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 AlexHolker wrote:
Am I correct in thinking it is no longer possible to multiclass as both a regular class (like Ranger/Assault) and a Psion?

Correct as psions are their own separate class now. From what I hear they have their own tree and can come around early in the game. This doesn't sound like a bad thing. More than 5 abilities for psychics makes this interesting.

 flamingkillamajig wrote:

 AlexHolker wrote:
Am I correct in thinking it is no longer possible to multiclass as both a regular class (like Ranger/Assault) and a Psion?

Correct as psions are their own separate class now. From what I hear they have their own tree and can come around early in the game. This doesn't sound like a bad thing. More than 5 abilities for psychics makes this interesting.

Sort of. You can rush them, but only if you did a sectoid autopsy, iirc.
I got them pretty late. I went for more of a shooty approach.

I had access to the Psi lab after the first mission but I am only just building it now when I have a roster full of Colonels in power armour toting plasma weapons

You know when you think about it the mod that makes it so the countdown timers don't start until you're first found make a lot more sense. I mean why would the enemy lock-out a terminal if they don't even know that you're there? I could understand if there was a timer on something and you attacked them right away but in that case you wouldn't be in concealment anyway.

In fact this change would make so much sense to exist I don't see why it wasn't in there in the first place. It meshes well with the concealment aspect. It's really odd how simple of a fix this should be then. Hopefully Firaxis can get their **** together and implement it then.

 Obrek wrote:
As for future missions of that type such as

Spoiler:

Alien facility assaults

the patrols are generated randomly but are not dynamically random. A pod will follow a route back and forth, sometimes pausing. You can stealth these missions in their entirety because

Spoiler:

planting an x4 charge

does not take an action. If you use your turns correctly you can complete the objective and extract in the same turn, which I have done on some of the later, harder missions.

Some patrols use standard patrol routes. Others do not. As I mentioned above, I had one alien facility mission in which *four* different patrols were all on my screen following straight-line routes to reach me. One of the patrols had been following me practically from the start of the mission, but was unable to reach me because there was a ridge line in the way. The others only showed up as I reached a position alongside the base, so there may have been an unseen map trigger that caused them to more aggressively patrol after me.

The situation was an unusual one. I had been aware of the first patrol, which literally followed me from the time I landed until I opened fire on it (I got sound notifications every single turn for that patrol). Despite the fact that I went from one corner of the map to the other, nothing stopped that patrol from following after me. It didn't dash, the members stayed close together, and it didn't shoot. But the AI controlling it knew *exactly* where my team was at all times. The only reason that it couldn't reach me right away was because there was a ridge separating me from the patrol for most of the mission. This kept it away long enough for me to open a lead on it.

Of the other three patrols, I'm not completely sure when the final one showed up. I think it showed up at the same time as the other two patrols, but I'm not 100% certain. It was there when the shooting started, though. The other two patrols each included one Sectopod, and it appears that Sectopods can't scale vertical surfaces. Their pop-up trick is presumably a way to make up for this. But popping up to see the top of a ridge line doesn't do much good if the ridge is big enough to keep your guys back far enough from the Sectopod to avoid getting spotted while you're still undercover. So the two patrols with Sectopods couldn't reach me (since the Sectopods couldn't climb the cliffs, and the other patrol members wouldn't leave the Sectopods behind). But at the same time, the Sectopods tried to stay as close to me as possible.

In short, I'm 100% confident of the following -

1.) There are static aliens that don't move at all so long as you don't move into their line of sight
2.) There are alien patrols on set routes that follow their designated movement pattern so long as you don't move into their line of sight
3.) There are alien patrols that know *exactly* where your squad is located while you're undercover, and constantly attempt to move close enough to blow your cover. There might be an unknown trigger that causes them to start this pursuit, though I don't know what it is.

I just bought xcom 2 and holy **** the download is 17+ hours long. I may need better internet :(.

 flamingkillamajig wrote:
I just bought xcom 2 and holy **** the download is 17+ hours long. I may need better internet :(.

Nah, just save-scum until you get a better roll on the internet speed table.

On that subject, anyone else save-scum? I do it sometimes when things go particularly sideways.

 Tannhauser42 wrote:

 flamingkillamajig wrote:
I just bought xcom 2 and holy **** the download is 17+ hours long. I may need better internet :(.

Nah, just save-scum until you get a better roll on the internet speed table.

On that subject, anyone else save-scum? I do it sometimes when things go particularly sideways.

Rarely. Only if I run into something unexpected. Like muton counter attacks.

 flamingkillamajig wrote:

 AlexHolker wrote:
Am I correct in thinking it is no longer possible to multiclass as both a regular class (like Ranger/Assault) and a Psion?

Correct as psions are their own separate class now. From what I hear they have their own tree and can come around early in the game. This doesn't sound like a bad thing. More than 5 abilities for psychics makes this interesting.

Adding psionics as a primary class is fine, removing it as a secondary class is what annoys me.

