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Colony Ship Early Access Release Thread [GAME RELEASED, GO TO NEW THREAD]

lukaszek

the determinator
Patron
Joined
Jan 15, 2015
Messages
12,618
is it known bug, when game gets stuck on enemy reloading? No idea how to repro that one. Behavior is like AI was stuck in some sort of calculating next move during/after reloading their gun. Was forced to reload few fights that way.

Once it happened to me that I couldnt target enemies(left mouse click was doing nothing). It was fine after few skips, my AP and ammo was fine. It was during fight against regulators, at building entry.
Speaking of that fight, dude with machinegun got no ammo to reload and is running out quickly
 

Daedalos

Arcane
The Real Fanboy
Joined
Apr 18, 2007
Messages
5,559
Location
Denmark
Played a little bit, but saving a more deep playthrough for later builds this coming months.

Some suggestions mostly on the visual and audio plane:

The run animation seems kind of off for me. I don't know what it is, but it feels like too fast and too "light" in a way. I dont really know if I think the run speed and animation should be slowed down abit or reworked, but its abit jarring to me atm.

Sound design should be a priority going forward, since currently it's somewhat lackluster, so more ambience, more characteristic sounds for things, weapons etc. Sound is half the experience for me at least.
I still feel that VO for a select few VIP NPCs alá Fallout would be awesome, but I know its a big time and money limiting factor, so yeah.

As previously mentioned, the world feels abit static, like a theme park, running from 1 ride to the next, but thats getting looked at so thats nice.
 

Eastwood

Educated
Joined
Jun 21, 2020
Messages
78
I really like how difficult some of the encounters can be. The Mercy fight was absolutely brutal with my 3 man party.
Had to use energy weapons and every gadget I had to beat this fight.
 

HoboForEternity

sunset tequila
Patron
Joined
Mar 27, 2016
Messages
9,170
Location
Disco Elysium
Steve gets a Kidney but I don't even get a tag.
i haven't played much but some surface complain i have is the map is a bit harder to navigate because it's more vertical. in Aod it's pretty much just houses and roads, but in colony ship you have containers, catwalks, staris, etc and some of it aren't even traversable. i guess it's just nitpicking since you can just fast travel everywhere.
 

jackofshadows

Magister
Joined
Oct 21, 2019
Messages
4,485
Also we'll do a loot pass. It's kinda hard in some cases since it's a core aspect of our games to loot what the enemies have, so once you give them cool stuff to put up an interesting fight (and to cover weak points), then your characters get it all.
While I really appreciate this very core aspect I have an idea about some tuning regarding this: when a big-scale fighting occurs involving factions/other parties loot shouldn't be left entirely for MC and his party to pick up. Even to the point where say there would be a little dialogue with Mercy/Branxton about who gets what when it comes to the most valuable stuff like "- alright, you can get either Jonas's revolver or these pieces of armor" etc. This kind of stuff is passable when it's the end of the game but not when it's just the end of the first chapter.

Furthermore, given the game already has an exuse for destroying an implant during the fight it can be applied more, especially to non-combat check resolving like by auto-turrets near Depot A2 or by frogs in Delta tower. By the way aside from feedback I've seen regarding turrets that it doesn't make sense even raider behind the wall dies the outcome that 3 frogs and bunch of goons conveniently kill each other may be also altered a bit.
 
Last edited:

Parabalus

Arcane
Joined
Mar 23, 2015
Messages
17,432
Is there any skill check to bump Computers 1 to 2?
Few I found all required more and gave nothing on failure.
 

lukaszek

the determinator
Patron
Joined
Jan 15, 2015
Messages
12,618
Is there any skill check to bump Computers 1 to 2?
Few I found all required more and gave nothing on failure.
no but it can be trained. There is 1 token and 1 npc.
both in hydro thingy.
Token is in one of the towers, hidden behind str/electronics check
NPC is annoying and can be missed. Its scientist on second level of main tower. You need to talk twice to exhaust all dialogues and then do the quest
 

Parabalus

Arcane
Joined
Mar 23, 2015
Messages
17,432
Is there any skill check to bump Computers 1 to 2?
Few I found all required more and gave nothing on failure.
no but it can be trained. There is 1 token and 1 npc.
both in hydro thingy.
Token is in one of the towers, hidden behind str/electronics check
NPC is annoying and can be missed. Its scientist on second level of main tower. You need to talk twice to exhaust all dialogues and then do the quest
How do you use the token? The proprietor in the Emporium ignores it.
She doesn't have a quest, guess I need to do something else first.
 
