[SP] Warping Plague

[Rydygier 1317]

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Introduction

 

A singleplayer, semi-randomized, real-time but turn-based open scenario for Malden. It's designed as multi-session long gameplay, recommended dosage: few turns per session.

 

You are Gregory Escher. As the only member of scientific staff, you survived inconceivable consequences of the experiment conducted on Malden. Now, while time is against you, try to rescue and evacuate as many, as you can from this surreal disaster. To do so, manage your town, defend it, explore to gather survivors, resources and necessary measurment data. Each day you can perform limited amount of activities and each day situation gets worse, so decide wisely and act efficiently.

 

 

Gameplay overview

 

 

Download

 

Warping Plague 1.10 (Dropbox)

Warping Plague 1.10 (Steam Workshop)

Warping Plague 1.10 - open folder (Dropbox)

 

Notes

 

Please, let me know, if there's any interest in this and if so, what could be improved, added or changed. Also bug reports appreciated as always. 

 

In this scenario I'm deliberately vague as for background explanation, I prefer to leave a lot to imagination. Experiencing the unexplained and attempting to understand, what's going on there and how to deal with it is meant to be a part of the gameplay. Meant is also kind of surreal/oniric vibe. Yes, that's one of these weird scenarios rather far from classical milsim etc. 

 

As for gameplay dynamics, it starts slow and easy, but gradually should become more and more challenging. 

 

 

Credits

 

Scenario utilizes 11 anomaly scripts by @aliascartoons with his permission. 

More credits ingame...

 

 

Optional content

 

Scenario will automatically detect presence of MBG Aliens Ground Forces mod by @mondkalb and use provided by it aliens as warper creatures if mod is detected. 

Scenario will automatically detect presence of Artifact Zun Tavyl mod by @Circumsoldier and use provided by it weapon as warper creature armament if mod is detected. 

 

 

To Do

 

 

Changelog

Spoiler

1.10

- added: survivors are physical units that can be found inside random buildings, mostly in certain areas marked daily on the map, and invited via mouse action. Number of areas and chances of finding anyone there depend on several factor including number of scouts hired, day count, survivors invited so far etc. Player will be sometimes notified about survivors in the vicinity, also their names will be visible at certain distance (cutomizable in initial settings menu); 

- added: towners without any job (idle) can be now "conscripted" via mouse action as player's subordinate group members, also via mouse action conscripted can be sent back to the town. New 3D icon should be displayed, if any of them become seriously irradiated. Big enough radiation dose can cause death of the towner;

- added: warpers activity may cause tremors sometimes, the closer to the Zone center, the stronger. It's rare, and especially at the beginning there's nearly no chance to actually experience them;

- added: it will randomly rain in the Zone now;

- added: post process visual effect during Zone exploration. It gets more and more prominent, the closer to the center player gets, where it would entirely change the look of the landscape. It is optional: can be disabled in initial settings;

- added: workbench, dedicated crafting GUI action at orange stash that integrates various crafting activities. Blueprints of weapons and cars can be now found during looting, but it's very rare except some special types of buildings (military/industrial);

- added: second container for keeping player's stuff next to the orange stash (hired guards will not take weaponry from that one);

- added: now the mortar, that can be found in two pieces and assembled, may be man by the player, not by the next hired AI guard, depending on new initial setting in the menu;

- re-balancing of town's resource production and storage capacity (more demanding);

- warper anomalies will now seriously affect vehicle's driving behavior, when close to the anomaly - riding into a warper not recommended;

- fixed: random CTDs cause at Zone exploration;

- fixed: weird cars driving behavior;

- fixed: strange grass/trees/etc. wind animations resets every 5 seconds;

- fixed: vanishing blue arcs pointing towards valuable stash after resuming saved game.

 

1.03

- fixed: materials found in supply crates could break town's economy with abnormal values.

 

1.02

- fixed: announcement about neutralizing The Fittest gang should be displayed only once.

 

1.01

- fixed: various issues, that could happen around map buildings activities (looting, utilizing) after resuming saved game;

- fixed: "No locations in range" message should not appear every map click (belongs to fast travel only).

 

2019-11-15: 1.00 release

 

- added psyche factor affecting daily activities effectivenes, like number of houses possible to search etc.;

- added Contact DLC music and few decorations;

- added intro and outro (credits);

- added initial settings menu;

- enriched narrative layer: radio contact with Quarantine Forces Detachment;

- at certain data gathered level possible supply drops and sometimes heads up about near threats from QFD;

- many rebalancing and other corrections (amongst other: finding survivors chance drops each time one is found).

