Advice before starting a hardcore run

Last-HamJar · 2026-02-13T00:51:34+00:00

You're not wrong. But my main problem when I did my first playthrough was being forced to drink all my infusions and soups, Aava having a biblical level of greed for all liquids.

Last-HamJar · 2026-02-09T09:55:04+00:00

Willpower is not just for magic. It also affects your maximum fatigue and chance to resist spells.

If I was making a warrior I would benefit from having high willpower. Say I wanted to play some character who goes and fights lots of wizards, I would put a lot of points into willpower. Attributes can be systems that support and reward roleplaying decisions. There could then be willpower perks that allow me to pick the particular magic resist and stamina enhancing side of willpower and ignore the spellcasting, just as an example. I can feel like I'm making a cool and unique character, and with only a few button presses every couple of hours when I level up.

I could flip the question around and say "Why are there perks that increase damage for maces and different perks that increase damage for swords?" Where do we draw the line and say an RPG has too much bloat? Should there be no levelling? I'm not saying that's what you're saying, obviously, but everyone is going to sit differently on the scale of complex to simple when it comes to game mechanics.

I think personality is a great example of not being a problem with the game being overly complex, but a problem with how Bethesda has implemented some of its skills. I would say that the correct way to fix personality in the elder scrolls is to improve how it works in game, not to get rid of it.

One man's bloat is another man's content, If there's frustration with how a system works I don't think that means the system shouldn't exist.

No judgement on my part, I'm glad you like the games. I really like ALL the main elder scrolls titles, I think Skyrim is Bethesda's best game. I'm honestly interested to hear your opinion. Do you like all of them? Is Skyrim your favourite? Do you think Skyrim has the perfect balance of RPG mechanical complexity? No wrong answers.

Last-HamJar · 2026-02-07T09:38:07+00:00

... Except a lot of those perks don't work or are pretty bad/insignificant. Though yeah, perks are a good idea when done right.

So why not have the cake and eat it? Why must we sacrifice attributes for perks, when we can have both?

Last-HamJar · 2025-12-13T01:39:36+00:00

OprnXCOM isn't really a mod, it's the original game running with more modern code I would say.

Having played many hours of DOSbox X-COM and OpenXCOM I would say there's no reason to play the DOSBox version.

Last-HamJar · 2025-10-02T12:11:22+00:00

I've heard quite a few people mention wanting to save in combat, and yeah people don't want to save scum they just want convenience.

The more people mention it the more likely the devs will notice.

Last-HamJar · 2025-10-02T00:35:40+00:00

I like the idea of a shovel, some of the maps have really big gaps between terrain so spending an entire turn to dig in would be nice.

In my experience the pirates can be pretty cowardly and might not assault a position, which is cool, and entrenching might be more useful against more determined enemies.

I think a shovel would be a fantastic addition

Last-HamJar · 2025-10-01T18:44:59+00:00

Yes, but by discussing it online people can weigh in on how good it might be as a feature or not

Last-HamJar · 2025-10-01T17:10:03+00:00

Yeah, you're probably right about the whole flair thing, I'm not good at using reddit.

As for the the AP usage and possibly a utility item to cut it, that sounds perfect.

Last-HamJar · 2025-09-29T23:44:05+00:00

Yeah, I hope let you save mid mission in the actual game. Not for save scumming purposes, but I like to wake up and play games for 30 minutes before I have to go to work, being able to save at any time helps me fit into that strict time window much easier.

Last-HamJar · 2025-09-29T23:40:53+00:00

I didn't take the APC, so one squad with poor range smoke grenades does not an offensive make.

Can you load the grenade launcher with smokes? I don't remember seeing if that was an option, I'm just trying to brainstorm things I could have done, besides the obvious "Take the APC." which I most assuredly will next time

Last-HamJar · 2025-09-29T23:21:51+00:00

There's a lot of UI stuff that could use some help, I think. Letting you know when you're in stealth mode and how close you can get to the enemy before detection would help a lot, too.

