Note of the outskirts - blobber by Cryptrat

[CryptRat]

V1.0.7 released

Fixes :
- The type of material of armors was missing from their description and was added.
- Targetting a character with a Doctor in combat did not open the menu to choose the target. This was fixed.
- An unconscious character healed with a Doctor used to regain all hit points but keep the unconscious status. This was fixed.
- The name and descriptions of Bramble quickseed and Spiritual whip were missing and were added.
- Invigorating suits used to increase MPs and MP regeneration, which don't belong to the game. That was fixed.

Changes :
- One more speed was added to the options of combat log scrolling speed where the log does not scroll until you press a key.
- When attacking a group of enemies, action on each enemy now takes its own line(s). Besides a text was added for each enemy which got missed.
- The endurance of some enemies was lowered.
- To acknowledge this change the "Scaling to top" feat was changed from gaining one more damage dice against enemies with endurance greater or equal to 5 to against enemies with endurance greater or equal to 4.
- The feats of some enemies, especially of the last parts of the game, were changed so the enemies are slightly weaker.
- The power of some feats used only by enemies, as well as the power and range of some of their attacks was lowered.
- Various resistances of metamorphs were lowered.

 

[Strange Fellow]

- When attacking a group of enemies, action on each enemy now takes its own line(s). Besides a text was added for each enemy which got missed.
- One more speed was added to the options of combat log scrolling speed where the log does not scroll until you press a key.

These are great, thanks. Makes combat a lot easier to follow.

Really starting to feel those Strength and Speed deficiencies in my party at this point. The one dude who has both good Str and good Spe is tearing it up with the chainsaw with 4 attacks per round at 2d12+10 damage, and can carry half the world in his pockets. The rest are a bunch of asthmatic nerds who don't even lift. Sad!

And now, more feedbacks, dontcha love it:

When throwing a Heavy Bomb at all enemies in range, the log just says "Character throws a bomb onto." (Might affect every attack that targets all enemies, but I only have the one available I don't know.)

The description for the Bracers of Rampage is annoyingly ambiguous, it just says encumbrance without specifying if it's max encumbrance as determined by Strength, or current encumbrance (it's the latter, for the record).

Characters should reload automatically at the end of combat if they have enough ammo. Not sure if they're supposed to and it's a bug, or if it's just not in the game, but either way.

The weapon "Noise Canon" should probably be "Noise Cannon", although it's kind of funny as it is :D

The Freeze attack of the Frost Gun says it does 0 damage but nothing about inflicting any conditions, which I assume it should.

Displaying the existing saved games in the save menu would be nice. I tend to rotate over a limited number of save slots in games that allow it, and this would make it easier to keep track.

Edit: The Devorer (sic?) damages the user? You evil man, my dude has 2 Endurance for crying out loud

The itemization is absolutely excellent, by the way.



... but 2 Endurance

 

[CryptRat]

Thanks, fixing all these.

Characters should reload automatically at the end of combat if they have enough ammo. Not sure if they're supposed to and it's a bug, or if it's just not in the game, but either way.

They do when they win a fight but don't when they flee, but in the end it's more confusing than anything else, especially since you can't even reload weapons on exploration screen (which I need to add too) so yes I'll change so they reload anyway.

The Freeze attack of the Frost Gun says it does 0 damage but nothing about inflicting any conditions, which I assume it should.

This one is not even a bug, and it's confusing indeed, I need to add a glossary (also real tool tips eventually) with damage types with possible status changes and also status change descriptions (which already exist since you can check when your character have one). The gun simply makes cold "damage" which means it can freeze (the Throw ice attack can freeze too although' chances are significantly lower because it makes damages and then it requires at least one of the two kinds of critical hit instead of not), while currently only extra afflictions and not those directly linked with the damage type(s) are added to the description.

 

[CryptRat]

I don't think current players will care much about this one, but I think the first fix is much worth releasing for potential new players.

V1.0.8 released

Fixes :
- The player did not get any feedback when using items directly inside a character's inventory. This was fixed.
- The texts associated with attacks targetting the entire opposite party generally contained errors. This was fixed.
- The unconscious characters used not to benefit from the regeneration bonuses gained via a Nurse or other ways. This was fixed.
- Various text fixes.

Changes :
- The characters used to reload their weapon only after winning a fight. Now they also reload their weapon after fleeing so that it's less confusing.

 

[Strange Fellow]

- The unconscious characters used not to benefit from the regeneration bonuses gained via a Nurse or other ways. This was fixed.

Nice, I actually noticed this but forgot to mention it.

