Game News Age of Decadence March Update

[Infinitron]

Tags: Age of Decadence; Iron Tower Studios; Vault Dweller

This month's Age of Decadence update is up, and this time it's a particularly big one. The highlight of the update is "R4", which is a broad overhaul of the game's mechanics. Here's an excerpt:

Optimization:​

We were loading way too much before. It’s handy to have in a developer’s build, but really drags the performance down for the players. A quick fix reduced Teron’s loading time from 20 to 15 seconds, overall performance increased by 25%. A more thorough approach reduced/improved it even further. The Library’s loading times went from 8 seconds to 3 when we removed the unnecessary datablocks.​

R4:​

I know, I know. Is it really necessary? To be honest, I had doubts myself. We talked about it internally and it sounded pretty good, but it was very tempting to say ‘next game’ and move on. Well, the next game will be different and it is a shame to throw away all these changes, which are the logical evolution of the previous concepts and the next and final design step.​

So, when Oscar put it all in a design doc and made some mock up screens, I didn’t even argue. It’s fucking beautiful. It changes a lot of things – improves the overall design, changes things that didn’t work well or didn’t fit the overall design, brings more clarity, both design-wise and the way info is communicated to the player.​

Quick example: The character creation. It wasn’t very exciting, for lack of a better word. You think about your stats, which define the rest. Then you distribute the extra points, which don’t really change the overall picture, and you’re done.​

Now, stats no longer define the starting skill values. Instead, they add SP to two different pools: Combat and Non-Combat. Strength, Dexterity and Constitution add to the combat pool, while Perception, Intelligence and Charisma add to the non-combat one. The formula is (Stat-4)*5.​

So, let’s say you want to make a tough, but dumb and ugly bastard. Str 10, Dex 8, Con 8, Per 6, Int 4, Cha 4. You get 70 skill points in the combat pool but only 20 points in the non-combat one. It’s a lot more fun to make characters now, that’s for sure.​

Knockdown is no longer a passive trait of hammers, but a special attack available only to hammers, which fixes the main (and probably only) complaint about hammers – having enemies thrown back when you don’t need it.​

Expect changes to special and aimed attacks, dodge, block, crafting, counter-attack, inventory access during combat, synergies, skills, info displayed, plus new attacks.​

End-game:​

Usually, it’s the most boring part of the game that often feels like a chore. All quests are done, all choices are made, character development and gear acquisition completed, let’s get it over with. We’re trying (trying being the key word here) to spice things up a bit at the end. The end-game should not be a place where things stop being interesting, it should be a place where things just got interesting, where you sit and wonder “shit, what the fuck do I do now?”​

I see such game design approach as a funnel. You have few options when you start and you have a very limited grasp of the playing field, and you’re a nobody, and nobody cares what you think. Then you slowly grow in power and influence, which increases your options and broaden your horizons as to what’s going on. By the time you reach the endgame, you should have even more options and viewpoints (which should lead to doubting of what seemed so clear earlier).​

In other words, a complex plot with many active participants with different agendas should not have a simple solution or an endgame “kiosk” where you can select an ending of your choice.​

Separate pools for combat and non-combat skill points? The Sawyerist heresy spreads! (yes, I know it's just for character creation)

In addition to the above, the update also briefly describes the game's non-urban locations. There's a collection of screenshots which showcases dialogue from one such location - the Library of Saross.

 

[JarlFrank]

Separate pools for combat and non-combat skill points? The Sawyerist heresy spreads! (yes, I know it's just for character creation)

I actually had that idea years before Sawyer, but I never had the means to make an RPG with it.

 

[hiver]

Pretty damn good stuff.

I think this core attribute change will lessen how some of them turn out mostly useless, while the few usual suspects always bring the most benefits.


Also;

If you have no choice but to fight, you’ll lose 20 hp, so the disadvantage is significant.

You always loose 20hp? why?

 

[Globbi]

Also;

If you have no choice but to fight, you’ll lose 20 hp, so the disadvantage is significant.

You always loose 20hp? why?

You lose 20hp if you drink poison and don't take antidote... (at least that's how I understand it)
After you start talking to the guy and drink the shit you have several options depending on skills and having antidote with you. Not having antidote applicable skills and not having antidote is what VD calls "no choice" I think.

 

[MicoSelva]

Now, stats no longer define the starting skill values. Instead, they add SP to two different pools: Combat and Non-Combat. Strength, Dexterity and Constitution add to the combat pool, while Perception, Intelligence and Charisma add to the non-combat one. The formula is (Stat-4)*5.
So, let’s say you want to make a tough, but dumb and ugly bastard. Str 10, Dex 8, Con 8, Per 6, Int 4, Cha 4. You get 70 skill points in the combat pool but only 20 points in the non-combat one. It’s a lot more fun to make characters now, that’s for sure.

Am I wrong, or is the math in the above example a bit off?:
(10 - 4) x 5 + (8 - 4) x 5 + (8 - 4) x 5 = 6 x 5 + 4 x 5 + 4 x 5 = 30 + 20 + 20 = 70 | this one's ok
(6 - 4) x 5 + (4 - 4) x 5 + (4 - 4) x 5 = 2 x 5 + 0 x 5 + 0 x 5 = 10 + 0 + 0 = 10 | not 20, as quoted

Anyway, I like the idea, but I fear it will set the game back and postpone the release even further.
We want Thursday to happen. Now would not be too soon.

EDIT: What happens if my stat is below 4 (or is that not allowed)? Do I get negative skill points?

