DescentBB

Well, the title explains it all.
One time, i was playing Descent 2, fighting the Red Fatty Boss, and i creamed it, and.... I exited out the Secret Level door.

How is that silly?
I'm sure many of us do it all the time. If you're good enough to not die on the first secret level (which isn't a hard thing to be good enough to do) it can be a pretty sound strategy.

I use secret exits a lot in D2.

In fact when I finally finish my D1 speed runs and start working on D2, I will be using the secret exit in level 20, more than likely.

Well, i got my own PC and i got Descent 1 and 2 with it, remember when i said i was fighting the Red Fatty Boss? I had Level 6 Super Lasers and i was playing on Trainee.

That makes it sound even less silly.
And like I could explode your pyro repeatedly online. We must... :ahem:... discover if this is true.

Ummm... what could be silly? Me trying like 10 times in a row to defeat a single medium hulk in D1 on Insane. And failing. That mofuka just comes when I least expect him and blasts me to bits. Level 6.

Xfing wrote:Ummm... what could be silly? Me trying like 10 times in a row to defeat a single medium hulk in D1 on Insane. And failing. That mofuka just comes when I least expect him and blasts me to bits. Level 6.

Did you say level 6?

There are only 7 medium hulks in that level. Which one gives you trouble?

Yeah, by level 6 it's usually the drillers people are complaining about. Homing hulks would have to rate a mention too.

Homing hulks dont start to become problematic until level 7. The only one in level 5 never moves, and there is a cloak nearby so you can get the drop on him easily. The few that are in level 6 all guard the reactor, and should be a non-issue as long as the player saves the invulnerability for last. And I think none of the red hulks in level 7 move much either. In fact I don't think any of them move until later in the game.

Meanwhile medium hulks love to roam around. One of the reason I've adopted an "aggression is the best policy" mindset while attempting to speedrun insane is that if you go to them and annihilate them where they start, they don't get a chance to start roaming and set up an ambush.

I'm still stuck on level 9 btw... and the medium hulks in the big open area are giving me fits.

Does anyone can snap a video of the Cat Monitor from D3 level 14?
And yes, i hate Drillers. Even when i'm playing on Trainee.

...the Cat Monitor from D3 level 14...

We can at least say that the screensavers in Descent were ahead of their time .

TheBenjaminStilton wrote:And yes, i hate Drillers. Even when i'm playing on Trainee.

That's partially because their weapon damage isn't that much weaker on Trainee (if any). They hurt a lot more than most robots because of that.

Alter-Fox wrote:

...the Cat Monitor from D3 level 14...

We can at least say that the screensavers in Descent were ahead of their time .

Well, can i see it?

Sirius wrote:

TheBenjaminStilton wrote:And yes, i hate Drillers. Even when i'm playing on Trainee.

That's partially because their weapon damage isn't that much weaker on Trainee (if any). They hurt a lot more than most robots because of that.

Nevermind. I saw the video on Cypher's Level 14 playthrough. Kewt, i must say.

Anyone realizes that in D1 the final boss sometimes fire his mega missile from his eye?!?

Sapphire Wolf wrote:Anyone realizes that in D1 the final boss sometimes fire his mega missile from his eye?!?

Well yeah, it definitely looks like he does. A mis-aligned shot point or a hidden fifth cannon, who knows? That would give that son of a bich 5 cannons, whoa.

But if memory serves correctly, he shouldn't actually fire more than 2 Megas in a volley. Weird, as I remember him firing like four. Maybe it's the D2 version that doesn't go over 2.

Heh. I beat level 6 from a cold start, and here's what i have to say about the Quartzon Exit Sequences,
BEAUTIFUL.

TheBenjaminStilton wrote:Heh. I beat level 6 from a cold start, and here's what i have to say about the Quartzon Exit Sequences,
BEAUTIFUL.

Quartzon? So you beat D2's level 6 from a cold start? On what skill and how many times did you get killed?

D2's level 6 is pretty easy up to hotshot.
On Ace I've found it gets really hard.

Avder wrote:

TheBenjaminStilton wrote:Heh. I beat level 6 from a cold start, and here's what i have to say about the Quartzon Exit Sequences,
BEAUTIFUL.

Quartzon? So you beat D2's level 6 from a cold start? On what skill and how many times did you get killed?

Trainee, and i didn't die.

TheBenjaminStilton wrote:

Avder wrote:

TheBenjaminStilton wrote:Heh. I beat level 6 from a cold start, and here's what i have to say about the Quartzon Exit Sequences,
BEAUTIFUL.

Quartzon? So you beat D2's level 6 from a cold start? On what skill and how many times did you get killed?

Trainee, and i didn't die.

... trainee?

*facepalm*

Descent 2 overall gets tricky, annoying and hard on Ace and Insane, but there is no feeling of threat that Descent 1 invoked. There are plenty of faster, nastier and lighter-hitting robots instead of the few ones who will teach you terror with single volleys. That's why Descent 2's SP is not as impactful in my opinion. Until you get to Puuma Sphere, at least...

