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Shadowrun Returns |OT| Never, ever cut a deal with a dragon.

Yeah, I'm not sure how that'll go. I guess try it out for yourself and see how it is in actual gameplay, if that isn't ideal then email the developers. They have to keep the scope for these kind of features small due to the budget, and I imagine the vast majority of backers will be playing it on a monitor like the old-school RPGs were designed for.

I guess the difference from the old footage is one is 720p and the other is 1080p? Try out different resolutions when you install the game.

What a crock of shit this is turning out to be. Watch this be the case with Eternity, Wasteland and Torment as well. Might as well just burn my fucking money.
 

mclem

Member
Heck, Rhapsody was about 6 hours long, and it's fantastic.

...now I want Shadowrun: The Musical.

"I'm just a face; my intentions are good / Oh lord, please don't let me be misunderstood"

I wonder if we'll see 'ports' of classic missions, at least in so far as that's viable, or if that's mired in copyright issues. Admittedly, we are seeing the adaptation of the SNES version, which at least appears to be being tolerated by whoever owns the license.
 

mclem

Member
The only thing that bugs me about the Eurogamer review text is that the campaign apparently heavily rewards altruistic play; I tend not to play the good guy whenever given the choice and it would be unfortunate if being a selfish jerk is notably less rewarding.

I wonder if serious RPG players have a clear tendency one way or the other. I'm never quite comfortable with being the bad guy.

The reason I ask is from the POV of directing effort; with limited resources, which strategy benefits the most people; focusing a little more on the good guy, focussing a little more on the bad guy, or balancing both equally but making sacrifices elsewhere to accomodate that.
 
Oh great. The total biscuit review shows off the options menu, with no interface options of any kind. Great. Well that's a wasted 50 bucks.
 

Durante

Member
Which ends up making it quite plausible that the mobile (well, tablet) version really IS the better version to grab, in some ways anyway. Shouldn't be a problem to put that to sleep mid session, doubly so if my progress isn't dumped from multitasking, but doing the same on PC... It can be done, but I wouldn't be as comfortable with it.
Why, though? I've kept games running for days. As long as you have the memory (and this game doesn't seem too heavy on that).

Alt-tab out of the game? That's generally what I do with all of my games, I once left Skyrim minimised for three days without realising.
Yep. I've had Civilization and FTL running while playing Guild Wars 2.
(I realize that I am a silly person)
 

Raggie

Member
God bless shorter rpg's, fed up of rpg's needing to be 30-60 hours long with padding out the ass and a story that sucks because it's stretched so much. For that reason alone I am interested in this game.

I hope it's not a 5-hour game with 7 hours of padding...
 

mrpeabody

Member
If the editor doesn't let you script, and you can't even create new weapons and spells, I wouldn't hold out much hope for mods.
 

SparkTR

Member
I have no idea what to think if the game is 12-15 hours and battles can take 30 minutes.

None of the reviews mention the games length as being an issue. As it stands the games length is probably very variable considering how your skills affect how fast you complete battles (going into the matrix etc) or if you even have to battle at all. Basically after the Dishonored prerelease shit-show (people complaining the game was 7 hours long), I pay no attention to stuff like that.
 

Aeana

Member
Why, though? I've kept games running for days. As long as you have the memory (and this game doesn't seem too heavy on that).

Yep. I've had Civilization and FTL running while playing Guild Wars 2.
(I realize that I am a silly person)

I've had way too many games crash when trying to return to them after having remained alt-tabbed out for any decent period of time to be comfortable with that.
 
Max Payne 3 is the only game in recent memory that comes to mind that seems to have a 50/50 chance of crashing when I alt tab back into it.

Excited for this though, will be my first Shadowrun game. One thing I'm a bit confused about when people speak of the linearity. There appear to be alternate routes and the like but will dialogue options actually affect what happens next? I figured as much but then there are snippets of reviews suggesting that's not always the case.
 

