Turn-Based Tactics Mars Tactics - Fight for Martian freedom or suppress terrorists who hamper future of Mankind

[motherfucker]

They should drop the EA already

 

[Taka-Haradin puolipeikko]

From discord:

Hello, here's a new look at the outpost-management screen. I admit it's less clean and pretty than what I shared in January, but closer functionally and thematically to what I'm going for.

Firstly, I've scrapped the idea of Projects within Buildings. Now it's simpler: each Building does just one thing. You assign it inputs and receive an output. And one Building's output can become another's input, allowing you to create production chains. Hopefully it's intuitive? In this screenshot you can see an Ice Mine takes Workers and outputs Ice. And next door, a Farm takes Ice + Workers and outputs Goodwill. (Goodwill is Labor's default social currency).

But probably the biggest design evolution is how central Workers have become. After all, Mars Tactics is about labor issues. I want Workers to feel like the lifeblood of your economy. I want them to be soul of the game!

As mentioned above, Workers are a necessary input for almost all Buildings. Growing and maintaining your workforce is a constant challenge for both factions. As Labor, you mostly get Workers through defections. In the early campaign, you're constantly sniffing out messages from those who want to escape the company -- picking up radio distress signals, hacking company servers to establish contact, even gleaning tips from POW interrogations, etc. Once you gather enough intel, you can go on combat missions to rescue the Workers. (Just don't kill them in the process!) As the campaign goes on, you'll also unlock other methods like recruiting them directly from Earth.

As Capital, you start with the ability to recruit Workers from Earth. Sometimes you'll also get rescue Events, as not all Workers support those crazy union terrorists.

But that's hardly it. Managing labor is not so simple. Workers have demands -- wages, housing, access to wifi, etc. If their demands are not met, their Motivation will drop. If it gets bad enough, they will try to defect or worse. Well, this post is already too long, so I'll explain those mechanics next in another one the coming days.

 

[Taka-Haradin puolipeikko]

https://store.steampowered.com/news/app/1727760/view/4160841636430122464

Quick Dev Update
Hey everyone, it's been over half a year since the Next Fest demo so I wanted to give you a quick update on what I've been working on.

First, I'm happy to say the game is now in alpha. This means I'm done designing new mechanics and am focusing more on improving everything + adding content. It also means I can post more things here on Steam. If you remember, I began dev logs 2 years ago but it was so early in development that what I wrote about quickly went out of date. However, now I'm ready to share more so expect a new dev log in June.

So what have I been working on during winter and spring? The strategy layer has been 90% of the focus. It took much longer than expected because it's super important. Feedback on the tactical layer has been fantastic, but that means nothing without a good strategy layer. That's why I took extra time to working out the mechanics -- economy, logistics, labor policies, procedural events, squad management -- until they felt right. I'll start sharing more details soon but be sure to watch the PC Gaming Show on June 9th for a preview.

Meanwhile, here are some other dev highlights from the last few months.

• Melee weapons and kicking
• Morale and surrender mechanics (for both player and AI)
• Robots and drones
• Artillery/mortar mechanics (still not sure if we need both tbh)
• New weapons -- mining drill, shock baton, shotgun, sniper, grenade launcher, RPG
• Improving AI, esp teamwork logic when attacking/defending specific objectives
• Redesigning UX (building on the painful but important lessons from Next Fest)

Well, that's it for now. Thanks for supporting the game and being patient as I take my time cooking things up. Hope you will tune in on June 9th!

-Yuji

(PS: These post do not appear on the store page unfortunately, but you can click Follow here and they will appear in your Steam News section. Or you can follow me on Discord, Twitter or Reddit where I always post a link to these. Lastly, you can subscribe to the newsletter if you want an email alert when I make a post.)

 

[Taka-Haradin puolipeikko]

 

[Taka-Haradin puolipeikko]

 

[Infinitron]

 

[VonMiskov]

I wonder how it'll turn out - the demo was pretty hard and it feels like you should have a lot spare fodder for the war machine.

 

[Hoodoo]

This looks really good actually

 

[Alienman]

I wonder how it'll turn out - the demo was pretty hard and it feels like you should have a lot spare fodder for the war machine.

The casualty rate is way higher than even X-com Terror from the Deep.

