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In Progress Let's Play NEO Scavenger (Interactive)

Cassidy

Arcane
Joined
Sep 9, 2007
Messages
7,922
Location
Vault City
XHTYiFQ.jpg


While the fact this is a Flash game has very annoying consequences related to its saves and that during some in-game CYOA-like sequences I intend to post as choices for you to make it's impossible to save, this would be a very interesting game to showcase here, specially because there will be really a lot of possibilities and choices, cannibalism included because this game has a bleak post-apocalyptic survival setting, which fits well with the average life expectancy of player characters in the same.

I'm using EXE Patchwork mod compilation which features several mods that together add more items and crafting while making the game somewhat more challenging than vanilla.

I consider it now the best CRPG of 2014 despite using Flash as an engine and, more surprisingly, despite being developed by someone formerly involved in Dragon Age and Mass Effect, which is an evidence "focus group research" and shitty execs are the biggest culprits for the Decline rather than anyone in the "assembly line" of AAA game development.

As a roguelike it naturally has permadeath. I'm not yet decided about how many retries I will do here, but I would rather you do not post in favor of obviously stupid approaches, although in some cases in this game, the bad choice isn't obvious at all.

================================

Index

  1. Character Creation(here)
  2. Cryonics is a bad alternative to building one's own prepper bunker
  3. A small yet perhaps serious threat
  4. Dogemeat
  5. Cold Turkey

==================================

Character Creation

Soundtrack: Coalesce

KG6lxm4.jpg


Post your choices for character creation, you may also pick Random if you really want to, but that might make the life expectancy of the first PC go seriously down depending on what is randomly selected. Basically you got 15 points to spend and the numbers I quickly shopped on the abilities are how many points each costs while the numbers on the flaws are how many extra points each of them gives. Some of the abilities and flaws were added by the mods while some are vanilla. In any case, if you don't want to try blindly, here an explanation for each, but if you want to go blindly, all I have to say is: while some of them fit the survivalist conventions more than others, none of the abilities are useless and recklessly picking flaws for extra points isn't such a good idea. You can't just easily minmax in this game.

One of the details that make NEO Scavenger unique is that there is no "this weapon deals x damage", numerical stats are avoided whenever possible, but it doesn't take a genius to know a shiv sucks compared to a real knife, for example. You gotta figure which is better and why regarding equipment on your own. I'm not going to add much more than what the game tells about the abilities and flaws too, here they are:

ABILITIES (COST IN POINTS)

Strong (6): Can carry more without being encumbered, melee attacks deal more damage and can create obstacles in combat against pursuing enemies.

PackRat (3): You are more efficient at carrying everything that isn't nailed down

Hacking (2): Skill at manipulating computers. Decrypted data from scavenged computers might be extremely valuable in remaining pockets of civilization.

Medic (4): Improved healing rate via procedure training and sterilization techniques, more detailed stat bars on (Medical) Conditions screen. Proper identification of extremely valuable prescription drugs.

Hiding (2): Ability to hide is more effective. Camp concealment stat visible in the Camp screen. A low camp concealment implies a serious risk of someone or something possibly hostile spotting the Player Character while he sleeps in his camp.

Melee (4): Better chance to hit in melee combat, higher wound severity, better defense in combat and can leg trip enemies, knocking them on the ground if successful.

Eagle Eye (2): Can see one hex further than normal, light conditions permitting, and can detect some hidden things that otherwise would end unnoticed.

Tracking (1): Can hide and spot tracks effectively and gain benefits from terrain bonuses in combat.

Athletic (3): Less fatigue per move, can run faster in combat, can run further on map.

(Slow) Metabolism (2): Requires less food and water to survive but takes longer to heal wounds

Knitwit (1): Bags can be easily patched up. Almost everything deteriorates in this game and when the condition of a bag reaches 0%, it is lost and all items stored in it fall to the ground.

Tough (4): Higher pain tolerance, stronger immune system, resistance to wounds and can headbutt in combat.

Trapping (4): Can butcher animals more efficiently, prepare cured meat, lit campfires or torches without tools invented after 40000 BC. Knowledge of the camp alertness level which indicates how likely you are to wake up if an intruder gets into your camp.

Botany (4): Knowledge of herbs, fungi and useful plants. Allows you to identify which are edible and which are poisonous and to locate more of them in wilderness areas.

Lockpicking (3): Knowledge of bypassing locks and other security devices. Increases loot from scavenging in general after you manage to craft some lockpicks.

