mission glitch - be careful of early destruction

[spaceboy]

A quick comment about a glitch I encountered.  Well, maybe just poor design rather than glitch.

I was "hired" to take out an oil rig and my poor flying of the harrier jet led me to only getting it partially destroyed so I bailed and landed on the rig fully armed with lots of triggered explosives.  But the rig was heavily fortified and I died before blowing everything up.

After restarting from last checkpoint I came to realize that my previous destructive efforts remained.  This did not allow me to complete the rig's destruction to 100% since everything else added up wasn't 100%  :(

Basically I can't complete the mission.  Now the game autosaves automatically but you can also have 10 or so game save files.  Luckily I have a save file from right before so I can discard the autosave and load that save file.  But I wonder what if I had destroyed this rig much earlier?  Since nothing is stopping you from destroying this stuff well in advance of a mission objective - would it then respawn for the mission or leave you without the ability to complete it? 

All I have to say is be careful about being too destructive with things prior to missions (which is hard because your supposed to create chaos to unlock missions)  Maybe earn chaos from smaller roadside towns etc. and as much chaos a possible from mission locations.

[Art Blade]

That sounds like a proper dilemma and paradox. How can I be expected to cause chaos if I'm not allowed to destroy things in order to keep mission objectives working or receive missions at all? Sounds like a bug. I'm just glad you had a savegame, space :)

[PZ]

Thanks space - good advice.  I've not encountered that before, but I've focused on smaller areas as I develop my techniques.

One thing I now do though is to always save fight before doing a mission of any kind.  For instance, many faction missions are timed events that will not let you advance (or abort) until you complete it.  Because I often dislike the timed events, saving just before gives me an "out".  I can reload my stats to just before the faction mission.  Of course, I'm not in the same physical place - I get transported to the nearest stronghold.  In effect, this is a w@&k around way of "aborting" an undesirable mission.

[PZ]

I may have fallen into this glitch/problem.  I was doing a military base because I chanced upon it - then found a control panel which required input, which I did.  Then as I entered the last of the code, I remembered spaceboy's advice - a moment too late.  A large pipeline blew, and it had the feeling of a mission type of structure because it is not the typical thing one finds in the areas like these.

I guess I'll see if anything comes of it.  :'(

[spaceboy]

yeah, that's what it sounds like to me too PZ.  I have yet to do a key code thing like that outside of a mission.

An update on the rig mission:  I reloaded my save file and went back to do the mission.  I got mission complete at 77% destroyed.  So it appears they've left some leeway for not actually destroying every item, but it's not really enough if you've been through there for fun you would have destroyed more than 23% of it I'm sure.

[PZ]

Good to know  :-X

I must say that the military areas are heavily defended, but extremely fun to do.  There are always a couple of SAM sites and usually a couple of helicopters - the one I did in the post above actually had 4 helicopters.  My usual approach in the military sectors is to run around finding the
SAM sites to take them out (usually with a minigun or IED) and then climb into a helicopter to rain death from above.  It is then easy to take out fuel depots, and other chaos items, and also easy to see the upgrade items that you need to find in order to complete 100%.  I did achieve 100% destruction in that pipeline area so it will be interesting to see how the the main mission for the area goes when I finally get it.

By the way, was your rig mission a faction mission?

[spaceboy]

yes- a faction mission for the Reapahs!  Well that's how the hot woman who's head of the Reapers says it...  I think it's called Black Gold.

[PZ]

Thanks, space - I'll be sure to watch out for the name and report what happens to me.  Now I'm really curious.  ;)

[PZ]

Although I still have not encountered Black Gold, I discovered the satellite area and cleared it out before I did the faction mission.  There was a single cash stash that was inside a building, but no way to get to it.  Then I started the actual faction mission associated with the satellite area and as I worked my way through, I noticed that the SAMs I had previously destroyed were still that way.  However, I don't know if it was simply due to not having enough time to re-spawn.

When I went to the control area as the faction leader instructed, the door to the tower where I found the cash stash earlier was open and I could go inside.

This is evidently an area where you can safely clear the place without jeopardizing your faction mission.

[Art Blade]

re: Glitch, early destruction:

I've noticed that 100% doesn't relate to destruction alone. Those goodies you keep finding in boxes, like vehicle parts and all that, also belong to a site, so maybe you were just missing out a crate or two still left for you to pick up.

[PZ]

re: Glitch, early destruction:

I've noticed that 100% doesn't relate to destruction alone. Those goodies you keep finding in boxes, like vehicle parts and all that, also belong to a site, so maybe you were just missing out a crate or two still left for you to pick up.

This is precisely the case, and it depends on how many objects you need to destroy and how many parts you need to pick up.  For instance, in a small village, there might be one weapon part and one tower to destroy.  When you pick up the weapon part, your HUD will indicate 50% completed, which tells you that there is only one more task to complete.  However, you don't know if you need to find another part, or if you need to destroy something.

