Use this thread for general feedback and discussion about the most recent release, if you want to talk about something that you don't feel warrants a dedicated thread.
This is the open spoiler version, for discussions where you plan to talk about spoilery content and don't want to bother with spoiler tagging. Do not read this thread if you want to avoid spoilers! For non-spoiler discussion, feel free to use the non-spoiler discussion thread here (http://www.gridsagegames.com/forums/index.php?topic=534.0).
Alpha 10 release notes and changelog (http://www.gridsagegames.com/forums/index.php?topic=533.0).
Went for a lore run. 68 record hacks! Never even had hackware until the end. Entered Zhirov for the first time and that was
really cool. Starting to really get into this lore.
Got completed wrecked in -4 and was naked for a good long while. Completely rebuilt from scratch with the derpiest Cogmind build you've ever seen: https://i.imgur.com/bf1FmyB.png
Spoiler
(https://i.imgur.com/bf1FmyB.png)
Found neat items.
https://i.imgur.com/FQu8fQv.png
Spoiler
(https://i.imgur.com/FQu8fQv.png)
Found this kick-ass power prototype. Magnificent creature! Later found out that this is my item!
https://i.imgur.com/jnxFSoB.png
Spoiler
(https://i.imgur.com/jnxFSoB.png)
Finally in Access with an awesome build, and finally got some sensors. Too bad all my items are going to get obliterated by the end.
https://i.imgur.com/nMW9aD1.png
Spoiler
(https://i.imgur.com/nMW9aD1.png)
This is hell!
https://i.imgur.com/DmbLz3w.png
Spoiler
(https://i.imgur.com/DmbLz3w.png)
After finding the exit and failing to hack it, I had to trek across the entire map to destroy a cycler.
https://i.imgur.com/zPc07BN.png
Spoiler
(https://i.imgur.com/zPc07BN.png)
All that was left at the end!
https://i.imgur.com/VJUTmfi.png
Spoiler
(https://i.imgur.com/VJUTmfi.png)
Cogmind - Alpha 10
Name: zzxc
---[ ESCAPED! ]---
Performance
-------------
Evolutions (9) 4500
Robots Destroyed (52) 260
Value Destroyed (1689) 1689
Prototype IDs (25) 500
Alien Tech Recovered (2) 400
Bonus (4460) 4460
TOTAL SCORE: 11809
Cogmind
---------
Core Integrity 669/1600
Matter 295/300
Energy 48/50
System Corruption 13%
Temperature Cool (2)
Location Surface
Parts
-------
Power (3)
(None)
Propulsion (7)
(None)
Utility (13)
Spectral Analyzer
Advanced Terrain Scan Processor
Experimental Melee Analysis Suite
Improved Hacking Suite
Weapon (2)
(None)
Inventory (4)
Advanced Force Field
Nova Cannon
Peak State
------------
Power
Singularity Reactor
Propulsion
Xenon Bombardment Thruster
Field Propulsion Array
Impulse Thruster Array
Impulse Thruster Array
Utility
Spectral Analyzer
Advanced Signal Interpreter
Advanced Terrain Scanner
Advanced Terrain Scan Processor
Experimental Melee Analysis Suite
Advanced Armor Integrity Analyzer
Advanced Transmission Jammer
Advanced Reaction Control System
Advanced Cloaking Device
Improved Propulsion Shielding
Centrium Heavy Armor Plating
Advanced Force Field
Weapon
Mini Grenade Launcher
Lance
Inventory
Particle Reactor
Light Quantum Reactor
Quarantine Testbed
[Rating: 175]
Favorites
-----------
Power Light Ion Engine
Engine Light Ion Engine
Power Core Light Nuclear Core
Reactor Singularity Reactor
Propulsion Flight Unit
Treads Durable Medium Treads
Leg Aluminum Leg
Hover Unit Backup Propulsion I
