Shadowrun Returns

[Hurlshort]

I got rid of my global variable and the regions that we attached to it, as well as the triggers.  It was causing an error and a few oddities.  Plus none of my triggers were firing correctly.  Everything is working much smoother now.  

 

I'm having fun balancing the low level combat.  Basically you start with almost no karma in my adventure, and you slowly build up to about 24 points.  You start naked and bare handed and end up facing a gang boss with a shotgun and a combat vest.  I'm enjoying it, hopefully others will as well.  I think I can finish it by next week.

[alanschu]

Hoffstadtler's law means that next week is two months

[Tale]

That's why I estimate projects in Gandalf. 1 Gandalf, to be precise.

[Hurlshort]

Well I've already spent half a Gandalf on the thing, so I should just be a Balrog away from having a playable alpha.

[Humanoid]

Bah. I've been struggling with my intro area. The plot justification was flismy. It's an obvious trap setup, but expecting the player to walk into it "because that's what they'd least expect!"

You're never going to make it as a AAA developer with that attitude!

[sorophx]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MwpHVBjPr28

 

how do you embed YouTube videos here?

[Humanoid]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MwpHVBjPr28

 

how do you embed YouTube videos here?

[media]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MwpHVBjPr28[/media]

[sorophx]

oh, gotcha, thanks http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MwpHVBjPr28

Edited August 3, 2013 by sorophx

[Hurlshort]

I needed that video a week ago

[samm]

Patch 1.0.2 notes, there's a fair bit of rebalancing going on there alongside the bug fixes.

 

 

EDIT: DRM-free version is updated on the account website too, have to redownload the whole game though.

... the way they handle their DRM-free version annoys me deeply... trying to sell people to the oh-so-hasslefree DRM that is Steam. To avoid swearing: in the olden days, developers were actually able to package bugfixes into small executables, and in most cases these even worked with any previous version of the game. This ability to serve their customers has been lost apparently.

[Hurlshort]

Speaking of Steam, this is the first game that has really had me using the Steam Workshop.  I gotta say, as long as you stay away from the actual forum area, it is pretty sleek and easy for managing content.

[Tale]

New intro map.

 

Gameplay idea is that the player and partner need to make it to the plane. But they find turrets in their way and are being chased by security guys. They have to hack into the apartment building (the supplied partner is a min-maxed decker), where they find the security team has set up an operations base from which they control the turrets. Shoot the guys in front, while fighting respawning guys from behind, take control of turrets, then fly off.

 

One fear is that the final map will have too large a playable area, but I need to double check all of that. If it takes them two turns to cross otherwise empty space, that's kind of dumb. I can probably shrink the hallway length.

 

Other fear is that if the player were to choose a decker, then there's a redundancy with the partner.

[Humanoid]

 

Patch 1.0.2 notes, there's a fair bit of rebalancing going on there alongside the bug fixes.

 

 

EDIT: DRM-free version is updated on the account website too, have to redownload the whole game though.

... the way they handle their DRM-free version annoys me deeply... trying to sell people to the oh-so-hasslefree DRM that is Steam. To avoid swearing: in the olden days, developers were actually able to package bugfixes into small executables, and in most cases these even worked with any previous version of the game. This ability to serve their customers has been lost apparently.

 

To be fair, they're not alone in that Expeditions: Conquistador had the same issue to an extent: their first patch was able to be released as a small executable, but their second required a redownload of the whole game. Applying Occam's Razor, I'd say the stated explanation that Unity makes it hard to patch games is a valid one, as opposed to deliberately wasting bandwidth to push a static number of users towards a different platform. We'll see for sure either way once a few more titles are released.

[Hurlshort]

Just like the lack of saving anywhere, it is pretty clearly a question of developer's limitations rather that a deliberate attempt to piss off customers.  They really don't have anything to gain by making people re-download the whole game.

[Oner]

Just like the lack of saving anywhere, it is pretty clearly a question of developer's limitations rather that a deliberate attempt to piss off customers.  They really don't have anything to gain by making people re-download the whole game.

Oh please, that would make sense.

 

Clearly they are the devil incarnate, trying to crush the last shreds of our belief in humanity into a fine dust, using our own money no less!

[Oner]

Finished the campaign.

 

Gosh, I love this game.

 

I really liked how they tied it back into the 2xs novel in the end.

Edited August 4, 2013 by Oner

[Tale]

Current problem. Actors that are already spawned, after changing team, they do not target enemy teams unless attacked first. They might attack new spawns, but that's not cool either.

