Author Topic: Beta 0.910 (Now With Fewer Bugs -- Also Redshirts Wave II)  (Read 25185 times)

Offline x4000

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Beta 0.910 (Now With Fewer Bugs -- Also Redshirts Wave II)
« on: September 24, 2015, 03:20:31 pm »
New version, but only existing players will care or should really read it: https://arcengames.com/mediawiki/index.php?title=Stars_Beyond_Reach_Beta_Phase_3_Release_Notes#Version_0.910

This one is focused on various bugfixes that have been identified by the first pass of existing players on the new mechanics.  It also further refines the pollution mechanic into something I'm more pleased with.

Now if you'll excuse me, I need to start emailing the new wave of redshirts (formerly greenshirts). :)
« Last Edit: September 24, 2015, 07:06:39 pm by x4000 »
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Offline x4000

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Re: Beta 0.909 (Now With Fewer Bugs -- Also Redshirts Wave II)
« Reply #1 on: September 24, 2015, 03:55:46 pm »
Testers added on September 24th (Redshirts V2, previously going to be known as Greenshirts)
Traveller
Tomasdk
ElektroSMF
Nubbify
Tridus
donlol
darkarchon
hadberz
Genomic
gnosis
Firemad
hapexindustries
Torchwood202
Peons
Rendon
Diji
Paracosma
Despayre
bobsky
mrvole
Ingros
Greywolf22
KaidenOZ
Genosse
dfinlay
SashaNein
d10sfan
Ravachol
Entvex
rjblackwolf
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Offline Cinth

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Re: Beta 0.909 (Now With Fewer Bugs -- Also Redshirts Wave II)
« Reply #2 on: September 24, 2015, 06:42:08 pm »
Don't you mean .910?

And thanks for backing down the pollution a bit... it was a bit much for the early game.
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Offline x4000

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Re: Beta 0.910 (Now With Fewer Bugs -- Also Redshirts Wave II)
« Reply #3 on: September 24, 2015, 07:08:25 pm »
Whoops -- yeah, thanks on that.  Fixed.

And yeah, the pollution was never supposed to be THAT much of a factor.  I mean, if it's to be a factor at all in the game, it should be something that is period or late-game or something that is in specific territories.  Not early and constant and annoying as all get-out, heh.  There are still plenty of circumstances where it should come up, but it shouldn't be something you constantly battle now.  Much more fun and interesting when it's an occasional strong foe rather than a constant moderate/strong annoyance.
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Offline donlol

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Re: Beta 0.910 (Now With Fewer Bugs -- Also Redshirts Wave II)
« Reply #4 on: September 24, 2015, 08:02:16 pm »
Oh right, so hello there!

I'm a new redshirt guy, so today was my first contact with the game. After playing it for three hours, let me throw some thoughts around:

1) In the advanced start menu, there is an option "% Land". It confused me a bit at the beggining - there is no tooltip explaining what this is about. I figured it's probably land/water ratio of the generated world (right?). But since, you know, I've not seen the game before, I did not even know there is water involved. So that was just a bit confusing.

2) After the game started I obviously had no idea what's going on and what to do. After two hours I still don't know what "Landing Site's" difficulty is (it will probably have meaning in later acts, right?). As you said earlier, there's tooltips missing to a lot of stuff, so for example after two hours I still did not figure out what do natural wonders do and how to use them. I assume you'll add explanations and tutorials to all that stuff, so I'm not gonna rant about that here. Just wanted to note that some players might be put off after being overwhelmed with all the stuff there is to do.

3) The combat system is something I have yet to understand. My first contact with it made me laugh though - I'm just building stuff, pressing end turn and boom -  a megalodon starts shooting at my hub from like a 10 tiles range. Well, this game has dolphines shooting fracking lasers around. I'm loving it already!

