GearHead2 v0.510

[Joseph Hewitt]

I've just uploaded GH2 v0.510 to SourceForge. The big news this time around is the addition of the first four elements of the BeanPole campaign. Every character should now be able to complete at least four episodes of the core story without encountering a dead end, although I'm sure that there are still some problems to be worked out.

Here's the complete list of changes:

    * [More...] Added Atgeir, Harkney, Ice Wind mecha
    * First four episodes of the BeanPole campaign
    * Reduced cost of High Output engines (ghsupport.pp)
    * Fixed "frozen enemies" tactics bug (arenaplay.pp)
    * Added High Performance engines (ghsupport.pp)
    * Gears may now explode upon destruction (effects.pp)
    * Added \SECRET message formatting command (arenascript.pp)
    * Added Secret gears (gears.pp)
    * Increased the number of plot elements to 30 (narration.pp)
    * Added error for attempting to grab nonexistant elements (playwright.pp)
    * Metascenes also get PlotStatus-keyed rumors (interact.pp,mpbuilder.pp)
    * Pilots of mecha get assigned a UID (locale.pp)
    * Added LTrigger ASL command (arenascript.pp)
    * Changed the way megaplots incorporate subplot scripts (mpbuilder.pp)
    * ?Mx and ?Px changed to ?Mecha and ?Pilot (arenascript.pp)
    * Changed Monologue to GMonologue (arenascript.pp)

High performance engines are designed to provide maximum instantaneous power to the mecha's body. This improved performance comes at the cost of safety, as engines of this type are prone to going nova if handled roughly. In addition, since most of the energy produced is being directly channeled into the limbs, a mecha with a high performance engine cannot use beam weapons as effectively as others. In game terms the following rules apply:

1. A mecha with a high performance engine gets a +1 bonus to MV and TR.
2. The engine provides only 1/4 the energy pool of a regular engine.
3. If the engine is destroyed, the mecha explodes in a beautiful fireball.

Currently, only the Atgeir and the Harkney have high performance engines. Oh, I just remembered one thing I forgot to mention- there's a very small chance (I think 1 in 100) that a regular mecha engine will explode when it's destroyed as well. Also there are some exploding monsters. Exploding chem drums are ready to go too but I don't think I added any yet.

Try it out and let me know what you think.

[Daemonward]

Does the +1 bonus from high performance engines increase the maximum possible limit à la biotech or is it equivalent to an upgraded gyro and tarcomp?

[Erathoniel]

Must get now.

Edit: Why am I a Vadel now?

Edit 2: Is there any way to make a minor explosion to strip DP off of mecha about 50% of the time on destruction? This not only provides a mite of explosion eye candy, but it also makes salvage more like salvaging and less like reusing.

[Joseph Hewitt]

Quoting: Daemonward

Does the +1 bonus from high performance engines increase the maximum possible limit à la biotech or is it equivalent to an upgraded gyro and tarcomp?

It's a regular bonus, so it doesn't increase the maximum score above +0.

Quoting: Erathoniel

Edit: Why am I a Vadel now?

Because all the cool kids are doing it. Also, because you posted one post past the Vadel threshold.

Quoting: Erathoniel

Is there any way to make a minor explosion to strip DP off of mecha about 50% of the time on destruction?

Not currently, since the smallest explosion will have a radius of 2. There is an issue that needs to be addressed- currently, it's possible (but not likely) that a mecha can be salvaged even if it blew up. Blowing up should prevent a mecha from being salvaged at all.

[Erathoniel]

Quoting: Joseph Hewitt

Because all the cool kids are doing it. Also, because you posted one post past the Vadel threshold.

Leet. Now I just need one in GH2.

Quoting: Joseph Hewitt

Not currently, since the smallest explosion will have a radius of 2. There is an issue that needs to be addressed- currently, it's possible (but not likely) that a mecha can be salvaged even if it blew up. Blowing up should prevent a mecha from being salvaged at all.

Ah. Yeah, that would be a problem. Could there be a burn flag applied? That would cause a similar effect to what I'm thinking, just apply it to the wreckage if possible. You could try making the wreckage like a chest, and if it takes a certain amount of damage, it can't be salvaged, and damage affects the items inside.

I'm also having problems with named characters (Inipmia sent you to Pirthe in the Adminitarium for a mission) called on a cell-phone being both unresponsive (no mission) and also disappearing after the call (do they just hate me that badly?).

[clasic_traveller_diehard]

I'm trying to compile this in Linux but I hit a snag. How do I compile Jedi-SDL for Linux?

[Joseph Hewitt]

All I know about that comes from Michalis:

http://michalis.ii.uni.wroc.pl/~michalis/gearhead_  unix/

Quoting: Erathoniel

I'm also having problems with named characters (Inipmia sent you to Pirthe in the Adminitarium for a mission) called on a cell-phone being both unresponsive (no mission) and also disappearing after the call (do they just hate me that badly?).

Does this happen as part of the core story> If so, press "!" to view the adventure structure, go down to "core story" and open that, and tell me the name of the episode inside.

[Onisuzume]

I think that the high preformance engines will provide some interresting mecha options.

Also, can they be combined with HighOutput engines? (don't remember if HighOutput is in GH2 though)
Because that would give some really interresting ideas for very experimental mecha.

[Erathoniel]

Here's what the core story says:

+Meet me Elsewhere
   >-5/2/0

That's it. It happened WAY early in. I don't think the Inipmia thing is the core story, just an ordinary plot destined to be stuck in my memos forever.

[clasic_traveller_diehard]

I got it compiled! I used a how to I found here to setup jedi-sdl in linux

[Joseph Hewitt]

Quoting: Onisuzume

Also, can they be combined with HighOutput engines?

Nope. An engine may only be of one type. You can get around the high performance energy penalty by installing batteries.

Quoting: Erathoniel

+Meet me Elsewhere

Ah. This is the component that's going to be removed, as it is annoying and also confusing.

What's the memo that's stuck?

Quoting: clasic_traveller_diehard

I got it compiled! I used a how to I found here to setup jedi-sdl in linux

Woo-hoo!

[Onisuzume]

Nope. An engine may only be of one type. You can get around the high performance energy penalty by installing batteries.

But wouldn't it be nice if experimental dual-type engines were possible?
That way we could have even bigger explosions more often.
And since I'm rather inexperienced at coding, I can't do it myself. >_>

[Burzmali]

Actually, a High output engine just generates more energy than other engines of the same class.

High performance engines, reduce the energy and increase maneuverability.

Can't you just increase the engine level to get roughly the same effect as a combination of both, or just add 0 mass batteries to a High performance engine?

In reality, you are asking for a fuel efficient muscle car, which is a contradiction as the design principles of an efficiency and strength contradict each other.

[Erathoniel]

Quoting: Joseph Hewitt

What's the memo that's stuck?

Ipinmia told you to meet X elsewhere.

[Onisuzume]

One bug I noticed was that I was told to meet/challenge someone at the First Green Center in Tohru Spinner. But all I get when trying to enter the place is "There's nothing interresting in here."
Granted, I didn't head over right away, but still...

Can't you just increase the engine level to get roughly the same effect as a combination of both, or just add 0 mass batteries to a High performance engine?

It isn't the same...
Besides; it should be dangerous to use an engine that powerful.