Colony Ship: A Post-Earth Role Playing Game News

We're wrapping up the Armory (the second location), so we can finally show you something other than the starting town. Let's start with the intro:

With row after row of gutted depots, the Armory stretches before you as a shell of what it once was. The mutineers hit it fast and hard, overrunning the surprised security forces and stripping it of supplies. Weapons and armor meant for the future colony flooded the Ship, turning the Mutiny into a full-fledged war. The Ship Authority held its own in the end, keeping control of the lower decks, but at a great cost that went far beyond the Armory's lost supplies.

Your destination lies ahead – a reinforced door flanked by twin auto-cannons drawing on a seemingly inexhaustible power supply. No one made it past during the Mutiny, and no one's made it past since. Like the proverbial flaming sword outside of Eden, it sits as a guardian, a symbol of ancient strength, and a promise of marvels beyond.

You get the access card from Tanner (as mentioned in the combat demo), so getting past the automated security on that floor will be easy. However, you'd have to get past the local thugs first. You can fight or talk your way through or simply sneak past them. Multiple quest solutions are one of the cornerstones of our design philosophy.




^ click to see the full version of the image

- The old dialogue box at the bottom of the screen wasn't big enough to fit all the text and PC options in more heated conversations, so we went with a vertical setup. It's still work in progress (we switched to it a week ago) so feel free to offer suggestions for improvement. I can't say I like it but it's either this or what we had in AoD or using a scrollbar to make sure you see all the options.

- We wanted to show the skills (you can see them leveling up while talking) but you'll be using all skills not just speech and there's no room to fit them all. Maybe something like index tabs on the side?

- On the dialogue design itself: in AoD it was easy to fail a check and end up dead or in combat. In Colony Ship failures and successes modify the disposition, giving you a chance to recover from your mistakes. For example, this reputation check leads to 3 outcomes:

low rep: disposition -2

“You high or somethin’?” Sharp Face asks, grinning wide. Clearly, he’s a man who appreciates quality entertainment.

medium rep: disposition +1

“Big words,” says Sharp Face, licking his lips. “The fuck you want here anyway?” The sudden change of tone indicates that he no longer sees you as an easy mark.

high rep: disposition +4

“Easy there, friend,” says Sharp Face, raising his palms to show he comes in peace. “No need to get all worked up over a joke. So, uh, what brings you here?” The forced casualness makes it clear that you’ve been promoted from prey to rival.

Let's show him the card instead:



Choosing a non-tagged line doesn't lead to a failure either.



Once you get past the thugs the door is all yours:



The access card doesn't give you the keys to the kingdom. If you want to fully explore the Armory you'll need to beat retinal scanners on lower levels. At some point in the game the Armory will become your base of operations and you'll have to reinforce it (not base building but using scavenged parts) and defend against attacks.

Here's what you came here for - a mysterious device that starts the main quest:



Random tidbits for those who read Playboy for the articles:

- We updated the engine from 4.22 to 4.25, which fixed a lot of minor engine-related issues without introducing new ones (well, except for some minor font issues – see below, but that's manageable).

- We implemented 'guest' mechanics when an NPC temporarily joins your party, bypassing the party limit. You control them in combat but don't have access to their inventories.

- We're working on the Pit's (the starting town) quests at the moment and it's going well. The quests should be fully scripted - meaning the Pit's fully playable - by the end of July (half of it is already playable and I don't mean the combat demo).

- The stealth system (the first prototype) should be ready by the end of the month as well. I'm sure it will go through several iterations (meaning it won't be done until the end of summer), but getting something playable is a very important step, if only for quest and level design.

- Speaking of quest design, we expanded the Pit yet again as we added more quests, so now the Pit consists of three areas: Mainstreet, Camptown, and the Outskirts.

- We replaced more animations, added different icons for gadget upgrade parts, redesigned the upgrade screen, and did a bunch of other minor improvements.

The combat demo - overall, it went spectacularly well (for a change). Of course, the beta test was encouraging but there’s a huge difference between handpicked battle-hardened veterans and the general public. It could have easily gone sideways but didn’t, which is encouraging.

We spent the last 3 weeks processing the feedback and improving the overall design (added Recoil Control (a derived stat), close combat engagement (can’t do reaction shots at other combatants, cover bonus is halved), displayed initiative in combat as well as bonus APs granted by feats, full party weapons reload, etc). We’ve also added feat icons, more hairstyles and facial customization options (tattoos and scars), as well as the interface improvements.



The demo is now updated, so you can take it for a spin and see the current changes. We’ll continue improving the character & combat systems, and interface (and thus the demo), so stay tuned. In other news:

Quests - we started implementing quests and we expect the Pit’s quests to be done in 2 months. Let’s say 3 months to be safe, which will give us plenty of time to finish the Armory (half-done) and the Hydroponics (only the first area of the Hydroponics will be available in Chapter 1, the other two areas will require heavy gear and skills) to launch the game on Early Access by the end of the year.