Electrician (1): Knowledge of electronic systems and components. Adds some new handy crafting recipes, allows for some components found in possible shelters within urban ruins such as lighting and perhaps heaters to be fixed.

Mechanic (3): Knowledge of mechanical systems and components and know how to craft and take care of vehicles (not automobiles, but "vehicles" as in shopping carts to carry the loot in)

Ranged (4): Skill with ranged weaponry. Crafting knowledge of makeshift bows and arrows. Firearms ammunition correctly identified instead of being "some bullets".

Tailoring (2): Knowledge of the use of needles and thread. Can repair most clothing types and even some simpler backpacks, "convert" T-shirts into shirts for better protection against the cold and more DYI crafting options for clothes.

Fishing (2): Knowledge of catching and preparing fish. Crafting of fishing equipment.



FLAWS (BONUS POINTS)

Insomniac (1): Difficulty in stay asleep, and sleep is less beneficial.

Minimalist (3): You don't carry more than you need. Opposite of PackRat.

Myopia (1): Can see one hex less than normal and detecting hidden creatures is harder.

(Fast) Metabolism (2): Needs more food and water to survive, heals wounds slightly faster.

Feeble (4): Melee attack effectiveness is lessened, can carry less before getting encumbered.

Fragile (4): Physical wounds, pain and infections are more severe to you, healing is slower.

Inept (1): Melee attack effectiveness is lessened.

Enervated (2): Out of shape, fatigues faster than usual.

Sleeper (1): Reduced awareness when sleeping. Less likely to be woken by noises from intruders. More likely to be killed while sleeping if not very careful.

Asthmatic (3): Suffers from sporadic asthma attacks, which have a small chance to go worse and a smaller chance to be fatal unless the PC scavenges medication and/or an inhaler first.

Smoker (1): Constantly craves cigarettes and will get withdrawal effects if not satisfied with one or two per day.

Alcoholic (1) Constantly craves for alcohol and will get withdrawal effects if not satisfied often enough.



Therefore, post your character builds and/or vote for already suggested ones.
 
Last edited:

Nevill

Arcane
Joined
Jun 6, 2009
Messages
11,211
Shadorwun: Hong Kong
Medic (4): Improved healing rate via procedure training and sterilization techniques, more detailed stat bars on (Medical) Conditions screen. Proper identification of extremely valuable prescription drugs.
Hiding (2): Ability to hide is more effective. Camp concealment stat visible in the Camp screen. A low camp concealment implies a serious risk of someone or something possibly hostile spotting the Player Character while he sleeps in his camp.
Eagle Eye (2): Can see one hex further than normal, light conditions permitting, and can detect some hidden things that otherwise would end unnoticed.
Tracking (1): Can hide and spot tracks effectively and gain benefits from terrain bonuses in combat.
Tough (4): Higher pain tolerance, stronger immune system, resistance to wounds and can headbutt in combat.
Lockpicking (3): Knowledge of bypassing locks and other security devices. Increases loot from scavenging in general after you manage to craft some lockpicks.
Electrician (1): Knowledge of electronic systems and components. Adds some new handy crafting recipes, allows for some components found in possible shelters within urban ruins such as lighting and perhaps heaters to be fixed.
Utility character. Can lockpick and hack his way through to get to the supplies. Some medical knowledge to stay alive. Avoids combat through superior scouting and hiding capabilities.

Smoker (-1): Constantly craves cigarettes and will get withdrawal effects if not satisfied with one or two per day.
Alcoholic (-1) Constantly craves for alcohol and will get withdrawal effects if not satisfied often enough.
An addict.
 
Self-Ejected

Ulminati

Kamelåså!
Patron
Joined
Jun 18, 2010
Messages
20,317
Location
DiNMRK
Strong (6): Can carry more without being encumbered, melee attacks deal more damage and can create obstacles in combat against pursuing enemies.
Eagle Eye (2): Can see one hex further than normal, light conditions permitting, and can detect some hidden things that otherwise would end unnoticed.
Lockpicking (3): Knowledge of bypassing locks and other security devices. Increases loot from scavenging in general after you manage to craft some lockpicks.
Medic (4): Improved healing rate via procedure training and sterilization techniques, more detailed stat bars on (Medical) Conditions screen. Proper identification of extremely valuable prescription drugs.
Tracking (1): Can hide and spot tracks effectively and gain benefits from terrain bonuses in combat.

Insomniac (1)
: Difficulty in stay asleep, and sleep is less beneficial.


Strong Thal genes means he does not require sleep.
 
