Helldivers 2

TitianGerm

Anyone playing Helldivers 2? Looking to pick it up on PC once I've finished TLOU2.

Grumpypants

Played it all weekend it's brilliant.

TitianGerm

It just looks fun.

Not buying it on PS5 because I don't want to pay for Plus again.

Grumpypants

The loop is great, hop in and play for 15-30 mins and extract. Difficulty is balanced as well. You feel strong and at risk at the same time.

Progression is good so far. I'm unlocking lots of stuff by just playing. You can buy premium currency and buy some items but you can also earn premium currency in game. They have got that right to. It doesn't feel like a grind. It feels like you are getting the right things at the right time to make it more fun.

Heavy starship troopers vibe from the look of the bugs to the humour. But they also have a second enemy that's more terminator vibes.

And to top it off almost everyone I played with was sound and really having fun leaning into to whole tone of the game and being helpful. Will see how long that lasts 🤣

Varik

The stratagems in the game by default on PC are WASD, but you're also using those for moving as most games do.

The Icons for the stratagems and terminals are still arrow symbols. So something to be said for using a controller even on PC where it's the d-pad and you're still able to use the 2 sticks to move and look around rather than stand there. If you change it to something else on pC then you've have to take hand off mouse and again it's not great.

There's some planets/missions where the codes are scrambled so you've to double check after you've used one before you drop it to make sure it's right and you're not about to airstrike yourself. So you're entering and re-entering them to get the right one.

Also with the keyboard controls it's hard to drop one and be running away from enemies at the same time, on controllers you can easily be sprinting away from enemies and drop an bomb or orbital on whatever's chasing you down.

TitianGerm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121785017#Comment_121785017

I've two mice I use and one has 9 buttons and the other has 8 so can remap them easily enough. Just a matter of getting used to it.

Then you'd have WASD, tab, shift and CAPS Lock for everything else. Surely couldn't be that many more inputs needed?

Grumpypants

It's not that easy on controller. Your left thumb is running and you have to hold L1 and press the DPad to enter the code.

But I like that. Those heavy attacks have to be planned a bit. You can't just call them in rapidly.

Varik

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121785039#Comment_121785039

It's not about the number of commands or buttons it's about using them at the same time, and quickly. While the inputs are just the 4 arrow symbols some are very long.

Also if you get hit while inputting them it needs to be restarted and if you get knocked down while ready to deploy it'll drop at your feet.

Like playing a rhythm game without the timing where you can't make a mistake, and playing a shooter at the same time.

A lot of PC change them to the arrows keys and take their hands off the mouse.

Varik

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121785152#Comment_121785152

I tend to press the side of my thumb on the stick as I hit the d pad, don't have to be too accurate with the stick as you just need to be running away at times.

The bombers can be used quickly, for their number of uses before they've a long wait. If you've got more than one it does share a timer so having all bombers isn't great.

I've got the upgrade that gives an extra bomber use per flight so I either use 2 500kg bombs or have 3 110 rockets.

KilOit

Bought it on a whim then saw that servers weren't up and every match I was on my own. refunded it. Looks like another Palworld exp in that the devs are overwhelmed and arent able to cope with the numbers.

Does anyone in the know have any info on it being fixed soonish? will probably buy it again but without the super edition, didn't seem worth it but I don't know for certain

Kiith

To be fair to the devs, they've been pretty up front about their server issues. The game has massively over-performed, and they simply weren't ready for the influx of players. Working hard to get the new servers spun up, and hope to have the issues resolved soon. Or so they say.

I'd love to play it, as it looks like loads of fun, but just don't have the time (or the pc) to play atm.

Grumpypants

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121785883#Comment_121785883

If the servers aren't working you can't play it at all. It just gets stuck on the splash screen with a servers full message. But even then I've got in after 1-2 mins.

Are you sure you weren't dropping into matches by yourself? If you just pick one and drop it's just you. If you wait others can join it will match some in, or better still scroll around to see the ones that have 1/4 or 2/4 players loading in and join them.

Varik

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121785883#Comment_121785883

Only have steam numbers but while Helldivers 1 came later to PC and might have been lower than the others than PS3/4/Vita but it's all time peak numbers on steam were ~6.7k. I think the dev though it's be 10-20k peak.

Current peak for 2 on steam only is 388k which is both it's all time and last 24 hours so it's still growing with 368k on the 10m peak.

Dev said it's almost 50:50 PS5 vs PC with PS5 getting a bit more, and from playing that seems about right I meet slightly more PS5 players.

No point buying the super edition, you can buy the paid pass in game. By the time you've unlocked a few 100s SC off the free pass you'd have picked up the rest ingame and I do mean picked up it's not a exp at the end type of thing you've to find it and pick it up.

You can play the mini game on someone elses ship but you'll only bother once, the title get's replaced sooner or later, the SMG isn't as good as the free version, and the paid season pass is easily earnable.

McFly85

Bought it over the weekend, currently going through FF7R again ahead of Rebirth, had planned to give it a go after that.

