Incline Colony Ship RELEASE THREAD

[AbounI]

I feel bad murdering some of the seemingly hapless guys in the courthouse. Am I the only one? But if I don't do it it's missed combat exp and items. This game really wants us to become murderhobos doesn't it.

The Spirit of His Most Radiant Holiness Miltides I Glory of a Thousand Suns has survive.
Hip hip hourra.

 

[mediocrepoet]

Yeah, the portrait probably doesn't do me any favours at times.

It's my curse to bear to be this beautiful.

I hereby cast Remove Curse, thereby restoring your former avatar:

Remove Curse moderate success:

 

[Humanophage]

Is there any way to get an additional tagged skill? I blew one of Faith's tags on stealing, and it's already maxxed out in the middle of the game. It is very useless, I have actually only encountered one check in the whole game where I needed that tag. Meanwhile, I am chronically short on electronics. I have already gained an additional tag from overclocked int as well as the feat.

Also, if there is no way, would it make more sense to just have someone else develop electronics, even though they have no skill monkey? Faythe is currently at 6. I could give the tag to another character with 1 electronics and develop from there.

Educated tag, raising INT w/ implants. But with Faythe rather than PC in this case, maybe you're stuck.

Depending on how far you're into the game it may be tough to catch up. 6 is quite high. Faythe should be able to get most checks (reach 8, maybe) if she's reliably fed every Electronics check out there?

Steal is, as it stands, not actually a skill. If you invest absolutely nothing, talk to Jia at start, and then just click on every single Steal that you see, then you'll eventually steal everything there is to steal (possibly missing out on one item at level 8 in the Heart, unless I've missed more).

Well, I can get the tag on my main character by getting an additional implant. Then give him a token. This would push him to 6, but the rest will be easier to level up. He also has that +15% skill training boost, might as well make use of it. It does feel like a colossal waste of feats though.

It does sound like a massive waste. You're doing all that just to get... what bonus? You know tag doesn't give any SP gain bonus, right? Just a flat amount of XP.

Tag doesn't give a flat amount of XP, makes the skill 2 levels higher (without affecting XP progression).

Exactly, which is why I need the tag. Assuming that Electronics 9-10 is needed for something important and the checks continue being rare. I'm losing about 1300 XP and an implant slot (or a feat). But I'll be able to hit level 8 with only 1800 rather than 3700 XP. And then hit level 10 with 3700 rather than 6700 (not sure how much XP you need from 9 to 10). I assume it's not even possible to get 6700 XP in total for electronics so some content will remain hidden from me, which is unacceptable. Another issue is the skill monkey feat. It feels like a big waste to get yet another feat just to boost a single skill. I have +15% skill but Faythe has +5% from attitude and +35% from Monkey.

The big problem is if the electronics checks will only be available for the sneaking character.

 

[smaug]

Is there any substantial gameplay differences/changes between this and AoD? Like, is it still Skills only work in preset dialogue options or is there interactivity outside of texts and stuff like that w/char bonuses

 

[General Disarray]

Is shooting dudes in the leg the best way to kill? It seems arm, torso, and headshots are kinda crap comparable. Shoot a guy in the leg, and it dramatically increases everyone's else aim, which makes the DPS spike overall. I don't even bother switching from legs atm. I guess I will be known as the leg butcher on the ship.

Yes it's the same as in Tarkov.

 

[Technomancer]

It is not about Ukraine or Palestine. It is about calling out hypocrite. I do not like hypocrites. I like to call them out. So sometimes i do just that.

That's rich, coming from someone who changes faces like gloves. Should start from yourself.

Spoiler

To be clear I don't mind people disliking colony ship, frankly I expected more from it myself (though I understand the reasons why some things were too ambitious), but I do mind you specifically.

You've been reading his posts???

Yeah, when my mod on discord banned him preemptively for bringing his shit on the server while I was asleep. I thought it was too harsh at first. Since mod was steam forum regular he knew better but I never frequented it so I went to look for myself. And yeah, after seeing this shit, good fucking riddance. Guy thrives on deceit, low effort baiting and trolling.

 

[Hellraiser]

Is there any substantial gameplay differences/changes between this and AoD? Like, is it still Skills only work in preset dialogue options or is there interactivity outside of texts and stuff like that w/char bonuses

Yes.

