Because batteries get used up, while laser pistols can be recharged forever for free.

THIS.....well until you pass beyond a certain level in the game, anyways. ;)

Multiple laser pistols lets you rapidly switch between them, mitigating the recharged time for overcharge shots, too.

Two is pretty sufficient for this, but three will let you tear through robots pretty quickly.

It's not JUST the extra ammo it gets you -- it's extra ammo plus rapid fire.

How do you rapidly switch between laser pistols? Just started using them on my second play through and they are pretty great against bots.

Overall I'm not finding playing as a heavily psi based character that much more difficult. It really is a matter of focusing on the most sensible skills and then mixing it up with supplementary ones. Loving this game - one of my favorites of all time if not THE favourite.

Just press the key for them.

Just to clarify, you press the *same* key for them. Laser pistols are #5, so hitting 5 repeatedly will rotate through any laser pistols you have. I've played with 3 at times and you can cycle really fast with it on overcharge while they each recharge.

Ah, ok, now I start to see the point. Thanks.


@Axxolotl: Are you sure you meant me this rant about the chemicals - because it was me suggesting saving inventory space.

>Because batteries get used up, while laser pistols can be recharged forever for free.

Yes, they get used up by re-charging the laser pistol or the occasional implant...because there's not always a charger station around.

Yes yes, that's exactly why you carry more than one laser pistol.

Think of it as you being confused why anyone would bother buying rechargable batteries instead of disposable batteries.

I've played difficult games. I don't see how it is possible to "save your ammo" or whatever when the game places numerous enemies in the way of its "find the key to open the door" method of plot advancement. Cargo Bays is just stupid. I've never died more playing this game, and I've played pretty much every FPS/RPG/survival horror game made. This game has a great atmosphere, but the mechanics are wretched.

I couldn't disagree more. The cargo bay area is painfully beyond easy if you understand how the play the game. SS2 isn't a run and gun game, you need to actively run from your enemies if you're outnumbered. That's my entire point! You only have ONE goal in the cargo area, and that's to get a key, that's it. There's no reason to die so many times, all you have to do it avoid your enemies and if you have 4 fingers and a thumb on each hand, it's quite easy.

The game mechanics are classic and well done. It's doesn't hold your hand like most of the shovelware shit released in the last 8 years. If only games were developed with similar gameplay these days.

Clearly the issue is that you don't understand the mechanics of the game, hence it's actually fairer to say that it is in fact your playing skills (in this game) that are wretched. Learn how to play, save ammo in the beginning, love the wrench and be stealthy as possible. Scrounge, scrounge scrounge and search every nook and cranny. Stick to Easy level if you have to to get used to it. Destroy all cameras before they spot you (easy to see/hear them). Ambush enemies with the wrench, check the bodies of your enemies, especially shotgun hybrids, unload their broken shotgun into your inventory for more ammo for your shotgun. At the beginning choose - Navy: +1 hack +1 Str, Then +2 Standard weapons then + 2 Agility (if on easier difficulties).

This isn't a run 'n gun game - hence why alot of 'gamers' of this generation are having problems.

Hope this helps,

Tony.

I'm an experienced gamer, and I often play games on hardest difficulty.

I chose to play SS2 on Hard out of recommendation of people on this board.

I didn't find the game to be all that hard. I used wrench for most of the lesser enemies, later on switched it out for crystal shard. I conserved ammo, as much as possible. Saving ammo only for enemies with ranged weapons (robots largely).

There were a few spots that butchered me, but I just reloaded, and looked at the situation from a different perspective. Doing this I never bothered using the respawn machines, and thus conserved nanites (most useful for buying med kits for the final areas).

Towards the end, as I was heading to a point of no return, I dropped some of my equipment (the power armor seeing as I didn't think there would be very many ways to recharge it), so I could carry more types of guns ammo into the final stretch (I saved grenade ammo for the final area, took a modified shotgun, my pistol, and an assault rifle). Only armor I kept at that point was the hard armor (40% defense rating), as I didn't discover anything better. Like I said power armor was inefficient, and being stuck with it after the point of no return, instead of good weapons selection seemed like a bad choice to me. Turned out I was right, it really helped to have a variety of weapons for last few areas (and rocket propelled grenades for the many big annelid enemies thrown at you at that point). I was very glad I had those grenades when it came to last stretch and the Many battle.

In the end my game stats on 'Navy' leaned largely towards technological, modify, maintaince, hacking, etc. With weapons upgraded to the point I could use the assault rifle. Didn't bother with energy (other than I think level 1), or exotic (level 1 to use the crystal shard). Never used the PSI powers. I might try a more psi oriented game in a future playthrough.

You can recharge the power armor with batteries of which you should have more than enough at that point if you were conservative.

As in: If you kept running back to the recharge station like a lunatic.
Oh, the powered items are so obnoxious in System Shock 2