Flight Unit Flight Unit
Utility Improved Signal Interpreter
Device Advanced Sensor Array
Processor Improved Signal Interpreter
Hackware Improved System Shield
Protection Improved Utility Shielding
Weapon Mini Grenade Launcher
Energy Gun EM Pulse Gun
Energy Cannon Disruptor Cannon
Ballistic Gun Heavy Assault Rifle
Ballistic Cannon Light Cannon
Launcher Mini Grenade Launcher
Impact Weapon Mace
Slashing Weapon Chainsword
Piercing Weapon Lance
Stats
-------
Bonus Breakdown 4460
Met Zhirov 300
Win 3000
Fast Win 1160
Classes Destroyed 10
Worker 4
Builder 2
Hauler 4
Recycler 2
Operator 1
Watcher 7
Swarmer 13
Grunt 10
Sentry 4
Programmer 5
NPCs Destroyed 0
Best Kill Streak 5
Combat Bots Only 5
Matter Collected 1921
Salvage Created 2002
Parts Attached 157
Power 24
Propulsion 37
Utility 70
Weapon 26
Parts Lost 57
Power 10
Propulsion 15
Utility 24
Weapon 8
Average Slot Usage (%) 78
Naked Turns 2
Spaces Moved 9879
Fastest Speed (%) 357
Average Speed (%) 293
Slowest Speed (%) 50
Overloaded Moves 0
Propulsion Burnouts 0
Targets Rammed 0
Cave-ins Triggered 0
Teleports 1
Heaviest Build 89
Greatest Support 92
Greatest Overweight (x) 19
Average Overweight (x) 0
Largest Inventory 4
Average Capacity 4
Most Items Carried 4
Average Items Carried 3
Final Capacity 4
Final Carried 2
Core Damage Taken 2607
Average Core Remaining (%) 76
Depth 11 Exit 100
Depth 10 Exit 74
Depth 9 Exit 59
Depth 8 Exit 91
Depth 7 Exit 100
Depth 6 Exit 98
Depth 5 Exit 91
Depth 4 Exit 13
Depth 3 Exit 74
Depth 2 Exit 96
Depth 1 Exit 41
Volleys Fired 115
Largest 2
Hottest 113
Shots Fired 186
Gun 147
Cannon 17
Launcher 22
Special 0
Kinetic 39
Thermal 77
Explosive 22
Electromagnetic 48
Entropic 0
Shots Hit Robots 168
Core Hits 82
Overload Shots 0
Energy Bleed 0
Heat Surge 0
Short Circuit 0
Meltdown 0
Melee Attacks 103
Impact 23
Slashing 23
Piercing 57
Damage Inflicted 4664
Projectiles 1292
Explosions 760
Melee 2612
Ramming 0
Kinetic 381
Thermal 611
Explosive 607
Electromagnetic 453
Impact 245
Slashing 698
Piercing 1669
Entropic 0
Self-Inflicted Damage 214
Shots 7
Rammed 0
Highest Temperature 427
Average Temperature 47
Shutdowns 1
Energy Bleed 0
Interference 0
Matter Decay 0
Short Circuit 0
Damage (minor) 0
Damage (major) 0
Damage (core) 0
Highest Corruption 13
Average Corruption 3
Message Errors 4
Parts Rejected 7
Data loss (map) 7
Data loss (database) 3
Misfires 1
Misdirections 12
Targeting Errors 5
Weapon Failures 0
Depth 4 End 1
Depth 3 End 3
Depth 2 End 4
Depth 1 End 13
Haulers Intercepted 4
Robots Corrupted 0
Robots Melted 0
Power Chain Reactions 3
Tactical Retreats 45
Communications Jammed 397
Parts Field Recycled 0
Retrieved Matter 0
Parts Merge Repaired 0
Drone Launches 0
Drone Recoveries 0
Derelicts Assembled 0
Traps Triggered 24
Indirectly 0
Trap Hack Attempts 0
Triggered 0
Disarmed 0
Reprogrammed 0
Reused 1451
Machines Disabled 4
Data Cores Recovered 1
Used 1
Machines Hacked 71
Terminals 43
Fabricators 5
Repair Stations 2
Recycling Units 3
Scanalyzers 3
Garrison Access 6
Total Hacks 235
Successful 118
Failed 108
Catastrophic 27
Database Lockouts 0
Manual 19
Unauthorized 13
Terminals 130
Fabricators 15
Repair Stations 4
Recycling Units 7
Scanalyzers 9
Garrison Access 14
Terminal Hacks 142
Record 68
Part Schematic 5
Robot Schematic 0
Robot Analysis 4
Prototype ID Bank 5
Open Door 0
