No system damage?

[Pepisolo]

Something just struck me about TLF -- there's no system damage? For example, minigun offline, thrusters only operating at 50%, rear shield reflector down blah blah blah. For an FLT-y game this seems a bit odd. I just got wrecked, managed to escape and then just recharged my shield, but all systems were still operational. Seems too late in the day to implement system damage, but I just thought it was strange, and possibly a missed opportunity. Maybe for an expansion?

[x4000]

Possibly.  But what we've found in past games -- most notably Bionic Dues, but also with the modules in AI War -- is that people don't like system damage when it applies to THEM.  They get frustrated by it.  System damage on enemies can be great fun, but the enemies have to be much larger than this for that to really work.  Basically like working in a SHMUP.  In fact, that's a huge part of the SHMUP we're going to make next -- the art all is being done in a way where various parts of each plane can be shot off.

[Pepisolo]

Possibly.  But what we've found in past games -- most notably Bionic Dues, but also with the modules in AI War -- is that people don't like system damage when it applies to THEM.  They get frustrated by it.  System damage on enemies can be great fun, but the enemies have to be much larger than this for that to really work.  Basically like working in a SHMUP.  In fact, that's a huge part of the SHMUP we're going to make next -- the art all is being done in a way where various parts of each plane can be shot off.

I see. System damage in FTL works brilliantly, but I guess this is because you can also damage the enemies in this way, too. If you were to suffer system damage then you would need to be able to harm the enemy in this way, too, for it to seem fair...... SHMUP!? Sign me up for the pre-alpha (or whenever the earliest round is). SHMUP's used to be a specialty of mine. Ikaruga is one of my favourite games of all time. (lol, I know it's much too early for sign ups, just expressing my enthusiasm).

[x4000]

Possibly.  But what we've found in past games -- most notably Bionic Dues, but also with the modules in AI War -- is that people don't like system damage when it applies to THEM.  They get frustrated by it.  System damage on enemies can be great fun, but the enemies have to be much larger than this for that to really work.  Basically like working in a SHMUP.  In fact, that's a huge part of the SHMUP we're going to make next -- the art all is being done in a way where various parts of each plane can be shot off.

I see. System damage in FTL works brilliantly, but I guess this is because you can also damage the enemies in this way, too. If you were to suffer system damage then you would need to be able to harm the enemy in this way, too, for it to seem fair...... SHMUP!? Sign me up for the pre-alpha (or whenever the earliest round is). SHMUP's used to be a specialty of mine. Ikaruga is one of my favourite games of all time. (lol, I know it's much too early for sign ups, just expressing my enthusiasm).

I love system damage in FTL.  But the thing is, that's really specific -- it's not the same kind of game.  That game is about managing basically three resources (overall): your power distribution stuff; the various methods of fixing broken stuff on your ship; and the various methods of inflicting damage on the enemy.  And really, the management of your own broken stuff is the bulk of the game, I'd say, in a lot of senses.  It's a brilliant game, but I think also a good example of synergy in game mechanics.  If the attacking side of things were more complicated, and you had less of a view of the internals of your ship, and the internals of your ship were not so complex in terms of how you could react to damage... it would not be a very good game.  It would be either frustrating or too easy, or both.

[Misery]

In fact, that's a huge part of the SHMUP we're going to make next -- the art all is being done in a way where various parts of each plane can be shot off.

Well, this next one already has my approval, I think.

Already looking forward to that one, yes indeed.

[x4000]

In fact, that's a huge part of the SHMUP we're going to make next -- the art all is being done in a way where various parts of each plane can be shot off.

Well, this next one already has my approval, I think.

Already looking forward to that one, yes indeed.

The art style is really cool -- Blue has already finished like 20 of the ships, and all of the larger ones (and most are large) come in many different segments.  There are also smaller ones as well, but all of these ships are much larger than the TLF ones.  The smallest ships in this unnamed SHMUP are about the size of the flagships, and the larger ones are about 800px across or more.  It's all set in the upper atmosphere, too, and has kind of an anime look to it.  Pablo is also working on the music for it already, too.  He and Blue are pretty much exclusively working on that game, except when I have specific requests for things (which, to be honest, happens daily with Blue, but it doesn't take her all day for the stuff I ask for).

[PokerChen]

Oh, an upgraded version of Warning Forever?

[Pepisolo]

I love system damage in FTL.  But the thing is, that's really specific -- it's not the same kind of game.  That game is about managing basically three resources (overall): your power distribution stuff; the various methods of fixing broken stuff on your ship; and the various methods of inflicting damage on the enemy.  And really, the management of your own broken stuff is the bulk of the game, I'd say, in a lot of senses.  It's a brilliant game, but I think also a good example of synergy in game mechanics.  If the attacking side of things were more complicated, and you had less of a view of the internals of your ship, and the internals of your ship were not so complex in terms of how you could react to damage... it would not be a very good game.  It would be either frustrating or too easy, or both.

Yeah. Power management is integral to the whole experience in that game. I can see why it might not work in TLF. Thanks!