Chaosforge Forum

Other Roguelikes => AliensRL => Topic started by: AJBuwalda on September 12, 2012, 06:25

Title: Which Tower To Go In First
Post by: AJBuwalda on September 12, 2012, 06:25
Ok, so I am new at AlienRL and was wondering which tower to enter first to get an edge. What are your thoughts?
Title: Re: Which Tower To Go In First
Post by: skarczew on September 12, 2012, 16:09
0. Try to find some armor and FN SCAR in Civilian.
1. Storage, since you will be running out of ammo soon.
2. Medical, when you run out of medikits.
3. Engineering. It works nowadays as Storage bis.
4. Security/Military/Main for extra fun and some chance of getting heavy weaponry.
Title: Re: Which Tower To Go In First
Post by: Klear on September 13, 2012, 02:05
This is useful to me as well. Any hints on finding the engeneering tower? I think I've never been that far.

Also, when is a good time to go to higher levels?
Title: Re: Which Tower To Go In First
Post by: AJBuwalda on September 13, 2012, 03:10
This is useful to me as well. Any hints on finding the engeneering tower? I think I've never been that far.

Also, when is a good time to go to higher levels?
Indeed a good question. Do the towers have the same location opposed to the starting location?
Title: Re: Which Tower To Go In First
Post by: skarczew on September 13, 2012, 05:19
This is useful to me as well. Any hints on finding the engeneering tower? I think I've never been that far.
You can go to there through Medical.

Quote
Also, when is a good time to go to higher levels?
The most of time I spend usually on level one, wandering through most of the towers, gather ammo and get some experience.
After that I usually ascend through 1-3 selected towers (Security, Military, Main work for me as they give me the most fun). Whenever I am running out of medikits, I head to Medical. Whenever I feel like getting more "common" ammo, I go for Storage or Engineering.
One can ascend through Civilian/Medical only (they are by far, the safiest), but the amount of ammo and high-end weapons is limited there.

Choose your path carefully =) .

Quote
Do the towers have the same location opposed to the starting location?
The location of towers is always the same through all levels, e.g. Medical is always to the south from Civilian.
Title: Re: Which Tower To Go In First
Post by: Kornel Kisielewicz on September 13, 2012, 07:36
It's also worth noting that Military tower has guaranteed working elevators.

The location of towers is always the same through all levels, e.g. Medical is always to the south from Civilian.
That's true, but do not take that for granted -- I might randomize the layouts in some future version :)
Title: Re: Which Tower To Go In First
Post by: AJBuwalda on September 13, 2012, 07:41
It's also worth noting that Military tower has guaranteed working elevators.
That's true, but do not take that for granted -- I might randomize the layouts in some future version :)
But one needs a butt-load of security keys to get through that :-P
Title: Re: Which Tower To Go In First
Post by: Klear on September 13, 2012, 08:06
I think it would be nice to have some rough map available in the game. I'm assuming the marine had access to the colony layout in briefing, and anyway a colony of this size should have some directions and plans available at places.

It would me more or less just a convenience for new players, though the map could record which levels of which towers were already visited and maybe even working elevators? In any case, I'd like to see it to be able to visualize the colony better. Even though I now know how it ought to look, I still think the elevators go down to the basement and not up. (Which is caused by me not ever reaching further than lvl 2, but still).
Title: Re: Which Tower To Go In First
Post by: AJBuwalda on September 13, 2012, 08:15
I think it would be nice to have some rough map available in the game. I'm assuming the marine had access to the colony layout in briefing, and anyway a colony of this size should have some directions and plans available at places.

It would me more or less just a convenience for new players, though the map could record which levels of which towers were already visited and maybe even working elevators? In any case, I'd like to see it to be able to visualize the colony better. Even though I now know how it ought to look, I still think the elevators go down to the basement and not up. (Which is caused by me not ever reaching further than lvl 2, but still).
Starting as a HW Specialist really helped me. Book it to the storage units and grab all the ammo you can, than go up a level. Also shoot stuff point blank to spare out some ammo (increases damage). Once you are on storage level 2; rince and repeat. Get a butt-load of security keys and go into either security tower of militairy level to grab some nicer gear. Once you get Master HW drop the gyros and slap on a Plasteel Armour. Works well for me and I've only played this game for three games.
Title: Re: Which Tower To Go In First
Post by: Equality on September 27, 2012, 02:41
0. Try to find some armor and FN SCAR in Civilian.
1. Storage, since you will be running out of ammo soon.
2. Medical, when you run out of medikits.
3. Engineering. It works nowadays as Storage bis.
4. Security/Military/Main for extra fun and some chance of getting heavy weaponry.
0. FN Scar in Civilian quite rare :( Twice explore 1st floor completely and not find ANY of SMG (as a Scout and then Technician, I have only 9mm pistol)
1. If you have SMG (any) - go Storage. If none of that - go Medical first (you really need more medikits), and try pass to Engineering.
2. Medical for medikits and exploration bonus (not nessesary clean it out - just safely walk around)
3. Engineering. By this point you find some SMG anyway (or die x_X).
4. Try to explore 1st floor Sequrity - sometimes no locked doors here, or breakable glass rooms
Military always locked - IMO not wise explore 1st & 2nd floors (low keys/multitools at this point), go here from 3d.

