Strategy Core Members Reviews, Opinions, Rants & Raves.

[silencer_pl]

I've just bought myself Wireless Controller for PC for XBOX 360 controller. I've noticed that for every order soldiers say something.... haven't heard it on normal PC interface.

[Pumpkinhead]

It did seem I spoke a bit early on the Sectopod. I just downed the Overseer last night and saw it listed on the crew list. You guys are probably right that the Reaper is now the Berserker, and the Snakeman Thin Man has adopted the Celatid's spitting ability too, so the only one that's truly gone is the Silacoid, which didn't really do much anyway

[Sorbicol]

Yeah it does seem that way. Silencer does the game work any better using the controller instead of keyboard/mouse on PC? Doing multilevel UFO missions makes me want to cry using keyboard/mouse

[silencer_pl]

Didn't have abductor battle yet. I'll post it as soon as I will have.

[NoXTheRoXStaR]

I've used both the xbox360 controller and keyboard 'n mouse, the latter is much better for complete control.

[silencer_pl]

So true. You can't rotate map if you use some action when using controller. You can't shortcut to every skill too, but this doesn't mean it ain't enjoyable.

[Knan]

There was a XCOM patch on Steam today. Haven't checked if it is shiny and fixes everything.

[Sorbicol]

There was a XCOM patch on Steam today. Haven't checked if it is shiny and fixes everything.

.

 

It's patch 2.0 I posted about a few days ago Fixes the SHIVs and some camera issues with UFO carapace's not disappearing, and makes easy mode easier.

[Thorondor]

Full patch change list is as follows:

 

Major Fixes

• Abductor roof visibility problems resolved

 

• Interception game hang issues resolved

- If two interceptors are sent after UFO

- If Skyranger is returning from combat after an Interceptor was already deployed

 

• SHIV inaccessible issues resolved

 

• AI Alien Activity Hang resolution

 

• Multiplayer connectivity optimization

 

Other Fixes

• TempleShip optimization: All Soldiers properly spawn when restarting the mission after clearing the second room of TempleShip

 

• Snapshot penalty should no longer apply when Overwatching without first moving.

 

• Easy Difficulty is now easier.

 

::

 

[Ki-tat Chung]

Bumped into the interceptor bug last night. I think it only occurs when you launch satellites near the end of the month, about a week or two before. The satellites come online just before the game throws three abductors at you, which eventually become abduction sites. Unfortunately, I only had one interceptor in each continent, so I couldn't take the UFOs down. Would've been interesting to let only one or two UFOs through, and see if the abduction sites become less than three. I found the work around was to ignore all the UFOs, and send interceptors to each UFO individually. Well, I'm glad they fixed it =]

 

The thing I cared about most is fixing the snapshot bug. I tried giving it to my sniper in my second playthrough, and he's become my highest ranking officer... was extremely annoyed that the accuracy pentalty came into effect whether you moved or not. Kills overwatch, and makes double tap next to useless.

 

I don't think they've fixed the Hunker Down shortcut key yet though.

[Space Voyager]

and makes double tap next to useless.

 

What? I used DT so often I can't count... Love it.

[Ki-tat Chung]

I love Double Tap too, but when used in conjunction with the broken Snapshot debuff, meant that your second shot always had -20% accuracy.

[Hobbes]

The thing I cared about most is fixing the snapshot bug. I tried giving it to my sniper in my second playthrough, and he's become my highest ranking officer... was extremely annoyed that the accuracy pentalty came into effect whether you moved or not. Kills overwatch, and makes double tap next to useless.

 

There's another bug that makes Snap Shot useless. If you move your sniper, change weapon into pistol and set it on Overwatch, you can then left click on the soldier switch weapons back to sniper rifle and he'll fire his rifle on Overwatch. You'll probably get the pistol's accuracy but it makes Snap Shot irrelevant unless you choose not to exploit it.

[NKF]

I haven't experimented enough with different sniper builds apart from the squad-sight/double-tap build, and have just started to consider testing the waters with the pistol specialist now that I've Foundry'd the pistols to perfection. Will snapshot allow you to fire your pistol twice per turn? I know double-tap has a good chance of this, but was wondering if I could use snapshot as the poor man's double tap?

 

My thought here is that since this sniper will be running around indoors, the -20% accuracy may not be that big of a deal, what with the sniper's naturally high accuracy at high levels. Mid-range sniper rifle shots will suffer a bit I guess.

 

I'm thinking of taking the 'sniper' in the opposite direction, as such.

 

- NKF

[Ki-tat Chung]

Snapshot just allows you to use the rifle after moving, as the regular build doesn't allow you to shoot after moving without abusing some bugs. The snapshot -20% accuracy penalty goes away when you switch to pistol. I've checked out the patch, and the Snap shot/Double tap bug is still there, which is damn annoying.