Level Access Points 0
Branch Access Points 1
Emergency Access Points 1
Machine Index 0
Terminal Index 0
Fabricator Index 0
Repair Station Index 0
Recycling Unit Index 0
Scanalyzer Index 0
Garrison Index 0
Alert Level 2
Unreport Threat 1
Locate Traps 3
Disarm Traps 0
Reprogram Traps 1
Dispatch Records 2
Maintenance Status 0
Security Status 0
Surveillance Status 0
Patrol Status 0
Transport Status 0
Investigation Status 0
Extermination Status 0
Reinforcement Status 0
Assault Status 0
Garrison Status 0
Intercept Status 0
Recall Investigation 0
Recall Extermination 0
Recall Reinforcements 0
Recall Assault 0
Hauler Manifests 0
Registered Components 1
Registered Prototypes 0
Zone Layout 1
Sector Layout 0
Machine Controls 0
Hacking Detections 52
Full Trace Events 7
Feedback Events 0
Feedback Corruption 0
Feedback Part Disabled 0
Feedback Blocked 0
Trojans Installed 0
Terminals 0
Fabricators 0
Repair Stations 0
Recycling Units 0
Scanalyzers 0
Garrison Access 0
Fabricators Overloaded 0
Garrisons Disabled 2
Garrisons Compromised 0
Fab Network Shutdowns 1
Robot Schematics Acquired 0
Robots Built 0
Total Robot Build Rating 0
Robot Fabrication Matter 0
Robot Fabrication Time 0
Part Schematics Acquired 7
Parts Built 3
Total Part Build Rating 9
Part Fabrication Matter 438
Part Fabrication Time 145
Parts Repaired 1
Part Repair Time 26
Parts Recycled 0
Recycled Matter 0
Retrieved Matter 0
Retrieved Components 2
Parts Scanalyzed 3
Part Schematics Acquired 2
Parts Damaged 0
Robot Analysis Total 4
Robots Rewired 0
Robots Hacked 0
Non-combat 0
Combat 0
Parse 0
Link 0
Rebooted 0
Overloaded 0
Assimilated 0
Manual 0
Secondary 0
Robot Hack Failures 0
Allies Hacked 0
Hacks Repelled 0
Total Allies 0
Largest Group 0
Highest-Rated Group 0
Highest-Rated Ally 0
Total Orders 0
STAY 0
GOTO 0
ROAM 0
FOLLOW 0
GUARD 0
AID 0
BUILD 0
TUNNEL 0
DROP 0
PICKUP 0
COLLECT 0
EXPLORE 0
RETURN 0
Terraforming Orders 0
Walls Built 0
Walls Tunneled 0
Ally Attacks 0
Total Damage 0
Kills 0
Allies Corrupted 0
Allies Melted 0
Peak Influence 500
Average Influence 107
Final Influence 0
Maximum Alert Level 2
Low Security (%) 78
Level 1 19
Level 2 2
Level 3 0
Level 4 0
Level 5 0
Squads Dispatched 28
Investigation 9
Extermination 5
Reinforcement 11
Assault 0
Garrison 3
Intercept 0
Derelict Logs Recovered 2
Exploration Rate (%) 29
Regions Visited 15
Pre-discovered Areas 4
Garrisons Visited 0
Relays Disabled 0
Generators Disabled 0
Network Hubs Disabled 0
Actions Taken 13351
Turns Passed 7767
Depth 11 42
Depth 10 506
Depth 9 586
Depth 8 91
Depth 7 456
Depth 6 572
Depth 5 2486
Depth 4 579
Depth 3 913
Depth 2 594
Depth 1 942
Scrapyard 42
Materials 1183
Factory 1572
Research 1507
Access 942
Upper Caves 2166
Proximity Caves 246
Zhirov 109
Prototype IDs
---------------
F-Cell Engine
Fusion Reactor
Singularity Reactor
Improved Gravmag System
Biomechanical Wings
Advanced Power Amplifier
Experimental Heat Sink
Improved Matter Compressor
Experimental Optical Array
Spectral Analyzer
Advanced Salvage Targeting Computer
Experimental Melee Analysis Suite
Precision Energy Filter
Particle Accelerator
Centrium Heavy Armor Plating
Beam Splitter
Quarantine Testbed
Experimental Reclamation Unit
Assault Drone Bay
Advanced Beam Cannon
Compact Ion Cannon
Proton Burst Cannon
Anti-matter Cannon
Vibroblade
Fabricated
------------
