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XCOMUFO & Xenocide

Turn Based Or Real Time?


muxec

  

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  • 2 weeks later...

Why do you say that?

Without armour you could only survive 0-1 hits from plasma guns.

With personal armour 0-2 but the 0 was less frequent, statistically.

Power armour allowed for 1-3 so it was quite good, and the next stage in armour developement was very similar in protection, but allowed flight!

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  • 4 weeks later...
ok it can be a tactical selection, but it must depend on YOU, not your mission.

i just DON'T approve selecting TB for humans and RT for brainsuckers.

if you use TB against humans and kill them easily then YOU MUST use TB against brainsuckers. -computer doesn't have the tactical chance to change his tb or rt isn't it

 

We call this FAIR PLAY!! :P

 

"This is war soldier, this isn't about 'playing fair'! You want to club your enemy over the head before he even spots you and if sneaky, unfair, or dirty tactics or exploits allow you to do that, then so be it. After all do you want to walk home or go home in a leather body bag?"

 

As for me I play 100% Real Time. I loved TB from X-Com 1 and 2 but I also love the chaos, demented, fast paced action of RT I can't get enough of watching a full squad of 36 with various weapons totally lay waste to a field or office building while duking it out with poppers skeletoids and other alien forces especially when those 'mega spawns'? Start showing up in tactical missions and literally saturates the screen with firepower. I love shooting matches where people die in droves.

 

As long as those "people" aren't XCOM agents, and hopefully not civilians! Civilians do inevitably die from time to time in my games, but only by accident. I've never deliberately killed civilians, no matter how much they annoyed me (and oh yes - they did annoy me).

 

But yes - RT is the way for me in X3: the volleys of firepower, the simultaneous action, and the mission pace addicted me the first time I tried RT. With the "pause" function, I can have some agents laying down cover fire, others throwing grenades, and others flanking or advancing - all at the same time! And when the slugfests happen between XCOM and the aliens, I can see firepower streaming every which way: bullets, autocannon rounds, laser bolts, mini-launcher missiles, grenades, and various disruptors. It's the heat of battle, and it's so much fun. It feels like a MISSION, you know? Not a turn-based board game.

 

Of course, I've played X1 and X2 many a time. God - I HATE tentaculats! Bloody Chryssalids that fly and hide in nooks way above your head. Nightmarish!

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  • 3 months later...

If I'm doing raids against CoS or Stun Raids on allies, I might mess around with TB, however, since I save after every step in progress (long periods of time with no missions, no weekly payment, no attacks on my base, etc.) then I'll RT them to death.

 

The reason I perfer RT is because I have about a 10 second attention span in this game for making decisions. I hate thinking in Apoc. If I want a tactical thinking game, I'll play Fallout Tactics: Brotherhood of Steel (which I still haven't beaten -- stupid Super Mutants!).

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  • 2 months later...
  • 2 months later...

The problem with most continuous-real-time-peon-pumper games (like Starcraft, C&C, Warcraft, KKnD, Dune 2, etc) is that you have to control your forces sequentially while the computer can control units at the same time. The computer has the clear speed advantage. The pause function in pausable-real-time responds to this problem by allowing you to issue orders to everyone and have them acted out at the same time much like what the computer can do.

 

But on the flip side of the coin, Apocalypse allows you to choose the size of your team, and even single soldiers can slaughter hordes of aliens. Also, reactions allow you to let unattended troops fend for themselves at the most basic level. You can certainly control a solo unit or a small squad of 2 - 3 soldiers without having to pause a lot better than a large squad.

 

However, what speed are you playing at? Playing at the fastest time compression mode can be quite tricky compared to the slowest setting, for example.

 

- NKF

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The problem with most continuous-real-time-peon-pumper games (like Starcraft, C&C, Warcraft, KKnD, Dune 2, etc) is that you have to control your forces sequentially while the computer can control units at the same time. The computer has the clear speed advantage. The pause function in pausable-real-time responds to this problem by allowing you to issue orders to everyone and have them acted out at the same time much like what the computer can do.

On the other hand, player can inteligently react to computer's moves and coordinate troops movements in intense battle, which in case of X-Com 3 isn't very fair or realistic.

 

But on the flip side of the coin, Apocalypse allows you to choose the size of your team, and even single soldiers can slaughter hordes of aliens. Also, reactions allow you to let unattended troops fend for themselves at the most basic level. You can certainly control a solo unit or a small squad of 2 - 3 soldiers without having to pause a lot better than a large squad.

I'm using 2 soldier fireteams - they are easiest to control. Too bad it doesn't have a Close Combat style squad leader AI that would coordinate defense and movement on single squad level.

 

However, what speed are you playing at? Playing at the fastest time compression mode can be quite tricky compared to the slowest setting, for example.

I'm playing at normal speed :) .

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  • 6 months later...
The only time TB can be faster is when u bring 20plus teleporting soldiers into a mission. That being said, I've always played RT until personal teleporter becomes available. Then its TB 90% of the time. Completing the mission before aliens get their turn is fun!
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  • 1 month later...

