Game News Colony Ship RPG Update #11: Systems Overview

[Jedi Master Radek]

Any specific reason we can address?

I believe distributing skill points is an essential part of cRPG experience. I like deciding what skills to improve next and to what extent. Learn by doing system strips me of this experience. Deciding what to do next is not a good ersatz of distributing points, because deciding on what to do is a thing I would do nevertheless. Even if there were distributable points I would still have to decide between sneaking, fighting or talking. Therefore learn by doing is an unnecessary reductionism. Also I have doubts about the system flexibility in the late game, when deciding to learn a new skill. It may lock me in into some extreme form of minimaxing without the chance to escape.

 

[puppyonastik]

Our current design is based around limited ammo (rare for energy, limited for firearms). Your suggestion would require a very different direction.

Are there individuals making ammunition? or is it a lost art? If I remember correctly, you mentioned that the ship provides all sustenance via automated manufacturing, are there individuals that have gotten the bright idea to tinker with these machines?

 

[Vault Dweller]

Our current design is based around limited ammo (rare for energy, limited for firearms). Your suggestion would require a very different direction.

Are there individuals making ammunition? or is it a lost art?

Energy cells? No. It's not a lost art but they aren't something that can be produced in crude workshops without proper tech and supplies. Firearms? There are but the supply is limited and the ammo is somewhat expensive. Few men walk around with pockets full of ammo.

If I remember correctly, you mentioned that the ship provides all sustenance via automated manufacturing, are there individuals that have gotten the bright idea to tinker with these machines?

The machines are controlled by "House Ecclesiastes", all the plebs have access to are the distribution nodes.

 

[Shadenuat]

It would make sense for people to try and recharge the cells instead of producing new ones, like System Shock hacker did.

 

[cucrophi]

You will not gain XP for killing, talking, sneaking, picking locks, using computers, fixing mechanical things and such. You will not increase your skills manually. Instead your skills will be increased automatically based on their use.

VD couldnt stop you from hoarding skill points. So he disabled the display of the needed threshold. It was not effective.

Now he wont let you have skillpoints at all! [Steamlined!]

 

[Rivmusique]

Had a quick look, sounding great, really looking forward to it. I just had a go at some of the newest aod stuff, ITS doesn't disappoint.

The update says up to six tagged skills at ten intelligence at the top, but in the attributes section it says four at ten. Is that a mistake at the start? Or should the attribute section say additional tagged skills (to a default two)? Screenshot suggests the former (three tagged skills, eight intelligence).

The mock-ups were just for visual representation and layout, don't read too much into them. They are not a screenshot of the game, but done in photoshop as a reference for implementation.

I was typing from a phone when I wrote that so couldn't be bothered with copy and pasting, but what I am referring to is these two parts of the update:

1. Tagged Skills

The tagged skills will increase at a faster rate (let's say x1.25). INT will no longer give overall XP bonuses but define the number of tagged skills instead (up to 6 tagged skills at INT10). Thus a smart person will be able to excel in a larger number of disciplines.

And later:

6. Stats:

• INT – determines the number of tagged skills: 1 at INT4, 2 at INT6, 3 at INT8 , 4 at INT10. Reduces Brainwave Disruptor effects.

 

[Vault Dweller]

The correct number is 4.

 

[puppyonastik]

The machines are controlled by "House Ecclesiastes", all the plebs have access to are the distribution nodes.

Could said plebs get wise and alter said nodes?
I'm thinking of quest and crafting possibilities.

 

[Vault Dweller]

The machines are controlled by "House Ecclesiastes", all the plebs have access to are the distribution nodes.

Could said plebs get wise and alter said nodes?
I'm thinking of quest and crafting possibilities.

The distribution nodes merely deliver what's been produced elsewhere (namely water, nutrition tabs, and breathable air).

 

[thesheeep]

I'm not sure I like this kind of XP gain.

Let's be honest, the classical way has been around since... forever. People know it. And it works. Or it wouldn't still be around
There isn't really a difference in skill distribution, as a player does not improve skills arbitrarily, as you wrote, but according to a certain plan/direction. Well, at least that's what I do.
The end result of this vs usage-based distribution is equal: Often used skills for that character will be high, others won't.

How will this system prevent ending up with a "fighter/talker, fighter/thief, fighter/fixer" party?
And why would such a balanced party even be a bad thing?

 

[Vault Dweller]

Let's be honest, the classical way has been around since... forever.

The "learn by use" system isn't some novelty either. It's been around since the 80s.

 

[cucrophi]

How will this system prevent ending up with a "fighter/talker, fighter/thief, fighter/fixer" party?

It wouldnt. But The Way It's Meant to be Played.

• It reinforces our party-based goals. If you let one of the party members do all the repair work while you concentrate on other areas, losing this party member would hit you hard and you’d have to make sure (via choices made during quests) that he/she would stay with you no matter what.

Will those choices involve romances? Maybe even introduce some sexual diversity to represent all human beings? Like if Sheppard is transsexual, will party members stay with him through the whole game?



Whats the difference between energy and firearm pistols?

 

[thesheeep]

Let's be honest, the classical way has been around since... forever.

The "learn by use" system isn't some novelty either. It's been around since the 80s.

That wasn't really what I meant with that, but I can see that was poorly worded.

I'm not opposed to the system, I just don't get all the points brought up by you.
Besides the "fighter/talker, fighter/thief, fighter/fixer", thing, there is also this:

If you let one of the party members do all the repair work while you concentrate on other areas, losing this party member would hit you hard and you’d have to make sure (via choices made during quests) that he/she would stay with you no matter what.

