Turn-Based Tactics Phantom Doctrine - "tactical Cold War conspiracy thriller" by Hard West devs

[Jimmious]

Silent Storm: Hammer and Sickle

Everything is inferior.

 

[lukaszek]

deterministic system > RNG

 

[Citizen]

btw how strong one needs to be to carry half-dead body and jump from 1st floor like a boss while breaking a window?

18/95

 

[Jinn]

Patch 1.0.3 is live.

https://steamcommunity.com/games/559100/announcements/detail/1689300456318880542

Greetings, Agents!
As we're continuing our efforts to introduce all the necessary changes and fixes, we are now ready to deploy Patch 1.0.3.

The most important change is that enemies no longer take player's free sidesteps into account (player characters no longer have an 'extended hitbox' in LOF calculations). That should eliminate a huge majority of the instances where enemies would appear to be shooting through obstacles.

We're working on more tweaks to the entire system and we're aiming for Wednesday with an expanded patch that includes further improvements, animation changes and more enhancements to the LOS/LOF.

Full patch notes:

• enemies no longer take player controlled agents' free side-steps (should eliminate a vast majority of enemies appearing to shoot through walls)
  
• improved direction of leaning out from full cover
  
• increased visibility of CCTV terminals and loot/secret file containers
  
• by popular demand: lower dust storm density in CIA mission 01
  
• fixes for the Italian, Spanish & French localization
  
• fixed: specific cases where UI would lock up while transitioning from the IB to the map
  
• fixed: a block caused by specific instances where air support couldn't target anyone upon arrival
  
• fixed: campaign progression issues related to Undertow
  
• fixed: New Identity screen now has the Confirm button visible in all screen resolutions
  
• fixed: a Vigilant agent restoring CCTV operation will no longer cause infinite turns
  
• fixed: moving from the IB to the world map using a hotkey after solving files is now safe

As always, feel free to get in touch on our Official Discord Server[discord.gg]. Thank you for your support and, as always, we'll be awaiting your feedback.

CreativeForge Dev Team

 

[Raghar]

Why does the game have bad ratings? Is it bad?

It basically killed expectations. The tactical part is simplified and feels like let down. It was disapoitment even to users that don't require as decent stuff as UFO:EU, or Silent Storm.

Walls are no problem for the AI in this game ^^ they shoot over a distance of 100 meters thru an open door, three rooms, a keyhole, around an orange and still hit a full sh**load of rounds into your hidden agent.

Suspension of disbelief and trying to simulate into details are important.

(Funnily we seen more posts about returns of money investment than about, oh shit we should add missed shots and modify combat to work even with missed shots.)

Actually, it would be nice if 7.62 high caliber would be released as non commercial freeware. It's quite old game, and it would show one method how to implement proper combat.

 

[Stavrophore]

First 7.62 is mediocre, second its real time so apples to oranges, apples to oranges...

 

[Lhynn]

MK ultra is fucked. Before MK ultra i could instantly get intel from an enemy, after MK ultra i have to wait 20 hours, gain 20 risk and pay for it AND to get rid of the enemy.

Who thought itd be a good idea?

 

[Jinn]

MK ultra is fucked. Before MK ultra i could instantly get intel from an enemy, after MK ultra i have to wait 20 hours, gain 20 risk and pay for it AND to get rid of the enemy.

Who thought itd be a good idea?

Yep. I've heard nothing but bad things about it, so I've avoided building it so far. The developers are aware and I wouldn't be surprised if it gets fixed in the next patch or two.

 

[Raghar]

MK ultra is fucked. Before MK ultra i could instantly get intel from an enemy, after MK ultra i have to wait 20 hours, gain 20 risk and pay for it AND to get rid of the enemy.

Who thought itd be a good idea?

Developers.



To be honest CA is worse. Bugs, or some of bright ideas from vortex campaign are as sane as cuckoo. CA bad ideas are interlinked and hard to get rid of. At least bad ideas in this game are as visible as fist into your eye, as much painful, and most of bad ideas are easy to correct.

 

[ArchAngel]

MK ultra is fucked. Before MK ultra i could instantly get intel from an enemy, after MK ultra i have to wait 20 hours, gain 20 risk and pay for it AND to get rid of the enemy.

Who thought itd be a good idea?

Main dev here I think said you get more intel from it or you got a bigger chance for success or something like that.

 

[Lhynn]

Yeah, you get a big book instead of small clues. Still would welcome the option to just off them and get small clues. Or maybe an option to reduce risk.

