u/Loneheart127

What gameplay function needs to come in for a true, stable 42.20.

Context, I did play DD1 years ago, I only remember certain parts and barely anything of the ending (some big hole opened up in the city) and I never did ANY of BBI because it scared me as it was super difficult.

Anyway, questions:

- do I need to know the full story of DD1 and BBI or is 2 it's own thing I can jump straight into.

- are the pawns better in this game, (have more lines do more stuff) because that and exploring is really the main reason I bought this and don't just want to hear the same tinnitus voice tell me wolves hunt in packs 9000 times.

- I understand there's time sensitive stuff, how forgiving is it? because I'm not the best gamer.

- I remember there being a lot of hidden DD1 quests where if you progress too far they get locked out, is that still a thing?

- if the cut off points do exist, are they at least clear to the player?

- how well does it run, is there any performance issues/crashes

- does the game do the whole ferrystone - placeable port crystal system again?

- Does the game still have the mechanic where playing as a male or female have different enemies react, and does the height/stamina pool mechanic exist

Thanks for your time

And yes, I know about the sphinx and the seeker token.

Completely new player, new to both the fantasy Warhammer side and total war games

I got the game yesterday and the whole reason I got it was because I really wanted to play as the dwarfs, they look incredibly fun and various instructional videos said they are very strong to boot.

I start the game as the book of grudges dude on the chair, secure the two nearby settlements as instructed and then two goblins from the next city almost immediately declare war and rush me, their armies are **incredibly powerful** compared to anything I can muster.

They have a thousand odd troops, and a giant spider monster that I can barely defeat but by then every other force is low health and exhausted.

They reinforce each other if I try to fight them and the battle preview screen only ever tells me it's a decisive defeat.

I've loaded this campaign seven times over, I've tried everything I can think of to beat their forces, meeting them in open battle early only gave me a valiant defeat prediction.

I tried garrisoning the walls of my city, and even had a separate lord I made with some basic troops to try and re-enforce and nothing works. And of course as soon as I'm defeated, they effortlessly destroy my capital and I lose.

I don't understand what I'm doing wrong, as I've said before I'm new to this series but surely it's not intended to be so difficult?

As a long time AC enjoyer I had put 7 off and now finally finding the time to play. I am used to the ACE COMBAT series being a bit strange and I was following it fine enough right up to the point the satellites got destroyed. (Mission 15)

Kessler syndrome happens, IFF no longer works and an incredibly frustrating mechanic begins

all communication across the globe from command ceases.

I don't know why we could just use High Frequency radio or under sea cables as its still a very powerful connection that is still used today and doesn't rely on satellites. But okay?

Now there's a radical faction we're fighting for some reason and some defecting general just DUMPS so much exposition while I'm trying to dodge SAM sites about how someone spoofed the IFF and we didn't shot down the ex-prez and drones are super important and we're escorting him, but he gets shot down by us?

And the pedophile scientist is traveling through with an escort, but the escort is drones, and the drones are rogue and we have to shoot them down because there are more drones

Then there's a SECOND Erusean faction which were also hostile to, the conservatives on Tyler island so we murder all of them for our guys to escape to... Somewhere?

And also the princess is here randomly

also a random defector who just so happens to be the guy who actually killed the ex-prez

Both Erusean faction plan to re-equip the arsenal bird so we stop them, all and save the island and some refugees

We then for some reason go all the way inland, to raid some nowhere city because we're out of fuel and food and we want their base and it's the home of mr long name and the last of SOL team

We kill him and DON'T take the base? I don't know

Now everyone is on our side including SOL who we were literally just fighting against and the conservatives.

And the princess is here for some reason.

(I just read that the princess deactivated the shield on the bird, that would have been nice to know **BECAUSE I'VE BEEN FIGHTING OFF 13 THOUSAND DRONES IN A CLOUD AND I CANT SEE SHIT** I genuinely didn't even know what happened, something like that would have been worth an in mission cutscene.)

Don't even know why they are even here, literally why couldn't it be a military unit doing this?

I spent an hour trying to destroy the fucking bird because it was so frustrating and the fight just kept on going

Some more people die that I genuinely don't care about at this point and the princess does the cover artwork

Now it's two drones as the last fight

Destroy one, Oh, you're not done yet!... destroy two. Oh, you're not done yet!... It splits into smaller drone. Destroy smaller drone, Oh, you're not done yet!... A third drone is doing a tunnel run! Go into tunnel and Oh, you're not done yet!... Destroy the third drone and fly out, game over

And you're thanked by a spaceship returning home??

That would have been nice to know was a thing happening.

---

Ever since mission 16 when the satellites were destroyed the whole game felt directionless, As evidenced by what I've typed here, I'm struggling to understand the series of events that lead to the next situation. It no longer felt like "here is a story structure" it's just "this is what is featured in an ace combat game and now it is time to feature it because *WE'RE RUNNING OUT OF TIME*"

- Fight the big aircraft, check.

- Fight the boss who has a laser, check.

- All sides team up for a big fight, check.

- Your wingman goes down, check.

- Tunnel run, check.

- Belka, check.

This game featured some incredible missions, some absolutely dog shit ones (annihilation missions having to restart the whole mission) some incredible visuals, good gameplay.

But the story from that point on, was bad.

I only hope 8 does better.

Build (SPECCY):

- AMD Ryzen 5 2600 Pinnacle ridge 12 NM technology

- 16.0 GB dual channel DDR4 at 1330 mhz

- AS rock b450m HDV r4.0 am4

- 8176 ati amd Radeon Rx 6650 xt MSI

- 1863gb SSD

I Believe the CPU is holding me back, is it worth upgrading the MOBO to get something stronger? Or are CPUs fine for what I have. Build is used entirely for gaming, have duel screens if that matters.

I'm new to upgrading, but did build what I've been using.

I'll explain better.

I would like to start out not as a collective humanity of all nations and cultures under one flag, but as an individual human faction or nation and instead of finding only alien species I instead come across nations like France, Germany and have to decode their languages, establish trade and do all the game mechanics but with humans.

Would this be possible, and how would I go about doing it?