GearHead2 v0.628, One last release before the storm...

[Joseph Hewitt]

I just uploaded GH2 v0.628 to SourceForge. I haven't started on the major rebalancing things yet, but wanted to release one more time first. This version fixes some minor bugs, adds shadows to the 2D display, and features the first special ending: Peace and Love. So far, this ending is only accessible if your core story enemy is one of the pirate factions and you personally belong to one of the Spinner military, political, or police factions.

Try it out, let me know what you think. Next update should be in about a month.

[Daemonward]

This version fixes some minor bugs

Looking at the image archive, the male media sprite is still wearing a sailor fuku.

I'll compile it and see how it goes.

[Joseph Hewitt]

Oops. It's been a busy week...

[wipmeeniebom]

Shadows are sweet. I've always had trouble when flying and non flying mechs are mixing up. With shadows, its easier to tell if a mech is simply flying instead of behind one.

[Frumple]

Neat little sorta' bug for future consideration; apparently non-players (a robot, ferex) can make attacks, via tactics mode, without triggering the firing weapons warning inside friendly areas. Just had my robot buddy knock down two doors (+3 10 kg mecha parts!) without anyone raising the least bit of fuss.

So totally going to have fun with this ^^ No door shall resist the Rangspider's wrath!

[Joseph Hewitt]

I've made a note of the problem and will fix it soon.

I've started work on the big changes. Refactoring the core story was surprisingly easy- either that or after refactoring it so many times in the past year I've just gotten really good at it. There are a few things which will need lots of playtesting to get right, though- two of the new plot states involve an enemy faction working in secret. There are probably loads of subplots which will completely ignore the fact that the faction's identity is supposed to be secret. These have to be manually excluded from selection during those plot states.

The next task is to do the things which need to be done with the game world itself, notably limiting the number of mission-givers per faction per city, adding some expert lancemates and some guaranteed high-end stores. I'll probably also add some more cities. Now that the city types are kinda differentiated I may storm ahead and add all of the planned locations in one go, then go back and add specific content for each city later. I should also make sure that each playable faction gets a recruiter and a base.

Once those two things are done I start on the combat rebalancing.

[Joseph Hewitt]

Today I started processing the ATLAS file to add and mark all of the guaranteed mission givers. I got as far as Tohru Spinner when I realized that it'd probably be better to mark the characters who aren't mission-givers. So, tomorrow, that's what I'm going to do... at least my work placing the NPCs won't go to waste. I also fixed some faction problems: for example, in one spinner your character could start as a member of Hoeller Industries but the only local corp was MUGL Enterprises.

[Daemonward]

There is a small dialogue "bug" in the Leadership series after you enter the VIP room. The manager always says that the villain wants us to buy all of "his" stock, even when the villain is female.

[Daemonward]

Another bug: When you hear the rumor that person X is hiring henchmen for the villain, and then person X tells you that person Y got the last available position, there is no message added to your list of memos or rumors regarding person Y.

[Daemonward]

Two more bugs:

-In the leadership series, if the philanthropist sends you after mecha thieves, the mission isn't added to your memos and when you defeat them, there is no memo saying you should contact the philanthropist. I'm not sure why this isn't working. Could there be problem with deeply nested subplots (e.g. QUEST_LeadershipSeries>QUEST_FindMoney>QUEST_MinorMission)?

-On a bounty mission, I couldn't convince my quarry to surrender, killed his guards, gave him "one last chance to surrender" and he accepted. Then a message box popped up saying "***NOT DEFINED*** surrenders". Looking at MEGA_BountyHunt.txt, it looks like line 154 is using %name6% where it should be using %name1%.

[Daemonward]

I paid a mechanic to tell me the location of my enemy's lancemates mecha. He said that they are located in Door. There was also a warning message:

WARNING:Script value 128. in -5/17/0
CONTEXT: It's been a pleasure doing business with you.

[Joseph Hewitt]

Oops. Thanks for reporting all the bugs... I'll get started on fixing them after exams are over.

[Hakazaba]

Is this game still being worked on?

Damn... Those are some long exams

[Joseph Hewitt]

The game is undergoing major revisions. A new release will be made sometime this year.