Tips, Tricks, and Newb Questions!

Iosyn · 2013-08-20T12:40:32.000Z

KA101:

Quick clarification: they don’t spawn fungaloids. I call them that to distinguish them from the crappier Portal Ins, which ony have a ring of rubble around them. Sorry.

yeah, I’m fine with fungaloids. It’s the portals I’m scared of.

Freakin’ Flamin’ Eyes.

Broken_Finger · 2013-08-20T14:05:34.000Z

How can I pick up a liquid when it’s spilled on the floor? I’m trying to craft Slime Mutagen and it won’t allow me to use those sewage samples if I’m just standing on it.

Zireael · 2013-08-20T14:24:48.000Z

Broken Finger:

How can I pick up a liquid when it’s spilled on the floor? I’m trying to craft Slime Mutagen and it won’t allow me to use those sewage samples if I’m just standing on it.

I think you need a bottle to pick sewage samples from the treatment plant. If you spilled it on ground, tough luck. I don’t think it’s possible to pick it up.

Or maybe it is. Try using a towel.

Broken_Finger · 2013-08-20T14:45:55.000Z

I see, you just have to drop a container on that tile before using the computer.

DG123 · 2013-08-20T14:50:03.000Z

Sirquote:

I find many of the negative traits not so negative at all.

I ALWAYS use 12 full points of negative traits because otherwise there simply aren’t enough attribute points to spread around.

Or am I being dumb?

Can you build robots etc without 14 intelligence? You couldn’t read the book, but could you just keep building stuff and eventually hit the same ability level for building robots?

kilozombie · 2013-08-20T14:52:46.000Z

The thing is, most things don’t actually require intelligence to make- actually, nothing does. Bionics do use it, but it’s not a necessary skill. Books are nice too, but 10 intelligence can get you most of them.

With enough time and effort, you could become the world’s most renowned hacker evar. Homebrew. Post-cataclysm.

DG123 · 2013-08-20T15:04:33.000Z

So intelligence does what regarding crafting and installing bionics? Improves the chance of success?

I’m trying to work out the best starting stats to use.

Also… shouldn’t there be an option for basic stat upgrades somehow? I’m envisioning bionics that continually release adrenaline, hormones and other stuff into the bloodstream acting as a form of combat drug. That kind of thing.

Or installing computer processors into your head along with the existing memory banks upgrade. Making you more intelligent.

Then again I haven’t read up on all the existing bionics yet so maybe some of this exists already.

kilozombie · 2013-08-20T15:08:24.000Z

Stats are incredibly valuable, so they’re hard to raise- if you’re OK with a bit of spoilers

There’s a bionic that raises strength, and some mutations that raise the other ones

If you’re really stuck on what to pick, I would recommend just GOING FOR IT and seeing what works. If your attacks are too weak, spec strength and dexterity next. If you’re having trouble learning, and bionics are impossible, go for intelligence. And if your shots are all missing, or bouncing off the target, go for dexterity and perception.

Any new player who gets

exploded by a land mine

will immediately take 16 perception for the next 3-4 lives.

DG123 · 2013-08-20T15:22:27.000Z

Well, bear in mind I’m playing a pre-DDA version of the game but the main problem I’ve been having is skeletons.

Although I’ve seen NPCs killing them instantly with perfect headshots, my bullets always bounce off or go through them despite me having good skill with firearms.

My baseball bat is not working well for me in close combat with them… I have about 11 to 12 strength, 9ish dex, 9-10 intelligence, and the rest in perception (14).

kilozombie · 2013-08-20T15:25:42.000Z

You probably don’t have enough skill to hit reliably. With your dexterity, you should have enough To Hit chances to make it happen, but the best course of action to refine it would be to practice on wildlife or weaker zombies.

The downside of using both firearms and melee is that they train separately and therefore almost half as fast.

DG123 · 2013-08-20T16:18:56.000Z

kilozombie:

The downside of using both firearms and melee is that they train separately and therefore almost half as fast.

Indeed. What I’m wondering is whether there’s a viable firearms only strategy for dealing with skeletons.

kilozombie · 2013-08-20T16:27:49.000Z

Well, to put it bluntly, there isn’t a great way purely with ranged weaponry- they are the counter to that. Instead, maybe try making some makeshift bombs, or using the environment to your advantage. A car is indisputably the best for all threats, but they’re gas guzzlers and incredibly hard to find in Whales’ version.

If you manage to

break into a bunker

then an explosive stockpile is handy for this task. Just don’t let yourself run too low on grenades. And don’t accidentally activate a mininuke when you’re trying to sip your cola.

BadSniper · 2013-08-20T16:29:07.000Z

[quote=“DG123, post:1351, topic:42”]What I’m wondering is whether there’s a viable firearms only strategy for dealing with skeletons.[/quote]Grenade launchers. Those are technically firearms, yes?

kilozombie · 2013-08-20T16:30:56.000Z

Right, a Milkor or even M203 can do some serious damage.

Sheb · 2013-08-20T16:32:06.000Z

Shotguns work well too.

DG123 · 2013-08-20T17:15:17.000Z

Sheb:

Shotguns work well too.

Ah, really?

What kind of chance to hit do you get with a shotgun compared to a bullet?

I THINK the NPCs shooting skeletons and one shotting them might have been using shotguns, come to think of it.

kilozombie · 2013-08-20T17:19:39.000Z

The reason skeletons are so hard to hit is because 2/3 of shots just automatically miss- it could be point blank or a mile away with a sniper rifle, 2/3 of the time you’ll just flat out fail.

Shotguns give the small bonus that they’d normally be, since you’re so close. But you still have the 2/3 hurdle. (Or 3/4. Something like that.)

Sheb · 2013-08-20T17:49:41.000Z

Is there really an hard-coded, 2/3 chance of automiss?

kilozombie · 2013-08-20T17:59:43.000Z

Yes. They have the trait “HARDTOSHOOT” which actually gives them a 75% chance to dodge ranged attacks. The same applies with

Amigara Horrors

and smokers, which is weird.

BadSniper · 2013-08-20T18:00:11.000Z

Skeletons, from what I know of the code, have the [HARDTOSHOOT] tag. What that means is approximately 75% (so about 3/4) of all bullets fired at a Skeleton will “pass through without hitting.” I’m not sure why that is, though. There’s more bone in a body than you’d think; there’s a good chance that when you shoot somebody (or something), your bullet will hit at least one bone. All anatomical things considered, I’m not sure why it’d be damn near impossible to re-kill a skelly with a typical firearm.