Development Info Omega Syndrome gets tweaked

[Fez]

Tags: Omega Syndrome

<a href="http://www.ausgamedev.com/news.html">Omega Syndrome</a> has now been updated to <A href="http://www.ausgamedev.com/omegasyndrome/files/OmegaSyndromeDemo.exe">version 2.11</a> and has had some notable changes:
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<blockquote><b><i>Improved Creature AI!</i></b>
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Creatures can now flee when they've lost too many hit points, or have been crippled. All creatures have their own "to hit" value at which they prefer to attack. Creatures now make complaints about the area that is hit on their bodies, when they suffer critical hits. Combat taunts are greatly improved and foul language has been added to increase realism.
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<b><i>Language Filter!</i></b>
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A language filter was added to the Preferences Screen, giving more sensitive players the option to censor all profanities. The default setting for the language filter is "On".
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<b><i>Changes To Character Portraits!</i></b>
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Brand new pre-rendered character portraits have been added to improve the look of the game. The animations of some of the player characters have been changed to give them more personality.</blockquote>
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Smarter and prettier - just remember that your old save games will not work with this version.

 

[Naked_Lunch]

The one thing I really want to him to add is a "speech" skill, and basically more quests that don't involve "go there, kill the foozle and return the bling." The setting has so much potential for roleplaying, you could be the bad-ass agent from the movies, lighting up anything that looks at you funny, or you could be the secret-y secret agent, sneaking around, backstabbing, headshots. I'm not saying there's a total lack of roleplaying, just that there could be so much more.

Even without all that, it's still a very enjoyable game.

 

[corvax]

I'm not saying there's a total lack of roleplaying, just that there could be so much more.

Has anyone else played this game from start to finish? I'm thinking of buying it in the near future so is it worth it?

 

[Naked_Lunch]

I've played it start to finish 3 times.

This week.

Yeah, it's worth it.

 

[Fez]

The game is getting better with every update too. It's nice when a developer seems to listen to the fans.

 

[Naked_Lunch]

Yeah, I talk to him all the time and every single time, the changes I suggest are put in there. That's what I call support.

Not only that, but he's a pretty cool guy, too.

 

[sheek]

There's a new version out (2.22) which opens up the game to modding.

http://www.ausgamedev.com/news.html

 

[bryce777]

Hey,t hanks for the update, sheek. This one actually looks pretty good....

 

[Diogo Ribeiro]

Damn, I thought Fez was back D:

 

[Hazelnut]

Awww, shit - you made me think the old Fezzer was back here posting news again!! You bastard! :evil:




EDIT: Oy, roly-boy, stop stealing my comments. What? You posted first? Well, that's 'cos mine was a well crafted post with smilies and everything!! :twisted:

 

[sheek]

Awww, shit - you made me think the old Fezzer was back here posting news again!! You bastard! :evil:

Man I didn't realize this thread was one year old. I was going through the GameDB and saw there was a more recent update visiting the website.

Looks like a decent game but there are a few problems:

-The graphics look really bad if you use fullscreen mode
-If you're in windowed mode scrolling is messed up (you need to get the mouse just at the edge - found out you can get past this using the keyboard cursor)
-The game crashed when I got to the downward elevator on level -2.

 

[Diogo Ribeiro]

Yeah, my comments tend to go back in time and ninja-edit themselves

 

[obediah]

Glad to see I wasn't the only one fez-pwned.

 

[Major_Blackhart]

This is a great game too.

 

[Davaris]

The one thing I really want to him to add is a "speech" skill, and basically more quests that don't involve "go there, kill the foozle and return the bling." The setting has so much potential for roleplaying, you could be the bad-ass agent from the movies, lighting up anything that looks at you funny, or you could be the secret-y secret agent, sneaking around, backstabbing, headshots. I'm not saying there's a total lack of roleplaying, just that there could be so much more.

If you guys really want this feature for the modable version, it will be easy to add. I'll put it on my list.

-The game crashed when I got to the downward elevator on level -2.

This happend when you used your repair skill right? This has been fixed. There was a problem with the new sound engine trying to play a sound file that didn't exist.

 

[bryce777]

Well, I gave it a shot. Loved the music and the art, but then it crashed on me half an hour in when I tried to search a dead agent's body during combat.

Th UI is also pretty wasteful and should be more along the edges.

I also wish they had not exactly copied fallout's character system (aside from taking out luck). Something LIKE that is great, but at least some different traits would be nice since the traits are really not very balanced.

It's also silly (and annoying) to start off the game desiging a gunflinger type character and then going to a secret base (!!!) armed only with a knife, and alone. Now, if the backstory had simply been you were reporting to work and saw something funny going on that would be different.

 

[Davaris]

Well, I gave it a shot. Loved the music and the art, but then it crashed on me half an hour in when I tried to search a dead agent's body during combat.

