Build 36

[rob]

Greetings to all Brave Testers! Thanks for playing Grid 12!

We just pushed build 36. Changes include:

* Add region-based bonus: 50% to a single stat
* Add "lone wolf" bonus of 25% to all stats when only one person is logged in
* Fix disappearing icon bugs
* Don't kill off drill station outbuildings when drill dies
* Auto-teleport back to town when farther than one region width from civilization (that is, a level 1 town or Origin)
* Make ESC work when chatbox is up
* Add "/origin" command to teleport to origin
* Make panic button work when there are no level 1 towns
* Make a new map for each new game
* Add new enemy fortress: Despoiler
* Add new trigger set for Hornet

The region bonus is probably too high, but I wanted to experiment with ways to make regions be different from each other. In the future we'll probably pare down or eliminate this bonus as we add other region-based features. One thing we are currently kind of excited about is bringing back buildable structures in towns, which would provide bonuses throughout the region. We're also hoping to customize the enemy mix in each region, so that you'll build different structures in different regions to better confront the unique threats faced in each. Also, we're considering providing a bonus or reward of some sort for destroying all 900 enemy fortresses in a region.

Tim worked this week on refactoring the trigger system so that we could provide per-tank triggers. The first class to receive unique triggers is the Hornet. We wanted the triggers to make the Hornet more "Hornet-like", that is, a better pinpoint sniper. We gave it a temporary range & damage boost for taking down big targets. We gave it a hitpoint heal, due to Hornet's propensity to take damage even while its shields are at full strength, and a "blink backwards" trigger for getting away from the source of the damage. We also gave it a short-range rear lightning gun, for disposing of those annoying attackers that get in behind. Going forward, our plan for triggers is to trick out another class each week for a couple of weeks, then re-evaluate the whole trigger idea to see how things stand.

The new lone wolf bonus is meant to counter the "nobody else is on, I guess I'll check back later" problem while our tester count is low.

The new map generation code means I had to declare victory on the previous game. Everyone was awarded their earned VPs.

Please post comments, bug reports, etc below! Thanks!

Rob & Tim

[tarbomb]

Add region-based bonus: 50% to a single stat

I think the 50% figure is about right personally. It's not enough to give you a massive imbalancing advantage, but it does make the game more varied. I'm hoping regions will eventually affect enemies as well, or give some stat reductions (e.g. a swampland that reduces speed by 25% while increasing range by 50%), but this is a good start.

Add "lone wolf" bonus of 25% to all stats when only one person is logged in

It does help, but multiboxing is still more fun. :)

* Don't kill off drill station outbuildings when drill dies

More loot from drills! Me gusta.

Auto-teleport back to town when farther than one region width from civilization (that is, a level 1 town or Origin)

This is further than a typical soloing scout can go, but it will affect a pair of scouts using teleport to extend range. Still, it doesn't really affect gameplay much, since any discovered town is useless until it's connected.

Make ESC work when chatbox is up

THANKYOUTHANKYOUTHANKYOUTHANKYOU

Let's see how long I can go without dying now.

Add new enemy fortress: Despoiler

It's nice to see another stationary enemy that doesn't spawn minions. I think the 700 HP per turret figure is a bit high, considering that most of the time I engage them after I kill the main tank, making it more of a mop-up task than a hard fight. How about 350 HP with twice the damage? Now that would be fun.

Add new trigger set for Hornet

They're all useful, but the lightning gun seems a bit weak so far, and of limited use since the jump backwards functionality does the job of getting one out of harm's way better. Still, you did manage to encourage me to play Hornet more with that.

That brings me to an idea: instead of giving each tank fixed abilities with a fixed cooldown, what about introducing some kind of skill system? Players could spend VP obtaining and then upgrading abilities, which could be equipped on any tank. That would give a more noticeable use for VP than the relatively unnoticeable augments, and would enable players to customize their tanks to fit their needs.

[pfiffel]

The triggers for the Hornet are great, especially the damage/range and repairing one. I'm looking forward to seeing more sets for the tanks and how they will affect (and enhance) gameplay.

An overview/interface element which contains bonuses (region, "lone wolf", etc.) would be neat.

Also, a small inconvenience that sometimes occurs: shields obscure the hp bar:

[linkshot]

Lone Wolf boost + Plasmid + Valkyrie * offensive augments = CRUSH EVERYTHING.

I literally sat in front of a super tank and out dps'd it to the point my shields were barely affected.

[rob]

Yes balance is way off, but I'm having a lot of fun throwing new ideas into the mix.

Rob

[linkshot]

Oh sorry I didn't mean for it to sound like complaining. Crushing is fun!

[sven]

Bug Reports:

I've listed all the combinations to replicate visible shield interface that was covering HP bar inconvenience.

Note: Valkyrie, Peacekeeper are not affected by this along itself.