So those were my first thoughts on the game. I guess that to get a hang of it I'll need to play remaining acts when they are released. Cause at this point it's still quite confusing.
« Last Edit: September 24, 2015, 08:07:03 pm by donlol »

Offline Peons

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Re: Beta 0.910 (Now With Fewer Bugs -- Also Redshirts Wave II)
« Reply #5 on: September 24, 2015, 08:17:51 pm »

2) After the game started I obviously had no idea what's going on and what to do. After two hours I still don't know what "Landing Site's" difficulty is (it will probably have meaning in later acts, right?). As you said earlier, there's tooltips missing to a lot of stuff, so for example after two hours I still did not figure out what do natural wonders do and how to use them. I assume you'll add explanations and tutorials to all that stuff, so I'm not gonna rant about that here. Just wanted to note that some players might be put off after being overwhelmed with all the stuff there is to do.

3) The combat system is something I have yet to understand. My first contact with it made me laugh though - I'm just building stuff, pressing end turn and boom -  a megalodon starts shooting at my hub from like a 10 tiles range. Well, this game has dolphines shooting fracking lasers around. I'm loving it already!

So those were my first thoughts on the game. I guess that to get a hang of it I'll need to play remaining acts when they are released. Cause at this point it's still quite confusing.

1 is probably still a known "missing tooltips in some areas"

2: Each landing site has an objective for you to complete in order to go from act 1 to act 2. More buildings/abilities/etc. unlock with each act. Currently the build only supports act 1 and the tooltips/balancing are still off.

3. Combat in act 1 is supposed to be penalized by having monsters attack you apparently. Combat system is supposed to get fleshed out more in later acts.

Offline Sounds

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Re: Beta 0.910 (Now With Fewer Bugs -- Also Redshirts Wave II)
« Reply #6 on: September 24, 2015, 08:21:36 pm »
Hi there. I've been extremely busy and quite ill the last few weeks, so I've missed a lot. :(

I've some free time this weekend, so is there any intention of doing another build between now and then?

For what it's worth I've booted it up on my mac and it seems to work. However I've only opened the title screen and clicked quick start as simple test. From what I recall there were performance issues around turn 100, so hopefully that's fixed. If not I'll raise a ticket.

Looking forward to kicking the tyres and playing it this weekend.  :D

Offline crazyroosterman

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Re: Beta 0.910 (Now With Fewer Bugs -- Also Redshirts Wave II)
« Reply #7 on: September 24, 2015, 08:37:19 pm »
Oh right, so hello there!

I'm a new redshirt guy, so today was my first contact with the game. After playing it for three hours, let me throw some thoughts around:

1) In the advanced start menu, there is an option "% Land". It confused me a bit at the beggining - there is no tooltip explaining what this is about. I figured it's probably land/water ratio of the generated world (right?). But since, you know, I've not seen the game before, I did not even know there is water involved. So that was just a bit confusing.

2) After the game started I obviously had no idea what's going on and what to do. After two hours I still don't know what "Landing Site's" difficulty is (it will probably have meaning in later acts, right?). As you said earlier, there's tooltips missing to a lot of stuff, so for example after two hours I still did not figure out what do natural wonders do and how to use them. I assume you'll add explanations and tutorials to all that stuff, so I'm not gonna rant about that here. Just wanted to note that some players might be put off after being overwhelmed with all the stuff there is to do.

3) The combat system is something I have yet to understand. My first contact with it made me laugh though - I'm just building stuff, pressing end turn and boom -  a megalodon starts shooting at my hub from like a 10 tiles range. Well, this game has dolphines shooting fracking lasers around. I'm loving it already!

So those were my first thoughts on the game. I guess that to get a hang of it I'll need to play remaining acts when they are released. Cause at this point it's still quite confusing.
1 I think that's it yes although mars doesn't have any at all and eropia barely has any so I'm not sure exactly what it does there

 2 natural wonders have literally had nothing for a good while now I presume Chris is planning things for them but it would be nice to know exactly what

3 to be honest I'm on the same boat (mainly because I haven't been playing the game while waiting for this patch) I decided to get rid of a beastie and I think something from some where attacked one of the barracks I was using but I really don't know.

 ps are you sure you didn't damage any rogues in the same territory in it or build anything directly next to it since those are both triggers for it agroing? if not that sounds like a bug which you should report to mantis.
« Last Edit: September 25, 2015, 11:47:37 am by crazyroosterman »
c.r

Offline Cyborg

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Re: Beta 0.910 (Now With Fewer Bugs -- Also Redshirts Wave II)
« Reply #8 on: September 24, 2015, 09:09:11 pm »
So I tried playing tonight.