Joined
May 22, 2010
Messages
2,608
Location
Airstrip One
Hacking (2)
Tracking (1)
Athletic (3)
Knitwit (1)
Lockpicking (3)
Electrician (1)
Mechanic (3)
Ranged (4)
Tailoring (2)

Asthmatic (-3)
Smoker (-1)
Alcoholic (-1)


Try not to get eaten by dogs :smug:
 

tindrli

Arcane
Joined
Jan 5, 2011
Messages
4,465
Location
Dragodol
dont forget about botany those berries are essential at least they were before 1.3 or something
 

Cassidy

Arcane
Joined
Sep 9, 2007
Messages
7,922
Location
Vault City
Three character builds were posted, but nobody cares enough to endorse one of them.

Guess I will have to abandon this on Page 1. What a shame.
 

Black

Arcane
Joined
May 8, 2007
Messages
1,872,592
Don't you dare. Vote for Nevill's character, would like to see an addict trying to survive ITZ.
 

Nevill

Arcane
Joined
Jun 6, 2009
Messages
11,211
Shadorwun: Hong Kong
:effort:
Has it occured to you that we might not know enough about the game to feel strongly about any of the traits? :M

Ok. What do you say about this? Votes so far:
Medic (4): Improved healing rate via procedure training and sterilization techniques, more detailed stat bars on (Medical) Conditions screen. Proper identification of extremely valuable prescription drugs.
Hiding (2): Ability to hide is more effective. Camp concealment stat visible in the Camp screen. A low camp concealment implies a serious risk of someone or something possibly hostile spotting the Player Character while he sleeps in his camp.
Eagle Eye (2): Can see one hex further than normal, light conditions permitting, and can detect some hidden things that otherwise would end unnoticed.
Tracking (1): Can hide and spot tracks effectively and gain benefits from terrain bonuses in combat.
Tough (4): Higher pain tolerance, stronger immune system, resistance to wounds and can headbutt in combat.
Lockpicking (3): Knowledge of bypassing locks and other security devices. Increases loot from scavenging in general after you manage to craft some lockpicks.
Electrician (1): Knowledge of electronic systems and components. Adds some new handy crafting recipes, allows for some components found in possible shelters within urban ruins such as lighting and perhaps heaters to be fixed.

Smoker (-1)
Alcoholic (-1)
Strong (6): Can carry more without being encumbered, melee attacks deal more damage and can create obstacles in combat against pursuing enemies.
Eagle Eye (2): Can see one hex further than normal, light conditions permitting, and can detect some hidden things that otherwise would end unnoticed.
Lockpicking (3): Knowledge of bypassing locks and other security devices. Increases loot from scavenging in general after you manage to craft some lockpicks.
Medic (4): Improved healing rate via procedure training and sterilization techniques, more detailed stat bars on (Medical) Conditions screen. Proper identification of extremely valuable prescription drugs.
Tracking (1): Can hide and spot tracks effectively and gain benefits from terrain bonuses in combat.

Insomniac (-1)
Hacking (2)
Tracking (1)
Athletic (3)
Knitwit (1)
Lockpicking (3)
Electrician (1)
Mechanic (3)
Ranged (4)
Tailoring (2)

Asthmatic (-3)
Smoker (-1)
Alcoholic (-1)

Agreement:
Lockpicking - 3/3 (3)
Tracking - 3/3 (1)

Eagle Eye - 2/3 (2)
Electrician - 2/3 (1)
Hacking - 2/3 (2)
Medic - 2/3 (4)

Alcoholic (-1) - 2/3
Smoker (-1) - 2/3
11 points total.

Disagreement:
Athletic - 1/3
Hiding - 1/3
Knitwit - 1/3
Mechanic - 1/3
Strong - 1/3
Tailoring - 1/3
Tough - 1/3
Ranged - 1/3
Asthmatic (-3)
Insomniac (-1)
We have 4 points left. Just pick whatever you feel will be more useful, and let's get started.
 

Cassidy

Arcane
Joined
Sep 9, 2007
Messages
7,922
Location
Vault City
Alright. Now, this will be a longer update because with the character build I decided to go with based on Nevill's suggestion of merging almost everything , the most immediate choices would not have much different consequences anyway, and by the end of it there will be multiple decisions to be made.

BTW, the source of the image I placed over the title of this update is no implication of intent to procrastinate this thread forever.