Set 1, x = Silver, Corsair

Scorpion > x
Cobra > x
Spectre > x
Avenger > x
Wolverine > x
Phantom > x
Valkyrie > x

Pegasus > x
Peacekeeper > x
Hornet > x
Trailblazer > x

Fury > x
__________________________________________________________

Set 2, x = Mustang, Hurricane, Hercules, Predator, Pegasus, Wildfire, Viking

Silver > x
Corsair > x

Scorpion > x
Cobra > x
Spectre > x
Avenger > x
Wolverine > x
Phantom > x
Valkyrie > x

Pegasus > x
Peacekeeper > x
Hornet > x
Trailblazer > x

Fury > x
__________________________________________________________

Set 3, x = Scorpion, Cobra, Avenger, Wolverine, Fury

Spectre > x

Phatom > x
Valkyrie > x

Peacekeeper > x
Hornet > x
Trailblazer > x
__________________________________________________________

Set 4, x = Spectre, Phantom, Hornet

Valkyrie > x
Peacekeeper > x

Trailblazer > x
______________________________________________________________________________

The trigger cool-down process doesn't carry over to the next tank when changed in town. Thus resetting to full of use.

Also the white text in tutorial doesn't fade away while leaving the vision of view.

This just in, after further inspection outside of tutorial playpen. I received an unique message.

i.imgur.com/DzLIIIy.png i.imgur.com/Qny4LzV.png

Ingenious plot! It did sent me back where I was spawn at before I get further to the wilderness.

[tarbomb]

Jan 27, 2013 21:08:24 GMT -5 rob said:

Yes balance is way off, but I'm having a lot of fun throwing new ideas into the mix.
Rob

The only thing that's really imbalanced is the 50% range boost region. All the other statbuffing regions seem pretty well balanced to me - enough to change the playstyle without making the game too easy.

As for the range boost: in order to rebalance this I'd prefer to see a negative change in another stat instead of a range boost nerf. -25% speed or -25% shields/HP might do it.

PS: The rear lightning gun on the Hornet really needs to be able to hit multiple enemies. It's mostly useless in its current form.

[linkshot]

Trigger refills should be acquired through killing stuff (or being within loot gain range of a killed thing) instead of hanging back and checking on my other tabs.

[tarbomb]

Jan 30, 2013 21:41:57 GMT -5 linkshot said:

Trigger refills should be acquired through killing stuff (or being within loot gain range of a killed thing) instead of hanging back and checking on my other tabs.

I'm pretty fond of the shield/health refill system (fast refill, but doesn't start until you don't get hit for a while) and I'm wondering if a mana system that recharges the same way could work. Essentially you'd have fuel tanks that depletes every time you use the corresponding ability, but doesn't recharge until you don't use that ability for a while, with a fairly quick recharge rate. Enemies would drop fuel tanks that would either recharge you instantly upon driving over them or be storable for future use sort of like power crystals.

[rob]

Linkshot/Tarbomb,

These are both really interesting ideas. The trigger system had two goals: give each tank more personality and increase the rewards for skilled play. But the cooldown system as it currently exists can mean more waiting around if you don't want to enter battle without all your weapons available.

We chose long cooldowns so that you wouldn't just mash all your buttons in every fight -- you don't want to waste your good triggers on enemies that you could steamroll anyway. We were hoping that players would evaluate each fight and use the minimum amount of force necessary to get the job done, keeping their powder dry until the exact moment it was needed.

Another thing to keep in mind is that we currently solo in Grid12 almost all the time even though the game is meant to be played in groups. It could be that the current cooldown system is perfectly fine for group play.

I'd love to hear further thoughts!

Rob

[tarbomb]

There's no question that a triggers work well in a coordinated group against single enemies. The success that Stu and I have with altboxing two tanks shows this.

The issue, as I see it, is twofold:

a) Coordination is hard. Altboxing is no big deal - just coordinate with yourself - but just coordinating when to use your abilities when another person is present is not that easy (for that matter, even coordinating where to go can be hassled).

b) Such coordination, even when it works, isn't that great against drillstations. Drills need constant, overwhelming force to bring down, and even when altboxing two tanks in near-perfect coordination I spend a lot of time waiting for ability recharge.

As I see it there are two solutions: make a rechargeable fuel system with fuel tank drops as I suggested above, or weaken the abilities and give them faster recharges.

[linkshot]

The current cooldown system is actually pretty devastating in groups. We alternate it with weak foes so that somebody always has a boost, and then wait for things like the Despoiler, Watchtower, and Drill Station so that we can steamroll them..sort of like sword trios in RotMG.

Outside of a group, it's a waiting game, as I've started to rely on it since I never absolutely have to be without it.

On a slightly separate note, the triggers complement the Valkyrie really well (shotgun + "flight" + ragemode + shield restoration), so maybe it doesn't need new triggers. Looking forward to seeing what you do for Mustang, though. Would really like new incentive to play it. Right now, it just feels very underwhelming.