Video game lessons learned the hard way

In RTS games in general: Worker units may take up population that you could be using for more soldiers, but you need plenty of worker units just to keep pumping out those units. There is no shame in spending a good 10-20% of your population cap getting worker units.

In Halo: Plasma weapons are cool, but bullets work better 9 times out of 10. Similarly: do NOT waste ammo trying to snipe the neck portion of a Hunter. You are wasting your time.

In Call Of Duty Modern Warfare 2: You are probably going to get shot in the back from above in the Rio Grande levels. Constantly check your six, even when there are enemies charging at you. Chances are someone else is going to shoot you in the ass.

In Dawn Of War: The game is VERY micro-heavy. Be prepared to constantly click-dance to reinforce your units or your big attack force will die VERY quickly.

In Dragon Age: Origins: Mages are very, VERY overpowered in corridors. It is a bad idea to charge any opponent standing out in the open. Chances are there is a trap waiting for you that will stunlock you and everyone else will specifically gang up on you (This is the reason why I can't beat one specific quest. Small room+Blood Mage+Stunlock rune+A fuckton of warriors and archers=Total Party Kill).

In Warcraft III: Get your units and your Hero Unit ready as soon as you possibly can and then go out to start killing the mooks the moment that team is ready. Chances are the AI is already trying to do the same thing and is quite ahead of you.

That's all I got for now.

Any Early Modern war game ever: early modern warfare is COMPLETELY different to medieval and ancient tactics. For one, cavalry are a lot less valuable.

Pokemon: Despite it being tempting to go through the entire game with just the starter, this is not the most efficient way to do things.

The Total War series:

Shogun: No matter how invincible your Mongol Heavy Cavalry may seem, it is still unwise to send them up a forested hill to attack heavy spearmen.

• At some point, you have to stop building buildings and start building armies.
• The AI will always attack at the most inconvenient time.
• Ninja beat Kensai.
• Any strategy involving cycling out depleted units requires those units to not be needed every single turn of the campaign map.
• Don't chase archers with spearmen, it never ends well.

Medieval: Scotland is a horrible place to fight a battle.

• Attacking every faction within reach is a good way to get half the world on your case, even if you are the biggest badass on the map.
• Bridges do not bestow invulnerability to hopelessly outnumbered defenders.
• A few elites are not always better than a swarm of lesser troops.
• Pulling forces out of areas without a fort is a good way of getting bandits on your case. Yes, even if the population is loyal.
• Attacking the Papacy is tempting, but will always end badly in the form of three stacks bearing down on your lands.

Rome

• Attack the horde first.
• Money does not solve all your problems. Build military structures too.
• Your commander is not death incarnate.
• The solution to all of lifes problems is not "hit the flanks". Merely most of lifes problems.
• Don't fight the AI at sea.
• When using archers to bombard enemy lines, make sure the archers are near enough to protecting infantry.
• Cataphracts beat everything, and the only way to beat them first is overwhelming numbers.

Medieval II

• Using a small group of Game-Breaker cavalry to take out a far larger force only works if the enemy doesn't also have cavalry.
• Your general is not death incarnate.
• Archers still need protection when shooting at enemy lines.
• Always remember the Mongols.
• Especially if you're the Turks.
• Charging crossbows always hurts, so using your best cavalry to do it is not wise.
• This applies double to longbows.
• There is no siege situation that cannot be resolved through proper application of high explosive.

Touhou: Moving erratically about the screen is a very, very good way to die. You can see your hitbox. Learn to stare at it and remember that you won't die just because a huge bubble hit your pinky toe.

• Portal: Look up.
• MAG: Voice chat: It's not just for trash talk anymore.
• Team Fortress 2: Mini-sentries make great decoys.
• Mount And Blade: NEVER. TRAVEL. ALONE.
• Left 4 Dead: NEVER. SPLIT. THE. PARTY.
• Paradox Interactive grand strategy games: Just because it says you have a Casus Belli does not mean they're easy pickings.
  • Patience, young grasshopper.
  • Cutting the military budget during the war is a bad idea.
  • Good idea: Annexation of a one-province minor. Bad idea: Annexing a one-province minor protected by half of Europe.
  • Even if their diplomats are giving you the middle finger about once a month you probably shouldn't go to war with anyone in the same coalition of states as you unless you know you can beat them.
• Super Meat Boy: If you're running through a Death Course it helps to plan first.
• Battlefield 2: Snipers and medics rule.
  • Mind the helicopters. Even if you're piloting one. Especially if you're piloting one.
• Touhou: "Don't make any sudden movements" isn't just something somebody pointing a gun at you would say, it's a way of life.
  • Hisoutensoku: Moonwalking saves lives.
• Tower Defense games: The defenses at the entryway are going to fail eventually, so make sure you have a Plan B. And Plan C.
• Fallout New Vegas: A silver tongue solves all problems.
  • When a silver tongue fails, flamethrowers are generally good backup plans.
• Amnesia The Dark Descent: Retreat is ALWAYS an option.
• Persona 4: Did you bring enough healing items? No, you did not.
  • Persona 3: Time management: it's a good thing.
  • Persona 1: Disregarding status effects and resistances tends to lead to Charm-induced TPKs.
• Minecraft: If you build it, Benevolent Architecture is an Enforced Trope.
  • There are some things that require a bit of thought to acquire safely. Generally, if it tends to appear next to lava, it's one of those things.

edited 27th Jan '11 3:00:09 PM by Eriksson

RefleX

• You cannot dodge ZODIAC Virgo's huge missile swarms. Don't try.
• Homing lasers can turn on a dime. The Phoenix, on the other hand, has all the agility of Sinnosuke.
• You have a shield for a very good reason. USE IT.