1x Adv. Sensor Array (-7/Factory)
1x Adv. Sensor Array (-4/Factory)
1x Adv. Sensor Array (-1/Access)
Alien Tech Recovered
----------------------
Transdimensional Reconstructor
Integrated Reactor
Route
-------
-11/Scrapyard
-10/Materials (discovered 3 exits: *Mat x2 / [*Min])
-9/Materials
-8/Materials
-7/Factory
-6/Factory
-5/Factory
-5/Upper Caves
-5/Upper Caves
-5/Zhirov
-4/Proximity Caves
-4/Factory
-3/Research (discovered 4 exits: *Res / Arm / Tes x2)
-2/Research
-1/Access
Surface
Game
------
Seed: 1470926729
^Manual?: 0
Play Time: 177 min
Sessions: 1
Mod: N/A
Game No.: 137
ASCII: 1
Keyboard: 1
Movement: Numpad
Fullscreen: 1
Font: 18/Terminus
Map View: 76x50
FOV Handling: Instant
X=9459558006346030848666641064
463904883348660081800000848901
616666864696688088600834346040
618060808968901169164088800004
088084098880983030086648446081
633338019103136609806038310096
664034363303633333333336303333
333363333333333633303830106338
060868109143303363133333333336
340033606363333333333633306316
006333336633003088086869880631
616966408368660118100018646086
086333330033303349188133816680
816830016148811633333366484083
486139886898081108438668661306
803840306888840108003673333309
886388004431308464868961660066
680890840168630898336469990984
360360684438008108839609981633
330190408948908488081364080344
880406033061964030836104608083
638063330331380804680164111630
880310303386988939663888388863
8033000984698863800013089365
Congratulations on the first Alpha 10 win, zxc!
That is one hell of a scary hell you were in there...
And I know that in the past you've always been in it for the speedy straight shot to the surface, though it's funny you've just now visited Zhirov's hideout--think of the other lore and fun stuff out there still to check out :)
Singularity Reactors are extremely rare. In fact, I just checked and it looks like this is probably only the second time anyone has ever found one!
Just played my first Alpha 10 game. I like the changes so far.
This was a weird game where I went naked about 5 times. Armory helped me restock. It's a tight map filled with wonders...
* Particle accelerator. This one has low enough coverage that it's actually useful.
* Spectral analyzer. +8 sight at no cost! And it stacks. At +16 sight, it maps fast.
* All the enhanced Nova cannons and launchers you can dream of, more than you can carry!
* Plus allies you can activate.
I didn't linger too long in Armory, but I liked it.
I started the game as a combat bot, and I finished it as a stealth bot equipped with launchers. I mapped more than half of Access before I hacked the exit from a L3 terminal using the advanced hackware I found. None of the 3 L1 terminals in Command would pip out the exit despite me having a hacking suite. I was running blind since sensors were cursed this run. Either completely guarded by nasties or destroyed right when I equipped them. Conversely, my two flight units with 1 red bar survived through most of Access. The RNG gives, the RNG takes back.
The lore being recorded automatically is quite nice. I can finally erase my big list compiled manually.
The password UI could use a little work. It shows you the hack choices using letters (first is A), but typing A (and enter?) doesn't select the hack. It's misleading and you lose a hack attempt.