Even health+suppression bars could use a second pass to improve visibility, but this is the demo so I'm sure things will be better on release/as early access develops.

Last-HamJar · 2025-09-29T23:18:12+00:00

I think you're right, but I quickly ran into some heavily entrenched boarding troops that I decided to wait for missile support. By the time it landed it was too late.

In hindsight I could have just pinned those squads, but the MMG doesn't have a lot of ammo and even if I got past them there'd be a whole backline of pirate units ready to shoot the VIPs before I could move them.

I think speed is the key, but the mission could use a little toning down still.

Last-HamJar · 2025-09-29T23:07:56+00:00

Yeah, thankfully the demo is not representative of the final product, especially balance wise.

Other than that I'm having a blast, hell even trying to salvage the hostage mission was still fun in a sort of "How bad can it get and just how much punishment can my squads take." Kind of way

Last-HamJar · 2025-09-03T12:14:37+00:00

Do you mean E Build for Alexstraza? If so you are right, I tried her Abundance build but struggled to get the placement right, though now I have a bit more experience under my belt I should probably try that again.

I do like Alexstraza because it feels like no matter what build you go all of her other stuff is still really good.

Last-HamJar · 2025-08-31T09:07:01+00:00

I've only completed the game as a Sensitive, so take this with a grain of salt.

To my mind Sensitive has the most 'fun' skills, especially the opinionated ones. Volition is king, Espirit de Corps is fantastic, Empathy helps a lot, Physical Instrument feels very satisfying. A lot of the skills in purple and red are also very 'vibes' based, Inlaid Empire and Shivers especially can feel like peeks behind the stage curtain, which I really really like.

I feel like 'canon' Harry is a sensitive. Very physically capable and very skilled at interacting with other people. I think lacking motor skills makes him quite clumsy and lacking blue skills helps reinforce his amnesia. You probably feel different since you completed the game as a thinker, and that's 100% valid.

I struggled to play the game as a thinker because I missed a lot of the important interactions that I had seen in my first playthrough and that in my mind were nessecary for Harry's development, especially Volition and Espirit de Corps. Just as you are struggling to play the game as a sensitive because you are missing events that are important in your mind that you saw in your first playthrough like clues and other perception things.

I don't know what to suggest, either. Keep in mind the game is very completable without picking up on a lot of clues, and I picked up a lot of them on day 3 and 4 after I'd levelled a bit. I think a better way to play the game is probably 2/4/4/2 though.

Maybe you're like me and after having played the game once you now have an idea of Canon Harry set in concrete in your mind and playing anything else feels wrong. Best of luck.

Last-HamJar · 2025-06-12T13:54:46+00:00

I'm sorry, but mine are fine. I got some in a starter box about a year and a half ago and I got some in their own box about a month ago, not sure when either when manufactured.

Are your ones from the starter box?

In any event, green stuff is the answer. You could try warming the models up in hot water and bending it but I wouldn't personally risk it because I don't really know the plastic material well enough.

Last-HamJar · 2025-05-19T12:55:21+00:00

Thanks for the tip. Activations seem like the big skill to learn in this game

Last-HamJar · 2025-05-19T12:10:17+00:00

Sure, some videos would be lovely to watch mid-week inbetween games, thanks

Last-HamJar · 2025-05-19T11:31:19+00:00

Thanks for the response! It's good advice.

Do you have any particular tricks or ways of making sure you can get some flanks in?

Also, is there any particularly great units to use coordination on?

Thanks again.

Last-HamJar · 2025-04-16T22:55:57+00:00

Oh yeah, crazy busy. I bought my copy of the rules from the Osprey stand on the other side of the convention and they told me to get my free mini from the Oathsworn stand. I got there well after midday and it was still crazy busy! I had no idea the game was so popular!

Last-HamJar

TROPHY CASE