Author Topic: First impressions, suggestions.  (Read 13064 times)

neonesis

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First impressions, suggestions.
« on: August 23, 2012, 02:17:31 pm »
Overall, I'm stunned by the level of polish that this game presents, even in the state of alpha. The music does quite good job at creating the atmosphere, and it very much reminds me of days of Fallout 1.

The art style and graphics are also good, although I hope there will be some more variation in color schemes, because after some time I got little fed up of "station-style" theme.

Skills are good, I'm already divided which ones to choose as my main, so that's definitely a good thing :)

Attributes, nothing bad here, except that I don't think you should have Agility and Dexterity. I understand the difference between them, but that just doesn't make them differ enough for role-playing purposes. I'd rather just have Agility, without Dexterity. Everything else is fine.

Game perfomance is perfect, I was afraid that running it in 1920x1080 on 1.65 GHz (dual-core though) processor may cause a few hiccups, but I was happily surprised with constant 60 FPS (that's how it looks like, since there is no direct FPS counter, and I wasn't using FRAPS or any other FPS-showing software).

Minor problems:
- IMHO, space key should close all open windows, such as statistics, inventory, et cetera. It's just very convenient way of doing this, so that you don't have to close each individual window with different keys.

- the in-game log should not prevent you from scrolling the map. Right now, if you move your mouse to the egde of the screen where the log is, the map will not scroll. I think the best solution is to block scrolling while log is open, and unblock it when the log is closed. Also it'd be very convenient if the log would display the last message, even when closed. I want to see if'd hit this monster, but I don't want to see all the messages.

- quest with shooting range is a little bit confusing. You have to shoot ten shots at one session, and you have limited ammo. I actually did the shots before I initiated the right dialog option with Gorsky, so my quest didn't advance, and I actually run of of ammo, trying to complete it. I had to buy some, and try it again, to make it work.

That's all for now, I will definitely do more extensive testing (I only got to the caves yet) tonight.

Looking great though!

neonesis

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Re: First impressions, suggestions.
« Reply #1 on: August 24, 2012, 03:58:54 pm »
Couple more things after 3 hours playing:

- Near-character transparency and attack-mode outline - BIG THINGS. Right now, if creature dies behind a wall, you have no way to check if it left any remains, or to pick them up. Right now, if a creature is behind a wall, you have no option to attack it (while sneaking, for example). These things need to be changed - I found it very annoying, having clear shot while sneaking, but being unable to do so.

- Quest with picking up package from barracks - I spent tons of time, looking for "barracks" in all levels of the SGS, and failed. I found it accidentally, while going to GMS compound. So, either specify where the barracks are during dialog, or change the level description to "Underrail Exit & SGS Barracks".

- Ventilation shafts are inconsistent - I have found a crowbar during the mission in caves, but none of the ventilation shafts was openable/usable. The first ones that were, I found at GMS compound.
If this is intentional, at least give player some explanation for it, for example by throwing some text like "This ventilation shaft looks like it has been reinforced to prevent it from opening."

- For some reason, I find trading interface and mechanics clunky. Maybe adding a some kind inidicator, how much value in money you have to offer to trader to make the deal would work.

And that's about it :>

Kibbles

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Re: First impressions, suggestions.
« Reply #2 on: August 24, 2012, 04:11:10 pm »
Quote
Right now, if creature dies behind a wall, you have no way to check if it left any remains

You can actually hold down Tab to highlight all interactable items in the area. This lets you loot things that are blocked by walls. I agree though, it needs to be made a bit more straightforward.

neonesis

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Re: First impressions, suggestions.
« Reply #3 on: August 24, 2012, 04:24:58 pm »
Quote
Right now, if creature dies behind a wall, you have no way to check if it left any remains

You can actually hold down Tab to highlight all interactable items in the area. This lets you loot things that are blocked by walls. I agree though, it needs to be made a bit more straightforward.
Oh. Didn't know that... This is alpha, I'm sure this will be told better to the player when a proper tutorial is introduced :>
 
Also, does is allow to attack creatures behind walls? If so, great, but then, when I'm sneaking and have clear shot, it requires me to:

1. Press F, to get to abilities.
2. Choose aimed shot/normal attack/any other one
3. Press TAB.
4. Click at the creature.

