The Surge - Sci-Fi - Melee Combat RPG

[GreenGoo]

edit3: Before I pull the trigger, are there any discount codes that work with it right now?

Now that they do the VIP discount things there aren't vouchers flying around all the time like there used to be. They still do them sometimes, but not often and never on what I want.

Yeah, I realize that now. If you take them at their word, vouchers have been replaced by the VIP system.

So, I'm playing. I'm not thrilled by the controller set up so I may need to do something about that. I'm not a huge fan of the LB and RB buttons. They are not comfortable and I rarely use them if I can avoid it. Since RB is one of your main attacks, this might be a problem. The fact that your (current implant) heal is something you can only use 3 times between recharges/med centers/whatever, it seems like the B button under used. Considering that the B button is one that I AM comfortable using, this annoys me.

It also annoys me that the interact button is X and not A as it is in most games.

These are all small things and I can certainly live with them if I can't make things the way I want, but it is counter intuitive when compared to other games I've played. Building new muscle memory is always a pain, but especially when you're old and set in your ways.

Someone said that the controller set up is exactly the same as it is in Dark Souls? Is that true? With my plan to play Dark Souls eventually, is it worth just sucking up the current controller config so I'm used to it by the time I play Dark Souls?

Honestly if they just used the LT for one attack and the RT for the other I'd be fine. Better yet would be X and Y for the two attacks.

I also hate pushing down on the sticks. I mean, if it's something simple and not reflex related, like opening inventory or something, that's fine. But using the LS to move, and pushing down on the LS to sprint really sucks.

Despite my whining here, I'm not complaining about the game itself. I realize these are personal preferences and I don't expect games to cater to my preferences specifically. This is on me. If I find a more comfortable controller set up it will make the game much more enjoyable though.

That said, learning to play is very exciting. New purchase excitement for the win!

[IceBear]

If you are going to use the controller for other games it's best to learn to use the LB and RB so this game is as good as any

[GreenGoo]

If you are going to use the controller for other games it's best to learn to use the LB and RB so this game is as good as any

Remarkably, very few games I've played on the PC using the xbox controller use the RB and LB for anything important/reflex related. I've been an xbox controller convert for quite a few years now, so it's not like this is the first time I've tried to use one.

Your point is still valid though. Getting more comfortable with the LB/RB would pay dividends now and in the future.

[GreenGoo]

Completely customized the controller. I don't think a single button does what it does in the default config.

So much for building muscle memory for common set ups.

[GreenGoo]

What's the UI element in the lower left-hand corner? Right now it's a bar with 1 on the left and 2 on the right. It also has a diamond with what appears to be a helix inside it.

edit: Wild guess, that's your proficiency with the currently equipped weapon type.

How'd I do?

edit: ok I leveled up my proficiency and that's what the meter is. Great.

[GreenGoo]

You probably already know this but:

You can mark weapons as favourites. This is useful because...

You can then press left on the d-pad to switch between favourite weapons. The switch seems to be instant. I'm using it to use a fast weapon for breaking environment objects looking for goodies, then switching to a heavy weapon (which is annoyingly slow for breaking crates) for combat.

[GreenGoo]

Stupid question: How do I see what my current objectives are?

[GreenGoo]

So I finally died twice in a row, losing over 4k scrap. That's a lot of scrap for me, so that sucked. I just read that killing enemies increases your timer. I had been dodging and running past respawns to get back to my dropped scrap. Some combination of running and killing is probably going to be the best approach.

I was not prepared for the sheer amount of respawning that occurs. Not sure what I think of it yet. Since I'm just learning and dying a lot, that means I'm running into the same mobs over and over again as I recover from dying. That's not much fun.

[GreenGoo]

Huh. Kinda of stuck. I don't think I'm ready for the mechanized loader/digger, but it feels like I've been everywhere else. Well, I haven't been downstairs yet, but I don't have a body piece yet so I have no light source. I assume I'm not supposed to wander around down there in the dark?

Hmmm

edit: Ok, just had the body part schematic drop off a random guy. Something tells me I've just had terrible luck up until now, and the game assumes I would have the body part before this. Anyway, now to see if I can actually build the freakin' thing.

edit2: Well the scrap is no problem, but I've only found 3 of the 12 pieces needed to build it. Hmmm.

edit3: Ah, I see now. I thought targeting body parts was only to avoid armour and to break off weapons for you to use. Apparently targeting a body part makes it more likely to get a crafting piece for that part. Obvious, in retrospect.

My bad.

[GreenGoo]

Crashed on first boss. Sad is me.

Try again tomorrow.

