Incline ATOM RPG: Trudograd - standalone expansion sequel to ATOM RPG - now available on Early Access

linking directly to RPS, disgusting

 

Fuck off kid, don't tell me about your problems

 

I've played through, more or less reminded me AoD Teron demo in terms of overall size, but with focus on dialogues and quests, it has very few combat encounters (not counting random ones). Feels just like the base game except for the global map, naturally. You're suppose to talk to every NPC. And no, I didn't miss ATOM's writing at all, although must admit, some NPCs, dialogues and quests in general were quite decent. 'Hit and miss' all over again but since it's subjective area, onto more specific and new stuff - CYOA were alright but they has VO (some people don't like read I guess) and it's utter shit, as Comissar Draco mentioned above, I hope it will be re-recorded. If not - no problem, I'll just turn it off, thankfully there's a specific audio option.

Combat wise it was way too easy but for my OP import 21 lvl char so it's not saying much, maybe will check next build with fresh char for proper evaluating.

Two things buffled me: there's a new freezing mechanic instead of radiation. I get that it's just a city so it's kinda clean and all but it's a still post-apoc game, only 20+ years after bombs dropped and no one cares about it at all? At the very least some stuff which comes to city: food, tools, whatever - can be polluted, right? What about literal fallout? You have references like

this (open) this (close)

Nuka-Kvas vending machine

in the game but now it has no actual radiation?

And the second thing: Atomboy, the guy who does maps in your game is a complete lunatic. I mean why, why maps are not oriented properly?! I get that it didn't bother anyone all that time beside autist like me that Otradnoe's map is fucking upside-down for instance (still is) but now when you have a proper city blocks it so obvious and still no one cares? You start in the outskirts, open global map, see that city itself on the north, rotating actual map, see the big gates - there it is, open local map, it looks like they're on the fucking west. It's not that big of a deal but immensely confusing.

 

the map directions bothered me in atom too

 

Can't wait.

It's good to see the inventory finally moving a bit further away from the "classic Fallout imitation" they had going before - always felt far too cramped (although they definitely already improved it via patches to allow proper companion equipping of weapons, moving items between them, etc.).

Not sure about the green-screen character sheet though. IMO the "paper" look and feel really suited the game, looking like a 1980's ID document. It's probably nicer for the quest log though.

If they keep the paper L&F for the stats and skills, but move to the green-screen look for the quest log - I can definitely go with that.

 

Are there any other random encounters besides dogs currently?

 

I've seen bandits, slavers and peasants.

 

this is a concern! even if the city is clean shouldn't you still have a radiation mechanic in the game? some areas should still be contaminated no?

 

"Continues the story of ATOM RPG as a stand-alone sequel/expansion"

 

Yeah, it's an awkward wording plus the fact that they don't know themselves how to call it... Technically it is continue of the same story but more like a sidestep so it could fit both sequel and expansion. However, the game offers to choose any possible consequences for KRZ/Peregon/companions from the base game which is weird for a player who just bought 'stand-alone' game and don't know shit about those things. Why not simply set 'canon'/default and be done with it?

Also there's so much little changes, I'd say too much for expansion for sure. It would be better if they would have made simple not-stand-alone add-on to the base game using almost the same assets or full-fledged sequel Trudograd with bigger scope - some surrounded area, lots of outskirts etc.

 

ATOM 1.5: an almost-sequel

 

When you think about it Eye of Beholder 2 & 3 does that to original EoB.

 

ATOM RPG Gaiden

Edit: Rondo of Vodka

 

A "sequel" without any tech upgrades that is basically a remake is actually something really cool that more game developers of the indie size should do.

Spending a shitload of energy upgrading the engine is not actually something people need or want after the "first" game commonly, vs a sequel with better writing, better quests, better area design.

Although the name of "sequels" has generally been trodden on by the works of many big name AAA game developers and film makers whose writing, area/quest design efforts generally get sloppier and worse with sequels because they stop giving a shit, as long as those things actually improve a sequel is a great idea.

 

Is the police station supposed to be empty?

 

I am playing as a big-boned powerarmor (hopefully) cannibal with a sledgehammer.

 

Nuclear Bomb Scare is a hoax. Nuclear bombs aren't that much worse compared to regular bombs. First of all, the area affected by nuclear explosion isn't that large. Second, the more radioactive material is, the less stable it is, the faster it decays... So the most dangerous materials decay within days, weeks, months. What is left after 20 years is not that bad. Third, among more stable radiactive materials (which are left weeks after exploisions) only a fraction can accumulate inside human organism in big enough quantities and long enough to damage health.

 

For now, yes.

To degree. Besides, there's a previous game stuff to inherit - we have the Dead City with his massive radioactive storms - even if it is a single polluted 'city' in the area, it's not that far from TG to cause some fallout.

 

They said it will be released in a future patch. Currently it is empty.

Some opinions about Trudograd as it is now:

- The price was extremely generous at release... if you guys decide to do another supporter thing when 1.0 comes make sure you adjust.
- The change to perks i like generaly, both the fixed cost by tier and the gradual build up to their final usefullnes. It's much better than the Atom RPG way of perks imo. On low levels the perks would be lackluster but since you start at 15, that problem is skipped.
- Game looks good, like the footprints in the snow, the snowflakes in front of the screen havn't anoyed me yet but if there are some blizzards ahead please don't overdo it. Any other weather conditions planed?
- Weapon mods are a cool idea but currently i only found two compensators, guessing the rest come later. Surely it will not be posible to attach every kind of attachment to every kind of gun?
- The new way some interesting dialogue is handled looks good, let's call it "theater mode" if it dosn't have a name. I understand why it was decided to be handled this way. Still think it should be used sparingly.The art for it is great.
- The new way of no more free treversing on global map i don't like but maybe i could live with it when the r.encounter roster is full. As it is now i seem to attract every stray mutt in Trudograd. Are there any land transitions planed, similar to MOW or Dead City?
- I was wandering to check if some of the items from Atom would transfer if you import, i haven't tested all of them. Gem Bag, Pine Cone, Jade Figurine, Amulet, Golden Nut, P.Venus don't transfer. I was holding hope for the Gem Bag.
- Quests are good, can't wait for more. I might expand on this at a later time.
- Verticality you mentioned in one of your anouncments but guess we will see when upper parts of city are added. Maybe it reedems the nodal travel sistem...
- Maybe it's me but i was left with the impresion that the law in TDG is harsher but have yet to see a cop try a shakedown of me or some rando. That one aristocrat has the right feel, but currently i didn't see any conseqence of defying him. Get us those fun looking melee weapons soon.

* the import option removed one AP from a character apon reloading, that AP was gained by the talent,perk "Feeling Good" in Atom RPG. What was the natural AP cap in Atom, 10 or 11?

Hope the sales are going well. Good job Atom people.

 

Hey, you! Do you feel like internet is taking over your life? Do you find yourself constantly spending time on forums and boards? Or surfing the web like they say? Or ordering groceries online due to lethal corona virus? I've got a solution for you!
Just release your game into Early Access without crucial story quests! That will keep you away from the web for ages! I tried it and look at me! But today I will do my best to reply to everyone, since I've done most of my part for the next content update, which if anyone is wondering above this post, will be released real soon!

 

You should put in a way to bang the Turnip cultist chick in the Scrap Quarter.

 

You should really check out Atom, dude. Since it's release it's perfected so much, prolly even my dummy steam mod account has 30 hours on it! Now it's even possible to be a melee-smoothtalker without the shield! And with 1 STR, too!

No I didn't! But we fixed some punctuation errors! And we have a really cool English editor from AOD!

I think it actually does affect caravan loot. Not as much as in older patches, and I always thought it's an urban legend, but then I played a Luck 1 character and only got 1 weapon in 20 caravans. But then again, I got much more weapons and stuff with the same character on a higher level. So, I guess, Luck and Level still influence the stuff you get in trade to some degree, and so does Barter. I even reported it as a bug.

Yes for crit chance and crit miss, no for hit or miss!