I've not even researched Psionics and I'm doing just fine nailing the likes of Andromedans, Avatars and Sectopods with my power armored, plasma-wielding squad of ultimate badasses.

I dug out a spot for a psi-lab, but it just sits there gathering cobwebs...

 Obrek wrote:

 Hoyt wrote:
I've heard of massive performance issues, but after turning off v-sync and AA I'm getting pretty steady 50+ fps, hows everyone else's rigs holding up?

My framerate is fine, but I get a lot of hangups. Issue an order and the game just hangs for a solid minute before executing the action. Had one hilarious bug where a soldier fell through a hole in a roof and was stuck in the prone position for the rest of the mission. Teleported around and had no attack animations or particles, it was really weird.

yeah, that has been my main problem. The game sometimes takes a long time to move on to the next action or switch the turn over, but when its moving everything is smooth(then again i have a new computer which easily runs it on max graphics).

I had hoped that problem would get fixed from Xcom 1.

Having all but completed the game, It dawned on me how on Earth Advent managed to keep control of earth for 20 years. Because the troops they use are with a few exception dumb AS nails.
A normal mission involves me kicking down the door and mowing down the first pod. Then the rest of the clowns comes running into the chrosshairs of my waiting squad

Well, as you should know by now...

I am Well aware of that, but still. Should there not be at least SOMEONE capable of planing military operations beside that one? Or did they outrigth ban all manners of brain use?

 Trondheim wrote:
Having all but completed the game, It dawned on me how on Earth Advent managed to keep control of earth for 20 years. Because the troops they use are with a few exception dumb AS nails.
A normal mission involves me kicking down the door and mowing down the first pod. Then the rest of the clowns comes running into the chrosshairs of my waiting squad

 Trondheim wrote:
I am Well aware of that, but still. Should there not be at least SOMEONE capable of planing military operations beside that one? Or did they outrigth ban all manners of brain use?

Yes. Considering that Firaxes declared that they were good enough to beat humanity the first time, they certainly should.

Something they could have avoided by just not having the aliens thrash us by DM fiat. The aliens have both mind control and shapeshifters - why not just have them invade by pretending to be friendly in this timeline, while only being monstrously evil bastards when nobody's looking? And then you've got a perfectly good reason for them to be outmatched when a mothballed secret special forces project decides to take itself out of mothballs and start cutting them apart - because that's exactly the fight they were trying to avoid by being sneaky.

 AlexHolker wrote:

 flamingkillamajig wrote:

 AlexHolker wrote:
Am I correct in thinking it is no longer possible to multiclass as both a regular class (like Ranger/Assault) and a Psion?

Correct as psions are their own separate class now. From what I hear they have their own tree and can come around early in the game. This doesn't sound like a bad thing. More than 5 abilities for psychics makes this interesting.

Adding psionics as a primary class is fine, removing it as a secondary class is what annoys me.

There was a couple decent psychic powers in EU and EW but nothing that would make me rush for a psionics lab. Now they seem a legit thing to go for if you really, really want it. I almost wonder what awesome possibilities you can get depending on what you mind control. Mind controlling a shield bearer for instance might help keep your guys alive. Probably the last thing I'd go for mind control though. Wondering how good mind controlling a gate-keeper would be if it's possible.

 flamingkillamajig wrote:
There was a couple decent psychic powers in EU and EW but nothing that would make me rush for a psionics lab.

Two words: Mind Control. Psionics in EU and EW meant gaining access to a save-or-suck effect that doesn't just instantly incapacitate an enemy regardless of hit points, it also gives you a completely expendable meat shield to soak up enemy fire.

 AlexHolker wrote:

 flamingkillamajig wrote:
There was a couple decent psychic powers in EU and EW but nothing that would make me rush for a psionics lab.

Two words: Mind Control. Psionics in EU and EW meant gaining access to a save-or-suck effect that doesn't just instantly incapacitate an enemy regardless of hit points, it also gives you a completely expendable meat shield to soak up enemy fire.

I think that was only for 3 turns though. Meanwhile if you launched a couple rockets at some enemies and had 'in the zone' to finish off each one once they were out of cover you could take out about 6 muton elites easily. It was a very legit strategy. I did it frequently. Oh and a heavy with combat stims + the -2 vs enemy damage while in cover and not flanked skill rocked. Basically the combat stim bonus would have hp damage from all attacks and prevent criticals and the class ability would subtract 2 damage from that. Getting more than about 5 damage from anything that way even from muton elites and maybe sectopods was tough and combine all that with titan armor for massive hp and you'll watch 6 muton elites throw grenades at you ineffectually (provided cover is indestructible) until they've all run out. This is also considering impossible difficulty and yes he was the ultimate tank when you did that. At which point you could just sit back with snipers and snipe away while they couldn't do crap to you.

Speaking of snipers I will miss the nerf to squad-sight though. I suppose high ground could boost it though.