Lockpicking, electonics, biotech and computers are mostly used by direct interaction with objects in the game world (and in the case of biotech also in inventory for looted implant repair) rather than in dialogue screens (but there are still some checks in dialogue). Exploration is map based, so you actually open doors and walk inside on the map rather than get teleported everywhere (which still happens, but not all the damn time like in AoD).

Sneaking has it's own tactical turn-based gameplay on the level map, you need to dodge vision areas and can backstab scavs, it also makes use of the above mentioned direct interactivity with objects for picking locks or looting containers, all actions make noise and costs AP.

There are sometimes exceptions and those skills are checked in dialogue, like using critical strike to quickly takeout someone in a conversation rather than in a "stealth run" or a [biotech]/[electronics] check, often when interacting with some computer terminal or piece of "unique" machinery.

 

[Konjad]

It is not about Ukraine or Palestine. It is about calling out hypocrite. I do not like hypocrites. I like to call them out. So sometimes i do just that.

That's rich, coming from someone who changes faces like gloves. Should start from yourself.
<pic>

A prominent vatnik turns out he's not what he claims?! I am SHOCKED

 

[AdolfSatan]

Is shooting dudes in the leg the best way to kill? It seems arm, torso, and headshots are kinda crap comparable. Shoot a guy in the leg, and it dramatically increases everyone's else aim, which makes the DPS spike overall. I don't even bother switching from legs atm. I guess I will be known as the leg butcher on the ship.

Knocking down is the most OP stat effect, it raises thc to 100% and the victim loses 5 AP in its next turn.

 

[AdolfSatan]

Btw, Vault Dweller Elhoim I noticed that some cheevos didn’t come up despite me completing them (killed Bub, fixed the robot, other I can’t recall), while there were also a couple of misfires (I got both True Hero and Always Bet on the Underdog despite having only beaten the game in Underdog mode).

 

[StrongBelwas]

(I got both True Hero and Always Bet on the Underdog despite having only beaten the game in Underdog mode).

I assumed they just did that so people who beat Underdog don't have to take their time finishing again on an easier mode (But it could be phrased as "Complete the game in Hero Mode or harder" I suppose)

 

[Steezus]

It is not about Ukraine or Palestine. It is about calling out hypocrite. I do not like hypocrites. I like to call them out. So sometimes i do just that.

That's rich, coming from someone who changes faces like gloves. Should start from yourself.

Spoiler

lmao, this is some unhinged mental illness shit

 

[Hellraiser]

Is shooting dudes in the leg the best way to kill? It seems arm, torso, and headshots are kinda crap comparable. Shoot a guy in the leg, and it dramatically increases everyone's else aim, which makes the DPS spike overall. I don't even bother switching from legs atm. I guess I will be known as the leg butcher on the ship.

Knocking down is the most OP stat effect, it raises thc to 100% and the victim loses 5 AP in its next turn.

That and bullseye (some rifles/energy pistols) or knockdown (blunt weapons) special attacks that inflict it also have high critical hit chance. If you fail to crit you will at worse inflict stagger or stun for enemy AP loss.

But leg shots are still the go to opener if thc is too low.

Headshots are good if the enemy has no helmet, otherwise weak point or or how it is called is better, unless the enemy armor is negligible compared to your penetration.

 

[Pink Eye]

Is there any substantial gameplay differences/changes between this and AoD? Like, is it still Skills only work in preset dialogue options or is there interactivity outside of texts and stuff like that w/char bonuses

Play the demo and see for yourself. Gives you the whole first chapter for free to play.

 

[Abu Antar]

Btw, Vault Dweller Elhoim I noticed that some cheevos didn’t come up despite me completing them (killed Bub, fixed the robot, other I can’t recall), while there were also a couple of misfires (I got both True Hero and Always Bet on the Underdog despite having only beaten the game in Underdog mode).

Underdog cheevo automatically unlocks True Hero, but not the other way around.

 

[Abu Antar]

Btw, I will wait until the game has another few updates before continuing with my shotgun run. I've just dabbled with it, but it is a nice change of pace, not having to run from combat encounters. No longer is Abu a little wimp. In non-combat skill, all dialog skills are being ignored. I still want computers, and biotech. A little bit of stealing, and probably sneaking.

