KickStarter Vigilantes: neo-noir, turn based tactical RPG

[Alienman]

Before and after kickstarter?

Nice art.

 

[agris]

Timeslip give that man a keyboard, a UPS under the bottom of the desk, and a bunch of reference books on the shelf next to the computer.

 

[Timeslip]

Before and after kickstarter?

Nice art.

Haha This is before Kickstarter

This is why programmers shouldn't try to do artwork...

 

[Timeslip]

Timeslip give that man a keyboard, a UPS under the bottom of the desk, and a bunch of reference books on the shelf next to the computer.

You have no idea how red my face is right now agris Sam's keyboard was stolen by a marauding group of survivalists. We'll order him another one!

 

[ArchAngel]

You seem to be adding this content pretty fast after talking to us here about it. Are you moving this stuff to the front of the line when deciding to add content?

 

[Timeslip]

You seem to be adding this content pretty fast after talking to us here about it. Are you moving this stuff to the front of the line when deciding to add content?

Pretty much. I had already started experimenting with the prevent enemies fleeing when the KS update was posted, and since mission variety was the most requested, moved on to the escort mission, and just added the first non combat encounter at the weekend. I'd rather get these new additions in first, to give time to iron out bugs, rather than holding off until closer until release. Most of the work for the facilities is in the illustrations, so Olga's spending most of her time on that. I'd expect facilities will be added in V17. Also need to start pushing the campaign toward completion. One of the boxes that needs to be ticked for that is the introduction of gang leader fights. There's already a basic implementation of this (though gang leader fights are currently disabled) but am hoping to tweak it and add it in the second part of V16. Interrogation was also highly requested, and since that's linked into gang leader and racket discovery, that will likely be the first stop in version 16.

 

[anvi]

After this can you make a game I designed? I need a space game that doesn't suck and the industry will never deliver.

 

[Timeslip]

After this can you make a game I designed? I need a space game that doesn't suck and the industry will never deliver.

Vigilantes in Spaaaccee? Sold!

On a more serious note, it's a really good time to develop games (from the perspective of the technology available). Have you ever thought about giving it a go? There's an unfortunate irony to making a game you really want to play though, after spending 100s - 1000s of hours testing it, and having made it, it doesn't really hold any mysteries, so you can't really play it.

 

[ERYFKRAD]

After this can you make a game I designed? I need a space game that doesn't suck and the industry will never deliver.

Have you looked at Stellar tactics yet?

 

[Timeslip]

Sam's looking very smug with his new keyboard and mouse. #crisisaverted

 

[anvi]

After this can you make a game I designed? I need a space game that doesn't suck and the industry will never deliver.

Vigilantes in Spaaaccee? Sold!

On a more serious note, it's a really good time to develop games (from the perspective of the technology available). Have you ever thought about giving it a go? There's an unfortunate irony to making a game you really want to play though, after spending 100s - 1000s of hours testing it, and having made it, it doesn't really hold any mysteries, so you can't really play it.

Yeah I can imagine that. I made a Neverwinter Nights mod that took me maybe 150 hours or something and not only did I never finish it, but replaying it to try to work out how fun it was and what needed tweaks etc. was so boring because I knew everything that was happening and was about to happen. I did try learning to program once and it was hard as balls. But I tried to learn C# when I should maybe have started with Python or something. I may give it another go some day, but it is pretty intimidating to me. Learning to program is crazy. I put in 10 hours and all I can make is a barely functioning calculator, and then I think of the games I want to make and I'm like .........

After this can you make a game I designed? I need a space game that doesn't suck and the industry will never deliver.

Have you looked at Stellar tactics yet?

Yea it is on my wishlist with lots of other early access stuff. Although by space game I really meant something like Elite, but not shallow and dumb. I really liked Space Rangers 2, I wish someone would make that but in first person and with more depth. X3 is pretty close but it needs more depth and yet more fun.

 

[ArchAngel]

Sam's looking very smug with his new keyboard and mouse. #crisisaverted

Put some cool RL memes on those empty white papers. Things like "Only fire can reveal it" and such.

 

[ushas]

Sam's looking very smug with his new keyboard and mouse. #crisisaverted

Put some cool RL memes on those empty white papers. Things like "Only fire can reveal it" and such.

Be Vigilant.
Eternal vigilance is the price of liberty.
Who guards the Vigilantes?

How interactive those screens are going to be?

Btw., nice portable setup, Sam is apparently powering the LCD monitors with batteries.

 

[ArchAngel]

A common trope in detective and even vigilante movies is the board with pictures and names of all the people that are being hunted or investigated formated in a family tree manner.

Are you planning to use that for something? Could you use that for some game progress screen or quest progress screen or something similar?
It would be kind of fitting for our Vigilante to have something similar with all the important members of the 3 organizations on it and then having him put red cross over those he took out.