 

2019-07-30

- 11 new anomalies by @aliascartoons;

- added 0-0-0 quick save, as requested;

- added crafting the ATV;

- currently assigned vehicle (the last embarked, default ATV if none embarked) will be for player's convenience marked on the map. If no such vehicle - marker will disappear;

- added dynamic jukebox;

- MBG Alien Ground Forces units should now use provided by this mod alien radio protocol language;

- experimentally warper creatures will use this weapon: 

 

https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=942209374

 

if mod is detected.

 

- corrected pointed out grammar errors.

 

2019-07-23

- added diary screen at the end of the day.

 

2019-07-13

- added 7 new anomalies. 

 

2019-06-25

- experimental system of defining defensive positions, which should be manned and held by the guards.

 

2019-06-24

- more variety and total amount of resources to be found in treasure houses, materials guaranteed there;

- number of triangulation arcs present at once on the map limited to 4, arcs have now 10% opacity, not 20%;

- player can heal at the orange stash paying 5 Food if wounded, not in fight and not irradiated > 2000 mSv;

- expanded a bit empty space radius for car spawns to reduce amount of wrecks (a bit too many of them for my taste);

- excluded armored vests, used should be only vests/leg straps that give no ballistic protection; 

- triangulated treasure houses should not appear within The Fittest territory;

- repelling The Fittest raid will now give a break from tribute demands (and potential next waves) for at least 10 days (a raid removes current tribute demand).

 

2019-06-22

- daily autosave. 

 

2019-06-21

- dynamic warper creatures "from the thin air" spawn now is preceeded by some audio-visual effects (sound, post process, some shaking, temporary refract particles at spawn position) acting like requested warning for the player, that hostiles are about to spawn in near.

 

2019-06-19

- added some empty vehicles to the map. 

 

2019-06-18

- each house has only 30% to be "!". 

- daily limit also divided by 4. 

- but chance for finding a survivor raised x4 to compensate. 

- one not searched house per day somewhere on the map is randomized as "treasure house";

- common "!" house provides same stuff, as earlier, but also directional information, where too look for a treasure house;

- alternatively treasure house can be found just by normal exploration, if you're lucky. 

- treasure house is marked with purple "!". 

- apart from that there are still those locations given to you by townsmen (even more reacher and guarded). 

 

2019-06-15

- introduced simple, procedural "quests";

- introduced side plot with new opponent character - Marcus;

- optional support of MBG Aliens Ground Forces mod;

- daily report window divided into two bookmarks: one with actual report (numbers mostly) and another, with new events like discoveries, messages and such;

- from now on constructing a turret doesn't require any materials, but rather "Turret parts", that may be found during looting;

- civs should be immune to damage caused by falling and such auto-inflicted wounds.  

 

2019-06-10

- Effective dose will be daily decreased to emulate natural radiation level reduction in human body over time;

- Now scripts try to simulate shielding effect of the objects and the soil itself. 

 

2019-06-05

- reviewed code responsible for controlling autonomous turrets;

- also changed way, the turret is dropped after taking it to the desired position.

 

2019-05-28

- changed dosimeter naming and units: Effective Dose  (mSv) and Dose Rate (mSv/h instead of R/h) - more correctly and clearer. 

- added "tribute payment" mechanics. 

 

2019-05-25

- added another faction of survivors, hostile to the player;

- now warpers are also radiation sources. Introduced radiation detector and radiation sickness.

 

 

2019-04-19

- fixed too many "near hostile presence" appearing each consequtive day;

- now building assignment action names include info about expected capacity/space gain;

- redone occupation roster. 

 

2019-04-16

- orange stash inventory accessible again (limit of capacity theoretically may become a problem though at some point...);

- looting limit should, I hope, consider properly hired scouts now;

- data gathered from the Guardian shouln't be a subject of daily limit anymore. 

 

2019-04-15

- added last daily report review to the laptop;

- removed end of day restriction (player can end a day anytime if not "in fight");

- removed turn limit for now;

- near hostile presence creatures marked on the map should not auto-disappear when player is far, unless are dead;

- new resource: Weird Matter - one sample required now to discover warper stabilization and one sample per stabilizing device;

- bodies will not disappear immediately after death, player can examine each creature body with a chance to obtain small amount of Data (but within daily limit!) or a sample of Weird Matter (rare);

- new kind of hostile: Warper Guardian;

- after requirements are met (possesing at least one Weird Matter sample, examined guardian body), player can use Weird Matter samples via mouse action to get 90-95 damage immunity for 30 seconds. 