 Trondheim wrote:
I am Well aware of that, but still. Should there not be at least SOMEONE capable of planing military operations beside that one? Or did they outrigth ban all manners of brain use?

Endgame spoilers -



And that's why they relied exclusively on the Commander to lead their forces during the twenty year period.

Eumerin wrote:
Endgame spoilers -

Spoiler:

The Ethereals were actively running the show in the first game. In the second game, they're all in hibernation pods trying to stay alive until the Avatar project is completed. So everyone responsible for their victory in the first war is unable to lead during the second war.

And that's why they relied exclusively on the Commander to lead their forces during the twenty year period.

So Firaxis won't even let the player have their hard-earned victory without some bs "Oh, the enemy was fighting with one hand tied behind its back"? Well that can feth right off.

 AlexHolker wrote:

Eumerin wrote:
Endgame spoilers -

Spoiler:

The Ethereals were actively running the show in the first game. In the second game, they're all in hibernation pods trying to stay alive until the Avatar project is completed. So everyone responsible for their victory in the first war is unable to lead during the second war.

And that's why they relied exclusively on the Commander to lead their forces during the twenty year period.

So Firaxis won't even let the player have their hard-earned victory without some bs "Oh, the enemy was fighting with one hand tied behind its back"? Well that can feth right off.

I don't understand why you're so pissy about it. You're playing against a computer. It's pretty much automatic that you're going to be smarter than it is when it comes to tactical play, because computers simply aren't as good at tactical games if the developers don't include cheats for the computer. And Firaxis created in-universe explanations for why you're so much smarter than the aliens.

You're horribly outnumbered. You've got a tight turn limit on a number of tactical missions (tight enough that players have complained about it in this very thread). You're on a strategic time limit as well (take too long to win, and you'll lose). Your only advantage is that you're better at the tactical game than it is. And you're complaining because the developers added an in-game explanation for why you're better?

About 25 minutes left on my xcom 2 download. Lol it's been like 2 days since I started it and also experienced interruptions. I will be letting a friend watch me play through the steam app. Should be fun.

Edit:

XCOM 2 IS DONE!!! I'M SO HAPPY I COULD CRY!!! Well not quite that happy.

-----

Odd how the first thing I do once the game is loaded is go to the character creation pool. I added Keanu Reeves 'Neo' and also a friend. I may play xcom 2 later. I need rest.

Cool stats

53 million dead Aliens/Advent so far....

It seems that the Ranger is the most deadly class so far (although my Sharpshooters have by far the highest number of kills).

I am starting to get a bit bored now, nothing left to research and I keep getting bothered by pointless missions which interrupt my campaign missions. Its also gotten to the point where my 'A' squad are death machines that are all but unkillable (unless I totally mong it).

Started playing and my god I'm shocked nobody mentioned how brutal the 'skull jack' is. You melee an advent officer or similar and hack their brain and you do it with what can best be described as impaling his head with ****ing predator claws.





Was having a hard time with 2nd hardest difficulty at first (mostly losing the first mission a lot due to placement of the timed object). After that things were good until one fairly brutal mission (including a guy getting mind controlled and a bunch of stupid misses). Sometimes the random number generator is such a *****. Seriously often times I'd have my best hacker unable to hack anything.

I restarted the game and now have a bunch of soldiers, almost no deaths (1 or 2 maybe), one blacksite taken down and a lot of scientists for so early it seems (3 scientists compared to my pathetic 1 engineer). Starting with the equivalent to officer training school helped a bunch this time. My 2nd building will be the foundry equivalent.

Money seems fairly hard to get in this game but maybe it's just me.

-----

I should probably show malfred my custom characters to find out if they're dakka appropriate. I made a couple funny ones. I'll show you guys on here once I get the go ahead.

It's mostly just of my friends and they seemed to enjoy them.

I think maybe some of the difficulty might be due to the procedurally generated terrain and random enemy placement occasionally screwing you over, meaning you get exposed or have to expose your squad too early. Plus the timers don't help that either.

Dunno what happened but my computer screwed up a download. Probably had no effect I had to restart my computer manually in one case with small fixes it couldn't fix.

However now xcom 2 needs to be re-installed. That's right the 17+ hour download for the game. I am beyond pissed.

Wow, that really sucks. Does it normally take you that long to download steam games?

However, you might not have to redownload it completely. You might be able to Verify the Game cashe under the game options, which will reinstall only the corrupted files.

Downloaded the trooper class from the workshop last nigth and good grief! Alongside my ranger trio my two troopers and the obligatory heavy weapon trooper they wrecked face on the Codex origin mission and the following other black site strikes.

Exo-suits are awesome. Anybody can have a rocket!

 Grey Templar wrote:
Exo-suits are awesome. Anybody can have a rocket!

W.A.R. Suits are better



Just had a supreme WTF moment. I threw a mimic beacon out at the end of my turn. Andromedan kills it. Sectoid then RAISES IT FROM THE DEAD. Zombie mimic beacon then proceeds to die at the end of their turn.