KickStarter Mechajammer (formerly Copper Dreams) - cyberpunk RPG from Whalenought Studios

[Alter Sack]

It seems this game will actually meet the distinguished tastes of the codex crowd.

Spoiler

 

[grimace]

Katharine Castle played the free demo. I don't understand why she keeps talking about Deus Ex. Clearly a first person perspective game will handle stealth differently. Maybe mention Metal Gear Solid series?

https://www.rockpapershotgun.com/me...ometric-deus-ex-yet-but-theres-potential-here

Feature by Katharine Castle
Editor-in-chief

Mechajammer is hard, and I died more times than I care to admit figuring out how to turn its semi real-time, semi-turn-based tactical battle system to my advantage.

The general flow of battle feels quite stilted compared to other RPGs, no doubt a result of your characters being tied to its hexagonal grid and turns playing out in such rapid, quickfire succession that they barely seem turn-based at all. It's a little jarring to start with, but it does give Mechajammer a unique kind of staccato rhythm I haven't seen anywhere else. I liked it, and I don't think this is what kept leading to my untimely downfall.

The turn based system resolves like a roguelike. Has Miss Castle played ADOM?

 

[buffalo bill]

Feature by Katharine Castle
Editor-in-chief

Mechajammer is hard, and I died more times than I care to admit figuring out how to turn its semi real-time, semi-turn-based tactical battle system to my advantage.

This person is clearly an idiot. Demo was easy af

 

[mediocrepoet]

Feature by Katharine Castle
Editor-in-chief

Mechajammer is hard, and I died more times than I care to admit figuring out how to turn its semi real-time, semi-turn-based tactical battle system to my advantage.

This person is clearly an idiot. Demo was easy af

Game journalist is terrible at everything, news at 11.

 

[cyborgboy95]

 

[Junmarko]

Steam page has new screenshots.

Don't recall that weapon indicator in the lower left. Have they altered the UI yet again since the Demo launched? lol...

Not hating, just find the obsessiveness amusing. Respect their passion.

Steam page: https://store.steampowered.com/app/485400/Mechajammer/

 

[Sykar]

New MAP for Beta testers.

This is the first time we've seen the open world city map.

Autodownload update to Steam.

You are aware that the acronym "MAP" stands for "Minor Attracted Person", aka pedophiles, yes?

 

[grimace]

Feature by Katharine Castle
Editor-in-chief

Mechajammer is hard, and I died more times than I care to admit figuring out how to turn its semi real-time, semi-turn-based tactical battle system to my advantage.

This person is clearly an idiot. Demo was easy af

The good thing is the Editor-in-chief didn't trash the game.

The good thing is she said it was hard.

The good thing is she's a games writer with a job.

Steam page has new screenshots.

Don't recall that weapon indicator in the lower left. Have they altered the UI yet again since the Demo launched? lol...

Not hating, just find the obsessiveness amusing. Respect their passion.

Steam page: https://store.steampowered.com/app/485400/Mechajammer/

The UI differences are the way to differentiate demo versions.

Instead of an obnoxious watermark we are treated to new art for screenshots in each iteration.

 

[grimace]

https://whalenoughtstudios.com/community/

The Burning Candle AbbeyA COMMUNITY FOR WHALENOUGHT STUDIOS
mechajammer update log 7.1 game notes
August 19, 2021 at 11:01 am
Hannah
Hannah
This build features a mission to infiltrate a gang base in a small section of the city.

