Octopus Overlords

Is it just me or are sniper ambushes OP? I don't really like the way the system is designed, in that there's no way to avoid them unless you get off your bike and take them out. It just gives me the feeling that they're funneling players through unavoidable encounters.

I'm playing it on Normal, and during that encounter, I switched it to Easy to see if there'd be any difference. There isn't really all that much of a difference, but what I did notice is that the bike physics have more of an effect on Normal vs Easy. So, it seems they've tied bike physics to difficulty, because I swear the bike feels heavier on Normal than it does on Easy where it feels more arcade. I like the feel of the heavier bike, as it generally feels better.

I think there are four or so "scripted" sniper areas that I can recall - specific seemingly random events. Plus maybe 2 or 3 wire ambushes (which also suck). I think it's the game's way of keeping you on your toes and to stop you from getting comfortable just going full throttle everywhere. For the sniper ambushes, he does mumble about them and if you immediately swerve behind something (tree/rock/truck) you can avoid them...though usually at that point the sniper support team comes rushing in.

Yeah, I ended up sniping the sniper and then speeding off before the others could get me

But what I don't like about those encounters is how if the sniper spots you while riding, you're basically a sitting duck. There were a few times when nothing was said, and so it came out of nowhere, bam, I'm off my bike. It's the suddenness I don't like. I mean, theoretically, if you have a fast bike, you'd be able to evade the sniper, but no, he has perfect aim every time.

I've now seen at least two zombie hordes. It's the kind of thing you kind of just have to wait for them to pass into the distance. One of them was near one of my mission areas, and near my bike even. Ended up having to sneak my way around the back once I was done, get onto my bike and book it.

Yeah, you might be right. It's just part of the fun I guess - good training for what's coming when you head south.

I've taken out like 6 hordes now, all kinda small (50 or less). Very different feeling going up against them now than in the first 20+ hours of the game. My only issue now is finding components to make sure I can stay topped off with supplies for all my awesome tools.

What did I tell you?

You guys need to stop talking about this game until it goes on sale again.

Hrothgar wrote: ↑Tue Oct 26, 2021 5:27 pm What did I tell you?

I didn't believe you, mainly because of my first experience fighting a horde. I feel like...maybe they should have figured out a way to not have that happen so late in the game (mandatory absurd horde fight).

TheMix wrote: ↑Tue Oct 26, 2021 6:34 pm You guys need to stop talking about this game until it goes on sale again.

I'll be surprised if it's not on sale for Halloween weekend on Thursday. I mean...zombies!

Smoove_B wrote: ↑Tue Oct 26, 2021 4:57 pm Yeah, you might be right. It's just part of the fun I guess - good training for what's coming when you head south.

I've taken out like 6 hordes now, all kinda small (50 or less). Very different feeling going up against them now than in the first 20+ hours of the game. My only issue now is finding components to make sure I can stay topped off with supplies for all my awesome tools.

I'm sure things improve over time that make it easier to take them out, but every time I hear you guys talking about them, they sound super intense and overwhelming. I wonder how I'll feel about then when I eventually have to face them. Seeing you hear about taking on 50 gives me a bit of anxiety

I keep discovering little details about the game that the game never really tells you. For instance, did you know you can actually stop at gas stations and fill up?

Rumpy wrote: ↑Tue Oct 26, 2021 8:45 pm I'm sure things improve over time that make it easier to take them out, but every time I hear you guys talking about them, they sound super intense and overwhelming. I wonder how I'll feel about then when I eventually have to face them. Seeing you hear about taking on 50 gives me a bit of anxiety

I don't know. I've taken out quite a few now in the 25-50 range and it's still a bit frantic. I know what I need to do next and I'm really not looking forward to it.

I keep discovering little details about the game that the game never really tells you. For instance, did you know you can actually stop at gas station and fill up?

Indeed - you don't even need to get off the bike. There's a similar 55 gallon drum with fuel back at your starting camp with Boozer; I don't think I realized that until like 20+ hours into the game.

Smoove_B wrote: ↑Tue Oct 26, 2021 9:16 pm
I don't know. I've taken out quite a few now in the 25-50 range and it's still a bit frantic. I know what I need to do next and I'm really not looking forward to it.

Ok, so I'm guessing I would either need a good weapon or upgrade knife ability that increases knife damage. Or something. I guess I'm just not ready to face them yet as I have difficulty with just a few. I think 5 is as much as I've taken on at a given time.

Indeed - you don't even need to get off the bike. There's a similar 55 gallon drum with fuel back at your starting camp with Boozer; I don't think I realized that until like 20+ hours into the game.

Yeah, it took me awhile to realize it could be done. It takes the stress of not having enough fuel away. So, It makes me feel better to know I'm not the only one who realized it later on.

Rumpy wrote: ↑Wed Oct 27, 2021 1:00 am Ok, so I'm guessing I would either need a good weapon or upgrade knife ability that increases knife damage. Or something. I guess I'm just not ready to face them yet as I have difficulty with just a few. I think 5 is as much as I've taken on at a given time.