Unwanted

Savecummer

Latest Doxxer Account
Edgy
Joined
Mar 6, 2021
Messages
330
Is there any skill check to bump Computers 1 to 2?
Few I found all required more and gave nothing on failure.
no but it can be trained. There is 1 token and 1 npc.
both in hydro thingy.
Token is in one of the towers, hidden behind str/electronics check
NPC is annoying and can be missed. Its scientist on second level of main tower. You need to talk twice to exhaust all dialogues and then do the quest
How do you use the token? The proprietor in the Emporium ignores it.
She doesn't have a quest, guess I need to do something else first.
You need a frogbrain to trigger her comp training.
And the emporium is classic rpg scripting bug, you need first to have talked to him about the tokens. Then get the tokens.
 

Takamori

Learned
Joined
Apr 17, 2020
Messages
875
So just finished the early access done a a throw away build with shotguns and just had Evans to tag along with a sniper rifle. Overall a good experience, enjoyed the combat, the frogs biting in the face animation is pretty good. The weird starfish carnivore plant was pretty cool and well animated and thankfully that I found that handy energy rifle in the armory to dispatch that horror asap.

On art stand point its 10/10, the armor in general looks cool (exception of that bicycle helmet with a visor that makes the wearer look like an egghead lol), still missing some animation regarding killing enemies but Elhoim already answered and they are working on it right now. I assume that Unreal engine is easy to include gory deaths and add specific decals compared to unity.

The sounds need a bit of improvement regarding weapons, shotguns could use an improvement so I feel that I'm carrying a boomstick. Energy weapons I dunno how could improve but at the same time it felt dull? I was expecting a threatening sound from a weapon that has a really limited resource, when this weapons is fired we should really know thats a big boy fight you got into if is either from you or from the enemy side.

Now regarding story and writing itself, I already posted something previously agreeing with the criticism that is missing some elements to the presentation. Just to reinforce the feedback I would love to have the companions more livid and slightly more chatty, of course you don't need to do a banter machine or a Joss Whedon abomination( I trust that ITS is against capeshit cheap writting). But for example I'd love to have Evans comment stuff after getting done with the arena, have some curiosity about the tech in the armory (Given that old advanced tech is a thing and any person that lives in Colony Space world I assume would be at least impressed getting the experience first hand or being able to touch such relic).
Jonas, Braxton and Mercy could use a beef up, the way is written is like Braxton a damn asshole with power hunger, even treats the PC like a retard (Yeah man go there tell Jonas is a fag and everyone will cheer for you).
Wish I could work with those 3 characters in more neutral grounds on who I should choose to pick sides with, the way its done now I feel like okay Jonas is not doing stellar job but at least is not going to get me killed for nothing.

In any way shape or form I await for future updates and of course for the final release in 2022. 11 hours of fun and feels really polished for an EA hope the rest of the journey follow this trend.
 

Jrpgfan

Erudite
Joined
Feb 7, 2016
Messages
2,007
AOD had pefect wrtiting and story btw. WAY better than other things on the market. It doesnt make any sense to compare it to most other game as there is no competition.

I agree with this statement. It's like people here are pigs eating shite everyday of their lives and then complain when someone gives them some nice, juicy apples.

Sometimes I feel codexers deserve decline.
 

Vault Dweller

Commissar, Red Star Studio
Developer
Joined
Jan 7, 2003
Messages
28,024
As Savecummer has said, if you ask basic questions about the characters, you usually just don't get any answers. Who are your parents? Where are they? Do you have other relatives? How did you grow up?
So how should we answer these very important questions? Should I give your character a dramatic story full of twists and turns? Give you another questionnaire?

My parents:

1. Are dead. Orphaned at a young age I ... (go page 12).
2. Are very supportive, especially uncle Jim. I visit them every week and we have tea made from fresh rust shavings.
3. Are estranged. I've never forgiven them for bringing me into this world.
4. Sold me to a traveling circus and bought a nice apartment in the Habitat. One day I will find them and ... (go to page 14).
 

Twiglard

Poland Stronk
Patron
Staff Member
Joined
Aug 6, 2014
Messages
7,205
Location
Poland
Strap Yourselves In Codex Year of the Donut
So how should we answer these very important questions? Should I give your character a dramatic story full of twists and turns? Give you another questionnaire?

It's fine for you to eschew any kind of psychological depth if it's not your strong suit. Definitely beats trying too hard resulting in cringe.
 