 

[Israfael]

Didn't know about this before yesterday's PowerCringe show, hopefully it won't be subverted by nu-xcom infected CMs like Phoenix Point was

 

[Taka-Haradin puolipeikko]

https://store.steampowered.com/news/app/1727760/view/4163094703545478710?l=english

Dev Log #04: Grenades
Hi everyone, today's dev log is about grenades, which work quite differently in this game compared to others in the genre. Let's dive in so you're not surprised the first time you play.

In many turn-based tactics games, grenades are a tool against randomness. If you miss your shot, the trusty grenade can save you. But in Mars Tactics, grenades require more effort to use. In return, they provide you with more tactical options.

At the core of the design is a mechanic that makes units automatically scramble away when a grenade is thrown at them.

Targets run from a grenade.

But dodging an explosion is not a free move. It costs an action point. So one way to counter is to suppress your targets first, which reduces their AP.

Targets are suppressed first, then eliminated by a grenade.

Chucking a grenade can also force targets out of cover and into potential firing lanes.

Units take into account where a grenade is thrown
from.
This gives you some control over where they will run away
to.

Keep in mind this mechanic applies equally to AI and player units. If a grenade is thrown at your units, they too will run away
automatically
. I understand you might be concerned because this takes control away from you. But I've spent a lot of time making sure units run away intelligently, taking into account the terrain layout, where a grenade is thrown from, where it lands and the position of enemies. And after a lot playtesting since last year, I think it’s working very well.

Plus, you’ll have other tools to defend against grenades, including special equipment and unit Traits. Here's an example of a soldier with a Trait that throws grenades back if the unit has enough AP.

Soldier with a special Trait throws a grenade back.

Lastly, I just want to remind you that despite your best efforts, your units will die. And that's expected. By design, death is a big part of this game. I want Mars to feel like a meat grinder, not a battle of superheroes. To that end, I'm balancing the game so that the loss of a single soldier will not derail your campaign.

Well, that’s it for this dev log. Look forward to your thoughts in the comments. There's actually a lot more to talk about grenades (different types, physics, throwing accuracy, etc), so I will probably write a part 2 later.

If you don't want to miss future dev logs (they do not appear on the store page), be sure to Follow (and Wishlist!) the game here and these dev logs will appear in your Steam News section. Or you can follow me on Discord, Twitter or Reddit where I always post a link to these. Lastly, you can subscribe to the newsletter if you want an email alert when I make a post.

-Yuji

PS: A very special thanks to DCello for sharing the idea for this mechanic.

 

[Taka-Haradin puolipeikko]

 

[Taka-Haradin puolipeikko]

https://store.steampowered.com/news/app/1727760/view/4236280100288163623

Dev Log #05: Destruction
Hi everyone, today's topic is destruction which is a big part of Mars Tactics.

Almost everything on the battlefield is destructible, even the terrain itself. For example, if your troops are pushing into an area with no cover, they can throw a high-explosive charge to create a foxhole to dive into.

Explosives are abundant on Mars as they are used extensively in mining operations.

And when defending an objective, your troops can create trenches to fortify their position. Of course, AI troops are aware of landscape changes and if given the chance will use your trench against you.

Rebel workers in a trench keeping watch for corporate forces. Big trenches like this are not trivial to make -- this one was created by a strafing airstrike run.

Use the Environment
Besides grenade and bombs, environmental objects can also trigger small and large explosions. The game will communicate which objects can explode, so keep that in mind when taking cover.

Chemical tanks can be damaged by direct fire or remote hacking. The blasts are powerful enough to leave craters.

For some special objects, explosions will rip them apart creating debris that can be used as cover. Falling debris may push units and even hurt them, although never fatally.

Construction crane blows up into smaller pieces, each of which become cover. Please note this feature is still in the experimental stage.

Permanent Damage
Destruction is permanent across the world. When you revisit battlefields, you will see familiar craters and trenches (although they will be eroded over time by sandstorms). Likewise, damaging buildings will reduce their productivity in the strategy layer, until repaired. Infrastructure is precious on Mars, so you should weight the cost/benefit of using destruction.

Preserving detailed destruction data across the whole world map creates gigantic save files. Optimizing this has been a very big challenge.

Not Minecraft
All of that said, I just want to be clear that explosions and destruction are not themselves the end goal of gameplay. They are just one aspect of infantry combat. To that end, you cannot dig tunnels or create caves. And destruction only goes a few layers deep (every map has an indestructible rock bed). And some objects and ground types cannot be destroyed.

