a19 blows - bring back the auger

[moses221]

2 hours ago, Roland said:

As far as I'm concerned this is an indication of the lie and duplicity of your entire post. ANYONE who read your original post referring to Joel as "a house flipper" grokked that you meant it in a derogatory way. There is no chance your full intent was lost through text. You clearly were saying that game design was out of Joel's element because he was a house flipper and not a real game developer. Trying to back pedal now and say that in that context you meant it as a sign of respect is an insult to the intelligence of everyone who is reading this thread. The same is true of your use of the comment section of the kickstarter page. There are not thousands demanding refunds. There ARE thousands wondering what's going on and most comments are from 4 or more years ago. Several said they have reported TFP to Kickstarter for fraud and invoked their right to a refund of their pledge and guess why nothing has ever come of it? Because those people are wrong and so are you. TFP can easily show that they have been in constant development. There has never been a period of time where someone can point to abandonment of the game or an intent to not finish. If some of those people did open a law suit against TFP for fraud they would lose big. 

 

Many of those comments were from when the console edition came out and they were upset about that. It's fine that they were upset that a finished console version was released before they got a finished PC version from their pledge but there is no violation of the kickstarter agreement that was made. TFP didn't even cease development on the PC version while the console port was being made because they partnered with Telltale who took care of that side of things. Then there are a whole bunch of posts of people who are just clearly ignorant that they could have been playing the game all along. They seem to not understand that their pledge gave them a key that allowed them to play the game while waiting for the final version and they seem to be sitting around just waiting for their key to arrive for the final version. I can attest that all keys were sent out back in 2013 to enable anyone who pledged access to the game. Furthermore, a follow-up email went out once the game went to Steam with instructions for converting their kickstarter key into a Steam key. I personally help 1-2 people per week still today in converting their old keys into a Steam key so they can play the game. Many of them admit remembering having received that email 7 years ago but not doing anything about it until now and are worried because they no longer have those emails. But they all get their keys because they are in our system and as soon as I do a search and confirm their identity, they get the key they were promised which they could have had these past 7 years if they had done something about it. What's more, I have never gotten a reply from someone I helped get their promised key that was not congratulator and happy with the obvious progress the game has made since they pledged. It is obvious to anyone who backed this game and has followed development that the game has made great progress, is a labor of love,  will not be abandoned, and exceeds the original expectations in every possible way.

 

 

How dare you bring data into an emotional argument?  Although technically, you did not present data with which we could run a statistical analysis.  It's anecdotal evidence.

 

Sarcasm aside, time for full disclosure: I have not played since Alpha 16.  I played around in A17, then life got busy and when I had time to game, I went back to Civ IV (still love that game.  Fall from Heaven and Fall Further are my go to mods, for those interested).  I tried A18, but my computer is wonky.  I did not have enough disposable income to remedy that until recently and built my own and I can say I look very forward to playing again.  I imagine I will play the first couple hours in cheat mode, hovering in the air and checking out the new menus and skill systems, etc.

 

I have also not been on the boards much because I was tired of seeing the same old complaints repeated by the same people constantly.  This is not directed at anyone in this particular thread because I have not seen a lot of posts from users here.  Like, I get that a person lamenting that Learning By Doing got excised from the game, but citing it once is a critique.   Repeating it over and over again when we have all been informed that is not coming back is no longer a critique; it's whining.  

 

@alphaomega I get the sense from your posts in this thread that you aren't liking the way the game is going; however, your analogy is flawed within its own parameters.  Inferring your preferences from the game from your post, a far more accurate analogy would be:

 

year 1 Bowie makes a barebones album with some vocals and a guitar track

year 3-4 Bowie makes the best rock album of all time (for the record, the best rock album of all time is The Rolling Stones Exile on Main street)

year 5 Bowie removes the drumtrack and tinkers with the bassline

Every year after that, Bowie removes things and now its dubstep

 

In fact, a more apt analogy would be Star Wars Episode IV.  Loved the movie, but then Lucas had to keep tinkering until we got that godawful CGI Jabba the Hut crap.  I'll still watch because lightsabers, dudes/dudettes

 

I understand the changes aren't for everyone.  I get that you can go back and play earlier versions that are your preference.  Just please don't make-up data and statistics without sourcing the material in the form of links to the data.

