Thoughts on campaign modifiers?

[Casper]

I am curious as to everyone's experience using Time Turner. I like the tactical aspect of XCOM but the rush of the mission timers are one of the biggest annoyances for me. I am thinking of using it, but double seems a bit much. Does it make missions with turn timers easy as pie, since those missions are balanced considering the timer, or does it just shift the difficulty in another direction?


Also considering using Precision Explosives, since explosives seem overpowered as they are now, and they are catastrophic when your squad gets hit with them. Is that a well balanced advanced option or should I tune off it?

[Blazin' Fists]

I find the game still has plenty of urgency even on "just" Normal with Time Turner on.

Even if I have 12 whole turns to rescue a Resistance VIP the sheer swarms of Lost incoming are plenty nerve-wracking enough.

[Casper]

I plan to play on commander, but I usually lose soldiers on missions with a turn timer. The timer just stresses me out and I end up advancing too aggressively to try and buy myself some extra time. Its USUALLY a reasonable enough time, until I get the map where literally every patrol will aggro on my way to the point, and end up chain aggroing.

Did they decide not to do marathon mode for xcom 2? I did that for every campaign I ever did in XCOM 1.

[Tiasmoon]

2x the Turn timers means you wont lose people to the timer. The actual missions themselves are no less hard tho.

[Casper]

Also a question that wasnt explained. Did they add any more talents or any more equipment options for the original classes or the mech suit?

[Tiasmoon]

Original classes get 3-4 bonus perks now, instead of one. You use AP to buy them, so you don't have to worry about building a Training Facility asap. Chosen also give weapons after you defeat each. (only the base classes can use them. shotgun, sniper rifle etc)
Other then that not really.

[Johnny Pay]

im playing with the slower avatar project and turn timers and it feels really lenient. it needs to be lowered.

[KnightGoblin8]

To add an opinion from someone who actually enjoys the turn timers, I just want to remind you that one of the reasons why turn timers (and in Enemy Within meld canisters) were added was to encourage people to change their tactics as the missions go by rather than just turtleing through every mission. When I think back to vanilla Enemy Unknown, it started to get really frustrating in mid- or late game when you realized that the most efficient way was to spam overwatch and move like an inch each turn. So primarily because they force you to adapt, I think they are a good thing.

[Casper]

Changing up your tactics means people die. My tactics are based on what classes I can field not the match type lol

And you are counting the mech suit as someone with a new perk row?

Did they include new cosmetic gear? I was always very keen on the gear that makes them look like they have scifi armor on.

[neutrino]

Originally posted by Devousa:

To add an opinion from someone who actually enjoys the turn timers, I just want to remind you that one of the reasons why turn timers (and in Enemy Within meld canisters) were added was to encourage people to change their tactics as the missions go by rather than just turtleing through every mission. When I think back to vanilla Enemy Unknown, it started to get really frustrating in mid- or late game when you realized that the most efficient way was to spam overwatch and move like an inch each turn. So primarily because they force you to adapt, I think they are a good thing.

Some of us are leaders, and some us are followers. Personally, I find it annoying to be told (or 'encouraged' to use your terminology, but 'forced' is the proper term) by some stranger (namely, the developer) how to enjoy playing my game. If I get kicks and grins out of overwatch spamming, that's my business, not theirs.

[Casper]

Theres a reason XCOM 1 was so popular. The timed missions were the exception. The timed missions added pressure to the fight that wasnt normally present.

Now that most missions are timed they depend on unrewarding mechanics like bosses who take an action for every action you take, or enemies that drag you across the room, or mind control from targets who are difficult to kill.

I put my money on the next game involving soldiers actively going rogue randomly and having a loyalty meter. I just want more enemy types, more diverse terrain, and more tools at my disposal.

[Wealthy Peasant]

Originally posted by neutrino:

Originally posted by Devousa:

To add an opinion from someone who actually enjoys the turn timers, I just want to remind you that one of the reasons why turn timers (and in Enemy Within meld canisters) were added was to encourage people to change their tactics as the missions go by rather than just turtleing through every mission. When I think back to vanilla Enemy Unknown, it started to get really frustrating in mid- or late game when you realized that the most efficient way was to spam overwatch and move like an inch each turn. So primarily because they force you to adapt, I think they are a good thing.

Some of us are leaders, and some us are followers. Personally, I find it annoying to be told (or 'encouraged' to use your terminology, but 'forced' is the proper term) by some stranger (namely, the developer) how to enjoy playing my game. If I get kicks and grins out of overwatch spamming, that's my business, not theirs.

Games for the most part are meant to be played as the developer intended them, with some flexibility where it is given. You don't kill every npc in a stealth game even though you technically can.

[horrid74]

I don't mind the timed missions. There is an urgency that is forced on the player that I like for the most part. At the pleb levels I play at the mission timers are usually easy enough to keep pace with and the odd time the mission is playing like your are running with the devil at your back is refreshing. Sometimes it's fun to just scrape by with a hail mary. Soldiers die because of my poor decisions but if I was running every mission flawless it wouldn't be as much fun.

My thing with XCOM is that I enjoy the pulse pounding ground game but I like a more clinical geoscape. I will try to do every mission the aliens throw at me and have a blast doing it but I want to build cool stuff and groom soldiers and not feel like the Avatar project is forcing me to make minimalist decisions. I started my first WotC campaign as soon as I verified the download and my squads were getting things done.

I did some building and research and got my team ready to stomp the first black site and the assasin in a combo. Unfortunately Advent researched like a beast with the progress they made my "dent" from the black site mission was piss in the ocean. I am having another go and am going to saddle advent with the dumbest research team in the universe :P .

[neutrino]

Originally posted by Wealthy Peasant:

Originally posted by neutrino:

Some of us are leaders, and some us are followers. Personally, I find it annoying to be told (or 'encouraged' to use your terminology, but 'forced' is the proper term) by some stranger (namely, the developer) how to enjoy playing my game. If I get kicks and grins out of overwatch spamming, that's my business, not theirs.

Games for the most part are meant to be played as the developer intended them, with some flexibility where it is given. You don't kill every npc in a stealth game even though you technically can.

That's actually a myth for the most part that is only ever used in forums and has never actually been uttered by any developer after they have actually released the game. In the end, they're a business trying to sell a product, and their primary goal is to gain as many customers as they can, not drive them away.

[Zer033]

Can we still modify some text file to give our guys more damage and stuff? When I played xcom 2 originally I was able to.

[Doing gens, you?]

Playing on Commander, the timers do rush me, but I almost always get the objective before it hits 0. After I got the Skirmisher order that increased all timers by 2 turns I barely even notice it.