Dark Crusade impressions and thoughts

Elheru Aran · Post by **Elheru Aran** » 2006-10-19 09:31pm

Fingolfin_Noldor wrote:Does anyone have this problem of corrupted text? I'm using a Radeon x1900XT 512mb and I've updated to the 2nd Latest drivers. Haven't updated the drivers to the latest as I heard there were some bugs or something.

You wouldn't happen to be trying to play Chaos, are you?

Fingolfin_Noldor · Post by **Fingolfin_Noldor** » 2006-10-19 09:33pm

Elheru Aran wrote:
Fingolfin_Noldor wrote:Does anyone have this problem of corrupted text? I'm using a Radeon x1900XT 512mb and I've updated to the 2nd Latest drivers. Haven't updated the drivers to the latest as I heard there were some bugs or something.
You wouldn't happen to be trying to play Chaos, are you?

Well, yes. But this also happened when I was playing the demo of this new expansion.

Elheru Aran · Post by **Elheru Aran** » 2006-10-19 09:41pm

Fingolfin_Noldor wrote:
Elheru Aran wrote:
Fingolfin_Noldor wrote:Does anyone have this problem of corrupted text? I'm using a Radeon x1900XT 512mb and I've updated to the 2nd Latest drivers. Haven't updated the drivers to the latest as I heard there were some bugs or something.
You wouldn't happen to be trying to play Chaos, are you?

Well, yes. But this also happened when I was playing the demo of this new expansion.

The joke had to be made...

Humour aside, if it happened with the demo as well, you probably have more wrong than just your video card. I'm not a geek though, so I'll refer you to Ace Pace...

Fingolfin_Noldor · Post by **Fingolfin_Noldor** » 2006-10-19 10:09pm

Oh? The problem that occurs probably won't surface if I used 16bit colour. The problem is acknowledged in the Dawn of Chaos technical manual and it only suggests a driver update etc. which i did perform. Emailed tech support and they told me to upgrade the mobo drivers which I also did. Not much help though. There is a quirk with my mobo where the CMOS has to be reset to allow me to post, though I wonder what sort of effect that might have.

AniThyng · Post by **AniThyng** » 2006-10-19 10:26pm

Fingolfin_Noldor wrote:Oh? The problem that occurs probably won't surface if I used 16bit colour. The problem is acknowledged in the Dawn of Chaos technical manual and it only suggests a driver update etc. which i did perform. Emailed tech support and they told me to upgrade the mobo drivers which I also did. Not much help though. There is a quirk with my mobo where the CMOS has to be reset to allow me to post, though I wonder what sort of effect that might have.

Try turning off the Catalyst AI (or setting it to standard if it's currently at advanced), that works for me for many other games that have text/2d graphic corruptions, might work for this as well.

Fingolfin_Noldor · Post by **Fingolfin_Noldor** » 2006-10-19 10:52pm

Oh, it works. Thanks!

Dominus · Post by **Dominus** » 2006-10-20 02:26am

NecronLord wrote:Damn. I wanted to see the Void Dragon! Any symbology on it? Don't know what he's entirely up to - though it's not the first time machines have been depicted as 'the real enemy...'

I was pretty disappointed in it as well. It's not like there's a vast abundance of images or artwork on the Void Dragon or anything...
As far as the general appearance of the structure is concerned, I made a few notes on it in my last campaign: it' a typically cyclopean Necron obelisk, crowned with an iconic green emblem (like the one here) and inscribed with those familiar constellation-like sigils running along the base and down the sides.

Additionally, there are about three obelisks spread out across the Necron stronghold: one dedicated to the Void Dragon, another to the Deceiver, and a third to the Nightbringer; all identical in appearance as far as I can tell.

Stark · Post by **Stark** » 2006-10-20 03:47am

Did anyone else find the campaign thing pretty weak? I know it's an base-building RTS, but I expected something a bit more complex like BFME2's one. I enjoyed the humour of watching space marines kill of the IG, though.

Shinova · Post by **Shinova** » 2006-10-20 04:07am

Dominus wrote:
Additionally, there are about three obelisks spread out across the Necron stronghold: one dedicated to the Void Dragon, another to the Deceiver, and a third to the Nightbringer; all identical in appearance as far as I can tell.

