Incline NEO Scavenger: A Post-Apocalyptic Survival RPG

[Awor Szurkrarz]

For some reason I'm afraid to play the game.

 

[Jaesun]

Of all the people on the codex, why?

 

[Jaesun]

Just picked this up. This is pretty cool. Still figuring stuff out.

But I should have expected that a guy named Bad Muther probably wasn't going to talk. I died. :/

 

[Awor Szurkrarz]

Of all the people on the codex, why?

I don't know, it's irrational D: . I managed to force myself to turn it on, though.

 

[sser]

My best character so far was one who was fragile, but athletic, a botanist, and some other non-combat skills. Mostly just ran away from fights. I think being tough and strong gives you the illusion that you can fight your way through the wasteland. And, for the most part, you can. But the thing is after you've skewered a bandit or two, you're pretty quickly covered in scrapes and cuts, and suddenly the maintenance needed to keep you healthy/not bleeding out/not getting infected sucks up your resources.

I only wish there was a faster way to deploy the sleeping bags and catch up on your health/temperature. Rolling it out and then back in again is a little time consuming.

 

[Jaesun]

I thought I was all badass when I found a crowbar. Only to discover it will break glass items on the person you are fighting (if they have any). Nice touch.

 

[Multi-headed Cow]

Crowbar's still my favorite whackin' stick though. Really good for clubbing people, durable, and has good out of combat utility too. Plus you can even put a strap on it so you can sling it on your shoulder if you need to carry something else, such as delicious meat.

Current/first version 1.0 character is still chugging along. Basic slugger, strong, tough, melee, and tracking. As usual he's scratched and bruised up, but I'm keeping him well bandaged and smashed a dog for a feast. Also found a nice backpack and assloads of bottles so I can sterilize a good amount of water at a time and keep myself fairly well situated. Clearing that "Comfortable starting position" hump of clothes, food, and water. Only thing I really feel I'm missing at the moment is a vehicle. Found a sled but inexplicably wasn't able to put a strap on it. Not sure if the recipe changed for that or what. Had 0 luck with shopping carts too. Weird, just found a "Nanorobot medical kit". Never seen one of these before. Maybe they can make me a plastic sled with a strap.

 

[Jaesun]

Crowbar's still my favorite whackin' stick though. Really good for clubbing people, durable, and has good out of combat utility too. Plus you can even put a strap on it so you can sling it on your shoulder if you need to carry something else, such as delicious meat.

Oh FFS, THAT is what the strap is for.

 

[Multi-headed Cow]

Crowbar's still my favorite whackin' stick though. Really good for clubbing people, durable, and has good out of combat utility too. Plus you can even put a strap on it so you can sling it on your shoulder if you need to carry something else, such as delicious meat.

Oh FFS, THAT is what the strap is for.

Yup. Another super important thing to put a strap on is binoculars. Lets you wear them around your neck which both keeps them handy for use during events (Since I dunno if you've hit any that do it yet, but sometimes items can be used as solutions/more info in events) and gives you +1 hex vision during the day on the world map. IIRC the only other way to get the world map vision increase is to keep them in a hand. Not 100% sure on that since it's been ages, always strap 'em now.

Edit: Aaaaand fuck. Getting sick. Probably because I wasn't able to sterilize my wounds initially, only clean bandage them. Guess I'll be using that nano medkit.

 

[Osvir]

This is one of my favorite games! Though, I haven't played it in a while.

My best character survived for about 35-40 days IIRC (42, if I am not mistaken), got immune against the Blue Rot, was decked out in gear. Died from a gunshot wound (My dude was unstoppable in melee, could take on 2-3 guys by himself, shooters became his demise).

Botanist, Medical, Strong, Tough. Don't know about these skills today, but they were really strong throughout the game when I played. You'll get a fairly "easy" start, as you can melee down enemies with your fists and get better gear, you'll never starve, because berries are everywhere. "Medical" gives you a first aid kit (with random pills/bandages) to start with (scavenging the very first place) and you'll be able to carry much more, and have a better immune system (thanks to Tough).

It's probably the friendliest start you can get, and it'll make it easier to survive the first few days to get geared up.

But, none of that matters much. You want to get Blue Rot ASAP, and survive it naturally. If you do, you'll be immune to it henceforth. But it is a bit 50-50, and I had a couple of playthroughs where I got to Day 10, Day 15, and I didn't survive it. Frustrating, but "ce la vie". If you want to play more carefully and find the other ways to cure it, then more covert, sneaking skills, might suit you better (as to avoid any encounter, clean up your tracks, hide from violent roamers, spying etc.).

NEO Scavenger is amazing, great crafting system, equipment system, combat is really nice too (if you're good at abstraction/imagination), exploration too. It's trying a lot of new things I haven't seen before, and manages to pull it off with flying colors.

