X-Com Frustration
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I had the same experience, OP. I truly did.
I actually found Dark Souls easier, in large part due to the fact that if you were skilled and decently equipped, you could take on anything, without random numbers fucking you.
So X-com was unfair a lot, yes. But eventually I wrapped my mind around all the little tricks and subtleties, and managed to get a decent handle on the game. Of course, if you don't do this and that early enough, you'll be shit outta luck.
But it's still pretty rewarding.
Best comparison I can come up with is Dorf(Dwarf. I just like saying Dorf) fortress.
Captcha: Alive and kicking - how very appropriate
I actually found Dark Souls easier, in large part due to the fact that if you were skilled and decently equipped, you could take on anything, without random numbers fucking you.
So X-com was unfair a lot, yes. But eventually I wrapped my mind around all the little tricks and subtleties, and managed to get a decent handle on the game. Of course, if you don't do this and that early enough, you'll be shit outta luck.
But it's still pretty rewarding.
Best comparison I can come up with is Dorf(Dwarf. I just like saying Dorf) fortress.
Captcha: Alive and kicking - how very appropriate
Remember that the story doesn't advance if you don't want it too, unless you really need new armour I'd say go for the satellite but unless you've already lost countries it's no big loss; Australia's only $100 a month (iirc) and the continent bonus isn't that great.scorptatious said:
In my first game I wanted everything finished, think I cycled on about 4 months longer than I needed too, gave me plenty of time to check my troops for psi-abilities and train them up to max level as well as have all the upgrades.
My advice is check your team in twos, filling the gaps with extra troops - if you have a B-team that are a few levels up, if not do it in 1's; taking too many rooks can be painful when facing tougher enemies, they panic far too quickly and cant shoot to save themselves
Thanks. Of course, not long after I posted that, I ended up beating the game on the same day.Karma168 said:
I've beaten the game on Normal, and now I'm trying the game on Classic. With the intention of not save scumming as often. (Kinda doubt I can do this game on Iron Man)
First level, I moved one of my guys too far up and alerted the sectoids. To make matters worse, that was the last guy I could move for that turn. I ended up losing three of my guys right from the get go.
X-COM does NOT fuck around. >_<
So I decided to restart, being MUCH more careful, and made it through with one of my guys wounded.
I decided to start out in Africa for this game. As the extra income via satellites can come in pretty handy. Right now though, I'm trying to decide which continent bonus I should go after. I know North America can reduce the costs of building infiltrators, but South America can make it so that autopsies and interrogations are done instantly, which can increase the amount of time I can get to work on other research.
SA is kinda nice to grab if you're midgame and all the countries are still in the project. I'd grab them if possible, NA once you get Firestorms, Asia's nice early cause you can grab the squad size upgrades for practically nothing.scorptatious said:Thanks. Of course, not long after I posted that, I ended up beating the game on the same day.
I've beaten the game on Normal, and now I'm trying the game on Classic. With the intention of not save scumming as often. (Kinda doubt I can do this game on Iron Man)
First level, I moved one of my guys too far up and alerted the sectoids. To make matters worse, that was the last guy I could move for that turn. I ended up losing three of my guys right from the get go.
X-COM does NOT fuck around. >_<
So I decided to restart, being MUCH more careful, and made it through with one of my guys wounded.
I decided to start out in Africa for this game. As the extra income via satellites can come in pretty handy. Right now though, I'm trying to decide which continent bonus I should go after. I know North America can reduce the costs of building infiltrators, but South America can make it so that autopsies and interrogations are done instantly, which can increase the amount of time I can get to work on other research.
To the OP: I've honestly never had such bad luck, so I don't know what the problem is.
You will have to play really defensively: use hunker down, only take shots you can stand to miss, and never ever ever dash. And here is DaKiller's quick tip: When using an assault soldier with rapid fire and the odds of hitting an alien are 45% regular and 30% rapid fire, the odds of at least one shot connecting are actually better with rapid fire in that situation!
I'd say go for S. America first, the autopsies/interogations are more important in the first 2-3 months than interceptors. After that it's up to you what order you pick them in.scorptatious said:
A good trick if you haven't done it already is trapping abductions. Abductions only happen in countries without a satellite so if you leave 1 country uncovered the enemy is forced to go there, meaning you don't have to worry about the other continents' panic rising and if it goes red just send up a satellite to bring it back down (though that'll mean no more abductions unless the enemy down one). This really depends on how quickly you get the satellites up but even if you only lock it down to 3 unguarded then you should be fine, I've had 2 open for about 2 months now and they never go above 4 bars panic.
Football Manager is notoriously cheaty and has been as long as I can remember.I'd probably have stopped playing it years ago if it wasn't for the fact that it's still the best manager sim available despite it's flawsdenseWorm said:
OP:You have my sympathies.There's nothing worse than a game screwing you over
People already deconstructed the scripts that run the RNG and there is nothing wrong with it. It doesn't favour either side it just feels like that. The only way people could mod it to make it more favourable to the player would be cheating rather than balancing.Paragon Fury said:
Of course there is nothing wrong with the RNG. It's just that the game is designed badly. (see: http://metagearsolid.org/2012/10/xcom-enemy-unknown-review/2/)Tallim said:
Unlike in the originals, you soldiers can only shoot once (twice if you are late in te game and only certain classes), you only have 4-6 and the enemy gets a free movement as soon you spot them.
In the originals, your transport could field 14 men and later 26. Your soldiers were capable of firing up to 10 shots depending on the weapon and both you and your enemies were bound to the TU system.
