Turn-Based Tactics Archrebel: Tactics - A reincarnation of the classic Rebelstar.

[Haba]

I can see that short of animation getting real old real fast. And it doesn't make much sense for an explosion. For a burst of minigun fire, sure. One boom for the direct hit damage and then a second one for the AOE blast effect, for all the affected units at the same time?

Looks cool otherwise.

 

[Darkozric]

Ularis Badler Dunno if you have already answered but can you disable the floating damage numbers?

 

[Ularis Badler]

Ularis Badler Dunno if you have already answered but can you disable the floating damage numbers?

There's no option to disable it.

 

[Ularis Badler]

This video makes a comparison between the missile launcher and the rocket launcher.

 

[Ularis Badler]

Introducing the EMP Grenade. It is a great way to disable energy shields, and a requirement to capture droids once their health drops considerably.

 

[Infinitron]

 

[Ularis Badler]

Introducing the Scout Probe; it works similarly to X-COM's Battle Scanner.

 

[Infinitron]

 

[Ularis Badler]

Introducing the Scan Goggles. This item is required for collecting information on foe's attributes, wounds, and gear.

 

[Ularis Badler]

Which mechanics do you prefer for mission-driven turn-based and squad-based games with recruiting?

Persistent: Permadeath for fallen units.
Penalty: Fallen units don't die but stay out of combat for the next mission.
Arcade: Fallen units are reset to full health between missions.

Now, I understand that there may be more variables to consider but I'm interested in knowing what was your first impulse on these 3 choices.

 

[Taka-Haradin puolipeikko]

Persistent is favorite, but it can be mixed with some type of Penalty.

 

[Alienman]

Persistent.

 

[mediocrepoet]

Persistent. Hard stop.

 

[Gumsmith]

Persistent is coolest.

 

[lightbane]

I choose the 4th option: Make it a choice for the player, if possible, toggeable, whatever. If not possible: Persistent.

 

[Ularis Badler]

I choose the 4th option: Make it a choice for the player, if possible, toggeable, whatever. If not possible: Persistent.

After collecting feedback on this question, here and in other places I posted this subject, I decided to have the game designed to support both the 'Penalty' and 'Persistent' models. Fortunately, the 'Arcade' model scored VERY low in all polls I initiated, so I guess my gut feeling was right, but I needed to make sure, nonetheless.

Thanks to everyone for providing feedback thus far. Cheers.

 

[Alienman]

Just want to add, while I like persistent, aka perma death, I like having a "wounds" thing too. You, know like in X-com how you can have agents bleed out, but if you are fast enough you can save them. It always adds a lot of drama, instead of just having binary; alive or dead.

 

[Ularis Badler]

Just want to add, while I like persistent, aka perma death, I like having a "wounds" thing too. You, know like in X-com how you can have agents bleed out, but if you are fast enough you can save them. It always adds a lot of drama, instead of just having binary; alive or dead.

Thanks for pointing that out! That is freaking tempting to include. However, I want to see first the impact that the current wound system has on units. As it currently stands, a wounded unit can be rendered useless if critical or enough body parts are wounded. For example, getting hit in the head will severely compromise the unit's ability to fight or operate items in general, and having both legs crippled will heavily affect its movement speed. So, I want to see if these effects, while not time based, do provide some of the drama you describe, because, having a unit incapable of moving while exposed to enemy fire, is prone to recreate some dramatic moments, I think.

 

[holla_cabezas_de_mierda]

I like permadeath, but with chance the person can be revived/saved if their body can be recovered (although the favor the chance to be low, even if body can be recovered/saved..). I know that was not a choice, but out of the ones given then perma-death, but don't mind penalty either

 

[udm]

Just want to add, while I like persistent, aka perma death, I like having a "wounds" thing too. You, know like in X-com how you can have agents bleed out, but if you are fast enough you can save them. It always adds a lot of drama, instead of just having binary; alive or dead.

Thanks for pointing that out! That is freaking tempting to include. However, I want to see first the impact that the current wound system has on units. As it currently stands, a wounded unit can be rendered useless if critical or enough body parts are wounded. For example, getting hit in the head will severely compromise the unit's ability to fight or operate items in general, and having both legs crippled will heavily affect its movement speed. So, I want to see if these effects, while not time based, do provide some of the drama you describe, because, having a unit incapable of moving while exposed to enemy fire, is prone to recreate some dramatic moments, I think.

Hard West has this interesting mechanic where wounds can heal over time and become bonuses with a couple of drawbacks. In the context of a sci-fi game like Archrebel/Laser Squad, perhaps this can be explained away with prosthetics and implants?

 

[Ularis Badler]

Just want to add, while I like persistent, aka perma death, I like having a "wounds" thing too. You, know like in X-com how you can have agents bleed out, but if you are fast enough you can save them. It always adds a lot of drama, instead of just having binary; alive or dead.

Thanks for pointing that out! That is freaking tempting to include. However, I want to see first the impact that the current wound system has on units. As it currently stands, a wounded unit can be rendered useless if critical or enough body parts are wounded. For example, getting hit in the head will severely compromise the unit's ability to fight or operate items in general, and having both legs crippled will heavily affect its movement speed. So, I want to see if these effects, while not time based, do provide some of the drama you describe, because, having a unit incapable of moving while exposed to enemy fire, is prone to recreate some dramatic moments, I think.

Hard West has this interesting mechanic where wounds can heal over time and become bonuses with a couple of drawbacks. In the context of a sci-fi game like Archrebel/Laser Squad, perhaps this can be explained away with prosthetics and implants?

That's indeed interesting. The way Archrebel handles it is that healing is done through organic nanobots that can fix most issues on the fly until they expire and wounds reappear. The premise is that these nanobots live long enough for soldiers to get to the base for definitive medical attention.

 

[Ularis Badler]

This is the information panel players have access to after they scan targets with the Scan Goggles. It is now 100% working on collecting all data and formatting it accordingly to highlight important information.

 

[Taka-Haradin puolipeikko]

This is the information panel players have access to after they scan targets with the Scan Goggles. It is now 100% working on collecting all data and formatting it accordingly to highlight important information.

What ´battery` and ´software` do?
Do living units have different main attributes?

 

[Ularis Badler]

This is the information panel players have access to after they scan targets with the Scan Goggles. It is now 100% working on collecting all data and formatting it accordingly to highlight important information.

What ´battery` and ´software` do?
Do living units have different main attributes?

That is a fine question! Droids use Software and Battery attributes, and humans/living creatures use Intelligence and Willpower instead. Software and Intelligence are similar in the way they work controlling the skill's efficiency, they are basically just renamed to better fit the setting. However, Battery indicates the number of times a droid can recharge its stamina bar (humans can simply rest as many times as needed), while Willpower represents the mental fortitude regulating how soon/often human units become anxious, afraid, and eventually panic.

 

[Ularis Badler]

Here is the info panel being accessed during gameplay. It shows the difference between units being scanned or not scanned.