I've been playing D2 on Ace while I waited for one particular class to start last term (up to Limefrost Spiral), I've been having a lot more fun with it than I've had in D1 on Ace even up to level 9. I think part of it is D2 not having seven truckloads of homer bots on EVERY SINGLE @#!#$#@##!!!ing LEVEL!!!!
D1 got very annoying at level 8 and it hasn't stopped yet. I don't think it will...

Yeah, Descent 1 was pretty bad with spamming the Super Hulks not too long after they debuted. I absolutely hated them on Ace, but when I gave it a spin on Insane, I ended up steering more of that hate towards the Class 2 Platform Robots. They did a very good job of reminding me that the hardest level of the game might actually be Level 19, not 26 as I used to think.

Descent 2 was actually pretty enjoyable on Ace, except on Levels 21 and 22. The last two levels were a great deal easier for me, but I've never used the weapon drop function more often than playing 21 and 22 on Ace (well, unless you count Level 22 and 25 of "The Enemy Within" but we're talking main campaigns).


As for silly moments, the closest thing to silly that I've run into might either be when a robot spawns more of itself (the Spiders in D1 Level 13's reactor room) or when the Thief steals a single bomb and you lose the entire four-pack (happened to me once when playing "The Lost Levels," and I'd never seen it before). But neither is really "silly" so much as it is strange or unexpected.

I've actually counted and there are at least two or three red hulks on every level after level 5 (except level 18, which only had one). And usually more, of course.
I think the only level without them after level 5 was secret level 1, but it had fusion hulks and cloaked drillers...

When i die on D2, it's usually on the Baloris Prime/Puuma Sphere levels. God, ★■◆● those levels.

TheBenjaminStilton wrote:When i die on D2, it's usually on the Baloris Prime/Puuma Sphere levels. God, **** those levels.

Hmm. I would actually say that Baloris is a breather compared to Limefrost Spiral.

Limefrost Spiral just slams Lou Guards down your throat. And they're not that annoying IMO. It's just their homers that you need to worry about. And Boarsheads, RUN LIKE HELL.

TheBenjaminStilton wrote:Limefrost Spiral just slams Lou Guards down your throat. And they're not that annoying IMO. It's just their homers that you need to worry about. And Boarsheads, RUN LIKE HELL.

Boarsheads are only dangerous if you have no room to dodge. Smart plasma is not nearly as hard to dodge as homers are.

Avder wrote:

TheBenjaminStilton wrote:Limefrost Spiral just slams Lou Guards down your throat. And they're not that annoying IMO. It's just their homers that you need to worry about. And Boarsheads, RUN LIKE HELL.

Boarsheads are only dangerous if you have no room to dodge. Smart plasma is not nearly as hard to dodge as homers are.

Kwod A'rior says hello with its distinct Descent 1-like architecture... I die. A lot.

Yeah.
Anyway, i was playing Descent 1 level 12, and i got a game over.
Why?
DEM DRILLERS, MAN.

The good thing about the Class 1 Drillers is that you can just lob one Homing Missile at them and that's all it takes to destroy one, on any skill level. Technically a Concussion Missile is strong enough too, but since they're fast enough to dodge one I wouldn't recommend it.

Or were you talking about the Class 1 Heavy Drillers? I'd recommend the Fusion or a Smart Missile, but the Fusion has to be charged for a split second to one-shot a Heavy Driller. Clicking and shooting does 120 damage if both shots hit, but I'm pretty sure the Heavy Driller has about 140 to 150 HP.

Xfing wrote:

Avder wrote:

TheBenjaminStilton wrote:Limefrost Spiral just slams Lou Guards down your throat. And they're not that annoying IMO. It's just their homers that you need to worry about. And Boarsheads, RUN LIKE HELL.

Boarsheads are only dangerous if you have no room to dodge. Smart plasma is not nearly as hard to dodge as homers are.

Kwod A'rior says hello with its distinct Descent 1-like architecture... I die. A lot.

I hear ya. If you're playing the game straight, that level just really calls for too many forgotten tactics after so many spacious levels. The only thing I can suggest is using any stockpiled Smart Missiles right off the bat to deal with the first few Boarsheads, and then any saved Megas or the Helix for the LOU Guards later. I end up having to use all my extra Guided Missiles on that level too, though, to try and clear out the blue zone before entering it. There's just too many wandering robots...

Does anyone have a good tactic for D2 Level 21? That has be the hardest level for me because of all those wandering robots and the grates.

Xfing wrote:

Avder wrote:

TheBenjaminStilton wrote:Limefrost Spiral just slams Lou Guards down your throat. And they're not that annoying IMO. It's just their homers that you need to worry about. And Boarsheads, RUN LIKE HELL.

Boarsheads are only dangerous if you have no room to dodge. Smart plasma is not nearly as hard to dodge as homers are.

Kwod A'rior says hello with its distinct Descent 1-like architecture... I die. A lot.

Level 22 is a little tricky...but the Boarsheads are not the biggest threat there.

