TLF Alpha version .600 released!

[x4000]

You can read all about it here: http://arcengames.com/mediawiki/index.php?title=The_Last_Federation_Alpha_Release_Notes#Alpha_Verson_.600

Well, you can read about the parts that affect combat, anyway.  There were also a metric ton of things in there relating to the larger solar map game, but since there was no prior version of that public, there was no point in noting those differences.

So, what's the TLDR with this version?

1. We're adding 10 new people to the alpha, as part of Phase 0 still.

2. A lot of interfaces and so forth have been greatly improved.

3. Ship balance is crazy improved.

4. Combat is incredibly more involved now, and asymmetric, in the majority of cases.  You can fight against multiple fleets at once, they have turrets, you have special abilities, etc.
-- If you want to test a case that is kind of like a lot of game circumstances, give yourself three abilities of your choice, and put in maybe 3 enemy ships as well as 5 constellations and maybe 14 fleets on each enemy ship.  That's a fairly stiff fight, but not an unrealistic one, and it's definitely one I'm able to win on Normal difficulty, so I'm curious how you fare.

5. The solar map game is actually NOT released this version, and instead will be tomorrow.  I've just been pulled in too many directions today to get that as fully tidied up as I want.  We'll add in more testers tomorrow as well.

Side notes:

1. I'm actually not really going to be reading feedback this weekend, but please feel free to log it on mantis like you normally would.  I am going to be focused on the metamap, and Josh will keep an eye on mantis for anything that is super-serious breaking the game.  But beyond that, we'll be getting into polish and your feedback starting on Monday.  Right now I'm just trying to stay laser-focused on the solar map stuff so that you can actually play that part of the game!  But at the same time I wanted to get this into your hands so you could check out the new combat on the weekend while you might have more time.

2. I will also try to put out a new combat video tomorrow after the solar map stuff is released, if I have time.  If not, then on Monday for sure.  I'll also do a video of the solar map stuff.

Enjoy!

[x4000]

Okay, all of the PMs have been sent out with the related steam keys and instructions.  If your name is on this list, you should now have what you need to get into the alpha:

MouldyK
Metalfusion
AnOddRadish
GrimerX
Hyfrydle
jerith
legio314
Penthus
waylon531
shinrisen

Any questions, please direct them to tigersfan.  Or if you wish to discuss things with other players as a group, as opposed to talking to us-the-developers about something just yet, then there's a subforum for that where we won't bother you.

[Cyborg]

I'm trying to do the setup you mentioned, but I can't seem to clear the selection boxes to lower my ship count. How do you clear the box?

[JAlfredGoodwin]

Congrats to the new testers!

[x4000]

I'm trying to do the setup you mentioned, but I can't seem to clear the selection boxes to lower my ship count. How do you clear the box?

Oh, sorry about that, I was unclear.  For your own fleet, you can never have fewer than 5 squadrons -- at any time in the game, unless your fleet is temporarily wounded after a battle -- and so it does not let you select fewer than that.  I'd select something like maybe 8 squadrons, I think that's what I've been using.

The enemy flagships are on the right column, and you can select between 1 and 5.  That's where I was suggesting selecting 3.  Then on tabs for squadrons 1 through 3 (corresponding for those enemy ships), give each of them 14 ships.  You can use the dropdown and button to quickly set interceptors for them, and then hit the randomize button for their tab.

And then there you are.  Some bits of the combat practice setup screen need to be made more clear than they are at the moment, but that new version is hot off the presses and I didn't have time for new tooltips, etc.

[GrimerX]

Thanks guys, for the opportunity to Alpha yet another one of your games   Always an enjoyable time for me.

*Really* dumb question (The kind I hate to ask) -- How do you start a game?  In the 'Play' tab I have a blank space, 'Load Game' (with no canned save games) and 'Combat Practice'.  Combat practice works fine and from reading around it looks like nobody else is having issues starting a game.  I couldn't find anything in the release notes or wiki but perhaps I'm a low comprehension reader

What should be the entry point into the tutorial/main game?

I get a red "Trial Mode : [TBD]" in the upper left corner.  Not sure if it's relevant.

Thanks much,

-Ian

[tigersfan]

Thanks guys, for the opportunity to Alpha yet another one of your games   Always an enjoyable time for me.

*Really* dumb question (The kind I hate to ask) -- How do you start a game?  In the 'Play' tab I have a blank space, 'Load Game' (with no canned save games) and 'Combat Practice'.  Combat practice works fine and from reading around it looks like nobody else is having issues starting a game.  I couldn't find anything in the release notes or wiki but perhaps I'm a low comprehension reader

What should be the entry point into the tutorial/main game?

