KickStarter Prometheus Wept - turn-based RPG from Vigilantes developer - Demo Available

[Timeslip]

This sounds pretty similar to how Phoenix Point handled morale on battlefield.

Been playing it recently. Good fun, though think they are too stingy with resources. Not being able to scrap aircraft is annoying, but this is probably because you can steal them.

There's some similarity and some differences. In PW, you start with a small amount of resolve points and generate some every turn based on your resolve stat. Fear affects RP generation, but the number of RP you have doesn't affect your ability to resist fear - this is based on the resolve stat. It's hard to say how the system might change, as there's not enough game in place to see how well it works yet.

 

[Timeslip]

That's good. It's really one of the only ways to make the stat worth in in the context of a game that dominantly features combat. I have a Resolve stat in my homebrew RPG system and came to similar conclusions. Rather than being a resource for special abilities though, I have an "effort" mechanic where you can add a Resolve die to the roll when it's made. This can be done only once per action, but as many times in a day as the Resolve dice's maximum value.

Hey, Mr. Magniloquent. I've been considering something similar, using resolve points to increase CTH on a given attack. It would be good to have some basic ways to use RP, in case a character hasn't unlocked many special abilities yet.

 

[Nutria]

My only issue with that last screenshot is there's a hell of a lot of small icons for skills on the screen at one time. Maybe put them into categories or something just to make it easier to distinguish them?

 

[Timeslip]

My only issue with that last screenshot is there's a hell of a lot of small icons for skills on the screen at one time. Maybe put them into categories or something just to make it easier to distinguish them?

Hey Nutria! The number of skill icons was the biggest problem in laying out the screen. Hard to fit them all in on one column and have icons big enough to be legible. Tried multiple columns, but overall the result seemed worse.

Do you mean something like bounding skills of a particular type (like social) within a coloured box, or only showing some of the icons at once?

 

[thesheeep]

My only issue with that last screenshot is there's a hell of a lot of small icons for skills on the screen at one time. Maybe put them into categories or something just to make it easier to distinguish them?

Hey Nutria! The number of skill icons was the biggest problem in laying out the screen. Hard to fit them all in on one column and have icons big enough to be legible. Tried multiple columns, but overall the result seemed worse.

Do you mean something like bounding skills of a particular type (like social) within a coloured box, or only showing some of the icons at once?

Anything to break up the look, I'd say.
As it is right now, it looks very excel-sheet-y.

Of course, if you add groups on top of them (or other kinds of separators), they would become too big for the resolution.
But I guess that might be a non-issue as it looks like that part is scrollable anyway (or what is that bar on the right)?

Another thing you could do instead of scrolling is to use something like a TabView.

 

[Nutria]

Do you mean something like bounding skills of a particular type (like social) within a coloured box

Yeah, that's what I'm thinking of. What you have now is not too far off, but I just need a subtle cue like that to help me read it when this is a screen I'm going to look at so often. You can't try to make the human brain process a list that's too big.

 

[Jedi Master Radek]

I like color choices on character UI.

 

[Timeslip]

Anything to break up the look, I'd say.
As it is right now, it looks very excel-sheet-y.

Of course, if you add groups on top of them (or other kinds of separators), they would become too big for the resolution.
But I guess that might be a non-issue as it looks like that part is scrollable anyway (or what is that bar on the right)?

Another thing you could do instead of scrolling is to use something like a TabView.

Hi thesheeep. When the bar on the right fills, you get a skill point which can be manually allocated. This usually happens when you select a dialogue choice which has a stat rather than a skill requirement.

I will keep scrolliing in mind.

 

[Infinitron]

https://steamcommunity.com/games/1208110/announcements/detail/3050597155273643215

Prometheus Wept Update 3: Hec8 Labs, UI Update

Hi everyone,

I hope you've been keeping well since the last update. The first demo area is very close to complete, with the exception of optimisation, balancing and testing. The more recent focus has been on:

1: Preparing the Hec8 Research Bunker Demo Area
This is the second play area to feature in the upcoming demo. Here, you will have to overcome the bunker's mysterious guardian to gain access to the bunker's secrets. An as of yet unannounced feature of the game, which will distinguish it from other games in the genre, will be showcased here. I'll go into more detail on this in the near future, but for the time being, here are a few screen-grabs from the bunker.