 

2019-04-11

- new survivors can be invited to the Town even without sufficient quarters. Such persons will squat in any other building till proper quarter appear, then will "move in" there. Until then they'll be marked as "homeless" in the Occupation Roster and daily report;

- code responsible for civilians control tweaked to work better within this scenario;

- increased opacity of report/roster GUIs background, tweaked few other things;

- Now work assignement can be changed once per day for each inhabitant;

- orange stash was so sad and lonely, so now there's small composition of static objects added to it, mostly ornamental purpose, but some actions was moved from the orange box to the laptop. 

 

2019-04-10

- tweaked HUD for better clarity (whole words, less numbers - shown only storage room left and free quarters left, other data here was probably useless anyway, some may be added to detailed daily reports);

- Fast Travel;

- Added info about number of "houses to loot for today" to the looting message;

- Now daily limit of houses to loot is bound with number of hired scouts (because they should help the player increase his daily efficiency, as they help also AI food harvesters or scavengers by giving them intel about promising places to check), so instead of hardcoded 20, there's 20 + scouts;

- expanded Instructions in the map screen (fast travel, HUD, new benefits from the scouts, some small changes).

 

2019-04-08

- mouse action to holster/put on back current weapon (default color and size, not like other custom actions);

- victuals -> food;

- "data gathered" rounded to second place after comma;

- tweaked probability of finding food (less likely) and materials (more likely) in normal houses;

- military buildings like bunkers always hold some weapon, greater chance for rare weaponry;

- quasi-military buildings (offices, barracks, those metal box-shaped...) with greater chance for finding weaponry (and for better weaponry);

- both above and also industrial type of buildings (only few of them on the map) has own probability distribution of loot types. Military more towards ammo, industrial towards materials, quasimilitary inbetween;

- apart from that, all common buildings in several areas (military base, airfield, harbor etc.) should have custom probability distribution of loot types towards ammo and/or materials. Also all buildings in such areas will have statistically increased amounts of found loot of that type. 

 

2019-04-06

- changed gameplay circumstancies: now, initially, plagued area is small, focused around point zero, but will expand in time. Initial amount of warpers is seriously reduced, it may increase in time along with area radius, but will stay lower, than previously. This should help for too log saving/loading and decrease save file size;

 

- now warpers aren't static, but will randomly displace each day; 

 

- the closer player is to the area, the worse weather may become (weather adjusted in general);

 

- somewhere deep in the initial plagued area patient or lucky player may find alternative way to end the scenario;

 

- instead of daily "attacks" focused on the town itself, each day will be reported some near hostile wandering groups, that need to be neutralized to keep the town safe before end of the day will be possible (accent shifted from defence more towards hunting). Such groups may enter the town and threaten the inhabitants or not.;

 

- various tweaks.  

 

2019-04-04

- Occupation roster respects free working space, if no more available, occupation may be switched only between jobs not requiring it. 

- Guard will require actual piece of weapon in the stash, will pick it up for own use and put back when re-assigned. 

- Inhabitants will gain experience. Guards: by shooting, their shooting skill will gradually raise. Rest: daily skill growth in current occupation. They also may have initial "talent" bonus to given job.

 

2019-04-01

- redone assigning jobs;

- turret cost lowered back to 100M, also lowered ammo consuption per shot.  

 

2019-03-29

 inhabitants should be now engaged by warp creatures;

- improved handling of inhabitants losses (displaying population/production etc.);

- various tweaks and fixes.

 

2019-03-26

- newcomers should be calculated properly now (1 per day + those found during exploration, limited by free living space);

- resources production should be now properly displayed on HUD;

- food production multiplied x5. 

 

2019-03-25

- balance tweaks and code improvements. 

 

 

 

Terms of Use

 

Spoiler

Anybody can depack this mission and change my work for own needs, even release such changed version, as long proper credits are given: it is released under APL-SA license, except for the font used in the logo and included scripts of other authors (11 anomaly scripts by aliascartoons), which may have own terms of use. 

 

[major-stiffy 280]

Hopefully find time tomorrow to test. (or maybe later today)

[Rydygier 1317]

File updated with variety of balance tweaks and code improvements. 

[Rydygier 1317]

File updated:

 

- newcomers should be calculated properly now (1 per day + those found during exploration, limited by free living space);

- resources production should be now properly displayed on HUD;

- food production multiplied x5. 

[Rydygier 1317]

File updated:

 

- inhabitants should be now engaged by warp creatures;

- improved handling of inhabitants losses (displaying population/production etc.);

- various tweaks and fixes.