 

[veevoir]

He should have rotating board. On the other side his investigation into own team is hidden.

After all - they are quite a bunch

 

[Timeslip]

Put some cool RL memes on those empty white papers. Things like "Only fire can reveal it" and such.

Could be a good place to slip in an easter egg or two!

How interactive those screens are going to be?

At the minute, the plan is just to change them as the facility levels up. What are you thinking of?

A common trope in detective and even vigilante movies is the board with pictures and names of all the people that are being hunted or investigated formated in a family tree manner.

Are you planning to use that for something? Could you use that for some game progress screen or quest progress screen or something similar?
It would be kind of fitting for our Vigilante to have something similar with all the important members of the 3 organizations on it and then having him put red cross over those he took out.

A gang info screen isn't confirmed, but it's a strong possibility. For the interrogation mechanic to be meaningful there's going to have to be different types of useful information you can squeeze out of enemies, and there has to be a way to convey this info. Some provisional design work on interrogation has been done, but if anyone would like to pitch in ideas, it's a pretty good time, as I'll likely start tackling it in the next 2 weeks.

He should have rotating board. On the other side his investigation into own team is hidden.
After all - they are quite a bunch

Sam may be a little more weary of his allies than appearances suggest

 

[Timeslip]

Yeah I can imagine that. I made a Neverwinter Nights mod that took me maybe 150 hours or something and not only did I never finish it, but replaying it to try to work out how fun it was and what needed tweaks etc. was so boring because I knew everything that was happening and was about to happen. I did try learning to program once and it was hard as balls. But I tried to learn C# when I should maybe have started with Python or something. I may give it another go some day, but it is pretty intimidating to me. Learning to program is crazy. I put in 10 hours and all I can make is a barely functioning calculator, and then I think of the games I want to make and I'm like .........

A calculator's a start : ) People learn differently, but I lean more towards getting stuck in with coding. Found reading too much theory makes it seem more complicated than it is, and without hands on practice, there's nothing to attach the theory to. Enjoying figuring stuff out and solving problems with code is IMO essential. No matter how much you want to make a game, if you don't enjoy it, it's going to be effectively impossible to put in the likely 1000s of hours of learning. I suspect a lot of people give up on programming because they try to do something too complex too soon, and end up feeling it's flat out incomprehensible. Learning gradually and consistently seems the way to go, you won't be making a game next month, but if you spend 15 hours a week for a year learning to code, you'll have a pretty good grasp of a language by the end of it. This is a pretty good set of tutorials for c# - similar to what I covered in college. Possibly best to learn programming first, before going to an engine - if you don't you'll likely find yourself fighting a battle on two fronts (code & engine). I've made a set of tutorials showing how to make pong in unity using c#, in case that's of interest. That's assuming you're interested in the code side, of course.

 

[ushas]

Good advice! Additionally, anvi might be onto something with trying first Python, or any other language which clicks for him better initially. It may look like a waste of time if the game ends up being done in C# + Unity in the end, but the most problematic variable is actually the adherence. Sometimes what gets one to like something is starting to see fruits of his own work, so learning and seeing results faster might help. And once you know one language it's gradually much easier to learn the others. That said I'm glad I started with C, not particularly liking Python nor C#, but that's really just personal preference.

On a side note, it would be interesting to see more games in Godot engine. Besides being open source and in C++ it offers using its own scripting language GDScript, which is close to Python. (oh a tiny bit of agenda here...)

At the minute, the plan is just to change them as the facility levels up. What are you thinking of?

Nothing specific just got an itch to click on that city map. Showing upgrades is nice, just wasn't sure whether it will be shown once or it will be also somehow featured in the facility menu. Like when we are introduced to a party member, first we see this big intro picture and then part of it is used on the character screen as a portrait. That's clever use of assets.

 

[anvi]

Thanks for the tips!

 

[agris]

Timeslip you need to pimp that image. i'm telling ya, add some nerd-bling to the man's research space!

 

[Timeslip]

Good advice! Additionally, anvi might be onto something with trying first Python, or any other language which clicks for him better initially. It may look like a waste of time if the game ends up being done in C# + Unity in the end, but the most problematic variable is actually the adherence. Sometimes what gets one to like something is starting to see fruits of his own work, so learning and seeing results faster might help. And once you know one language it's gradually much easier to learn the others. That said I'm glad I started with C, not particularly liking Python nor C#, but that's really just personal preference.

Likewise. Have heard python is a good one to learn with, though haven't used it. Agree that sticking with it is one of the hardest parts of learning, and also that nothing is wasted. My first attempt at a game was a TBS, using Java. After 5 months of intense work on it, had to accept that it was several times too complex to finish. That was the nearest I got to quitting. At the time it was an awful blow to morale, but a few years later it's obvious that failure was pretty much necessary and useful experience was gained.

