Summer Games Challenge 2015

[MrPopo]

That changed at level 6, where the game throws a curveball in a new enemy design that comes armed with a chaingun and screams like a banshee. I don't know what that thing is, but it tried to eat me alive.

It's between these guys and the Red Hulks as the most dangerous normal enemies in the game (I'm leaving out the two bosses and the minibosses). The drillers certainly are the more primally scary ones with that horrible scream they make before they suck your shields dry with their Vulcans.

My advice for them is that they die to a single missile, concussion or homing. I kept my weapon selection on the homing missiles (as they're fairly common) and whenever I heard that scream just turn towards it and fire.

I played through Desecent with my joystick, with the throttle being forward/backward, hat as slide, and the stick as changing facing. Having that slide freedom was great but the throttle meant I sometimes would charge forward more than I wanted. You've got fine forward/backward control but don't have slide up and down. I'll be interested to hear how that ends up working out for you.

[Ack]

I also usually have the homing missile selected, so I'm glad to hear that remains an effective tool throughout the game. It wouldn't be so bad if the drillers' vulcans weren't hit-scan weapons. I try to sneak up on them and take them out from afar whenever possible. The Red Hulks take a beating, but I find they usually appear in places where I have things I can duck around to throw off their missiles.

I may adjust the keyboard so slide up and down is Q and E or possible Left Shift and Spacebar. I just haven't needed it yet. Most of the time the corridors I am in are too narrow to make it useful, and when I need to move up and down in a big room, I tend to compensate with mouselook. It does mean I have to focus on movement instead of attacking my enemies, but I usually compensate by gunning up or down and then slinging my vision around to unload with lasers while I slide around at an angle. More difficult at the start for me but also more difficult for them to hit me once I get going. So far none of the enemies seem to lead very well beyond the drillers and red hulks, so I tend to get hit more in narrow spaces where dodging is difficult, or when there are just so many enemies firing that it gets tough to dodge.

[MrPopo]

Yeah, it's the hitscan that does you in. There's a second version of the driller that comes out later has a powerful fast firing non-hitscan weapon and it's much easier to deal with. As for the Red Hulks, the placement gets worse later and you'll find they start coming in twos and threes and you don't have as many ways to dodge their shots.

[Ack]

Speaking of which, how is the difficulty curve? Does it continue to ramp up steadily, or does it spike the way it did for level 6 and then subside?

[MrPopo]

It tends to ramp up over time, though every so often there will be a level that's driller happy and that is a spike. But there definitely aren't drillers in every level, and some levels have nastier placements than others. There are more enemies that will be introduced every few levels, and there's one that is quite dangerous you first see in the last third (rapid fire concussion missiles).

[Ack]

It tends to ramp up over time, though every so often there will be a level that's driller happy and that is a spike. But there definitely aren't drillers in every level, and some levels have nastier placements than others. There are more enemies that will be introduced every few levels, and there's one that is quite dangerous you first see in the last third (rapid fire concussion missiles).

Haha, so probably no more rushing through seven levels at a time, eh? Oh well, was fun while it lasted.

[Key-Glyph]

That read a little bit like an exchange between Kirk and Spock, you guys.

Ack: What do you make of this situation, Spock? So far my... bravado... is working out nicely, but I'm concerned that my... circumstances may change. Also I've ripped up my uniform again, and I'd... like to avoid that.

Popo: From my studies, captain, I have noted several more dangerous life forms with which you have not yet had an encounter awaiting your arrival deeper within the construct. Some appear to have adapted countermeasures to your preferred strategy and are now traveling in small groups.

Ack: Are you saying that from now on I might find myself... not... kicking ass and taking names?

Popo: No, captain. I am merely suggesting that the... "ass-kicking"... may not be quite as rapid.

Ack: Excellent. I'll grab another uniform.

[BogusMeatFactory]

That read a little bit like an exchange between Kirk and Spock, you guys.

Ack: What do you make of this situation, Spock? So far my... bravado... is working out nicely, but I'm concerned that my... circumstances may change. Also I've ripped up my uniform again, and I'd... like to avoid that.

Popo: From my studies, captain, I have noted several more dangerous life forms with which you have not yet had an encounter awaiting your arrival deeper within the construct. Some appear to have adapted countermeasures to your preferred strategy and are now traveling in small groups.

Ack: Are you saying that from now on I might find myself... not... kicking ass and taking names?

Popo: No, captain. I am merely suggesting that the... "ass-kicking"... may not be quite as rapid.

Ack: Excellent. I'll grab another uniform.

Brilliant assessment! You had me laughing hysterically. Almost woke the baby up!

[Ack]

Hahaha, I'm happy to be compared to Kirk.

I'm also happy to be put on equal level with an old hand like Popo. One day, when my ego is big enough, I intend to kill it and mount its head to my wall. Just so I can say I did it.

[Key-Glyph]

I'm also happy to be put on equal level with an old hand like Popo. One day, when my ego is big enough, I intend to kill it and mount its head to my wall. Just so I can say I did it.