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[The Division 2] Launching in March! Beta has started.

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Posts

  • PhillisherePhillishere Registered User regular
    kaid wrote: »
    I am okay with mobs spawning btw they just should do it from actual corridors/halls that you can at a glance tell are actual pathways not out of what may or may not be a painted on door.

    Spawning is fine. It's just that it has to be done strategically in a way that makes it feel fun.

    Even an incidental step, say a few seconds of pounding and an icon on the door before they break through to give you a heads-up while also creating a fun kind of pressure where you have to move soon but still have time to respond.

  • TofystedethTofystedeth Registered User regular
    rndmhero wrote: »
    I am absolutely loving this game so far overall, but it can fuck. right. off. with this newfound love of spawning waves out of random invisible locations. I have so many deaths from when dudes magically materialize out of an area I've just cleared, and because of the move towards more punishing cover mechanics, I'm just dead before I have a chance to react or reposition.

    My overall feeling with the Division 2 is that it is both the absolute best loot shooter around right now and an inferior game to the original. I'm still having a blast with it, but the combination of a weaker writing in the collectable items, which is reducing the desire to explore, and the change from mostly placing enemies on the map to spawning on combat really are huge negatives compared to Division 1. The combat and the environment design, especially when you get past the opening areas, are still really strong.

    The chief reason the contracts are so hard, especially playing solo, is because they don't spawn until you engage the random enemies in the area. This usually means that you are in a terrible position when the named boss and his elite goons spawn, and any attempt to move will end up with the swarm of elites and randoms murdering you really quick.

    The other night I was running with a couple friends and we were all at point on one of the liberation projects where all we needed was to donate resources, so we could independently trigger the bounty and run him several times in a row.

    It was Scalpal, the dude in the basement of that SHD Tech side quest lab. The first time we fought him was kind of rough.

    The second time we managed to trigger his and his minions spawn while we were in the upper courtyard, so they basically streamed single file through the disabled elevator. It did not go well for them.

    Third time was the same though we had some trouble convincing the bounty target himself to come up the elevator.

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  • PreacherPreacher Registered User regular
    And yeah having seen a one shot sniper build in action, I'll be shocked if its not nerfed.

    I would like some money because these are artisanal nuggets of wisdom philistine.

    pleasepaypreacher.net
  • PhillisherePhillishere Registered User regular
    rndmhero wrote: »
    I am absolutely loving this game so far overall, but it can fuck. right. off. with this newfound love of spawning waves out of random invisible locations. I have so many deaths from when dudes magically materialize out of an area I've just cleared, and because of the move towards more punishing cover mechanics, I'm just dead before I have a chance to react or reposition.

    My overall feeling with the Division 2 is that it is both the absolute best loot shooter around right now and an inferior game to the original. I'm still having a blast with it, but the combination of a weaker writing in the collectable items, which is reducing the desire to explore, and the change from mostly placing enemies on the map to spawning on combat really are huge negatives compared to Division 1. The combat and the environment design, especially when you get past the opening areas, are still really strong.

    The chief reason the contracts are so hard, especially playing solo, is because they don't spawn until you engage the random enemies in the area. This usually means that you are in a terrible position when the named boss and his elite goons spawn, and any attempt to move will end up with the swarm of elites and randoms murdering you really quick.

    The other night I was running with a couple friends and we were all at point on one of the liberation projects where all we needed was to donate resources, so we could independently trigger the bounty and run him several times in a row.

    It was Scalpal, the dude in the basement of that SHD Tech side quest lab. The first time we fought him was kind of rough.

    The second time we managed to trigger his and his minions spawn while we were in the upper courtyard, so they basically streamed single file through the disabled elevator. It did not go well for them.

    Third time was the same though we had some trouble convincing the bounty target himself to come up the elevator.

    Scalpal was awesome for me because his crew spawned across the room and that basement has some doors hidden by perspective that allow for flanking that Scalpal and pals were really good at making use of. That's the fun kind of getting flanked and mauled - the enemy found a fair way to creep up on my blindspot and was smart enough to run behind me and get into cover before firing. And when I came back, I was able to set up a turret and watch by angles to keep it from happening again.