[coopasonic]

I'd respond to all of your posts, but it looks like you have answered all of your own questions at this point.

The respawning is a Souls thing. Almost everything respawns on death. In the Souls games there are some stronger enemies that stay dead and bosses stay dead, otherwise everything respawns when you die. Everything also respawns when you use Ops (same as bonfires in the Souls games) where you refill heals. The key to these games is shortcuts. You aren't expected to clear the whole level in one go (though if you do, awesome. You get a scrap multiplier if you keep going while carrying a lot of scrap). Use every overcharge and elevator and open every door you see. These are all shortcuts. The first area isn't so big, but it's a good habit to get into.

Speaking of scrap, from time to time, when you are back at Ops, go into your inventory and look at your consumables. You collect a LOT of "piles of scrap" that are basically just packages of experience points. I hadn't cleared it out in a while and when I finally did I got 11k scrap. Souls games have the same mechanic, but Surge uses it much more.

About the healing limit, you can equip multiple copies of that implant if you find them. There are also other healing solutions. There are implants that give 10% health on performing a finisher. There is one that lets you use energy for healing. My problem at this point is that I have 6 80 point heals, but 197 health so I need two heals when my health gets low and the energy healing thing does pretty much nothing (I think it's 30 health and takes like a third of the energy bar).

The first boss is a shock, particularly in this game. Try to stay (kinda specific spoilers if this boss starts to piss you off and you missed the key)

Spoiler:

close and to the side or behind him and beat on his legs while avoiding his stomps. The key to this one is you need to get him to hit himself with rockets to bring his head down so you can actually hurt him. When he jumps away from you, run in so his rockets hit himself.

I just got to the second boss last night before deciding to call it a night. He killed my ass so hard. SO HARD. I think I got him down to 95% or so.

[coopasonic]

Completely customized the controller. I don't think a single button does what it does in the default config.

So much for building muscle memory for common set ups.

I just checked out the config options on dark souls PC. I don't see any way to change the controller config. Maybe the newer games are more friendly like that, but I wouldn't place any bets. Just an FYI.

[GreenGoo]

Thanks coop. I was hoping someone would answer that one.

[coopasonic]

Stupid question: How do I see what my current objectives are?

Did we fail to mention the complete and utter lack of hand holding in these games? Basically your real objective is to find the next boss and kill it. The game objectives is... well... to figure out what the hell is going on.

Just as a hint: I collected every trophy (achievement) there was to be had in Bloodborne and I still have no idea what the game was about. The Surge seems to be a bit more straightforward, but don't expect a lot of exposition in a Souls game.

[GreenGoo]

As long as I'm moving forward I won't mind too much, although it would be nice to have an overlying narrative going on.

At that point I was kind of lost (see my confusion of the chest piece) and didn't know what to do next. I will say that the gear lights do a pretty terrible job of illuminating. I probably could have done the dark zone without them.

Having a good time, although I feel like I've spent enough time in this area and would like to move on. Since I almost had the boss killed, I assume I'll be moving forward shortly.

[GreenGoo]

Just saw an "advanced combat" tip during a loading screen. Putting it here in case someone doesn't know about it.

Hold block then right stick up or down to jump/duck an attack.

Since I've moved block to B, that's a problem. Will figure something out.

edit: Backstab from behind with vertical horizontal attack will knock an enemy to their knees. Attack again for a guaranteed crit.

[GreenGoo]

Is it me or is the next set of gear after the first boss and maglev just the gear for the "class" you didn't pick at the start? Is the only difference between the two just the starting gear, after which they become identical in their gear and options? I'm a little disappointed if true.

[coopasonic]

Yes, that is the only difference as far as I can tell. There is another armor class you will find later in the second area. I have seen 5 different armor sets across three classes (Operator, Sentinel and Goliath) so far and I just got to the third area... somehow I failed to find the transition to the third area for like two hours - on the plus side I raised my weapon proficiency with all weapon classes. The staff you can get from the security personnel in the second area is pretty nice... getting is hard though.

In the Souls games your starting choices just determine your starting stats and equipment, the game itself is exactly the same regardless of choice, so having the equipment available in the starting area be different is a departure from the formula. They are really mixing it up!

[coopasonic]

I expect you are going to pass me by tomorrow and then I will be asking you for advice!

[GreenGoo]

I expect you are going to pass me by tomorrow and then I will be asking you for advice!

No, I'm binge playing today and putting off some chores until tomorrow. Things should settle down into a more reasonable amount per time.