OMG Realtime, all the time! :P

 

Soldiers can the dual wield machineguns/pistols/stungrapples creating a hail of gunfire in RT. As near as i can tell the accuracy for soldiers goes up quicker this way also (dual wielding). When you have the disruptor pistols and/or rifles bullets become less of an issue and is far more enjoyable to watch.

Edited by RustedSoul
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  • 6 months later...
  • 9 months later...
Exhausted from TB of X-COM1&2, I'm playing 100% realtime in Apoc..It's fast...that's why..And my troops never died even once... :alientalk: :plasma:

 

Really? I find that my guys get wounded or killed a lot more easily in RT... it's nice, and makes it more realistic, but they improved the Time Units system since xcom 1 and 2. I no longer have to worry about spending nearly all my TU's on ONE Aimed Shot. I can now make 3 or 4. And the fact that Auto Shot now fires only one shot at a time and costs so little TU's than before means it's a nice thing to make use of too. And with the ability to Run, things are easier on my TU's as well, at least until I run out of Stamina. XD

 

Don't get me wrong though. RT does have advantages for me. It makes dual-wielding a true possibility, in that both weapons can be fired constantly and without TU's to burn. But I personally find TB to be much easier for killing Brainsuckers, Poppers and Hyperworms. And definitely Multiworms. If you hide in the right spot and actually TAKE COVER, as common sense would require, then the outcome is more often than not, much better as far as avoiding and eliminating said aliens. Plus, if you go airborne with the Marsec Body Unit, you don't have to worry about getting brainsucked or a Popper getting too close to you. :D

Edited by feliciafan89
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Most of that is true for real time as well - regarding avoiding brainsuckers and poppers with flying suits. Just don't forget that brainsuckers can jump a short distance, so be sure to fly as high as you can.

 

There is one part where fighting brainsuckers in real-time is a clear cut advantage: getting poppers off you during mid-suck. As long as you move in pairs, you can get your nearby companion to blast the brainsucker off your head. Or, if you're desperate, you can prime an AP grenade to .25 or blast on impact (yes, for those that did not know, this setting is present in real-time - use the LMB shortcut) and blast it off. All this can't be done in turn based once the brainsucker is on your head.

 

With poppers, their main advantage is surprise and their speed. In any mode, if they manage to spring on you from behind or flank, the experience can be somewhat painful. In real-time, you have to be constantly watching your motion scanner (it has the bonus of 'relative motion' scanning in real-time by the way!), listening with your ears, or at least have your whole team look around all the time. With turn based, I suppose if you know where they are coming from, then you'll be at a clear advantage as long as your reaction fire works. In real time - constant vigilance is key. That and some heavy hitting weapons that'll knock it down before it gets too close - or having some stun grapples ready on full auto to knock them down if they get too close. Constant vigilance.

 

Multiworms just need a large diet of lead in either mode. Just be mindful of their rapid fire spit attacks and you'll do fine.

 

- NKF

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With poppers, their main advantage is surprise and their speed.

 

Yeah. And the fact that they seem to know where you are, even if you took cover, and even if they haven't spotted you yet.

 

Multiworms just need a large diet of lead in either mode.

 

...I think they prefer the Disruption Beam Diet. XD

 

But no matter what ammunition type you use, unless it's Explosive with a high enough Firepower stat, you're gonna have to deal with four Hyperworms, which the Multiworm gives birth to upon death. If you kill it with, say, a Marsec MiniLauncher, you'll kill them in the explosion just as they're being born. Another solution is, in TB mode, having a whole squad surround the Multiworm, then kill it. If you're close enough, fewer Hyperworms will be born. What few Hyperworms ARE born, just pay attention to the direction they face in. Each time you try to shoot one, they'll turn towards that Agent, and you have the Agent now behind them shoot a Hyperworm, and you go back and forth till they're all dead. XD It works well for me. In TB or RT, having a Personal Disruption Shield on each of your Agents will be a BIG help to defend against the Hyperworms. While they're trying to chew through it, you'll be killing them with only one or two shots. (One in my case, since I equip all my Agents with Devastator Cannons.)

 

 

And as far as Brainsuckers, I think I recall something... I can't confirm it right now as I type this, but I think they won't jump on you if you're lying prone. But if you're doing TB, you need to conserve like 14 TU's so you can do it.

 

Some Agents require only 10 TU's, but the cost varies. The highest cost I've found is 14. Move your mouse over the Crawl icon and the Tooltip caption will tell you the cost.

 

As for the Hyperworms, there's no real way to

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Yeah. And the fact that they seem to know where you are, even if you took cover, and even if they haven't spotted you yet.

 

Indeed - the aliens already know where you are. That's been the same since in UFO and TFTD. At the very least a number of the enemies in Apocalypse that don't just hunt you down mercilessly like the poppers and brainsuckers. Somedo end up wandering around aimlessly or they choose to flee the battle.

 

 

 

...I think they prefer the Disruption Beam Diet. XD

 

 

Plasma sword diets work a treat too - but you tend to get those too late without some thievery to obtain them early. Pummelling the Multiworm with a stun grapple helps as you'll be able to disable it 160 hitpoints sooner. Gives you time to surround it and manually hatch the hyperworms at your leisure.

