I'm not convinced the maps are 100% identical, e.g. I've seen two "Defend the Reactors" vs. Xenomorphs contracts where the maps were functionally identical, yet, unless my noggin is playing tricks on me, the one section was actually offset by a single tile position between the two days. I remember being unable to cover both choke points from the southwest at once the first day, but on yesterday's iteration I could. Now, maybe they were identical and I'm remembering wrong, but either way I agree there is potentially a replay-ability issue in that spawn points on clearly identical map chunks appear to always be the same. However, I'm going to go with "potentially" as opposed to your take here: I came to absolutely hate the nonsensical spawning of H:E1. Half of a giant map would be empty with seven guys stuck off to the left of a gigantic open area standing around with their thumbs in their backside. It just made for an entirely too random experience that, if not for the ubiquitous scanners (glad they're gone), would have worn my patience down to zero sooner than the original game did. It's clear they've gone for a more deliberate spawn layout with Hunters 2, and while the pendulum may have swung too far in the opposite direction of H:E1, the last thing I want to see is the seemingly pure random spawns that defined the first game. Admittedly, I don't want the situation we have now where there's one map chunk I already know where the reactor is since it's shown up on different "Destroy the Reactor" missions and the reactor is always there, ditto for another map chunk that's shown up different "Destroy the Hives" missions. The short term play experience is greatly enhanced by the better designed map chunks and spawn point placement, but the long term play experience will be hosed if there isn't more overall variety. Hopefully they can find a way to keep the more deliberate feeling design of Hunters 2 while mixing things up a bit without degenerating into the tedium of H:E1.
I think a reasonable solution would be to have approximate spawn points--say, within a couple of tiles--and just as important, differently spawned troops. Then you can't really plan for a specific situation, but you also don't get the problems you describe. That brings up a different point. The AI needs to be better about responding to threats. I like the element of stealth (i.e. enemies won't necessarily see you as soon as you pop into their line of sight) but they way they sometimes refuse to recognize your presence is a detriment to the game. They need to be forced to see you if a) you shoot at them, whether you hit them or not, and b) if their comrades die within a certain radius, even if it's small. Several times now I've been able to pick enemies off one by one at medium-long distance with a sniper rifle while they just stand around. At least twice I did it with a flamethrower. This should be an easy fix, and I'm surprised they haven't patched this problem.
Some enemies seem to spawn as "sentries" and don't move from their position unless you end the turn right in their LOS, others hunt you down even when you duck back behind cover, and the pure seeming randomness of which is which, at least so far, hasn't bothered me as much as yourself. However, it probably should be tweaked. As you say, if you fire on an enemy, that enemy and all enemies in within a certain range (which could be adjusted by difficulty) should be alerted to your presence regardless of whether you seek cover or not. Then again, that's also easily exploited with your own hunters on guard, so, I guess they should consider how to handle it since it is their game Seems like another reaction to the way things worked in H:E1 - to go back to my giant map with everybody clustered in one spot for no particular reason, enemies would swarm with a bit too much enthusiasm there. Many were the times I cursed as once I finally found where the missing 90% of the enemies were, my forwards guys were mowed down since the enemy outnumbered me 4 to 1 and they were all there in the same place. The "flaws" of Hunters 2 are so minor compared to H:E1 I'm still amazed based on my caution before the game launched. At any rate, we're a week later and the game is still sitting in the top 200 paid and grossing, so hopefully they'll be able to give H2 the love they could never give to H:E1.
I hope they don't increase the level cap. I like the system right now, it forces you to make tough decisions on point allocations, since you can't just max all of them out. And about how enemies react to your hunters, I kinda miss the days when they would always follow your guys once you entered their line of sight. It made it a lot easier to set up traps with guys on guard, and nothing's more satisfying than wiping out a whole wave of enemies with strategic guarding. but one thing i hate about guarding now is that if an enemy enters an area guarded by 2 guys, both fire on said enemy at the same time. This just wastes action points on guard, and leaves you open to more attacks.
I thought of this right after I posted...it is fun trying to place the skill points just right. Provides for a lot more variety and challenge.
And if they don't eventually increase the level cap, then what? Think before you post. There are 8 points just for the non-standard talents "tree", 9 points for the weapon skills, 9 points for the armour skills, 4 points for the heavy weapon training, and 4 points for equipment. That's 34 points, at which point you still wouldn't have a "perfect" hunter because the majority of the talent based points are simply not available to a given hunter no matter what. They could raise the level cap to 25 and not only would it not change the need to make the choices to get things "just right", with the rapid slow down in leveling, it's not like any significant amount of players would ever reach max level anyhow. They will raise the level cap and it won't hurt the game at all. In fact, one of the first things I noticed is the new system, unlike the first one, is designed to be raised without altering the game balance. One thing you can bet money on: if a game has leveling, and the game gets supported after it launches, the level cap will be raised. They had to raise the level cap in the first game, they will do so again. Most players want the sensation of working toward something. With a static level cap of 10 in place the game will grow stagnant.