[Rydygier 1317]

File updated:

 

- redone assigning jobs. Mouse actions attached to units are gone (no more hilarious chasing civs). Instead, there's custom GUI listbox, where one can in much more convenient way switch occupation of each inhabitant on-the-fly by clicking his name on the list. First choice no longer fixed as final, so for example is possible to arm everyone as guards before attack, and after assign back to production. This roster can be accessed via mouse action at orange stash container;

- turret cost lowered back to 100M, also lowered ammo consuption per shot.  

[shogujin 1]

Hi, been playing a few days and it looks promising, but I can't figure how to assign buildings. Could anyone help. Thanks.

[Rydygier 1317]

Hi. Welcome to the BI Forums. 🙂 If you're close enough to the building and have enough Materials (10 for warehouse, 50 for housing, 100 for the workshop), there should be visible mouse actions to assign the building. That choice is permanent. 

 

Quote

and it looks promising

 

Good to hear, I hope, in time I'll be able to develop more fleshed out gameplay, with more refined fun factor. But good ideas wan't come on demand. 

[shogujin 1]

Thanks for the reply. I've tried standing all around various buildings in the base, even inside. Having the 200 starting materials nothing happened, no mouse action popped up besides the door opening. Don't know if it's a bug or some resource missing or maybe I'm doing something wrong. Thanks anyway.

[Rydygier 1317]

Well, here's how it works (via mouse actions, I'm using mouse wheel to select them) :

 

 

 

 

[shogujin 1]

I've tried it many times but it doesn't work. After that I tried tweaking the TS_fnc file -removing conditions and so- and still didn't work. Seems to not recognize the buildings in the first place. If we're running the same pbo then it must be something with my own game in particular so no need to worry. Thanks for everything.

[Rydygier 1317]

In regards to pbo version, recent is always under the first post link. But, frankly, this thing is working for me without any problem since the first version (I'm using latest stable branch Arma 3 version). 

 

If you have grey "?" sign over the building (and on the map), then in the same place actions are added in my code. If there's no such signs - then most likely for any reason buildings aren't found. Otherwise - they are found (should be stored inside RYD_TS_Buildings array). 

[Rydygier 1317]

File updated:

 

- Occupation roster respects free working space, if no more available, occupation may be switched only between jobs not requiring it. 

- Guard will require actual piece of weapon in the stash, will pick it up for own use and put back when re-assigned. 

- Inhabitants will gain experience. Guards: by shooting, their shooting skill will gradually raise. Rest: daily skill growth in current occupation. They also may have initial "talent" bonus to given job.

[shogujin 1]

Thanks a lot for your answers. After reinstalling the game the options started to appear.

[Rydygier 1317]

File updated:

 

- changed gameplay circumstancies: now, initially, plagued area is small, focused around point zero, but will expand in time. Initial amount of warpers is seriously reduced, it may increase in time along with area radius, but will stay lower, than previously. This should help for too log saving/loading and decrease save file size;

 

- now warpers aren't static, but will randomly displace each day; 

 

- the closer player is to the area, the worse weather may become (weather adjusted in general);

 

- somewhere deep in the initial plagued area patient or lucky player may find alternative way to end the scenario;

 

- instead of daily "attacks" focused on the town itself, each day will be reported some near hostile wandering groups, that need to be neutralized to keep the town safe before end of the day will be possible (accent shifted from defence more towards hunting). Such groups may enter the town and threaten the inhabitants or not.;

 

- various tweaks.  

 

Still lots to do regarding balance and gameplay tweaking. 

[neofit 65]

Hi,

 

Great to see that Mr Ryd is back making a completely original dynamic scenario.

 

I've played for about only 4 days so far, and here are some notes, in the order that I have taken them.

 

But first, a bug. I went to the military site, saw a large group of enemies, jumped off the ATV and hid in a bunker. I saved as soon as I get inside. When loading the game again, the ATV was nowhere to be found. There was no shooting between me seeing the group and the saving, so it couldn't have been destroyed before I saved. I haven't played Arma3 in 6 months so I don't know if any BIS patches did something to this part of the game, but I have never ever lost a vehicle upon reload, either in vanilla Arma3 nor a mod.

 

Now the observations:

 

* A "Holster Weapon" feature would be nice

 

* I think "victuals" should be renamed as food. In games it generally includes drink, with "food" as a general means of sustenance.

 

* A HUD Explanation would be nice. What exactly do the numbers in "Ho: 10(5)/11" mean exactly. I suppose it's housing, 11 available (2 houses + mine?), 10 invited, 5 free?