 

You can force an attack, but it's a problem if there's multiple actors that should be attacking. They just go one at a time, letting the turrets take the first shot.

 

Maybe the enforce orders action will fix it.

[Spider]

Also finished the game. My feelings are a little more mixed compared to the rest here I think.

 

My main problem I guess is that there wasn't any single part where the game excelled. The plot was fine and well written, but was fairly predictable and didn't have enough relevant choices to make up for it.

 

You could play your character with a certain attitude most of the time, but the game didn't care whether you did or not,

 

The combat mechanics were fine with loads of different options. But combat encounters were fairly bland and combat was very easy. I played on the maximum difficulty level and had to reload due to deaths 3 times, one being when I started a level without equipping the two pistols I had bought, meaning my gunslinging street samurai went in unarmed with Coyote and Paco (I still beat that level with my character unarmed on the second attmpt though).

 

All in all it was an enjoyable game for sure, and well worth the money spent on it. A competent game, but not a stellar one.

[PK htiw klaw eriF]

It was a fun little adventure, I hope the community comes up with some cool stuff and that Berlin is cool.

 

If there is a sequel, I hope they tweak the attribute system.

[Malcador]

Seems like user generated stuff will really make it worth while. (Bethesda effect?)

[PK htiw klaw eriF]

(Bethesda effect?)

When I saw this, I thought of a Bethesda Mass Effect.

[Hurlshort]

So I'm finished with the content in my mission and I'm starting to balance it.  So far I've got it well balanced for an adept or a fighter type, but mages get their butts kicked and riggers dominate.  I need to fool around with the drones more to figure out what is a good balance.  Deckers don't really have a place in the mission, but I might adjust that.  Maybe throw in a turret control to make it worth playing one.

 

I also need to put in music, tinker with the lighting, and I am thinking about messing with the loading screens.  Other than that it is playable from start to finish.  

 

Here is my synopsis:

 

 

The story begins in Arbor Heights, in a neighborhood that was once home to many affluent Fuchi Industrial Electronics execs. It has fallen into disrepair in recent years, but one family still ekes out an existence in their once palatial estate. Trevor Bloom is the youngest son of that family, and today he is thrust into the role of protector.

 

I'm wrestling between the titles:  

 

"In Full Bloom"

"Spectrum Street"

[PK htiw klaw eriF]

So I'm finished with the content in my mission and I'm starting to balance it.  So far I've got it well balanced for an adept or a fighter type, but mages get their butts kicked and riggers dominate.  I need to fool around with the drones more to figure out what is a good balance.  Deckers don't really have a place in the mission, but I might adjust that.  Maybe throw in a turret control to make it worth playing one.

 

I also need to put in music, tinker with the lighting, and I am thinking about messing with the loading screens.  Other than that it is playable from start to finish.  

 

Here is my synopsis:

 

 

 

The story begins in Arbor Heights, in a neighborhood that was once home to many affluent Fuchi Industrial Electronics execs. It has fallen into disrepair in recent years, but one family still ekes out an existence in their once palatial estate. Trevor Bloom is the youngest son of that family, and today he is thrust into the role of protector.

 

 

I'm wrestling between the titles:  

 

"In Full Bloom"

"Spectrum Street"

A turrent could work, or you could install an unlockable passageway that allows Deckers to sneak by without engaging in combat. I don't think that there is much you can do with Mages(they seem to be the weakest archetype in SRR), but Shamans should do pretty well.

 

I would go with "Spectrum Street".

[exodiark]

I played Dead Man Switch for a while, aaaaaaand... it was okay I guess.
The story isn't really reactive I think, it's quite linear and my race and class of choice is only acknowledged, but not affecting the story. Shame.

I think the combat is quite broken in normal difficulty. Tactical RPGs are supposed to be challenging even in normal, but my physical adept troll slaughtered anyone with ease. That katana is plain broken, the AP reduction effect is way too frequent. Also, there's no concept of "speed", even my "slow" troll could move as far and as frequent as everyone, steamrolling everything in his path. 

But maybe I'll play later in very hard.

And oh God... that gratuitous Japanese that bar owner spout is so tacky.

Edited August 5, 2013 by exodiark

[babaganoosh13]

I haven't had much time to play it. I've had my kids a lot more often this summer. I'm usually exhausted by the time I get the kids in bed.

 

Plus there's fishing, and fantasy baseball.

 

Story's great so far. I'm just at the funeral. Only having a few points in body is starting to bite me back. Getting critted too often even under guard. Oh well. I'll figure it out.

 

The first scenario I make will definitely have more stuff for a decker to do. So far that has been wasted karma and money for me.