"Datadump.". Hah. Curiosity is sometimes a curse... Cogmind doesn't have copy&paste. Given your characterization of programmers in game, I guess I shouldn't be surprised that you're evil that way. ::)
Welcome back, Decker, and it looks like you're the first to have discovered Armory--it is definitely your kind of map :P
Glad you're liking Alpha 10 so far!
Quote from: Decker on August 11, 2016, 09:19:58 PM
* Spectral analyzer. +8 sight at no cost! And it stacks. At +16 sight, it maps fast.
Sight-affecting utilities don't stack. They only take the maximum benefit (hence the lack of a <stacks> tag in their effect description). They do give you the maximum possible sight range in the game though, 24, which allows you to see to the edge of the map view if there is enough open space.
Quote from: Decker on August 11, 2016, 09:19:58 PM
The password UI could use a little work. It shows you the hack choices using letters (first is A), but typing A (and enter?) doesn't select the hack. It's misleading and you lose a hack attempt.
That behavior is intentional. As described in the release notes (and you can see the demo image in the preview), if you are a pure keyboard player you have to first press \\ and then the window focus will switch to the code menu and the letters start glowing to indicate you can press those instead. (But apparently you know that by now :P) Otherwise there is no way to differentiate when you want to type a real letter 'a' or the first option in the menu! I thought of using a modifier key, like Ctrl/Alt, but that is worse unless it's also written out in the menu itself, and that looks bad.
What I could do is make the reference letters
not appear at all until you type \\, which you'll have to do since you won't see the letters there. The only annoyance with that, and the reason I chose not to, is it will leave more black space out in the left area of the menu--looks bad! (With a lot more work the window could have a different width depending on whether you're in keyboard or mouse mode, but it's already taken a ton of time to do what's there, and having the letters conforms to the design of most windows.) I still prefer to leave it as is, because in cases where you don't know, you'll learn how it works really quickly, and it's unlikely to mess you up, anyway.
Quote
Sight-affecting utilities don't stack. They only take the maximum benefit (hence the lack of a <stacks> tag in their effect description). They do give you the maximum possible sight range in the game though, 24, which allows you to see to the edge of the map view if there is enough open space.
Eeep! I didn't notice that. The second analyzer I equipped got destroyed in about 20 turns.
Quote
Otherwise there is no way to differentiate when you want to type a real letter 'a' or the first option in the menu!
How about the use of the 1-10 digits, and disallowing those characters in the passwords? No more ambiguity, all convenience.
That's a good approach, but for two issues:
It's not only about passwords--you can type anything you want in the manual entry.
That drops our maximum code limit to 10 (we're much more likely to hit that) rather than 26, which would require scrolling. And scrolling sucks :P (plus we'd need an elegant and good-looking way to ensure it's apparent how to scroll purely via keyboard)
Let the UI (almost) as is, but when the player types 1, figure out it's a password menu reference. No limit to the number you can type, so it's not limited to only 10 codes.
set special weapons also to force melee ctrl+shift ?
or is there a special reason oO ??
...would be nice if it's possible.
and i dont played alpha 8 & 9 and heard the atmobackground in the
caves for the first time..great moods^^ dont want to get out of there.
Hey Enno--glad you noticed the cave ambience. Added that several releases ago and no one really brought it up :P
Regarding special weapons, none of them require that you be adjacent to your target, plus they can be used in volleys rather than solo like the melee requirement, so they should follow the volley rules for consistency.
As you're playing pure keyboard, if targeting a robot a simply f+f will repeat attack, and if you're attacking environmental objects it's just f+cursor shift, so it shouldn't be too big a deal unless you are perhaps digging through a thick wall and being chased by a hostile in view at the same time and therefore have to move the targeting reticule away from a previous target? (I can only guess why you are making this request since you didn't specify!)
sry, i mean targeting walls...
with mining laser, wieding torch ...special weapon.
for example:
i could wield mining laser and assault rifle and dont have
to turn off assault rifle in front of a wall when i would to use
the mining laser and then on when im ready.
i could simply press ctrl+shift and cogmind
use only mining laser. so it is with normal melee weapon too.
it woult practical for all special weapon also data jacks imo.