  • CroakerCroaker Registered User regular
    I feel like some of the spawning issues folks are talking about in this game aren't really as random as they might seem - D2 just changes the movement patterns of the player in combat over D1, which I absolutely appreciate and has made the game a lot more enjoyable for me, personally.

    Whereas in D1 I always knew I could push forward in cover after taking a few enemies out, I can't really do that in D2. I have to always be looking for more spawns and keeping options open. It's less of a bulldozer moving through the environments and more of a skirmish feel. I really like it, personally.

    There absolutely are issues with random patrols engaging out of nowhere at bad times, but I'm okay with those too. Some kind of warning would be nice, but I feel like the audio cues of enemy footsteps are so much better in D2 that I'm not too bothered.

  • ErlkönigErlkönig Seattle, WARegistered User regular
    edited March 2019
    Speaking of spawns being kinda...quirky, I ran into something that initially confused/bordering-on-annoyance me:

    I was going for the No Hope Hotel control point (I can't remember if it was on the border of Downtown West and West End or Constitution Hall and Foggy Bottom), but there was a ton of long-range cover for me to set up camp and just snipe to my heart's content. And, while the enemy 'leader' that spawned was a grenade lobbing heavy, there was a ton of cover for me to roll into and just evade the grenades as they were in the air. Anyways, after downing the dude, I scouted the area to see if I spot all the places the baddies could possibly spawn from, where I should set up camp to best funnel people into a murder tunnel. Sent up the signal flare and saw that they were just going to come streaming in from a building adjacent to the hotel and were just walking along the sidewalk. But that's not the fun bit...

    I hosed down the control point spawn and waited for the friendly squad to show up to take the site over. But there was a problem: my friendly reinforcements who were actually going to take over the site were still shooting something. So I pull out the ol' Tactical M700, scope in, and see that they're fighting a yellow. No problem, I'll just dome him two or three times and they'll be on their way.

    That's when I see more tracer vectors. Scope in, and see that the friendly reinforcements are fighting about 4-6 yellows backed by a handful of purples.

    ...and a named.

    Turns out, the takeover team decided to run through an elite equipment cache activity.

    At least that meant I effectively had a second supply room to loot.

    EDIT -
    Croaker wrote: »
    I feel like some of the spawning issues folks are talking about in this game aren't really as random as they might seem - D2 just changes the movement patterns of the player in combat over D1, which I absolutely appreciate and has made the game a lot more enjoyable for me, personally.

    Whereas in D1 I always knew I could push forward in cover after taking a few enemies out, I can't really do that in D2. I have to always be looking for more spawns and keeping options open. It's less of a bulldozer moving through the environments and more of a skirmish feel. I really like it, personally.

    There absolutely are issues with random patrols engaging out of nowhere at bad times, but I'm okay with those too. Some kind of warning would be nice, but I feel like the audio cues of enemy footsteps are so much better in D2 that I'm not too bothered.

    So, funny thing about the bolded. The last control point I attacked over the weekend had an elite wave spawn out of a doorway that I was standing right next to. The elite spawn included no fewer than two suicide bombers. I had time to see the door open and hear the first beep before I was looking at the "Pick a safehouse to respawn" screen.

    Erlkönig on
    | Origin/R*SC: Ein7919 | Battle.net: Erlkonig#1448 | XBL: Lexicanum | Steam: Der Erlkönig (the umlaut is important) |
  • rndmherorndmhero Registered User regular
    Croaker wrote: »
    I feel like some of the spawning issues folks are talking about in this game aren't really as random as they might seem - D2 just changes the movement patterns of the player in combat over D1, which I absolutely appreciate and has made the game a lot more enjoyable for me, personally.

    Whereas in D1 I always knew I could push forward in cover after taking a few enemies out, I can't really do that in D2. I have to always be looking for more spawns and keeping options open. It's less of a bulldozer moving through the environments and more of a skirmish feel. I really like it, personally.

    There absolutely are issues with random patrols engaging out of nowhere at bad times, but I'm okay with those too. Some kind of warning would be nice, but I feel like the audio cues of enemy footsteps are so much better in D2 that I'm not too bothered.

