Author Topic: Well done, Arcen.  (Read 14150 times)

Offline Cinth

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Re: Well done, Arcen.
« Reply #15 on: January 23, 2016, 02:10:34 pm »
I'm going to ask the same question I ask every time:

Is there something specific that's killing you alot?  Any one boss or enemy that seems to be just wrecking you every time you meet it?

I just want to be as bloody certain as possible that none of them are somehow broken or appearing in the wrong places.   They dont always behave as well as I'd like.
I've only made it to two bosses so far, which are Mirror and Crystal Mother.  The third part of Crystal Mother's pattern (with the wide green chevron) goes on forever and leaves me trapped in a corner while trying to avoid it, so I can't do any damage.  For Mirror, the pattern gets too tight where I can't avoid it.

Use your Walk Slow!  It will help you dodge a lot better for small stuff.  Also watch the projectiles coming in, not the boss ;).
Mirror:  Pretty much can stand about 2-3 tiles from the boss during P1.  I tend to use the area centered on the boss and a bit up and down.  Aim in the bosses general direction and just watch the projectiles.  There is one targeted one you can easily dodge and the bouncing rays you can be in close enough to not worry about most of the time.  P2 I move up and stay in the upper area, about as far away as I was in P1.  Still dodge the aimed shot and position where the bouncing rays don't bother me. 

Crystal Mother:  Stay in closer, about halfway between the island blocks and the boss.  Sprint around the green wave to get safe.  Walk around everything else. 

Maybe I'm just good at these kinds of games, or I'm playing on too easy (Normal), but I don't really find it that difficult so far. Managed to clear two bosses (Mirror and Crystal Mother) without getting hit.

Hard mode awaits you then.  Normal should be cleared by everyone with time and practice.  Not everyone plays this kind of game (I certainly didn't play these much).
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Offline Misery

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Re: Well done, Arcen.
« Reply #16 on: January 23, 2016, 02:20:12 pm »
I would say, wait until you've fought and defeated Terminus and it's guardians at least once before moving to Hard.  There's already a difficulty spike in the floors after the Warden, and Hard mode might be harder even than that right from the start.  And then the same difficulty spike in the later floors exists in that, except worse.

Hard mode is meant for those that have mastered Normal, and it sort of assumes that you're going into it with alot of experience with the game.  It is likely to continue to get a bit harder, as I'm probably going to add some more stuff to it.

That all being said, Crystal Mother and Mirror (particularly Mirror) are a couple of the easiest bosses.  They make for a good warm-up for later stuff.

Offline Cyborg

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Re: Well done, Arcen.
« Reply #17 on: January 23, 2016, 05:13:13 pm »
I'm going to ask the same question I ask every time:

Is there something specific that's killing you alot?  Any one boss or enemy that seems to be just wrecking you every time you meet it?

I just want to be as bloody certain as possible that none of them are somehow broken or appearing in the wrong places.   They dont always behave as well as I'd like.

There are some rooms where there are these enemies that attach to your ship. I feel like I have nowhere to go, and I just get clobbered. Other than that, I'm probably just clumsy about dodging bullets. I don't expect you to fix it for me, I know very well that I'm on the very low end of the skill spectrum for these games.
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Offline Misery

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Re: Well done, Arcen.
« Reply #18 on: January 23, 2016, 05:18:48 pm »
I'm going to ask the same question I ask every time:

Is there something specific that's killing you alot?  Any one boss or enemy that seems to be just wrecking you every time you meet it?

I just want to be as bloody certain as possible that none of them are somehow broken or appearing in the wrong places.   They dont always behave as well as I'd like.

There are some rooms where there are these enemies that attach to your ship. I feel like I have nowhere to go, and I just get clobbered. Other than that, I'm probably just clumsy about dodging bullets. I don't expect you to fix it for me, I know very well that I'm on the very low end of the skill spectrum for these games.

Well, I ask also because I want to make sure that Normal difficulty and the two below it are well balanced for everyone; they're not meant to be hyper difficult and some enemies were added very late, close to release, so may need some tweaks yet.  The enemies that attach though you just gotta notice them and back away.

Offline ptarth

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Re: Well done, Arcen.
« Reply #19 on: January 23, 2016, 06:07:53 pm »
On a design basis, I feel like Misery likes to have complex patterns that are solved using micro-movements, he sorts waltzes around. This is in contrast to my preferred plan of dive bombing: staying at a safe distance until there is an opening, diving in, and then pulling out after my shot.
Note: This post contains content that is meant to be whimsical. Any belittlement or trivialization of complex issues is only intended to lighten the mood and does not reflect upon the merit of those positions.

Offline Misery

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Re: Well done, Arcen.
« Reply #20 on: January 23, 2016, 06:48:26 pm »
On a design basis, I feel like Misery likes to have complex patterns that are solved using micro-movements, he sorts waltzes around. This is in contrast to my preferred plan of dive bombing: staying at a safe distance until there is an opening, diving in, and then pulling out after my shot.