Don't forget the Chronometron one

Coalition · Post by **Coalition** » 2006-10-20 05:54am

Tasoth wrote:
Captain Cyran wrote: One thing I really like and I wish they'd spread to the other factions is the paths thing they did with the Tau. It would be pretty easy to do with most of the other factions as well.
What would be sweet is if they let you pick docterines(that's misspelled, I know it) for your armies, at least the ones that can use them on the tabletop, before the match/campaign starts or at least during army painting. It'd bring a whole helluvalot of variation to the game.

So you two would want something for Chaos, that let you pick one of the four Chaos gods, or an Undivided option, where if you specialize, you get the super critter for that force. If you take undivided, you get a better option from all 4, but not the super units.

Or for Imperial Guard, the Doctrines would be available at the main base (or even a 'planning center'), and you can pick a limit (similar to the Necron artifact selection) and the items selected under those limits become cheaper, or more available (larger number of troops per squad, higher vehicle cap, better armor, etc).

That would be fun. You play as or against Imperial Guard, and the tactics will change in every battle.

Lonestar · Post by **Lonestar** » 2006-10-20 06:12am

Stark wrote:Did anyone else find the campaign thing pretty weak? I know it's an base-building RTS, but I expected something a bit more complex like BFME2's one. I enjoyed the humour of watching space marines kill of the IG, though.

Campaign map reminded me of Emperor: Battle for Dune, which was probably my favorite RTS up until this point.

Hotfoot · Post by **Hotfoot** » 2006-10-20 09:16am

Stark wrote:Did anyone else find the campaign thing pretty weak? I know it's an base-building RTS, but I expected something a bit more complex like BFME2's one. I enjoyed the humour of watching space marines kill of the IG, though.

What's that? Relic included a weak-ass singleplayer to a Dawn of War game? SAY IT AIN'T SO!

Captain Cyran · Post by **Captain Cyran** » 2006-10-20 01:31pm

Coalition wrote:So you two would want something for Chaos, that let you pick one of the four Chaos gods, or an Undivided option, where if you specialize, you get the super critter for that force. If you take undivided, you get a better option from all 4, but not the super units.

Or for Imperial Guard, the Doctrines would be available at the main base (or even a 'planning center'), and you can pick a limit (similar to the Necron artifact selection) and the items selected under those limits become cheaper, or more available (larger number of troops per squad, higher vehicle cap, better armor, etc).

That would be fun. You play as or against Imperial Guard, and the tactics will change in every battle.

Pretty much. Chaos has the easy one with the four gods that each have their own thing to them, and then there's Chaos undivided. IG have the different doctrines, one may give access to more heavy weapons teams, another to more tanks, etc. Orks could have feral orks (whee, Ork psykers!) and the cult of speed. Space Marines could have Codex and maybe a few different non-codex style (likely Space Wolf and Blood Angel). Tau already have one. Eldar, well I don't know anything about them, but I'm sure they can be seperated into different things. Necrons would probably be the only ones missing out on this, but they're very unique already. Turtling bastards.

Azazal · Post by **Azazal** » 2006-10-20 01:58pm

Captain Cyran wrote:
Coalition wrote:So you two would want something for Chaos, that let you pick one of the four Chaos gods, or an Undivided option, where if you specialize, you get the super critter for that force. If you take undivided, you get a better option from all 4, but not the super units.

Or for Imperial Guard, the Doctrines would be available at the main base (or even a 'planning center'), and you can pick a limit (similar to the Necron artifact selection) and the items selected under those limits become cheaper, or more available (larger number of troops per squad, higher vehicle cap, better armor, etc).

That would be fun. You play as or against Imperial Guard, and the tactics will change in every battle.
Eldar, well I don't know anything about them, but I'm sure they can be seperated into different things.

*cough* Craftworlds

KrauserKrauser · Post by **KrauserKrauser** » 2006-10-20 02:04pm

Ok I ran into somethgin wierd when testing out the new Eldar.
I was playing against the Necrons and at one point had the majority of my army plus an Avatar wailing on their Nightbringer.

The wierd thing was he wasn't taking any damage while at the same time he was completely destroying my army. No I haven't played as Necrons that much but I remember my Nightbringer definitely taking damage.