There are definitely better weapons coming - all part of things you unlock as you progress through the story and side quests. You will get better melee weapons, but I don't think that's a viable strategy against hordes. Most underrated skill you should be practicing? Rolling away from trouble. Something else I learned like 40+ hours in.

Yeah, it took me awhile to realize it could be done. It takes the stress of not having enough fuel away. So, It makes me feel better to know I'm not the only one who realized it later on.

The fuel situation will get better too, at least in terms of how much you can keep in your tank. I spend time jumping from safe location to safe location, grabbing fuel and supplies. But yes, those first few trips out into the unknown are a bit sketchy. Look for tow trucks - they will have gas cans near them.

I think my favourite weapon at the moment is the machete. It's pretty efficient at cutting down enemies in two swings and is easily found almost everywhere. Good idea on the rolling. I don't think I've mastered that yet. Mostly because I keep forgetting it's a skill I have.

I'm assuming that there will be more varied bike upgrades once I move to another location in the game. At first I was a little annoyed that both Copeland's and the camp at the Spring both didn't have bike upgrades, but I see that they've made them specialized in different ways by what they offer, ie the guns at the Spring vs the bike upgrades at Copeland's.

I totally forgot about the roll until I saw how to use it. The issue is that Deek has no block (which makes sense) - so think of the roll (very Geralt-like) as a way to avoid being hit by incoming attacks.

And yes, the more you explore and gain trust, the more you're going to be able to find new weapons and bike upgrades. I think the game does a decent job at handing all that stuff out. Plus you can sometimes loot better weapons and assuming you can keep finding ammo, they will work better than what you might have in your locker at the time.

Also, when you can, don't forget about silencing your guns. Not only does it help against swarmer, but it will keep humans confused too. Always better (IMHO) to remain silent and unseen for as long as possible.

That makes so much sense, because I keep trying to block, but I can't. Then I think he must have a way to roll... And I always silence my weapons whenever I can. If I don't, it's because I haven't encountered the part yet as you only encounter the part rarely, even more so for the special weapon. Got one equipped for the sniper rile now

Speaking of weapons, I had to look up how to use the locker, and I saw that it only applies to guns you've bought or given via the storyline. That's a weird detail, because all my weapons were either given or scavenged, and the one primary weapon I have can't be stored because I scavenged it. Never would have realized that without looking it up, because anytime I go to use the locker, the primary weapon isn't available.

Yeah, the locker is a bit weird to understand at first, but in practice what it means is that if you find something better in the field and you're holding on to something from your locker, you can toss it and not worry about ever seeing it again - you can get it right back. I think early on I was looting AK-47s from enemies and able to scavenge enough ammo to keep using them. But eventually you get better mid-to-long range options and you can be a sneaky Pete and creep around camps from a distance and whittle away at the enemy. That is still my favorite part of the game - being tasked with addressing an enemy camp. It's also why I like the Far Cry games - I apparently have a type.

I do love sneaking around, and the stealth is very well done in this game. So satisfying.

The one thing that I keep forgetting to mention that is by far one of the greatest things about this game is the environment. More specifically, the world looks lived in. The various camps, the random areas you stumble across - they all feel like they were set up in a way that meet what I would expect to see - there's lots of garbage and mud and general chaos. It seems like a minor detail, but I think it adds a layer of detail that really helps to sell the story.

Yeah, agreed. In fact, it feels a more lived-in than Fallout, well despite the fact that everything's abandoned But it does make me wonder just how much of it is real-world mapping, as I've seen references to real places, and I think that one monument you're tasked to visit as part of the storyline is real. The sense of scale also feels quite good and appropriate. What I mean to say is, it doesn't feel condensed in the same way the Fallouts are. It feels more wide-open.

I haven't been using silencers that much because the crossbow has been fulfilling that need for me. Between nigh infinite ammo, 1 shot kills on unsuspecting enemies and being completely silent, it's fantastic. If only I could get a decent scope for it!

The crossbow is arguably one of the single best weapons in the game, particularly when you're starting out - it's military spec and does insane damage. My issues with the crossbow were always the limited amount of ammo on hand and constantly needing to scavenge for supplies early on. But yeah, it's great - and when you can unlock the additional ammo options for it, even better.

Also: On sale for $33.49 as part of the Halloween sale (33% off). Have at it.

TheMix wrote: ↑Tue Oct 26, 2021 6:34 pm You guys need to stop talking about this game until it goes on sale again.

It went on sale today.

Only 33%. With hundreds of games in the backlog, I can't recall the last time I spent more than $20 on a game. At least one that wasn't VR.

40% at GreenManGaming so its $30

Smoove_B wrote: ↑Thu Oct 28, 2021 3:57 pm The crossbow is arguably one of the single best weapons in the game, particularly when you're starting out - it's military spec and does insane damage. My issues with the crossbow were always the limited amount of ammo on hand and constantly needing to scavenge for supplies early on. But yeah, it's great - and when you can unlock the additional ammo options for it, even better.

