Warframe: Atlas and Inaros

Powerful, sturdy, and slow. That's what these two have in common.

Atlas

Supposedly once one-punched a doomsday asteroid into dust, you can get his blueprints from the Jordas Precept quest and subsequent golem assassination quests. Do note that without a super strong archgun killing the HP sponge golem is going to take a long while. I made sure to get a Velocitus from the syndicates to make this go faster.

The Atlas is pretty sturdy unless he is punching, which for some reason takes him from sturdy to invulnerable. As long as he isn't jumping he cannot be knocked down and his other abilities include turning things into stone (and then punching them for more damage), making a rock wall which he can then push into a boulder and summoning stone elementals because... why not? Ultimately you'll probably want to be boxing the entire time though, which lowers his utility in many missions for me except one: he is the perfect opponent for the melee focused teleporting bastard Tyl Regor on Uranus, who you will need to grind if you want an Equinox warframe.

Inaros

You can get this Egyptian themed vampire from the Sands of Inaros quest, which is a bit tough especially towards the end as you need to fight an Inaros with a toxic bow. Easy peasy for a patient and invis Loki though. Your reward is a terribly hungry monster who almost literally cannot die. Even when he is downed, he doesn't go into bleedout pistol mode like the others - he gets into a sarcophagus that does TRUE damage (no resistance against it) and should he kill two targets (friend or foe) he returns to the fight fully rejuvenated.

His main abilities also focus on taking health from his enemies for himself, and using devour lets you eat something (slowly) while completely invulnerable, which is spammable if you have the energy to do so. Finishing an enemy this way also turns it into your minion which is neat. I felt this did make his gameplay kinda slow though - fight through an area, eat eat eat. Repeat. Who knew being immortal wouldn't be much fun? If you like blocking nukes with your face and then just laughing insanely because even that didn't kill you - this might be the warframe for you.

GTFO: R6C3 - Pressure Point (Overload)

Moved up from doing a Secondary to an Overload for today, just in time before Rundown 6 gets extended too.  Our load outs were as follows (full hammer squad for jousting):

Archer: Carbine/Scatter Gun/Burst Sentry/Hammer
Me: Pistol/Shotgun/Mines/Hammer
DL: DMR/Sniper/Mines/Hammer
Jim: DMR/Shotgun/Burst Sentry/Hammer

As this is also a "bonus" objective, you need to win the main mission as per before. The general overall tips are GO FAST and lock melters are amazing.You don't want to still be dealing with the lower levels as the infectious fog rises. The change to the path is a minor one: right after plugging in the bulkhead key select OVERLOAD instead of main (that's around the 5th paragraph in my previous guide).

The white path is what I did (key grabber) for the overload section.

Then make haste back to the North while following the HUD display. The overload bulkhead is down some stairs and doesn't need a scan or anything, first one to get there just pull the door open. Once inside rush up the stairs directly to the big door across, get inside mine, cfoam and turret that thing. Right beside the door is a terminal where you must type a command SCP_ZONE_PURGE and sit in a really long team scan.

Survive the waves that come and once that's done go back out the door and open the security door across from you, the one beside the stairs you came up. One person needs to run in there, turn right, go through two doors and find the next bulkhead key BUT BEWARE! Inside that zone is a sleeping father/tank. If you are lucky, you can stealth past. If he's at the door like he was for us, setup reverse waterfall of mines (floor to ceiling at the door) and make him run through it then kill it quick, remembering you need to destroy the cancers on its back and it is invulnerable from the front.

While the key grabber (me) does his thing the other three must continue to hold the waves which likely include giants. On any downtime they should loot as much as they can, prioritizing ammo over health. When the key grabber returns, everyone must make a dash back to the bulkhead controls, plug the key in and activate the MAIN mission, which you will then need to finish off.

The only wrinkle at this point is a second father appeared during the checkpoint scan for us. Archer made a good strategy to kill him as the room right beyond the checkpoint door has a balcony - while he and DL held off the spawn and sniped the father Jim and I scavenged more ammo deeper in to give to them (we were out at that point). After killing the father as a team we continued the escape part of the mission, with scarily low amounts of ammo! Fight well, hammer when you can, and remember the father and giant strikers can actually hit through the balcony grating. Took us a few goes but we finally managed to GTFO!