Anyway, trying to change combat speed in 1.08 freezes the game. Edit: it happens with everything in the options menu that has a submenu.

 

[CryptRat]

V1.0.9 released

In the previous version the game used to crash in option menus. This was fixed.

 

[Strange Fellow]

Found a more serious thing: the inventory bugs out if a character is carrying more than 20 items. Scrolling through, at item number 21 it loops back around to the first.

Edit: wow, talk about quick-fix :D

 

[CryptRat]

Edit: wow, talk about quick-fix :D

Failing not to add new bugs I can at least quickly fix those .

 

[CryptRat]

Found a more serious thing: the inventory bugs out if a character is carrying more than 20 items. Scrolling through, at item number 21 it loops back around to the first.

A quick check gives me nothing weird. What do you mean exactly?

 

[Strange Fellow]

Found a more serious thing: the inventory bugs out if a character is carrying more than 20 items. Scrolling through, at item number 21 it loops back around to the first.

A quick check gives me nothing weird. What do you mean exactly?

Here, the cursor is resting on the 20th item in the inventory. If I move the cursor down one step with the arrow keys, it loops back to the tranquilizers, making the items below the stealth suit inaccessible. If I try to select them with the mouse, it selects the item 20 places up instead, so if I click on the bracers, the tranquilizers are selected, if I click on the chainsaw, the iodine pills are selected, and so on.

Edit: actually, it looks like the item selection works, it's just the visual cursor that resets.

 

[CryptRat]

Thanks, I failed to reproduce it because I did not have enough items on the last page, was it second or third page. Will fix.

 

[CryptRat]

This one was a bit tricky but I think it works now. Uploaded 1.0.10 with only that fix so feel free to download it or not.

 

[CryptRat]

Did you buy that yellow pass by the way?

 

[Strange Fellow]

Did you buy that yellow pass by the way?

I think so. Pretty sure the only pass I've picked up as loot was the blue pass on level 4. I also have the green pass.

 

[Strange Fellow]

Wow, I just got to the end, very unceremoniously. I gotta say, I'm a little disappointed that there wasn't more to it, considering that some of the earlier puzzles and navigational gimmicks have been pretty elaborate and very cool. Here, I just walked onto a random tile and it rolled the credits with no warning. OK, I guess the unique encounter beforehand was something, but I didn't even fight that, I just crit-intimidated the enemies and stole their lunch money, like I've been doing against every encounter that has looked too dangerous or that I didn't feel like fighting.

I'm nowhere near done exploring floors 0 and 1, and basically haven't touched 0 at all except running around randomly after falling into a pit looking for a way back up. Essentially, I'm done with the game, but I'm not done with the game. The fact that I don't have a goal any more does take the wind out of the sails a bit, though.

My party:

Spoiler

FRAPS doesn't seem to like your engine much.

 

[CryptRat]

Congratulations, and sorry for the unsatisfying ending.

Spoiler

I like when stuff you seek is here somewhere in a dungeon, but maybe as the end of the game and not some dungeon among several dungeons it's indeed unsatisfying, I 100% agree that going on without a goal is boring. I think it's also linked to intimidation being indeed a bit overpowered, because there's at least one way to go there, bypassing the fight, which implies solving a puzzle.

Intimidation is a bit strong indeed, I just think lowering its power now that the game is released would be very boring for players who're currently playing the game and are now using it as a tool. Potentitally in 6 months in a big update. Note that one of the reasons you manage to is that you've got big fat equipment (pieces of equipment have a hidden threat score, and the threat score of a chainsaw is big), in theory at least, in practice I need to check again. However you missed the big boss' equipment in the process .

Floor 0 is easier than floor 1, don't hesitate to do this one first if you go on.

Either way keep your last save games, I'll very likely release at least a small dungeon standalone where you can bring the characters from this one.

 

[Watser]

Looks amazing CryptRat. Now that the major issues have already been dealt with I'll give this a spin today so I can vote for it on the countless GOTY polls we have currently running.

 

[CryptRat]

Hope you'll enjoy the game.

 

[Strange Fellow]

However you missed the big boss' equipment in the process .

Yep, which is why I considered reloading at first. I tried to fight it once and got my ass kicked, and then when I reloaded I used intimidation just to see if maybe I'd finally found something that didn't scare so easily, but no. When they gave me 1500 monies I figured I'd take it, since I'd have enough to buy something snazzy with the merchant anyway, but then all of a sudden the game ended. What I think I'll do is try to beat that encounter by force, which is going to require some more XP and firepower than I currently have, and then if I do I'll take that as winning the game legitimately.

Intimidation is a bit strong indeed, I just think lowering its power now that the game is released would be very boring for players who're currently playing the game and are now using it as a tool. Potentitally in 6 months in a big update.

I agree that it's overpowered, especially considering the context in which it's used. It costs nothing to try to intimidate the enemies, at worst it's an initiative malus on crit-failure IIRC, which is easily ignored. The only reason not to use it is, like you say, if you fancy the enemies' equipment, and I've fought a few encounters for that reason, but that shouldn't be the idea.

 

[Lonely Vazdru]

Impressive degree of action/reaction in this thread.

You guys keep it up, it makes for a quite interesting read.

 

[lightbane]

This might be quite interesting for blobber fans, but in my case, the graphics... Ugh, I know they're secondary, but these portraits make the characters look like freaks.
I suppose it fits with a post-apocalyptic/dystopian/modern day theme.

 

[CryptRat]

However you missed the big boss' equipment in the process .

Yep, which is why I considered reloading at first. I tried to fight it once and got my ass kicked, and then when I reloaded I used intimidation just to see if maybe I'd finally found something that didn't scare so easily, but no. When they gave me 1500 monies I figured I'd take it, since I'd have enough to buy something snazzy with the merchant anyway, but then all of a sudden the game ended. What I think I'll do is try to beat that encounter by force, which is going to require some more XP and firepower than I currently have, and then if I do I'll take that as winning the game legitimately.

Intimidation is a bit strong indeed, I just think lowering its power now that the game is released would be very boring for players who're currently playing the game and are now using it as a tool. Potentitally in 6 months in a big update.

I agree that it's overpowered, especially considering the context in which it's used. It costs nothing to try to intimidate the enemies, at worst it's an initiative malus on crit-failure IIRC, which is easily ignored. The only reason not to use it is, like you say, if you fancy the enemies' equipment, and I've fought a few encounters for that reason, but that shouldn't be the idea.

I finally did several things anyway. I know I already got wrong twice about this (1.0.8 and 1.0.7b1 were terribly broken) but it should at least not be worse. Changed several things, in particular the hidden courage stat (the enemies with low courage are recognizable as they generally quicky surrender after taking some damage and/or their friends died or surrendered, robots don't) is substituted to equipment score in the formula if it's higher, so that lizards are easier to intimidate than robots. Also added the level (it was not anymore because at some point, before adding feats, the game had no level, and worse, it was replaced by stats, which means the intimidation score of a level 1 party with good stats was much higher than it should have been) so bosses should not be too easy to intimidate either, maybe they are still too easy to intimidate despite their high level and intimidation score, and I'm going to check a little more to see if it's so bad it needs more tweaks, but at worse it should still be better than the actual behaviour.

This will be in next version.

 

[CryptRat]

V1.0.11 released

Fixes :
- Some drugs were not lost when used outside combat.
- Some text fixes.

Changes :
- Intimidation (Threatening) was reworked. Robots and groups of enemies stronger than the party are harder to intimidate than they used to be.
- Late-game robots were made weaker, their defense especially was lowered.
- You can now close the map screen pressing the same key (M) which is used to open the map screen.

 

[Strange Fellow]

Did you add the text after combat saying how much XP and gold is received with this update, or has it just been that long since I actually fought something? Either way, it's nice, and I was going to suggest it myself. It also mentions how many gems you get, but I haven't seen any gems. Bug?

Another thing I noticed is that freezing water isn't possible while swimming. Not sure if that's intentional, but right now the only feedback you get is the stock line about there not being any water around, which is misleading. This also uses ammo, even though the weapon isn't actually discharged.

 

[CryptRat]

Thanks.

Did you add the text after combat saying how much XP and gold is received with this update, or has it just been that long since I actually fought something? Either way, it's nice, and I was going to suggest it myself. It also mentions how many gems you get, but I haven't seen any gems. Bug?

Nope, I think it's the first time you fought things which don't give any treasure (I have got hornets in mind), for the rest my log stuff is a bit shit, I should also take the time to see why you don't get the text when you get a treasure. Also yes Gems is a bug, I need to check if the game has gems there (it could have magic but no gems).

Another thing I noticed is that freezing water isn't possible while swimming. Not sure if that's intentional, but right now the only feedback you get is the stock line about there not being any water around, which is misleading. This also uses ammo, even though the weapon isn't actually discharged.

Thanks, I'll switch so you can. Original way was you could not do things while swimming (especially when these things were spells), but I think you can currently do almost everything so I think the better way is that you can do everything.

Regarding ammo and lost consumables when they do nothing what's certain is that the game would benefit from some standardization, currently sometimes you use something and sometimes you don't.