Also: On sale for $33.49 as part of the Halloween sale (33% off). Have at it.

Now see, maybe I should reconsider the crossbow, but the limited amount of ammo made me discount it and I haven't used it very much aside from one or two times.

...and 72 hours later, Days Gone.

Really, really enjoyed this game. There seems to be some more to do even after finishing it, so I'm going to poke around a little bit and see what that's all about.

I guess you played it on a newer system and Win 10?

I did. I purchased a new PC back in July; it was delivered the first week in September. It ran pretty good on my old PC, but definitely no problems on the new one.

Rumpy wrote: ↑Thu Oct 28, 2021 6:36 pm

Smoove_B wrote: ↑Thu Oct 28, 2021 3:57 pm The crossbow is arguably one of the single best weapons in the game, particularly when you're starting out - it's military spec and does insane damage. My issues with the crossbow were always the limited amount of ammo on hand and constantly needing to scavenge for supplies early on. But yeah, it's great - and when you can unlock the additional ammo options for it, even better.

Also: On sale for $33.49 as part of the Halloween sale (33% off). Have at it.

Now see, maybe I should reconsider the crossbow, but the limited amount of ammo made me discount it and I haven't used it very much aside from one or two times.

It's not too bad - 10 shots in the quiver with mostly 1 shot 1 kill. Making more ammo is just some birch branches and scrap, so it's pretty plentiful. And yeah, the upgraded ammo is also pretty sweet. If you have the talent that makes plants show up on the minimap you can find far more trees than you need.

Oh wow...secret ending. Don't want to spoil anything, but man...how the F didn't this game get a sequel???

Just...keep playing after you're done. Or you think you're done.

Smoove_B wrote: ↑Fri Oct 29, 2021 5:31 pm how the F didn't this game get a sequel???

https://www.change.org/p/sony-get-sony- ... ays-gone-2

Sadly, I think that ship has sailed. As of summer of 2021, they've been working on a new game that uses the "open world mechanic" of Days Gone - I believe they have fully moved on. Unless it's another fake out...

Had two fun encounters this week. I was sent to clear a ripper camp, and when I get there, I notice there's a bear in the area. You know, introducing animals to encounters adds a whole new level of chaos, and I love how the AI will react to them. So, I approach the camp and after awhile I completely forgot about the bear. But then I hear them exclaim about a bear and then they're all trying to take it down, meanwhile the numbers go down as the bear mauls them left and right. Took out more than half the numbers and the rest were easy to take out. Took out the bear as it was weakened enough, but then.. I notice a second bear! Seemed the game had it in for me that day.

Then today, I'm off to a small ripper encampment, about 4-5 guys tops. There are some zombies in the area which they take out without much of a problem, then I kill a few of the rippers. As for the remaining rippers, I took a few of them out and there were 2 left, and I'm hidden behind some cover and I look off into the distance and notice a horde. Actually heard it before I saw it, and it was slowly coming towards the encampment. Then one of the rippers off on his own corner notices the horde and starts firing, and I knew what was going to happen but I couldn't help but watch, because next thing you know the horde is heading straight for them and completely overwhelmed them.

Those really were some of my favorite moments in the game - the chaos that can emerge. I never saw a bear rip through a camp, but I would have loved it.

Yeah, it was wild! And it's not as if taking down bears is easy in this game. They require quite a bit of effort to take down, so seeing them all struggle to take it down was fun. Meanwhile, you know what else was being attracted? Yep, the zombies. I had actually died once during this encounter via the second bear. Had to clear out the rippers again, but interestingly enough the first bear I killed was still dead, so the game does save some states while it doesn't with some.

Somehow I changed from righty to lefty while shooting.
Check the web and found nothing on how to change it back.
Any ideas?

Isgrimnur wrote: ↑Sun Nov 21, 2021 12:48 am

Ah....thanks for that.
I tried every button, but didnt know I must actually be aiming to swap.

Still having a lot of fun with this game. It really feels quite immersive once you get into it, no doubt down to the details in the world. I had my screen paused during a cutscene set before the infection, and it said 0 Days Gone. Nice touch.

Rumpy wrote: ↑Tue Dec 07, 2021 7:10 pm Still having a lot of fun with this game. It really feels quite immersive once you get into it, no doubt down to the details in the world. I had my screen paused during a cutscene set before the infection, and it said 0 Days Gone. Nice touch.

Spoiler:

Fought my first rager today. Holy crap! I didn't think I could do it. Ended up putting tons of shotgun ammo into it, sprinting away and healing after it catches me. One of the most difficult encounters in the game. I had no more health kits left and my health was flashing by the time I killed it.

I'm still playing it, but the repetitiveness of the missions is starting to wear on me.

I am definitely going to try this. It looks a lot like The Last of Us series, without some of the irritating story arcs.