GTFO: R6D1 - Nemesis (Main)

This time around we are starting the bottom most floor. Strap in for a long trek, and I hope you've practiced your red light / green light stealth as you are going to need it! "Captain" Archer led us again today, and our loadouts are a little different as per his requests:

Archer: Carbine/Scatter Gun/Burst Sentry/Hammer
Me: Pistol/Sniper/Burst Sentry/Spear
DL: DMR/Sniper/Mines/Bat
Jim: DMR/Shotgun/Bio Tracker/Hammer

The top center of this map isn't complete but it should be enough to plan by.

From the drop you are introduced to a pitch black and poison fog level, and this will be the case for awhile so make use of the Bio Tracker to help path your way North while lugging the matter projector until you reach and unlock non-alarm door to Z85. I'll call this room the central chamber. It is full of scum of all sizes that you must SNEAK PAST because THIS ROOM RESPAWNS. The only good news is you can drop the matter projector anywhere on the floor here and ignore it until the end. There's also a fog turbine here which we just ignored - just stay above the fog! You want to head East now into Z87 (no alarm) and continue sneaking to Z88 (no alarm but there are two scouts in here) and eventually the map will turn North to Z89 (no alarm, empty room) and Z90 no alarm checkpoint door. Ideally you haven't fired a shot before reaching here.

Z90 is a reactor room that contains lots of gear. Carefully move all the packs closer to your hold spot, which for us was upstairs, stacked on the right side when looking at the door we came through. The terminal is right below and during the four waves Archer went down to type in the code provided on screen. After wave 1 we deployed sentry turrets on each staircase to help with flyers and we threw c-foam grenades for waves three and four when Archer was downstairs scatter gunning hybrids. After the scan is done immediately return to the previous room and split the team on both staircases to flank a father / tank as it arrives. Like a mother, you need to destroy the bulbs on his back but he is far more aggressive and able to attack 360 degrees around him. Luckily you have the terrain advantage here so it shouldn't be too bad as he keeps changing his mind on who to attack.

Completing the reactor turns on all the lights (yay) and now its time to sneak all the way back West through the central chamber and to the Z91 checkpoint door. Parkour across the warehouse shelves where you can to avoid the fog as you continue West and past the Z94 door which needs a key. Note SKIP 91E which is to the South. Eventually you will reach the class VM alarm door to Z93. Shut and mine all the doors between you and the warehouse area and we put our turrets just outside the door closest to us which we also c-foam grenaded. Do the scan and win the fight, which isn't so bad if you prepared properly. After winning you'll find the Z93 door has transformed into a checkpoint scan - yay! Good thing too because you are now entering scout land.

For us, the very next room contained two scouts (Archer and I on bop duty) and the next room with the key had three scouts! Collect the key and escape back to Z94 which you walked past earlier. You'll see it as you walk back towards the warehouse section to the North. Main things in here are a disinfect station and a terminal to activate the air filtration which removes the fog altogether! Huzzah! Time to head back to the central chamber and this time, you need to clear it as quietly (ammo efficiently) as possible. Note: there are numerous stairs down which you can and should access now as part of the cleanse. Once done, mine all of the said staircases and the three doors in then go downstairs to find a class VI alarm Apex door! All of these are team scans so move together and keep everyone standing. Turrets are deployed per spot, then pick up deployed etc. I hope you saved your ammo because now is the time to use it. As Archer commands "All of it, don't hold anything back". And boy did we need it.

The alarm door also turns into a checkpoint scan once you are done which is great. Collect and use all the gear you find in the next room and drag the matter projector to the teleporter which then puts you on a very vertical cliff facing facility devoid of enemies. Before doing anything else, get ALL the gear and load up - moving useful medkits and ammo up to the very top floor where there are two lookout towers and a cave which DL reverse waterfall mined (place mines on the floor facing up). Archer and I parkoured up two rock things to put both turrets facing East, and we all took note of the tower that has a good roof - it's important. Once all set, head one floor down to the terminal to input the needlessly long command displayed then run back upstairs and begin the BOSS FIGHT.