Elhoim

Iron Tower Studio
Developer
Joined
Oct 27, 2006
Messages
2,878
Location
San Isidro, Argentina
While I really appreciate this very core aspect I have an idea about some tuning regarding this: when a big-scale fighting occurs involving factions/other parties loot shouldn't be left entirely for MC and his party to pick up. Even to the point where say there would be a little dialogue with Mercy/Branxton about who gets what when it comes to the most valuable stuff like "- alright, you can get either Jonas's revolver or these pieces of armor" etc. This kind of stuff is passable when it's the end of the game but not when it's just the end of the first chapter.

The main problem is that it would encourage looting during combat to avoid loosing it.

And the emporium is classic rpg scripting bug, you need first to have talked to him about the tokens. Then get the tokens.

If he's playing an older version, we didn't check for a couple of them, but it has nothing to do with "talk with him then get the tokens". That's not correct, you can go to him with the tokens in your inventory even if you never talked with him. Sure, you can't show them right away as the PC doesn't know what the machine is about.
 

Vault Dweller

Commissar, Red Star Studio
Developer
Joined
Jan 7, 2003
Messages
28,024
So how should we answer these very important questions? Should I give your character a dramatic story full of twists and turns? Give you another questionnaire?

It's fine for you to eschew any kind of psychological depth if it's not your strong suit. Definitely beats trying too hard resulting in cringe.
I'm strongly against defining the player's character and saddling him up with 'psychological depth'. That's for the players to define if they care about such things.
 

Ihavenoidea

Educated
Joined
May 12, 2020
Messages
80
After some thinking here are some things I’d suggest:

Kneeling not only behind cover, but as a standard 2 points action.
Why: adds a bit more depth to combat system, kneeling animation is done already – should be easy to implement. It would turn automatic kneeling behind cover off, through, and would require redesigning combat system a bit. Similar option was implemented in Fallout Tactics.

Previous conversation
Since the conversation keeps changing when you choose an option without the ability to check history, and often you cannot choose the same flavour option again it might be worth it to add a review buton like in fallout.

Floats
Why: Makes the ship a bit more lively, gives the bars and guards some flavour and helps with distinguishing the factions. The guards have floats after you start initiating conversation with them already, so it seems like relatively easy implement option. I don't know how hard would it be to add timed repeatable floats.

Map:
The place is relatively similar to each other, so newer players can easily get lost. Since it’s a wild place, without control – would it be possible to slap a coat of red paint on one set of barracks, green on the other one? People like to distingush their places, and in the Pit it would make relative sense.

Bodies:
We’re told they’re being recycled. They dissapear. However, we do not see the process. You can fight two junkies, before getting to grill lady. Why not have her thank you for more protein and give you some meal (even if it’s flavour only option)? Why not have something like Planescape Dusties hunting for corpses? You could tell them about sharp face’s goons for example, and get 10 creds for each body.

Portraits:
There is like 20 of them. I’m not even suggesting the old „pay 10 bucks, get your face in” scheme, but seems like having more pictures would really help. Wasn’t there a website that generates faces? Someone noticed that Billy was taken from Vikings, and I doubt anyone would care, but still.

Backstory/jobs:

Ok, we have a lawless hellish pit. So we have gunners, gangs, and desperados. That’s cool. We also have explorers of ruins (ship parts), bartenders, foodmakers, Cinema. Also cool. But what about the rest?
Basically I can buy that there is some sort of universal basic income on the ship to pacify the locals. That would make our hero wanting to change something, without a previous job experience, so no need for a big backstory. Some odd jobs for Tanner are also an interesting angle, that could give the player another npc with a shared past on a job or two. What does the Pit exactly provide, that it works, sans UBI? Why does the three factions want to control it?

What I feel is missing is:
Body collectors – as explained before. For flavour mostly.
Ship fixers – makes more sense as a protector subgroup who goes and checks the ship for any damage, similar to Red Cross, and other organizations. Even the Brotherhood would need to let them in, since mores hip damage puts everyone in danger. There is a stationary NPC in Power Station, but it would make sense for more NPCs to be doing that, and i.e going to the freshly discovered part of the ship, after the player allows it for a small fee. From welding to electronics.
Drug makers – if we have junkies, dealers, etc. we could also meet the makers. It would also make sense if the combat drugs were made from recycled bodies.
Armor/cloth/ammo makers – an important set of goods. Can also be in the big city of course
Prison+reeducation center – it makes sense for it to be in the Pit, since it’s where the unwanted people go. It can even be mentioned only.
Teachers – will be added, from what I’ve seen on the steam page.
Artists – either painters or sculptors, even if only religion imagery – it’s fine if it comes in 1-2 quests (find ornate knife, ask artist to do something for a faction).