 

One criticism that I will never understand is why so many users are in a hurry for the game to go Gold.  I like getting new updates of the game with some regularity and it having a new feel.  I am in no hurry for Gold.

[Roland]

3 minutes ago, moses221 said:

One criticism that I will never understand is why so many users are in a hurry for the game to go Gold.  I like getting new updates of the game with some regularity and it having a new feel.  I am in no hurry for Gold.

With absolutely no references or sources in the form of links to the data to back up my following statement....

 

Most people feel like you do and the very few people who complain now about the long development cycle will also be the most vocal complainers about lack of updates once the game is finished. I would complain about the long development cycle myself if the developers weren't so obviously and continuously involved and working. The game is busily being developed. It is not languishing as abandoned vaporware and no word from the developers about current projects towards getting it done. IMO, complaining about the ongoing updates and work as if the game has been abandoned and the developers have run off with everyone's money is just a ridiculous stance to take. It's almost as ridiculous as trying to paint the game that will be releasing to Gold in the future is anything close to what would have released back in May 2014...

[JaxTeller718]

6 hours ago, Roland said:

This is key. @AlphaOmega feels that the quality of gameplay and his experience with the game has not been worth the $35 that the pledge cost. Nobody can dispute his own personal experience. However, it is clear from the success and constant upward growth of player base over the last 7 years that @AlphaOmega is really unique in his assessment of the value we have gotten for the money we paid. By far, most people feel they have gotten their money's worth in terms of gameplay and entertainment and the past seven years have not been an odious horrible return on their purchase.

 

 

Wait. Does this mean I can demand my money back from Showtime for subscribing to Dexter? They owe me for that damn finale

[Roland]

9 minutes ago, JaxTeller718 said:

Wait. Does this mean I can demand my money back from Showtime for subscribing to Dexter? They owe me for that damn finale

Only if you also threaten to open a class action lawsuit. That’s the current meta. 

[Kandrathe]

On 10/21/2020 at 2:23 PM, solarplexus said:

There is an old salesman adage: you cant take a feature back once you give it a customer.

 

1. bring back the auger as a craftable item. I have 50steel tool parts and 100 motor tool parts (or the opposite, can't remember) ... but cant craft a chainsaw or auger.

2. stop having birds slow/stop a motorcycle: really?

3. consider improving stamina loss/regen.

 

That's your answer to make the game more challenging? you turned the game on its ear and ruined it. I get there are people out there who love ridiculous challenges, but not me. The base game is simply too hard now. Believe it or not, there are a lot of players who like to take it slower.

 

1. no auger, check ... np ... will mine

2. lose stamina doing everything especially mining, uhh monkey turds, check

3. can't mine fast enough, so can't build ... (collar checking nervous) check

4. get motor cycle built , check

4. blood moon birds stop you on motor cycle no matter what: *sigh* and the monsters run almost as fast a motorcycle: or respawn close to the motorcycle: not sure, don't care.

 

... if there was at least an auger recipe, or trader joe/josephine sold an auger: no sign after 30 days contrary to release note about augers:

• Auger no longer has a low priority to be for sale at traders

(not sure what that even means)

 

30 hours wasted.

 

dumping game and waiting for a better patch.

 

A19 is my first experience.  I feel the game will be a major blockbuster success.  The developers are making choices about what is fun and have to edit out the less fun stuff that takes up space and computer CPU cycles. 

 

It seems to me the game can be made to be very difficult, but you can easily modify that in settings, or with a little knowledge in tweaking the XML files.  For example, my wife enjoys hunting, but the frequency of game seemed low in the forest biome, and too high in the snow biome.  We were also under constant harassment by leg breaking vultures in the wastelands and desert biomes.  I did a bit of research on how it all works and tuned the game to our liking.   We have one low key game map with no blood moon for more creative play, and one with 7 day moon cycle which is more difficult with more amped up settings for the blood rush. 

