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Nov. 7th, 2011 09:28 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
geebsSo, with Dynasty Warriors 7: XL coming out next week, I decided to finish up all those DLC levels I downloaded. I'm almost done, just have 2 levels left, the first two Yi Ling levels. I was saving those for last because I hate the Stone Sentinel Maze. Its just annoying, and they usually have someone go after your commander while you're trapped in there, and I always worry about not getting out in time because its such a BS way to lose. I have played the 3rd, non-historical version already though, and it wasn't too bad, At least in that version there were no weird tricks, the map just faded out. So if that's the case for all of them, I won't be too worried.
I did find a good DLC stage for maxing people out once they're strong enough, Jianye. Jianye seems to be the traditional Wu "final" stage, Yi Ling for Shu, Wu Zhang Plains for Wei. (these are the versions from DW2) Playing through those maps, it seems the third stage (the non-historical version) for all of them is you just fight a whole lot of officers. Which is good, particularly since its a stage where you can get +8 drops from the PC officers if you beat them with a 24-hit combo, or a +4 on the non-PC ones if you beat them with a 16-hit combo. Of course, that means +4s on the PCs and +2s on the NPCs if you don't, which is still decent. I mean, you're looking at least +60 to +80 in stat boosts, which is by and far better than any of the other stages on the map.
I feel Jianye is the best of the three, because its basically just you, vs every single Wu officer ever. No commander you have to worry about keeping alive, no allies to possibly kill steal you. So just with the PCs alone, its +64 in stat boosts (well, +56, I think, because Da Qiao and one other officer, mebbe SSX, give you +20 health drops). And there's easily a dozen non-PCs, so that's another +24. And the standard hidden health +10 drop that's on every board is easily found, its right outside the castle where Sun Quan, Lian Shi, and Zhou Tai are, so its not out of the way since you'll be going there anyways. And even better, once you start going after the 2nd of the 3 Sun men (the objective of the stage is to defeat papa Sun and his two sons), the majority of the rest of the officers who are in out of the way places will make a beeline toward you, so you don't need to go to them. And, its a nice open stage that's easily traversed.
Wu Zhang Plains is okay, like Jianye, its just you against the world. Its kinda similar to the normal stage where you get Red Hare, where you fight all 4 factions. I think this one its only 3 though, but occasionally generals from the "Other" category (like Lu Bu, Diao Chan, Zhu Rong, Yuan Shao, etc) will intrude on the battle and come after you. You may face more officers in this, but the stage is very tight and a little maze like, so in terms of time vs reward, I don't think its anywhere near efficient as Jianye.
Yi Ling also has you facing multiple factions, unfortunately you're working for Sun Quan, so you have to worry about his ass (and Lu Bu will make a beeline for him once the Stone Sentinel Maze is opened), and possibly having fellow officers kill enemy officers before you do. So its nowhere near as good for leveling as the previous two.
Oh, I guess one more stage bears mentioning, the third DLC He Fei stage. In this one, Cao Cao is in the castle (the actual He Fei castle) in the upper right hand corner, Sima Yi in the lower left, and they're being beseiged by Wu and Shu, respectively. You start out in the top corner facing He Fei castle, so just head that direction, kill everyone in your way. Once Cao Cao is no longer besieged, he'll open the castle and charge out to help Sima Yi, but Lu Bu/Dong Zhou/Yuan Shao will make a bee-line for the now open castle. Not to worry though, since they're taking the same path you are to swing around to help out Sima Yi, you'll meet them on the way. Kill them, then slaughter everyone around Sima Yi and you're done, easy-peasy! (I assume the same thing happens if you free Sima Yi first, with the "Other" offices making a beeline for him instead?)