:M

==========================================

EWavt7I.png


Cryonics is a bad alternative to building one's own prepper bunker

The Vast

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Given the lack of agreement, I decided to put the last spare 4 points into Ranged because melee combat is much riskier in general and because having no combat skills tends to be detrimental to survival chances for sooner or later it may become impossible to totally avoid combat. Can a smoke-addict drunkard who is simultaneously a l33t h4xx0r, a medic, an electrician and a locksmith with a keen eyesight and experience handling both bows and firearms survive through whatever ITZ is?

fi3dUrb.jpg


Not much to say here. Basically any of the available options involving skills will lead to the same results for the player, Electrician basically is rigging the door shut instead of hacking a computer to close it while Medic involves emergency dumping of someone else from another cryo tank to distract whatever is coming, which definitively means killing someone to save yourself. As much as I considered stopping at this point stalling progress during the "tutorial" wouldn't be that useful.

Would you rather sacrifice a Reality Show Hyperextrovert "Star" or a Typical Suitist CEO to save your own life? :awor:

b0RVgDF.jpg


That threat, whatever it was, is over for now, locked inside the facility to hopefully die of starvation, for whatever it was, it was certainly not just a hungry wild animal.

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Checking everything in this location is a no brainer, starting with possible tracks.

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Curious.

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Without clear memories of who he is, the survivor hopes to find more before leaving this forsaken place.

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Philip Kindred. No address given. At least he won't remember himself only as The Nameless One and he got a bank account number, supposing banks still exist somewhere.

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Time to leave. Not much else to be done in this forgotten facility.

RCETlTg.jpg


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The first impressions aren't good. Looks like ITZ long over.

sLXoytb.jpg


But the worst thing is the cold. With nothing but a hospital gown, some glass shards, a bank account number and the memory of his name, Philip Kindred emerges into a landscape of untamed wilderness and desolate, depopulated urban wastelands. But perhaps he may have missed something inside the Cryo Facility. Given that the threat he woke up close to is locked down, looking again for anything of use inside or around the facility might be a good idea.

7rWNsA4.jpg


Some warm clothes and some shoes would be pretty nice, but chances are there will be none to be found here.

JRh42Cw.jpg


To ensure he won't miss anything, he scavenges with keen eyes and his medical knowledge.

2F48BRq.jpg


A multitool pocket knife that was almost impossible to spot and a first aid kit with 3 sealed bandages and a bottle with only one antibiotic pill. Better than nothing at least.

(Characters with medic and eagle eye abilities will always find these)

Maybe there could be something inside too he overlooked.

KqqwFno.jpg


There was a corridor down the hall. Now that there is no immediate danger, investigating it is a possibility.

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This could be useful, but unfortunately such room while probably well concealed, is quite cold.

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Being an electrician, Philip knows how to fix the lighting at least, but the multitool pocket knife he found can't do that by itself.

mLOImEx.jpg


Unfortunately the heating is something only a mechanic could fix, and he is chilly.

LGBmaA6.jpg


There was also, luckily, a locker that was not fully looted.

MGht5sV.jpg


6 matches only, and old, dirty rag and a bottle of cola. Because using the multitool for cutting will only deteriorate it given that as a multitool, it has more uses than that, a shiv could do it until a better cutting tool is found.

QEIkc1j.jpg


Repairing the lighting in that facility also requires small parts, electronic scrap, solder and a soldering iron. Finding the last two anywhere nearby this Cryo facility may never happen, or it may happen at the first scavenging through ruined and forsaken towns. The bottle with cola was shoved inside the first aid kid. There is no room for further storage now. To the east lies a desolate cityscape:

who3IT8.jpg


This doesn't look like a nuclear ITZ, it doesn't look like a mere Ultimate Economic ITZ, or Ultimate DOOM Expansion Set, or a Zombie ITZ for the matter. Whatever was the cause, it will, like further details about Philip's life before cryonic stasis, remain a mystery, but those vultures, they don't look normal, and radiation only causes mutations in B movies. Something else twisted them inside, turning them into monsters.

vB92qzt.jpg


Among useless pieces of junk, there were some small mechanical parts that could be used to craft improvised lockpicks if only he had a rock. But not so far from the city there was a forest. Maybe he could find some stones to do it there. So he left the first aid kit and went to the woods. Rainfall only made his shivering worsen.

jTGdsQe.jpg


In forests, there are always rocks, twigs and medium branches useful for campfires and torches and large branches useful for improvised melee weapons and makeshift bows. For now he just needed some stones.

(This is something the modpack adds. Vanilla doesn't work like this, you just "use" the forest in the items screen and everything possible is gathered instantly and effortlessly. In this modpack, events might happen during such gatherings.)

9vyNT0r.jpg


The time passes as Philip return to the urban wasteland he previously visited. Besides desolation, some small mechanical parts that could be reshaped into lockpicks and a pen, something else drew his attention, an emergency poster.

