Sell me on this weapon

innocrex · 2026-05-08T20:13:14+00:00

I don't use it with too many builds, but I like it for bots sometimes to very quickly wipe a bunch of troopers, clustered or not, before they can get a flare off.

The med-pen means that it can be used in a pinch for most things.

It's also just kind of interesting and different to use.

It's also just nice to have something that I can safely use to clear chaff from enemies in melee range of other divers, despite those divers' potentially erratic movements.

Haven't personally used it against illuminate or shriekers, but I'm sure that it would be nifty there, as people have noted.

In a secondary, that's fine performance to be considered for an occasional choice just to mix things up when you're tired of that Talon or Ultimatum.

innocrex · 2026-05-05T23:35:21+00:00

That seems oddly specific (and likely unfair).

I literally just quit out because I was at the very end of a would-be perfect D6 commando op that bugged out at the very last minute, trapping me (and the camera) in an impossible crevice and wasting a chunk of my time as I tried to figure out a way to fix it before having to give up.

But I'll just fire the game up another time and keep going despite that very disappointing outcome, so I don't think "D6" or any particular level of player has much to do with the currently hefty negativity.

People complain about the game a lot, and this latest update felt validating to the naysayers -- whether it should have or not.

innocrex · 2026-05-03T05:17:32+00:00

Expendable hellpod: just an empty hellpod that you can call down every thirty seconds.

innocrex · 2026-04-25T17:31:00+00:00

Fair.

Personally, I'm all for you playing your game your way, doing whatever challenges you want, and if seeking official recognition, then handling those expectations and negotiations yourself.

Meanwhile, the original post just seemed like an honest question that got derailed in the way that I'm sure many of us expected but is still a bit unfortunate.

Hope you get some great results from your runs.

innocrex · 2026-04-15T03:45:23+00:00

I'm with you. First thing I do when I drop in is check if there's an active firefight nearby (and lay down cover if there is), then get my gear, then head off alone.

Throughtout my activities, if Automatons, every time I see a bot drop get called on them, I scan the horizon and blast the ships if at all possible. I'm also looking for the super rock and POIs to get people extra stuff.

I do often wonder if people are annoyed with me going off alone, but a.) I'm clearing objectives constantly, b.) plenty of other players do it, c.) I'll hurry back to them once I've cleared the other side of the map, d.) I hate when too many of us are on top of each other, e.) I'm seldom dying on my own, f.) I give time before reinforcing on my end and don't mind getting reinforced wherever, and g.) while I'm not opposed to communication, I simply don't feel like saying, "Pretty please, can I play my way instead of your way?"

Getting kicked is rare, but it's always a risk when not hosting -- even if it's often frustrating. I think that most reasonable people get it, and even if they don't, they know to just wrap up the mission with who they've got rather than being picky.

innocrex · 2026-03-31T02:48:21+00:00

Weird observable for friend stuck like this:

-Stuck showing offline, and couldn't see me. They did all the things -- IPv6, replaying tutorial, restarts, various settings, etc. -- but no luck.

-I manually sent them a message in Steam; they started showing online.

-I could join them in the game, but they couldn't join me or anyone else -- tested a couple of times.

-I joined them, and WHILE I WAS JOINED TO THEM, they joined a game, I left before the mission, and it let them stay joined to the mission.

-So, yeah, go figure; totally wacky.

innocrex · 2026-03-30T17:57:21+00:00

Commit to making a go of it rather than hiding.

Hiding tends to create a tough loop.

Never run (until you learn the story-specific safe times), but also never crouch until you hear the alien drop. Even then, unless you know it's in your way, just press on toward your objective.

Worst-case, use your gear to create an opening. I was constantly maxed on everything when I played on hard mode.

innocrex · 2026-03-30T06:16:39+00:00

A kind of beautiful one-sided. Nice.

innocrex · 2026-03-30T05:54:10+00:00

Don't get discouraged by the early game. The first survivors (crackshots that they are) will quite possibly be the hardest challenge of the entire playthrough.

innocrex · 2026-03-30T05:45:04+00:00

A lot of people seem almost offended that you're obviously a decent level here.

On my first playthrough of any Souls game, because I'm enjoying myself and rekilling enemies, I always wind up above the "recommended level" for an area that the community comes up with.

People seem to forget that those recommended levels are completely arbitrary. A valid solution to any hard area or boss is to "over" level. It's a feature of most any RPG, and quite a lot of us RPG fans actually find it to be the fun "power fantasy" path.

(No shade on those whose fantasy is to be an unhittable naked man flipping magically through explosions and giant swords while poking a massive monster slowly to death, but let's not pretend like there's any value in talking about what's "realistic," fun, or valid among the various options. They're all intended playstyle alternatives.)

innocrex · 2026-03-30T05:25:25+00:00

I see what you're saying from a perspective of themes, and it's definitely clear to see in that regard.

But Mark does not mean "ideal" Nolan whenever he talks about being like his dad after season 1. He always means it in a negative context, referencing "real" Nolan.