All this while the creature is moving, and can detect me. Tedious at times.

ilcattivo13

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Re: First impressions, suggestions.
« Reply #4 on: August 26, 2012, 02:59:02 pm »

1. Press F, to get to abilities.
2. Choose aimed shot/normal attack/any other one
3. Press TAB.
4. Click at the creature.

All this while the creature is moving, and can detect me. Tedious at times.

add "0. Press ENTER to start the fight" ;)

For me, there are couple main areas to improve.

1. Inventory. There has to be a sorting option, which will sort items by group in "Show All" wiew. Besides, if things don't have weight, why some of them (most of the components has this problem) are not merged under one icon with number like, for example, Health hypos. Also there is no option to show only ammo. Another thing - money. I assume, there will be other currencies, but why single stock of it is limited to 999? Maybe removing money from inventory and treating them as kind of stats will help.
2. Wall transparency. TAB-ing in not enough.
3. Story. 15 quests in demo, and only one of them suggests, that there is other "behave option" for player. There are no conflicts between inhabitants of the SGS. If entire game will be like this, then it will be dull like hell.
4. Using player menus should pause the game.
5. Just like neonesis, I hope, that ventilation shafts and doors in SGS, which now are impossible to open, will have proper explanation.
6. Trading - again I agree with noenesis.

But my overall rate for "Underrail" demo is 8/10. Engine is stable (if Fallout 1 or 2 has such stable engine...) and graphics - comparing with other indie cRPGs - is ok. Crafting is great thing and figting is well done. For now, I'm much more excited with "Underrail", than "Age of Decadence". Good work, devs  :)

nockeer

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Re: First impressions, suggestions.
« Reply #5 on: August 26, 2012, 06:36:07 pm »
About inventory - it should be one more position - 'Quest items'. And mayby another one - 'Keys' or one item, something like 'Keyring'.

neonesis

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Re: First impressions, suggestions.
« Reply #6 on: August 26, 2012, 08:44:35 pm »
About inventory - it should be one more position - 'Quest items'. And mayby another one - 'Keys' or one item, something like 'Keyring'.
Keys are often quest items ;) But I think keyring is a good mechanics, there is no need to clutter the inventory with yet more items, especially when they are applied automatically to given door when you try to open it.

anton

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Re: First impressions, suggestions.
« Reply #7 on: August 27, 2012, 01:44:08 pm »
[Игра просто супер! 1 час игры и я на крючке :) оторваться немог и застрял на квесте с переправай через воду что там делать непойму  >:( потомучто незнаю осбо английский язык :( но играть я неперистал в нее после и 2ух часов пока вот незастрял на этом и еще пару квестов.БОЛЬШАЯ ПРОСЬБА ПРОШУ КАК МОЖНО РАНЬШЕ РУССИФИЦИРОВАТЬ ИГРУ ИГРОКОВ ВОЗРАСТЕТ В 100 ТЫСЯЧ МНЕ ТАК КАЖЕТЬСЯ :) ПОТОМУЧТО ИГРА ПРОСТО УЛЕТ МНЕ 28 ЛЕТ а я засел играть и забыл про время.И еще насчет крафта непонятно ничего некрафтитсья, хотя в интерфейсе есть эта функция или может я недопонимаю как?  А в целом еще раз разработчикам спасибо за такую идею! :)

neonesis

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Re: First impressions, suggestions.
« Reply #8 on: August 27, 2012, 01:55:38 pm »
words of appreciation
You might want to use at least google translate to write your posts in English - I doubt there are many people here that understand Russian :/

Translation (Google):
Quote
The game is great! 1:00 game and I can `t come off the hook and got stuck on a quest through the water perepravay there nepoymu do not know because that osbo English but I neperistal play it after and then 2 hours until nezastryal here on this and a couple kvestov.BOLShAYa PLEASE ASK AS POSSIBLE russifitsirovat game players will increase 100 thousand I think so because that game is just flying off mE 28 YEARS and I sat down to play and forgot about time. more about crafting anything nekraftitsya unclear, although the interface is the function or maybe I misunderstood what? But in general, once again thanks to the developers for this idea!