(This game is turn-based, obviously. 5 moves per turn with shoes and no penalties from hunger/thirst/encumberment/pain/hypothermia/etc. You can also run on the map to travel further distances each turn, but that is normally best used to attempt fleeing from major threats.)

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"Black Swamp", what could that be?

Os3RRdF.jpg


Such refugee camp could either be a deathtrap, a source of important information about what the hell happened while Philip has gone cold turkey in a more literal sense, or a motherlode of useful things to scavenge. Speaking of going cold turkey, he really hoped to find a nice whiskey, eventually.

JqiaJ6o.jpg


Memorizing everything that mattered from it, given he did not have much available to start up fires, he tore the poster into pieces.

hL0RRCx.jpg


The refugee camp mentioned by the poster is quite far away. Philip Kindred just crafted some lockpicks and there were some interesting locations to scavenge in these urban ruins. However, he knew that those buildings would be pretty dark, but his only possible source of lighting to scavenge would be to turn a medium branch gathered into the nearby forest into torch, which could also help with hypothermia, but a torch would draw anyone or anything's attention to him if there is any possible threat nearby, and it will cost one of his only six matches, leaving him with only 5 matches until he finds more or a filled lighter.



1) Should Philip Kindred scavenge the storage shed and the three houses within those desolate ruins with only lockpicks, should he craft a torch and lit it first to ensure he will not miss anything of value hidden by the darkness inside those derelict buildings, or should he do no scavenging for now, in spite of a pressing need for finding warm clothes and shoes to survive in this bitter cold?


A) Better to save those matches to lit fires to boil water in the future and better to not draw too much attention. Don't bother with a torch.

B) Missing a pair of warm clothes because they are in the dark is unthinkable. Grab a medium branch from the wood, turn it into a torch and scavenge carrying it lit to ensure nothing will be missed.

C) There are probably better scavenging spots further on. Ignore these locations for now and seek further urban ruins until he finds a locked storage shed to pick open, which by virtue of being locked probably will have a lot more of valuables than these locations.



2) There is a refugee camp far to the west. Should Philip Kindred head towards that direction?


A) Yes. There could be at least some valuables forgotten there, and maybe valuable clues about what catastrophe befell these lands too.

B) No. Instead head north and keep trying to survive.

C) No. Instead head south and keep trying to survive.

D) No. Instead head east and keep trying to survive.


3) The crafting of arrows requires at least strings to tie up improvised arrowheads into the shafts while paper scraps can be used as improvised fletching. The crafting of bows requires large branches that are hard to tear apart without an axe or hacksaw and also a medium string, which can be made by tying three small ones together. Should Philip overexert himself for a large branch in the closest woods and, if he find clothes during his scavenging, prioritize tearing them from strings to craft a makeshift bow and arrows over getting proper clothes for himself, given that his chances of surviving in a fight he can't run away from with only a multitool pocket knife would be pretty slim?

A) Yes. More clothes will be found later, and the arrows should be crude broadhead ones for maximum damage

B) Yes, and the arrows should be crude piercing ones for maximum penetration.

C) No. It's pointless to be well armed if you end dying of hypothermia.

D) No. Instead craft a fire hardened wooden spear from a large branch for self defense, ditching the multitool for it and spending one match.

E) No. Instead craft a shoddy makeshift broad spear with a string tying a glass shard to a wooden pole. It will deal more damage than a hardened spear, but it won't last more than a few hits against a foe before its improvised edge or the string tying it up to the shaft breaks, reducing it to a sharpened stick.

F) No, and don't craft anything at all for now. The multitool is too valuable to be ditched for a wooden spear or shoddy makeshift broad spear.


4) Once the desire for booze and cigarettes kick in, should Philip succumb to it and consume them whenever he scavenges them, or should he endure withdrawal long enough to overcome his addictions?

A) ITZ fucking happened, he has been frozen for who knows how many years and he could be the last man on Earth. Why bother with being sober and not having addictions? It's not like he has religious reasons to stop it. Just drink up and smoke whenever he wants to and finds the good stuff.

B) Cigarettes cause lung cancer. Booze kills tapeworms. Cigarette withdrawal can't be that bad, so pledge to never lit one again, but the booze is too good to be forsaken.

C) Cigarettes don't cloud the mind, being drunk can be deadly now that the world ended, and while delirium tremens could happen, it's better to risk that than to risk having to fight for his life while wasted.

D) Eventually all cigarettes and booze will run out. He can't keep on to the old vices. Endure the withdrawals, and in enduring grow stronger.



