Arcen Games

General Category => Bionic Dues => : Dominus Arbitrationis August 19, 2016, 10:57:02 AM

: Possible Bionic Dues Expansion
: Dominus Arbitrationis August 19, 2016, 10:57:02 AM
I have recently been granted the go-ahead to look into making a Bionic Dues expansion, and my current idea is the following: A new building with powerful, but buggy, weapons that you can use. In the building, my plan would be to have it be a kind of Super Lion's Den, so there would be a massive amount of enemies, but killing them wouldn't change the final battle.

So how does that sound to everyone here? Also, feel free to post your bugs so I can take a look at those at the same time.

EDIT: Let me just stress that THIS DOES NOT MEAN A BIONIC DUES EXPANSION WILL HAPPEN, only that we are looking into making one. There are quite a lot of factors that would stop the expansion from coming out, first and foremost being a bad money-to-fun ratio, and second it just not being fun in some way.
: Re: Possible Bionic Dues Expansion
: x4000 August 19, 2016, 10:59:10 AM
Well, provisional go-ahead.  Anyhow, that would be one piece of the larger expansion if we complete one.  As usual, we'll make sure to have a good value-to-money proposition for you guys, or else we won't greenlight the project.
: Re: Possible Bionic Dues Expansion
: Pumpkin August 19, 2016, 03:30:06 PM
Well, things aren't simple.

If a BD expansion would just pop out of nowhere, sure, I'll be happy. However, from where would it come? Who would make it? How many time would it take? Would SBR and AI War would be delayed for it?

Financially, would it sold well (considering how poorly BD sold, IIRC)? I don't want to sound selfish, but wouldn't an AI War expansion be more profitable, in these times of scarcity for Arcen?

With just one blurry idea, I'm afraid I can't provide my unconditional support to that project.
: Re: Possible Bionic Dues Expansion
: nas1m August 19, 2016, 04:28:16 PM
Well, you would have this buyer, for sure :).
If you are still looking for stuff to do, you could look at multi-tile enemies and additional city maps, both of which were discussed the last time we did a beta round on BD iirc.

Kudos for the (potential) effort!
I would love to look into adding something to BD and the map generator myself, but I won't be able to take on any side projects until fall next year :/.
: Re: Possible Bionic Dues Expansion
: Logorouge August 19, 2016, 06:12:01 PM
I would love revisiting Bionic Dues with an expansion, especially if it includes new styles of city maps.  :D
: Re: Possible Bionic Dues Expansion
: crazyroosterman August 19, 2016, 06:54:55 PM
I would for this to go ahead but id rather it happen when you your other projects are complete( rr that untitled survival game ai war 2 and of course poor old stars) I would be interested in testing it provided you wanted me of course.
: Re: Possible Bionic Dues Expansion
: Dominus Arbitrationis August 19, 2016, 07:24:54 PM
Just to clarify, I would be the one making it, so no time would be taken away from any of Arcen's other projects, and there would be no risk for Arcen financially.
: Re: Possible Bionic Dues Expansion
: mrhanman August 20, 2016, 12:35:32 AM
Well, Bionic Dues is one of my favorite Arcen games. You'd have at least my purchase, and beta testing capabilities, assuming they are desired.
: Re: Possible Bionic Dues Expansion
: Pumpkin August 20, 2016, 01:33:34 AM
Just to clarify, I would be the one making it, so no time would be taken away from any of Arcen's other projects, and there would be no risk for Arcen financially.
Ok. Thanks for the answer.
Good luck with that.  I hope BD's code is less crazy than, say, AI War, for instance. :P
: Re: Possible Bionic Dues Expansion
: x4000 August 20, 2016, 01:44:09 AM
Just to clarify, I would be the one making it, so no time would be taken away from any of Arcen's other projects, and there would be no risk for Arcen financially.
Ok. Thanks for the answer.
Good luck with that.  I hope BD's code is less crazy than, say, AI War, for instance. :P

TI-86 calculator compared to the apollo space program.

Both complicated and somewhat arcane, in other words, but there's still no comparison.
: Re: Possible Bionic Dues Expansion
: Dominus Arbitrationis August 20, 2016, 11:03:18 AM
Good luck with that.  I hope BD's code is less crazy than, say, AI War, for instance. :P
Having seen the code for some of the other games, it is most definitely a lot easier to work with, but still a PITA in some parts.