Test build includes:
– City section
– Level streaming
– Police alert hunt and radar functionality
– NPCs radio for help if available
– Gang/Faction Spotlights trigger NPC swarm
– Streamlined movement for turn mode and explore mode
– Driving has improved turn based controls in combat
– HUD tweaks for readability
– Gang mood meter for determining ally status
– Load and saving functionality from main game implemented into demo
– Merchants
– Mercenaries
– Rumors and bribing
– Traffic

Known Issues:
– Cars and barrels missing explosion effect
– Can get stuck after death loop
– Ammo bug
– UI layering bugs with radio and radar
– Interaction distance too far (jumping to cars)
– NPCs should run out of cars when they take too much damage (prior to blowing up)
– Vent entrances difficult to enter
– Fire barrels difficult to target
– Terminal screens are overlapping when selecting buttons
– Note viewer in terminal repeats first one clicked
– Can’t shoot computers
– Mismatched some character heads/portraits
– Some hovers not linked up in character sheet

 

[Sykar]

geno oh you want a citation, well here you go, just remember you asked for it. Click at your own peril:

Spoiler

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Minor-attracted_person
https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/ar...persons-chilling-online-propaganda-drive.html

 

[Infinitron]

https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/1649838104/copper-dreams/posts/3278165

7.2 Testing, [social] all backers

Greetings!

There's a new demo area for testing and feedback — everyone at this point can now join in on the forums and ooze out your thoughts. There are details below on how to get your keys.

Some of the main changes we've made based off feedback are some quality of life improvements — movement models are now more similar in and out of turn based mode (tile distances without the grid), getting into turn based mode is now only automatic to make that more streamlined, and cars also have a turn-based driving mode. A lot of physics and visuals like the MFI street-scanners still needs another layer of polish, but they are available to play around with. We'll be getting to those as we finish things up in 7.X.

You can check out some driving, shopping, local trouble and one of the gang factions. This is a small slice of the city, though we had to remove cross-map characters and and things to do to make it more compatible with the area, you can still get a feel for the atmosphere and mechanics. It's still buggy and lacking in some more cohesive itemization, but there are typically one of everything hidden around the zone to find and play around with.

7.X also rounds out city systems like the faction hub mechanics, like calling for backup (interruptible) and their relationship with you, dictating if you'll be able to ally with them. While it's not included due to the smaller scope of this test, if their reputation gets in the red, you wouldn't be able to ally with them. So it would be best not to lay waste to scores of their laborers if you want to be friends. There are a few more things we need to add to start expanding the testing zone, and you can check that progress on the update log, and we've pasted the current at the bottom of this post.

ALL NEW TESTERS
To get your key, please logon to the whalenought website with your email you used here. If you haven't setup an account, generate one by resetting your password with the email you used with this kickstarter.

In your accounts should be an added item with your Steam key for testing (I think I added that line item twice, but it's the same key). You just have to click on a little arrow letter on the Details section.

If you have any issues please let us know, or shoot us an email and we'd be happy to assist.

COOL TESTING ZONE
If you'd like to be involved with some more in-depth testing until release, we're gathering some forces for the cause, just let us know on any of our channels and you'll be [redacted] contacted!

Spoiler

Current 7.2
Features a mission to infiltrate a gang base in a small section of the city. This is localized, and will have the following completed before adding more areas for testing.

Test build includes:

• City section
• Level streaming
• Police alert hunt and radar functionality
• NPCs radio for help if available
• Gang/Faction Spotlights trigger NPC swarm
• Streamlined movement for turn mode and explore mode
• Driving has improved turn based controls in combat
• HUD tweaks for readability
• Gang mood meter for determining ally status
• Load and saving functionality from main game implemented into demo
• Merchants
• Mercenaries
• Rumors and bribing
• Traffic

Fixed from last build:

• Cars and barrels missing explosion effect
• Can get stuck after death loop
• Vent entrances difficult to enter
• Interaction distance too far (jumping to cars)
• alarm noise for police patrol
• allow free move when search timer is up
• missing sprites back in
• drag bodies
• body detection -> alarm state by gang hubs
• need to pause everything at end and make everyone flee and go missing
• end of demo not pausing game world
• shooting ground
• radar turns off before backuptimer
• two cars at base
• interaction distance
• leg aim triggering correct wound to slow down
• dialogue not close enough together
• driving improvements with turn speed and acceleration
• explosion sound
• big van not hitting things
• hover on civilians (need their own color)
• ground items have sheen on them
• ground items can click on pop-up inventory items on bottom of screen (or hotkey)
• puddles
• doors flapping open and shut
• explosion particle on barrels
• quips
• Enemy type 3 can start conversation with you
• crouch takes two clicks
• merchants open inventory automatically

