New version .901 (Balance And Bugs)

[x4000]

Release notes: http://arcengames.com/mediawiki/index.php?title=The_Last_Federation_Alpha_Release_Notes#Alpha_Version_.901

Restart steam to force a quicker update if you like.

Not a whole lot here, but this one has a couple of key bugfixes, some very useful balance stuff, and some usability improvements in some areas, too.  Just wanted to get the key things here pushed out as quickly as possible, before we start in on the "main" work for the day, heh.

Enjoy!

[chemical_art]

The game feels good! Nothing jumps out to my newb eye.

I think there should be a popup the first time an assassain tries to get you explaining what is happening and warning players pirate flagship are much tougher then anything you fought so far.

[nas1m]

The game feels good! Nothing jumps out to my newb eye.

I think there should be a popup the first time an assassain tries to get you explaining what is happening and warning players pirate flagship are much tougher then anything you fought so far.

Hear, hear !
That words from you - that really means something (no offense).

Kudos!

[x4000]

The game feels good! Nothing jumps out to my newb eye.

I think there should be a popup the first time an assassain tries to get you explaining what is happening and warning players pirate flagship are much tougher then anything you fought so far.

Hear, hear !
That words from you - that really means something (no offense).

Kudos!

Holy crap!  Indeed so, I was not expecting that.   I thought the game feels really good, too, but I was a little worried that possibly the tutorials were still not quite there, and/or that the game just wasn't quite your thing, etc.  Noted on the assassins, I have added that to my list.

You are always one of my major barometers, chemical_art, so that is a huge sign to me.

[Chthon]

The game feels good! Nothing jumps out to my newb eye.

I think there should be a popup the first time an assassain tries to get you explaining what is happening and warning players pirate flagship are much tougher then anything you fought so far.

Hear, hear !
That words from you - that really means something (no offense).

Kudos!

Holy crap!  Indeed so, I was not expecting that.   I thought the game feels really good, too, but I was a little worried that possibly the tutorials were still not quite there, and/or that the game just wasn't quite your thing, etc.  Noted on the assassins, I have added that to my list.

You are always one of my major barometers, chemical_art, so that is a huge sign to me.

Congratulations Chemical Art.  You are a tool used to determine the relative humidity in x4000's latest game. 

[nas1m]

The game feels good! Nothing jumps out to my newb eye.

I think there should be a popup the first time an assassain tries to get you explaining what is happening and warning players pirate flagship are much tougher then anything you fought so far.

Hear, hear !
That words from you - that really means something (no offense).

Kudos!

Holy crap!  Indeed so, I was not expecting that.   I thought the game feels really good, too, but I was a little worried that possibly the tutorials were still not quite there, and/or that the game just wasn't quite your thing, etc.  Noted on the assassins, I have added that to my list.

You are always one of my major barometers, chemical_art, so that is a huge sign to me.

Regarding tutorials: Did you catch my note/report regarding a possible tutorial step/gating for quests? They could really use one I think. Report here.

[x4000]

I don't know, I'm not sure that I agree with that one.  The main thing that people were reporting confusion on after coming into the game was "what do I do now?"  The quests do have a lot of text, but a lot of it is flavor.  To me, I think that the sort of people who would be into this game would be into the quests, and I actually specifically designed those two to be the first things you see right after you come out of the first combat.  I haven't heard any new players mentioning being put off by that (but I have not been reading all the threads, so maybe it just hasn't bubbled up to mantis).

But I think that having two options right there at the top of the screen, both of which are meaningful and which you can compare right there, is really a very good thing.

[nas1m]

I don't know, I'm not sure that I agree with that one.  The main thing that people were reporting confusion on after coming into the game was "what do I do now?"  The quests do have a lot of text, but a lot of it is flavor.  To me, I think that the sort of people who would be into this game would be into the quests, and I actually specifically designed those two to be the first things you see right after you come out of the first combat.  I haven't heard any new players mentioning being put off by that (but I have not been reading all the threads, so maybe it just hasn't bubbled up to mantis).

But I think that having two options right there at the top of the screen, both of which are meaningful and which you can compare right there, is really a very good thing.

Fair enough. Just wanted to make sure you caught the question .

[x4000]

Oh yeah, I did -- I'd been mulling it since reading it last night or whenever it was I saw it.

[Chthon]

In reference to the step/gating for quests "tutorial" it doesn't necessarily have to come across as a wall of text tutorial.  Rather, maybe you could have the civilizations give a brief contact message, stating they have work for you, and then the rest goes into a message you may check at your leisure?

[x4000]

I just mean it's already up there at the top, and kind of self-explanatory, and not something I wanted to delay players having access to.

[chemical_art]

Firstly, thanks for the kind words. I only have a limited time to help and I tried to maximize the impact. Glad it seemed to work. Now I must warn I've played plenty of turn based and grand strategy games, so I wasn't playing blind. But I think for most gamers of this audience will understand the game. The first combat is choppy, but is not overwhelming and does the job of explaining a lot of info well. Perhaps at the end of the first combat give the option to replay it so players can have a second run. to digest the info.

[x4000]

You bet.  And it makes sense, you're in the target audience for sure.  I'm not really trying to convince someone who is new to strategy games to get this, really.  But if someone who loves AI War is having a hard time getting into this one... well, that was clearly a problem.  For the replay of the first mission, while that would be nice, it's something that I unfortunately don't really have time for.

[chemical_art]

Regarding quests, the first one was essential for me. It gave a great way to establish my first ally and potential enemy. This naturally sets up the inclination to explore the ally planet and start to learn what to.do on the planet. Establishing more quests, not gating them, I think is best for new players

[x4000]

Definitely agreed.  I think that the Adviser screen also reduces the pressure to have a ton of quests, though.  It doesn't eliminate it entirely, but it really helps focus the player on specific goals of an intermediate nature.