I'm trying to keep the art costs low for this, so a completely new city map is very unlikely (Though fun!), so what ideas are there to help fill out this expansion while still keeping the art cost low? Things like multi-tile enemies I can look into, and a new(ish) interior map generation style are both possible, though the latter only to a certain extent.
: Re: Possible Bionic Dues Expansion
: nas1m August 20, 2016, 02:01:17 PM
The City map would not necessarily need new art I guess, simply using a different graph could go a long way I guess (see AIWar map styles). As far as art is concerned a simple palette swap or hue shift (maybe combined with a simple particle effect like fog or rain) of the existing background image could be a start (similar to what I did for the floor maps linked in my signature). That or gleaning something from the other Arcen games. I could imagine that there are s couple of suitable background images around that would be suitable...

Besides that feel free to refer to my suggestions on Mantis for potential things to add (Endgame-tweaks, DiggleBots, lairing WyvernBots and adjusted scoring, just to name a few) ;).
: Re: Possible Bionic Dues Expansion
: nas1m August 20, 2016, 02:11:35 PM
Another big thing could be the alternate customization/progression mechanic that Keith was toying around with the last time he worked on BD (this was planned to be the next big thing the next time he would get around to doing something for BD - which he unfortunately never got around to).

Do you have a chance to ask him? Otherwise I could rummage around the old forum threads and see what I can dig out...

Gotcha: http://www.arcengames.com/forums/index.php/topic,16192.msg179094.html#msg179094 (http://www.arcengames.com/forums/index.php/topic,16192.msg179094.html#msg179094)
: Re: Possible Bionic Dues Expansion
: Pumpkin August 20, 2016, 05:09:42 PM
I'm sure AIW's graph generation algorithm can be used for city graph generation.
Or these (https://www.arcengames.com/forums/index.php/topic,18128.0.html). Or I can come up with some new algo if you need something more specific. Just tell me, I'll be glad to help.

Side Note:
I'm jealous. I have so many ideas for AIW expansions and/or MF.
 :D
: Re: Possible Bionic Dues Expansion
: ptarth August 21, 2016, 01:06:11 AM
Inconsistency in weapons is really counter intuitive I think in this game. You are given all of the tools to make a decision, having some of your tools be inconsistent would drive me batty or I just wouldn't use them. I don't think that would be sufficient to be the main focus of an expansion. For an expansion, you'd probably want a new mech, a new pilot, some new enemy types, and then something to clean up the UI experience.

I've been giving it a few minutes here and there trying to identify all the reasons I rage quit.
: Re: Possible Bionic Dues Expansion
: Pumpkin August 21, 2016, 01:48:11 AM
Inconsistency in weapons is really counter intuitive I think in this game. You are given all of the tools to make a decision, having some of your tools be inconsistent would drive me batty or I just wouldn't use them.
Buggy weapon doesn't mean inconsistent weapon. The dumb bot is completely buggy but totally predictable and consistent. I think weapons that can be powerful but have a huge drawback (like many bots) could be an interesting design vein.

Is overload ever useful?
YES!
I did a game recently with a full armor/regen Assault exo + overload. On some tanky bots (tiger was the most ridiculous opponent with that strategy), I could save so many bullets by spam-clicking the overload... Each overload costed only 1% health and I could regen more than 50% health. I was able to let some small groups of enemies unload their ammo on me and then blast them with overload while spending no ammo in the whole process.

Sorry, I derailed.
: Re: Possible Bionic Dues Expansion
: Dominus Arbitrationis August 21, 2016, 10:45:05 AM
  • I'd like to know the number of unopened loot containers on the level, so I can exit early without losing loot.
I'll look into that, but it seems like a bit of a cheap way to get some intel about the mission. Maybe only display unopened loot containers that you've found?

  • I'd like to know how much damage a shot is going to do. The shotgun makes me very sad because I don't have a good idea of how much damage it will do.
You can see how much damage a weapon does by hovering over it, and then the log in the top right tells you how much damage the shot did, so you should be able to figure out how harsh the shotgun dropoff is. Less than ideal, but I'm not sure how to put the shot damage in there without it looking clunky.