I had another playthrough where I stole from the city, and ran away, got chased by robotic scouters and soldiers, I was turned to dust

The only thing I'd want to see from NEO Scavenger at this point is some sort of Base/Faction/City/Influence Building element. The game has all the elements for becoming a base building game, strategy game even. NEO Scavenger is, in it's simplest form, a Single Player, Single Character, Civilisation Strategy Game, after all.

I feel it would fit too, build a gang, recruit people you meet on the map, build a shelter, a base, attack the DMC, or get attacked by it. Negotiate with other factions, grow food, build walls etc. etc. base/city building a la Civilisation would fit NEO Scavenger so well... but it should be done in a NEO Scavenger-thematic way, of course.

 

[Cyberarmy]

^^ Something like King of Dragon Pass maybe?

 

[Osvir]

I never looked at KoDP like that... I've seen it on GOG several times but I frowned at it because I didn't understand it at the time "What the heck is this thing?" from looking at the screenshots, curiously, ignorantly.

Thank you Cyberarmy :D

 

[sser]

Fuck man, when you got a character that's doing well this game puts you on the goddam edge.

I have a dude that has all the more 'basic' 1/2-pip skills. Hiding, Tracking, Electrical, Metabolism, Botany and maybe one other. No negatives. "Hiding" as you walk around is immensely useful. It has kept me alive in the midst of hordes of bad guys. Found a revolver for the first time, unfortunately with no rounds. But eventually a raider guy did stumble upon my sneaky ways. I tried to run, but just couldn't get out of there. He was "Tough" meaning I had no real shot at defeating him in combat. So he beat me to a thread of life and I surrendered. I walked/limped away then doubled back to the spot to find he had left some stuff behind. I recollected my things, put alcohol on my wounds, and started the recovery process, occasionally darting out of town to pick berries and shit from (in?) the forests. So I'm sitting there in this little tiny village out in the middle of nowhere, recovering from a royal ass-kicking, when a fucking Dogman Leader shows up (no idea what the 'leader' thing does). I tried to run away like crazy, but there's really no losing these guys once they're closing in. So I just... picked up my sling and start flinging rocks at it.

This is when I learned that NEO Scavenger took a page from Master of Magic because the sling is pretty damn godly for a 'tier 1' type weapon. The rocks staggered and wholloped the fuck out of the Dogman. That said, those beasts are pretty relentless. He closed in fast as my last rock pangs off his skull. At this point he's accumulated a surprising amount of damage. Of course, that didn't stop him from gashing the everloving fuck out of my leg. I'm thinking GG at this point, but right as he was going in for the kill he fell down in front of me. He then pulled me to the ground with him. I got up first and obviously started to run away. But after getting a few feet the beast fucking falls unconscious. So I did the only thing I had left: charged back in there and murdered that Dogman Leader with my bare fucking hands.

What's amazing - and this is when the game really gets cool - is that if you manage your resources well enough, you can recover from engagements like this. I stayed around the area for a long time just getting my energy back since I suffered very severe blood loss. I had this hilarious moment when, hobbling across the wasteland, a guy with a pistol stumbled upon me. I immediately tried to run away when I noticed he was trying to talk to me. So we talk and he more or less just states a variation of: "Big Gulps huh? Whelp, see ya later." Leaving me standing there like what the shit. I also found bullets for two other guns before finally three for my revolver.

Now that I have a firearm I'm sure I'll get aced real quick.


(Also, I made a character with all the negative traits. Actually survived for a long while, but the first time he got into an engagement he was too fucking fat and weak to run away. So a guy walked up and hit him once. The combat log described it as something like, "Player was hit in the chest with a monkey wrench. Player's chest has been demolished." One-hit kill. No mercy for fat, weak, and blind guys. )

 

[Surf Solar]

Damn I want to read more of this!

Also wonder if the dog monsters are based on the michigan dogman urban legend?

 

[Jaesun]

Yeah this game is so fucking addicting (at least to me). Even though I KNOW every fucking time I am going to die (I'm still just understanding this game) after I die, I start over again. Though every run though I do end up learning something new every time which is cool. Like NEVER EVER EVER DRINK FUCKING WATER.

 

[Osvir]

I played mostly during Early Access Jaesun and I felt the same way. The crafting system is way more in-depth than at first glance, don't underestimate its depth or the intelligence required. I don't want to spoil any recipe's or items or the injury interaction, you probably will have more fun discovering all of this yourself. But there's some pretty nifty things you can do, and that you'll start to realize as your skill level of playing the game rises.

The learning curve is great, and I think it has some artificial difficulty elements to it. If you think, you'll understand that a lot of things makes sense, but the first couple of playthroughs I didn't think whatsoever and died really quick because of my ignorance or because I was overlooking several elements required to master the game, and sometimes I got super "unlucky" (although, perhaps I would've survived if I had used my brains). It is very much an epiphany game imo.