    But the problem is... you can't do that. For a huge number of encounters, there's no rhyme, reason, or warning as to where they spawn from. You can play tactically, move from cover to cover, clean sweep a room, and then the game just spawns a yellow-bar tank inside your rectum, and there's nothing you can do about it. And as noted above, if you're playing solo, this often means a wiped encounter or failed bounty for something that feels completely outside your control, which just kind of feels... bad.

  • TofystedethTofystedeth Registered User regular
    Last night the control point supply rooms reset for me ( what's the schedule on that btw) so i was just far traveling to all my points looting them. One of them was being assaulted at the time and i didn't realize it. So I fast traveled in, appeared in the supply room, turned around to loot a chest and got clubbed in the back of the head.

    Whoops

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  • ErlkönigErlkönig Seattle, WARegistered User regular
    edited March 2019
    Last night the control point supply rooms reset for me ( what's the schedule on that btw) so i was just far traveling to all my points looting them. One of them was being assaulted at the time and i didn't realize it. So I fast traveled in, appeared in the supply room, turned around to loot a chest and got clubbed in the back of the head.

    Whoops

    Seems to be that the fabulous loot fairies restock the chests (except the big, yellow box) every 24-hours (edit)from when you last looted the chests.

    Erlkönig on
    | Origin/R*SC: Ein7919 | Battle.net: Erlkonig#1448 | XBL: Lexicanum | Steam: Der Erlkönig (the umlaut is important) |
  • DehumanizedDehumanized Registered User regular
    I liberated a control point last night and an enemy patrol wandered out of a set of doors inside the supply room as i was looting it

    like c'mon guys, you're way too late

  • squall99xsquall99x Registered User regular
    I wouldn't mind the quirkiness of the spawning at times if the game didn't absolutely destroy you for being out of cover in any capacity. If an enemy spawns beside/near me because I didn't guess the correct direction of the next wave while chasing down the last guy in a wave, I have little to no recourse other than to die. Being out of cover for more than 2 or 3 seconds while there are more than one enemy in proximity is basically a game over in all but the luckiest of circumstances.

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  • PreacherPreacher Registered User regular
    squall99x wrote: »
    I wouldn't mind the quirkiness of the spawning at times if the game didn't absolutely destroy you for being out of cover in any capacity. If an enemy spawns beside/near me because I didn't guess the correct direction of the next wave while chasing down the last guy in a wave, I have little to no recourse other than to die. Being out of cover for more than 2 or 3 seconds while there are more than one enemy in proximity is basically a game over in all but the luckiest of circumstances.

    Especially at like higher tier stuff. Like when you are doing a control point at level 3, you flat out will lose most 1 v 1 against anything purple or above if you aren't in cover, and that feels kind of shitty when they can seemingly spawn on top of you.

    I would like some money because these are artisanal nuggets of wisdom philistine.

    pleasepaypreacher.net
  • descdesc Goretexing to death Registered User regular
    Konphujun wrote: »
    I find the jammer pulse extremely useful at end game to deal with all the black tusk drones and robots. Also, most people I’ve spoken to do not realize that you can hold the pulse skill button down to charge it for massively increased range.

    It took pulse from a joke skill to extremely useful for me.

    Wait, you can?

    Dang

  • CroakerCroaker Registered User regular
    rndmhero wrote: »
    Croaker wrote: »
    I feel like some of the spawning issues folks are talking about in this game aren't really as random as they might seem - D2 just changes the movement patterns of the player in combat over D1, which I absolutely appreciate and has made the game a lot more enjoyable for me, personally.

    Whereas in D1 I always knew I could push forward in cover after taking a few enemies out, I can't really do that in D2. I have to always be looking for more spawns and keeping options open. It's less of a bulldozer moving through the environments and more of a skirmish feel. I really like it, personally.

    There absolutely are issues with random patrols engaging out of nowhere at bad times, but I'm okay with those too. Some kind of warning would be nice, but I feel like the audio cues of enemy footsteps are so much better in D2 that I'm not too bothered.