Here’s the very first (optional) quest you recieve. If you talk to Tanner in the demo, you know that he wants you to go to the Armory but it’s a dangerous trip and you might need a buddy, either to become a life-long traveling companion or to shield you from bullets and die a noble death so that you can live and prosper.

The first companion is Evans the Rifleman and he will gladly help you if you help him first.






Animations - much improved; we’re slowly working through the combat animations, then will start on non-combat animations, different poses for bar patrons and such, and creature animations.

Various models - working on more energy weapons, including shotguns (more like that concussion rifle in Dark Forces) and SMGs.

Creatures - four out of six creatures are done, so we’re right on schedule there.



Stealth - next on the list. Sneaking and generating noise are the easy part. The tricky part that determines if the system works or not is what happens when you make enough noise to attract the guards’ attention. It works on paper and screen mockups, hopefully it will work well in-game.

As the title says, the hopefully long-awaited combat demo will be released tomorrow. A public release, even if it's only a combat beta, is a big milestone, as it's the foundation on which the rest of the game will be built. All the key features are there: the character system, increase-by-use skills, the combat system and AI, party mechanics, dialogue, inventory, pathfinding, etc. It's a game in itself, which is why it took so long to get to this stage.

I can talk some more about this journey and its emotional impacts, but instead let's talk about something that really matters - how are you going to survive in the demo? I know, I know. Just the other day you killed three dragons and fifty two ogres, so why should you worry about some malnourished humans coveting what little you have? Well, I think you should, so here are some friendly tips:

• You'll die. A lot. If that's a deal breaker to you, do yourself a favor and walk away. There's plenty of stress in real life, why add more?
  
  
• The tyranny of numbers: stats, skills, derived stats, feats, weapon stats, attack types, armor, range - anything that has some kinda number scribbled next to it - matter a lot, so choose them with care. If you don't like paying attention to numbers, there's a good chance you won't do well in combat.
  
  
• Your enemies use the exact same system, so if you see something that works well for them, it will work well for you too. Learn from your enemies because at this point they understand the system (via the combat AI) better than you do. Then (and only then) can you have your revenge.
  
  
• Different weapons require different tactics, feats, and gear. If your melee fighter blindly charges at five enemies with machine guns, don't be surprised if they promptly turn your character into Swiss cheese. You need high Evasion, boosted by a Distortion Field generator, you need smoke grenades (ranged penalty is much higher than melee penalty) and ideally thermal vision goggles. They can't hit what they can't see. Keep in mind that your rangers might find themselves on the receiving end one day.
  
  
• Even within the same class, different weapons are designed for different things. Long barrel pistols are designed for range and marksmanship. Revolvers for speed and reaction fire. Multi-barrel pistols are for double shots. So using a multi-barrel pistol in single-fire mode over some range would be a mistake whereas using it to deal with people who tend to get in your face would be a perfectly fine choice.
  
  
• Your THC (to-hit chance) will be low at first. We strongly suggest grabbing a specialization feat to raise your to-hit chance by 10 as soon as possible. It's not a mandatory feat but it will make things easier while you're struggling to survive. Pressing ALT while aiming will expand the targeting info and show the THC breakdown. The five main components that make your enemies hard to hit are:
  
  • their evasion ability (skill modified by feats, implants, and armor)
    
  • cover (either flank them or flush them out with poison grenades)
    
  • gadget (distortion field will make them very hard to hit but the effect doesn't last long)
    
  • your weapon's range (you lose accuracy with each tile beyond the effective range)
    
  • penalties inflicted upon your character via aimed attacks, smoke or flashbang grenades (better gear will help you reduce these penalties).
• There are no difficulty modes but there are 3 different ways to generate Random Numbers used to determine if you hit or miss: truly random (anything goes), lightly adjusted (numbers are drawn like cards from a deck, meaning you can't draw the same number twice under the deck is reshuffled), and heavily adjusted (the number of consecutive misses in a row is limited based on your THC, so no more missing 3 times in a row if your THC is 80%). Keep in mind that your enemies will use the same RNG too and would enjoy hitting the target more often.
  
  
• When in doubt about something, check the tooltips. We did a good job explaining the mechanics and values in tooltips, so if you wonder, for example, why your character has only 15 action points instead of 17 he or she is supposed to have, hover your mouse over the stat in question and you'll see that the armor penalty has reduced your AP by 2 points. 

Good luck tomorrow. Looking forward to your feedback.

We're working on the combat system and the starting town. It's taking us longer than we thought but late is always better than never. Instead of writing a lengthy but ultimately boring update, I'll post the latest screens and art and explain what exactly you're looking at.