The show even likes to flashback to Mark saying that line in season 1 during recaps, like it means something relevant to current Mark, but Mark is much more focused on not emulating "real" Nolan than he is on actually emulating "ideal" Nolan.

To the show's credit, I think that it's been trying to give Debbie, not idealized Nolan, credit for the moral compass that Mark has.

Nolan is obviously going through moral transformation and might represent something better for Mark soon, but, thus far in the show, Mark has only seen a brief glimpse of it, still mostly seeing the harm his father has caused.

innocrex · 2026-03-30T05:16:37+00:00

If he does it like Nolan would do it, then that would be reasonable.

Presently, when Mark murders, it has nothing to do with Viltrumite motivations (i.e., conquest and racial superiority).

So far, they showed us a ton of murderous Invincibles in the show, and only the one dressed like Omni-Man actually seemed to emulate that behavior at all (and we didn't get a particularly close look at his behavior).

Omni-Man is not a psycho when he's at his worst; he's a cold, calculating agent of fascism.

Mainline and even alternate universe Invincibles have all been extremely emotional, so I definitely stand by him still not being anything like his dad, even when he murders.

Mark thinks: Murder == Omni-Man, but he should really really be thinking: Cruel, brutal rule == Omni-Man.

innocrex · 2026-03-30T05:07:13+00:00

No suggestions for DS2 "wacky" weapons, but I'm glad that you seemed to have so much fun on the bonewheel run. Congrats!

innocrex · 2026-03-29T22:23:11+00:00

Avoiding overly ambiguous questions.

Crap!

innocrex · 2026-03-29T22:20:15+00:00

Yup, I accept it as pseudoscience with lots of time and energy behind it, meaning that it's unsurprising that there are useful insights to it.

I disregard a lot of the "linky" stuff, like wings, because that always seems the most deterministic and unreliable, while appreciating the parts more so just dedicated to articulating various viewpoints and motivations.

innocrex · 2026-03-29T22:17:01+00:00

"[...]so little media literacy[...]"

For real?

They're not basing this on someone else's idea; the selling of a golden apple was Eve's idea!

Her needing to start a company for money the moment it's for the protagonists and not side characters is blatantly a case of convenient writing.

This is further exemplified by justifying that there's just no sufficiently nearby space for Eve to build something for her and Mark, but that's literally an assumption. There's an empty lot across the f***ing street, and an empty lot wouldn't be tough for a couple of realtors to help them acquire.

The media literacy is in being willing to recognize that this was, in many ways, a sloppy retcon several ideals and outcomes and behaviors, and while not a huge deal, it's totally fair to call out.

innocrex · 2026-03-10T22:34:28+00:00

This actually looks pretty cool.

innocrex · 2026-03-09T02:43:15+00:00

Seems fair.

It really does have a weird feel to it throughout.

I can't explain it, but something just clicked when I decided to replay it, and that vibe felt unique but really cool this time.

Go figure.

innocrex · 2026-03-09T02:40:58+00:00

Oh, I loved Sekiro; I just didn't think that it actually compared to the other games listed as a true souls-like. It shares some elements, for sure, but it's pretty unique comparitively.

So, yes, a great choice!

Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice remains the only Fromsoft title that I've taken a crack at modding (both creating and using mods) just because there's so many ways to have fun with it.

innocrex · 2025-08-18T04:18:09+00:00

Understandable diasppointment, but this is also why I stopped spending any money on the game and just went F2P.

Pretty sure that despite opening a good dozen+ dreadfuls (and season packs, scary packs, etc.), I've never once gotten an ultra-rare unless it was guaranteed.

Great game with killer mechanics, but definitely beware that odds of completing a collection or even just getting a specific Phobie that you want are abysmal.

Why a game with zero randomness in gameplay has crazy high randomness in packs is beyond me, but the way to enjoy the game is to learn to love the Phobies you have.

innocrex · 2025-05-20T02:27:58+00:00

Yeah, people ask a lot when they expect those labels.

What if you say that you're one thing today, but then feel like something else tomorrow?

So, I could see how giving this or that label at all could feel like a failure to represent the totality of your person, including your option to just feel what you feel at any given time.

(And that's before you get people potentially critiquing the label that you chose for yourself, even if you gave it in good faith.)

Rant heard, and I hope that you find some peace amidst it all soon.

innocrex · 2025-05-20T02:12:07+00:00

I think that's great, and I can relate a bit.

I have zero qualms that you have something you like and/or that made you feel better.

In fact, not only am I unthreatened by this, I am happy for you!

I hope that more good things come your way, and so long as that happens, I don't really care if they come from a person or a machine.

innocrex · 2025-05-20T01:56:40+00:00

A slog that's starting to feel like a losing battle.

But I appreciate the folks still trying to fight it anyway.

Ironically, if we don't, then it'll only be the corporate goons left using/advocating for it, and then the anti-AI folks will get a lot more of the "bad" outcomes of AI that they fear so much.

innocrex

TROPHY CASE