    But the problem is... you can't do that. For a huge number of encounters, there's no rhyme, reason, or warning as to where they spawn from. You can play tactically, move from cover to cover, clean sweep a room, and then the game just spawns a yellow-bar tank inside your rectum, and there's nothing you can do about it. And as noted above, if you're playing solo, this often means a wiped encounter or failed bounty for something that feels completely outside your control, which just kind of feels... bad.

    I've run a bunch of the missions at WT4 now and there's absolutely patterns to the spawns. Out in the open world is a very different thing, but in missions and strongholds the spawns are not random. I'm personally okay with the open world being more random/dangerous in that way, but I understand why it might be frustrating. It's definitely changed the way I handle open world encounters vs. missions, and I almost always run the Hive self-reviver in solo open world as a result, especially for bounty chains.
    Preacher wrote: »
    squall99x wrote: »
    I wouldn't mind the quirkiness of the spawning at times if the game didn't absolutely destroy you for being out of cover in any capacity. If an enemy spawns beside/near me because I didn't guess the correct direction of the next wave while chasing down the last guy in a wave, I have little to no recourse other than to die. Being out of cover for more than 2 or 3 seconds while there are more than one enemy in proximity is basically a game over in all but the luckiest of circumstances.

    Especially at like higher tier stuff. Like when you are doing a control point at level 3, you flat out will lose most 1 v 1 against anything purple or above if you aren't in cover, and that feels kind of shitty when they can seemingly spawn on top of you.

    Completely agree with this. The damage players take from new spawns, the damage you take before enemies are totally peeked out of cover, and the damage players take out of cover are insane. Especially at WT4 - immobilizers and the way they fuck with your control scheme for an eternity even after you break free are the fucking worst.

  • descdesc Goretexing to death Registered User regular
    I liberated a control point last night and an enemy patrol wandered out of a set of doors inside the supply room as i was looting it

    like c'mon guys, you're way too late

    Me, a Hyena minion showing up to the control point 15 minutes late with a venti iced mocha: hey guys did I miss anything

  • PreacherPreacher Registered User regular
    Yeah taking on true sons guys with their goo guns on wt4 can instantly f you. Its why I also chase after the controller guys (rc bombs, battle bot fuckers) because they can knock you out of cover at a distance and routinely do.

    I would like some money because these are artisanal nuggets of wisdom philistine.

    pleasepaypreacher.net
  • CroakerCroaker Registered User regular
    Preacher wrote: »
    Yeah taking on true sons guys with their goo guns on wt4 can instantly f you. Its why I also chase after the controller guys (rc bombs, battle bot fuckers) because they can knock you out of cover at a distance and routinely do.

    The Immobilizers also seem to hit you through cover and start building "stacks" or whatever of the immobilization debuff before it's obvious that they could/should be able to. They're absolutely the most dangerous thing I come across now, but only because they are buggy as fuck. The prompt to break free has a huge delay before you can actually hit it, after you break free there is some kind of delay where you can't get back into cover for no apparent reason, the aim point of your character doesn't change when you get immobilized but it looks like it does...

    fuck those guys.

  • ED!ED! Registered User regular
    What's even more frustrating about cover at higher levels (WT4 for example) is that there are places that SEEM like cover but aren't actually so you are out in the open without any chance. Which is really bad since there is nothing at that level that won't shred your armor and health in two/three bullets.

    "Get the hell out of me" - [ex]girlfriend
  • PhillisherePhillishere Registered User regular
    edited March 2019
    Croaker wrote: »
    Preacher wrote: »
    Yeah taking on true sons guys with their goo guns on wt4 can instantly f you. Its why I also chase after the controller guys (rc bombs, battle bot fuckers) because they can knock you out of cover at a distance and routinely do.

    The Immobilizers also seem to hit you through cover and start building "stacks" or whatever of the immobilization debuff before it's obvious that they could/should be able to. They're absolutely the most dangerous thing I come across now, but only because they are buggy as fuck. The prompt to break free has a huge delay before you can actually hit it, after you break free there is some kind of delay where you can't get back into cover for no apparent reason, the aim point of your character doesn't change when you get immobilized but it looks like it does...

    fuck those guys.

    It can also glitch out your skills if it hits you while trying to deploy them. The only upside to them is if you hit their canister while they are standing in a group, you can immobilize everyone.

    Phillishere on
  • Big DookieBig Dookie Smells great! Houston, TXRegistered User regular
    desc wrote: »
    Konphujun wrote: »
    I find the jammer pulse extremely useful at end game to deal with all the black tusk drones and robots. Also, most people I’ve spoken to do not realize that you can hold the pulse skill button down to charge it for massively increased range.

    It took pulse from a joke skill to extremely useful for me.

    Wait, you can?

    Dang

    I did not know this either.

    Is charging the pulse for increased range available from the initial skill unlock?

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  • JRoseyJRosey Registered User regular
    What's a sleeper agent gotta do to get a clan invite round these parts?

  • tastydonutstastydonuts Registered User regular
    JRosey wrote: »
    What's a sleeper agent gotta do to get a clan invite round these parts?

    Did you put your name on the sheet (on the right tab), and request an invite?

    “I used to draw, hard to admit that I used to draw...”
  • finnithfinnith ... TorontoRegistered User regular
    Why the heck due those True Sons guys even have goo guns?

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  • ED!ED! Registered User regular
    Big Dookie wrote: »
    desc wrote: »
    Konphujun wrote: »
    I find the jammer pulse extremely useful at end game to deal with all the black tusk drones and robots. Also, most people I’ve spoken to do not realize that you can hold the pulse skill button down to charge it for massively increased range.

    It took pulse from a joke skill to extremely useful for me.

    Wait, you can?

    Dang

    I did not know this either.

    Is charging the pulse for increased range available from the initial skill unlock?

    Yes. The radius increase isn't large enough to affect the field and really is only viable if you are pressed up against the enemy. Cooldown is abysmal for what it does and is really not a skill you would pick for any competent PvE encounters.

    "Get the hell out of me" - [ex]girlfriend
  • FairchildFairchild Rabbit used short words that were easy to understand, like "Hello Pooh, how about Lunch ?" Registered User regular
    ED! wrote: »
    Big Dookie wrote: »
    desc wrote: »
    Konphujun wrote: »
    I find the jammer pulse extremely useful at end game to deal with all the black tusk drones and robots. Also, most people I’ve spoken to do not realize that you can hold the pulse skill button down to charge it for massively increased range.

    It took pulse from a joke skill to extremely useful for me.

    Wait, you can?

    Dang

    I did not know this either.

    Is charging the pulse for increased range available from the initial skill unlock?

    Yes. The radius increase isn't large enough to affect the field and really is only viable if you are pressed up against the enemy. Cooldown is abysmal for what it does and is really not a skill you would pick for any competent PvE encounters.

    I've been very disappointed by the detection field, too. The range is far too short, the cooldown far too long, and it takes up a slot for a much more useful tool like the Chem Launcher or the Turret.

  • JRoseyJRosey Registered User regular
    JRosey wrote: »
    What's a sleeper agent gotta do to get a clan invite round these parts?

    Did you put your name on the sheet (on the right tab), and request an invite?

    Name is in, not sure how to request invite

  • PreacherPreacher Registered User regular
    finnith wrote: »
    Why the heck due those True Sons guys even have goo guns?

    True sons are basically what's left of the JTF + skin heads. So they have access to stuff the JTF would have had like riot control stuff like those goo guns.

    I would like some money because these are artisanal nuggets of wisdom philistine.

    pleasepaypreacher.net
  • descdesc Goretexing to death Registered User regular
    Yeah, I was a pulse bro all the way through div 1

    Now I’m all about turret + drone

    Droidmancer life

  • PreacherPreacher Registered User regular
    desc wrote: »
    Yeah, I was a pulse bro all the way through div 1

    Now I’m all about turret + drone

    Droidmancer life

    Having seen the power of the oxidizer last night in a challenging mission I might have to think about that if only for group play.