 

* Data Gathered: 2.6456% ? Maybe round it up to 2.65?

 

* I am finding too much food and way too little materials. I've capped my housing possibilities during the first day, then could only buy an extra house on day 4. At the same time I've looted 300+ units of food which will last us for weeks.

 

* Military zones should have more non-food items. I'd say, almost exclusively mats and weapons. From my experience, it's mostly food there as everywhere else.

 

* "Return to town by vehicle": the option disappeared for some time, even after a reload, then came back later. Come to think of it, it may have been that it is disabled when not too far from the red areas.

 

* Immersion breaking: "Sorry refugee, I don't have a king size bed for you, I'll leave you to die in the wilderness" :). Suggestion: still take them into your village (I know I'd rather sleep on the floor but in safety), but don't let them be productive until they have proper lodging.

 

* So far I've only seen enemies whose bodies disappear within a second. I don't know what is happening, but in these moments I feel like I'm playing Doom - immersion breaking.

 

* The Instructions say that one cannot change refugee professions. But after a day I could change my guys from one to the other. If it's a bug, I think it's better this way, it makes sense.

 

* Driving a few kilometers to the Zone, then again to loot a bit, this got boring after 4 days actually :). Maybe we can come up with a fast travel system that makes sense? For instance, have one refugee work as your personal driver. Then if you reach a town (like a hidden marker) once, it becomes available as a fast travel destination, as long as you have a driver assigned. Not necessarily having the driver be present at the destination, NPCs are generally hard to control.

 

Also, at first I was thinking that it could have been cool to find an actual physical refugee that you'd have to drive to the village. But then after a few days of traveling I think you have made the right choice of abstracting this part.

 

* Suggestion: loot counter (how many looting occasions I have today). If it's in the HUD already I apologize, but I haven't noticed it.

 

* Suggestion: have in the orange box a way to see last night's log, plus a general status window showing the production efficiency, etc.

 

Keep up the good work!

[Rydygier 1317]

Hi neofit, thanks for the great feedback, I'll make use of it, good points. 

 

Quote

"Return to town by vehicle": the option disappeared for some time

 

Currently it is so for purpose, it is not there until you deal with all "near hostiles", but I kinda feel changing it may be good idea, maybe restricted only, when "in fight" somehow. 

 

Quote

So far I've only seen enemies whose bodies disappear within a second. I don't know what is happening, but in these moments I feel like I'm playing Doom - immersion breaking.

 

It is consinstent with the scenario "lore", these creatures supposed to do it. I just deliberatelly didn't explained anywhere what it is all about, what's the nature of the "warpers" and creatures... But if instead of mystery feeling, it breaks immersion, I may change it somehow. One thing: weaponry is deliberatelly limited as for numbers and quality, so even if body will be left, for any reason they'll be empty - no loot. And this is easier to justify, when everything disappears. Or perhaps I'll make player's character actually "surprised" by this fact in game, when observing this disappearance first time, he may in some form start to wonder, why is that. Even, if left unexplained, this may restore immersion. In general I have a small idea, so making protagonist express his thougths on what he experience in one form or another may be a good thing. 

 

 

[Rydygier 1317]

Quote

A HUD Explanation would be nice. What exactly do the numbers in "Ho: 10(5)/11" mean exactly. I suppose it's housing, 11 available (2 houses + mine?), 10 invited, 5 free?

 

Not sure, if that HUD is final, may be reworked (or not). Anyway indeed, I should put some explanation in game. In this case: Housings: 11 houses total (including the one taken by the player), 10 currently free quarters, 5 free if counting people invited this day (so not yet actually in town). 

 

Quote

* The Instructions say that one cannot change refugee professions. But after a day I could change my guys from one to the other. If it's a bug, I think it's better this way, it makes sense.

 

Not a bug, I changed, how allocating jobs works but didn't update feature description. 

[Rydygier 1317]

File updated:

 

- mouse action to holster/put on back current weapon (default color and size, not like other custom actions);

- victuals -> food;

- "data gathered" rounded to second place after comma;

- tweaked probability of finding food (less likely) and materials (more likely) in normal houses;

- military buildings like bunkers always hold some weapon, greater chance for rare weaponry;

- quasi-military buildings (offices, barracks, those metal box-shaped...) with greater chance for finding weaponry (and for better weaponry);

- both above and also industrial type of buildings (only few of them on the map) has own probability distribution of loot types. Military more towards ammo, industrial towards materials, quasimilitary inbetween;

- apart from that, all common buildings in several areas (military base, airfield, harbor etc.) should have custom probability distribution of loot types towards ammo and/or materials. Also all buildings in such areas will have statistically increased amounts of found loot of that type. 

