Colony Ship: Development update #1 (Sept. 21)

[Abu Antar]

https://steamcommunity.com/games/648410/announcements/detail/1590257408675401415

Development Update #1

We're working on the combat system and the starting town. It's taking us longer than we thought but late is always better than never. Instead of writing a lengthy but ultimately boring update, I'll post the latest screens and art and explain what exactly you're looking at.

This is the latest iteration of the user interface (right click to open image in a new tab to see the full size image). Objects of interest:

• Detailed textbox (much more detailed than the one we used in The Age of Decadence, which told you what happened but not why). The player needs to see how the enemy is attacking (attack type), damage and DR explained (is it a crit, a regular hit, or a graze; why does it say DR6 when my DR is 8 - because of the penetration effect), etc. If you don't like it, you can minimize it and forget it exists.
• Weapon slots show your skill level with the equipped weapons, updated as you fight. You can level up a skill in the middle of a fight and see the difference.
• Four belt bag slots, currently occupied by an energy shield, two smoke grenades used to create instant cover between you and the enemies, and a poison gas grenade - handy if your enemy forgot his gas mask at home (it does poison damage and weaken by reducing physical stats).
• The targeting thingy shows the enemy's hit points, damage resistance (there are 3 types of DR in the game: melee, ballistic, and energy), your THC (to-hit-chance) as well as the breakdown: blue - critical, green - hit, yellow - graze, red - miss. Pressing ALT will show you how THC is calculated, from your stat, feat, and implant bonuses to enemy's cover and evasion.
• Combat sequence (who goes next) is at the top, your party members listed on the left (you can have up to three party members, four with your character).
• The overhead icons above the enemies show you the effects of your cover (the eye represents penalty to their THC) and the effect of their cover (the shield represents the penalty to your THC). The penalty depends on the shooter's position which is why the enemy to the left has only 9% penalty as he almost flanked you.

Before you ask, no, the ship doesn't look like a warehouse, it's only an arena in the container town:

Other locations have a different style and atmosphere, especially the Habitat.

^ 1HP left, my companion was knocked down with a shot to the head. I'm afraid this story doesn't have a happy ending.

^ New run. Me and my new buddy Halston against three evil doers. Spitfire is a great SMG but its short range makes it next to useless in this situation. Weapon range plays a large role and there are 3 distinctive classes: short range (shotguns, multi-barrel pistols, and one-handed SMGs), medium range, and long range (long barrel guns: rifles, assault rifles, and certain pistols designed for marksmanship)

^ Click on a tile to see the movement cost and how it will affect the enemies (shield with the blue arrow shows how their cover will change when you get there.

^ New fight against a very tough and well equipped gang. As in AoD you get everything your enemies had (armor, weapons, even implants if you have the skill to extract them and don't mind getting your hand bloody). Right now Wilson and his boys kill me 7 out of 10 attempts.

^ First, take a look at that sweet gear mace Halston is carrying (he inherited it from another party member who knew how to use it with great effect but sadly didn't make it). Second, when you select a new attack you get a full report on what it does, so you will never have to wonder what something does in the game.

Right now guns have 12 attacks, each with different pros and cons: Snap Shot, Regular Shot, Double Shot (multi-barrel pistols and shotguns only), Triple Shot - semi-automatic pistols only, Fanning - revolvers only, Short and Long Bursts (SMG and Assault Rifles), standard Aimed Attacks (head, torso, legs, arms), and Bullseye (scoped regular and assault rifles).

PS.

Just as I was writing this update, our artist sent the first batch of gas masks and goggles. Might as well post a couple of them here:

Back in the pre-Mutiny days, these smart glasses used to stream a galaxy of digital entertainment directly into your brain. They're still useful for highlighting objects of interest in your environment, such as a concealed gunman about to open fire.

A scav never knows what he might find in the No Man's Land of the abandoned lower decks. These crude goggles, fashioned from salvaged combat tech, offer a few little advantages against whatever might be lurking in the dark.

These pilot goggles weren't intended as combat tech, but they still acquire and track targets better than anything else on the Ship, greatly decreasing reaction time in combat. They also shield your eyes from bright light and switch to high resolution thermal imaging when needed.

With so little known about the natives of Proxima B, the future colonists always assumed the worst. Thus the Ship's Armory was well stocked with gas masks designed for protection against chemical and biological agents.

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Your feedback is always welcome and if you have any questions, we'll be happy to answer. If you like what you see, please wishlist and follow to get notified when the demo is released.