a1s

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Re: First impressions, suggestions.
« Reply #9 on: August 27, 2012, 09:17:17 pm »
[Игра просто супер! 1 час игры и я на крючке :) оторваться немог и застрял на квесте с переправай через воду что там делать непойму  >:( потомучто незнаю осбо английский язык :( но играть я неперистал в нее после и 2ух часов пока вот незастрял на этом и еще пару квестов.БОЛЬШАЯ ПРОСЬБА ПРОШУ КАК МОЖНО РАНЬШЕ РУССИФИЦИРОВАТЬ ИГРУ ИГРОКОВ ВОЗРАСТЕТ В 100 ТЫСЯЧ МНЕ ТАК КАЖЕТЬСЯ :) ПОТОМУЧТО ИГРА ПРОСТО УЛЕТ МНЕ 28 ЛЕТ а я засел играть и забыл про время.И еще насчет крафта непонятно ничего некрафтитсья, хотя в интерфейсе есть эта функция или может я недопонимаю как?  А в целом еще раз разработчикам спасибо за такую идею! :)
Translation, actual:

This game is great! I got hooked after the first hour :)  Wild horses couldn't tear me away from this game, however I got stuck at the river crossing, and can't figure out what to do there >:( That's because I don't really know any English :( I haven't stopped playing though, but after 2 more hours I'm stuck on this and a couple more quests. <allcaps> I'd really like to ask you to translate this game into Russian as soon as possible, because you will get 100 thousand times more players, I think :) because this game rocks hard, I'm 28 [translator's note: Wtf, really? He has a middle-schoolers sense of grammar] and this game made me forget about time completely </allcaps> One more thing, I can't understand crafting- noting gets crafted even though the interface has this functionality. Maybe I'm missing how to do it? All in all I'd like to thank the developers again for this great idea! :)

Для того чтобы крафтить, нужны чертежи (blueprint), они выглядят как флэшка. И нужен достаточный уровень навыков (я думаю ты и сам догодался).
Я не знаю что ты имеешь ввиду под переправой, но в первом квесте нужно взять у мехника хреньку, и ей починить генератор, и включить подстанции (склады) в пещерах. Во втором поймать 3 серых животных (тоже в пещерах) которые не кусаются (Hopper). в третьем нужно пройти по верхнему уровню (там где рельсы) и пасть в соседнюю базу, где надо найти ключ-карту от сейфа.
И, да, используй гугл-транслейт. (http://translate.google.com/)

Styg

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Re: First impressions, suggestions.
« Reply #10 on: August 29, 2012, 10:50:25 am »
Hehe, somehow I doubt I'd get THAT many more player. :)

I currently have no plans of localizing the game, especially not in Cyrillic script.

Btw, thanks for the translation. ;)

screeg

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Re: First impressions, suggestions.
« Reply #11 on: September 05, 2012, 01:47:20 am »
- Quest with picking up package from barracks - I spent tons of time, looking for "barracks" in all levels of the SGS, and failed. I found it accidentally, while going to GMS compound. So, either specify where the barracks are during dialog, or change the level description to "Underrail Exit & SGS Barracks".
I found the barracks all right, because I remembered there being a mysterious footlocker I couldn't open.  But where/what is the GMS compound?  Is that acronym supposed to mean something to me?  Is it beyond the bandits in some area I haven't found yet?  There's only two or three maps after that and I had already cleared them.  Can't find anything else except the SMS guarded passage...

Hety

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Re: First impressions, suggestions.
« Reply #12 on: September 06, 2012, 04:38:53 am »
Styg,

if you will add localization options(font support, externalized strings) i'll be able to translate the demo in a few weeks time.

Excluding Russians from player base - not a good idea in general due to several facts:
1. http://www.techdirt.com/articles/20111023/22062816484/just-as-valve-shows-that-you-can-compete-with-piracy-russia-russia-starts-cracking-down-piracy.shtml
As Valve's experience shows us - you can make money here :)
2. Fallout fans are everywhere here. Especially those relatively old guys (like myself) who wont hesitate to throw in a few bucks for such a beauty.

So please, please add options for localization before its too late. Gettext is king of multilingual programs, but any other way is ok too.

screeg

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Re: First impressions, suggestions.
« Reply #13 on: September 06, 2012, 12:18:27 pm »
- the in-game log should not prevent you from scrolling the map. Right now, if you move your mouse to the egde of the screen where the log is, the map will not scroll. I think the best solution is to block scrolling while log is open, and unblock it when the log is closed.
Uh, no way, thanks.  I'm also irritated by the map not scrolling on the bottom left, but I play with the log open all the time.  The first part of your point works fine.