Introduction and some thoughts about my experience

[etermes]

Hi All,

first of all, I want to say that I like this game a lot, I enjoy playing it most of the time, and new features like aim to body/vehicle parts are great and the number of variations with classes and subs are awesome. Replayability could be outstanding due to different tactics and skills in your teams.

I have played many XCOM style games since X-COM: TFTD, I remember carrying a captured commander inside the backpack to the Evac zone, it was funny, and I never get tired of this genre.

Lately I have been working as QA Tester for other game and I see room for improvements in this one, after playing it a few hundred of hours, “déformation professionnelle” I guess.

In my last playthrough I ended with 3000+ tech/mat/food/mutagen, 30 soldiers… and 100% diplomacy with all the factions, so maybe it’s time to go Hero/Legend.

But some flaws/design decisions are holding me back, fun is fading.
I have a problem with Acid DoT , I can manage Arthrons with grenade launchers, 180 acid is doable, you can save the soldier, but 360(2 grenades) is not, most of the time, but you have to watch their moves or keep a distance, so 2 hits is in on you, 99% of times.

Acid Chirons is a different animal, even with covers in lairs, they can hit you with accuracy, and in those cases you receive 300-400+ acid , it’s too much, you need a technician full time, recovering armour.

On top of that, augmented body parts receive more DoT that regular armors, it’s counterintuitive, and I want to avoid mind control, so they receive bionic improvements.

And the unbalance aspects about skills should be reworked, imho. When you have “Rally The Troops” (I never used it) for several soldiers, added to “Rapid Clearance” and one or two super-soldier assault with shotguns or snipers with “Rage Burst” and “Quick Aim” you have a so called “Terminator”/Alpha team to clear the board so quickly.
Put in the mix a couple of Heavy bombing from a distance and the game is losing the “cover and seek” beauty so quickly.

I would prefer Dash --> 1 time max every turn per solider and Rally The Troops --> 1 time max every turn per team.

And like others said recently here, this is the players reaction to instant Killers like Acid Chirons or massive number of Sirens in the battlefield, so keep the great work, redo and rebalance some aspects and you will have a great XCOM game, honoring the saga

[Magor]

I’ll be honest, I read just few first sentences. But tell me please, how one who played Xcom:TFTD can like THIS? What interesting you can find here after that game? More then twenty years ago we had two stages on some terror sites. We battle our way in the darkness to the entrance of the alien base. And here alien bases, that can be finished in one - two turns…

[MadSkunky]

@Magor

I’ll be honest, I read just few first sentences.

Then you should better read the whole post before you answer.

A short tip:

@etermes

And the unbalance aspects about skills should be reworked, imho. When you have “Rally The Troops” (I never used it) for several soldiers, added to “Rapid Clearance” and one or two super-soldier assault with shotguns or snipers with “Rage Burst” and “Quick Aim” you have a so called “Terminator”/Alpha team to clear the board so quickly.

[conductiv]

a couple of hundred hours, well that puts you into the veteran player bracket, especially if you play a lot of games in the franchise.

yes the acid does need some work, this has been the general consensus since they changed the way acid worked in leviathan. (before that patch, acid was way too weak) about it being more effective against augmentations, well that was supposed to be one of its gimmicks…and to be honest that isn’t all that bad. the massive stacks and huge damage it can cause because of that…yes that part is bad.

skills do need some looking at, the game does have a terminator build problem. I do find it funny that you list the my and a few other players self imposed limits when playing the game with regards to “dash” and “rally the troops”

[etermes]

@Magor

I’ll be honest, I read just few first sentences. But tell me please, how one who played Xcom:TFTD can like THIS? What interesting you can find here after that game? More then twenty years ago we had two stages on some terror sites. We battle our way in the darkness to the entrance of the alien base. And here alien bases, that can be finished in one - two turns…

Except for the Acid Chirons and Scylla coming in front of my soldiers, first turn, I don’t need to rush if I don’t choose it, I have alternatives in the game, it’s my call.
That said, I don’t like OP Acid Pandas with perfect accuracy , but neither killing Scyllas in the other side of the map in 1 turn, “Rage Burst” two snipers and done, Citadel is not more. Sniper rifles, infinite range, not matter which you chose.

But yes, the game dropped some aspects of the original Xcom games, like specific stamina during the battles (that would reduce “dashing” impact) , the use of vehicles (3 slots!! it’s too much, versatility of 3 soldiers in the arena is way better) , and individual resources management in every base (now you get access to full inventory, magically, thousands of miles away in your aircrafts)

Every TBS game is different, XCOM: WOTC, Chimera Squad, Mutant Year Zero, Gear Tactics… the upcoming Desperados 3, Empire of Sin. New golden age for this genre.
You could mix some aspects of each of them, and get the perfect game? but that only works in our minds.

If the game involves a good history, awesome customization, great balance while you increase difficulty level, visual quality, I am in.

@conductiv

skills do need some looking at, the game does have a terminator build problem. I do find it funny that you list the my and a few other players self imposed limits when playing the game with regards to “dash” and “rally the troops”

that’s right, dashing twice, shotgun to the head of Panda or The Pure guy is addictive, but doing it all the time… something feels wrong

[walan]

@etermes

That said, I don’t like OP Acid Pandas with perfect accuracy , but neither killing Scyllas in the other side of the map in 1 turn, “Rage Burst” two snipers and done, Citadel is not more. Sniper rifles, infinite range, not matter which you chose.

@etermes

that’s right, dashing twice, shotgun to the head of Panda or The Pure guy is addictive, but doing it all the time… something feels wrong

The devs should play the game themselves for a week at a time and they will see in what NONSENSE some game mechanics and skills bring this (possible) wonderful game.

[mcarver2000]

@etermes

neither killing Scyllas in the other side of the map in 1 turn, “Rage Burst” two snipers and done, Citadel is not more. Sniper rifles, infinite range, not matter which you chose.

I’ve tried this and it’s a myth. 2 snipers with Rage Burst at infinite range does not take a Scylla out in one turn. Not even in close range.

[etermes]

@mcarver2000

I’ve tried this and it’s a myth. 2 snipers with Rage Burst at infinite range does not take a Scylla out in one turn. Not even in close range.

You open a hole in the armor with the Raven sniper rifle, adding 120 x 5 damage, first sniper, and then second sniper uses virophage rifle 110+110 x 5 , If you need more, “Rally the Troops”

[MadSkunky]

@mcarver2000

I’ve tried this and it’s a myth. 2 snipers with Rage Burst at infinite range does not take a Scylla out in one turn. Not even in close range.

@etermes

You open a hole in the armor with the Raven sniper rifle, adding 120 x 5 damage, first sniper, and then second sniper uses virophage rifle 110+110 x 5 , If you need more, “Rally the Troops”

+Mark for Death and here you go even if you miss some shots.

But not at infinite range, that’s almost impossible because you will miss too much.

Edit:
If you take the virophage SR also for the first burst is more effective, because the virophage damage is always fully applied as long you hit and do normal damage.

[etermes]

@MadSkunky

+Mark for Death and here you go even if you miss some shots.

But not at infinite range, that’s almost impossible because you will miss too much.

Yes, “Mark” adding damage, and Quick Aim and Synedrion sniper armor + “Master Marksman” doing most of the job.

That is a big guy, hard to miss

[MadSkunky]

@etermes

That is a big guy, hard to miss

That is moving while you burst and RB has 50% accuracy debuff. I tried it and decided for me to be not that effective as an Infiltrator Sniper with double damage, virophage SR and NO debuff

[VOLAND]

@etermes

That is a big guy, hard to miss

Yep. Though I think it’s a she

Anyway, there is a ticket on Canny asking for Scylla to be less vulnerable.

Make the Scylla less vulnerable | Feedback | Phoenix Point

@MadSkunky

That is moving while you burst and RB has 50% accuracy debuff. I tried it and decided for me to be not that effective as an Infiltrator Sniper with double damage, virophage SR and NO debuff

Also true.

BTW, I killed one last night with two (2) hits of Marduk Fist at all of 2 AP cost, which must be a world record.

• Cast mark of death
• Use infiltrator with some third row buffs and melee bionic torso (400 damage per hit per AP with Marduk’s fist when hidden)
• Cast vanish to hide, and get close to the Scylla.

Then got “trapped” under the body and couldn’t use the unit for the rest of the mission…

EDIT: it was one of the “easy” ones, health under 1200, and I did hit her with a mind controlled acid chiron to strip her of armor on the previous turn…

[etermes]

@MadSkunky

That is moving while you burst and RB has 50% accuracy debuff. I tried it and decided for me to be not that effective as an Infiltrator Sniper with double damage, virophage SR and NO debuff

@VOLAND

BTW, I killed one last night with two (2) hits of Marduk Fist at all of 2 AP cost, which must be a world record.

This is what I like about this game you have so many variations, combos, classes, subclasses, 3rd row of skills…

You can use several turrets with your technicians, too

Replayability is great, changing strategies every time you start a campaign

[VOLAND]

@etermes

This is what I like about this game you have so many variations, combos, classes, subclasses, 3rd row of skills…

I agree, and it’s great that different builds play differently, with the tactical options changing completely depending on the team your bring.

But, IMO, balance issues have to be taken care of because this:

@conductiv

skills do need some looking at, the game does have a terminator build problem. I do find it funny that you list the my and a few other players self imposed limits when playing the game with regards to “dash” and “rally the troops”

I have been playing the game since release, and at this point to enjoy it I play on Legendary with heavy self restrictions (no more than one skill use per turn per soldier, rally and electric reinforcement no more than one use per turn per squad, speed soft cap at 20… Now I’m adding no frenzy to the list and no casting of Rapid Clearance before Adrenaline Rush).

[mcarver2000]

The post made no mention of these “OP” abuses, just 2 snipers with Rage Burst, even at infinite range.

[etermes]

Sorry I didn’t mention every skill, subclass or armor required, but my point is: not matter 2 or 6 soldiers, killing big bosses in one turn or half of it, from the start point is insane.
Citadels should be harder than lairs, I mean, Pandas evolving with better structures, should be more dangerous too

[mcarver2000]

Agree, citadels should be harder than liars. On the other hand lairs shouldn’t be as difficult as they currently are. On another hand, perhaps one shouldn’t cheese their way in citadels. There’s an added 5 points to faction rewards if one takes out everything before killing the queen. Just because there is an easy way, doesn’t mean one forced to take it. Go for the challenge!

[etermes]

I agree about the two points, and I would accept the challenge, if the AI for the Scylla would be better.
But she refuses to hide and in the second turn she is right in front of my squad , exposing herself

[mcarver2000]