[NKF]

Is that all? Hmm, I guess even with -20%, it would still be somewhat handy for a colonel Sniper and a SCOPE, but would be otherwise less than stellar for a good part of his career.

 

On a different note, I've now started experimenting with the Ghost ability on the Ghost Armor. Been using it simply as an update of the Skeleton for the most part, but see now that this is quite the game changer. Not only from the point of scouting or tactical retreats, but for positioning assaults and heavies right up against tough enemies whilst they are unaware and get off a few cheap attacks. I can see there are a lot of very dirty tricks you can possibly pull on the aliens with this as long as you're patient and don't break the cloak too early. Loving it.

 

- NKF

[Space Voyager]

Exactly, love it. Expensive though.

[Hobbes]

On a different note, I've now started experimenting with the Ghost ability on the Ghost Armor. Been using it simply as an update of the Skeleton for the most part, but see now that this is quite the game changer. Not only from the point of scouting or tactical retreats, but for positioning assaults and heavies right up against tough enemies whilst they are unaware and get off a few cheap attacks. I can see there are a lot of very dirty tricks you can possibly pull on the aliens with this as long as you're patient and don't break the cloak too early. Loving it.

 

- NKF

 

Ghost Armor is the game breaker IMO, as Psionics were on the other game. They seem to have fixed the bug were a Ghosted soldier would be invisible if out of cover, despite what the game says.

[Ki-tat Chung]

What really?? Damn, that's a bit sad, though understandable. TBH I find I use ghost for the bonus crit chance more than the actual invisibility per se.

[Sorbicol]

There is a definite "hump" on classic that is getting enough satellites to stop too many countries leaving the council before you do the base assault mission. After that, at the strategic level the game is pretty much done I find. You just need to make sure you can take down UFOs so you can keep your raw material supplies coming in, but panic is much more easily managed.

 

On the tactical level it's generally smoother with a few blips here and there. There are some maps which give a big tactical advantage to the Aliens I find (there is one set in a small graveyard that gives me real problems) at the start of the game that's a real problem I think as your squad aren't accurate enough to take out aliens who are behind heavy cover and uphill from your position. Not to mention have the firepower to destroy the cover. Too many aliens on too small a map can give you some real problems too.

 

[Hobbes]

What really?? Damn, that's a bit sad, though understandable. TBH I find I use ghost for the bonus crit chance more than the actual invisibility per se.

 

You mean the Defense bonus right? Well to me Ghost Armor + Alloy Cannon + Rapid Fire + Lightning Reflexes is my favorite combo in the game. Get 2 Assaults and they can scout, go to stealth mode if they activate too many aliens, approach unactivated alien packs and drop 4 Alloy shots into a Sectopod, etc.

 

The main problem with Ghost Armor is when facing Thin Men since it does not prevent poison attacks. And you need high tier officers to use it, otherwise your rookies/squaddies can be killed with 1 shot when facing the higher aliens.

 

There is a definite "hump" on classic that is getting enough satellites to stop too many countries leaving the council before you do the base assault mission. After that, at the strategic level the game is pretty much done I find. You just need to make sure you can take down UFOs so you can keep your raw material supplies coming in, but panic is much more easily managed.

 

Or you can try to do the base assault before you secure eight countries because of the overall effect on world panic. Then you focus on the satellite network. I haven't try this yet but there's been talk about it on the 2K forums.

[Space Voyager]

Or you can try to do the base assault before you secure eight countries because of the overall effect on world panic. Then you focus on the satellite network. I haven't try this yet but there's been talk about it on the 2K forums.

 

This is what I have done in my current CI. I blame the steam distribution - there is only one vent in the lowest layer, and not adjacent to the shaft. So no steam for me, I had to throw away good money and space for crappy plants. I'm saving for a damn elerium generator now. Anyway, building nexuses was out of the question for now (power problem), so satellites were out of the question as well. I was forced to take on the base early to keep the world under control, but if I don't manage to get power-nexus-satellites soon, no success in the field will help me.

[Sorbicol]

I've read more than a few comments over on the official forums that you should just restart if you don't get steam on the second level.

[silencer_pl]

There is plenty of room so if you can't build nexus then build the other one simple as that. Though it is known that optimal solution is two links and 2 nexuses but you live from what you get.

[Space Voyager]

Don't worry, I'm trying to get through. But naturally it is painful (game-wise) to be this inefficient, paying twice the price for everything. Thinking how much easier this same game difficulty would be with one seemingly tiny element (steam) being placed differently...