An ugly giant kraken type thing will show up and it has two main attacks: Spit a wave of flyers (also does this when it gets injured) or a missile strike similar to the hybrids. If it missile strikes and targets you, you need to either get into the tower with the good roof or the cave. To win, you must find the cancerous growths that randomly spawn one at a time on it and shoot it until it explodes (FYI it takes 5 sniper shots to destroy one, hence I also brought a sniper rifle today).  If the flyer army gets too severe (and it will) run back and deal with them in the cave, remembering they cannot actually hit you if you strafe. After enough growths are popped the giant creature will drop back down out of view and you will be teleported back to the facility while a voice over plays.While it does so...

RUN TO THE EXTRACTION AND GTFO. DO NOT LET THE VOICE OVER FINISH.

Fun note: If your team doesn't mind doing the entire thing blind and with 100% infection (health constantly dropping), when you first enter the central chamber you can just go downstairs and immediately do the class VI alarm Apex door in pitch black fog. From there you get a checkpoint and then teleport to the boss fight (lots of medkits if you make it here). Obviously you need to win quick or not get hit, then vacate ASAP. The youtube link here is of speed runners doing this very thing, completing the mission we took around 3 hours to complete in under 10 minutes. :P

Fallout Tactics: No Reactor

[Part of the Fallout Tactics story]

In lieu of the tank, the team is provided with a rebuilt and reprogrammed squaddie - HR1205, made from the pieces they retrieved months before. It proves invaluable on the next mission to destroy a robot repair facility as Hurt - the team doctor - is melted into a pile of shit by a gauss round early in the piece.

While the other human members can recover hit points, the more major injuries sustained are untreatable. Being a machine, HR can still be repaired by Jo and thus takes the lead in most of this map. Despite this Malice's bomb skills make him the MVP to destroy all the self repairing generators simultaneously.

They then proceed to the manufacturing facility where they encounter and defeat a massive behemoth robot and a multitude of the squid security types who previously killed the other brotherhood team that was sent in. Toni is melted during their ambush.

The behemoth is a walking tank.

Making use of their longest range weapons and the interior cat walks, they clear the rest of bots and destroy the facility. Specifically, destroying a nuclear reactor. Somehow it doesn't explode and kill the lot of them right there.

Fallout Tactics: Tank You

[Part of the Fallout Tactics story]

Upon arriving at Newton the team finds mechanic gal Jo waiting for them with a tank! While the main gun has no ammunition, it provides ample cover for the team to fire from - especially against the new zerg-like spider scurry bots who bury themselves and wait in ambush.

It makes this mission so easy.

Jo's skills are more than enough to repair any damage to the vehicle, and soon the Reaver leadership is saved - one of whom taking an immediate romantic interest in Malice. As a reward they share their EMP weapon tech which the robots are weakest against.

With this technology secured, the brotherhood then advances West to the next forward operating base. Annoyingly, the tank can't be taken into any future missions as it is held in reserve for defense. Oh well, it was fun while it lasted.

Absurd Game Ideas - Superhero Tank

[Part of the Absurd Game Ideas folder]

Many game bloggers, including myself, usually talk about our ideal games or how to improve the games we currently play. Well I thought it would be fun to flip the script and share our most absurd and silly game or game mod ideas! You are invited to blog your own crazy ideas too! :)

Today's one is inspired by Batman: Arkham Knight's Batmobile dependence. I give you...

Superhero Tank

In this thrilling MOBA, play as your favorite superheroes and super villains as they drive their tanks to victory! Not only can you customize and design your tanks, outfitting them with better gear as your rank up, but they gain some abilities of the hero or villain piloting them!

For example, Spiderman's tank shoots web, Flash's tank moves faster, Aquaman's tank can move under water, Wonderwoman's Tank can lasso other tanks and Bane's tank can get a temporary buff from drugs! Take superhero fighting to the next level of awesomeness because a hero without a tank, is not a hero at all!

NWO: Stronghold Four Baphomet

The Beholder Tank is a lie.

Neverwinter Online update time and while the above statement about the Beholder Tank, the most sought after reward from the currently running Day of the Dungeon Master event, is not entirely true - the odds of actually getting one are close to non-existent.

