Community Shadowrun: Hong Kong Codex Fundraiser is Officially Live

[Angthoron]

They won't be, but I'll need to contact their financesperson about it, for details of how exactly to do the transfer.

Why always complications, omg.

 

[SCO]

I mean, obviously there's still no "stealth" skill, but I'm not even sure how such a thing should be implemented. What I definitely do NOT want would be for your characters to essentially become invisible to the point where you can walk past guards in a brightly lit corridor without them noticing like you can do in a lot of CRPGs.

And i was suggesting nothing of the sort. Stealth in geneforge isn't any sort of pc stat mechanic just pure player skill in keeping enemy patrols away from seeing you. I've been playing a mod (a stitch in time) that has a sort of stealth system in place using the cover system and TB mode (which it allows you to turn on) but i find it too easy. I'd prefer more of the sort of thing in the Aztech run as you said.
I prefer to have something like this that is purely optional and hard to do - it's a reason to go solo at least.

Anyway geneforge had a large advantage in that the stealth system served a large purpose - it allowed you to do quests / gain power without antagonizing factions, therefore delaying faction choice and gaining reputation with them, opening up the endgame for most. Since there is nothing even remotely similar in the previous games that HBS did, i doubt that they'd thought of such a interesting motivation.
I don't doubt they could but it's obvious that HBS has streamlining in their blood and a multi-faction, multiple mission design that allows but doesn't guarantee some degree of player agency would be too rich for them.

 

[tuluse]

ITT: people have very limited imaginations when it comes to stealth.

 

[SCO]

I also think that missions in Dragonfall could be more interesting if there was more dynamism in enemy encounters.

Not just that if you fought in the first room all the enemies would come to try to kill you from all over the map (that would be boring eventually) but that they'd be alerted and gather to set overwatch on some likely doors where they wouldn't be if they hadn't heard. Overwatch was really underused by enemies in the campaign and very deadly if used correctly - although the retarded way the AI insisted in only attacking once per turn in very hard unless they were a 'boss' even if they had AP is another indication of player condescension.

 

[Zetor]

ITT: people have very limited imaginations when it comes to stealth.

... which would be why I said "sorta-stealth". Can't really make anything better without support from the engine. What you see in Stitch in Time is probably as good as it can get.... other than 100% scripted 'stealth' sequences, that is (but where's the fun in that).

fwiw, originally SRR was supposed to be a mobile/tablet game like Invisible Inc, with a focus on stealth. There are a few remnants of that system still in the editor: awareness stat for AI actors, different 'levels' of disguises, ability for individual actors to be fooled by different kinds of disguises, a "heat" value for meatspace as well as cyberspace, and of course the silencer-type spells/weapons. Thing is, they're not useful in their current state, and the only one that can be actually used in regular gameplay is the awareness stat that governs the 'detection/aggro radius' for an AI actor (but as I said, it behaved differently as the game was getting patches, and rendered entirely useless by the Gumbo AI scripting language in Dragonfall DC).

 

[agris]

ITT: people have very limited imaginations when it comes to stealth.

What do you mean tuluse, I think daveyd and I have talked about a much more integrated approach to stealth. In a way, the stealth of old cRPGs is akin to the "speech skill". Pump up the skill and everytime you can use it you succeed. What we're talking about is stealth pathways enabled by build-specific ability and skill checks that are contextually relevant for the stealth path(s) possible for a given shadowrun.

 

[dukeofwhales]

Incidentally this means a currency conversion from USD into AUD to get the money out and then back into USD again to send it over to KickStarter... Which may result in less money actually being sent (conversion + fees). Unless I can figure a way around that...

Should definitely avoid this if you can - Paypal will take 4-5% in currency conversion fees. Presumably there's someone who has a bank account in USD who you can trust not to run off with the money?

 

[tuluse]

What do you mean tuluse, I think daveyd and I have talked about a much more integrated approach to stealth. In a way, the stealth of old cRPGs is akin to the "speech skill". Pump up the skill and everytime you can use it you succeed.

The very fact this was brought up triggers me.

What we're talking about is stealth pathways enabled by build-specific ability and skill checks that are contextually relevant for the stealth path(s) possible for a given shadowrun.

Skill checks are brute force ways of accomplishing things. I'd much rather see new systems added.

 

[daveyd]

What do you mean tuluse, I think daveyd and I have talked about a much more integrated approach to stealth. In a way, the stealth of old cRPGs is akin to the "speech skill". Pump up the skill and everytime you can use it you succeed.

The very fact this was brought up triggers me.

What we're talking about is stealth pathways enabled by build-specific ability and skill checks that are contextually relevant for the stealth path(s) possible for a given shadowrun.

Skill checks are brute force ways of accomplishing things. I'd much rather see new systems added.

Such as....?

 

[tuluse]

Such as....?

Hacking to look through cameras, using drones, and the shadowrun equivalent of far sight to scout ahead and avoid patrols.

Cyberpunk gadgets and magic spells to affect how visible and noisy your characters are.

Having mini-drones that can be deployed for a short time to distract or spy on enemies.

Magic spells with limited mind control like getting someone look away for a few seconds.

Then all kinds of defenses to catch you doing the stuff above. Enemy mages detecting magical use, laser trip wires in drone vents, ICE, etc.

 

[DarkUnderlord]

They won't be, but I'll need to contact their financesperson about it, for details of how exactly to do the transfer.

Why always complications, omg.

I hope they get back to you before the KickStarter ends...

 

[Angthoron]

They won't be, but I'll need to contact their financesperson about it, for details of how exactly to do the transfer.

Why always complications, omg.

I hope they get back to you before the KickStarter ends...

PMing you with the details.

 

[Angthoron]

Oh yeah, and like with Divinity: Original Sin, I'll be needing people's e-mails in order to get you your keys. We'll probably make a separate news item about it, as I'll try to make their work easier and pass the keys around on their behalf like I did with Larian.

I mean, I'll run off with 200+ keys and never be back, that is.

 

[Hirato]

Can't you use the forum's PM system for distributing keys?

 

[GarfunkeL]

Fuck, I'm getting paid on Monday - almost enough time!

Such as....?

Hacking to look through cameras, using drones, and the shadowrun equivalent of far sight to scout ahead and avoid patrols.

Cyberpunk gadgets and magic spells to affect how visible and noisy your characters are.

Having mini-drones that can be deployed for a short time to distract or spy on enemies.

Magic spells with limited mind control like getting someone look away for a few seconds.

Then all kinds of defenses to catch you doing the stuff above. Enemy mages detecting magical use, laser trip wires in drone vents, ICE, etc.

All that and more is in the P&P versions of SR, so they absolutely are not in need of inspiration - it's all just a question of development time etc. While I've never enjoyed playing infiltrator, those kinds of scenarios can be awesome as hell. Perhaps for next installation, as others are hoping for as well.

 

[naossano]

If i am not wrong, your money is took at the end of the KS, no matter when you pledged.

 

[DarkUnderlord]

 

[Angthoron]

Can't you use the forum's PM system for distributing keys?

Yeah, we're talking out specifics of this, either way, no need to send me the e-mails at the moment.


Also, cheers on another successful fundraiser, Codex kicks ass as usual.

 

[TwinkieGorilla]

Always impressed with Codex fundraisers.

 

[Duellist_D]

So, will we Codex-Backers also get the mini-campaign (for free)?

 

[StaticSpine]

So, will we Codex-Backers also get the mini-campaign (for free)?

Angthoron
Give us official confirmation, bro