Did the tutorial last night but matchmaking was basically broken as it wasn’t possible to join any games with random people. According to the subreddit the discord channel is the best way to go to go to get quick friend requests to get into a game. Might try that tonight.

McFly85

Finally managed to get a couple of games in at lunch(Sunday and Monday night I was hitting a wall of server issues), it’s really good fun. I rarely play multiplayer games with randoms but the people I’ve played with were pretty sound. Definitely think it helps that it’s all PvE.

Shooting is weighty, games are just long enough to keep things interesting and it’s pretty funny too. Hope they can sort the server issues out so I don’t have to take breaks from work to play!

CptMonkey

Haven't been able to even get 1 game of this yet which is annoying.

brady12

I love it but not gotten in last two nights 🤣

Retr0gamer

Got to play a bit of this last night. Does nobody play Earth Defense Force at all because this is just Earth Defense Force for normies. It really feels the same right down to the roll dodge. However I don't mean that in a derogatory way, it's a lot of fun has a bit of the madness of EDF but with way more polish. It's great. With EDF6 delayed I might just pick this up.

Varik

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121795486#Comment_121795486

Getting in past the loading screen or into an actual game?

The waiting isn't a queue so it's a coin flip every 30seconds, but Joining friends from PlayStation home screen seems to work better. You get a black screen until it's on but works eventually

Also being in game in rest mode let's you straight back in when you Turn on.

Starting your own game helps things along for matchmaking.

TitianGerm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121795814#Comment_121795814

I think the Devs said something about looking at removing people who are inactive because they are just blocking server space.

Grumpypants

People on Reddit saying they are staying logged in for days at a time so they keep the spot likely not helping.

Grumpypants

I didn't realise.

The major order win 8 campaigns (defend the automaton attack)

This is not you winning 8 times, but the overall campaign everyone contributed to. Keep the blue bars above the red. So play once per day and do your part.

Sconsey

Bought it last Friday, played one short game with a friend, seemed like a good game. Have not been able to play since, tried Friday night, Saturday, Sunday, Monday and last night...servers full, take a hike! Can't refund as I bought on CDkeys. I would not advise anyone to buy the game for now.

I read somewhere (Reddit maybe) that the server problem is not just a matter of throwing more capacity at it, the server code does not scale very well at the moment so needs to be redeveloped. That suggests it could take some time for a fix.

Really annoys me that they are still selling the game, they could at least put up a warning before you buy that the game is likely unplayable, at least it is for me. Steam reviews are now 'Mixed', almost entirely down to the servers (and the over the top anti-cheat software), no one is really complaining about the gameplay.

I don't buy the argument that Helldivers 1 only have 7k players at it's max, they are not the same game. They invested a hell of a lot more money developing HD2, they are different games with the same name, they would have expected more players...granted not the volumes they are getting.

CptMonkey

So finally got to play this tonight and it is great fun. Its nice to play an online shooter that is fun to play and not major sweat fest even if it gets proper hard

EoinHef

Picked up the game today, had a few games earlier. Tried to get on tonight, had to wait about 10 mins to get in but wasn't to bad.

But then everytime I'm dropping in the hellpod for a mission the game crashes.

Gave up after about an hour and 5 crashes.

EoinHef

I definitely wouldn't buy this on PC, personally I think they will get there in the end but its a total mess atm.

CptMonkey

Played a good bit last night. The more I play the better it gets. Really helps teaming up with players of a higher level who know what they are doing.

Best fun I have had I ages. Reminds me of the old battlefield desert combat times

KilOit

Was a little better last night. Able to play a few games with randoms

Sephiroth_dude

Haven't played in over a week as I couldn't get in last Thursday , so just left it, was having a lot of fun with it though, might try again today.

nedd

I got this on PS5 during the week. First night there is a delay getting onto a server of about 15 mins.

I have played a little every night this week and no problems getting in. It is a little glitchy matchmaking.

Server issues aside it is brilliant fun. Grumpypants review captures it exactly. Short blasts, fun but tough in the right measure. If you get it with a good squad, or even just 1 person who will lead the squad, it is fantastic.

Grumpypants

They are ( or have) introducing a 15 min AFK kick that might help clear the server hogs back to their ships.

I got in easier last night but still had issues seeing friends online. Definitely made a difference to use the Join button on the playstation main menu to join friends directly rather than any in game flow.

I bought a €5 worth of super credits too to get enough for the premium battle pass. It was easy to earn 100 credits per page in warbonds. But after page 6 it drops to 50 credits for 20 warbonds and there is better in game stuff to spend them on.

I'm sure that's exactly what they planned. 😋

Varik

They're meant to have about doubled server cap.

If people are playing with high levels I wouldn't trust they know anything, there's a lot of people who were grinding the defense missions for xp and rec but don't know how to play. Like thinking samples/rec/sc is kept by whoever picks it up or just not knowing (or reading prompts) I on how to complete objectives or starting unending fights with enemies you didn't have too.

nedd

It doesnt give much hand holding for missions. It took me a few days to figure out that areas of interest and secondary objectives are important.