Actually despite the patterns I tend to just rush at everything.  I use the sprint button ALOT.  Even during something like the Warden's 4th pattern, the spinning one; I'm impatient about the shield, and walking is slow, so I run there.

I do this in actual bullet-hell games too when given the chance; I absolutely will just leap directly in something's face and shove lasers up it's nose.  That it's firing 10000 bullets at me doesnt matter, I'll bloody well do it anyway.

This might explain why I'll occaisionally do things like ram stationary bosses, which works about as well as it sounds.

Offline keith.lamothe

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Re: Well done, Arcen.
« Reply #21 on: January 23, 2016, 06:53:06 pm »
I just hope I get a good "adds shots to main gun" attachment like the Destruction Module or whatever it's called, then pick whatever buffs I can for damage and reload speed, and after that my strategy is one word:

Rambo.
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Offline Misery

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Re: Well done, Arcen.
« Reply #22 on: January 23, 2016, 06:58:22 pm »
I approve of that strategy.

Offline keith.lamothe

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Re: Well done, Arcen.
« Reply #23 on: January 23, 2016, 07:01:13 pm »
I don't expect you to fix it for me, I know very well that I'm on the very low end of the skill spectrum for these games.
That may be the case, but have you tried using the Redshift mech? Basically time doesn't pass unless you're moving or holding down a firing button, so you can think about where you want to move.

You have extremely low HP on that mech, as balancing, but if it's more fun for you it's easy to mod that in RuntimeData/Configuration/GameEntity/CMP_PlayerHulls.xml , though that one could get overwritten by future patches.
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Offline FroBodine

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Re: Well done, Arcen.
« Reply #24 on: January 23, 2016, 08:01:39 pm »
Maybe I'm just good at these kinds of games, or I'm playing on too easy (Normal), but I don't really find it that difficult so far. Managed to clear two bosses (Mirror and Crystal Mother) without getting hit.

Well, I'm the exact opposite.  I am having an absolute blast, but I still haven't gotten out of the first level.

I love this game!

Offline Cyborg

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Re: Well done, Arcen.
« Reply #25 on: January 23, 2016, 08:51:17 pm »
I don't expect you to fix it for me, I know very well that I'm on the very low end of the skill spectrum for these games.
That may be the case, but have you tried using the Redshift mech? Basically time doesn't pass unless you're moving or holding down a firing button, so you can think about where you want to move.

You have extremely low HP on that mech, as balancing, but if it's more fun for you it's easy to mod that in RuntimeData/Configuration/GameEntity/CMP_PlayerHulls.xml , though that one could get overwritten by future patches.

I think I'm doing better with the red one, not past the first floor yet. Probably need to add the HP. Question, how do you pick up health packs? I find that my e option doesn't always work with the red machine.

Also, how do you access items that are behind seemingly unbreakable grey blocks?
« Last Edit: January 23, 2016, 08:54:43 pm by Cyborg »
Kahuna strategy guide:
http://www.arcengames.com/forums/index.php/topic,13369.0.html

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http://www.arcengames.com/mantisbt/

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Offline keith.lamothe

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Re: Well done, Arcen.
« Reply #26 on: January 23, 2016, 09:09:53 pm »
Question, how do you pick up health packs? I find that my e option doesn't always work with the red machine.
By "health packs" do you mean the orange plus-sign like things? They should be picked up automatically by walking over them, if you aren't at max health.

If you mean something that isn't auto-pickup, E should work, though you may need to press and hold a button that makes time advance, then press E while holding that, since the pickup logic isn't checked while time is stopped.

Quote
Also, how do you access items that are behind seemingly unbreakable grey blocks?
Depends on what kind of grey block, as there is an indestructible kind. But if the room designer put items back there it's probably just bombable blocks, which you can destroy via missile (spacebar).
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Offline Matruchus

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Re: Well done, Arcen.
« Reply #27 on: January 23, 2016, 09:53:52 pm »
Mirror Mark 1 at the moment is the easiest boss to beat since there are only a few bullets to dodge and those lines that encircle you are all that you need to watch for. Managed to get a perfect clear on Battleswarm and Mirror Mark 1 till now. Always get hit by one bullet from Crystal Mother :)

Offline TheVampire100

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Re: Well done, Arcen.
« Reply #28 on: January 23, 2016, 09:56:28 pm »
I find Battlesawrm easier to be honest. I can already predict where the bullets will come, more so since the change of sprites where the arrows show you, where the swarm will spawn.

Offline NichG

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Re: Well done, Arcen.
« Reply #29 on: January 24, 2016, 12:00:00 am »
Normally this kind of game wouldn't really be my thing, but... Redshift. Completely spot on nails it for me.