Regarding backstory: Would it be possible to add a sentence or two in the opening blurb based on the skills chosen? Combat - you scared some drunks away, biotech - you dabbled in implant removak, etc. Literally just a sentence, since most players will be focused on combat + 1/2 skills anyway.
 

thesecret1

Arcane
Joined
Jun 30, 2019
Messages
5,675
Will you make a pass on the economy overall? I feel it's not really that I am accumulating money too fast rather than that I have little to spend it on. Why buy something from vendors when you can just loot it from an enemy's body? Worse yet, the vendors carry complete garbage that you have no reason to buy after the first couple fights, because you already got all the gear they sell (hell, better gear, most likely). Perhaps have the vendors carry a premium piece for premium price? Better than whatever you'll come across on the enemies you fight, but not so much better as to make you too powerful
 

Drowed

Arcane
Joined
Dec 28, 2011
Messages
1,676
Location
Core City
So how should we answer these very important questions?

Sarcasm aside, they kinda are pretty important, VD. Not necessarily each one and literally these ones, but the story behind them and what creates your character's motivation. You are too smart to take these issues literally as a straw man, as it seems to be the case. (And your examples sound like a CYOA book, the irony here is blinding). Let's see how other famous games answer this, then.

  • Planescape Torment: The answers to these questions are literally the theme of the game. "Who you are" is literally what drives the story and what makes you start the adventure. I wonder if this has something to do with the fact that the story is so well regarded.
  • Fallout 1/2/NV - The basic answer to this is usually given early in the game, but directed at your character's major motivation. You are someone who "wants to save your Vault/Village", or who wants to find the motherfucker who shot you in the head. To compensate for how vague the story was at the beginning, they set the character on their motivation. You have a big goal and that is what defines your character initially, the rest comes with your actions along the way.
  • Baldur's Gate - You find about Gorion's Ward orphan status and everything else early in the game, by talking to the NPCs in Candlekeep. Bioware isn't exactly brilliant in the way it imparts the initial context of the story (as we all know), but within the first few minutes you already have good notions about his childhood and the motivation for the story comes soon after.
  • Deus EX- You are JC Denton, and initially you don't know many details about yourself other than the fact that you are some kind of very specialized and badass agent. But soon you get that you're working for UNATCO, and that your main thing is to combat terrorist organizations. You also have a brother, and both of you started as UNATCO agents, and you both have opposite/contrasting personalities. Throughout the game, by talking to other characters you will find out more about your past.

This is how some of the codex's most beloved CRPGs do the exposition on your character, or at least make the call to action and create your greatest motivation. How can you do yours in your stories? I can't tell you, because obviously, any way I put it you will refuse. You know it and I know it. You will rationalize that it makes no sense for the story you want to tell, just as it made you create AOD, an entire game where there is essentially no character-building dialogue, only story-advancing dialogue. None of the characters in the game have a character arc. You will do what you want to do the way you want to do it - and hey, it's your game and you should do exactly that. But let's not pretend that you are asking this question with the intention of debating about storytelling, or think of ways to humanize NPCs or express character motivations; you already have your opinion. And you have no intention whatsoever of reviewing your position in this regard.

Just as for you, in your own words (I don't remember where you said this but I remember you saying it so I'm paraphrasing), "relevant interactions" of character are only the choices that "alter the plot" and not mechanical choices. So for you, the freedom to be able to use your skills whenever you want or initiate combat on your own terms is not an expression of the character (which I disagree with). I don't know if you used that as a justification for the fact that you obviously wouldn't have the budget for a different game, which is totally valid and understandable, but that wasn't your statement. But a debate about why the ways of expressing yourself mechanically are as (or more) important than the ways of expressing yourself in the narrative is not a relevant point here because it's not like it's even within the scope of your games to offer the former case.

You will do what you want to do. And do it, It is not as if I am saying otherwise.
 
Unwanted

Savecummer

Latest Doxxer Account
Edgy
Joined
Mar 6, 2021
Messages
330
So how should we answer these very important questions?
With very important but sarcastic overtones!
Should I give your character a dramatic story full of twists and turns?
Can you? I think you are too much of a hack for that.
Give you another questionnaire?
I didnt actually read the TLDR pathetic lore infodump beyond the 1.5 pages of it. Top design. Havent seen anything like it in ... ever.
 

Thal

Augur
Joined
Apr 4, 2015
Messages
413
I'd like to point out that even with BG1s quantity over quality approach to party member choices, each character is genuinely brought to life with barks and couple longer voiced lines. The same applies to JA2. I know ITS can't hire voice actors, but if this option is not used, you should use some other way to give party members identities. And that way is writing. No need to info dump their problems on us, but they would benefit from being fleshed out more.
 