Underground facilities like these are heavily fortified and cannot be destroyed. (On Mars everyone lives under the surface to escape radiation.)

So the goal is not to re-create Minecraft, as cool as that would be. The focus of Mars Tactics is firmly on turn-based infantry combat. But I hope destruction is a useful and fun part of the tactics sandbox that allows you to be creative.

Timelapse of a hilltop fortification slowly getting decimated.

Well, that's it for this time. Let me know your thoughts in the comments. This game takes place just 20 years from now during the very early stages of the corpo-colonization of Mars, so there's no terraforming or much human settlement. That means you should expect to fight through lots and lots of sand maps. But I hope the destruction system will help make each battle more memorable and fun.

Follow and Wishlist here for these dev logs to appear in your Steam News section (they do not appear on the store page). You can also follow me on Discord, Reddit, Twitter or Bluesky. Lastly, if you just want an email alert when I make a post on Steam you can sign up here. THANK YOU FOR YOU SUPPORT!!

-Yuji

 

[Taka-Haradin puolipeikko]

From discord (I still haven't figured out how to embed videos from there):

First look at RPGs. I want all weapons to be unique. Overlap is boring and pointless. So I want shooting an RPG to feel distinct from and serve a (slightly) different tactical purpose from firing a GL / firing mortars / calling in airstrikes / throwing an HE grenade / etc.

To that end, I'm thinking the RPG will be a big brutish weapon. It's heavy and cumbersome, requiring teamwork to use effectively. It also costs 2 AP to line up a shot and fire. It has poor accuracy and noticeable projectile drop, requiring a level of skill from the player. But on the plus side, the rocket flies much farther than a thrown HE and delivers a bigger punch, making it critical against armored enemies like robots. It's also immediate, unlike airstrikes which arrive 1 turn after being called in. Finally, it's more precise than mortar fire.

So far in my testing I'm pretty happy with the overall feel. The most unique about the RPG is the projectile drop. Very noticeable compared to all other bullet types. I'm sure it will be frustrating to use for newer players who just want to point at something and make it go boom, but I think that's OK. Because even if you miss you will make a big mess, which is sometimes what you need to make a push. And overtime you can learn how to use it better and line up trick shots. To me, all of that capture what I think firing an RPG is like? Here are a few videos of me learning how to use it well.

Oh yeah one more thing. Similar to grenades, RPGs trigger a scramble attempt by hostile and friendly units in the rocket's path (within 1 tile). So a single well-placed shot can impact a huge # of enemies. This can be more powerful than blowing something up!

Also you might notice that unlike grenades, the scramble occurs simultaneously as the rocket is flying. There's less time to react, leading to fewer successful scrambles. (And as always, you can suppress a target to pin them in place and prevent them from scrambling.)

Anyway, all of this is WIP. I'm sure we'll tweak and refine during playtesting. Thanks for reading. <@&1250607643345813645>

 

[Hydro]

I like the responsiveness of the game engine

 

[Optimist]

Initially I didn't care at all about this game, but I'm looking forward to it more and more as time goes on!

 

[Alienman]

A real optimist.

 

[udm]

One thing that I find interesting about the game, even if I don't outrightly love it, is that it attempts something different with explosive weapons. Having units automatically scramble when attacked with explosive weapons is an interesting feature that's never been done before and adds another layer of depth to the game. I'm still not entirely used to how it works, but it feels good when you throw at the right spot to flush enemies out for your Overwatching gunners to take down.

 

[Alienman]

One thing that I find interesting about the game, even if I don't outrightly love it, is that it attempts something different with explosive weapons. Having units automatically scramble when attacked with explosive weapons is an interesting feature that's never been done before and adds another layer of depth to the game. I'm still not entirely used to how it works, but it feels good when you throw at the right spot to flush enemies out for your Overwatching gunners to take down.

I'm not entirely sold on it, since I hate losing control of my characters. Unless, it's something like berserk or panic, since that is often related to morale. Which can be avoided, and plays into risk gameplay, I guess. But having my men scramble for cover automatically, that can spell doom for them. I don't know, man. Would really suck to lose hero corporate killer Lars due to this. We will see.