*Edit: added choices about how to handle the addictions.
 
Last edited:

Nevill

Arcane
Joined
Jun 6, 2009
Messages
11,211
Shadorwun: Hong Kong
1. B
2. A.
3. C
4. A

Not seeing a lot of difference between 3C and 3F. :M
 

Cassidy

Arcane
Joined
Sep 9, 2007
Messages
7,922
Location
Vault City
Alright. Because 2 - C and 2 - F practically mean the same thing(my mistake), I will count them together. So here are the results:

1-B, craft a torch and lit it to scavenge through the current urban ruins.

2-A, head to the refugee camp far to the west in search for more clues about what kind of apocalypse happened around and for valuable things to scavenge.

3-C+F, don't sacrifice clothes for strings to craft makeshift weapons with. Don't ditch the multitool for a spear either.

4-A, ITZ happened, better to die drunk and with a lit cigarette and it's not like the odds of surviving long enough for lung cancer or cirrhosis to happen are significant.


Well, this update was cut short. I don't want to decide whether to flee or fight, I want for you to always decide which is the best option in a given situation.

In case of combat situations I'm not going to wait forever for votes because the game can't be saved during combat.

===============================

hqdefault.jpg


A small yet perhaps serious threat

Desperate Measures

yCe2TqI.jpg


Philip Kindred decided he was better off having a source of light before exploring dark and abandoned ruins, to ensure he won't miss anything useful hidden in the dark. Thus he returned to the nearby woods and gathered some medium branches, from which one would be improvised into a torch, and twigs that would also be useful for starting up a fire. By the time he returned to the urban ruins south of the Cryo Facility, however, he heard some noises.

gtInCzT.jpg



A feral dog barked aggressively at him and began to approach him, clearly intending to attack him, the dog was clearly malnourished, in a condition to eat anything, including a man, and as a dog, he didn't care about the risks of getting killed by attacking someone much larger than him. Of course, being loud enough might work to scare such a dog away, or maybe it won't.

(Turn moves ran out on the return, and in the next turn the dog appeared.

This is how combat happens in this game, multiple choices of which moves to make, a distance that for now is too far for any actual combat to happen, and obviously it is turn-based.

Terrain plays an important role, specially with the tracking skill. Because this isn't a forested area, the Player Character doesn't have any significant bonuses, but the uneven terrain means that if you try to run, there is a risk of you tripping and going down. Fortunately that also applies to the dog. Uneven isn't the worst type of terrain for running or charging through without tripping. Cover doesn't matter for this combat because the dog has no ranged attack, but in firefights a low cover means your chances of not getting shot unless you hit and kill the enemy first will be quite small. )
)


How to proceed now?

(Multiple choices are available, but only 1 isn't mutually exclusive with the other choices, which means you may vote for 1 + another option if 1 doesn't work. There is also a separate decision about which "weapon" to use)

1)

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Threaten the dog. It could work. If it doesn't, well, it's not like the dog will be already at melee range by the time the threatening is over.


2)

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Run! Run away! With nothing but some branches, a multitool knife and no protection either, it's better to avoid getting bitten,specially because he has only 3 bandages. Supposing it is possible to outrun such dog, of course.


3)

JEG64m7.jpg


Advance and kill that dog. Having some dogmeat is better than having nothing to eat too.

4) Instead of advancing, wait for the dog to come to him. Let the animal tire itself before fighting it.

5) Fall back calmly, running away if necessary, and wait for the dog to trip down, trying to evade it until that happens so the animal ends vulnerable to your attack.

Also, in case a confrontation becomes inevitable or should you wish for one, should Philip stick to his multitool knife or should he try another of the available "weapons"?

A) The multitool knife is his best weapon. A medium branch and a shiv? Are you kidding? it's not even a choice!

B) Bludgeoning the dog to death with a branch might work better than that shitty pocket knife.Drop the multitool and pick a medium branch.

C) The shiv is a larger blade than that pocket knife, even if it is also more brittle. Cut down that dog with it instead.

D) Running away from a fucking dog? Show everyone he is a real man by beating that dog to death... with his bare fists!
 

Nevill

Arcane
Joined
Jun 6, 2009
Messages
11,211
Shadorwun: Hong Kong
5B. Our multitool is too valuable to be used as a butchering knife.
 

Cassidy

Arcane
Joined
Sep 9, 2007
Messages
7,922
Location
Vault City
Alright,

5 - Fall back, run if necessary and try to lure the dog in a vulnerable position before attacking it.

B - Use a medium branch to whack the dog.