 

[Zanzoken]

That is as far as I've gotten, but given how the storytelling in AoD was top notch I am very surprised. What am I missing? Is this all eventually going to make sense if I just see the story through?

The storytelling in AoD was more than fine I agree but the key decisions like who to betray were arbitrary and not tied to anything, basically. Just a player's choice. Here we have a potential improvement: the beleifs system... so to say but it's clearly underdeveloped, so not much has changed. Still, if you put thought at the very start of the game into that, you can try to be consisent with it and to figure out what to decide based on that premise. At the very least many early minor factions have ties to one of the three major factions so you can sorta try to carve a path to them since The Pit.

Fair, but I think there were some key differences with AoD that aren't present in CS.

1) Game starts. Having finished CS now (beat it a few minutes ago) I feel like the weight of not having the predefined starts cannot be overstated. The different starts in AoD gave you somewhat of a stake in the world, with allies and a path in front of you. Of course you had the power to betray people and switch paths if you wanted, but it made the Player feel anchored in the world. In CS you are a nobody who somehow gets thrust into a pivotal role in dispute after dispute. I know that's not exactly uncommon in RPGs but always felt like ITS tried to stay away from the Chosen One meme as much as possible.

2) Factions. AoD does a very good job introducing all of the major factions in the first town, and weaving them together into a unified series of events. You see a different side of the conflict and play a different role depending on who you ally with, and then you continue to deal with these factions along the rest of your journey. Meanwhile in CS, you don't really experience this. You *hear* a lot about the Protectors this, the Brotherhood that, etc etc. But outside of their enclaves in the Habitat, how much do you actually see them?

3) Self-interest. In AoD it feels like you are out for yourself, and you're able to manipulate situations to your own advantage. The game is very cynical in tone and it allows the Player to be cynical in kind. But in CS it just feels like everyone treats you like a gopher. There is even dialogue in the game that calls this out, where sometimes you or a companion will say something like "why do we give a shit about this?" But other than simply ignoring the quest, there isn't much you can do. Switching sides is often possible but comes with little to no incentives or opportunities to negotiate a better deal for yourself.

Also, about that ending...

Spoiler

So is the Player's personal quest -- i.e. the Machine / life support system -- essentially just a MacGuffin? Because if you give it to ECLSS then you don't hear anything else about it, and they use their control over the Ship's main life support system to force all of the factions to follow them (by depriving their Habitat of oxygen). So the Machine itself is ultimately meaningless (maybe this is different if you give it to one of the Habitat factions).

Regardless, this is further undermined by the twist ending, which is that the Ship already arrived at Proxima and has been there for awhile. This renders ECLSS's reasoning for wanting the Machine -- i.e. bolstering the Ship's failing life support systems -- to be moot. Ultimate it's access to the Bridge -- and control over the Ship -- that determines who gets to decide the ending.

Again, maybe I'm just missing the point here but overall I'm left with the feeling that the story and structure of CS is significantly weaker than AoD.

 

[Nikanuur]

Is there any substantial gameplay differences/changes between this and AoD? Like, is it still Skills only work in preset dialogue options or is there interactivity outside of texts and stuff like that w/char bonuses

Yes.

Lockpicking, electonics, biotech and computers are mostly used by direct interaction with objects in the game world (and in the case of biotech also in inventory for looted implant repair) rather than in dialogue screens (but there are still some checks in dialogue). Exploration is map based, so you actually open doors and walk inside on the map rather than get teleported everywhere (which still happens, but not all the damn time like in AoD).

Sneaking has it's own tactical turn-based gameplay on the level map, you need to dodge vision areas and can backstab scavs, it also makes use of the above mentioned direct interactivity with objects for picking locks or looting containers, all actions make noise and costs AP.

There are sometimes exceptions and those skills are checked in dialogue, like using critical strike to quickly takeout someone in a conversation rather than in a "stealth run" or a [biotech]/[electronics] check, often when interacting with some computer terminal or piece of "unique" machinery.

Also, if I remember correctly, in AoD most of the checks are 'here is Rhodos, here you jump or miss it forever' kind of thing. Only some stay for you to return to them.
In CS, it's mostly the other way around. You can return to many places to pick / computerize / electronisize / biotechnisize most of the devices / doors / places, etc. later if your current ability is inadequate. Except for sneaking. You mustn't enter the stealth missions to be able to return and try on higher levels. And even so, many stealth missions will be gone as the story progresses.