NaphthaTurisas wrote:The good thing about the Class 1 Drillers is that you can just lob one Homing Missile at them and that's all it takes to destroy one, on any skill level. Technically a Concussion Missile is strong enough too, but since they're fast enough to dodge one I wouldn't recommend it.

Or were you talking about the Class 1 Heavy Drillers? I'd recommend the Fusion or a Smart Missile, but the Fusion has to be charged for a split second to one-shot a Heavy Driller. Clicking and shooting does 120 damage if both shots hit, but I'm pretty sure the Heavy Driller has about 140 to 150 HP.

Xfing wrote:

Avder wrote:

TheBenjaminStilton wrote:Limefrost Spiral just slams Lou Guards down your throat. And they're not that annoying IMO. It's just their homers that you need to worry about. And Boarsheads, RUN LIKE HELL.

Boarsheads are only dangerous if you have no room to dodge. Smart plasma is not nearly as hard to dodge as homers are.

Kwod A'rior says hello with its distinct Descent 1-like architecture... I die. A lot.

I hear ya. If you're playing the game straight, that level just really calls for too many forgotten tactics after so many spacious levels. The only thing I can suggest is using any stockpiled Smart Missiles right off the bat to deal with the first few Boarsheads, and then any saved Megas or the Helix for the LOU Guards later. I end up having to use all my extra Guided Missiles on that level too, though, to try and clear out the blue zone before entering it. There's just too many wandering robots...

Does anyone have a good tactic for D2 Level 21? That has be the hardest level for me because of all those wandering robots and the grates.

Helix is ineffective against the Lou Guard unless you are at point blank range and every bolt hits. Guass is far superior for shooting at from a distance, and from around a corner you'll want lasers.

And for Level 21 get to know your omega cannon. I can not stress that enough. Also take note of what cube boundaries trigger the matcens and do your best to never fly through them. If you do not have an omega cannon, your next best bet to hit those friggin spawn is the helix cannon. Or if youve got a couple of them bunched up in a small area, a well placed Mega Missile will do nicely.

Yes, all those weapons are the equivalent of killing a fly with a slab of C4, but those things are that hard to kill, and if they live you will die of a thousand cuts faster than you can believe it.

It's true. Finding the teleporter can't hurt either, you get seven starsystems worth of extra lives, lots of heavy weaponry including another omega cannon in case you've lost yours (though at least the one on level 18 should be impossible to miss unless you got the yellow key the hard way).
Phoenix cannon is also be great if you can find out where the bots are before they find you -- there are lots of corners to shoot around with BOUNCYNESS!!!!!!

And waste a shaker in the start room after the... thing ... especially if you're playing on a difficulty level lower than Ace. And whatever you do don't die after you get the blue key!!! At least until you've wasted that shaker.
Don't bother hoarding megas either, they're useless against any of the bosses after Limefrost Spiral anyway, and you'll be getting loads. Well, more than you've found so far in the game at least. WELL, that may have been a liiiiiittle exaggeration. WELL, it's still a whole lot of megas that will make the game so much easier as long as you realize you don't need to save them for bosses anymore.

As for Kwod Arior... it's really not that bad at the start even from a cold start. You get all the equipment you need to beat six Boarsheds and a few lou guards in close quarters right off the bat (be sure to kill the mine laying omega too!!!), but you need to use it in a certain way and a certain order. From a cold start, it's as much a puzzle as the turret levels in Portal. I love puzzles. Especially action puzzles. It's really too bad Kwod Arior's intro puzzle was so easy to solve.
I love the part where you get two of the boarsheds to kill themselves though . At least, in my solution. I'm sure there's more than one.

The only thing extra lives are good for is the point bonus you get at the end of the mission.

I don't believe in using extra lives.

And you don't have to, if you play level 22 my way...

Alter-Fox wrote:And you don't have to, if you play level 22 my way...

I'll see what I come up with when I get to that level with my speedruns. Unfortunately, level 9 of D1 is a real pain in the ass from a cold start on insane. Been stuck there for months now.

Heya, sorry if i haven't posted for a while. I now use D2X-Rebirth, and no more long intro. Also, i'm using my moms computer, because my sister broke my computers screen on 12/31/12, The screen got fixed, but all it needs is a bracket. And now i'm playing on rookie! Major step up, isn't it?

Don't worry, there are only a few of us who still post more than once or twice a month here anyway. A lack of long abscences would be what's seen as odd.

Rookie is not really a big step up -- from the point of view of the people here, who've played this game for ages and normally play the singleplayer on ace or insane. Even me; I'm terrible compared to everyone else here and still, I normally play on hotshot or ace -- I won't play on anything lower because then it's too easy to be fun . I'm not happy unless I'm dodging a spread of at least 10 missiles at once .
You're getting there though. Playing some deathmatches online always helps you increase your singleplayer skill, especially when you're new. Can get a bit frustrating though.

And speaking of Ace, apparently she beat a Dalek senseless with a baseball bat.