 

Note, still probability of finding rare weaponry is very low at first and increasing with each consequtive turn, so one may prefer to loot military buildings later in game, not at very beginning to get better chances for something more than another pistol. Note also, magazine cost for more powerful ammo is higher, than for the pistols, thus finding powerful rifle first day will not make you instant killing machine, because you wouldn't be able to get much, if any, ammo that early (but in case of AI guards, each shot costs 1 ammo, no matter, pistol, SMG or rifle). 

 

Changes barely tested, more from neofit's list to come. 

[neofit 65]

19 hours ago, Rydygier said:

One thing: weaponry is deliberatelly limited as for numbers and quality, so even if body will be left, for any reason they'll be empty - no loot. And this is easier to justify, when everything disappears. Or perhaps I'll make player's character actually "surprised" by this fact in game, when observing this disappearance first time, he may in some form start to wonder, why is that. Even, if left unexplained, this may restore immersion. In general I have a small idea, so making protagonist express his thougths on what he experience in one form or another may be a good thing. 

On the one hand, I remember seeing my first 2 enemies. I have my little revolver, they are in some kind of specops gear, so I am already drooling at the thought of getting their leet stuff so early in the mission. So of course I was very upset when they disappeared :). On the other, you are right, getting all this very early is bad. My best memories of Pilgrimage are from the parts where I disembark nearly naked and am trying to get stuff.

 

Maybe we can think of a compromise? For instance, leave corpses, but nothing lootable. I can imagine, without breaking my immersion, that instead of a magical disappearance, the weapons on those bodies are of from 2035+, with security like some kind of fingerprint or genetic sensors that prevent usage by someone other than the original owner. Just an idea. 

 

Re: ammo crafting. Can we have an idea of how it works, in general?  For instance, I have one guy withe skill 0.30 producing ammo. I have a P9 in the orange box and a Zubr in my hand, i.e. not in the village storage. What type of ammo will be produced? Equal amounts for each weapon I own or have in storage? How much? I suppose we are talking about magazines, not individual bullets? Will it consume materials?

 

Does the loot pool work in the same way as in Pilgrimage, i.e. if we begin the scenario with for instance the African Conflict mod, will the loot pool automatically include all this DLC's gear?

 

[Rydygier 1317]

Quote

Maybe we can think of a compromise? 

 

Doable. Corpses could be removed between days.

 

The ammo value is just "universalized" number. Then, at orange box, you can use action to get magazine for your currently active weapon. Depending on type of weapon less or more "universal ammunition" will be used (or message shown, if not enough Ammunition) and proper magazine will be added to the box, from which you can pick it up as normal. 

 

Cost of the pistol magazine in Ammunition is 1, SMG - 5, rifles/MGs - 30 and sniper rifles - 50. Even more defined for launchers (100) assuming, any will be possible to find. Magazine is chosen randomly amongst all suitable for given weapon. 

 

Quote

 I have one guy withe skill 0.30 producing ammo. 

 

Formulas defining daily production are a bit complex and not linear, worker's skill bonus, if any, is used there amongst other factors. 

 

Quote

Does the loot pool work in the same way as in Pilgrimage, i.e. if we begin the scenario with for instance the African Conflict mod, will the loot pool automatically include all this DLC's gear?

 

Currently, except for resources and survivors, player can find a piece of weaponry (yes, also from used mods and actually owned DLCs) or even two parts of the mortar if really lucky (comes packed as usual two backpacks, need to collect both to assemble the mortar, then next hired guard should man it and use (but it costs 100 Ammo per shot...), but so far never got that far to even test this). Both are directly transferred into orange box which acts like "central stash of everything", so player doesn't need to worry, if have enough space to carry it and I do not need to worry, where to put the item, if he can't. 

 

Quote

 On the other, you are right, getting all this very early is bad. My best memories of Pilgrimage are from the parts where I disembark nearly naked and am trying to get stuff.

 

Yes, indeed, exactly that's the reason, why weaponry is so limited here. I wanted to make player really enjoy, when he find anything better, than a pistol and to avoid devaluation we know from Pilgrimage, where sooner or later player was swimming in the weaponry yawing at another elite piece. Latest changes make easier to find something bigger in military buildings, but I'll balance this if finding a good weapon become too easy. A guy with basic rifle should feel like a king on this island, assuming, he can afford the ammo - even if good weapon found early, there's also a limiter in form of costly ammunition. Not sure yet, if AI guards should pay same amount per shot or always 1, as currently. 