Its not too bad a stage for leveling up either. Cao Cao and Sima Yi were never in any danger at all, with a high enough character you should be able to kill everyone surrounding them easily before it becomes an issue. The only problem is an efficiency one. The stage is actually won by defeating Liu Bei and Sun Quan. Unfortunately, the way the stage is set up, if you go to free Cao Cao first, the most direct path to Sima Yi, you'll hit Liu Bei first before the 12 or so officers actually besieging the castle. So, you have to take another path around to ensure you're able to kill all those other officers first and get the goodies. Same if you go the other way. Free Sima Yi, and taking the direct path to Cao Cao leads straight to Sun Quan. Its not too big a problem, just leads to inefficiency.
The version of Hu Lao gate where you're Dong Zhou faction, against Yuan Shao, Cao Cao, Liu Bei, and Sun Quan used to be my go-to stage, but I think Jianye's better now that I have it. I think you get slightly more health on that stage (Liu Bei, Sun Quan, and Cao Cao drop +10s, Lu Bu a +20, and the standard hidden +10 health up on the board right inside Hu Lao gate on the right side), but its +60 vs +50. And there's only 10 PCs to give you possible +8 drops (the original Xiahous, Cao Ren, Guan Yu, Zhang Fei, Zhao Yun, Diao Chan, Zhang Liao, Huang Gai and Zhang He. Is it weird I knew that off the top of my head?) Plus, there's decent potential that you'll have one of the scrub officers kill-stolen from you by your allies. I mean, for me its rare that either Wen Chou or Yan Liang don't get killed or run off before I get a chance to do it myself.
Owel, that's prolly more than you ever wanted to hear on leveling up efficiency in DW7
TV commentary:
Walking Dead- Heh, Sophia is still friggin missing. Why did they incorporate this storyline into the TV series? See, if they stick with canon, Sophia is still alive, but I think that will piss off a lot of people who will be all, "How the eff did she survive all this time?!"
Also, they made Maggie too hot, because she seems way out of Glenn's league here. I can't believe she effed him in the frickin' pharmacy! I mean, they are together in the comics, but I don't think they ever did that! Screwing out in the open in the middle of a supply run that is, that seems insanely dangerous with zombies possibly wandering around! (Of course, given my forgetting of Otis accidentally shooting Carl in the comics, maybe that did happen!) BTW, nice side boob, Mags!
In any case, having read the comics, when Lori asked for something special from Glenn on the run, I already knew it was a home pregnancy test, so it wasn't all mysterious for me. I did find it silly she didn't want to tell him what it was, its not like he wouldn't figure it out once he found it. Plus, what if they didn't have the brand she wanted? I mean, "home pregnancy test" would prolly ensure he found it, rather than putting some innocent sounding name that wouldn't belie what it was. Of course, its not like the names of those things don't make it obvious what it is! So he shoulda seen the name and be all, "A home pregnancy test?!" I know, I'm picking nits here, but they could've had her just be honest and upfront about it, and ask Glenn to pick one up for her, and beg him to keep it a secret for now. Because being all mysterious about it doesn't accomplish anything- the jig's gonna be up once he finds it, and now she looks all shady for asking it in such a obtuse way.
Anyways, I'm sure some people are eye-rolling at this storyline, thinking its soap opera bullshit, but its actually a vital storyline from the comics! Also, I think people think the Greene farm is BS, like why haven't they been swarmed, but that's because in the comics, at least they mentioned the farm having a pretty secure fence around it. I mean, nothing that would keep a huge swarm out of the way, but since they were out in the boonies, it seemed like that they didn't have to worry about that too much. But since its an issue for television audiences, they could've added a line or two about the fence. Of course, then you'd prolly have people being pedantic about how that fence couldn't keep out a zombie horde or something, so either way the writers are screwed. And if they're gonne take flak either way, not mentioning or showing the fence would save time and money.