  • Different color and larger life bars. It's hard to seem them.
I wonder if a brand new life bar for your current mech would be in order (and be optional)? Have it display across the top of the screen, similar to how SR display's Boss lifebars? (Not sure I'm able to do this, but I can try)

  • Better auto-saving so I can "undo" ;)

Bad. No save-scumming for you. :P Where would you recommend the autosaves?
: Re: Possible Bionic Dues Expansion
: ptarth August 21, 2016, 01:05:16 PM
  • I'd like to know the number of unopened loot containers on the level, so I can exit early without losing loot.
I'll look into that, but it seems like a bit of a cheap way to get some intel about the mission. Maybe only display unopened loot containers that you've found?
I don't know if there is a good UI place for it to be realistically. Unopened ones I've seen don't bother me. Its the ones that might be behind door X, but I'd have to open it to find out that get me. Or finding the exit to a level early, killing all of the remaining robots and finding out there wasn't any loot. The credit gains from bots are just so low that it seems somewhat tedious to finish out a level. Or perhaps provide some sort of additional bonus if you do a full clear?

  • I'd like to know how much damage a shot is going to do. The shotgun makes me very sad because I don't have a good idea of how much damage it will do.
You can see how much damage a weapon does by hovering over it, and then the log in the top right tells you how much damage the shot did, so you should be able to figure out how harsh the shotgun dropoff is. Less than ideal, but I'm not sure how to put the shot damage in there without it looking clunky.
The shotgun is particularly problematic because it has Y different settings, all of which can do different damage to each of its target squares. I kept trying to use it but would misjudge how much damage it dealt (ending in my death, which made me sad). I would suggest an option that adds the numeric damage dealt to the circle indicators now present.

  • Different color and larger life bars. It's hard to seem them.
I wonder if a brand new life bar for your current mech would be in order (and be optional)? Have it display across the top of the screen, similar to how SR display's Boss lifebars? (Not sure I'm able to do this, but I can try)
The player Mech lifebars are a little too subtle, but I was referring to enemy mech life bars. ;) A simple size increase/color change should work out?

  • Better auto-saving so I can "undo" ;)
Bad. No save-scumming for you. :P Where would you recommend the autosaves?
In the normal save folder? I don't think I get what you are asking though. However, something like a set of 5 filenames that would be constantly overwriting the oldest would work I think.
: Re: Possible Bionic Dues Expansion
: Dominus Arbitrationis August 21, 2016, 01:22:52 PM
I don't know if there is a good UI place for it to be realistically. Unopened ones I've seen don't bother me. Its the ones that might be behind door X, but I'd have to open it to find out that get me. Or finding the exit to a level early, killing all of the remaining robots and finding out there wasn't any loot. The credit gains from bots are just so low that it seems somewhat tedious to finish out a level. Or perhaps provide some sort of additional bonus if you do a full clear?
I'm honestly not even sure if I could detect how many locked boxes were seeded, then how many you opened. I could probably do some kind of additional bonus for a full clear though. The hard part is making it not too good so your only real option is to hunt down every robot, but not so bad that it doesn't matter what you choose to do.

The shotgun is particularly problematic because it has Y different settings, all of which can do different damage to each of its target squares. I kept trying to use it but would misjudge how much damage it dealt (ending in my death, which made me sad). I would suggest an option that adds the numeric damage dealt to the circle indicators now present.

I'll look into it.

The player Mech lifebars are a little too subtle, but I was referring to enemy mech life bars. ;) A simple size increase/color change should work out?

OH! I'll see how easy it is to make that happen.

In the normal save folder? I don't think I get what you are asking though. However, something like a set of 5 filenames that would be constantly overwriting the oldest would work I think.

I meant when do you want the game to autosave? Before each mission, as you enter each mission, every five minutes in a mission, etc.
: Re: Possible Bionic Dues Expansion
: ptarth August 21, 2016, 01:51:49 PM
re: Clear reward
I think 1-2 parts for a full clear isn't unreasonable? It would effectively count as keeping an extra 1-2 mechs alive.

re:Numeric damage
Sounds good.

re:lifebars
I wasn't expecting it too be too troublesome. Not sure if it is an image or a in-engine change. Although if a full UI scaling update is made, this would also be part of it.

re:saves
Ah, okay. So, In-missions start (as opposed to pre-mission start which already happens), then perhaps once every 50 turns or so? Not long enough to be really cheaty, but enough that you don't feel horribly frustrated if things go south. Keep 4? of them around, and then rotate through the filenames (or delete the oldest?) (but not the in-mission start).
: Re: Possible Bionic Dues Expansion
: nas1m August 21, 2016, 02:48:43 PM
  • I'd like to know the number of unopened loot containers on the level, so I can exit early without losing loot.
I'll look into that, but it seems like a bit of a cheap way to get some intel about the mission. Maybe only display unopened loot containers that you've found?

  • I'd like to know how much damage a shot is going to do. The shotgun makes me very sad because I don't have a good idea of how much damage it will do.
You can see how much damage a weapon does by hovering over it, and then the log in the top right tells you how much damage the shot did, so you should be able to figure out how harsh the shotgun dropoff is. Less than ideal, but I'm not sure how to put the shot damage in there without it looking clunky.

  • Different color and larger life bars. It's hard to seem them.
I wonder if a brand new life bar for your current mech would be in order (and be optional)? Have it display across the top of the screen, similar to how SR display's Boss lifebars? (Not sure I'm able to do this, but I can try)

  • Better auto-saving so I can "undo" ;)

Bad. No save-scumming for you. :P Where would you recommend the autosaves?
Introducing Starward Rogue Style lifebars for enemies and player exos sounds like a great idea to me. If displaying both turns out troublesome one of the could be located at the top of the screen while the other resides at the bottom center...

PS: The proposed extended auto-saving sounds okay (i.e. fairly balanced) to me. Would be a good way to compensate for the occasional very frustrating microsleep...
: Re: Possible Bionic Dues Expansion
: zoutzakje August 21, 2016, 09:58:52 PM
I've noticed it's important to check enemy ranges a lot in this game and it kind of bothers me that I have to count the number of tiles between my exo's and the bots every time I want to make a move. You can hover over a bot or click on it (forgot which one since it's been a while since played) to see their range but it's not always ideal. The moment you move away from that particular bot the orange visuals displaying it's range disappears. And it doesn't work on bots that are still inactive if I remember correctly.

I'm kind of a newb with this game still and I don't know if what I'm trying suggest already exists or not. But I wish there would be a way to check the range of multiple bots at once and keep that range check in place even when you move the cursor around. This should work on inactive bots as well and have a specific button or something to cancel it all. This is what Fire Emblem does and maybe Advance Wars too (not sure) and it's always proved helpful to me.

Anyway, just my 2 cents. Not sure if it's a valid idea for this game but let me know what you guys think.
: Re: Possible Bionic Dues Expansion
: ptarth August 21, 2016, 10:18:54 PM
There is a setting in the options for enemy LOS and targeting range that gets about halfway to what you want.
: Re: Possible Bionic Dues Expansion
: ERISS August 24, 2016, 03:45:45 PM
the alternate customization mechanic that Keith was toying around
This was to make the mechs more simple to fill. I'm not against the expansion, but more weapons will go against this...
Firstly I think there should be a patch:
. Make the writings more readable, if fonts can't be enlarged then change their colors. Example: Writing dark or thin grey on black was not a good idea (weapon names of mechs). A saturation booster is maybe needed for the fonts.. (The one for texture should be made official, applied by default; really, this all black game is not good for selling it..)
. With mouse activated, sometimes we can no longer click in center of meka to make a turn pass (there are only the four arrows of direction).
. With mouse activated, starting a mission by clicking on its map icon, this immediately makes you move one tile once entering the mission, and sometimes it can makes the meka to be killed (mainly in boss missions)..
: Re: Possible Bionic Dues Expansion
: nas1m August 25, 2016, 03:54:14 AM
Firstly I think there should be a patch:
. Make the writings more readable, if fonts can't be enlarged then change their colors. Example: Writing dark or thin grey on black was not a good idea (weapon names of mechs). A saturation booster is maybe needed for the fonts.. (The one for texture should be made official, applied by default; really, this all black game is not good for selling it..)
Thanks for that. Its good to know somebody other than me is getting something out of this :).
: Re: Possible Bionic Dues Expansion
: kasnavada August 26, 2016, 10:35:16 AM
Frankly, from my experience of the game, buggy weapons seem like a bad fit for this game.
- I played at higher difficulty and for this game RNG means death. You NEED to reliably be sure that the mech that will / has moved into shooting position next turn dies, because most of everything basically one-shots you. If you can't be sure that it's dead, it's %buggy chance% of game over.
- refitting mechs is already one of the down-points of this game due to the multiplicative bonus to systems and / or random loot, with parts that go on every mech or so. I like the "battle" part, but the endless refits were getting on my nerves. More weapons = even more complex refits. It'll become "excel : weapon simulator".

What this game might need as an extension is other "player mechs", new "enemy mechs", new pilots, alternate "super mechs" (forgot the name) other game modes with other mechanics (flooding, expanding radiations, capture the flag...), more "biomes" (fighting in zoos, parks, roads...), easier refits (via changing the UI).

: Re: Possible Bionic Dues Expansion
: Pumpkin August 26, 2016, 04:13:36 PM
Frankly, from my experience of the game, buggy weapons seem like a bad fit for this game.
- I played at higher difficulty and for this game RNG means death.
"Buggy" weapon doesn't mean RNG!!!
The game is currently filled with "buggy" bots and there is no RNG at all!
: Re: Possible Bionic Dues Expansion
: Logorouge August 26, 2016, 05:42:41 PM
"Buggy" weapon doesn't mean RNG!!!
The game is currently filled with "buggy" bots and there is no RNG at all!
A more accurate name for them might be conditional weapons, because they would work in a consistent manner but not necessarily in a simple/straightforward way.
: Re: Possible Bionic Dues Expansion
: kasnavada August 26, 2016, 07:18:51 PM
Frankly, from my experience of the game, buggy weapons seem like a bad fit for this game.
- I played at higher difficulty and for this game RNG means death.
"Buggy" weapon doesn't mean RNG!!!
The game is currently filled with "buggy" bots and there is no RNG at all!

Then we don't have the same definition of "buggy", and examples should be proposed... and the second argument I proposed stands still.

Even if they're not RNG-buggy (I personally don't see how it's possible, but I'm prepared to be amazed), I don't think that bionic dues needs the added excel-sheet complexity that will be caused by determining which weapon (buggy or standard) is better, especially with refits needed every 1 or 2 runs at higher difficulty level.

For example, conditional weapons are the very examples of RNG weaponry that'll cause issues.
Ex: a weapon that shoots only bots with shields. Useless if the RNG presents you with unshielded bots only.
A weapon that can only shoot bots adjacent to another bot. Useless if the map layout and initial bot placement does not allow that.
A weapon that shoots with a weird pattern => actually we already have the issue with current shotgun.
A weapon that kills bots that have their "last" hit point equal to 7. I don't need to explain that one.

Setting a condition is basically RNG.
: Re: Possible Bionic Dues Expansion
: crazyroosterman August 27, 2016, 09:24:17 AM
I've been playing bionic again and I think something id love to see would be the option to move or turn of the toltips for weapons when you hover over them mainly because it covers up the range showing and it drives me nuts.
: Re: Possible Bionic Dues Expansion
: Misery August 29, 2016, 12:08:22 AM
So, this idea is still being thrown around?

Hmm.  I'd go into some detail on things I'd like to see with this game, but that'd be like 20 pages long, having played this to death as much as I have.

One thing I can say though:  THe current science missions suck.  They generate that huge idiotic square of a floor that's just random junk and bots strewn everywhere.  You get next to nothing out of them, too.... if you want science items, going basically anywhere else is better, which kinda blows the point....
: Re: Possible Bionic Dues Expansion
: ERISS August 29, 2016, 12:15:01 PM
  i'd love to see the option to move or turn of the toltips for weapons when you hover over them, mainly because it covers up the range showing and it drives me nuts.
Yeah! Or make the tooltip more transparent so we better see the range through.
: Re: Possible Bionic Dues Expansion
: Captain Jack August 30, 2016, 01:56:29 AM
Oh, neat to see this is a thing that might happen, again with (1) freakin' volunteer. Let me know if you want any extra writings or someone to look over what you write.

I have a desire to see Keith's talent tree somehow implemented, but recognize that it's likely outside the purview of a content-without-assets expansion. Maaaaaaybe with lots of icon recycling on the mech concept art, on a screen you access from the regular inventory menu?

Other than that, ask nas1m for permission to include the texture pack in the expansion/patch (http://www.arcengames.com/forums/index.php/topic,16055.0.html)? If the spritework carries over, maybe you could repurpose some Starward Rogue mechs as bosses.
: Re: Possible Bionic Dues Expansion
: Dominus Arbitrationis August 30, 2016, 12:31:40 PM
As of right now, this project is being put back into cryofreeze. The basics of why are a lack of ideas that translate into an expansion (Most ideas that have been given work really well as free additions to the base game), and it is a pretty bad PR move to release an expansion after the Raptor debacle.

That being said, I do have an interest in providing some updates to the game, so this wasn't entirely a waste of time, and I will still welcome further input on what stuff needs to be tweaked and changed.
: Re: Possible Bionic Dues Expansion
: ERISS August 31, 2016, 12:31:51 PM
For me the store is only usefull in the very endgame:
We know what we buy may become obsolete, so I keep my money and only buy for the end missions when the best items appear at last in the store.
A solution could be to show each turn since the beginning only some random better (greater level) items, and we may ask for some items to be kept aside for us later (it should cost a few).
: Re: Possible Bionic Dues Expansion
: Dominus Arbitrationis September 01, 2016, 10:53:49 PM
One thing I can say though:  THe current science missions suck.  They generate that huge idiotic square of a floor that's just random junk and bots strewn everywhere.  You get next to nothing out of them, too.... if you want science items, going basically anywhere else is better, which kinda blows the point....

Well, you should be getting rarer science items from the mission, if nothing else. The map generation might be a little out of my depth, but I can take a look and see what I can cook up.

(The one for texture should be made official, applied by default; really, this all black game is not good for selling it..)

Unfortunately, I was not given permission to make that change because it makes the game too bright and showy.
: Re: Possible Bionic Dues Expansion
: crazyroosterman September 02, 2016, 08:20:45 AM
hey dominus if this games ever getting updated in what ever way as eriss said could you make an option to turn down the transparency or get rid of the in battle tooltips?.
it just drives me bananas really.
: Re: Possible Bionic Dues Expansion
: ERISS September 02, 2016, 09:16:20 AM
The one for texture should be made official, applied by default; really, this all black game is not good for selling it..
Unfortunately, I was not given permission to make that change because it makes the game too bright and showy.
Lol. Halas I don't think you're joking here. However, I don't really care, it is sure not an heavy burden to install the packs of nas1m, that I thank again. It's for actually I only discovered BDues very late for the promotionnal screenshots were awfull black so they were repellent. It's actually the uglier black game I saw. I don't think it should be worst for the sell if instead you make the game 'too bright and showy' for the devs, what it won't be for the players.
: Re: Possible Bionic Dues Expansion
: Dominus Arbitrationis September 03, 2016, 06:28:25 PM
hey dominus if this games ever getting updated in what ever way as eriss said could you make an option to turn down the transparency or get rid of the in battle tooltips?.
it just drives me bananas really.

Transparency of what, exactly? I can look into both, but no guarantees. The GUI is a PITA to work with.

Lol. Halas I don't think you're joking here. However, I don't really care, it is sure not an heavy burden to install the packs of nas1m, that I thank again. It's for actually I only discovered BDues very late for the promotionnal screenshots were awfull black so they were repellent. It's actually the uglier black game I saw. I don't think it should be worst for the sell if instead you make the game 'too bright and showy' for the devs, what it won't be for the players.
I'm just the messenger. :) I'll be sure to forward that on, but I'm not sure if it will make any difference.
: Re: Possible Bionic Dues Expansion
: crazyroosterman September 04, 2016, 05:14:20 AM
hey dominus if this games ever getting updated in what ever way as eriss said could you make an option to turn down the transparency or get rid of the in battle tooltips?.
it just drives me bananas really.

Transparency of what, exactly? I can look into both, but no guarantees. The GUI is a PITA to work with.

Lol. Halas I don't think you're joking here. However, I don't really care, it is sure not an heavy burden to install the packs of nas1m, that I thank again. It's for actually I only discovered BDues very late for the promotionnal screenshots were awfull black so they were repellent. It's actually the uglier black game I saw. I don't think it should be worst for the sell if instead you make the game 'too bright and showy' for the devs, what it won't be for the players.
I'm just the messenger. :) I'll be sure to forward that on, but I'm not sure if it will make any difference.

sorry I should have been more clear I meant the transparency of the toltips that pops up when ever you hover over weapons in battle.
I just asked because its really annoying.
if it cant be done then that's fine though its no big deal.
: Re: Possible Bionic Dues Expansion
: Teal_Blue January 14, 2018, 08:46:26 PM
I know this was talked about a while ago, and that there has since been talk of community code, etc..., but just wanted to say, and I don't know how many fans are out there, but I really, really loved this game, I keep coming back to it, every so often, getting my @#$% kicked and then starting a new game and trying again.  :) 

Anyway... just wanted to ask, if there was still, some possibility of getting an expansion? Maybe something some fan-coders could do in house, or volunteers and put out and a percentage paid out to the volunteers and Arcen getting a percentage and the fans getting an expansion?