 

[sser]

Yeah there's a graduated sense of survival. Like the first time I found a sleeping bag and I already had one. I was like well, I guess I'll just leave it behind. But now I'm like no you idiot, turn the sack into a carry bag and replace your 5%-condition cardboard box. Pretty sure 'water' is the initial survival hurdle. Modern sensibilities betray you in this game - the sight of water makes you think, hey, I can drink that, not realizing water in the natural world is often full of nasty organisms. Most 'unlucky' games end early, since the game doesn't hold back literally from the first time you step out into it. I had a game where it was raining and freezing as soon as I left the cryo station. I moved a few hexes north and immediately died - froze to death. 6-hours. GG. My most abrupt end was when I was doing really well, but I got into a fight with a rifleman. He shot me through the head as I tried to advance from cover to cover. One-shot kill, obviously. I can imagine he was like "Fucking jackpot!" given all the shit I just unceremoniously abandoned on the mortal realm.

BTW, average-character still going strong. I found a Benelli shotgun. First time I've seen it. Naturally, it had no rounds. I then accidentally left it on the ground when I got into a fight with a feral dog. No loss, really. I feel like a lot of the 'big' weapons are red herrings/albatrosses. They trick you into lugging around extra weight in the grand hope that you'll stumble upon some bullets. I've probably had at least four or five characters die with a 'cool' gun in their hand. Presumably the dude that kills you just picks it up and the cycle repeats itself... I have been seeing new and absolutely deadlier looking humans walking around. Dunno if that's part of the story or what, but I snuck past like three of them. Hopefully nobody fights me because my character has come down with a bad case of the shits.

 

[eXalted]

I stopped dying early in the game and finally met a Dogman, tripped him good and ran away, after two hexes on the map hiding and covering my tracks, he got me again, tripped him in a trap, and ran two more hexes on the map hiding and he got me again..

Bloody fight in the dirt, tried to run, trip up good, and the Dogman got me this time... and MAN THAT WAS BLOODY...

Game Over.

Just couldn't escape the little f***er... is it even possible?

 

[Jaesun]

OK... the RNG Gods smiled upon me and I got EXTREMELY lucky. I found quite a number of very good items to help me survive very early on. I just played safe and smart, and holy shit I'm still alive after playing for over 4 hours. YYYYYEEEEEEAAAAHHHH!

I now understand quite a number of things, and found.... a place where it is safe to rest etc... (finally). Now, if I just keep playing smart and safe, I just might be OK. But I'm sure I'll screw up and do something stupid. heh

 

[Tzaero]

Got me self a farkin trolley, best post apocalyptic hobo simulator ever!

 

[Jaesun]

And..... I made it 9 days but got an infection from a battle I should have dropped my sled and RAN from.

 

[sser]

And..... I made it 9 days but got an infection from a battle I should have dropped my sled and RAN from.

If it makes you feel better, my 15-day journey came to an abrupt end trying to sneak about a Bad Guys facility. Probably for the best because I chose a quest option that seemed nigh impossible anyway.

So far, I've had the most success stocking up on as many 'skills' as possible. So mostly avoiding the high-pip skills. Except Botany, which I find just too useful.

 

[Fangshi]

What also works fairly well is to go to the opposite extreme and load up on skills and disadvantages.

That lets you afford all of the best skills (trapping>ranged>melee>botany>medic) so you can have a dogman fur coat, a greenwood bow, a medical kit, a broad spear, and arrows within four days if you are careful and have any luck at all.

Once you have a bow and a solid supply of arrows even groups of enemies are doable. Take out a pack of three or four dogs and you have more than enough food to eat for a day or two. Pick off the Bad Muthas at range and you will usually get shoes/sleeping bags/any other basics you need as well. There is a bit of a tradeoff though as you will require more food/water to keep your full 4/5 actions a turn, you will tire quicker, you will have trouble sleeping and seeing and you will be quite fragile in actual combat should your enemies manage to close but all of that is manageable once you have the basics down.

 

[Multi-headed Cow]

And..... I made it 9 days but got an infection from a battle I should have dropped my sled and RAN from.

That's one of the best parts of Neo Scavenger. The greed can really bite you in the ass since resources are at such a premium and you don't want to die since it's permadeath. Makes for some really tough decisions. That aspect Neo Scavenger does better than its other direct competitors (Cataclysm DDA and Rogue Survivor). Getting items and decently equipped in those is a hell of a lot easier than Neo Scavenger even if they're also permadeath and mechanically fairly similar, so it's easier to be cautious in them.

 

[Nihiliste]

Had a lot of fun digging into this a bit today. Hopefully I'll get a bit better at it as I get a better grasp on the gameplay, since my characters did not fare well at all