KickStarter Stellar Tactics, a sandbox sci-fi RPG - now available on Early Access

[HoboForEternity]

Anticipating this game highly. I wont play early access because i dont like being spoiled when the game isnt finished, but the game looks pretty good

 

[Lucky]

StellarTactics, are there any plans on trying for a GOG release? I'm liking what I've seen so far, so I hope you're successful enough to not have to rush to release.

 

[Taka-Haradin puolipeikko]

Youtube Let's Plays:

 

[StellarTactics]

I'm hoping to release a GOG version, however, it likely won't be until after final release. I'm speaking with them about converting Steam keys to GOG keys (No DRM) when it does go on GOG. Regardless, when it does go on GOG it will be DRM free.

And thanks Lucky!!

 

[ERYFKRAD]

Hey boss, what's the cap on stats?

Sent from my Lenovo Z90a40 using Tapatalk

 

[cpmartins]

I'm hoping to release a GOG version, however, it likely won't be until after final release. I'm speaking with them about converting Steam keys to GOG keys (No DRM) when it does go on GOG. Regardless, when it does go on GOG it will be DRM free.

And thanks Lucky!!

Just bought it, having fun with it. You've got pretty much all my grievances covered on one of your posts on the Steam forums, so I won't even bother posting them here.

 

[Lucky]

I'm hoping to release a GOG version, however, it likely won't be until after final release. I'm speaking with them about converting Steam keys to GOG keys (No DRM) when it does go on GOG. Regardless, when it does go on GOG it will be DRM free.

And thanks Lucky!!

No problem; it can't be easy having to pep yourself up after a failed kickstarter, so getting this far regardless makes it worth keeping an eye on! GOG also has its own Early Access now if you want more feedback, but that might take a bit too much work to keep track off as well. Happy to see it there either way, the more attention it gets the better.

Just bought it, having fun with it. You've got pretty much all my grievances covered on one of your posts on the Steam forums, so I won't even bother posting them here.

You mean the road map? I'll post it here for people that didn't see it.

I thought I would post the development roadmap for everyone. While I won't make promises or provide any hard dates, I will say that the Early Access Prologue is close to completion and will be ready soon. I'll keep this post pinned and update it if/when there are changes.

The "Prologue" will be the initial release of Stellar Tactics on Steam Early Access. It will contain roughly ten hours of game play that includes the majority of all the core RPG systems as listed below under Prologue. Note: I may add or remove from the list as needed if I feel the system isn't ready for testing.

I should also say that though internal testing of these systems shows that these systems are stable and fully playable, Early Access will most certainly surface new bugs/issues/problems as well as game play balance and hardware specific issues. Early Access is for those who want to play the game and be involved in providing feedback, suggestions and who don't mind a few rough edges. More disclaimers will be available when Early Access launches.

Prologue:

• All core ground animation, navigation and interface complete and ready for testing
  
• Ground combat implemented and ready for feedback
  
• Space navigation and interface ready for testing
  
• Mission system
  
• Dialog system
  
• Log system
  
• Hacking
  
• Weapon Mod system
  
• Dynamic and static loot system
  
• Complete prologue narrative and all missions through Achmedius (the first Star System you encounter)
  
• Universe creation system
  
• "Autonomous Universe AI" (AUAI Living Universe) with AI travel and destination
  
• Asteroid Mining
  
• Fully functional Load/Save
  
• Transitions from ground/space/space/ground
  
• NEW - First tier of perks for all skills at level 20

Following Prologue I'll release the ALPHA version when the following systems are ready for testing. I may roll some of these systems out during Alpha as they become ready:

• Unlock of all space sectors (10,000 total)
  
• FTL Travel - FTL map available
  
• Ground Mining drone system
  
• Space Combat - first pass ready for feedback
  
• "Autonomous Universe AI" (AUAI) faction and additional AI states
  
• Commodities Trade system
  
• Shipyards available for purchasing and customizing ships
  
• Additional Devices
  
• Dynamic mission generator
  
• Additional "Azimuth" available upon discovery
  
• Additional narrative and locations for the main story
  
• Bug fixes and tuning
  
• NEW - Perks through level 100
  
• Crafting

When all the above systems are implemented I'll open up the BETA. During BETA I will be tackling the following:

• Global tuning pass
  
• "Autonomous Universe AI" (AUAI) testing and tuning
  
• Addition of remaining narrative and locations for the main story
  
• Additional locations for Dynamic missions

And fixes that you can expect in the near future.