Trudograd is still a very text heavy game, we just don't want it not to be like that. However, we did attempt to localize the most important quests in a special third dialogue topic, instead of hiding it inside general questions, so now they are available without trying everything inside a dialogue. Basically, in Trudograd most NPCs have dialogues like this:

1. Can I ask you some general questions to get lore stuff, funny stuff, your name, rumors, story, etc.
2. [Clearly visible option separate from the first dialogue option that usually leads to a quest without too much reading]
3. Bye-bye!

It halves the reading time for those who are not into our dialogues. We also try to make the texts shorter overall. Still, it's text first everything else later, just like all our future games if we come up with any!

Thanks dude! I'm really glad you enjoyed it. We love it too, that's why there's so much of it I do get those who HATE it, though. It's a really polarizing, highly stylized text. From my observations I'd say Atom and Trudograd has 10% of those who love it - naturally my favorite kind of players :----) Guys and girls I really love to please in my half of the game's text, by inserting special little somethings for them to find and enjoy; 10% who love some of it (like all anime references or all Soviet hyper speech or all jokes or all 4chan stuff) and think of the rest as filler to get to the good bits. Love em too! 70% of folks who are okay with the text, but value other aspects of the game much more - that's our main player base, the guys that inspire me to shorten some sentences and make some quests easier to acquire in Trudograd, without cutting the whole body of text. They stop us from shitty decisions like making our games text-only. The rest are the folks who find the text not only bad, but terrible, jarring, insulting and unholy. I totally get them too. At least for hating my parts of the text. They have plenty of good reasons! Some cosmically different from the others. That's just part and parcel of following the authors I dare call my teachers. A decent part of book readers sees them as putrid trash as well, including me in some cases! I have a huge theory about the reasons, but to put it simply, it's cause of memes in the Dawkins meaning of the word

Show Spoiler Hide Spoiler

and aslo bcz of typos and boomer humor and dated shiet

Why? I wanna send it to batallie, the author of the previous review! But I'll wait till we release the game to do that. I don't wanna waste that potential for analysis on EA. And I dunno whom else to send it to. Maybe I'll just give some to Infinitron when the time is right!

Very true! That's basically what I ever wanted, though, so it's okay!

Yes! Couldn't put it better myself. I see a few more reasons, but these are the major ones.

And a hello to you too, tovarisch! Dude, I completely respect your dislike for the text and find it totally reasonable, it even paints you as a kindred spirit. Well, not because I hate Atom's writing, but because I believe the ability to actually feel something strong for the text (even disgust) is a sign of intelligence. When I was 16 I chucked a book I paid good money for out the window from a Khruschovka because it hurt my soul! I later stepped on it and sunk it into snow. And look at how well I turned out to be. However, I don't think you fulfilled your duty as an intellectual to tear our text a new one with well places examples. I'm from an old commie family, and everyone here talks like that. Both физкульт-привет and привет-привет от старых штиблет are heard constantly from neighbors young and old. I even hear that on TV when my mother in law watches her shit too loud. And wtf, everyone called everyone comrade. I call people comrade too. It works as a joke, it works as irony, it works if you don't know someone's name, it works when you address a group of gopniks. It worked for me when I called an ambulance on a drunk guy once, describing him as тут какой-то бухой товарищ в кустах валяется. Literally, first time I heard calling people comrade is archaic was in the Steam reviews by intelligentsia. Do you call people барин? Господин? Сэр? And, like, maybe I'm dumb, but what the hell is wrong with the tampon one and the bookseller's description? Both really funny if you ask me! The donkey and lion stuff is a warped Bible quote even, what, you hate the Bible too, atheist!? And why wouldn't Pasha Technic be in the game? What is the reason to not include him? WHY!? Game needs a mechanic and there's a man called Pasha Technic who is a living meme. I even wrote a few emails to ensure the legality of referencing him, if the law side of things concerns you. Also didn't get the translation part. Is it bad because we should've stylized it for US or to be more like FO2? We didn't even aim for FO2... I mean what's there to ask from a translation, as long as the meaning is somewhat understandable? There are tons of English-only references, memes and phrases inside the translated text, but mostly it just translates what the people say into Engrish. What else should it do? Jokes aside, I'd love to talk to you more. I can't promise we will change anything, since like I said above, most find it tolerable and some glorious few even love it, but I'm really curious to learn of your reasons.