 

 

But no matter what ammunition type you use, unless it's Explosive with a high enough Firepower stat, you're gonna have to deal with four Hyperworms, which the Multiworm gives birth to upon death. If you kill it with, say, a Marsec MiniLauncher, you'll kill them in the explosion just as they're being born. Another solution is, in TB mode, having a whole squad surround the Multiworm, then kill it. If you're close enough, fewer Hyperworms will be born. What few Hyperworms ARE born, just pay attention to the direction they face in. Each time you try to shoot one, they'll turn towards that Agent, and you have the Agent now behind them shoot a Hyperworm, and you go back and forth till they're all dead. XD It works well for me. In TB or RT, having a Personal Disruption Shield on each of your Agents will be a BIG help to defend against the Hyperworms. While they're trying to chew through it, you'll be killing them with only one or two shots. (One in my case, since I equip all my Agents with Devastator Cannons.)

 

 

One trick I noticed for real-time combat that appears to work fairly well is to use the Autocannon and have it arm a single incendiary clip. Set fire to the multiworm, then switch to AP (or your weapon of choice) and kill it. The hyperworms that pop out tend to die very quickly this way. Then quickly put out the blaze with a smoke grenade or stun grenade. This whole process would have to be done very quickly so as not to cause too much damage to your surroundings.

 

That actually reminds me of a mild exploit that you can use in turn-based combat. Drop a stun grenade and stand still in the cloud. As long as you're standing still, stun damage won't get applied to you. When the hyperworms race towards you, they'll get stunned for every tile they move through.

 

 

And as far as Brainsuckers, I think I recall something... I can't confirm it right now as I type this, but I think they won't jump on you if you're lying prone. But if you're doing TB, you need to conserve like 14 TU's so you can do it.

 

Some Agents require only 10 TU's, but the cost varies. The highest cost I've found is 14. Move your mouse over the Crawl icon and the Tooltip caption will tell you the cost.

 

That's right, going prone (and most importantly: not kneeling) will cause the brainsuckers to jump on you, then stun themselves in the process. Why? Who knows. ;) But it's an amazingly effective anti-brainsucker move if your agents get stranded alone out in the middle of nowhere.

 

As for the Hyperworms, there's no real way to

 

One of my fond quotes I use in UFO/TFTD is: Enough high explosives will solve anything! ;)

 

The easiest way to deal with them is to toss a blast-on-impact AP grenade nearby. With a full suit of Armor, or better still some disrupter shields, that AP blast will just blow past you but will kill the hyperworms instantly. Stun grapples knock them out of the picture quite well too, allowing you to turn your ranged firearms on their unconscious bodies. This works brilliantly in real-time.

 

Yes, very unsportsmanlike. Then again, so are they!

 

Memory fails me and I don't have access to the game on my laptop to verify this, but does anyone recall when the hyperworms burst out of a dead multiworm in turn based combat? If it's instantaneous, then you're at a distinct advantage, and a single AP grenade will solve all your woes. If it occurs at the end of the turn or if they burst out and get an immediate move due to high initiative, then perhaps not so.

 

- NKF

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Indeed - the aliens already know where you are. That's been the same since in UFO and TFTD. At the very least a number of the enemies in Apocalypse that don't just hunt you down mercilessly like the poppers and brainsuckers. Somedo end up wandering around aimlessly or they choose to flee the battle.

 

Although oddly enough, some of the aliens, and any human foes don't seem to know where you are. This makes stealth a realistic possibility, especially when combined with the lying prone stance. ^_^ Sometimes it's even more fun when doing this in RT.

 

Memory fails me and I don't have access to the game on my laptop to verify this, but does anyone recall when the hyperworms burst out of a dead multiworm in turn based combat? If it's instantaneous, then you're at a distinct advantage, and a single AP grenade will solve all your woes. If it occurs at the end of the turn or if they burst out and get an immediate move due to high initiative, then perhaps not so.

 

- NKF

 

It's instant... like I said, I use high explosive ammunition on a Multi to kill the Hypers in the explosion. :D

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  • 3 months later...

I used to play mostly in turn based for the suspense, but after playing Close Combat series a lot, I decided to return to RT. TB simply gives the player an unfair advantage of almost total control over the team.

 

I'll try to play without using autopause and using pause sparsely.

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  • 3 weeks later...

I remember playing apocalypse for the first time and trying turn based since I was used from the previous games, but I moved on to Real time really quick, Turn based was just too hard compared to Real time, and the combats dragged for too long making it actually boring.

After playing apocalypse and the new Ufo games I just cant go back to turns.. its just too slow and unpractical.

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  • 2 months later...

Hi all, first post I believe.

 

I've been playing on and off since the game was released: always TB. I guess because I wanted to follow the spirit of the first two games. Or was it the processing power available? ;) Anyway, my current game's endpoint (all but the last alien building standing, no UFOs) is approaching, so I might have another look at RT missions once I'm in that comfortable position.

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