I didn't hear back from you on that one. Did it crash again after you got the latest version? Also did it give you a crash address?

And sorry I changed the music tonight. I heard an retro sounding electronic track and had to get it.

It's also silly (and annoying) to start off the game desiging a gunflinger type character and then going to a secret base (!!!) armed only with a knife, and alone. Now, if the backstory had simply been you were reporting to work and saw something funny going on that would be different.

Yes I agree with you on that one. In this update the agent has a pistol and a knife when he starts the game.

I switched the left and right clicks on the mouse, so it would be easier to to scroll the screen around in windowed mode.

I put a switch in the preferences panel so you can make the map screen larger. I think you'll need a pretty good machine to get it to work in the maximum size though.

Something LIKE that is great, but at least some different traits would be nice since the traits are really not very balanced.

Can you be more specific about the traits not being balanced?


Anyway you can find the details on the latest update here:
http://www.ausgamedev.com/news.html


[/quote]

 

[bryce777]

Well, I gave it a shot. Loved the music and the art, but then it crashed on me half an hour in when I tried to search a dead agent's body during combat.

I didn't hear back from you on that one. Did it crash again after you got the latest version? Also did it give you a crash address?

And sorry I changed the music tonight. I heard an retro sounding electronic track and had to get it.

It's also silly (and annoying) to start off the game desiging a gunflinger type character and then going to a secret base (!!!) armed only with a knife, and alone. Now, if the backstory had simply been you were reporting to work and saw something funny going on that would be different.

Yes I agree with you on that one. In this update the agent has a pistol and a knife when he starts the game.

I switched the left and right clicks on the mouse, so it would be easier to to scroll the screen around in windowed mode.

I put a switch in the preferences panel so you can make the map screen larger. I think you'll need a pretty good machine to get it to work in the maximum size though.

Something LIKE that is great, but at least some different traits would be nice since the traits are really not very balanced.

Can you be more specific about the traits not being balanced?


Anyway you can find the details on the latest update here:
http://www.ausgamedev.com/news.html

[/quote]

Sorry, I have gotten kind of busy lately. I will absolutely look into it, though. I am looking forward to playing the game through.

As for the traits not being too balanced, the gifted one is way overpowered. Most of the other ones do not actually do too much - like with finesse you average out really the same damage. There is no genuine tradeoff as far as not power goes, but character differentiation. The good natured one is the best one as far as doing something and being balanced though; it is really difficult at first because it nerfs your starting combat skills, but in the long run it helps you out. Like I said, I love the traits idea, but you have the freedom to do whatever you like, so if you came up with some new and interesting ones I would like that even better. I know it is a complaint that is niggling, but I think it would be a good thing to do. I will definitely check out the new version and try again.

Oh, also the screen size is not an issue, but I meant the way the UI items, the HUD if you will, is not as compact as it could be. I am not sure that is the best word, really. But, every pixel counts, so the UI items should be as close to the edge as humanly possible. It is very well done though, I think, artistically speaking, and I did not have any issues as far as usage goes that I can remember. Thanks for your responsiveness!

 

[Davaris]

Okay thats fine. I didn't mean to nag you. I'm just determined to clear out the last of the bugs from the new engine because of what I have planned in the next few weeks.

I'm going to invite anyone who is interested to help make a new area for The Omega Syndrome. The art is done and I'll do most if not all of the scripting. It won't be a "join my team and do serious work" sort of thing. It will be just for fun. People can do as much or as little as they like. Anyway there's more info in this post:

http://ausgamedev.10.forumer.com/viewtopic.php?t=39

As for the traits not being too balanced, the gifted one is way overpowered. Most of the other ones do not actually do too much - like with finesse you average out really the same damage. There is no genuine tradeoff as far as not power goes, but character differentiation. The good natured one is the best one as far as doing something and being balanced though; it is really difficult at first because it nerfs your starting combat skills, but in the long run it helps you out. Like I said, I love the traits idea, but you have the freedom to do whatever you like, so if you came up with some new and interesting ones I would like that even better. I know it is a complaint that is niggling, but I think it would be a good thing to do. I will definitely check out the new version and try again.

I spotted some original traits in the Role Playing section at NMA. I might ask the author if he wants to donate them. Perhaps I can make a list of traits in my forums and ask people to pick them apart so we get the best ones.

Oh, also the screen size is not an issue, but I meant the way the UI items, the HUD if you will, is not as compact as it could be. I am not sure that is the best word, really. But, every pixel counts, so the UI items should be as close to the edge as humanly possible. It is very well done though, I think, artistically speaking, and I did not have any issues as far as usage goes that I can remember. Thanks for your responsiveness!

Yes I see what you mean. The HUD was made small so it would look like a hand held device. I'd make it larger if I could. I guess its a lesson learned for the next game.