Infusion Dev Log #10: Lockpicking and Hacking

[Oreshnik Missile]

https://stygiansoftware.com/infusion/devlogs/10-lockpicking-and-hacking.html#

So what can you do in this new computer system:

• Browse files, copy them to your own personal computer, sometimes sell them to information brokers
• Control doors, gates and various machinery that's connected to the system
• Obtain new software, including new hacking tools
• Install new hardware and software on your personal (hand-held) computer that will give you new gameplay functionalities, such as motion tracking radar
• Communicate remotely with other people
• And more

Like with lockpicking, there is an idea here of sort of becoming an actual hacker within the game's world. The computer system implemented here is no minigame, it's something that exists and runs within the game's world at all time and its workings are part of the lore and aesthetic in the game.

Locking will go from tedious to engaging and rewarding because of this change.

Adding additional hurdle (minigame) won't make it engaging.

The hurdle will hopefully mean fewer locks to pick, with more behind each one.

Also, because lockpicking is a slower and more involved action now, we'll be sure to distribute the locked objects more sparesly with higher concentration of loot and other rewards behind individual locks.

 

[Oreshnik Missile]

I'm so hyped for the hacking minigame.

 

[Hydro]

For the purposes of the game, I implemented a simple operating system inside the game and a command shell on top of it you can use to interact with it.

Like with lockpicking, there is an idea here of sort of becoming an actual hacker within the game's world. The computer system implemented here is no minigame, it's something that exists and runs within the game's world at all time and its workings are part of the lore and aesthetic in the game.

Great devlog. Seems like a lot of work to be done, but I can see how it may pay off. Styg’s approach is not merely implementing a gimmick, but creating a whole another layer of gameplay tightly woven (infused?) into the game world. His background in IT surely plays a big role in his overall methods i.e. procedural approach. God bless the guy.

 

[ArchAngel]

For the purposes of the game, I implemented a simple operating system inside the game and a command shell on top of it you can use to interact with it.

Like with lockpicking, there is an idea here of sort of becoming an actual hacker within the game's world. The computer system implemented here is no minigame, it's something that exists and runs within the game's world at all time and its workings are part of the lore and aesthetic in the game.

Great devlog. Seems like a lot of work to be done, but I can see how it may pay off. Styg’s approach is not merely implementing a gimmick, but creating a whole another layer of gameplay tightly woven (infused?) into the game world. His background in IT surely plays a big role in his overall methods i.e. procedural approach. God bless the guy.

It seems more like a personal project that is being sold as game mechanic :D

 

[The Wall]

For the purposes of the game, I implemented a simple operating system inside the game and a command shell on top of it you can use to interact with it.

Like with lockpicking, there is an idea here of sort of becoming an actual hacker within the game's world. The computer system implemented here is no minigame, it's something that exists and runs within the game's world at all time and its workings are part of the lore and aesthetic in the game.

Great devlog. Seems like a lot of work to be done, but I can see how it may pay off. Styg’s approach is not merely implementing a gimmick, but creating a whole another layer of gameplay tightly woven (infused?) into the game world. His background in IT surely plays a big role in his overall methods i.e. procedural approach. God bless the guy.

Yeah and do you know how this lvl of interactive and alive world is possible while Colony Ship or Avowed feels so dead? Styg is FUCKIN GOOD PROGRAMMER! Like Tim Cain was, before he fell out of love with C/C++/C# and fell in love with sucking big corpo dicks. We all forget that video games are software which is first and foremost programmed

For the purposes of the game, I implemented a simple operating system inside the game and a command shell on top of it you can use to interact with it.

Most modern GameDevs only know how to click in Unreal Engine or Unity. This is literal wizardry beyond their comprehension. Something they couldn't do with millions of $. Styg's budget: punjena leskovačka pljeskavica

 

[Hydro]

Like Tim Cain

That’s the comparison I considered drawing myself, but I don’t really think having a tech background is a necessary prerequisite for becoming a good game developer. That said tech mindset does help a lot that’s for sure.

Styg's budget

We know jackshit about. The guy’s managed to accumulate some capital at some point, and that’s about it.

 

[The Wall]

Like Tim Cain

That’s the comparison I considered drawing myself, but I don’t really think having a tech background is a necessary prerequisite for becoming a good game developer. That said tech mindset does help a lot that’s for sure.