[neofit 65]

The balance between food and materials drops feels much better now.

 

16 hours ago, Rydygier said:

Not sure yet, if AI guards should pay same amount per shot or always 1, as currently. 

 

I am not sure it should cost anything. AIs are not exactly geniuses. I often see them emptying entire clips into a house corner or the ridge of the hill they are hiding behind. I don't know how their weapons are chosen, but I wouldn't like to see them wasting entire clips costing me 30 ammo resources into the scenery. Besides, when restarting my last game, I received only one refugee in 10 that had the option to become a guard. With a skill of 0.01. Whether the max is 10 or 1, this is the type of guy for whom I will need a whole ammo factory :).

 

16 hours ago, Rydygier said:

The ammo value is just "universalized" number. Then, at orange box, you can use action to get magazine for your currently active weapon.

You should probably rename this option. It says "Take ammo for your weapon" (from memory). I've tried to use it but didn't understand what it did exactly. I think that for clarity it should says something like "Craft ammo for your current weapon".

 

18 hours ago, Rydygier said:

Note, still probability of finding rare weaponry is very low at first and increasing with each consequtive turn, so one may prefer to loot military buildings later in game, not at very beginning to get better chances for something more than another pistol.

Please define "later in game". If I'm not mistaken we only get one chance to loot stuff from every building, and I have barely played for more than an in-game week, so knowing whether it's after day 10, 20 of 50 will help.

 

As for the general gameplay, i.e. what I am spending the majority of my time in the game, it feels a bit weird. Boring maybe. I am trying to understand why. What I am spending most of my time on currently is driving. Each morning, the first thing to do is drive North into the same zone for data, and then into one of the cities or villages for some loot. After the first days there is nothing to do on the drive north since every house has already been looted. I am not sure if adding well-equipped enemies to kill with a pistol on a plain for no loot will change much. Theoretically you can drive directly North, but it has to be done at a slow speed because of all the mountains and rocks. So you have to take long detours through West or East roads, through areas already looted the previous days. Rather uneventful, feels like a waste of time. 

 

Maybe it is also because the act of looting has been abstracted. On the one hand it seems fine to have a more streamlined loot system, so we waste no time on trivialities: you drive to a house, and often without even the need to disembark and enter it, you get a message with what you have looted. So the act of getting into a house, getting to a box, opening it with anticipation and finding stuff in it (and cursing at yet another rusty can as in Ravage mods) is not there. So, compared to other mods/scenarios based on resources and looting, where we spend most of the time finding and looting goodies from containers, with the current streamlined looting system, the activity has now switched to just driving.

 

Or maybe a fast travel system could change that.

 

 

 

 

[Rydygier 1317]

Quote

Please define "later in game". 

 

Frankly, that's another matter to be balanced yet. Currently there's 100 days. Just because. And I feel, this will be reduced. Each day there are slightly higher chances for encountering more opponents, but also for finding better weaponry. So each day makes a difference, it may be linear or not, but in general 50 puts you somewhere in between minimal and maximal values. One example for the weapon loot in normal houses:

 

	private _baseP = 0.95;
	private _baseS = 0.05;
	private _baseR = 0;
	private _baseRR = 0;
	private _Pmax = 0.75;
	private _Smin = 0.2;
	private _Rmin = 0.04;
	private _RRmin = 0.01;
    
    		private _chP = (_baseP - ((sqrt RYD_TS_Turn)/(RYD_TS_TurnLimit * 0.5))) max _Pmax;
			private _chS = (_baseS + ((sqrt RYD_TS_Turn)/(RYD_TS_TurnLimit * 1))) min _Smin;
			private _chR = (_baseR + ((sqrt RYD_TS_Turn)/(RYD_TS_TurnLimit * 2))) min _Rmin;
			private _chRR = (_baseRR + ((sqrt RYD_TS_Turn)/(RYD_TS_TurnLimit * 10))) min _RRmin;
			
			private _arr = selectRandomWeighted [RYD_TS_Pistols,_chP,RYD_TS_SMGs,_chS,RYD_TS_Rifles,_chR,RYD_TS_Rare,_chRR];

 

So at first day there's 95% chance, found weapon will be a pistol and 5% for SMG. Then it changes for each kind according to above formulas, where RYD_TS_Turn is current day number, and TurnLimit is last turn value (100 currently). But change isn't linear, there's squared root applied. It changes each day until limit value is reached (not less, than 75% for pistol, not more, than 20% for SMG, 4% for rifle and 1% for fancy stuff, if reached at all, current formulas may not allow that for that high turn limit). Similar kind of math is used for calculating other  probabilities. These formulas also may be a subject of balancing of course. 