I get a red "Trial Mode : [TBD]" in the upper left corner.  Not sure if it's relevant.

Thanks much,

-Ian

For now, only the combat practice works. You can't start a full game yet.

[Cyborg]

Anyone else completely lost? I have ran the combat set up many times, but I'm confused about this new setup. It appears I'm going against three flagships with something called "constellations," which I'm guessing are the defensive turrets. And then you have multiple squadrons for each flagship. I think the tooltips need to be renamed to reflect that.


Getting past the naming, now what? Don't know how to attack these turrets. My shields don't even last three seconds against one pack of them. Activating the technology isn't working either. I think a video would help.

[x4000]

Yep, some clarity is needed, I'm sure.  Generally the combat practice setup is not something you'd have to do for the real game, fortunately.  You have the right of it in terms of understanding what those things are this point, yes.

In terms of attacking turrets -- try not to.  The idea is to look at their angle of fire, which is fixed, and avoid getting in front of them.  Attack them from behind, and slip the lines to get what you need.  These turrets cannot rotate, and that creates paths and places for you to get into.

Activating technologies has worked in terms of the ones I've tried, although there is not visual confirmation on a number of them yet because I didn't have time to put the graphics.  And on a few there are specific circumstances they have to be in (like you can't use the anti-drone lasers when there are no drones in range; saves your ammo on a useless shot).  You mentioned the nuke not working; not sure why that would be, it might be a bug.  We've been running flat out on this stuff, so that's entirely possible.

[mrhanman]

Maybe I'm doing something wrong, or maybe this belongs on mantis.  Anyway, I won a quick round and tried to start another after enabling a lot of squadrons, but the "start combat" button is an "end combat" button.  I can't start the round.  Pressing end combat ends the combat, obviously.

Even stranger, I restarted the game, and I still can't start combat.

[GrimerX]

Maybe I'm doing something wrong, or maybe this belongs on mantis.  Anyway, I won a quick round and tried to start another after enabling a lot of squadrons, but the "start combat" button is an "end combat" button.  I can't start the round.  Pressing end combat ends the combat, obviously.

Even stranger, I restarted the game, and I still can't start combat.

This happens for me with the 'Attack pirate base' missions.  The other ones work fine.

[GrimerX]

For now, only the combat practice works. You can't start a full game yet.

Ah ok.  No problem.  Work has been crazy the past few weeks so I probably missed a bunch of stuff.

And since I spent a lot of time at the opening screen -- Pablo, that is one of your better tracks.  Good job!

-Ian

[GrimerX]

Maybe I'm doing something wrong, or maybe this belongs on mantis.  Anyway, I won a quick round and tried to start another after enabling a lot of squadrons, but the "start combat" button is an "end combat" button.  I can't start the round.  Pressing end combat ends the combat, obviously.

Even stranger, I restarted the game, and I still can't start combat.

This happens for me with the 'Attack pirate base' missions.  The other ones work fine.

Apparently not all 'Attack pirate base' missions.  Not sure what the common denominator is right now.

[Misery]

I can confirm that there are certain abilities that dont seem to work.  The Gigacannon in particular hasnt worked for me.... passing through everything without doing damage, and doesnt impact on the enemy flagship, but just keeps going.

Have submitted a few things to Mantis.... there's likely to be plenty more submissions from me.  I've so far only messed with the basic map and setup to get a feel for how some of the ships have changed (Predators are muuuuuch better now in particular, they're no longer just bullet sponges), and next I'll start messing with the new setups.  Snipers seem less useful.

And very glad to see those abilities stuck in there..... the Flagship can, you know, DO stuff now.  There's one ability though that may be a tad overpowered, but I'm gonna test that one more before I get into that. 

I'd still like to see the different ships differentiated more though.  The monitors still seem kinda pointless, as cutters/lancers can do their job faster, not to mention there simply arent that many types of large targets in a typical battle against enemy fleets.  Claymores are still being wrecked by swarms.  There's a couple of very easy ways to pop those really fast.   Interceptors seem kinda pointless when it comes to the overall combat.  I generally pull the one squad of them that I have out first, and then just forget about them completely, letting them endlessly orbit the flagship.  And I'm never sure what to do with the pod things.... they seem too wild to be properly controlled, so I dont really use them.  Getting the normal ships to target the right things is tough enough as it is.

[PokerChen]

Good luck with the testing.