That said, there is a lot to be said for dropping in, doing the main objective, getting to extraction and blasting a sh1t ton of aliens while doing it.

Grumpypants

Yeah there is a few tips that you pick up along the way.

Reload with 1-2 bullets left. Reloads throw away all the bullets in the clipnso don't reload too early. But if you reload with bullets left it reloads much faster.

If you see a bug digging at the ground it is about to spew orange stuff in the air and call in a bug breech. Kill them before the orange spray and you will stop it. Similar for automatons but they shoot a flare.

Clear bug nests (show as red areas on the map) , the less of these the less active bugs on the maps.

Secondary objectives usually show in blue and are good for getting extra xp and cash.

If you see a half buried blue or red shipping container. They usually show as minor points of interest and have ammo outside but toss a grenade at the door and blow it up to get medals, money or free stratagems.

You can find massive artillery guns. You need to use the terminal and then load in the shells but you get massive fire power to call in.

Boosters (unlocked via warbonds) work across the whole squad. So if you have the max ammo booster everyone drops in with full ammo and grenades.

Varik

Would add about the boosters they aren't consumed, they should have called them something else but if someone is new they'd think they're consumable.

Had a weird bug today, dropped in with no weapons, my primary and secondary were replaced by ammo backpacks where ones on my back and the others in my hands.

No grenades either, while armour/cape set as default.

On the bright side I did have instant unlimited strats.

EoinHef

Managed to get a good few games in on Friday night, very enjoyable when I can get it to work.

The only way I could get into a game was to make my mate on PS5 host the party. Few crashes during missions which wasn't ideal but at least I got to play for a few hours and rank up a bit

Corvo

Started this with two mates and a fourth player joined us randomly. Did the release the ICBM missions. So much fun.

Grumpypants

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121832715#Comment_121832715

Did that last night with 3 randomers. When we set off the missile we all stood on a little cliff and watched it and saluted as it blew up 🤣

Varik

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121832740#Comment_121832740

That's call a liberty sunrise

Next war bond pass thing is meant to be out on second Thursday of each month. Now I'd take that as the 14th but seems all on reddit and the official discord are taking it as 7th.

Way people do timesheets it would be as the 7th would be the Thursday of the second week of march.

nedd

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121833635#Comment_121833635

Does that mean you need to buy it again? I have about 500 Super Credits and was thinking of buying a few to get me to the 1000. But if it is resetting today/next week I won't. I assumed the seasons would be much longer.

nedd

It's next week:

https://blog.playstation.com/2024/03/07/helldivers-2-new-warbond-launches-march-14-first-look-at-new-weapons-armor-and-more/

Varik

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121861441#Comment_121861441

The warbonds/season pass don't go away, if you buy the new one next week or in a years time it's fine and it lets you unlock stuff in them whenever. The current paid warbond will still be there too.

Maybe they'll bundle them eventually so it's not going to list a dozen different paid passes at the same time.

On the free pass how many super credits have you not unlocked yet. You really do get a lot of them in games if you look at points of interest. Look for the vaults and for the buried shipping containers.

Grumpypants

Mechs are coming. The planet that has the mech factory has been taken over by the automatons we need to liberate it.

Democracy needs you !!

I do love this approach to a live service where it's got a games master pulling the strings rather than just a random bunch of stuff dropping at X date.

nedd

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121861761#Comment_121861761

Thanks, I have about 500 bought/found at the moment. I used some to buy an armour before I knew how it all worked.

I had 2 can of Guinness last night and then start playing, the booze made my buy 1000 SC. I am doing everything I can to help Managed Democracy!

Varik

Thought the game was glitching a bit when it was telling me I got 0 medals from event but no I didn't get any as I'd max

Max is only 250 if anyone was saving for new warbond.

Grumpypants

I think they gave out about 90 over the last few days for the majority orders.

Mechs are unlocked now too. Everyone gets one person mission while the temporary order is in place. But after that you need to unlock at level 25 and 10,000.

TitianGerm

Hopefully I'll get to tackle this now over the weekend and next week now I've finished TLOU2. Looking forward to it.

Varik

Dev looking to patch enemy spawns, they increased them as the defence missions were too easy but now you'll get an endless stream of them where if you can't finish them off really quickly more drop/spawn.

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121867084#Comment_121867084

The mech was 20k for me, not sure what level it at as it doesn't show it if you're over it. Mech is really a walking turret not meant to tank rounds from bots, a few rockets them insta kill.

Grumpypants

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121869900#Comment_121869900

The bug spawns were very off. I was in a game last night and trying to load the artillery. No less than about 200 bugs must have come after us. Had to just run to extract and even the map showed this massive column of red dots chasing us.

Varik

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121869965#Comment_121869965

Few bug fights I've been in recently have turned into each member of the team running in their own circles with their own personal couple of chargers and dozens of others in tow.

For the artillery it's safer to move all the shells near the gun then start it, patrols spawn near by when you start it.

y0ssar1an22

loving this game so far.

1 minor gripe i have is having to equip the grenade rather than just hitting r1 to chuck it.

have only made it to challenging level, so another 5 difficulties to go