Styg's budget

We don’t know jackshit about. The guy’s managed to accumulate some capital at some point, and that’s about it.

I very much know the power of 1000$ in USA/Canada and in Serbia. It's different planets difference. No, you don't have to be good programmer for you to be good game designer. But if you are both + decent writer, then you are Game Dev God

 

[filpan]

Ajmo Stidže, ne mogu da dočekam novu igru.

 

[ItsChon]

Fully erect. Why did I ever doubt this man.

 

[PrK]

Now, you may think I've gone off the deep end with these features, but I intend to go even further.

 

[Ol' Willy]

In U1, investment in hacking and lockpicking just straight out gives you massive bonuses in quests and area exploration, opening massive shortcuts and allowing to simplify many encounters. Many builds pick up these skills mostly to make various locations significantly easier. So this is big rewards for rather limited investment.

By adding another level of game mechanics this approach could be made both more involving and demanding as you can't just click on a lock and make it disappear

 

[ciox]

Nice update. I think that lockpicking is taking a spanking though, hacking has become much more interesting, while the ability to force a lock without picking it has been introduced. It's not impossible to balance the two skills and keep them both interesting, it's just become more difficult.

 

[Butter]

Now THIS is autism.

 

[Mr. Pink]

I still think it's weird when player skill and in-game character skill are mixed but only for lockpicking type minigames.

hey Styg

Does character skill just let you access harder minigames or can you attempt every minigame regardless of character skill, and the skill just makes the game easier?

Will there be situations where you're just so good at the game from multiple playthroughs that you don't have to pick up levels in lockpicking anymore? In rpgs with dedicated lockpicking or hacking skill, when playing optimally, it makes no sense to level past a certain threshold where every container and encounter you want in the game is accessible. Knowing this threshold is very metagamey and I dislike it, but skill points are so important that it makes a big deal.

Note: I'm only calling them minigames because I don't have a good word to describe subsystems in games where the actual real-time skill of the player matters and can only improve between playthroughs

 

[Sweeper]

Ajmo Stidže

Брт, немој.

 

[Mr. Magniloquent]

This guy is going to do the great work and prove me right.

I actually like mini-games. There are many done very poorly, this is true. That aside, I feel like they are the only way for cRPGs to move forward. They need to better simulate challenges outside of combat, and mini-games are the way to do that.

Let's hope similarly innovates on dialogue. If he can do that, I will don sandals, abandon my worldly goods, my family, and become his disciple.

 

[Stavrophore]

I don't really see a challenge here as you said with activities out of combat, unless the lock can be broken, and then you will need explosives[small shaped charge] to open it, so demolition/explosives skills could come handy here. But then why bother when you can reload, unless you are some turboautist doing ironman which represent even smaller portion of audience of already niche game.

 

[AdolfSatan]

Shit, this actually looks pretty neat.

Haven't been following the dev logs too consistently: what's the deal with the clock being so prominent, will there be time-based quests/features?

 

[just]

madman will actually force us to learn some assembler shit to hack doors
someone should check on the guy, thats how terry davis started

 

[The Wall]

What do you Codex Broes think about me and few of my pals knocking on Styg's Castle front door in rainy night with big pizza box, list of questions about Underrail 2 and camera? I live in same city as Styg. Would love to do video interview about his team, story behind making of Underrail and its future aka Underrail 2 [ACTHUALLY KINDA SERIOUS]

 

[damager]

The original has only one flaw. That I constantly start looting the enemies mid battle and waste all my action points.´

I can imagine the phase based combat system turning out good for Underrail though. Hacking and lockpicking minigames on the other hand... I feel like this only gets a pass because it's styg and UR1 is beloved here. I personally just want to get done with lockpicking and hacking asap and see the results of it. It's the old "it's my character hacking and lockpicking, not me" principle I'm very much believing in stil.

Honestly I want to play a game about combat and exploration, enjoy the writing and atmosphere, even the music. I just don't have any interest in logic and dextery based minigames and puzzles.

 

[thesecret1]

I think it can work to add a bit of immersion and resource management to the game, so long as it doesn't make the relevant skills obsolete by player skill. Could for example keep the same system as in UR1, but instead of a lockpicking/hacking success, you'd be asked to do the minigame, each attempt at which would cost you some resource.

 

[Ol' Willy]

The original has only one flaw. That I constantly start looting the enemies mid battle and waste all my action points.´

Try pressing Ctrl+P