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Messages - zaimoni

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16
Forum / Re: Passwords in Emails
« on: July 18, 2007, 20:43 »
Not to mention that turning off the warnings from a self-signed SSL certificate *costs*, and those warnings are negative public relations.  (At least if you want it to work with anything reasonable. I saw reports back in Oct. 2006 that some bargain-certified certificates stopped interoperating with Google Checkout, unfixably.)

17
Off Topic / Re: 3D in roguelike
« on: June 05, 2007, 17:34 »
As long as you don't use thin walls (big restriction), a roguelike and a turn-based XCOM-like can use the same internal datastructures data structures.  Switching level view is what works in XCOM-likes, and I think (with some explicit "blind-adapting" features like an "all monsters visible" list) that it would work in the roguelike display mode as well.

18
AliensRL / Re: Hummm...
« on: May 09, 2007, 11:04 »
Tried the compatibility options. No sucess.

AlienRL isn't DOS compatible, so it doesn't work with DOSBox. :(
The use of long filenames in some of the sound-effect files means that using the HPUX DOS-extender (which runs Windows console apps in DOS) won't work: the game won't be able to find its sound files.

19
AliensRL / Re: AliensRL skill cost charts and conclusions
« on: May 01, 2007, 14:01 »
Strange, on a Military Tower ascent (no .44 colt, it won't spawn...) ammo is not critically limited -- once at 36 shotgun shells and near a CS, switch to CS for Military 1 and 2 and ammunition problems are over as long as one systematically explores each level, doesn't backtrack, and otherwise uses good procedure.  The real difficulty is finding a pulse rifle in time (preferably on Military 2, although one should swap right before the elevator in that case).

20
AliensRL / Re: AliensRL skill cost charts and conclusions
« on: April 30, 2007, 10:26 »
You don't have to max all skills to win the the game, and furthermore it's probably a design flaw if this is possible.  It's definitely an ironman style of play.  I think it's more interesting to look at skill costs for the "key track".

Code: [Select]
-- Skills ------------------------------------------------------------
  Sidearms      : advanced
  Light weapons : basic
  Heavy weapons : advanced
  Technical     : advanced
  Medical       : basic
  Fitness       : basic
  Perception    : basic

This is from my first winner in AliensRL++, posted about elsewhere.  Technical was raised for the reload speed bonus, which is slated to go away when real uses are implemented.

As you see, Medical skill is not overwhelmingly useful; it is quite possible to keep medpacks from falling below 5 even at Medical unskilled.  (What is needed: a pulse rifle when entering a level with elites, as a backup for krak grenades.)  My starting skill choices with this Marine were S/F/P (to get reasonable grenade throwing and the ability to reliably kill a hunter at range 8 with an M3P4).  I deferred Heavy weapons until Military 4 on the assumption that I don't need to spend XP on a skill that I won't use shortly.  In retrospect, I should have gotten Medical Basic before Technical Basic, but it definitely could wait until after all of Sidearms advanced, Light weapons Basic, Heavy Weapons Basic.

21
AliensRL / Re: AliensRL dungeon layout
« on: April 30, 2007, 10:09 »
Isolation for both Main and Military is Level 7.  I haven't tested the other towers explicitly, but it should be sufficient to test the Engineering and Civilian towers.

From the start of the game, I would have inferred that height data is pregenerated, and that all towers other than Main have seven levels.  [See that countdown bar...it marks off as each level of each tower is generated.]

22
AliensRL / Re: Game length
« on: April 15, 2007, 20:31 »
I suspect, even after the spawn rate adjustments between AliensRL original and AliensRL++, that the Engineering tower would be useful for stocking up on smartgun ammunition...starting at Engineering 2.  [Note: I only tested this in AliensRL original; frequency of smartgun and pulse ammunition spawning was intentionally reduced going to AliensRL++.]

The Military and Security Tower's visibility isn't reduced enough to be a serious hindrance (M4P3 actually suffices to handle the low-grade aliens in isolation, you just can't waste moves with hunters and expect to not take a hit).  The only sidearm that works as a "single alien stopper" in the Storage Tower is the .44 colt.  At Basic Fitness, the M4A3 needs at least range 6 to handle a juvenile safely, and range 8 for both a warrior and a hunter...categorically loses in Storage Tower, but workable otherwise once you replace the MP5.

A direct Military Tower ascent (until maxed out on all of available ammunition types other than 60mm grenades, med-packs, and grenades) without side trips essentially prohibits using the .44 colt: its ammunition doesn't spawn there.  60mm grenades don't seem to spawn frequently in Military 1-5, and I tend to do the above "supply maxout" somewhere in Military 5 in a direct Military Tower ascent.  (Provided pulse rifle shows on Military 2, otherwise things get risky...my one not-tactically-stupid death so far was not finding a pulse rifle on either Military 2 or the half of Military 3 I managed to explore before I got to test the med-pack burn rate of MP5 vs. elite.)