How is this different than it would be if I had skilled that party member "manually" as the party mechanic?

I agree with the consistent gameplay, though. It is not the only way to achieve that, but it should work to that end.

Well... thinking about it a bit more, I definitely conclude it fits this kind of game more than the system in AoD did. That was gamey as hell - more or less forcing you to save up skill points until you need them for something specific was probably one of the most criticized things about it.
Though that could've been alleviated by making it level-up-based and forcing people to spend all of their points immediately.

 

[Infinitron]

How is this different than it would be if I had skilled that party member "manually" as the party mechanic?

I think what VD is trying to say is that in regular system, you usually won't do that. You'll make sure every character has just enough combat skill to stay alive. It's harder to make non-combat guy proficient in combat when you actually have to take a risk and use him in combat to do it.

 

[cucrophi]

That was gamey as hell

You know what is most gameyiest than that?
Thinking about what action to take, choice to make, to fit what you want to level up, because that is now what leveling will look like.

 

[thesheeep]

How is this different than it would be if I had skilled that party member "manually" as the party mechanic?

I think what VD is trying to say is that in regular system, you usually won't do that. You'll make sure every character has just enough combat skill to stay alive. It's harder to make non-combat guy proficient in combat when you actually have to take a risk and use him in combat to do it.

I see.

But that depends on the combat system, doesn't it?
I mean, if there is combat as well as non-combat skill checks in a party-based game, then each character better be useful in combat to a certain degree or you simply won't have him around if you intend to fight. At least if the fights are hard enough so that having a wimp in your team would pretty much kill you.
If the fights are so "easy" that you can do them without all party members fighting somewhat well, then the combat is probably too easy.

So depending on how the combat will be, I don't think we'll have pure non-combat characters in this game, either. Which again would end up being exactly like a regular system.

 

[Infinitron]

How is this different than it would be if I had skilled that party member "manually" as the party mechanic?

I think what VD is trying to say is that in regular system, you usually won't do that. You'll make sure every character has just enough combat skill to stay alive. It's harder to make non-combat guy proficient in combat when you actually have to take a risk and use him in combat to do it.

I see.

But that depends on the combat system, doesn't it?
I mean, if there is combat as well as non-combat skill checks in a party-based game, then each character better be useful in combat to a certain degree or you simply won't have him around if you intend to fight. At least if the fights are hard enough so that having a wimp in your team would pretty much kill you.
If the fights are so "easy" that you can do them without all party members fighting somewhat well, then the combat is probably too easy.

So depending on how the combat will be, I don't think we'll have pure non-combat characters in this game, either. Which again would end up being exactly like a regular system.

It depends on the lethality of close combat. If having your non-combat guy anywhere near a combat situation is a serious risk to his life...remember, it's more than just winning the battle, you also don't want to lose him.

 

[thesheeep]

Honestly, if I lose a party member, I just reload.
Never had fun with ironman modes in games like those.

And if I'd have to reload too often, I simply wouldn't have pure non-combat characters. Which I guess is true for most players...

 

[Infinitron]

And if I'd have to reload too often, I simply wouldn't have pure non-combat characters. Which I guess is true for most players...

Right, but this is a companion-based game, so it depends on what characters the game gives you to start out with. Vault Dweller will have to think carefully about he wants to set it all up.

 

[agris]

Vault Dweller / Elhoim

Will there be skill synergies where it makes sense? Such as [Firearm] Pistol and [Energy] Pistol?

 

[Vault Dweller]

Vault Dweller / Elhoim

Will there be skill synergies where it makes sense? Such as [Firearm] Pistol and [Energy] Pistol?

It's a question of balance, so it's too early to talk about such things. In general, it depends on what the skills means. It's certainly not your ability to aim a pistol-shaped object in someone's direction but your ability to handle recoil, maintenance to make sure your weapon stays in good shape, etc. From this perspective these are two very different skills.

 

[Tigranes]

The mock-ups were just for visual representation and layout, don't read too much into them. They are not a screenshot of the game, but done in photoshop as a reference for implementation.

I like the layout distribution, but the lack of colors & contrast means that my eye just blurs everything together and keeps going back to the character's portrait, making hard to read all the info... :/

This. I'm so sick of 'sci-fi' UIs just being 'blue screen + shitty font' monotony that is neither pleasing on the eye nor suitable to digesting info. I hope this isn't how the final charscreen will look.

Vault Dweller re. learn-by-use, what would in your mind be the positive reasons to go for this system? (I'm sure you've said elsewhere, but.) I can think of many ways its problems could be mitigated, but it' tough to think of why it would ultimately deliver a superior experience in a party-based CRPG.

 

[agris]

Vault Dweller / Elhoim

Will there be skill synergies where it makes sense? Such as [Firearm] Pistol and [Energy] Pistol?

It's a question of balance, so it's too early to talk about such things. In general, it depends on what the skills means. It's certainly not your ability to aim a pistol-shaped object in someone's direction but your ability to handle recoil, maintenance to make sure your weapon stays in good shape, etc. From this perspective these are two very different skills.

Understandable. I will say though that pistols and long-guns are unique from a firing perspective- the weight, way you hold them and manage the trigger-pull all impact the resulting accuracy. That might be too simulationist for you, but the form-factor itself has distinct similarities from rifles and other long-guns, regardless of ammunition.

I think. I've never shot an energy pistol.

 

[Eyestabber]

Well, this screenshot clearly proves that The Emperor from DR is in the game, so that gives me hope that Miltiades will be in the game as well.

 

[himmy]

Atheist and Libertarian are skills now? Cool, sounds like this is going to be basically ”reddit, the RPG”.