 

[Tyranicon]

2) Factions.

Personal preference, but I like the little blurbs about the factions in the character creator and starting out with faction rep right away.

It's something I do in my own games because you instantly go into the game with at least basic knowledge of the factions (which your PC should have) and investment in the world.

Win-win.

 

[Whisper]

Is there any substantial gameplay differences/changes between this and AoD? Like, is it still Skills only work in preset dialogue options or is there interactivity outside of texts and stuff like that w/char bonuses

Play the demo and see for yourself. Gives you the whole first chapter for free to play.

First chapter has also most content, interactions and places of interest.
The more your progress in the game, the less content you get with new areas.

Talk about front-loading.

 

[Nikanuur]

Btw, I will wait until the game has another few updates before continuing with my shotgun run. I've just dabbled with it, but it is a nice change of pace, not having to run from combat encounters. No longer is Abu a little wimp. In non-combat skill, all dialog skills are being ignored. I still want computers, and biotech. A little bit of stealing, and probably sneaking.

Same here. I am looking forward to taking on a differently skilled character, tuning the difficulty down a notch, and just chilling and exploring what I missed during the first playthrough. And it was quite a few things... The game looks (a good kind of) simple in the beginning, but as the main story progresses and many quests and side-quests' outcomes are invariably set, new approaches to other quests or altogether new situations appear or become inaccessible for the rest of the game.

Also, even though I was warned by the good Lord of Riva, I didn't invest enough in Sneaking skills, and I wasn't able to complete more than a handful of stealth missions.
The mediocre 3-6 Sneak would've been enough, but not without the 'Tunnel Runner' feat. To be able to move 2x many tiles in one round is to stealth missions, as is 2x many APs in combat.
I don't know if my advice counts much; I am not very good at stealth missions anyway :], but I cannot recommend that one particular feat enough.

 

[Sibelius]

Question for VD.

I have made a mod using the Reshade add-on Shader Toggler, the mod removes the highlights/outlines from party members, NPCs and environment interactables. There is a dynmaic cursor when hovering over anything interactable, this extra layer of visual confirmation is unneeded (for me) and negatively mpacts the otherwise solid artwork (again subjective). The mod also has the option to turn off the grid in combat, which again is strictly speaking unneccessary, as even when it is hidden, hovering over a square you are able to move to will still let you know if it is possible and how many action points it will take. Here are some before and after screens..... (grid mod off had to be removed due to the 5 pieces of media per post rule, but I'm sure you get the idea).

NPC Highlight Mod Off

NPC Highlight Mod On

Environment Highlight Mod Off

Environment Highlight Mod On

Grid Mod On

Question is, do you have any objections to me sharing this for other people interested in making the game a bit more beautiful? Would understand if, given their recent behaviour, you don't want your game on Nexus mods, there are some alternative mod sites I could use if you're cool with it. Follow up question as well, AoD didn't have these highlights, but I have noticed that nearly all other recent CRPGs have them and it is typically not optional, hence the need to brute force it off with a mod. Is there a reason this is now seen as a must have non-optional feature in CRPGs? I have made and shared identical mods that remove the forced highlights from WotR and BG3 and have mode many others I haven't bothered to share.

Edit: Images have failed, will fix. Also, is there a preview post function? Thanks.

 

[Tigranes]

2) Factions.

Personal preference, but I like the little blurbs about the factions in the character creator and starting out with faction rep right away.

It's something I do in my own games because you instantly go into the game with at least basic knowledge of the factions (which your PC should have) and investment in the world.

Win-win.

There's consistently a big difference to players between external blurbs and in-game engagement to get a handle on important factions/characters/etc.

CSG tries to do something quite nuanced, where the Pit has no direct faction representatives but does have regional variations - Solomon and Mercy, for example. And then Jonas and Braxton have a complicated relationship with Protectorate/Brotherhood. The difficulty is that it's a bit like listening to gossip about a love triangle without having met any of the characters. Add to that all the minor 'factions' like Grangers and Regulators, who are the ones you actually interact with in the Pit, and the big factions end up not leaving much of an impression until Habitat.