I'm not convinced it's bad design. It's just different. The old TU system was very abusable. The modern game might have over simplified in a few places but I feel it holds the spirit of the old games pretty well without being so obtuse to get the hang of the game.Hargrimm said:
I'm a big fan of the original games and I love the new iteration *almost* as much.
It's not bad on it's own, but coupled with being unable to move after shooting, the enemy getting free movement as soon as you spot them, the line of sight mechanics, the small levels and the small number of shots/soldiers available to you just puts too much emphasis on too few random numbers.Tallim said:
Missing several 90%+ shots in the old games was not a problem, because you could counter that by firing some more or using your remaining TU's to get to safety. Losing a soldier was not a big problem either, since you had 13 to 25 other guys and none of them have to level up several times just to be barely useful.
And how is the old TU system obtuse? Actions cost TU's, your soldiers have x number of TU's, it's basic arithmetic. Is that too much to ask in a tactics game nowadays?
I also don't agree with that whole "spirit" nonsense. The new one is a Firaxis boardgame while the old ones were simulations.
Some of the problems with the TU system is that a lot of important data was obtuse to players. Weapon weights v. Character Str (which reduced time units) the whole energy system that was like a stamina bar that could hamper your movement regardless of the characters time units, terrain and elevation movement restrictions; there was a lot of data around that couldn't always be reconciled by the player and it made it harder to plan your strategy.Hargrimm said:
The aliens getting the free move (which is usually into cover, or charging at you) is a fair trade off for the old system. I'm sorry, I'll take the tactical scatter from three Sectoids being spotted vs. the heavy plasma rifle from the other side of the map, deep in fog of war territory when your first guy steps off the Skyranger to his meet his Kentucky Friend Doom. Also, since it always happens it can be planned for; and honestly it keeps it fair otherwise the whole game would be a Support with Sprint and 5 Snipers with Squadsight.
I do completely disagree with you on the losing soldiers part, though losing experienced soldiers is always a big hit to the team. In the first XCom the soldiers improved much more slowly and losing them was a bigger penalty. In the newer one, it still takes time to get them to the top, but the first few levels are pretty easy to get and honestly the most useful abilities you get are the first few.
EDIT: It should also be mentioned that Heavies with Bulletswarm can fire and then move or fire twice in a single turn. It is the ability right after you get the rocket (which is their squaddie ability).
The only thing that frustrates me is the inability to respond to multiple requests for help. The nations of the world pool their efforts in an attempt to repel the biggest threat that mankind has ever known and they're too thrifty to shell out for more than one dropship? And I can't even buy another one when I make a ton of cash from selling surplus materials? Bleh.
Let me stop you there.Paragon Fury said:
If you're taking a shot that isn't 100%, and you're not accounting for the possibility that it's going to miss then you're already making a tactical error.
And, as a suggestion, if you're finding a game too difficult on the difficulty setting you're playing on, that might be a good hint that you should try a lower setting.
Another suggestion: Keep someone with Suppression available at all times. It always works and you can use it to lock down any lucky enemies that survive all the hits.
How are concepts like weight, stamina and elevation obtuse? Are you even humanSalad Is Murder said:
? These are things every human being has encountered in their lives. They might not know the exact numbers, but a heavier load causing fatigue is not a difficult concept to grasp at all. People having to rest and catch their breath isn't either. Strength is self explanatory in the context of items having weight.Also, read the fucking manual.
It's bad because it throws things like spotting, covert movement and surprise out the window. Unless you use a very specific item, you cannot catch your enemies unaware.Salad Is Murder said:
Also, it's basically cheating. The enemies are not bound to the rules of this supposedly *turn based* game.
Enemies shooting you outside your line of sight was simply them having the better starting position and using spotters to gain and advantage. Through clever movement and smokescreens you can use the exact same tactic to *your* advantage. Both are playing by the same rules and through understanding and mastering them, you win.
The only real advantage the aliens have is better stats and being the defender.
It isn't already? It's either that, rocket spam or Overwatch creep.Salad Is Murder said:
It's only a big hit if you lost someone with high psychic resistance. Every other disadvantage can be overcome easily, by just firing more often or using proximity mines in the case of reactions.Salad Is Murder said:
In the new one, a rookie is basically worthless and your soldiers can only increase one rank per mission. But you are still restricted to only 4-6 soldiers.
Unfortunately, the Heavy's weapon is neither particularly accurate nor powerful. It also needs to be reloaded frequently. You also lose out on Holo-targeting, arguably a better ability than Bulletswarm. You can only use it with your primary weapon. It's also restricted to one class. Of which you still only have 4-6, tops.Salad Is Murder said:
You're losing because of bad tactics. Full stop. We went over this and over this at the time of the game's release with people who were convinced...CONVINCED...that the RNG had it in for them particularly, and it was well documented that the RNG behaves exactly like you would expect, and that most of the time their issues were coming from save scumming and not realizing the random seed does not reset on a save.Paragon Fury said:
I'm not going to bother reposting my usual list of tactics...firstly because I see someone has already re-posted them in the first page of this thread, and second because given your attitude through your posts so far I highly doubt you'd read and try them. Instead, I will suggest you go to YouTube, find Beaglerush's channel, and watch his Impossible Ironman games. Listen to what he has to say about control in particular, and how you maintain control through proper movement and tactics instead of leaving everything up to the RNG and then complaining when it doesn't break your way. After you watch him win multiple games of Impossible Ironman using these tactics, by all means come back here and tell us how it's the GAME that is the problem, and not the way you are approaching it.