As for the title in this post having a shitty super dank forced meme, you'll understand why soon. In fact I'm going to add a super inane cosmetic choice too this time.

whether "Three Dog Moon" or "Urban Dogeman" is a better T-shirt to wear over all others that were scavenged.

:M

=================

adSnY9d.jpg


Dogemeat

Making time

ZEvkZQQ.jpg


Better to fall back. Outrunning a dog is probably impractical for anyone who isn't an athlete, so Philip decides to face the rabid animal in his own terms.

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The dog runs quickly towards him, he does not panic.

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Grabbing a bundle of sticks(not to be confused with fascism), he prepares for this epic struggle for survival.

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Now there is no more chance to run away. He prepares to beat the dog with the stick.

The dog lunges against his left arm, sharp teeth cutting through, not too deep, but serious enough to start bleeding. He doesn't hesitate to smack the dog with the stick, but it seems to have done much less harm to the animal than what that bite did to him. For now he can endure the pain, but if he makes too many mistakes, he could end having a very inglorious death by the hands of a famished feral dog soon.

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He tries to dodge the next attempt of the dog to cut his skin and muscles through its teeth.

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Fortunately such tactic proves effective, and after the dog's lunge misses him, he has the perfect opportunity to hit the animal another time.

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This repeats for a while, but the dog doesn't seem to be even feeling the strikes.

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He broke branch after whipping the dog with it, but it was only a grazing hit. This is not going well.

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Fortunately, after breaking another branch against one of the forelegs of the dog, and having managed to dodge all attempts of the same to bite him, the dog began to run away. Having no real weapon and tired, Philip didn't try to pursue it.

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As the sun rises on the morning sky, ruined skyscrapers can be seen to the south, but right now his priority is to scavenge his immediate surroundings.

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But most importantly, he had to deal with the bite wound left by that damn dog, and having no clean water or disinfectant, he had no choice but to bandage it immediately by first opening one of the sealed bandages.

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Hopefully this won't end getting infected.

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But for now there is nothing more to do about it.

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Three scraps of paper are put on the top of a medium branch.

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To ensure nothing will be missed, the survivor will scavenge all locations of interest with a lit torch in hand.

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The first location was a storage shed. Because it is not locked, the chances of finding great stuff aren't that good, but he might get lucky.

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More matches, a flare, a baseball bat and a backpack?

:yeah:

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The backpack isn't in great condition, but it should last for some days at least.

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A ceramic pot could be used to boil water, not sure, but for now it will be carried in that backpack.

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Having lockpicks really improves the odds of finding good stuff, but they can't be used in every possible scavenging spot.

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Both houses had items inside, and most importantly...

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Mobile homes aren't so good in loot potential, but luck is luck.

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Not this time, and with this, the ruins near the Cryo Facility were picked clean. The emergency poster was the next clue, to head to that refugee camp still far away, and to survive until then, but given that there were other interesting ruins right to the south, and some additional crafting options right now, that would have to wait.

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Pajama pants are near useless. Better than no pants, but that's it. Better to tear them for materials.

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There was something much simpler and likely more resilient than a bow, and while the baseball bat gave him some confidence, he would rather have means to hit any threats from a distance. First he crafted some medium strings.

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And he made a sling with pieces torn from pajama pants, which isn't as dramatic as wrapping babymeat in underwear pieces, but still is pretty much ITZ-grade.

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And he made a single handrag with the remaining rags, hopefully it doesn't smell like ass but he was so concentrated in surviving and warming up he didn't bother smelling those rags torn from pajama pants to check it.

Then, he returned to the nearby forest to gather pebbles.

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A sling and a baseball bat are better than nothing. With this done he headed to the urban ruins to the south.

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But he spotted what looked like an abomination from a H.P. Lovecraft story that made him change his mind about scavenging this place. Instead he headed northwest, hoping that thing would not chase after him.

(There isn't much of a point to start fights with these things or wild animals when you are not starving. Naturally, you can eat grilled monster steaks to survive too, but there will be a choice on how to deal with future unknown horrors in this update)

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It looks like he is safe, for now. Heading towards the overall direction of the refugee camp mentioned in that poster he tore for paper scraps, he stops in a forest cabin to take a look.

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Could be good, could be worthless.

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A sleeping bag will be very useful, and soon. Unfortunately while the cargo pants have much larger pockets, that one is too damage to be a good option, but some jeans found there were in better condition than the ones he is currently wearing. Unfortunately as well, there was only one boot, yet there was a way to "solve" this problem for now.