I wonder if, for example, Braxton was written as a Protectorate or Brotherhood representative - then you there's a concrete set of episodes around his views on how the Pit should be run - and then, perhaps, when you visit his faction in the Habitat, they disavow him as a rogue general, and/or the reality of the faction's power and strategy is quite different from what Braxton had made it out to be.

Or let's say, if Mercy is an active character in the Pit that you can talk to from the start, and there's a couple of small incidents/dialogues that show you what you think the Church might represent - and then, again, you go to talk to Abraham in the Habitat and he has a very different view. Right now, Mercy's relationship to the Church is obviously more independent, which is interesting on paper, but again the side effect is that you spend half the game without actually engaging the Church or its arguments.

From a design perspective it's an interesting question of what you need to do to make a faction/character/plot point more "concrete" before you subvert or complicate it.

 

[Pink Eye]

Question for VD.

I have made a mod using the Reshade add-on Shader Toggler, the mod removes the highlights/outlines from party members, NPCs and environment interactables. There is a dynmaic cursor when hovering over anything interactable, this extra layer of visual confirmation is unneeded (for me) and negatively mpacts the otherwise solid artwork (again subjective). The mod also has the option to turn off the grid in combat, which again is strictly speaking unneccessary, as even when it is hidden, hovering over a square you are able to move to will still let you know if it is possible and how many action points it will take. Here are some before and after screens..... (grid mod off had to be removed due to the 5 pieces of media per post rule, but I'm sure you get the idea).

NPC Highlight Mod Off

NPC Highlight Mod On

Environment Highlight Mod Off

Environment Highlight Mod On

Grid Mod On

Question is, do you have any objections to me sharing this for other people interested in making the game a bit more beautiful? Would understand if, given their recent behaviour, you don't want your game on Nexus mods, there are some alternative mod sites I could use if you're cool with it. Follow up question as well, AoD didn't have these highlights, but I have noticed that nearly all other recent CRPGs have them and it is typically not optional, hence the need to brute force it off with a mod. Is there a reason this is now seen as a must have non-optional feature in CRPGs? I have made and shared identical mods that remove the forced highlights from WotR and BG3 and have mode many others I haven't bothered to share.

Edit: Images have failed, will fix. Also, is there a preview post function? Thanks.

Dude just take a screenshot, upload it to imgur, copy the BBcode then share the link here.

 

[jackofshadows]

In CS you are a nobody who somehow gets thrust into a pivotal role in dispute after dispute. I know that's not exactly uncommon in RPGs but always felt like ITS tried to stay away from the Chosen One meme as much as possible.

You're a local hotshot. You quickly prove yourself, that you get things done. That's enough for local leaders to try to hire you (or simply use you as Braxton initially, in a very AoD fashion). Not the same as be the literal chosen one a la Skyrim or be that a parody on such trope as in Fallout 2.

2) Factions. AoD does a very good job introducing all of the major factions in the first town, and weaving them together into a unified series of events. You see a different side of the conflict and play a different role depending on who you ally with, and then you continue to deal with these factions along the rest of your journey.

Not really since you meet that Maadoran Lord or the religious guy from the third city with its own twist much later in the game although prior to visiting the Temple. Also there was a cool nuanse that within the same faction there could be quite the view differences (Boatsman, Imperial Guard). Here you visit "the temple" (armory) at the start and only then meet the big players. I think the problem here is that there's not feeling much differences regarding which faction do you choose, unlike how it was in AoD. Because you do things the other way around. In AoD there's also not much difference between which lord would you place under the spoiler guy but it can happen only before the very end. Here it happens much earlier and it becomes clear that gameplay wise they're the sides of the same coin, so to speak.

Self-interest. In AoD it feels like you are out for yourself, and you're able to manipulate situations to your own advantage.

Nah, disagree here. To me the whole point was that in AoD initially everyone treats you as a gopher, a fucking pawn, they often don't even bother to tell you why this or that must be done. It was so refreshing and akin to say VtMB. And only later you could exercise your agency regarding the big guys, which makes sense. So yeah, pretty much the same here but I think that's a good thing. In particular, it felt great to me to fuck over the monks.

regarding the machine

The twist does not disregard who controls the life support machine. It takes time to land people on Proxima so you still want to up the living conditions on the ship prior to that. Alternatively, use it in the colony creation as it was supposed to be. After all, even if not monk's ultimatum solution, there was a stalemate between the major factions so something as that could potentially turn the tide