Pistols quite useless even when mastered - you can't kill workers, elites, stalkers and other touch aliens with 9mm pistol. You can if you have unlimited health
Shotgun powerful but not good. No knockback as it do in DoomRL. Just a little more good than pistols. SMGs and pulse rifle are the key.
One shot 5.56 sniper rifle - useless, for big open space (like a Main tower) and 1-2 aliens at one time only.

Never find colt .44. May be it is a good pistol (I hope)
Shotgun can be found at Storage, but rare
Plasteel armor became common on level 4+ Military, Sequrity & Main towers
Twice visit level 6 of Main tower and find here Power Armor.
Title: Re: Which Tower To Go In First
Post by: skarczew on September 27, 2012, 04:56
Shotguns have knockback and are good enough to be used quite often (till you meet the real armored targets).
Stalkers are possible to be killed with a good Sidearm.
Title: Re: Which Tower To Go In First
Post by: AJBuwalda on September 27, 2012, 08:22
A good sidearm is a lifesaver. Not only that, but i will save some of the more vital ammo early on (6.56).
Title: Re: Which Tower To Go In First
Post by: Tormuse on October 10, 2012, 21:24
It's also worth noting that Military tower has guaranteed working elevators.

I can attest to that.  I'm in the middle of a game where all of the elevators on level 1 are broken except the one in the Military Tower!  :P  Unfortunately, I used up all my security keys, so unless there's a way to fix elevators, I don't think this one is winnable, which is too bad, because it's the best I've done so far and the first attempt in which I was able to (at least partially) explore all seven of the towers.  :(
Title: Re: Which Tower To Go In First
Post by: AJBuwalda on October 11, 2012, 00:10
I can attest to that.  I'm in the middle of a game where all of the elevators on level 1 are broken except the one in the Military Tower!  :P  Unfortunately, I used up all my security keys, so unless there's a way to fix elevators, I don't think this one is winnable, which is too bad, because it's the best I've done so far and the first attempt in which I was able to (at least partially) explore all seven of the towers.  :(
So, Technician, Storage Tower and than Military Tower :-P
Title: Re: Which Tower To Go In First
Post by: skarczew on October 11, 2012, 07:17
I can attest to that.  I'm in the middle of a game where all of the elevators on level 1 are broken except the one in the Military Tower!  :P  Unfortunately, I used up all my security keys, so unless there's a way to fix elevators, I don't think this one is winnable, which is too bad, because it's the best I've done so far and the first attempt in which I was able to (at least partially) explore all seven of the towers.  :(
Open your way with the right firepower.
Title: Re: Which Tower To Go In First
Post by: Tormuse on October 12, 2012, 04:58
I ended up scouring all of the towers and actually found two more security keys!  :)  Then I went back upstairs, went through a couple of doors...  and found myself in the Security tower, blocked by another security door!  Argh!  :P

In the end, I kind of just let one of the aliens kill me.  :|

So, Technician, Storage Tower and than Military Tower :-P

I got basic Technician skill and it didn't seem to help.  :(  (browsing the Wiki tells me that I could've done something if I had advanced skill, but I didn't have enough ammo to survive long enough to be able to advance to that by then)

Open your way with the right firepower.

I pounded on one of the locked doors with everything I had, including frag, incendiary, and krak grenades and it didn't seem to help.  :(
Title: Re: Which Tower To Go In First
Post by: skarczew on October 12, 2012, 06:15
I pounded on one of the locked doors with everything I had, including frag, incendiary, and krak grenades and it didn't seem to help.  :(
Are we playing the same game? Military doors (and walls) take a maximum of 3 krak grenades to be destroyed.

Security ones seem to be even less armored and can be damaged (and destroyed after some time) by a non-infinite amount of inc, frag grenades, or even shots from a typical FN SCAR (shotting at point blank range) rifle.

You can check the state of door / wall with a (l)ook command.
Title: Re: Which Tower To Go In First
Post by: AJBuwalda on October 12, 2012, 06:34
Are we playing the same game? Military doors (and walls) take a maximum of 3 krak grenades to be destroyed.

Security ones seem to be even less armored and can be damaged (and destroyed after some time) by a non-infinite amount of inc, frag grenades, or even shots from a typical FN SCAR (shotting at point blank range) rifle.