Xater

Member
I have been looking into their forums and apparently the berlin campaign will be less linear. So yeah I guess we can see some cool stuff when it comes to user generated content. So the only ting that really bothers me is the save system. Maybe they will fix it down the line.
 

Durante

Member
I've had way too many games crash when trying to return to them after having remained alt-tabbed out for any decent period of time to be comfortable with that.
Those are badly written games then.

Though, considering the saving troubles, that's probably not a possibility which can be discounted for this game.
 

Toma

Let me show you through these halls, my friend, where treasures of indie gaming await...
I have been looking into their forums and apparently the berlin campaign will be less linear. So yeah I guess we can see some cool stuff when it comes to user generated content. So the only ting that really bothers me is the save system. Maybe they will fix it down the line.

Whats with the save system?
 

duckroll

Member
Whats with the save system?

There are no manual saves. The entire game runs on an autosave/checkpoint system. Apparently you can do a lot of customization and stuff, talk to people, prepare for missions, and if you want to save and exit after that, you can't manually do it and you could lose all that work if the checkpoint was before that.
 

Toma

Let me show you through these halls, my friend, where treasures of indie gaming await...
There are no manual saves. The entire game runs on an autosave/checkpoint system. Apparently you can do a lot of customization and stuff, talk to people, prepare for missions, and if you want to save and exit after that, you can't manually do it and you could lose all that work if the checkpoint was before that.

Ah that sucks. Any reason they would choose the save system that way so people would need to replay the game for different choices instead of loading savestates or something?
 

FGMPR

Banned
There are no manual saves. The entire game runs on an autosave/checkpoint system. Apparently you can do a lot of customization and stuff, talk to people, prepare for missions, and if you want to save and exit after that, you can't manually do it and you could lose all that work if the checkpoint was before that.

Does it at least tell you when it saves?
 

duckroll

Member
Ah that sucks. Any reason they would choose the save system that way so people would need to replay the game for different choices instead of loading savestates or something?

I don't think they chose it as a design decision. It's apparently a limitation of how they're coding the game or something. They've addressed it before and they don't seem to be able to change it. Maybe it'll be fixed in a patch if enough people buy the game? Lol. :(

Does it at least tell you when it saves?

No idea. The game hasn't unlocked for me yet. Just what I read about it.
 
EDIT: Though either way the engine (Moai) sounds like it's probably a dead end for cross platform development, as I recall they're content focusing only on improving it primarily for mobile, unlike something like Unity that sounds like it'll be a great, potent cross platform engine. That hopefully is friendly to manual saving given how many damn RPGs are being made on it.
Actually, they ditched Moai and switched to Unity during development, so it's not the engine that's holding them back. Probably mostly just that they're a mobile dev, doing things the way they're used to.
 

Fjordson

Member
The Totalbiscuit first impressions video has some neat stuff in there. Game looks great.

Only issue that I'm scratching on my head on, like everyone else, is the save system. Wish they had gone with manual saves (or at least closer checkpointing) but oh well.
 

mclem

Member
It's probably something along the lines of not wanting to code the infrastructure to be able to save/restore the state of the game environment on the fly; checkpointing allows them to always have a prescribed game state to load into so the only thing they need to store is the player and progression data.

I've worked on that sort of infrastructure, and to be fair, it can easily be a big, messy - and therefore expensive - job. That said, it's also something that's significantly harder to do if you've not planned around it from the very start of development, so I don't think you should expect it to be modded in either. But then, all of this is guesswork, and nothing is really impossible.

The more worrying thing is the fact that with well-placed checkpoints this shouldn't be *too* much of an issue, but the mention of having to repeat a bunch of busywork because the game didn't checkpoint after it is somewhat distressing, and suggests they may not have placed the checkpoints that well.

We'll see, anyhow, not long to go!
 