I'm a newb business minor and a code baby, as in 'not at all', but well... that's not 100 percent true, I did work on modding a bit for a space game several years ago, but it was like value substitution and path pointers to image files for the ships, so it was fun, but not really complex coding stuff.
Anyay... for the third time, sorry... I was hoping that something about an expansion might be possible, but don't want to stress anyone, or cost anyone any money or time if they of course have to make a living at it too. So...

Is this even remotely feasible?

-Teal

:)   

Bionic Dues Fan....  :)

: Re: Possible Bionic Dues Expansion
: x4000 January 15, 2018, 09:13:53 AM
The new expansion coming out for Starward Rogue is basically just what you describe. That said, that one is a lot easier to edit than Bionic Dues is. Right now I don't have the mental bandwidth, and we don't have the people interested in doing the work, for a Bionic expansion to be anytime soon. That said, I'd love to see it sometime in the future! Maybe we can do some form of revamp/remaster with a better name and more enticing visuals, etc. We'll see.
: Re: Possible Bionic Dues Expansion
: Teal_Blue January 17, 2018, 10:23:47 PM
Thank you for the note back, maybe like you said, later for an expansion.
Thanks
Take care,
-Teal

: Re: Possible Bionic Dues Expansion
: Pepisolo January 22, 2018, 10:42:47 AM
Maybe we can do some form of revamp/remaster with a better name and more enticing visuals, etc. We'll see.

It's hard to foresee a time in the near future where something like this would be possible but, what you could do is a kind of revamped and rebranded Bionic Dues, but with releases on both Steam and Switch in mind. So, it would have to be more of a spiritual successor than just a straight remaster, but I could see that being relatively cheap to develop, but still being super cool.
: Re: Possible Bionic Dues Expansion
: estyles January 25, 2018, 09:09:57 AM

I am a .NET software developer in my real life, and have done some modding for Civ IV in XML/python (and a tiny bit of modeling, but I suck at modeling).  I don't know if that's much of a resume for game development, but if anything like what happened with Starward Rogue's expansion happens for Bionic Dues, I'd love to try and be a part of it in some form.

If anyone is starting such a project and wants a little help, let me know.
: Re: Possible Bionic Dues Expansion
: Pepisolo January 28, 2018, 12:47:35 PM

I am a .NET software developer in my real life, and have done some modding for Civ IV in XML/python (and a tiny bit of modeling, but I suck at modeling).  I don't know if that's much of a resume for game development, but if anything like what happened with Starward Rogue's expansion happens for Bionic Dues, I'd love to try and be a part of it in some form.

If anyone is starting such a project and wants a little help, let me know.

The big problem with doing a Bionic Dues project versus a Starward Rogue project is that the Bionic Dues engine is nowhere near as moddable. For Starward Rogue it's super easy to add new enemies, items, weapons...in fact most stuff can be done using the modding capabilities. For Bionic Dues you don't get any of that, so for a Bionic Dues expansion to happen first of all you would need at least one person that's strong on the engine coding side of thing. For the Starward Rogue expansion we managed to get by needing only a limited amount of engine work. So, I think it would be a much more difficult team to assemble. A Bionic Dues expansion would be great, though. If there is any movement on this, you'll almost certainly read about it on the forums, although I wouldn't get your hopes up, as it's likely that such a project won't happen -- although never say never, I guess. Cheers! :)
: Re: Possible Bionic Dues Expansion
: keith.lamothe January 28, 2018, 01:55:04 PM
The big problem with doing a Bionic Dues project versus a Starward Rogue project is that the Bionic Dues engine is nowhere near as moddable.
Yea, for BD to move forward it would basically mean reimplementing the game in our more-moddable engine, under a different name (to remove one of the more obvious blocks to its commercial success), and then a modding team could carry it like happened with SR's expansion.

This is not all that likely to happen :)