You can check the state of door / wall with a (l)ook command.
I always forget that this is an option :')
Title: Re: Which Tower To Go In First
Post by: Klear on October 12, 2012, 06:40
Security doors can be "opened" with ~100 shots from sawn-off shotgun. There are obviously much quicker ways, but since I wasn't focusing on sidearms at that time and there's a LOT of shells everywhere, it was a good way to get through.

Also, walls are often easier to destroy than doors.
Title: Re: Which Tower To Go In First
Post by: skarczew on October 12, 2012, 07:56
Security doors can be "opened" with ~100 shots from sawn-off shotgun. There are obviously much quicker ways, but since I wasn't focusing on sidearms at that time and there's a LOT of shells everywhere, it was a good way to get through.

Also, walls are often easier to destroy than doors.
Sawn-off or Combat shotgun are good choices.
Same for 5.56 ammo weapons. One can also try to weaken it with a good 9mm weapon (M3A) or Colt.

Military doors (and walls) are more resistant - Pulse Rifle, RPG should be used there.
Title: Re: Which Tower To Go In First
Post by: Tormuse on October 12, 2012, 11:54
Hmm...  I neglected to inspect the door to see if it was damaged...  :|  but I did hit it with one of each grenade, plus a bunch of rounds from my heavy weapon (forget what it was called) and whatever primary weapon I had at the time.  (can't remember if it was the MP5 or the pulse weapon)  Ammo is a very valuable commodity in this game, so I wasn't about to "waste" any more on something that I wasn't sure would work...  From what you're saying, probably a few more shots would have done it.  Live and learn, I guess.  :P
Title: Re: Which Tower To Go In First
Post by: Game Hunter on October 12, 2012, 12:38
Admittedly there should be an easier way to handle breaking down doors, especially because of how impossible navigating through the military tower is without expert Technical skill. Of course, doing so shouldn't be without consequence: maybe it could attract the attention of aliens who were otherwise minding their own business.

Alternatively, the security and military towers don't have to be nearly as inaccessible once a certain element is added to those towers. You'll still end up not going there unless you're mega-prepared or desperate.

Unfortunately, I used up all my security keys, so unless there's a way to fix elevators...
There's a way to fix elevators. Unfortunately in your case, that also requires at least an advanced Technical skill, not to mention at most five whole multi-tools.

I ended up scouring all of the towers and actually found two more security keys!  :)  Then I went back upstairs, went through a couple of doors...  and found myself in the Security tower, blocked by another security door!  Argh!  :P
Well that's just your own fault. Military tower has exits to the Security and Storage towers, the latter of which won't need any keys. The Wiki has a small diagram showing the whole layout.
Title: Re: Which Tower To Go In First
Post by: Klear on October 12, 2012, 15:22
Well that's just your own fault. Military tower has exits to the Security and Storage towers, the latter of which won't need any keys. The Wiki has a small diagram showing the whole layout.

I'd say that's a fault of the game because it doesn't provide a map. Or, to put it in another way - if the way for inexperienced players to avoid this situation is to look up the map on the forums, then the map should be present in the game as well.
Title: Re: Which Tower To Go In First
Post by: skarczew on October 12, 2012, 18:03
Quote
Hmm...  I neglected to inspect the door to see if it was damaged...  :|  but I did hit it with one of each grenade, plus a bunch of rounds from my heavy weapon (forget what it was called) and whatever primary weapon I had at the time.  (can't remember if it was the MP5 or the pulse weapon)  Ammo is a very valuable commodity in this game, so I wasn't about to "waste" any more on something that I wasn't sure would work...  From what you're saying, probably a few more shots would have done it.  Live and learn, I guess.  :P
Could be damaged quite heavily. You probably had FN SCAR / MP5 as Primary and H&K MG as Heavy - though decent, those weapons do not pack too much penetrating power to destroy the doors instantly. You need to be a bit more persistent :) .

Btw, it should be possible for a player to draw attention from the bugs and make them destroy the doors (when we cause enough noise), imho. Atm the doors won't be destroyed by them, till we unlock them.

I'd say that's a fault of the game because it doesn't provide a map. Or, to put it in another way - if the way for inexperienced players to avoid this situation is to look up the map on the forums, then the map should be present in the game as well.
Maybe fault, maybe not - the roguelike game should not be too easy, should it? Map layout is not that hard to remember anyway...
Title: Re: Which Tower To Go In First
Post by: Kornel Kisielewicz on October 12, 2012, 19:59
I'd say that's a fault of the game because it doesn't provide a map. Or, to put it in another way - if the way for inexperienced players to avoid this situation is to look up the map on the forums, then the map should be present in the game as well.
Agreed.