[batdog]

Note that some of the villages are quite widely spread.  I was trawling through one trying to complete 100% until I discovered that the final package I needed was hidden in some ruins further down the hill.

On the other hand you'll come across some villages which only have ONE item to find to complete 100%.

[PZ]

Note that some of the villages are quite widely spread.  I was trawling through one trying to complete 100% until I discovered that the final package I needed was hidden in some ruins further down the hill.

Good point - there was one place that had three separate areas that you needed to loot in order to complete 100%.  The best way to discover the scope of the area is to fly above it using a helo, or if one is unavailable, slingshot yourself high into the air.  As a last resort, you can call in an extraction to the same area and the dealer will drop you from high above so you can spiral down with your chute.

It is easy to see the size of the area from high above.

On a related note, this is how I scope out the SAM sites and communication towers to plan my assault on military installations.  Spiral down using your chute and when you've seen enough, land well outside the area so you don't attract the attention of the govmen.  Then sneak up on each SAM and tower, planting C-4.  Once ready, detonate everything and start your assault.  If a helo then arrives, then you can hijack it and finish off the rest of the chaos items, and while you're at it, see where the weapon, vehicle, and armor parts are located.

[Art Blade]

That does sound like a sound strategy, PZ  ;D

[PZ]

You're going to have fun, Art!  :-X

[PZ]

I cleared a stronghold area before I did the "official" mission and was able to achieve 91% completion.  Then, once I did the actual mission to safeguard the technician, the area went to 100% even though I did not collect anything else nor find anything additional to destroy.

There is evidently a problem with the "Black Gold" mission reported by spaceboy, and the "Casino" mission reported by eor123 (and batdog?), but not with all missions.  I wonder how many other missions will have problems with completion.

[PZ]

I finally found the Black Gold faction mission, and I wanted to test the problem reported by spaceboy and others on the eidos forums.  I'm playing on casual and I went to the rig to destroyed/collected everything to 100%.  Afterward, I took the Black Gold faction mission (which is to destroy the oil rig) and flew there in a Rowlinson (armed with machine gun).

As I approached the rig, it was still smoking from my prior visit, but at least the SAM was taken out so I could inspect the structure.  I discovered that the crane, main tower, generator, and all fuel tanks had re-spawned, so my machine guns chattered merrily away.  In the end, I was able to complete the mission even though I'd been there before.

There may be at least a couple of reasons.  First, I'm on casual, and others that have reported the problem didn't seem to be playing on the simplest level.  Second, I cleared out the place to 100% in my prior visit so maybe that allowed the proper objects to spawn correctly.  Of the two, the second makes the most sense.

Based on my experience with this problematic area, I'd recommend that if you think an area might belong to a mission, complete it to 100% just to be safe - maybe complete all military installations to 100% especially if they fall within a small radius of a faction mission kiosk.

[eor123]

The Black Gold glitch got me.

After getting screwed out of completing all areas by the glitch at the casino on my first play through. I started over on Normal. I knew there were issues with the Black Gold Mission but I didn't have any problems with it before and wasn't worried.

I died during the mission after I had destroyed part of the oil rig. I then returned and completed the mission but am stuck at 93% complete with nothing left to collect or destroy.

I cannot stress how important it is to manually save the game prior to accepting  a mission and it probably wouldn't be a bad idea to do so before clearing each settlement.

Had I done so I could have merely done the mission again. Instead I am faced with another 368/369 locations completed situation again, or will have to replay some 10-15 hours of the game.

:D :D :D :D :D :D :D :D :D :D

[Art Blade]

well, not exactly satisfying, is it  ;D

[PZ]

You're absolutely correct - I save my game prior to any mission so I can return to a state just prior to acceptance.  I learned this the hard way some time ago when I almost couldn't complete a faction mission.  Now if a mission is too difficult for me, I'll just load a prior save and then return once I get a bit more experience.

[spaceboy]

since I was so worried about early destruction and rarely took on non-mission areas I have a long way to go in merc mode.  But I'm surprised about how much I'm enjoying doing so. My radius of "control" is slowly widening.  ;D   Plus since I have a fair amount of undiscovered locations, it's exciting to come upon a yellow dot not knowing if it will be a civilian or military location, let alone the size of it. 

[Art Blade]

Heh, that just happened to me. Found a huge harbor... and completed it. I just hope I don't accidentally clear out areas needed for future missions.

[eor123]

FWIW, I have often cleared areas prior to missions and never had a problem with mission completion.

The glitches I've experienced were of a different nature.

[Art Blade]

At 42% I decided to go back to the casino where I hadn't been to since the game start. I managed to pick up the goodies and completed it 100%. Apparently no glitch, then, on my rig.  :-[ :P

[Art Blade]

Just done the black gold mission. Hadn't touched that rig before. Mission accomplished while the oil rig wasn't fully cleared (80 or 85%). Finished that 100% right on site and straight after the mission. No glitch :)