 

BTW these values are now very different for military buildings, where chance for something more, than SMG starts from 20% and at some point reaches max at 40%. That's rough spectrum here. 

 

Quote

As for the general gameplay

 

Yes, you're touching here most vital part of scenario design. And most difficult. I know, gameplay still need to be enhanced, more juicy. I just do not want repeating myself and making fun factor so much driven by looting addiction/grind (hoping for finding something better keeps you going, granted, but in the end it's kinda cheap way to keep player engaged and in time such grind feels somewhat "empty", and also - I prefer to find new ways that using old tricks every time). I've no complete picture in my mind yet, main reason, I've made this thread at wip stage, counting on feedback ideas,  but I've some ideas. I plan to add new, exotic kind of opponents like some type of warper guardian, one would guard each warper anomaly, would be hard to kill and dangerous. Maybe more, like some kind long range assassin, if not too frustrating, who knows. And also there should be more juice from each kill than just safety and satisfaction. No classical loot, but player should be able to gain something interesting from the body. Maybe a piece of data from casual enemies or some exotic means to kill bosses, and something more fancy from "bosses". Not sure about details yet. 

 

 I even thought about introducing third faction hostile to everyone, like scavenger mercs coming to the island for something, but this will bring back an issue of too much weaponry around. 

 

As for fast travel, most likely next thing on my to do list. 

[Rydygier 1317]

Quote

Please define "later in game". 

 

I felt kinda inspired to check some math (will need that during balancing anyway) and give you more detailed answer 🙂

 

So, in the bunker-like military buildings finding a weapon should be in 100% cases. But what chances for given kind would it be? Below isn't 100% exact, as in used way values doesn't need necessarily sum to 1 or 100%, they do at day 1, but then it may deviate. Charts show, how actual numbers used in code would change, which not exactly covers probabilty, but should be close enough to get a general picture:

 

Spoiler

 

1. Pistols

 

a) Turn Limit = 100 (current):

 

 

0.5 at first, drops towards 0.3 at end. If you consider as reasonable to wait, until chance for pistol junk will be in the middle way toward minimum (0.4), wait 25 days.  

 

b) TL = 50:

 

 

0.5 -> ~0.22, middle: 0.36 at day: ~12

 

2. SMGs

 

a) TL = 100:

 

 

0.3 -> 0.4, middle: 0.35 at day: ~30

 

b) TL = 50

 

 

0.3 -> ~0.44, middle: 0.37 at day: ~15

 

3. Rifles/MGs

 

a) TL = 100:

 

 

0.15 -> 0.2, middle: 0.175 at day: ~30

 

b) TL = 50:

 

 

0.15 -> ~0.23, middle: 0.19 at day: ~15

 

4. Sniper rifles ("rare")

 

a) TL = 100:

 

 

0.05 -> 0.06, middle: 0.055 at day: ~30

 

b) TL = 50:

 

 

0.05 -> ~0.062, middle: 0.056 at day: ~15

 

 

Pattern is rather clear and common to all types excluding pistols/handguns. Short answer: to get decent gain of probability of finding "better than pistol" weaponry, player need to wait with exploring bunkers around 30% of turn limit, Which is one month for current limit of 100 and around two weeks if I reduce the limit to 50. 

 

[neofit 65]

Re: enemies

As long as the "guardians" do not use melee and teleportation (or any kind of magic at all), I am looking forward to them.

Also, as I presume that in 2035+ smart gun technology (with biometrics that prevent usage by anyone but the owner) will be harnessed, I have no problems seeing looters in towns, that wouldn't drop any weapons. 

 

Re: encounters

One kind of drop may be a keycard or part of a code or something that would open a container or bunker that may have some special data, or technology, or something. Scattered around the island.

 

Goal:

I am not a big fan of time limits. Between being a packrat and trying to min/max everything, time limits always give me a lot of pressure of the unfun kind. Even though 100 day seems very generous, I think we may also have some alternative ways to leave the island. Find the codes for a facility that is protecting a boat, find all parts of a boat, find a helicopter pilot, etc. Should be huge though, since, looking at the amount of usable housing and the ammo and materials requirements, we are supposed to have tens if not hundreds of people in the village and a lot of production in order to leave the island.