 

Hmmm, augers... that's yer breaking point... well. here's my miners motto...

 

"This is my auger. There are many like it, but this one is mine.  My auger is my best friend. It is my life. I must master it as I must master my life.  Without me, my auger is useless. Without my auger, I am useless. I must use my auger true. I must dig straighter than the zombies who are trying to kill me. I must out dig them before they find me. I will ..."

 

[Kandrathe]

4 hours ago, Kandrathe said:

well. here's my miners motto...

 

 

Full text for serious miners...

 

"This is my auger. There are many like it, but this one is mine. My auger is my best friend. It is my life. I must master it as I must master my life.

 

Without me, my auger is useless. Without my auger, I am useless. I must use my auger true. I must dig straighter and faster than the zombies who are trying to kill me. I must out dig them before they find me. I will ...

 

My auger and I know that what counts in life is not the gas we burn, the noise of our drilling, nor the exhaust we make. We know that it is the ore that counts. We will dig ...

 

My auger is alive, even as I, because it is my life. Thus, I will learn it as a brother. I will learn its weaknesses, its strength, its parts, its accessories, its modifications and its fuel efficiency. I will keep my auger repaired and ready, even as I am prepared and ready. We will become part of each other. We will ...

 

Before God, I swear this creed. My auger and I are the defenders of my mine. We are the masters of the earth. We are the saviors of my life. So be it, until victory is mine and there are no more zombies, but only everlasting peace!"

[Solomon]

On 11/13/2020 at 9:51 AM, Kandrathe said:

I feel the game will be a major blockbuster success.

Considering the steamcharts data i dont think this game is close to reach any kind of "BIG" success. It works and gets people, the chart is rising slowly but its nothing compared to stuff like Among us what managed gain more than 200K players this year while being 2 year old or Apex legend what got released on steam and instantly gained 100K players. 

[Roland]

6 hours ago, Solomon said:

its nothing compared to stuff like Among us what managed gain more than 200K players this year while being 2 year old

Who could've predicted the impact that distance learning on zoom for public schools would catapult Among Us into the stratosphere. It is currently the number one activity to be doing while "attending" your zoom class, just saying....

 

 

[jeromeN7]

The fact that birds can slow/stop vehicles is outrageous. Instead of actually doing something that makes sense and will prevent people from driving vehicles during the blood moon, they just take the lazy rout. Instead of adding a parachute they just added candy that disables fall damage, kind of lazy.

 

If people like cheesing the game let them have fun. Everytime a developer adds excessive anti cheese features they are ruining many peoples fun. And if they're gonna add anti cheese it shouldn't be done in such a lazy way like; birds slowing down your motorcycle or a candy that disables fall damage instead of parachutes. People will always find a way to cheese the game, if it's what they like doing.

 

I too think the stamina has been annoying for a while now.

[Solomon]

9 hours ago, Roland said:

Who could've predicted the impact that distance learning on zoom for public schools would catapult Among Us into the stratosphere. It is currently the number one activity to be doing while "attending" your zoom class, just saying....

 

 

Im honestly suprised just how popular that game got, most games will be happy to gain 20K players with a big patch and this game got 200K.

[meganoth]

7 hours ago, jeromeN7 said:

The fact that birds can slow/stop vehicles is outrageous. Instead of actually doing something that makes sense and will prevent people from driving vehicles during the blood moon, they just take the lazy rout. Instead of adding a parachute they just added candy that disables fall damage, kind of lazy.

 

If people like cheesing the game let them have fun. Everytime a developer adds excessive anti cheese features they are ruining many peoples fun. And if they're gonna add anti cheese it shouldn't be done in such a lazy way like; birds slowing down your motorcycle or a candy that disables fall damage instead of parachutes. People will always find a way to cheese the game, if it's what they like doing.