Roguelikes

• Autopickup is your enemy.
• Unidentified items are your enemy.
• Ranged attacks are your enemy.
• The RNG is your enemy.
• Shopkeepers are not your enemy.

Shmups

• Just because you are dodging projectiles doesn't mean you should hit the enemies instead. Or the walls.
• The boss is emanating a glow/raising a section? RUNRUNRUNRUN.
• Better to bomb than to die. ...Most of the time.
• Sudden movements are not your friend.
• Just because it's a stage 2 boss, it doesn't mean it won't kick your ass.

Touhou: Moving erratically about the screen is a very, very good way to die. You can see your hitbox. Learn to stare at it and remember that you won't die just because a huge bubble hit your pinky toe.

This, oh so much.

• Fallout New Vegas
  • Don't fuck with a Deathclaw. They WILL kill you. High calibre fast firing rifles are the only effective defence.

edited 27th Jan '11 4:22:24 PM by Shichibukai

Thaddeus + Aegis of Fury (Stamina talent) + Chapter's Fury (Final strength talent) = FUCK OFF HORDES OF ENEMIES

He'll be continuously invincible while wrecking the shit out of everything.

Problem is you only get that very late in the game, and you have to micro so much that that combo generally isn't worth it. A Tank Force Commander and 3 ranged squads are generally the way to go outside Primarch mode.

Deus Ex:

Do not let oneself be lured into false confidence by possessing a sword that cuts tank armor. You will regret such foolhardy bloodthirst when you start encountering enemies that explode on death.

Yeah, damn commandos men in black.

edited 27th Jan '11 4:35:12 PM by Shichibukai

^Eh? I don't think the Commandoes explode, just the MIB. The Commandoes just keel over dead when you put enough boolet in them. Sometimes you can snag a biocell off the corpse!

The MIB/WIB can fuck off and jump into a reactor turbine, though. Especially the bastard ones with plasma rifles.

Yeah, I was unsure about the commandos because I remember seeing their corpses. Exploded enemies don't leave corpses. Their rockets have the same effects if you get too close though.

True dat.

Shotguns are inferior to rifles against Tank zombies. This is actually pretty realistic, as the former fires poorly-penerating pellets while the latter fire thin, pointy, fast shells.

ALWAYS MOVE IN GROUPS. ALWAYS ALWAYS ALWAYS ALWAYS ALWAYS. Unless you like chitinous space alien facerape, of course.

edited 27th Jan '11 4:37:15 PM by Charlatan

CRP Gs frequently require grinding.

inb4Grinding=sucking at the game

Various fighters:

• Learn to block and play defensively.

• Don't try to go for a flashy finish just because you happen to have nearly-full health and are on the verge of victory.

• Play characters you find fun for you, regardless of popularity.

edited 27th Jan '11 4:49:07 PM by Customer

SMT Nocture: MEGATEN GAMES ARE HARD!!!

Oblivion: The guards are psychic and will materialise behind you the instant you touch something that isnt yours. Also, if you make a 100% chameleon suit, you cant ever take it off, because you still accrue bounty.

Spartan Total Warrior: Escort missions suck.

Counterstrike: If you play online, a dozen germans will shoot you in the head the instant you do anything.

Left 4 Dead: Bots are fucking retarded. Also, when the zombie apocalypse finally arrives, I will happily sacrifice the lives of my friends if it means I get on the helicopter.

Blaz Blue, Street fighter 4: I cant play 2D fighting games. Also, Ragequitting is always an option.

Bayonetta: DOOOOOOOODGE!!!!!!

Silent Hill Homecoming: Dont try to melee Schisms.

Ninja Gaiden Sigma 1 and 2: Your life depends on how fast you can spam flying swallow.

Oni: If at first you dont suceed, cheat.

Left 4 Dead: The AI Director hates me. Also, Chainsaws solve all of life's problems (Excluding a Witch).

In Fire Emblem, no matter how awesome your character is, if you leave him to block a doorway it will only take a lucky critical to kill him if you don't leave a healer by 'im.

inb4Grinding=sucking at the game

Aw...

Super Mario 64: The wall in the mirror room actually leads to a level

How exactly does one learn that the hard way?

I agree with whoever posted about Luigi's Purple Coins. Took me forever to get past that level!

Rise Of Nations:

• Do NOT directly attack the city / Fort with ALL of your units. Let the Siege units do the work for you.

Real-Time Strategy games in General, especially Dawn Of War:

• Know how to retreat. However, this does not apply if the enemy is chasing you.
• Sometimes, it's better to rush, sometimes, it's better to tech up and gather resources.

Shoot Em Ups:

• Survival and Scoring are the same.
• Unless you're in a Raizing game, conserve your bombs.
• Sudden movements are a great way to die.

Knights In The Nightmare:

• Break every single piece of the landscape while dealing with enemies.
• When a boss' Rage Meter is filled up, stop attacking, and DODGE.
• Don't rely on Maria too much.

Alltynex Second:

• When you're stuck in a Bullet Hell situation, use the beam attack.
• Keep in mind that Advanced Armament Ship is very different than the Normal Armament ship in terms of controls.

Also, curse that barrel from Sonic The Hedgehog 3.

How do you learn that the hard way?

Unless I'm mistaken, "learned the hard way" means you learned from your own mistakes. IE: you died or otherwise lost because you did not know this at first. Because of your mistake the lesson is drilled into your mind. As opposed to merely getting stuck and getting answers elsewhere. That would be "learned from GameFAQs" rather than the hard way.

edited 27th Jan '11 6:36:39 PM by Clarste

No no, I definitely learned it the hard way. It took me MONTHS to try and figure out how to get past it on my own. I'm not one to look up walkthroughs and such.