On a side note, it would be interesting to see more games in Godot engine. Besides being open source and in C++ it offers using its own scripting language GDScript, which is close to Python. (oh a tiny bit of agenda here...)

Have heard good things about it, but haven't tried it. Unity changed their pricing lately, and there was a kerfuffle about it, and in fairness to them they listened. If they hadn't there's a good chance would have moved to it for next game.

Nothing specific just got an itch to click on that city map. Showing upgrades is nice, just wasn't sure whether it will be shown once or it will be also somehow featured in the facility menu. Like when we are introduced to a party member, first we see this big intro picture and then part of it is used on the character screen as a portrait. That's clever use of assets.

There will be a UI screen dedicated to facilities, mainly to show the illustrations and the bonuses you are getting, so you'll be able to check back whenever you like.

Timeslip you need to pimp that image. i'm telling ya, add some nerd-bling to the man's research space!

I'm trying not to project my inner nerd on Sam : )

 

[Timeslip]

Another thing we've been able to consider as a result of the extra time the Kickstarter bought is fleshing out the gang leaders. Initially, they were envisioned as tougher enemies, but we're hoping to make them more distinct, and write some dialogue encounters. Unlikely we can write encounters for all of them (12-15) but we'll do this for the bosses, and some of the lieutenants. Not sure if there's any interest in getting a sneak peek at some of these encounters, but figured I'd post the first to see. This is the 7th and likely final draft for an encounter with a katana wielding Church of the Final Exodus Confessor. The set up is that the churchers have attacked a farmhouse on the outskirts of the city, beaten and tied up the two residents, dragged them outside.

Have left out the skill checks, as some of these require more coding to add. Comments welcome!

[Sam]
[More and more people moving out of the city. Trying to find a place to build and break earth and plant seeds for tomorrow. Trying to get away from the bustle and grime and violence and not realising that sometimes it just follows you.]

[Sam]
[Hands lashed at their backs. Blood trickling down bowed, bruised faces. Crimson dripping from chins and into muddy puddles into which their bent knees sink. The behaviour of the churchers surrounding the couple is unusual, even by the outlier heavy churcher index. Movements have a jerky, seething, over energised quality. Their shouts are next door to snarls. These guys are completely out of control.]

[Sam]
[The white epicentre of the horde is a katana wielding confessor. Doesn't take a lot of imagination to join the dots. You've known about the darkness at the core of the human condition for a long time. You've percieved it, touched it, but you've never seen it expressed so blackjack to the face vividly. None of the churchers seem to be having second thoughts about what's coming. This is what happens when you outsource your thinking to violent lunatics.]

[Sam]
[The Church of the Final Exodus trades in elysium, drug rehab, and false hope. It's a business. One which seeks to avoid public scrutiny at all costs. The thing unravelling out there in the clearing is the stuff of international headlines. Someone obviously didn't read the memo.]

[Female Captive]
We'll convert. We'll do anything you want. Please. Don't kill us.

[Confessor]
[There's no fire. No brimstone. Her voice is clear and calm and reasonable, but it commands attention. It's a voice that could make howling at the full moon naked sound square John, nine to five normal.]
Therein lies the problem. Normally, all are welcome the join our order, but it wouldn't work in the current circumstances. Right now, you would equally readily accept or blaspheme any god or ideology to save your lives. Your conversion would lack meaning.

[Male Captive]
Why? Why are you doing this?

[Confessor]
The why doesn't matter. What matters is that you're here and I'm here and something is about to happen. Understanding why wouldn't help. It would only defer your sermon in steel, and prolong your suffering.

[Sam]
[Sub zero. Ice queen. Education obvious from language. Should know better. Maybe her brain's wired all wrong, or maybe you are looking at a thing that passes human, but is walking around without a soul. Either way, what you're dealing with here is an incredibly dangerous psychopath.]

 

[Timeslip]

Have been working on the code for enemy level ups over the last few updates, and just encountered the first enemy who leveled up to a new type naturally, as opposed to being added for a dialogue encounter. A mafia hitman with 8 ap, a big handgun, almost as much HP as the main character and 4 mafioso for backup.

 

[ArchAngel]

Can I ask if you plan to remove the orange and blue coloring at some point and just leave orange and blue outline? It looks kind of bad like this.

 

[santino27]

Have been working on the code for enemy level ups over the last few updates, and just encountered the first enemy who leveled up to a new type naturally, as opposed to being added for a dialogue encounter. A mafia hitman with 8 ap, a big handgun, almost as much HP as the main character and 4 mafioso for backup.

Haven't played the early builds, but glad I backed this on KS. It's looking really good. Kudos!

Edit: I like the full coloring, vs. just outlines, but maybe that's just me.