...ah and good lore-hunting now with this funny lore-diary on 9
Datajacks already work that way, because they are melee weapons. You can just bump the target to hack, as you do in standard melee (no need to force-melee).
The problem with the handful of other semi-applicable special weapons (really just Mining Lasers, Welding Torches, etc.) is that, as a category, you can fire them at targets that aren't adjacent to you, so they still have to follow the projectile rules. What I could possibly do instead is change that one weapon to belong to the same "special melee" category that Datajacks do, basically making them like Mining Claws and they would then follow all melee rules, including 1) adjacent attacks only and 2) bump to attack (or in the case of walls--force attack to attack).
In fact, Mining Lasers would probably belong to this category if the special melee type existed when they were developed, but that came later :P
Quote from: Kyzrati on August 19, 2016, 07:48:46 PM
basically making them like Mining Claws
great how you pointed out what i want with my special english :D
Hehe, gotcha ;)
I'll look into it for Alpha 11.
I intentionally triggered a cycler(?) explosion in the Hub, using a launcher, halfway through to the factory exit. I thought I had some time before the guards showed up (given the announcement), but it's actually instant. I was surrounded by about 6 guards. They strip real fast with their EM weapon.
I feel the risk >> the reward here.
- It's the fifth area that you reach upon ascending, so the core integrity is bound to be low right on entry (and especially so if you took an early branch).
- The guards have high firepower, numbers, and speed.
- The guards spawn right from the exit that you may be trying to escape to.
- 5% detection reduction isn't much to rejoice about.
So perhaps the risk/reward gambit should be tweaked a little?
Yep, agreed. Although the benefit isn't 5%, it's 10%. That was changed back in Alpha 9. And it's already been set to 15% for Alpha 11.
That said, there are several different strategies that make the Hub a lot easier, so it's designed with those in mind. Also, note that the benefit has no cap--if you can find a way to destroy multiple hubs you become virtually untraceable for the rest of your journey. For now, though, I decided to raise the benefit to 15% since the average player will probably only destroy one at most.
We'll see how it works out, but so far not many people venture there (or even know what it does) so there aren't as many opportunities to see how it plays into a larger strategy.
...THAT said, your post had me checking more of the Hub_04(d)-related variables just now (which compared to other maps I haven't done much of precisely because it's rarely visited :P), and noticed that its defenses are set rather high for a map of that size. I'll be halving its number of garrisons for Alpha 11, and also changing Lightning behavior so that they'll no longer spawn from regular access points unless there are no garrisons available.
Something else that helps survival in the Hub which might take some effort to otherwise figure out: The Lightning squads are not after you when they're dispatched--they only arrive to guard the remaining networks if one has been disabled ;)
Quote
Yep, agreed. Although the benefit isn't 5%, it's 10%. That was changed back in Alpha 9. And it's already been set to 15% for Alpha 11.
Quote
ALERT: Network intrusion management efficiency reduced by 5%.
Dispatching hub defense squads. All non-combat units evacuate.
That message above is from Alpha 10. Be sure to update the message too in Alpha 11 ;)
Quote
Something else that helps survival in the Hub which might take some effort to otherwise figure out: The Lightning squads are not after you when they're dispatched--they only arrive to guard the remaining networks if one has been disabled
Aha! That'll make dealing with them a lot easier. Evidently, the ones I met thought that a good offense is a good defense ;D
And yes, it's hard for the player to figure that out since (to my knowledge) there are no other hostiles that behave that way (except a hint about Researchers in Xion).
Quote from: Decker on September 07, 2016, 07:51:10 AM
That message above is from Alpha 10. Be sure to update the message too in Alpha 11 ;)
Ah good catch, thanks! That was hardcoded into the message when it should've been based on the variable xD (That type of alert message with an actual value in it goes against my normal practice, but I made an exception there because it needed to be more obvious after the original message was considered too vague when the Hub was first introduced.)
It does, however, report the correct value in the status window when you're hacking after that point.