 

[Stavrophore]

Ive played few hours on new patch and havent noticed much change. Ranges are almost the same, reinforcements are still slow as hell and wont catch me if im half map away. With LoS changes, game seems a little easier both in stealth and combat. I dislike the gun progression system, i love all guns, and the game forces me to use newer toys. What if i want to use that nice RPK instead of M249? Its vastly inferior in the end game.

 

[Lhynn]

You cant execute a captured enemy if you are already using the slots of your MK ultra, thats so retarded.

Dude just shoot him.

 

[Stavrophore]

You cant execute a captured enemy if you are already using the slots of your MK ultra, thats so retarded.

Dude just shoot him.

Ive learned lesson that for next playthrough im going to either skip mkultra or wait until ive built enough upgrades so it doesnt suck so much.

Ending of CIA campaign is really unsatisfactory. No answers what so ever, to this completely non-understandable plot. Ending is basically an allegory of meme: "reptilians control jews, which controls illuminati and so on"...

 

[rusty_shackleford]

Phantom Doctrine is 1% away from going from 'Mixed' to 'Positive' review on Steam, FYI.

 

[Stavrophore]

Im playing extended mode, KGB campaign, ironman hard and im having a blast. Without reloading the game is really really tense. I failed the start twice, one time the enemy soldier just threw grenade at three of my dudes. First mission and enemy can lob grenades, huge incline .
So far KGB campaign plot seems more coherent, the CIA was complete mess.

Edit: I wish enemies patrol routes could span across different rooms. Its rarely happening if all, and that what makes stealth easier in already easy system. Also im astonished how many retards are on steam forum, for your sanity codexers please stay on gog forums. Button mashing 15 year old teens who played xcom on easy and just want nice explosions and "i win" button. Horrible generation.

 

[Jinn]

Just had an agent start to show signs of paranoia, claiming to have mysterious people trail her. Sent her to therapy, but she escaped the hospital and we lost track of her. Several days later, she popped up again, running around Europe causing trouble and trying to track down these supposed agents that were after her, so I sent a cleaner to sweep up after her and make sure no harm came to her. After losing track of her one more time, she showed up days later injured. Turns out those guys did exist, and she set up an ambush to take them all out on her own. For sticking with her and making sure her movements weren't discovered, I now have her undying loyalty and she gained 1,000 XP for the ordeal (a lot for Level 5-6 characters).

Cool as hell, with some nice choice and consequence, with a solid reward. Could have lost the agent altogether, and thought I had, but they came back stronger than before. Definitely an moment in the game.

 

[Stavrophore]

Just had an agent start to show signs of paranoia, claiming to have mysterious people trail her. Sent her to therapy, but she escaped the hospital and we lost track of her. Several days later, she popped up again, running around Europe causing trouble and trying to track down these supposed agents that were after her, so I sent a cleaner to sweep up after her and make sure no harm came to her. After losing track of her one more time, she showed up days later injured. Turns out those guys did exist, and she set up an ambush to take them all out on her own. For sticking with her and making sure her movements weren't discovered, I now have her undying loyalty and she gained 1,000 XP for the ordeal (a lot for Level 5-6 characters).

Cool as hell, with some nice choice and consequence, with a solid reward. Could have lost the agent altogether, and thought I had, but they came back stronger than before. Definitely an moment in the game.

Had this too, generally its best to help agents, let them do their way, than kill them. Almost always you get some reward.

 

[ERYFKRAD]

Damn, every time I have to rescue an informant, the guy ALWAYS has more HP than the hitman. It could be a design decision, but it's making me paranoid as all hell.

 

[lukaszek]

deterministic system > RNG

 

[ERYFKRAD]

policemen

enemy agents

Not entirely mutually exclusive, mind.

 

[lukaszek]

deterministic system > RNG

 

[ERYFKRAD]

policemen

enemy agents

Not entirely mutually exclusive, mind.

yeah but if you follow that logic then agents might be posing as civilians. Why kill policemen but let civilians live?

Anyway you are destroying enemy cell but the objective is to kill 12 targets that carry a weapon. About 4-5 are policemen. 1-3 actual agents, rest are hired security from my understanding.
Technically you should be only after agents right?

Agents and security, true but I see your point. In all honesty, there's probably some reason you can cook up to rationalize your actions. Me, I just want the xp.

 

[ArchAngel]

Maybe they are crooked cops.

 

[lukaszek]

deterministic system > RNG