I started a new game as the "other" class but obviously that's a waste of time. I thought things would play out differently for each class. I saw Dark Souls has 9 starting classes so I thought that meant...9 different classes I guess. I'm fine with your gear choices determining your play options, it's just good to know how it works.

I got my butt kicked all over the place in the second area. I mean, I can win a few, but my consistency is non-existent so I can beat a bunch and then die to the respawn outside the med center. I have yet to defeat any of the staff wielders, let alone strip off the staff. I've mostly got the dual wielders down now, and have their weapons but man they really require plinking away at the hammer dudes, so I'm not sure what good they are except personal preference. Honestly the hammer is very strong even when compared to the first boss weapon. Huge energy building.

[GreenGoo]

Phew. Area 2 is giving me a hard time. I mean, I'm making progress, but I'm not particularly spatially aware, so figuring out where to go has been a struggle. Combine that with constant respawns (from dying) and I'm fighting unnecessary fights which just leads to dying again.

edit: If you accidentally fall off something, throwing out an attack usually results in you landing without damage.

[MonkeyFinger]

I almost pulled the trigger on this. Everything I'm reading makes me glad I didn't.

[GreenGoo]

I almost pulled the trigger on this. Everything I'm reading makes me glad I didn't.

Everything in this thread? I'm having a great time.

That said, I don't know where to go next. Do I have to kill one of those welder bots? Because I don't wanna. They are hurty. dead. yay.

[GreenGoo]

Well, I'm not having such a great time anymore. I'm stuck in that I don't know where to go next, and I'm not a good enough fighter to explore without dying repeatedly. I might have found a way forward but it's guarded by a chokepoint, a hammer dude at a gun station, and a welder waiting for me if I charge through the choke point at the hammer on a gun.

That's rough. I can't draw the hammer out since he's on a gun and somehow I need to get at the hammer and fight in a very small space with a welder in there too.

edit: Ok, I found my way forward again. Phew. Was a down staircase that because of circumstances you always look the other way to engage the enemy. When he's dead and you turn around again it just looks like a drop until you get closer.

Anyway, progress being made again. At which point the game crashed on me. Oh well.

[GreenGoo]

Made it to the second boss, who promptly kicked my ass. Time to call it a night.

[coopasonic]

Made it to the second boss, who promptly kicked my ass. Time to call it a night.

second boss spoilery tips:

Spoiler:

He will spin at first, after that he will always do two leg slams and then spin again. Dodge the leg slams and attack the legs. Move away from the spin (duh!). When you take out three legs he will go into flamethrower mode. Avoid the flames, be patient and attack the thing in the bottom. That's when you finally get to do some damage. You'll probably want a fast weapon for this fight. I used the staff I took off the tough security dudes... actually the second one I found because some chick wanted the first one.

and if you think the second area was hard, just wait until you get to the third area. I don't know how many times I died in the outdoor area by the greenhouses. So much of the dying.

[GreenGoo]

After a number of false starts (also, I hate when I die before I even get back to the boss. I suck) I managed to beat the boss. Once you get his patterns down he's not too bad. Most of my deaths were due to impatience and trying to do more damage than I had time for.

The second area is dark with lots of crevices and holes and railless walkways. I've just dropped to my death a bunch of times already. I've also followed my target off the edge as they fall and my combination continues and follows them. Ugh.

Taking a break, got work to do. Will be back tonight though.

[coopasonic]

I took out the third boss this morning. It was pretty easy compared to all the enemies in that third area.

[GreenGoo]

So I'm enjoying the game quite a lot, but I can't help but think it would be better as a fantasy RPG. Which is strange, because my interest in fantasy rpg's is pretty much non-existent these days. So my interest in Dark Souls has pretty much doubled since I started playing the Surge. I've started watching some gameplay videos for Dark Souls and with coop singing its praises I'm seriously considering picking it up before the summer sale. The extra game play elements give some additional purpose to the combat, which seems like it would be great.

That said, I'm off to area 3. Here goes nothing.

[GreenGoo]

It was pretty easy compared to all the enemies in that third area.

Yeah, those robotic cyclopean leapers can go to hell. Played for hours tonight, opened up exactly zero of the 3rd area. No idea where the next short cut is but it doesn't matter since I've only beaten one of those leaper things.

[GreenGoo]

Can you tell me where the next shortcut/ops center is? Once you clear the building and down the stairs after the med charger you fight 2-3 humanoids then the courtyard with 2-3 leapers. Where do I need to go? I die in that courtyard constantly and it would help if I knew where I was supposed to go next.