 

I too think the stamina has been annoying for a while now.

Small indie developers have to cut corners sometime.

I'm ok with the birds generally, but a possible improvement might be that birds just throw off drivers from the vehicle (works very well for all vehicles except 4x4).

 

[GreenGril76]

On 10/21/2020 at 3:23 PM, solarplexus said:

There is an old salesman adage: you cant take a feature back once you give it a customer.

 

1. bring back the auger as a craftable item. I have 50steel tool parts and 100 motor tool parts (or the opposite, can't remember) ... but cant craft a chainsaw or auger.

2. stop having birds slow/stop a motorcycle: really?

3. consider improving stamina loss/regen.

 

That's your answer to make the game more challenging? you turned the game on its ear and ruined it. I get there are people out there who love ridiculous challenges, but not me. The base game is simply too hard now. Believe it or not, there are a lot of players who like to take it slower.

 

1. no auger, check ... np ... will mine

2. lose stamina doing everything especially mining, uhh monkey turds, check

3. can't mine fast enough, so can't build ... (collar checking nervous) check

4. get motor cycle built , check

4. blood moon birds stop you on motor cycle no matter what: *sigh* and the monsters run almost as fast a motorcycle: or respawn close to the motorcycle: not sure, don't care.

 

... if there was at least an auger recipe, or trader joe/josephine sold an auger: no sign after 30 days contrary to release note about augers:

• Auger no longer has a low priority to be for sale at traders

(not sure what that even means)

 

30 hours wasted.

 

dumping game and waiting for a better patch.

 

Anything outside the perks, is either in a book or a blueprint. In the world that I share with my sister, I was able to purchase a g3 augur and a tank mod before the second blood moon.

Deserts, ugh. Those damn vultures either concus my head or break my leg. I can see getting chased down by cougars, wolves, or cyoats. But not vultures.

Perks! Whether it's a sexy t-rex that swears by cardio workouts, or a STRONG miner who swings a pick while punching bears, - tools and weapons are governed by their own perks and your physical traits. Cooked food and certain drinks, will give you a stamina regen buff or one of many others.

As for a base, you're better off starting with an existing POI. Gather wood, stone, and clay. Upgrade the outside walls to cobblestone ( I like two or three blocks high ). You can get this done within the first day or two. 
In a random map that I'm soloing, I was able to slap cement onto a fire station and place spike traps around it, all before my first blood moon. You can gain points for INT 3 and two levels of "advanced engineering" rather quickly.

If you wish, you can build a "floating base" ( go to 7:40 ) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-T6S0oZFI8c

Good luck!

[Aldranon]

About Mods and cash flow:

-Small game companies have to be very careful with their money.

-Dev created mods are a great way to keep up cash flow while they make new games. 

-"Paradox Interactive" is a perfect example of a (once small) game company's success through Mod deployment.

-Player made mods give a cash multiplier on each game for the devs (and sometimes the modders). Case in point: "The Old World Blues" (Fallout) Mod for "Hearts of Iron 4", is maybe the best strategy game ever made!

 

To the OP: Your complaint shows that a better tutorial might be needed.

 

 

[NukemDed]

On 11/16/2020 at 1:39 AM, meganoth said:

Small indie developers have to cut corners sometime.

I'm ok with the birds generally, but a possible improvement might be that birds just throw off drivers from the vehicle (works very well for all vehicles except 4x4).

 

blood from birds splatters over windscreen so you cant see where you are going?

that would make it interestng...

[Candy Sanchez]

I guess, if you are having trouble getting stone to build with I would suggest hitting up POIs and look for the blue containers.

[Xtrakicking]

On 11/6/2020 at 1:01 AM, JaxTeller718 said:

Wait. Does this mean I can demand my money back from Showtime for subscribing to Dexter? They owe me for that damn finale

Haven't you heard the news? They're bringing back the show next year.

 

Not joking, btw. Lol.