 

[Vault Dweller]

Am I wrong, or is the math in the above example a bit off?:
(10 - 4) x 5 + (8 - 4) x 5 + (8 - 4) x 5 = 6 x 5 + 4 x 5 + 4 x 5 = 30 + 20 + 20 = 70 | this one's ok
(6 - 4) x 5 + (4 - 4) x 5 + (4 - 4) x 5 = 2 x 5 + 0 x 5 + 0 x 5 = 10 + 0 + 0 = 10 | not 20, as quoted

My bad. 20 is a typo.

Anyway, I like the idea, but I fear it will set the game back and postpone the release even further.

It won't. Nick has time to code the changes. Then it's a matter of releasing to the testers and letting them play with it.

EDIT: What happens if my stat is below 4 (or is that not allowed)? Do I get negative skill points?

Not allowed. If your stats are below 4 you are unfit to go adventuring. Too weak, too dumb, too ugly.

 

[Vault Dweller]

You lose 20hp if you drink poison and don't take antidote... (at least that's how I understand it)

Correct.

After you start talking to the guy and drink the shit you have several options depending on skills and having antidote with you. Not having antidote applicable skills and not having antidote is what VD calls "no choice" I think.

Correct.

 

[hiver]

Its not clear from what and how it is written, `s all am saying.

 

[Vault Dweller]

Sorry, I was typing fast and it was late. To go over it one more time, here are your options:

1. accept the poisoned drink
2. realize that he's up to something
3. tell him to fuck off for a number of different reasons.

If 3, fight or do a rep check, and he either leaves or fights.
If 2: either bullshit him that you're a part of a larger group, a scout sent ahead, CS him, or do 3
If 1, if you drank poison and have no other options, you lose 20hp and fight him; if you realized that you drank poison, drink antidote (lose only 10hp), which leads to combat, or try to distract him and poison him, or bullshit him, etc.

 

[hiver]

Am i right in thinking this new stuff about attributes makes them have a more synergistic effect?
It seems so from the description.

-also... whats the ETA?

 

[J_C]

Implementing R4....God, this game will never come out.

 

[Globbi]

About the attribute changes, isn't it a straight-up buff to every single character? You won't gain points in useless skills but gain more points for your specialization.

 

[The Brazilian Slaughter]

I like the idea of the combat and non-combat pools. Should lead to more distinguished character.
I think my first character is going to be a savvy but book-dumb merc.

 

[Blasterhead]

I also like this because it at least gives me a chance to have a decent non-combat skill (I hope) for combat characters. In the demo if I'm focusing on surviving combat I couldn't afford to spend any skill points on anything other than combat skills, which cut down my options for interesting and different characters a whole bunch.

Too bad it's only limited to char-gen, but like others have said it would also be nice to have a finished game instead of more big changes! Be wary of going down the Duke Nukem road of always wanting your game to be perfect and never releasing anything. Better to have finished products to iterate on.

 

[hiver]

We left duke nukem road so long, long ago... nobody even remembers where its at.

 

[Excidium]

It's certainly a better system than the previous one.

But what would be p. cool is a char gen where you go through your character's past and get the stats based on your choices while building a background, with some of the choices already hooking into quests and stuff. For AoD 2 of course.

 

[hoverdog]

Implementing R4....God, this game will never come out.

Game will probably get delayed till Friday now.

 

[winterraptor]

It won't. Nick has time to code the changes. Then it's a matter of releasing to the testers and letting them play with it.

If you don't stop polishing it, you'll go blind!

 

[hiver]

Damned if you do - damned if you dont.

man, i love this game design business.

 

[BLOBERT]

BRO LOOKS GOOD

DOES THE SKILL POINTS WORK FOR LEVELING UP

I THOUGHT IT WAS BAD THAT THE WAY TO MAKE THE BEST FIGHTER WAS TO MAX INTELLIGENCE AT THE EXPENSE OF COMBAT STATS

 

[Esquilax]

Absolutely, I feel that having that sort of trade-off is unfair and kinda defeats the purpose of being a big, dumb, freakishly athletic brute to begin with. I always thought that it was a bit weird that INT was tied to combat skills and athletic abilitie, and this change goes a long way toward rectifying that.

 

[jagged-jimmy]

I get this "we have one chance" and all, but remember that the best RPGs of all time were still flawed and had some balance issues and weak points. Sometimes it is just time to release the game, even if there are some issues here and there. Polishing forever is not a good thing - especially if you want produce games commercially.

 

[hiver]

Dont make me call Gabe!

 

[Vault Dweller]

I get this "we have one chance" and all, but remember that the best RPGs of all time were still flawed and had some balance issues and weak points. Sometimes it is just time to release the game, even if there are some issues here and there. Polishing forever is not a good thing - especially if you want produce games commercially.

1) We signed 3 distribution agreements, more are on the way. Clearly, we aren't planning to polish it forever, but we won't rush it to make money NOW!
2) While it took us many years to get to this point, in man-hours (working part-time) we spent 15-20% of a semi-decent development cycle.
3) While I agree that the best RPGs were still flawed:
- they had better distribution and marketing
- despite that distribution and marketing, they often failed commercially and ended or doomed the studios behind them (Arcanum, for example)
- AoD is flawed and nobody here would ever call it a perfect game; we aren't trying to make it perfect, we're trying to improve what we can while we can
4) Despite the agreements and media interest, there is a good chance that AoD will fail commercially. So, if we only get to make one game, I want it to be as good as possible.
5) Game development isn't a linear process. While I'm working on quests, Nick, Ivan, and Oscar have time to code system changes, add animations, tweak graphics, etc.

 

[jagged-jimmy]

Well, i said i understand - my point was: let some edges stay rough. What is important, is that your artistic vision is well presented and the game overall is a coherent experience.
Especially because you do not have the time and manpower professional teams have. Software is measured in balanced quality, time and budget - just saying.