GearHead2 v0.310

[Joseph Hewitt]

I've just uploaded GH2v0.310 to http://gearhead.roguelikedevelopment.org

The big change this time around is the mecha customization unit. There are also a number of new quests, and I've activated quests for each of the three spinners. Cayley Rock, alas, does not have a quest yet.

Here's the list of changes:
- Many new item images from Francisco Munoz and Phil Munoz

- The Silver Fortress in Cesena Spinner has been greatly expanded; it now has a number of features which are for Silver Knights only and also something for ambitious thieves to steal.

- Element name substitution string for random scene content (randmaps.pp)

- Fixed some problems with NoGo map features (locale.pp)

- Bug with cyberdisfunction "Anger" fixed (arenacfe.pp)

- Persona fragment context includes NPC's mecha theme (playwright.pp)

- May use backspace, enter as esc,space in ASCII mode (vidgfx.pp)

- Store, interact areas larger in ASCII mode (vidgfx.pp)

- RanCon prefab elements and personas inherit QuestID from scene (randmaps.pp)

- May add nonrepeating Variety of random scene content to map feature (randmaps.pp)

- Skill advance cost raises sharply after rank 15 (ghchars.pp)

- NoRescue is now a Special tag, not a Type tag (arenaplay.pp)

- Fixed some more quest generator bugs (navigate.pp)

- Added HardSkillTar, GOpenInv ASL commands (arenascript.pp)
  HardSkillTar is like SkillTar but harder.
  GOpenInv allows the PC to trade items with the grabbed gear. I'm going to use this command to replace the current metaterrain containers.

- Added Cellbox map generator (randmaps.pp)
  It's a big empty room, but every 5x5 area is a cell that can be filled with random content.

- Shopkeepers who know Mecha Engineering may sell custom mecha (services.pp)
  There's one example so far, and he's part of a quest.

- Combat NPCs assigned theme and specialty (gearparser.pp)

- Added integral intrinsic (ghintrinsic.pp)

- Added customization unit (customization.pp)

- Moved component selector routines to gearutil.pp (playwright.pp)

I think the next thing I should do is work on some of the UI improvements that have been suggested. The next big system to be added is the computer/software one.

[Sabin Stargem]

An question, if you would.  I am currently putting together an listing of suggestions concerning Gearhead (Interface for the most part) and I now have an screenshot with some text in it in order to hilight some problems best explained visually.  Is it okay to post images on the forum?

[Anticheese]

Yes it is, Feel free to post away.

Quoting: Joseph Hewitt

- Shopkeepers who know Mecha Engineering may sell custom mecha (services.pp)

Great! Can you give us an example of one?

Quoting: Joseph Hewitt

- Added customization unit (customization.pp)

How does this work?

[Joseph Hewitt]

Quoting: Anticheese

Great! Can you give us an example of one?

Currently there's only one shopkeeper who can provide customized mechs, and he has to be unlocked as part of a quest. Look around for a mechanic's shop with a basement.

How does this work?

It's basically the stuff that was described in this thread:
http://ghforum.chaosforge.org/index.php?action=vth read&forum=3&topic=48

NPC mecha pilots will be assigned a theme. When combat starts, their mecha will be customized according to that theme. "Grunt" NPCs don't get this customization.