Things that I'll be working on as soon as all stability issues are resolved:
--Better keyboard camera scrolling, angled scrolling and keyboard camera rotation.
--Better cursor response
--Better combat movement blocking behavior
--Addition of simplified body part selection - this will be cursor based - fine aiming will be in by default but can be disabled in options menu
--Increased combat speed - Right now NPC's return to IDLE every time they attack. I'm going to change that so when they attack, they queue attacks. This will increase the speed of combat overall quite a bit.
--Spelling error fixes

...and more...

 

[veevoir]

Any other impressions from codexers? Thinking about getting the EA, that is if work laptop with i5, 4gb Ram and integrated intel HD card will be able to run it

 

[sstacks]

Dudes, Dudettes and beings of indeterminate gender,

StellarTactics is on the show this Saturday. Feel free to add any questions or comments here (or tweet @shaneplays or email shane@shaneplays.com) and I'll try to get to them. As you know from past shows, sometimes I have time and sometimes not. Also remember you can call in live during the show at 501-823-0965 and talk directly with Don yourself during the show

I'm on a temporary radio station change for 6 weeks so if you want to listen to the live stream during the show it will be at http://www.faithtalk995.com/ not the usual live stream link. Podcast version will go out the same as usual.

Show is at 1 PM Central time this Saturday, October 8 (actually 1:05 PM).

 

[ArchAngel]

Dudes, Dudettes and beings of indeterminate gender,

StellarTactics is on the show this Saturday. Feel free to add any questions or comments here (or tweet @shaneplays or email shane@shaneplays.com) and I'll try to get to them. As you know from past shows, sometimes I have time and sometimes not. Also remember you can call in live during the show at 501-823-0965 and talk directly with Don yourself during the show

I'm on a temporary radio station change for 6 weeks so if you want to listen to the live stream during the show it will be at http://www.faithtalk995.com/ not the usual live stream link. Podcast version will go out the same as usual.

Show is at 1 PM Central time this Saturday, October 8 (actually 1:05 PM).

It is nice to see you moving away from fake rpgs like SCL

 

[ERYFKRAD]

Any other impressions from codexers?

Start's a bit slow, I'll give you that. Entertaining, but slow.

 

[sstacks]

It is nice to see you moving away from fake rpgs like SCL

Neverrrrrrrrr....

 

[sstacks]

This video features more combat and a hacking example.

 

[sstacks]

Going live with Don Wilkins of StellarTactics in about 10 minutes. You can listen live via http://saleminteractivemedia.com/ListenLive/Player/KDISFM

Feel free to call 501-823-0965 or tweet @ShanePlays if you have any questions or comments during the show.

 

[sstacks]

Fun fact: Don worked on Wizardry 7 / Wizardry Gold.... also worked with Sierra. He has involvement with a lot of known properties like The Hobbit and Arcanum: Of Steamworks & Magick Obscura

 

[Aothan]

sorry I should have asked this before, any overviews of how the Perception attribute will work in game, and are the effects determines by individual scores or by the total group score ?

 

[StellarTactics]

All attributes are applied on an individual basis. So, attributes that affect the environment are determined by the currently selected leader. This applies to Perception, Charisma and Intelligence. This is the same for Skills. If you have a pilot with high piloting skills and they are in the pilot ship station, your ship will fly faster (among other things). If you have a team member with a high hacking skill, and they are currently selected as the party leader, their hacking skill will be applied when hacking security.

Perception is applied to both weapon attack rolls and eventually to environment checks for hidden objects.