23
AliensRL / Re: Game length
« on: April 15, 2007, 14:39 »
The lack of savegames was a time-limited implementation decision (as a 7-day roguelike, the savegame feature got axed when time started to run out).

The military tower (have not tested Security Tower) is one of the few ascent routes that will reliably hand you both a gyrostabilizer and a smart gun in reasonable proximity.  (The Main Tower certainly won't.)  Its main disadvantage is that it has absolutely no .44 colt ammo; it should not be used if you plan to use the .44 colt rather than the M4P3.

A secondary disadvantage is that it is possible to run out of krak grenades as emergency elite killers before finding a pulse rifle (the pulse rifle is not practically guaranteed on Military 2).  The MP5 can kill an elite, but you'll use up 6-8 med-packs in the process (assuming Unskilled Medical, although I think Basic Medical would be qualitatively similar), and it is a very inefficient use of 9mm ammo.

24
AliensRL / Re: Game length
« on: April 15, 2007, 06:36 »
It took me about three hours to record the replay of the winner I posted a while back.  That would be for a turncount of ~120,000, temporarily clearing Military 1-5 and then simply looking for staircases on Main 6-8.  [As documented elsewhere, they won't stay cleared: noise attracts aliens.]  There are probably easier ways to win.

It is not necessary to (temporarily) clear most of the levels.  It is incredibly useful to remember (or record) the fastest mapped path back to the Civilian Tower Level 1...if you aren't tracking that, you're inviting Yet Another Stupid Death.

25
Bug Reports / Re: A couple insectoids that require squashing.
« on: April 11, 2007, 22:17 »
Yes, running into a wall in real life would count as a move...but would the character subconsciously reject the idea of running into the wall?

26
AliensRL / Re: Workers
« on: April 10, 2007, 11:03 »
I'm not familiar with the canon myself, but it's pretty clear that the workers aren't watching you at all.

With one glaringly obvious exception, they have sight radius 2; as long as you don't hit them and stay beyond their sight range, you won't exist for them.

And, until XP for killing aliens is finally purged, they have the absolute worst shots/XP ratio for obvious reasons.  I don't mind taking one out as collateral damage from a krak grenade, but other than that it's usually better to outrun them than to kill them even if they do notice you.

27
AliensRL / Re: Combat Shotgun theory
« on: April 09, 2007, 09:36 »
Hmm...thinking about it more carefully...

Assume Basic Fitness, as it's relatively easy to get even if you don't start with it.  (You just can't throw grenades worth anything).  Then it is actually possible to reliably kill a single hunter with an M4A3 while it is closing from edge of vision, in the Military or Main levels.  [This doesn't work with Untrained Fitness: this is a breakpoint in the number of shots you get to take.]  A juvenile can start 1 or 2 closer and still be dealt with reliably; a warrior is not reliably stoppable, but will be stopped more often than not.

Assuming that SOS and CS have the same damage, I don't think a SOS would keep a single low-armor alien (any of the above) from closing and doing damage with one shot per loading more often than not.  That's one of the key roles which I use sidearms for, and ammo conservation of both the primary and heavy weapons require this role.

I think it would take a clip size of 2 to make the SOS even worth considering seriously as an alternative for the M4A3 for "far single alien stopper".  While the SOS is obviously better for "coup de grace", "coup de grace" just isn't nearly as critical as "far single alien stopper" for conserving medpacks.

28
AliensRL / Re: Combat Shotgun theory
« on: April 09, 2007, 09:13 »
No, I had not seriously considered the sawed-off shotgun.  I assumed it was similar damage to the CS, so the 1-shot clip was unnerving.

29
AliensRL / Combat Shotgun theory
« on: April 08, 2007, 10:40 »
Reviewing this so I'll actually remember it for later....

Combat Shotguns [CS] (where they are appropriate) seem to benefit from different tactics than the more typical weapons.

Screen captures are from the replay of the winner I posted on earlier.