[coopasonic]

Two things, first the shortcut:

There is a EXO-Lift inside the building that is mostly straight ahead from where you come off the stairs... go down the ramp and around to the left and in the building on the right. It's reallyt hard to describe locations in this game. It's back where there is the hurty stuff on the ground with the limpy heavy guys. Is that better.

where the progress is found:

Spoiler:

there is a broken pipe further past the hurty stuff - it's basically a hole in the ground, drop down there and look around.

[GreenGoo]

Straight across from the spiral stairs down from medstation or straight across the stairs down to the courtyard with the hurty stuff? Straight ahead with the stage on the right?

I accidentally pulled a leaper while beating up on a heavy so I ran back to the spiral stairs. He doesn't leap when in close quarters and I can block his non-leap attack. Things went much better in the close space of the stair case. Only 2 or 3 more of those freakin' things now.

edit: 2 down. I've only seen 1 more. Fingers crossed.

edit2: 3rd down. Not sure if there are any others. Man, so easy up close. My bad, but now I've got their number.

I've spoken to melissa and overcharged a doohickey although I don't know what it did just yet.

edit3: Damn damn damn. Activated mr. dead leaper and he kicked my ass. Back to square one. Yay.

edit4: OMG, I went down the hole and was in the biolabs and died. So far. I was actually complaining to my son that it was too long between shortcuts/ops centers. It was insane. I just now found the door with the ops center BEFORE the hole. Geezus H.

Ok, things are better now.

[coopasonic]

Straight across from the spiral stairs down from medstation or straight across the stairs down to the courtyard with the hurty stuff? Straight ahead with the stage on the right?

Go down the stairs, keep to the left wall, past the big ramp, down the small ramp. Turn right when your face hits the fence and it is the entrance on your right just after you make the turn. It is a small room with nothing but the lift and some debris.

The funny thing is you really don't need to kill much of anything in that area. Open the shortcut and then you can go from ops, up the shortcut and down the hole without killing anything.

[GreenGoo]

The funny thing is you really don't need to kill much of anything in that area. Open the shortcut and then you can go from ops, up the shortcut and down the hole without killing anything.

Yeah. Hilarious.

I don't know why I missed it so many times. But I'm very good at killing the spider leapers now. After like 50 freakin' times.

Anyway I've got it and also found the last piece of the scarab suit. I'd been using the arms for increased impact. I don't find the Lynx suit bonus all that useful, so it worked out ok.

Trying to keep all my weapon profs skilled up. Is it worth it?

[coopasonic]

I am wearing a full Scarab suit myself. I like the look. The Lynx set has much better light, but that's about all I miss.

I have single-whatever-its-called and staff leveled up to 14 or 15 proficiency. I use staff (Negotiator then the third boss staff) almost exclusively. The speed and range is great and the damage isn't bad. The negotiator had low energy gain (10%), but the one from the third boss is much better (25%) and sets things on fire!

[GreenGoo]

After freeing the woman, the internet is telling me to go back to area 2. That...is not something I would think to do. I even got on the train, saw it was going back to area 2 and thought "well this isn't the right way" and went back.

edit: So I'm back in area 2 and grabbed the glowy staff from the two guards. It doesn't seem to be as good as the staff I got in area 3 though, even after upgrades. Assuming the stats of "low, medium, high" relate between weapons. Those guards were not easy even after going through area 3.

edit2: OMFG, I just spent an hour killing 2 guards with glowy sticks AND a prototype 2 spider leaper because I thought it was the way forward. Instead it leads to a security door that I can't get through outside the train station.

Fuuuuccckk U. Freakin' game.

Bed time.

[coopasonic]

There is a bridge near where you arrive back in area two with a door that your drone can now open with the upgrade you got from the woman. I haven't played in a couple days so things are starting to get a bit foggy. I don't think I am confusing my locations... probably.

If I got a staff in area 3 I am pretty sure I never used it. Once I start using a weapon it has to totally fail me before I try a different weapon, so I don't use many of them.

[GreenGoo]

Yeah, what happened is I ran off to find OPS and got myself lost. So I found OPS but couldn't find my way back. The mobs were new (and tough! Have you fought a proto2.0 leaper? Ouch) so I thought it must be progression. I was wrong.

I've since found my way back to the ventilation area.

Q: You're supposed to be able to backstab people in the game, but I can never do it. No matter how slowly I approach. What am I missing?

edit: A: you've got to get right up behind them so you're basically touching, then press horizontal attack. My mistake was being too far back.

[coopasonic]

I have backstabbed in the middle of combat on accident, but that is the only time. It's funny, the guy falls to his knees, but by the time I see it happening I have moved out of position. I have never done it sneakily.