Pollution game over spiral. No matter how many trash and hazardous material buildings I place, nothing helps. I still have no idea what's going on. I like the addition of animals.
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Offline Cyborg

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Re: Beta 0.910 (Now With Fewer Bugs -- Also Redshirts Wave II)
« Reply #9 on: September 24, 2015, 09:11:46 pm »
1 I think that's it yes although mars doesn't have any at all and eropia barely has any so I'm not sure exactly what it does there 2 natural wonders have literally nothing for a good while now I presume Chris is planning things for them but it would be nice to know exactly what 3 to be honest I'm on the same boat (mainly because I haven't been playing the game while waiting for this patch) I decided to get rid of a beastie and I think something from some where attacked one of the barracks I was using but I really don't now. ps are you sure you didn't damage any rogues in the same territory in it or build anything directly next to it since those are both triggers for it agroing? if not that sounds like a bug which you should report to mantis.


You are extremely difficult to understand.
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Offline ptarth

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Re: Beta 0.910 (Now With Fewer Bugs -- Also Redshirts Wave II)
« Reply #10 on: September 24, 2015, 09:18:15 pm »
Pollution game over spiral. No matter how many trash and hazardous material buildings I place, nothing helps. I still have no idea what's going on. I like the addition of animals.

If you are playing Krolin, they have extra pollution. The others races are more manageable.
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Offline Zebeast46

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Re: Beta 0.910 (Now With Fewer Bugs -- Also Redshirts Wave II)
« Reply #11 on: September 24, 2015, 09:42:59 pm »
One thing I noticed now was that trash builds up WAY too quickly, I am literally on turn 70 and I already have 2 garbage dumps which is more then I really want in terms of having to build hazmats to sustain the Garbage dumps.
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Offline Captain Jack

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Re: Beta 0.910 (Now With Fewer Bugs -- Also Redshirts Wave II)
« Reply #12 on: September 24, 2015, 10:06:55 pm »
So I tried playing tonight.


Pollution game over spiral. No matter how many trash and hazardous material buildings I place, nothing helps. I still have no idea what's going on. I like the addition of animals.
Chris clearly wants everyone to have a taste of the redshirt experience. Except this time the pollution directly kills you rather than enabling diseases to kill you.

Offline donlol

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Re: Beta 0.910 (Now With Fewer Bugs -- Also Redshirts Wave II)
« Reply #13 on: September 25, 2015, 04:40:22 am »
...ps are you sure you didn't damage any rogues in the same territory in it or build anything directly next to it since those are both triggers for it agroing?...
Yeah that would be it. I built a fishery right next to it, thinking it's some sort of natural resource that would boost my food production. Facepalm.jpg

Basically to sum my experience up to this point: The game seems to have lots of potential - art style fits great, same with music. But the game in current state is very confusing - if I'm not grasping the gameplay after 2 or 3 hours of playing, than something is wrong. I think it's mostly lack of tooltips though, and those will be added.
« Last Edit: September 25, 2015, 12:31:56 pm by donlol »

Offline crazyroosterman

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Re: Beta 0.910 (Now With Fewer Bugs -- Also Redshirts Wave II)
« Reply #14 on: September 25, 2015, 11:44:38 am »
...ps are you sure you didn't damage any rogues in the same territory in it or build anything directly next to it since those are both triggers for it agroing?...
Yeah that would be it. I build a fishery right next to it, thinking it's some sort of natural resource that would boost my food production. Facepalm.jpg

Basically to sum my experience up to this point: The game seems to have lots of potential - art style fits great, same with music. But the game in current state is very confusing - if I'm not grasping the gameplay after 2 or 3 hours of playing, than something is wrong. I think it's mostly lack of tooltips though, and those will be added.
fair enough although I think that beasties have toltips on them if this happens to other people then perhaps it will need to made clearer. ps having certain passive beasties that do that might not be a bad idea although might just confuse people for nothing really
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