, you'll only use them when you see their little dying animation.

 

[∀ Narayan]

I might've missed this, but if a unit of yours falls in battle, and you complete the mission before the 3 turns/enemy approach happens, do you still keep them?

I was wondering this, too. Anyone able to answer this?

I've only had one or two of my units get knocked out. I'm deathly afraid of losing any of my units, so, I pick them up ASAP.

 

[Durante]

I might've missed this, but if a unit of yours falls in battle, and you complete the mission before the 3 turns/enemy approach happens, do you still keep them?

Yes, you only lose them if the 3 turns are over or an enemy picks them up. Finishing the battle is like rescuing them (which makes sense if you think about it).

 

[buffi]

I was wondering this, too. Anyone able to answer this?

I've only had one or two of my units get knocked out. I'm deathly afraid of losing any of my units, so, I pick them up ASAP.

You get to keep your units as long as the enemy doesn't touch them or three turns pass.
If you clear a mission with downed units they are fine.

 

[El-Suave]

Question for the Valkyria vets. This game is blowing me away, I am astounded how much I love it.

What are some similar titles to this I should look into?

Check out the Jagged Alliance Games on PC (soon one will make it to the DS). They are a bit older, but on the plus side you won't need a top of the line computer to play them.
They miss the realtime action component of course, but it's a very similar game as far as a great colorful roster of characters with different behaviours and likes/dislikes among each other is concerned. Excellent games, especially Jagged Alliance 2.

I'm close to finishing Chapter 17 - hardest one yet because the enemy general is giving out orders himself frequently. Also my usual mix of units did not work at all, which probably cost me two or three tries. But with the right mix of units and the right tactic as to what to do first it's very doable, still harder than the rest though.

Are enemy aces in this game placed randomly? On my failed playthrough of the chapter I encountered an enemy ace "[Name] the Immortal" - he was the hardest infantry opponent I encountered yet. I managed to take him out but I permanently lost Rosie so I restarted. He is not there in my current attempt at the mission.

BTW. while we're on the topic of dying units: Shamrock is the only unit you don't need to worry about. If it's defeated there is that grey dying animation but it's still there for the other missions.

 

[Tempy]

BTW. while we're on the topic of dying units: Shamrock is the only unit you don't need to worry about. If it's defeated there is that grey dying animation but it's still there for the other missions.

Good to know; I hardly use it and the tank is rather weak. Finished it already but I did have to reload a few times because I was afraid Zaka was "dead".

 

[dralla]

how long is the game? I need to know if I can squeeze it in before PoP

 

[archnemesis]

how long is the game? I need to know if I can squeeze it in before PoP

25-40 hours. I beat it in 33.

 

[matmanx1]

Been off of VC for a few days with a crazy work schedule and a lingering head cold. Finally have a day off today and am feeling abit better so I hope to take on Chapter 7. Wish me luck!

 

[supercake]

So far, the game feels very newbie friendly. I'm bad at SRPGs, and it feels like VC is meant to be less of a strain and its very easy to get into so far. I'm at Chapter 4 or 5 right now.

I like that I don't have to worry about missing a great reward if I don't A rank a mission, since its just bonus XP or money. I also like the level up system, I don't have to worry about certain characters being weak.

 

[JumpJeff84]

Anyone in Canada found this at any retailer yet?

 

[Baha]

Anyone in Canada found this at any retailer yet?

Where are you in Canada? In Toronto you might find a copy at EB Games, GameShack/Game Center/any small video game store, Blockbuster and apparently BestBuy/FutureShop since it appears on their website now.

 

[Dyne]

Anyone in Canada found this at any retailer yet?

As it's been said earlier in the thread, we Canadians have found it at small retail stores who received it well before the Big Box release date which was Nov. 12th. However, now that it's "officially" released, good luck finding it. I haven't seen a copy since. Stick to the small stores though (Rogers Plus, Blockbuster, ma and pa stores). I'm willing to bet the Big Box stores didn't buy very many copies.

 

[Dave1988]

Holy shit!

Spoiler

Juiced up Maximillian

is kicking my butt. HARD. Any tips?