I did find a good DLC stage for maxing people out once they're strong enough, Jianye. Jianye seems to be the traditional Wu "final" stage, Yi Ling for Shu, Wu Zhang Plains for Wei. (these are the versions from DW2) Playing through those maps, it seems the third stage (the non-historical version) for all of them is you just fight a whole lot of officers. Which is good, particularly since its a stage where you can get +8 drops from the PC officers if you beat them with a 24-hit combo, or a +4 on the non-PC ones if you beat them with a 16-hit combo. Of course, that means +4s on the PCs and +2s on the NPCs if you don't, which is still decent. I mean, you're looking at least +60 to +80 in stat boosts, which is by and far better than any of the other stages on the map.
I feel Jianye is the best of the three, because its basically just you, vs every single Wu officer ever. No commander you have to worry about keeping alive, no allies to possibly kill steal you. So just with the PCs alone, its +64 in stat boosts (well, +56, I think, because Da Qiao and one other officer, mebbe SSX, give you +20 health drops). And there's easily a dozen non-PCs, so that's another +24. And the standard hidden health +10 drop that's on every board is easily found, its right outside the castle where Sun Quan, Lian Shi, and Zhou Tai are, so its not out of the way since you'll be going there anyways. And even better, once you start going after the 2nd of the 3 Sun men (the objective of the stage is to defeat papa Sun and his two sons), the majority of the rest of the officers who are in out of the way places will make a beeline toward you, so you don't need to go to them. And, its a nice open stage that's easily traversed.
Wu Zhang Plains is okay, like Jianye, its just you against the world. Its kinda similar to the normal stage where you get Red Hare, where you fight all 4 factions. I think this one its only 3 though, but occasionally generals from the "Other" category (like Lu Bu, Diao Chan, Zhu Rong, Yuan Shao, etc) will intrude on the battle and come after you. You may face more officers in this, but the stage is very tight and a little maze like, so in terms of time vs reward, I don't think its anywhere near efficient as Jianye.
Yi Ling also has you facing multiple factions, unfortunately you're working for Sun Quan, so you have to worry about his ass (and Lu Bu will make a beeline for him once the Stone Sentinel Maze is opened), and possibly having fellow officers kill enemy officers before you do. So its nowhere near as good for leveling as the previous two.
Oh, I guess one more stage bears mentioning, the third DLC He Fei stage. In this one, Cao Cao is in the castle (the actual He Fei castle) in the upper right hand corner, Sima Yi in the lower left, and they're being beseiged by Wu and Shu, respectively. You start out in the top corner facing He Fei castle, so just head that direction, kill everyone in your way. Once Cao Cao is no longer besieged, he'll open the castle and charge out to help Sima Yi, but Lu Bu/Dong Zhou/Yuan Shao will make a bee-line for the now open castle. Not to worry though, since they're taking the same path you are to swing around to help out Sima Yi, you'll meet them on the way. Kill them, then slaughter everyone around Sima Yi and you're done, easy-peasy! (I assume the same thing happens if you free Sima Yi first, with the "Other" offices making a beeline for him instead?)
Its not too bad a stage for leveling up either. Cao Cao and Sima Yi were never in any danger at all, with a high enough character you should be able to kill everyone surrounding them easily before it becomes an issue. The only problem is an efficiency one. The stage is actually won by defeating Liu Bei and Sun Quan. Unfortunately, the way the stage is set up, if you go to free Cao Cao first, the most direct path to Sima Yi, you'll hit Liu Bei first before the 12 or so officers actually besieging the castle. So, you have to take another path around to ensure you're able to kill all those other officers first and get the goodies. Same if you go the other way. Free Sima Yi, and taking the direct path to Cao Cao leads straight to Sun Quan. Its not too big a problem, just leads to inefficiency.
The version of Hu Lao gate where you're Dong Zhou faction, against Yuan Shao, Cao Cao, Liu Bei, and Sun Quan used to be my go-to stage, but I think Jianye's better now that I have it. I think you get slightly more health on that stage (Liu Bei, Sun Quan, and Cao Cao drop +10s, Lu Bu a +20, and the standard hidden +10 health up on the board right inside Hu Lao gate on the right side), but its +60 vs +50. And there's only 10 PCs to give you possible +8 drops (the original Xiahous, Cao Ren, Guan Yu, Zhang Fei, Zhao Yun, Diao Chan, Zhang Liao, Huang Gai and Zhang He. Is it weird I knew that off the top of my head?) Plus, there's decent potential that you'll have one of the scrub officers kill-stolen from you by your allies. I mean, for me its rare that either Wen Chou or Yan Liang don't get killed or run off before I get a chance to do it myself.