120v

Member
when i saw this up on steam i thought they were discounting the FPS from years ago and ignored it. glad i clicked on this thread... i somehow had no idea they were doing another isometric rpg
 

SteveWD40

Member
Curious to see how that save system will work on iPad, also will iPad users have access to user created content, if not the editor? if so, how?
 

DiscoJer

Member
Am I the only one irked that the game is apparently finished, with reviewers having it for enough time to write reviews (2 weeks?) while those of us that backed the KS have to wait until an arbitrary time? 10 am Pacific?
 

Blizzard

Banned
There are no manual saves. The entire game runs on an autosave/checkpoint system. Apparently you can do a lot of customization and stuff, talk to people, prepare for missions, and if you want to save and exit after that, you can't manually do it and you could lose all that work if the checkpoint was before that.

Does it at least tell you when it saves?

This is my main question since it doesn't really make sense to me. I feel like tons of games have checkpoints but will pop up a rotating icon, or a checkpoint reached icon, and may print a message when you start up saying HEY, DO NOT TURN OFF POWER WHEN THIS ICON SHOWS UP SINCE IT MEANS THE GAME IS SAVING.

If this game doesn't have any notification of when it saves, then how would you even know if it's safe to quit to the main menu? How could you ever know it was safe to exit the game? :p
 

SparkTR

Member
Curious to see how that save system will work on iPad, also will iPad users have access to user created content, if not the editor? if so, how?

It looks like the editor and fan-made content won't be compatible with the mobile versions, which is a massive omission. That version has also been delayed a few weeks so there's not much info on it, but the save system will most likely be identical to the PC one unless they update the PC version to have manual saves.
 

Xater

Member
Am I the only one irked that the game is apparently finished, with reviewers having it for enough time to write reviews (2 weeks?) while those of us that backed the KS have to wait until an arbitrary time? 10 am Pacific?

No you are not the only one. I get dates like this to build up marketing and give reviewers time, so that more people will buy it when it launches. The thing is we funded it and should be playing once it's done.
 

zkylon

zkylewd
the save thing is really troubling

I mean, if you want a checkpoint system at least add a "suspend" option so you respect my time if I gotta go do some shit and can't be bothered to leave the game running all day long :/
 

Riposte

Member
There are no manual saves. The entire game runs on an autosave/checkpoint system. Apparently you can do a lot of customization and stuff, talk to people, prepare for missions, and if you want to save and exit after that, you can't manually do it and you could lose all that work if the checkpoint was before that.

Sounds like they handled checkpoints terribly. Would still prefer checkpoints done right (e.g. the game knowing players don't ever want to repeat stuff like talking to NPCs), than manual saving. An exception to this is temp saves, which it sounds like this game is in dire need of.
 
So, I've got TWO copies of Shadowruns Returns to give away in this thread.

Here's how it works. Go do something nice for someone who needs it. It could be putting a $1.00 in the hands of a homeless person, or hugging someone you love who looks sad. Anything counts... and it doesn't have to cost a penny.

First two people who post something nice that they did since reading this, get the games. No catches... and we're just going on the honor system.

Ok... Go. :)
 

Kuro Madoushi

Unconfirmed Member
the save thing is really troubling

I mean, if you want a checkpoint system at least add a "suspend" option so you respect my time if I gotta go do some shit and can't be bothered to leave the game running all day long :/
Spend 1 hour adjusting your equipment, emergency pops up. No save point? Lulz

I'm starting to regret getting this game...
 
So, I've got TWO copies of Shadowruns Returns to give away in this thread.

Here's how it works. Go do something nice for someone who needs it. It could be putting a $1.00 in the hands of a homeless person, or hugging someone you love who looks sad. Anything counts... and it doesn't have to cost a penny.

First two people who post something nice that they did since reading this, get the games. No catches... and we're just going on the honor system.