2: Improving the UI screens
I've also been working on the appearance of the UI screens. Prometheus Wept will have more depth than Vigilantes. This creates a need to display more information, which in turn makes creating a clean and clear UI more challenging. Here's the current character screen for the game.

What's next?
After these two jobs, I'm going to add the first permanent ally to the game. In Vigilantes, each ally had a single, unique perk. In Prometheus Wept, each ally will have between 4-8 unique perks and many of these will unlock powerful activated abilities. This will result in a fair amount of extra work, but the pay off will be unique allies who play very differently from one another. I'll update you on the first ally, Ferdia Galloway, a con man and sociopathic mentalist, as soon as he has been added.

If you have any feedback, questions, or comments, do let me know

All the best,
Daithi

 

[Taka-Haradin puolipeikko]

https://steamcommunity.com/app/1208110/discussions/0/2796125475577042639/?ctp=2

A good part of the time has been spent working on a big (and horrendously complex) feature which hasn't been announced yet, but will be in the near future.

Last week I spent some time tuning the AI. In Vigilantes, most characters would switch between melee and ranged attacks freely, depending on which was predicted to provide the most damage output. They were also incentivised to get closer to the player team. This often led to AI characters putting away their guns and engaging in mass brawls, which seemed like counter-intuitive behaviour. I've been experimenting with designating certain characters as ranged and melee - with melee characters closing the distance and ranged characters firing from cover. This seems to be an improvement, as each character type puts a different type of pressure on the player team.

This week, I'm working on level design, specifically the town centre for Sunny Pines, the primary hub for act 1. The maps in prometheus wept are much larger that Vigilantes and contain indoor and outdoor areas, so there's much more work involved.

 

[Timeslip]

Hi again! I hope you're keeping safe and healthy. Previously, I've hinted at a big, unannounced feature of Prometheus Wept. Finally, enough progress has been made to talk about it. To begin, you may be aware that Prometheus Wept takes place in the aftermath of a cyber attack which corrupted most of our digital technology.

The new feature allows the protagonist to digitise their consciousness and enter corrupted computer networks as an avatar. This means that two turn-based battles can occur simultaneously and the actions taken in one battle can affect the other. Typically, this will involve your allies protecting the player character from physical enemies, while your avatar battles the network's security protocols. Each network is comprised of a number of nodes. Each node controls a system in the physical world, for example a door or defences. When an avatar defeats and captures a node, the player gains control of that system. To make more sense of this, here's a concrete example which will be available in the upcoming demo.

You can find more info and add Prometheus Wept to your wishlist on Steam!

In the company of your first companion, Ferdia Galloway, you discover an underground complex.

You continue along the tunnel until you are accosted by the complex's mysterious guardian.

There's no way you're getting through the door, but there is a terminal nearby. You might be able infiltrate the network and get control of the door that way, however, when in cyberspace, you can't act in the physical world.

Here we are. Cyberspace. The terrain is fragmented, but you can use the portals to island hop. You can use viral projection, a ranged attack, on any hostiles. At the bottom centre of the screen there are six buttons, which correspond to abilities called scripts. Scripts cost power to run and you generate power each turn in cyberspace based on your tech stat.

 

[Timeslip]

Using the ScanNode() script, you discover that Node B is responsible for external defences. The other two nodes control the main door and interior defences. Node B is a good place to start, in case you are attacked in the physical world. Spoiler: you will be.

The node's attack range is greater than yours, but you manage to avoid its attacks. You don't have enough AP to close in and make an attack this turn, so you call the SetMemoryLocation() script, which allows you to relocate to a position up to five tiles away.

You've got one last trick up your sleeve. You call the InstantiateCover() script to create cover to help protect from the nodes attacks.

Control returns to the physical world. All quiet... so far.

 

[Timeslip]

You've beaten the node and used CaptureNode() on it. You switch on the external defenses. The node will now attack any enemies in range and provide you with power every turn. Even with the cover, your avatar has taken a lot of damage. You use Avatar.Debug() to repair some of the damage and head towards the next node.

And back to the physical world, where trouble, in the form of a group of marauders, has just found you. Thankfully, it's going to take them a few turns to reach you.