________________________

Known Issues: UI/ruleset

• Ammo bug
• UI layering bugs with radio and radar
• Fire barrels difficult to target
• Can’t shoot computers
• Terminal screens are overlapping when selecting buttons
• Note viewer in terminal repeats first one clicked
• Some hovers not linked up in character sheet
• shouldn’t pass rolls with no dice
• drop more than one round of ammo per person
• pick up bodies like items in icon list on bottom of screen
• ammo gets stuck in INV on occasion

Known Issues: visuals/audio

• Need a hold/drag body animation
• Mismatched some character heads/portraits
• reload animations matching items
• sound effects for dialogue
• arbitration music
• wheels need to turn the correct direction on all vehicles
• civilians sometimes just idle and move instead of walk and move

Known Issues: mechanics

• NPCs should run out of cars when they take too much damage (prior to blowing up)
• Balancing key-holder zones and street-thug health
• Enemy spawn from alerts (MFI and Gangs) should swarm from more locations instead of in a closed group
• MFI scanners need additional scanning visuals for where they can see, should follow PC if detected
• MFI scanners need to be more consistent with detection
• Barry’s (current) van subscription always stays at base
• hovering over doors
• melee distance
• NPC type 1s need to attack you if you start combat near them
• stun gun to require head shot to work
• turn mode vehicles need more gravity
• throwing impact weapons not working

To implement in area for testing:

• Hit squads from gangs/locals you’ve upset
• jungle toxin zones, requiring breathers to access any jungle areas without getting killed
• boating!
• Barry activity and money added to ledger
• Test skills: ORGANICS: CorpseController companions
• Test skills: REPAIR: INV repair kit and Itemoid robot companions
• Test skills: CHEMISTRY: bomb making kit (bring back in)
• Day/Night curfew with MFI
• shadow cursor to help with knowing where shadow colliders are exactly

As always, hope you are all safe and well.

Hannah & Joseph

 

[geno]

I thougth it was for backers but nop, is the new public demo.

 

[grimace]

I thougth it was for backers but nop, is the new public demo.

This is great for feedback.

Which means Codexers need to provide the best most inclined feedback.

 

[AdolfSatan]

Sure, I'm in! What's the pay?

 

[buffalo bill]

brief impression of new demo:

I randomly shot at someone on a motorcycle, and was quickly killed by some drones—incline (though the turn system seemed a bit wonky). Instantly revived by medic with no negative consequences (even guns and ammo the same)—decline.

Pathfinding is wonky and annoying. Pauses whenever I issue a new command. Vehicles are, or course, still not useable. sorta like it suddenly switches to an arcade game when you use a vehicle. Looks nice enough, but now runs worse on my computer than previous versions. UI is less intuitive to me than previous versions. Feels less railroad-y than the (absolutely terrible) previous demo. dialogue system sucks

Spoiler

I've been playing doomrl a lot, and it's hard to play anything else right now for me, since doomrl is such a sick and tight game. so maybe my opinion is a bit biased

 

[Major_Blackhart]

I'm just wondering why they didn't stick with Copper Dreams.

 

[ERYFKRAD]

I'm just wondering why they didn't stick with Copper Dreams.

Ran out of copper and working too damn long for sleeping or dreaming.

 

[agris]

Maybe they realized that this isn’t Copper Dreams after all, and want to save it for the right game.

 

[Abu Antar]

 

[Zanzoken]

The game has a really interesting visual style. I wonder how is it they're able to make 3D models look like pixel art?

 

[PEACH]

upon changing their art style for the 666th time they made a Faustian deal so the 3D shit would look like pixel art in exchange for the game being eternal vaporware

 

[Abu Antar]

 

[cyborgboy95]

 

[Humbaba]

I mean it looks cool but this 5+ year development cycle has me kinda worried.

 

[Major_Blackhart]

Holy fuck I just realized the thread and when it fucking started.