Owel, that's prolly more than you ever wanted to hear on leveling up efficiency in DW7
TV commentary:
Walking Dead- Heh, Sophia is still friggin missing. Why did they incorporate this storyline into the TV series? See, if they stick with canon, Sophia is still alive, but I think that will piss off a lot of people who will be all, "How the eff did she survive all this time?!"
Also, they made Maggie too hot, because she seems way out of Glenn's league here. I can't believe she effed him in the frickin' pharmacy! I mean, they are together in the comics, but I don't think they ever did that! Screwing out in the open in the middle of a supply run that is, that seems insanely dangerous with zombies possibly wandering around! (Of course, given my forgetting of Otis accidentally shooting Carl in the comics, maybe that did happen!) BTW, nice side boob, Mags!
In any case, having read the comics, when Lori asked for something special from Glenn on the run, I already knew it was a home pregnancy test, so it wasn't all mysterious for me. I did find it silly she didn't want to tell him what it was, its not like he wouldn't figure it out once he found it. Plus, what if they didn't have the brand she wanted? I mean, "home pregnancy test" would prolly ensure he found it, rather than putting some innocent sounding name that wouldn't belie what it was. Of course, its not like the names of those things don't make it obvious what it is! So he shoulda seen the name and be all, "A home pregnancy test?!" I know, I'm picking nits here, but they could've had her just be honest and upfront about it, and ask Glenn to pick one up for her, and beg him to keep it a secret for now. Because being all mysterious about it doesn't accomplish anything- the jig's gonna be up once he finds it, and now she looks all shady for asking it in such a obtuse way.
Anyways, I'm sure some people are eye-rolling at this storyline, thinking its soap opera bullshit, but its actually a vital storyline from the comics! Also, I think people think the Greene farm is BS, like why haven't they been swarmed, but that's because in the comics, at least they mentioned the farm having a pretty secure fence around it. I mean, nothing that would keep a huge swarm out of the way, but since they were out in the boonies, it seemed like that they didn't have to worry about that too much. But since its an issue for television audiences, they could've added a line or two about the fence. Of course, then you'd prolly have people being pedantic about how that fence couldn't keep out a zombie horde or something, so either way the writers are screwed. And if they're gonne take flak either way, not mentioning or showing the fence would save time and money.
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no subject
Date: 2011-11-07 03:52 pm (UTC)Like:
- for every scrub officer +2
- for every good officer +5
- easy-to-get-to location of stage-life-boost, +2
- if you don't have to babysit a commander (ie you are the commander or you're by yourself), +5
- if you don't have to deal with allies kill-stealing (either there are no allies, or the allies suck or stay out of trouble), +5
- if you can finish the stage in under 10 minutes, +10
- ...or, in 10-15 min, +5.
- if there's no lame gimmicky terrain that makes things take forever, +2
- if there's no "go save some dumbass ally" interruptions, another +5
Something like that. But just for the the best stages you've picked out initially as ones that seem good for leveling (not for all stages, obv).
no subject
Date: 2011-11-07 03:53 pm (UTC)- stage difficulty
- chances of getting mobbed to death by enemy officers (for leveling weaker characters, this could be important)
no subject
Date: 2011-11-07 07:32 pm (UTC)As for being mobbed to death by officers, if one is just leveling up, there's no need to not play on easy, as the drops do not change with difficulty. So unless you're a glutton for punishment, there's no point in giving yourself the extra work.
no subject
Date: 2011-11-07 07:27 pm (UTC)