Ok... Go. :)

I'm sitting here waiting for someone to help them prepare for a Core Bio exam, because our professor is awful, but still gives astoundingly difficult examines. Thankfully I took AP Bio so its easy for me and I can help my classmates. I guess I haven't done the good thing yet, but will in the next 5-10mins I don't know if that counts.
 

neonille

Member
So, I've got TWO copies of Shadowruns Returns to give away in this thread.

Here's how it works. Go do something nice for someone who needs it. It could be putting a $1.00 in the hands of a homeless person, or hugging someone you love who looks sad. Anything counts... and it doesn't have to cost a penny.

First two people who post something nice that they did since reading this, get the games. No catches... and we're just going on the honor system.

Ok... Go. :)

My neighbor wants me to play roleplaying games with him tonight, i don't really like, and im not into it that much, but he has no one else to play with so i'm seeing this as a sign,

im going over there tonight ;)
 

Gbraga

Member
The save system thing sucks hard, but I was already aware of this, I was mostly expecting good writing and setting, and looks like I'll get it, which is great, but I completely understand people disappointed. Let's hope the Berlin campaign is better, and the editor is good enough for people to make different kinds of games.
 

SparkTR

Member
RPS did a Wot I Think:

Ultimately, I suppose, this feels like a vindication of the “hey, let’s do nostalgia and turn-based RPGs” thing on Kickstarter. I’ve always been sceptical of the inclination to look to the past, but this is actually giving us something we wanted. Something we needed. In this case I feel like it was filling a void. A rain-slick, turn-based, isometric elf-shaped void with mirrorshades and a shotgun.
 
Why, though? I've kept games running for days. As long as you have the memory (and this game doesn't seem too heavy on that).

Yep. I've had Civilization and FTL running while playing Guild Wars 2.
(I realize that I am a silly person)

Perfectly normal, I keep dota open pretty much 24/7 while playing other games or doing other stuff.

You just kind of forget that it's there and forget to close it, doesn't affect performance anyway. (it's running right now as well)

(not defending the save system though, what a load of crap)
 

wizard

Banned
So, I've got TWO copies of Shadowruns Returns to give away in this thread.

Here's how it works. Go do something nice for someone who needs it. It could be putting a $1.00 in the hands of a homeless person, or hugging someone you love who looks sad. Anything counts... and it doesn't have to cost a penny.

First two people who post something nice that they did since reading this, get the games. No catches... and we're just going on the honor system.

Ok... Go. :)

I saw a homeless person so I gave him my unopened breakfast from subway. Does that count? I mean it's subway.
 

mclem

Member
Am I the only one irked that the game is apparently finished, with reviewers having it for enough time to write reviews (2 weeks?) while those of us that backed the KS have to wait until an arbitrary time? 10 am Pacific?

The reviewable copy may well not *quite* be fit for mass public consumption yet.
 

whyman

Member
I heard that this game has a horrible save system with checkpoints, is this true? If so then how far apart are they?
 

mclem

Member
My neighbor wants me to play roleplaying games with him tonight, i don't really like, and im not into it that much, but he has no one else to play with so i'm seeing this as a sign,

im going over there tonight ;)

Twist: Faustboom is your neighbor, and this is his way of getting you to join in.
 

mclem

Member
I heard that this game has a horrible save system with checkpoints, is this true? If so then how far apart are they?

Well, it's been discussed in the thread, but there's different opinions on how bad it is. You're not going to get any concrete responses until we've actually been able to play the game, though.
 
I saw a homeless person so I gave him my unopened breakfast from subway. Does that count? I mean it's subway.

I'm sorry man... you just missed it, but you know what? PM me your Steam ID and i'll buy you a copy.

But no more folks... i'm already poor. :p
 

SparkTR

Member
Keeping my fingers crossed for a PS4 realese.

Not to be debbie downer, but that probably won't ever happen because:

  1. Microsoft owns the IP - this is the major issue
  2. Isometric RPGs like this stopped being made largely because of consoles, so being on one probably won't happen (this includes Wasteland 2, Torment and Project Eternity)
 
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