Was this just a bug I found or is there a piece of wargear or upgrade that make this possible. If there is, that's seems a bit unbalanced. That single Nightbringer was able to take on my fully upgraded Eldar army without taking a scratch, not even 1 damage.

Shinova · Post by **Shinova** » 2006-10-20 02:12pm

The Nightbringer is invincible during the period of time he is out. When he attacks infantry and maybe vehicles, he replenishes his health and that health translates percentage-wise to the Lord when he transforms back.

The changing numbers when he was replenishing his health may be what caused you to think he was losing health instead of gaining it.

Captain Cyran · Post by **Captain Cyran** » 2006-10-20 02:15pm

No. You wanna talk about fucked up shit. In the campaign I at one point in time had to take on TWO Nightbringers.

Fucking bastards. I still kicked their asses!

Companion Cube · Post by **Companion Cube** » 2006-10-20 04:05pm

Captain Cyran wrote:No. You wanna talk about fucked up shit. In the campaign I at one point in time had to take on TWO Nightbringers.

Fucking bastards. I still kicked their asses!

What's the in-universe explanation for that? Is the Deceiver playing dress-up?

Fingolfin_Noldor · Post by **Fingolfin_Noldor** » 2006-10-20 04:21pm

I never liked the Eldar. Somehow, their lack of armour makes them too vulnerable to the heavier armour of the Space Marines and Imperial Guard and don't survive a straight on fight except well, if they set up defence hard points where their long range weaponry have good effect.

That is if someone can educate me on how best to use the ELdar..

Feil · Post by **Feil** » 2006-10-20 08:03pm

I'm not an Eldar player, nor do I have Dark Crusade, but the following should still be good advice.

None of your units can stand up to their best opponent in the other races 1 on 1 (with the exception of Fireprisms, which are about equal to the other races' tanks in terms of tank-killing).

However, all your units fit into one or more of the following categories: more mobile (Fleet of Foot or jumping), better at a different sort of thing than their 'equivalent', much better with a few upgrades, or able to be deployed sooner.

For instance, Dark Reapers will absolutely own any T1 ranged unit, but a squad of Marines with heavy bolters will tear them apart in T2.

Guardians are useless against most T1 units, but if you give them a Warlock, FoF, and grenades, they will be able to defeat most close combat units with dancing and grenades, and will be able to defeat most ranged units by rushing into close combat.

The Farseer can't stand up against any enemy heros, but she is the most effective against enemy infantry. Micro her away from the hero and attack troops while using spells.

Wraithlords can't stand up in CC with the Kans, Dreads, or (I think) Defilers. Use them against infantry, or give them brightlances and set them to ranged against enemy buildings and vehicles (except Sentinels, close in on those and make them waste time dancing away from you to stay out of range).

In short, get upgrades and don't try to fight against enemies of equivalent number and type, but against different types or inferior numbers.

Dominus · Post by **Dominus** » 2006-10-20 08:10pm

Shinova wrote:Don't forget the Chronometron one

Thanks; I thought I had overlooked one of those blasted obelisks...

And here's a strange observation/query: are you supposed to be able to gain control of an opposing race's buildings and units when you take their stronghold, or is this a bug of some sort? I've never been attacked in a captured stronghold before, so you could imagine my surprise when the Eldar attacked North Vandea (which I had already captured as the Imperial Guard) and I found that I could summon Space Marines from the Orbital Relay and build servitors and scouts from the damaged (but intact) Chapel-Barracks, which was sitting right next to my Regimental Command at the start of the mission. It just seems a little odd to me, fluff-wise, that the Blood Ravens would contribute to the Guard's campaign after the Governor-General so rudely evicted them from Kronus and sicked the Inquisition on them...

Lancer · Post by **Lancer** » 2006-10-20 08:23pm

That's definitely a bug. Whenever you defeat a race in their stronghold, all their buildings on that particular map should get removed.

Post by **NecronLord** » 2006-10-21 09:59am

Just assume they're proper marines, loyal and true, like the Raven Guard, and go back to enjoying.

Feil · Post by **Feil** » 2006-10-21 05:04pm

Thank the Emperor--somebody fixed that horrible Force Commander texture. http://forums.relicnews.com/showthread. ... ost1853793

Hooray for service studs!

Lonestar · Post by **Lonestar** » 2006-10-21 07:14pm

And it works with the campaign!