Parabalus

Arcane
Joined
Mar 23, 2015
Messages
17,432
Why make reloading during placement take away AP?
Makes sense for gadgets but not reloads, didn't work that way in DR either, just annoying.
 
Unwanted

Savecummer

Latest Doxxer Account
Edgy
Joined
Mar 6, 2021
Messages
330
:shitandpiss:
continued!

You know how in Fallout (and all other rpg cities) the size and scale of the maps is in disconnect with realistic proportions?
CSG is worse than Fallout!
In Fallout and other rpgs the scale is usually suggested, be it through cut-off buildings or any kind of half continuation on map edges that implies this is only a portion.
When you enter a location in Fallout, you get a city map and click on a triangle somewhere on it, suggesting its only a small part.
In the PIT there is none of that lol! It looks like 33 people live there :lol:
That is not a quetsion of resources either - its map design.

This is the Hydro map in my mind, its 2 corridors with 2 and a half rooms adjacent
Tv6uNrX.png


The Armory ("dungeon") has 2 sad levels (right now), the second of which is 3 fucking rooms.
The one with nothing in it but a crate. Sharpface. And loot room. One of the saddest pseudo dungeons I have seen.
This is a question of resources of course but its sad anyway...

In my next post Im gonna be shitting on the world building - drawing parallels with pulp fantasy and haunting movies!
Subscribe!
 

Vault Dweller

Commissar, Red Star Studio
Developer
Joined
Jan 7, 2003
Messages
28,024
Will you make a pass on the economy overall?
Of course.

  • Planescape Torment: The answers to these questions are literally the theme of the game. "Who you are" is literally what drives the story and what makes you start the adventure. I wonder if this has something to do with the fact that the story is so well regarded.
  • Fallout 1/2/NV - The basic answer to this is usually given early in the game, but directed at your character's major motivation. You are someone who "wants to save your Vault/Village", or who wants to find the motherfucker who shot you in the head. To compensate for how vague the story was at the beginning, they set the character on their motivation. You have a big goal and that is what defines your character initially, the rest comes with your actions along the way.
  • Baldur's Gate - You find about Gorion's Ward orphan status and everything else early in the game, by talking to the NPCs in Candlekeep. Bioware isn't exactly brilliant in the way it imparts the initial context of the story (as we all know), but within the first few minutes you already have good notions about his childhood and the motivation for the story comes soon after.
  • Deus EX- You are JC Denton, and initially you don't know many details about yourself other than the fact that you are some kind of very specialized and badass agent. But soon you get that you're working for UNATCO, and that your main thing is to combat terrorist organizations. You also have a brother, and both of you started as UNATCO agents, and you both have opposite/contrasting personalities. Throughout the game, by talking to other characters you will find out more about your past.
Obviously, there are many games where your identity is well-defined. PST is the best example and the way the story revolves around your identity is simply fascinating. It works well in the Witcher game too as they're based on the books and Geralt is basically a celebrity. BG - never cared about that orphan bit or about saving Imoen (whereas I cared very much about my PST companions). Then there are many equally beloved games where the PC's background was left to the player to imagine, so I don't see it as a must-have feature.

No irony in my CYOA examples. The way I see it, that's the only way to do it but with a neutral tone. One of the members of this esteemed establishment offered to write a fixed backstory that started with "your parents died when you were young...". Why? What if they didn't? Why my character must be an orphan? What physiological depth does it add? Maybe my 'dad' is working for some scav crew or died when the Brotherhood attacked or moved back to the Habitat? Etc.

Just as for you, in your own words (I don't remember where you said this but I remember you saying it so I'm paraphrasing), "relevant interactions" of character are only the choices that "alter the plot" and not mechanical choices. So for you, the freedom to be able to use your skills whenever you want or initiate combat on your own terms is not an expression of the character (which I disagree with). I don't know if you used that as a justification for the fact that you obviously wouldn't have the budget for a different game, which is totally valid and understandable, but that wasn't your statement.
I don't recall the exact statement but obviously everything we do is defined by our budgetary constraints (no money -> small team -> less time to spend on features outside of the main focus). You can't initiate combat anywhere you please not because we think it's a very bad choice but because it can easily break scripts and we don't have time to script alternatives. Same goes for introducing friends, developing relationships, etc. Since writing and scripting time is limited, we have to prioritize (same goes for every other aspect of the game, from animations to level design to systems like crafting). So either we spent 100% of that time writing and scripting quests or we start allocating time for extras, thus reducing the number of quests.
 
Unwanted

Savecummer

Latest Doxxer Account
Edgy
Joined
Mar 6, 2021
Messages
330
I love shitting on stuff from 100% cover!
>feels good :smug:
 

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