    I would like some money because these are artisanal nuggets of wisdom philistine.

    pleasepaypreacher.net
  • pyromaniac221pyromaniac221 this just might be an interestin YTRegistered User regular
    My first unlocks were regular sentry turret and heal drone. I’ve played around with some other variants but inevitably return to this combo, it seems unbearable for soloing most content outside of very specific scenarios. The turret in particular is indispensable, does plenty of damage with no input from me and provides a crucial distraction to keep me from getting flanked all the time.

    psn tooaware, friend code SW-4760-0062-3248 it me
  • ED!ED! Registered User regular
    edited March 2019
    Oxidizer seems too slow. Oxidizer plus someone who runs buffed Foam (like myself) is a pretty potent combo but honestly depends on getting into a group that isn't into their own self-survival.

    This review from Variety is amazing.

    ED! on
    "Get the hell out of me" - [ex]girlfriend
  • ObiFettObiFett Use the Force As You WishRegistered User regular
    edited March 2019
    I'll swear by oxidizer chem launcher. It damages enemies through cover and eats through armor so fast. Its useful to take care of anything from snipers to bosses.

    ObiFett on
  • ED!ED! Registered User regular
    Yeah but what boss is moving slow enough for it to do real damage? I mean I guess the big tank but I've tried it on them and wasn't that impressed with the damage to armor.

    "Get the hell out of me" - [ex]girlfriend
  • ObiFettObiFett Use the Force As You WishRegistered User regular
    ED! wrote: »
    Yeah but what boss is moving slow enough for it to do real damage? I mean I guess the big tank but I've tried it on them and wasn't that impressed with the damage to armor.

    Most bosses either move slowly or go from cover to cover. If they are the latter, then I just wait till they stick to cover and nail them with it.

  • NumiNumi Registered User regular
    If it was possible to run the chem launcher in both slots then I would absolutely do healing+oxidizer.

  • GONG-00GONG-00 Registered User regular
    It doesn't hurt that the chem launcher has relatively swift cooldowns on its variants.

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  • NosfNosf Registered User regular
    Heal Drone and Revive Hive 4 life, yo. I've noticed a few yello bars today and last night that chain heal themselves, over and over and over and thank god I had an AR with 72 rounds in the magazine, because I had to headshot both of them with the full load to put them down.

  • TofystedethTofystedeth Registered User regular
    ObiFett wrote: »
    ED! wrote: »
    Yeah but what boss is moving slow enough for it to do real damage? I mean I guess the big tank but I've tried it on them and wasn't that impressed with the damage to armor.

    Most bosses either move slowly or go from cover to cover. If they are the latter, then I just wait till they stick to cover and nail them with it.

    Last night i did the MLK library side mission solo.

    Last boss was giving me lots of trouble. Constantly either behind cover or spraying a ton of bullets at me. Took me a while to whittle his armor down, but he still had some and I was out of packs.

    Then he threw 3 Molotovs at me, then ran all the way around the atrium and stood next to one of the bookshelves he'd just set on fire.

    I took the win and didn't feel bad at all.

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  • PreacherPreacher Registered User regular
    ObiFett wrote: »
    ED! wrote: »
    Yeah but what boss is moving slow enough for it to do real damage? I mean I guess the big tank but I've tried it on them and wasn't that impressed with the damage to armor.

    Most bosses either move slowly or go from cover to cover. If they are the latter, then I just wait till they stick to cover and nail them with it.

    Last night i did the MLK library side mission solo.

    Last boss was giving me lots of trouble. Constantly either behind cover or spraying a ton of bullets at me. Took me a while to whittle his armor down, but he still had some and I was out of packs.

    Then he threw 3 Molotovs at me, then ran all the way around the atrium and stood next to one of the bookshelves he'd just set on fire.

    I took the win and didn't feel bad at all.

    Reminds me of when I did one of the outcast missions solo where during an event they burn one side of the room, I was on the other and their guys uhh ran into the fire to shoot at me? They were way more hardcore than I am.

    I would like some money because these are artisanal nuggets of wisdom philistine.

    pleasepaypreacher.net
  • ObiFettObiFett Use the Force As You WishRegistered User regular
    GONG-00 wrote: »
    It doesn't hurt that the chem launcher has relatively swift cooldowns on its variants.

    This is the truth. Oxidizer Chem Launcher is basically an infinite range grenade that damages through walls and is on like a 10 second cooldown.

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