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Hard Reset achievement guide

It’s achievement hunter Monday and I’m talking about Hard Reset Extended Edition since I just reached 100%. Once again we’ll concentrate on the really hard ones you might need help on. Note to get the difficulty achievements you have to have STARTED a new game at that difficulty. Upping the…

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Empire: Total War in the 18th century

empire-total-war-americas

Empire: Total War is a historical mix of turn based strategy and real time tactical battles set in the late 18th century.

With another notch in it’s gaming franchise, Creative Assembly takes the same winning concepts that were so successful in it’s earlier games and tweaks them for the world in the time of Napoleon, focusing on Europe and the two colonial theaters of North America and India in the 18th century.

empire-total-war-europe

The game is broken down into two separate parts. The first part is The Grand Campaign – the turn based strategy on the world map that moves your armies, maintains your cities and engages in intrigue and diplomacy. A new feature, the technology tree, allows research improvements and benefits for your Empire’s military, industry, and overall philosophy. In each game you choose an Empire to run, victory conditions to accomplish and campaign length. Be warned, even a ‘short’ campaign of just 50 years is a long game, requiring hours of strategic thinking as you flex your intellectual might on multiple fronts. Thankfully there is a tutorial set in colonial America called the ‘Road to Independence campaign’ that teaches you the basics.

empire-total-war-battlements

The second part of Empire:Total War is the real time tactical battles when two armies collide and you deploy and order your troops in combat. The battleground takes place on various terrain maps from rolling hills to open fields to strongholds and fortifications (my favorite is siege warfare). Use natural features like ‘high ground’ and forests to your advantage. Various types of infantry, cavalry and artillery are yours to command. There’s even some great naval battles where armadas duke it out on the high seas. Each unit has it’s own strength, accuracy and morale that affect it’s combat ability – militiamen may be quick and cheap to recruit, but don’t count on them too much to hold the line! The level detail is excellent. You can even zoom in and watch the individual soldiers shoot and fight as they strive for victory.

empire-total-war-siege-defense

There are hundreds of hours of single player game play here, but there’s also multiplayer battles where you can match up versus other online players. However there is no online play for The Grand Campaign. That is probably a good thing since those multiplayer games would take forever to finish. Overall I enjoyed the game a lot and reached 100% achievements. The battles could get monotonous at times but the AI was usually good without major flaws to exploit. Depending on the size of your campaign, there could be too much micro-managing, but usually if you’re doing that well you can put most things on auto-pilot where local administrators choose what they think is best, letting you be free to concentrate on what is important. If you like historical battles or any of the Total War series, then Empire should be a vital slot in your gaming library.

Killing Floor tips for noobs

I’ve been playing a lot of the PC game Killing Floor lately, and here’s my tips for noobs and players new to the game. These aren’t that big a deal at Beginner/Normal difficulty, but as you join harder games they become very important.

killing floor tips perks

1. Choosing a starting Perk. At Perk level 5 each class starts with a perk weapon – for instance a level 5 Firebug spawns with a Flamethrower. At Perk levels 1-4 you only start with a pistol and a knife regardless of class. Therefore the best Perk to start with if less than level 5 is either a Sharpshooter (for the pistol and headshot bonuses) or the Berserker (for the melee weapon bonuses). If you pick anything else, you’re only gimping yourself and the team. After a wave or two you should have enough money to swap Perks and buy an appropriate weapon.

2. Stick with the group. If you’re new to the game stay close to your teammates for supporting fire. Those off by themselves can easily be surrounded and overwhelmed. Wait until you’re much more experienced before going all Lone Wolf.

3. Healing. Very important. You can heal yourself some by pressing ‘q’ or heal teammates more by pressing ‘5’ for the medical syringe then clicking near a teammate. The field medic also has medical guns that heal by shooting medical darts (with the middle mouse button) at teammates. Field medics also have medical grenades that give off a green gas that heals players and hurts specimens. Don’t worry, in this game, the green gas is a good thing.

4. Friendly fire. On most servers this is turned off, but you CAN still hurt yourself with your own explosives. Not anyone else though. Weird, right? Don’t get too close to your own grenades, pipe bombs, etc.

killing floor late joiners

5. Joining late games. There are 10 waves + the Patriarch boss fight in a Long game. If you join towards the end you better know wtf you’re doing as you missed all the previous waves to get dosh and weapons. Each new player on the team adds to the total number and the strength of the Killing Floor specimens. If you can’t pull your weight you’re hurting the team.

6. Head to the Trader. Only 32 specimens spawn on the map at any one time. Once the count during a wave is below 32 you know zeds won’t be spawning so it’s safe(r) to move about the map. When the count gets towards the single digits start heading towards the trader to maximize the time you have in the shop and getting back into position. It also gives you time to look around for more ammo or weapon spawns.

killing floor test map

7. Trainers. There are workshop training  or ‘test’ maps used for practicing strategies vs specimens. They also count towards leveling up your Perks. However people who max out at Perk level 6 from just grinding a trainer generally suck at the game – they don’t know the maps, general tactics or strategies to take out the harder specimens. They can’t pull their weight and hurt the team. Don’t be that guy. Start from the bottom and learn to play. This game is tough and if you want to succeed at the harder difficulties you’ll just need to practice.

8. Killing Floor specimens. The biggest noob mistake is just blasting away at every zed you see. This generally works on the weaker specimens but there are a few that are extra important. Note these tips are for noobs and more experienced players have more options.

  • Sirens – These are the screaming banshees. Far away they are harmless but if they get close they are devastating to anyone nearby. Target them first. Their screams also destroy any thrown grenades or rockets.
  • Bloats – The big fat specimens that will vomit bile on you if too close and obscure your vision. The weakspot is the head so shoot that! When killed they explode more bile so don’t don’t let them get close, ever.
  • Stalkers – Cloaked ladies of damage. They move very fast but once spotted, they fall easily.
  • Husks – Fire based meanies that shoot rockets and a huge pain in the ass. They tend to shoot towards your feet so get used to jumping when you hear/see a rocket launch from this guy.
  • Scrakes – The big guy with a chain saw. When he loses partial health he will RAGE and sprint attack for massive damage. Therefore high-alpha Perks are best when dealing with Scrakes, such as the Sharpshooter, Support Specialist or Berserker. Other Perks should HOLD FIRE when possible if or until the Scrake rages, then focus fire him down. Sharpshooters can do massive headshot damage and are great for Scrakes.
  • Flesh Pounds – The big guy with spiked fists. The Flesh Pound rages when he takes a lot of damage within a couple seconds OR his target is in view for more than 10 seconds. He can be kited by a skilled player, but usually the strategy is a lot like the Scrake. The high-alpha damage players should handle the Flesh Pounds, with everyone else joining in if or when the Flesh Pound rages. After the FP hits someone, his rage subsides. Sharpshooters can do massive headshot damage and are great for Flesh Pounds.
  • The Patriarch – Big Boss. Head honcho. Wave 11. This guy has rockets, a chain gun and a powerful melee attack. He is no joke. There are a number of strategies for the Patriarch so all I’ll say here is try not to be his target. Use line of sight to get flanking fire on him and if he comes towards you, run! Don’t let him get close.