This is the latest iteration of the user interface (right click to open image in a new tab to see the full size image). Objects of interest:

• Detailed textbox (much more detailed than the one we used in The Age of Decadence, which told you what happened but not why). The player needs to see how the enemy is attacking (attack type), damage and DR explained (is it a crit, a regular hit, or a graze; why does it say DR6 when my DR is 8 - because of the penetration effect), etc. If you don't like it, you can minimize it and forget it exists.
  
  
• Weapon slots show your skill level with the equipped weapons, updated as you fight. You can level up a skill in the middle of a fight and see the difference.
  
  
• Four belt bag slots, currently occupied by an energy shield, two smoke grenades used to create instant cover between you and the enemies, and a poison gas grenade - handy if your enemy forgot his gas mask at home (it does poison damage and weaken by reducing physical stats).
  
  
• The targeting thingy shows the enemy's hit points, damage resistance (there are 3 types of DR in the game: melee, ballistic, and energy), your THC (to-hit-chance) as well as the breakdown: blue - critical, green - hit, yellow - graze, red - miss. Pressing ALT will show you how THC is calculated, from your stat, feat, and implant bonuses to enemy's cover and evasion.
  
  
• Combat sequence (who goes next) is at the top, your party members listed on the left (you can have up to three party members, four with your character).
  
  
• The overhead icons above the enemies show you the effects of your cover (the eye represents penalty to their THC) and the effect of their cover (the shield represents the penalty to your THC). The penalty depends on the shooter's position which is why the enemy to the left has only 9% penalty as he almost flanked you.

Before you ask, no, the ship doesn't look like a warehouse, it's only an arena in the container town:

Other locations have a different style and atmosphere, especially the Habitat.


^ 1HP left, my companion was knocked down with a shot to the head. I'm afraid this story doesn't have a happy ending.


^ New run. Me and my new buddy Halston against three evil doers. Spitfire is a great SMG but its short range makes it next to useless in this situation. Weapon range plays a large role and there are 3 distinctive classes: short range (shotguns, multi-barrel pistols, and one-handed SMGs), medium range, and long range (long barrel guns: rifles, assault rifles, and certain pistols designed for marksmanship)


^ Click on a tile to see the movement cost and how it will affect the enemies (shield with the blue arrow shows how their cover will change when you get there.


^ New fight against a very tough and well equipped gang. As in AoD you get everything your enemies had (armor, weapons, even implants if you have the skill to extract them and don't mind getting your hand bloody). Right now Wilson and his boys kill me 7 out of 10 attempts.


^ First, take a look at that sweet gear mace Halston is carrying (he inherited it from another party member who knew how to use it with great effect but sadly didn't make it). Second, when you select a new attack you get a full report on what it does, so you will never have to wonder what something does in the game.

Right now guns have 12 attacks, each with different pros and cons: Snap Shot, Regular Shot, Double Shot (multi-barrel pistols and shotguns only), Triple Shot - semi-automatic pistols only, Fanning - revolvers only, Short and Long Bursts (SMG and Assault Rifles), standard Aimed Attacks (head, torso, legs, arms), and Bullseye (scoped regular and assault rifles).

PS.

Just as I was writing this update, our artist sent the first batch of gas masks and goggles. Might as well post a couple of them here:

Back in the pre-Mutiny days, these smart glasses used to stream a galaxy of digital entertainment directly into your brain. They're still useful for highlighting objects of interest in your environment, such as a concealed gunman about to open fire.

A scav never knows what he might find in the No Man's Land of the abandoned lower decks. These crude goggles, fashioned from salvaged combat tech, offer a few little advantages against whatever might be lurking in the dark.

These pilot goggles weren't intended as combat tech, but they still acquire and track targets better than anything else on the Ship, greatly decreasing reaction time in combat. They also shield your eyes from bright light and switch to high resolution thermal imaging when needed.



With so little known about the natives of Proxima B, the future colonists always assumed the worst. Thus the Ship's Armory was well stocked with gas masks designed for protection against chemical and biological agents.

* * *

Your feedback is always welcome and if you have any questions, we'll be happy to answer. If you like what you see, please wishlist and follow to get notified when the demo is released.

After nearly 2 years of work we finally have a playable build, which is very exciting. It's very rough, of course, as it's the First Iteration of the game and things will change a lot by the time the game is ready to be released.

Right now you can talk to people, fight, loot bodies, increase skills and equip new gear. The dialogue scripts are working like a charm, so you can go through all the fights and get one of 5 endings of the upcoming combat demo. The AI is doing a pretty good job seeking cover, flanking, and using different attacks, so overall things are moving in the right direction.

I'd say we need 2 months to get the combat system into shape before we start beta-testing, then another month before we release the combat demo and get some feedback.

Anyway, here are some screens (click to expand). Keep in mind, that's it's work in progress, as rough as the very first build can be: