Rounds to Go Before the Reactor Explodes

[Fahrenheit_37]

Horrible UI/UX design. I was doing my first "Grim Darkness" run, and died to this mechanic.

It was neither explained to me, nor shown to me. As I died I realised that there even was a such mechanic in that fight. If I knew that a timer existed, I wouldn't have been so carefree and lost my run.

Why not inform the player that such a mechanic is even present in the fight, how could this be an oversight?

I had to kill the tech-priests to increase the timer that I didn't realise was present, because the game thought that I would notice it on my own? A "Timer Mechanic" that was never present up until that point?

Simple "Game-Design" flaws, people, SIMPLE! They teach these to the University students who don't even have industry experience. Weird thing is up until this point the tutorial, and tool-tips were on point, how could they mess it up so bad here...?

You bring in a new mechanic? That's great! Now indicate it with shiny colours, and explain to the player, they are not a psyker, they can't just know that a new mechanic has been introduced.

[JustSmile]

.... there's literally a countdown in the middle of the screen.

[spammdc]

I had the same thoughts as the OP, if there is something very different than you should take some time to explain it if it is appropriate for the character to know.

I experienced the same thing in DLC1 with some enemies suddenly having immunity to 4 attacks.
Yes I know that you can look at every enemy and look at their abilities but at the same time if you do that for every enemy and every battle it dramatically alters the game flow and it was in a point that "strangeness" should not occur.

To the OP,
There are a couple of other situations like the one you pointed out that may require you to do more then 1 play-trough to complete.
I do understand the issues with them and "Grim Darkness Mode".

[Floppy Chops]

Is it explained anywhere that the count goes up each time you blow up one of the thingies? Because that information suggests a very useful strategy. (It's been a while so I really don't remember if that information is given or if you have to discover it. It *should* be given.)

[Fahrenheit_37]

Originally posted by JustSmile:

.... there's literally a countdown in the middle of the screen.

And I realised that after I failed.

The main problem is timer mechanic was new, and up until that point, at least in the prolouge, the game stopped and explained every newly introduced mechanic. So I was conditioned to expect a pop-up on the screen.

Even if they don't explain it, at least draw attention to it by highlighting it, it was so obscure, that I didn't even notice the damn thing.

[Fahrenheit_37]

Originally posted by spammdc:

I had the same thoughts as the OP, if there is something very different than you should take some time to explain it if it is appropriate for the character to know.

I experienced the same thing in DLC1 with some enemies suddenly having immunity to 4 attacks.
Yes I know that you can look at every enemy and look at their abilities but at the same time if you do that for every enemy and every battle it dramatically alters the game flow and it was in a point that "strangeness" should not occur.

To the OP,
There are a couple of other situations like the one you pointed out that may require you to do more then 1 play-trough to complete.
I do understand the issues with them and "Grim Darkness Mode".

Ohh, DEFINITELY!

Do not get me wrong I'm in love with the game, and going to keep trying until I get my "Grim Darkness" achievement. It is just small details stuff like these is just so frustrating.

And thanks for the info about the later stages, I'll keep that in mind.

[Fahrenheit_37]

Originally posted by Floppy Chops:

Is it explained anywhere that the count goes up each time you blow up one of the thingies? Because that information suggests a very useful strategy. (It's been a while so I really don't remember if that information is given or if you have to discover it. It *should* be given.)

Unfortunately, no.

They don't event highlight the timer to draw attention to it. No acknowledgement of it whatsoever.

But you know what they say: "Try try again." The game is great, never had an experience quite like it, I have to get that achievement.

[✧Starshadow Melody✧]

there was a risk of the reactor go boom?

[Fahrenheit_37]

Originally posted by ✧Starshadow Melody✧:

there was a risk of the reactor go boom?

See! I am not the only one, LoL .

[Moth]

Not really sure you should be trying to get an ironman achievement on your first run. Normally I'd save that sort of thing for when you know the game better and can plan ahead.

Also, the countdown isn't exactly hidden. What more cues do you need than the bad guy saying "I'm going to blow up the reactor lol" and then having a big turn timer in the middle of the screen?

[Fahrenheit_37]

Originally posted by Moth:

Not really sure you should be trying to get an ironman achievement on your first run. Normally I'd save that sort of thing for when you know the game better and can plan ahead.

Also, the countdown isn't exactly hidden. What more cues do you need than the bad guy saying "I'm going to blow up the reactor lol" and then having a big turn timer in the middle of the screen?

I agree with the first part; I need to get some normal runs in.

Disagree on the second part;
1. I had no idea that there was a "Wipe Mechanic" just like Destiny 2, it is the first time ever where such a mechanic is used in the game.
2. "Big Turn Timer" in the middle of the screen is the problem; it is the first time such a mechanic has been used up until that point, and it is not even highlighted to draw attention to it, it is so obscure. The game just wants the player to realise that there is a timer, even though up until that point as a player you are conditioned to expect a pop-up/tool-tip whenever a new mechanic is introduced, so you just don't expect anything new.
3. Bad guy saying that they will destroy the reactor, doesn't telegraph that there is a "Wipe Mechanic", up until that point every other villain that we came across also said that they will: "Do a bad thing.", but we thwarted them each time, this specific encounter just feels such a sudden change, like a slap out of nowhere.

Note: I ain't hating on the game, Imma keep playing, it is a solid game, and I like it, I'm just airing out my thoughts, and these minor inconveniences turning into a huge problem, and causing people to lose their runs. This could've been fixed with a simple QA.

[Hidetsugu]

Try a new blind grim darkness run, I am awaiting with trepidation your "Warnings before you enter a hard void battle" future post.

[Fahrenheit_37]

Originally posted by Hidetsugu:

Try a new blind grim darkness run, I am awaiting with trepidation your "Warnings before you enter a hard void battle" future post.

Oh boi... Here I go again .

[devious goon]

You don't even own the game

[Fahrenheit_37]

Originally posted by devious goon:

You don't even own the game

Damn... We're pocket watching now?

All jokes aside, I play it on Xbox Game Pass.

[Tecuatl]

It's so stupid that they don't flag up this mechanic in any way.