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That bag of chips could be useful for something else, for while a ceramic pot may do it too, that makeshift pot would support a much larger volume of water each time. Unfortunately one bag isn't enough. The potato is immediately eaten.

:outrage:

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Some stuff will have to be dumped, hopefully enough foil will be found later to craft a makeshift pot. After some rearranging there was enough room to store the flare in the backpack, so the torch was picked up again and brought to some nearby urban wastelands.

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The previous fight with the dog and the laborious scavenging already took a toll on Philip Kindred, who was getting weary. Nevertheless, there was much potential in this area.

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This could be good. Hopefully nothing will be attracted to this place.

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A possibly valuable if currently useless walkie-talkie. More potato. More clothes, the black jeans in particular were in a much better shape than the ones he was currently wearing. It was good to know how to bypass a lock.

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If there is a way to wear this instead of storing it, a lot of room for carrying more useful items could be saved.

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Unfortunately this can't be done.

:decline:

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The other pants found are torn for rags, and finally Philip will be able to move at a quite faster pace, although this is far from a great "shoe".

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This also means being able to finally arrive at that mentioned refugee camp sooner than before. Another handrag is crafted with the remaining rags.

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In some types of scavenging locations, knowledge of electronics can be useful, and this abandoned office is one of them.

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There was also a warehouse...

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But it was already picked clean a long time ago.

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Worth a try at least. Also, finding a winter hat and another T-shirt really helped. Somehow, "3 Dog Moon" sounded even sillier and cooler than Urban Dogeman, being a shirt with 3 dogs fighting the good fight with their voices around the moon. (Forgot to take screenshots of this stuff for now, sorry)

:M

At this point, Philip was so tired he was considering whether he should drink some cola and hang on until the night falls, hoping to not encounter any threats because if he grows to weary he could end defeated by exhaustion, or if he should look for one of the possible shelters in these ruins and sleep already

1) Should Philip Kindred drop the sleeping bag he found and go to sleep immediately, or should he carry on further to get closer to his intended destination of the refugee camp still far away?


A) Drink a cola and move on, hoping that by the time the caffeine crash happens, he will be safe.

B) Move on, but don't rely on caffeine to stay awake until the night falls.

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C) This storage unit is a good place to sleep at and it's probably the best one in being well hidden and noisy enough for any intruders to wake him up.

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D) While a burned out apartment isn't such a good shelter, sleeping there should draw less attention.

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E) Sleep in a dark spot in a secluded alleyway, because nobody would expect to find anyone sleeping there, therefore it is safe.



2) Last time he saw a horrific monster, given he barely managed to drive a rabid dog to run away after smacking apart two branches against it, Philip just ran away. How should he react should he find other horrors in the future?


A) Like a man, go for them and go for the kill.

B) Save as A, but only when he is hungry and has nothing to eat, because monster steak sounds good.

C) Hide first, then try to attack them by surprise from as far as possible with his sling, hoping that like in that tale of David and Goliath, those things may go down given enough pebbles to their heads.

D) Same as C, but only for the sake of hunting them for survival.

E) Try to avoid them and stay away from anywhere in their proximity.

F) Never hesitate to run as fast as possible away from them! Last time it wasn't necessary to run like hell, but who knows?



3) Which T-Shirt should he wear as the topmost and visible one? 3 Dog Moon or Urban Dogeman?


A) Neither. The Fairgrounds one he also is wearing is serious instead of silly and dank.

B) So doge, much wow, very urban.

C) Fight the good fight with his voice and "3 Dog Moon" T-shirt.


DISCLAIMER: Will only be continued on page 2
 
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Self-Ejected

Ulminati

Kamelåså!
Patron
Joined
Jun 18, 2010
Messages
20,317
Location
DiNMRK
Unrelated - if we die and roll a new guy, I've grown pretty fond of botanist + metabolism flaw (not perk). The metabolism flaw gives increased healing but requires much more food/water. However, botanist makes food+water trivial to get in most wilderness areas.
Mechanic is pretty sweet as well. you can use it whenever scavenging to reduce your chance of loot slightly but making the area safer to loot. Less risk of falling and getting cuts and bruises.
Oh, and strong seems really interesting too. You can use it whenever you scavenge to increase the odds of finding loot at the expense of safety. (Comboes well with mechanic). I went strong+trapper and had some nice, warm clothes before even leaving the cryo facility >:3
 
Last edited:

Nevill

Arcane
Joined
Jun 6, 2009
Messages
11,211
Shadorwun: Hong Kong
1C
2E
3C - it's Moon Moon Moon.
 

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