Currently, it is like the first game at launch, 10 (aka 9 out of 34 talent/skill points). There's so much room to raise the level cap and still keep the guns or butter choices to hunter building I'm kind of shocked anyone would already be jumping on the "best of all possible worlds" angle for the obvious temporary cap.
Regarding the current level cap and why it will be raised: The current talent system is analagous yet significantly nerfed compared to the system used in the first game. By level 10 in H:E1 you had 3 equipment slots which scaled to the max for free, free training for all heavy weapons, and 5 points to invest in the Talent Trees (enough to reach the "ultimate talent" for one branch with a single point in another - exactly the same situation that exists for H2 if you spend 5 points on talents). To put that in perspective, as things currently stand, it takes the equivalent of 3 of your 9 points to be the equivalent of just one equipment slot in H:E1. So, not even counting the loss in flexibility of equipping and unequipping gear as needed, to just have the equivalent in gearing up to H:E1, you have to devote all 9 of your currently available points to just three of the weapon/armour/equipment categories in H2 without ever spending a single point in the Talent side of things. Or, if you choose the equivalence in terms of talents, max one tree, splash another, well, then you're going to be trapped forever around the equivalent of gear bonuses to a low to mid level H:E1 hunter. Essentially, to just be roughly equal to the flexibility of the first game, you need 9 points for equipment/weapons/armor, 5 points for talents, and 4 points for heavy weapons; 18 in all, or just about where you'd be at level 20 using the current game mechanics. Even if you don't go for the "trained in all heavy weapons", you would still need to reach level 16 in Hunters 2 to achieve the same gear and talent boost as a level 10 hunter from H:E1 (9 gear, 5 talents, 1 weapon training). Level cap will be raised; it seems pretty obvious unlike in H:E1, where they trapped themselves with a system designed around their initial allotment of talent points, in H2 they started low so they can go higher
I think there are pros and cons to raising the level cap. I was disappointed the first time I maxed out at level 10 because I was looking forward to putting points in everything available, thinking the sky was the limit. In retrospect I should have known better because the first Hunters had a cap as well. Knowing that there was a cap and that I had to pick and choose a little more carefully actually opened up a lot of possibilities to specialize...now instead of a Zealot with maxed out stats in everything I have a heavily armored Zealot with four points in Survival and the rest in Armor skills (Resistance and Camo). He's a beast that can take a ton of hits, heal himself - but is almost as unmovable as a rock. Or I can have a Zealot that maxes out Vengeance and puts the rest into weapons upgrades. Now having said all that, upping the level cap to 15 or even higher would still provide the ability to specialize your hunter. I'm sure they will eventually raise the allowable level, I'm pretty sure they did it in the first one. But till then, I'm getting a lot of replay out of tinkering with the 9 points we do get.
Depends, the first couple take awhile but once you have some decent gear you can take your aspiring hunter into a contract solo and rack up some good experience. You get XP not only for killing enemies but also for doing and taking damage. My favorite way to level up is to throw on some legendary heavy armor grab a purple hammer and march into story contract 5 (I think? I just reset so I can't double check) to face the Elite Hunter squad. The last Hunter I leveled up only took a few visits to get to level 10 ( "a few" might be a little misleading, I was going up a level every 2nd or 3rd time - note, I wasn't passing the level, just killing one or two elite hunters before dying.)
It's dependent on play style. I still don't have a single L10, but that's because as I realize what I want in terms of talent trees and weapons, I keep hiring, and then I try to always play with the lowest level hunters until everybody is evenly leveled and then keep everybody evenly leveled. So, in my normal game I've got a dozen hunters (and although I got the popup, I didn't actually receive the Payroll achievement for hiring hunters, but that's another topic ) ranging in level from 5 to 8, plus I'm also simultaneously playing a hardcore game. In all, I've completed 75 daily contracts AND played through the campaign in its entirety 4 times, plus have it partially completed in my hardcore and normal game (and I've got six hunters in my hardcore game ranging in level from 2 to 4). There's a LOT of gameplay to max out
Realisations Headshot and hire 6 new hunters don't work for me???? Daily contract : same map than tuesday same ennemy,same place??? Manufacturing weapon more powerfull than legendary If i use second save(one normal the other on hardcore) the contract i made for the second save don't count on my result for game center Love this game but Still need work for a very good game
I'm not convinced this is a bad thing. As it stands, having limited skill points produces a much higher level of specialization than having more points would. It actually feels like my hunters have a personality now. Frankly, I'm hoping they don't raise it. Oh, just buy the game. You know you want to.