The entrance turret is online and two retractable cover plates have extended to offer protection to Ferdia, who readies his weapons, a pipe pistol and a more powerful, single shot pipe rifle. Each ally has a unique set of abilities, so Ferdia has a couple of tricks up his sleeve too, but we'll get to that another time. On the next turn in cyberspace, the avatar can exit, but the player will lose a turn due to transfer syndrome, an ailment caused by the jarring effects of returning to the physical world.

There are multiple ways to handle this encounter: exit cyberspace immediately and fight, try to activate the exterior defences before the marauders reach you, or open the door and try to use the hostile-to-all internal turrets to your advantage. The intention is to allow players to upgrade and create scripts using the computer science skill and to customise their script selection within the limits of the RAM on their data warfare suite. I'll follow up in the not too distant future with a video of this encounter and some more screenshots of in-game locations.

If you have any feedback or questions, it would be great to hear from you!

 

[Taka-Haradin puolipeikko]

Premise sounds a bit similar to Quantum Thief, even if QT is more sci-fi setting than post-apoc.

 

[Jedi Master Radek]

Some fights in Dragonfall were much better due to having a layer of matrix influencing cyberspace. This feature if implemented well can be a lot of fun Whislisted.

 

[Falksi]

I like the look of it, but I also liked that look of Vigilantes and thought that was very poor.

Hope it's a significant improvement.

 

[ERYFKRAD]

The player character best not be the only datajack in the team.

 

[Timeslip]

Premise sounds a bit similar to Quantum Thief, even if QT is more sci-fi setting than post-apoc.

Worth a read? I really enjoyed Neuromancer and Snow Crash, which have similar concepts.

 

[Timeslip]

Some fights in Dragonfall were much better due to having a layer of matrix influencing cyberspace. This feature if implemented well can be a lot of fun Whislisted.

Have been meaning to play the Shadowrun sequels. Playing Wasteland 3 atm, will give them a try afterwards

 

[Timeslip]

I like the look of it, but I also liked that look of Vigilantes and thought that was very poor.

Hope it's a significant improvement.

I'd expect Prometheus Wept will be more varied, refined and deeper. If you really didn't like Vigilantes though, I dunno.

 

[rusty_shackleford]

Timeslip you should check out TROUBLESHOOTER: Abandoned Children when you get the chance -- if you can get past the anime aesthetics. The premise is similar to Vigilantes with a higher budget, but it has a lot of interesting mechanics.

 

[Timeslip]

The player character best not be the only datajack in the team.

It's looking that way. In terms of the current take on lore, only a tiny percentage of the population, known as C-Tecs (or classical technologists), have the knowledge to use conventional hacking to interact with computer systems. The player character is possibly the only living person with intergrated hardware allowing them to inject their consciousness into these systems. From a technical point of view, adding this was one of the most difficult coding jobs I've done so far. It took in the region of 4-6 months and I think extra time would be better spent adding interesting abilities and depth.

 

[Timeslip]

Timeslip you should check out TROUBLESHOOTER: Abandoned Children when you get the chance -- if you can get past the anime aesthetics. The premise is similar to Vigilantes with a higher budget, but it has a lot of interesting mechanics.

I've been meaning to try it. I don't mind the visuals of anime, but I find the tone of a number of games which lean into the anime thing fairly unbearable. Is is as bad as Valkyria Chronicles 4?

 

[rusty_shackleford]

Timeslip you should check out TROUBLESHOOTER: Abandoned Children when you get the chance -- if you can get past the anime aesthetics. The premise is similar to Vigilantes with a higher budget, but it has a lot of interesting mechanics.

I've been meaning to try it. I don't mind the visuals of anime, but I find the tone of a number of games which lean into the anime thing fairly unbearable. Is is as bad as Valkyria Chronicles 4?

Never played Valkyria Chronicles 4, I typically don't play anime games.
I mostly played it for the mechanics, which are very good.

 

[ERYFKRAD]

Timeslip you should check out TROUBLESHOOTER: Abandoned Children when you get the chance -- if you can get past the anime aesthetics. The premise is similar to Vigilantes with a higher budget, but it has a lot of interesting mechanics.

I've been meaning to try it. I don't mind the visuals of anime, but I find the tone of a number of games which lean into the anime thing fairly unbearable. Is is as bad as Valkyria Chronicles 4?

It's a good game. And it's Korean so it's not as animu as can be.