Those are actually better odds than the first two weeks of the event where -no one- was getting it. Anyway, on a more positive note - my guild's stronghold has just reached rank four thanks to the efforts of a handful new members. Ultimately this is just an aesthetic change though, as the first boon structure plot is only unlocked at rank 5, which is MILES away (given the requirement to upgrade 4-5 other buildings).

Is that a spirit bomb?

I've also just finished the Maze Engine campaign which is actually pretty fun. The parts that you go on actual quests and not the ones that just randomly send you up a mountain to kill an imp or two anyway. The final confrontation with Baphomet is really cool too, and I'm glad a version of it is replayable as a weekly.

And so the wheel keeps spinning, and the grind continues.

Fury

Angry men in a tank take their anger out on Nazis in a most violently entertaining fashion.

This movie follows an American tank crew during World War 2, and depicts how dirty and evil war can be - but at the same time I was so entertained by the copious amounts of violence and gore present in this movie. In fact, the one quiet part they added which involved an awkward dining scene I found to be a detraction and unnecessary to the rest of the story. That part aside, the rest of the movie is great!

We have a tank and you want us to do a "quiet" scene?

Fury, the name of the main tank, is also an apt name as to the feelings of Brad Pitt's squad towards all the Nazis, especially the SS which I fit well with the theme. The tanks are awesome, the cast is good, and all the battle scenes are fantastic. Indeed only the hill billy character had me slightly worried as it was hard to understand some of his lines but that wasn't really an issue for me. I give Fury three out of five explosions and would definitely watch it again, though probably using that silly dining scene as a toilet break. :P

MMOs: Level Restriction and Threat

[Part of my MMO Design Folder]

Have you ever heard of the tale where a great knight ventured to the entrance of an evil lair then began screaming out to the world for a healer and a wizard or rogue to join him? This happens a lot in MMO's, and is in fact referred to as "the holy trinity" where one person plays the role of "tank" keeping the monster's attention while absorbing the monster's damage, the "healer" uses their skills primarily to keep the "tank" alive, and everyone else being "DPS" (damage per second) either on said monster or crowd control ("CC" used to be "DPS"). Personally I only ran into the "holy trinity" term when I began Guildwars 2, because people were either angry or happy that it wasn't there. I actually had to ask what it was, and now that I know I find it rather stupid.

I can see how it came about though, simply by how some games handle "threat" or "aggro" (as in, which of you the monster most wants to eat) and more so by the definition of specific classes to play "roles". Neverwinter Online's five classes are a good example of this:

Thief - highest single target DPS, quite squishy (killable)
Wizard - highest area effect DPS, but not as high on single target as thief. Very squishy.
Great Weapon Fighter - less squishy than the above and out performs them on their weaker side but is not as good as their specialty.
Cleric - provides healing and buffs and some decent area damage
Guardian Fighter - Tank. Only class with a shield, and only class that "blocks" instead of evades.

While most MMO's tout that you can be "whatever you want", other people will look down upon a wizard who tries to be the "tank", or a cleric focused on attacking instead of healing, or a tank who chooses not to wear armor (and be squishy) - especially is said people are more interested in being "efficient", the type that sit down and actually number crunch for the best build for their specific role and more often than not the first requirement of which is to max out your level to the highest it can be.

I feel this is the first problem. Skills and abilities can have levels, sure. You get good at doing "stuff" by doing said "stuff". Maybe Bob the sniper is more accurate than Hank, while Hank the messanger can outrun Bob. However, Bob shouldn't be able to magically become a fantastic swordsman  by baking cake. As humurous as that sounds, that is actually possible in GW2 which only has one overall level track, and not many little tracks for skills. In comparison Ultima Online offered incredible freedom. No overall levels, just skills which meant you can be a spell sword, a fisher knight, or whatever. It's a similar case in Mabinogi where skill ranks are more important than your overall level. I'm over level 2000 there but I can still lose to a bear if I don't fight perfectly.

Swordsmanship has increased by 0.1%!

The second problem is monster aggro or threat. Tank classes generally get skills to make monsters pay more attention to them instead of all the other people damaging it. Some games use strange maths to then calculate stuff like if player A did 100 damage to me, but player B healed player A for 200 HP, I should kill player B (Rappelz). For me it should be simple. Just like in real, predators (especially in a pack) should always go after the thing they can kill fastest first.