Unless you want some traits you won't get in Trudograd like Agent of Chaos, posessed, etc. you can make a new one! We'll patch out distinctions not resetting soon.

Thank you very much, dude! A very nice bit of feedback we read with the team long before this reply gets to you! Special thanks for pointing out the buttons. Will fix them up soon.

Thank you! It's never a good reason to promise something good beforehand when making an Early Access game, but I will anyway!

Thank you! It's planned that we'll finish in December, but who knows! Polish is on it's way. Literally days left.

Thank you very much. We'll deliver. We were really shock by the support and all the videos and articles in the first days! Very unexpected and sweet.

I don't think she left for Trudograd. But did she...

There was a bug with stealing, should work now!
And Stealth works passively. Did you try finding random encounters at night? I could literally come face to face to some bandits with 120 on my test rig!

We plan on nerfing the starting point count, or making the midgame really hardcore! Only time will tell. Don't use the wheel though, it's just there to pay respects to Atom. Click on the name of a skill and you'll get a nicer view with bigger icons! Deadly Doc got a lot of complaints, we'll rework some of the changed distinctions or will just let people choose to keep old ones.

Well we have more now, but it won't impact the base game, at least now.

All I can say is not soon! That will have too much room for error.

Great bit of feedback, thanks! The saving bugs, etc. were fixed recently. Voice acting won't change later, though It will always be like that. Just more of it. Unless the actors stop working with us!
And there will be bayoneting very soon.

The fact this review exists was a great surprise to us all. I thought you needed to pay 5 trudograd budgets to get mentioned by a mainstream media website. But you don't need to pay anything. Thank you to the author! You should play Bombagan doe!!! I MADE IT FOR YOU!

So you love the dialogue now? God damn it, and I spent so much time typing a reply to the previous post! I think the problem with the maps being the wrong way around is because one guy makes the actual location, makes a screenshot from any angle he feels like it and sends it to the author. Looks like the guys read your feedback tho because they are planning changes for this particular aspect of the game.
There's a lore reason for cold, basically Trudograd stands in the middle of nowhere somewhere on tselina, with the closest city being two days away on car, so it was the only target for the nukes in a huuuuge area, and them nukes all got killed off by anti-nuke wonder device. So it's free of radiation except for VERY deep ground waters it's mutants have another reason for being mutated, and it only suffers from climate change. But it might be a myth too.

Personally, I miss both the paper and the old inventory very much. But we had to do it for the audience who constantly asked us to do this.

We have our reasons to do this. But I don't know them!

Yeah, but we'll fix it very soon.

Thank you for so much feedback, can't wait to learn more of your thoughts on the quests!

For what you mentioned the replies are:

The tree and the whole combat and progression systems need a lot of work and we'll decide on a few changes to implement soon. The voiced picture text quests WILL be used sparingly, because they cost more than almost everything else in the game to make We might add in items later, maybe. Still pondering that one. Nodal travel might get an option that will change it to free travel, maybe. And there will be verticality! The cap was 11, we'll look into it!
And the mods will be there. There are so many mods in planning, I want to cut 90% of them. But I doubt they will let me this time... You'll get tons of mods! Thank you!

Hope I didn't miss anything!!!!!!!!!

 

no fuck u , don't give it to anyone here.
fuck, it's so cheap, it's an insult that they had to demand a review copy.
if u have to fucking give it away go donate it to orphanage or something instead of a jew.

 

Funny story, I actually donated 3 to what turned out to be a maximum security prison computer education room. Almost an orphanage! Now I have another reason to avoid prison at all costs. I think it's more of a question of ethics than price tho. Like, you're SUPPOSED TO send keys even if your game is 1$ with a 100% discount. Still, we'll have to release something before sending anything!

You know, that's not the first request to do that. Why though? Why? Didn't you learn she was a prostitute and a hobo humping slobo babe?