That philosophy assumes the player knows 1) what the must-haves are and 2) how to get to them. At high difficulties that is not unreasonable, because even the experienced player should be challenged. For a first time player though these things are unknown, and often it is unclear what the thing to research next should be.
I understand the point, but I don't think it's tham much of a problem - if you don't get it the first time, you get it the next time. That's how these games are meant to be played, not just this mod. I have restarted TFTD many times and ever thought of it as a bad thing (despite the frustration).
Besides, the readme states clearly:
ANY TIPS ON HOW TO PLAY?
Start with Logistics: it'll expand your away team from 2 to the whopping 4. Also get Personal Protection early to get the basic kevlar vest, it makes a big difference against small arms. Train your agents in the Gym. Choose your weapons well. Sometimes defence is the best offence. When overwhelmed, don't hesitate to run away. Firing rifles one-handed will cost you some teeth. Chupacabras will f*ck you up.
End of story.
I myself am on my first game (except that one time) and I'm pretty much winging it.
Good! That's how it's meant to be played!
I just started getting the beach missions and I get to take *no* ranged equipment at all. I managed to pull through the first such mission by going in at night and murdering the enemies in the dark with machetes. Still, I couldn't begin to guess how to focus my research to improve the situation. I play with the no-spoilers tech tree (because I think searching ahead in the tree is very un-X-Com) but even if I didn't I wouldn't know what to look for.
Well, you completed the mission, which to me means that the balance is good...
So my point here is, I suspect I am probably slower with tech than the campaign assumes, which may be a concern balance wise.
The campaign doesn't really assume anything. Yes, the invasion starts in January 1999, but if you don't get a base assault (which you probably won't very soon, as you won't have the means to shoot down UFOs), then you can pretty much continue at your own pace.
I'm taking a wild guess but I think you have to make a choice between research. Let me explain...
At my 1st attempt to this mod (superhuman) I was researching weapons to get better ones. But the game was getting harder and harder and I was not following the pace. Superhuman is too hard for me and it was my 1st game..
It's your first game and you're playing Superhuman? Are you insane or what?
Even I don't play on Superhuman.It's up to you, but don't expect any sympathy.
I restarted (Genius this time) and I used my scientists differently. In the original game, you throw all your scientists on one research most of the time. But in this mod, I found it better to split my scientist and have multiple research at the same time. When I get a research I feel very important, I throw most or all my scientist on it.
Yes, it's often better to split them. Of course it depends on the situation, but generally, yes.
I may be imagining things but, there are so many research project that you can research that I feel like you have to try to sort them out. To me that's the investigating part of the X-files mod. Your resources are limited, you need to try and focus on what seem to be important.
Yes, I'd say it's not wrong. Though once you get real labs, things accelerate.
I'm currently finishing the 1st year and for some time I was feeling strong until recently. What have I done recently ? I tried too hard to research unimportant stuff. This mod makes you pay for that.
Still, as I wrote before to BTAxis, you don't have to agonize over your progress. You won't suddenly get eaten because your level is too low or something. (Probably.)