 

[Taka-Haradin puolipeikko]

Patch Notes 10/9
Community Announcements - Stellar Tactics

ADDED: Added a new vendor to the trade station that sells level 1 weapons and ammo. You may need to check the vendor a few times to find the weapons you want. The vendor is near the other weapons vendor, standing in the corner.
FIXED: Some objects that added logs could be clicked multiple times, resetting the log entry.
FIXEDExperimental) Keyboard input is no longer registered in the game when the Steam overlay is active.
FIXED: Pressing Approach for a selected object would cause you to dock if you had previously selected a station.
UPDATED: Cursor performance in combat is generally better overall.
UPDATED: When in combat, the movement path indicator is displayed much faster now.
UPDATED: Text on combat cursor for Percent CTH and Body Part is a little larger now.
UPDATED: Cursor fine aiming has been removed by default. When you roll over a body part you will get a single fixed chance to hit indicator. Fine aiming will go in again later as an optional key (likely the "ALT" key). Several reviews and a lot of player feedback had mentioned this was annoying. I like it as a feature (you know, fine tuning your aim is something you do with real weapons), however, I agree that it can be confusing and annoying by default.

 

[Aothan]

thanks, I'm glad to hear that, preferring individual roles and checks over group scores (at least for certain skill interactions)

 

[agris]

Patch Notes 10/9
Community Announcements - Stellar Tactics

ADDED: Added a new vendor to the trade station that sells level 1 weapons and ammo. You may need to check the vendor a few times to find the weapons you want. The vendor is near the other weapons vendor, standing in the corner.
FIXED: Some objects that added logs could be clicked multiple times, resetting the log entry.
FIXEDExperimental) Keyboard input is no longer registered in the game when the Steam overlay is active.
FIXED: Pressing Approach for a selected object would cause you to dock if you had previously selected a station.
UPDATED: Cursor performance in combat is generally better overall.
UPDATED: When in combat, the movement path indicator is displayed much faster now.
UPDATED: Text on combat cursor for Percent CTH and Body Part is a little larger now.
UPDATED: Cursor fine aiming has been removed by default. When you roll over a body part you will get a single fixed chance to hit indicator. Fine aiming will go in again later as an optional key (likely the "ALT" key). Several reviews and a lot of player feedback had mentioned this was annoying. I like it as a feature (you know, fine tuning your aim is something you do with real weapons), however, I agree that it can be confusing and annoying by default.

StellarTactics

You don't need to make it binary like this. It's not like "hover mouse over the body part" or "no specific aiming" are the only options. Fallout1/2 provides a great middle ground approach.. or a lower-fi option would be a UI/menu option to display a simplistic vitruvian man-type humanoid with the to-hit percentages for each supported body part displayed near it.

 

[Taka-Haradin puolipeikko]

I think that by fine aiming he means "hunt the perfect pixel for best change to hit" -minigame, where player characters gets a few percent bonus if you find just the right spot for the cursor.
Specific body parts can be still aimed at.
Personally I'd rather see a system where you would get better CTH against target by expending AP's (Jagged Alliance 2 style) than this "place the cursor into just right spot" -stuff.
Former would make aiming into decision where player expends a resource (AP's) in exchange to get a better change to hit. Latter is just added routine work.

 

[Alienman]

Worth buying into EA, more than just supporting the developer?

 

[ERYFKRAD]

Worth buying into EA, more than just supporting the developer?

Yeah. I'd say so.

 

[sstacks]

The podcast version of the StellarTactics show is up now Podcast and youtube version posted over in the Shane Plays - LPs and Interviews thread.

Good conversation with Don!

 

[Taka-Haradin puolipeikko]

http://steamcommunity.com/app/465490/discussions/0/343787283761314684/

Stellar Tactics [developer] 17 Oct @ 1:59am

Aliens are coming - though you will need wait and see if you can actually recruit one.

The blue character by the bar is actually a descendant of a mutation from one of the original ships. He has a bit of dialog that explains. One of the 4 ships that left the homeworld generated numerous mutations that turned into a few species over the 10,000 year journey - Phage are just one of the mutations.

There are also other species that can be added as team members, but I don't want to spoil the fun