 

[Taka-Haradin puolipeikko]

One thing that I find interesting about the game, even if I don't outrightly love it, is that it attempts something different with explosive weapons. Having units automatically scramble when attacked with explosive weapons is an interesting feature that's never been done before and adds another layer of depth to the game. I'm still not entirely used to how it works, but it feels good when you throw at the right spot to flush enemies out for your Overwatching gunners to take down.

I'm not entirely sold on it, since I hate losing control of my characters. Unless, it's something like berserk or panic, since that is often related to morale. Which can be avoided, and plays into risk gameplay, I guess. But having my men scramble for cover automatically, that can spell doom for them. I don't know, man. Would really suck to lose hero corporate killer Lars due to this. We will see.

Doesn't that scrambling happen in situations where staying in place might spell almost certain doom for troopers?
Hopefully enemies are subject to same rules as player.

One thing I would like to see addressed is how disposable troopers are. Recruitment should be relatively easy, with some casualties not crippling campaign outright.

 

[Gumsmith]

One thing that I find interesting about the game, even if I don't outrightly love it, is that it attempts something different with explosive weapons. Having units automatically scramble when attacked with explosive weapons is an interesting feature that's never been done before and adds another layer of depth to the game. I'm still not entirely used to how it works, but it feels good when you throw at the right spot to flush enemies out for your Overwatching gunners to take down.

I'm not entirely sold on it, since I hate losing control of my characters. Unless, it's something like berserk or panic, since that is often related to morale. Which can be avoided, and plays into risk gameplay, I guess. But having my men scramble for cover automatically, that can spell doom for them. I don't know, man. Would really suck to lose hero corporate killer Lars due to this. We will see.

Doesn't that scrambling happen in situations where staying in place might spell almost certain doom for troopers?
Hopefully enemies are subject to same rules as player.

One thing I would like to see addressed is how disposable troopers are. Recruitment should be relatively easy, with some casualties not crippling campaign outright.

Dev has said it'll be a meatgrinder with only the lucky survivors securing a place as veteran soldiers with traits. I approve but we'll have to see what that looks like in practice.

 

[Alienman]

One thing that I find interesting about the game, even if I don't outrightly love it, is that it attempts something different with explosive weapons. Having units automatically scramble when attacked with explosive weapons is an interesting feature that's never been done before and adds another layer of depth to the game. I'm still not entirely used to how it works, but it feels good when you throw at the right spot to flush enemies out for your Overwatching gunners to take down.

I'm not entirely sold on it, since I hate losing control of my characters. Unless, it's something like berserk or panic, since that is often related to morale. Which can be avoided, and plays into risk gameplay, I guess. But having my men scramble for cover automatically, that can spell doom for them. I don't know, man. Would really suck to lose hero corporate killer Lars due to this. We will see.

Doesn't that scrambling happen in situations where staying in place might spell almost certain doom for troopers?
Hopefully enemies are subject to same rules as player.

One thing I would like to see addressed is how disposable troopers are. Recruitment should be relatively easy, with some casualties not crippling campaign outright.

Yeah, I guess, if the grenade explodes in the same turn. I'm curious what the scramble radius will be. Sitting behind cover where the explosion won't reach, hopefully won't trigger it. So your man runs out from safe cover just to get blasted.

 

[motherfucker]

I remember it was real finnicky at times in the demo, hopefully they flesh it out.

 

[Taka-Haradin puolipeikko]

From discord (again with video):

Loving the new Action Queue system. Whenever any action occurs, this new system processes the action and intelligently decides when to show it to the player. Basically it tries to construct a sensible "narrative" for you. (Previously, there was no such system. So when if two actions occurred simultaneously they would fight ech other and sometimes cause the camera to jerk around, especially during enemy turns.)

Anyway, besides making the narrative smoother, one of the coolest things is it allows dynamic interruptions and combinations of actions. For example, I just added this "follow me" command you can give to NPCs. Works pretty seamlessly as both your and the NPC's movements are queued, executed and displayed smoothly. (I disabled AP limits for the sake of the video. And please ignore the placeholders icons and stuff too.)

As you guys know this game muddies the turn order with many actions happening out of turn (like enemies scrambling from grenades during the player's turn). I hope this system allows more of that but also helps keep things coherent. <@&1250607643345813645>

 

[Taka-Haradin puolipeikko]