Door-Opening Technique

Maximum visibility
Code: [Select]
+------- Military Tower, level 1 ----------------------------------------------\
|        :    :    #.#     : :         |                                       |
|        :    :    #.#     : :         | Rashak, Private Marine                |
|        :    :    #.#     | |         |                                       |
|        :    |    #.#     : :::::::-::| Health : ##################-- 91 / 99 |
|        :    :    #.#     : :         | Ammo   : ###########---------112 /200 |
|        :    :    #.#     : :         |                                       |
|        :    :    #.#     : :         |                                       |
|        :    :    #.#     : :         | Armor   : Flak jacket [1]             |
|        :    :    #.#   ..# :::-::::::| Sidearm : M4A3 pistol (12/12)         |
|        :    :    #.# ....# :         | Primary : 12g. combat shotgun (5/5)   |
|        :    :    #.#.....# :         | Heavy   :                             |
|        :    :    |@/.....# :         | Grenades: 1.Frg(5) 2.Inc(0) 3.Krak(5) |
|        :    :    #.#.*...# :         |                                       |
|        ::::::::::#.#:##### ::::::::::|                                       |
|         :        ...                 | Medpacks: 10                          |
|         :        ...                 |---------------------------------------|
|        ::::::::::###:::::::: ::::::::| Choose direction to open/close or     |
|        :      :       :    : :      :| activate... You close the door.       |
|        :      :       :    : :      :| You open the door.                    |
|        :      :       :    : :      :| Choose direction to open/close or     |
|        :      :       :    : :      :| activate... You close the door.       |
|        :      :       :    : :      || You prepare your primary weapon!      |
|        :      :       :    : :      :| You open the door.                    |
Maximum visibility may not be that smart for projectile weapons, but for CS it works well.  It's not really worth firing CS on only one target.

The krak grenade just revealed also looks interesting.

Zugzwang
Code: [Select]
+------- Military Tower, level 1 ----------------------------------------------\
|       :    :    : :     : :          |                                       |
|       :    :    : :     : :          | Rashak, Private Marine                |
|       :    :    : :   ..| |          |                                       |
|       :    |    : :   +.# :::::::-:::| Health : ##################-- 91 / 99 |
|       :    :    : :  ...# :          | Ammo   : ###########---------112 /200 |
|       :    :    : :  ...# :          |                                       |
|       :    :    : : ..a.# :          |                                       |
|       :    :    : : ....# :          | Armor   : Flak jacket [1]             |
|       :    :    #.:.a...# :::-:::::::| Sidearm : M4A3 pistol (12/12)         |
|       :    :    #.:.....# :          | Primary : 12g. combat shotgun (5/5)   |
|       :    :    #.#.....# :          | Heavy   :                             |
|       :    :    |.@.....# :          | Grenades: 1.Frg(5) 2.Inc(0) 3.Krak(5) |
|       :    :    #.#.*...# :          |                                       |
|       ::::::::::#.:###### :::::::::::|                                       |
|        :        ..                   | Medpacks: 10                          |
|        :        .                    |---------------------------------------|
|       ::::::::::#:::::::::: :::::::: | Choose direction to open/close or     |
|       :      :       :    : :      : | activate... You close the door.       |
|       :      :       :    : :      : | You open the door.                    |
|       :      :       :    : :      : | Choose direction to open/close or     |
|       :      :       :    : :      : | activate... You close the door.       |
|       :      :       :    : :      | | You prepare your primary weapon!      |
|       :      :       :    : :      : | You open the door.                    |
Two juveniles...each should take two or three CS blasts to go down.  Fortunately, CS works just fine when Unskilled in Light Weapons.

Explore
Code: [Select]
+------- Military Tower, level 1 ----------------------------------------------\
|      :    :    : #...  : :           |                                       |
|      :    :    : #.....| |           | Rashak, Private Marine                |
|      :    |    : #...+.# :::::::-::::|                                       |
|      :    :    : #.|...# :           | Health : ##################-- 91 / 99 |
|      :    :    : #.....# :           | Ammo   : ###########---------112 /200 |
|      :    :    : #.....# :           |                                       |
|      :    :    : #..a..# :           |                                       |
|      :    :    : #.....# :::-::::::::| Armor   : Flak jacket [1]             |
|      :    :    # #a....# :           | Sidearm : M4A3 pistol (12/12)         |
|      :    :    #.#.....# :           | Primary : 12g. combat shotgun (5/5)   |
|      :    :    |./.....# :           | Heavy   :                             |
|      :    :    : #@*...# :           | Grenades: 1.Frg(5) 2.Inc(0) 3.Krak(5) |
|      ::::::::::: ####### ::::::::::::|                                       |
|       :                              |                                       |
|       :                              | Medpacks: 10                          |
|      ::::::::::::::::::::: :::::::: :|---------------------------------------|
|      :      :       :    : :      : :| Choose direction to open/close or     |
|      :      :       :    : :      : :| activate... You close the door.       |
|      :      :       :    : :      : :| You open the door.                    |
|      :      :       :    : :      : :| Choose direction to open/close or     |
|      :      :       :    : :      | :| activate... You close the door.       |
|      :      :       :    : :      : :| You prepare your primary weapon!      |
|      :      :       :.   : :      : :| You open the door.                    |
Trying to get more targets for the CS.  Didn't work out this time.  No workers, fortunately (would have retreated if one had been seen)

That wasn't close enough
Code: [Select]
+------- Military Tower, level 1 ----------------------------------------------\
|     :    :    : #.... : :           :|                                       |
|     :    :    : #.....| |           :| Rashak, Private Marine                |
|     :    |    : #...+.# :::::::-:::::|                                       |
|     :    :    : #.|...# :           || Health : ##################-- 91 / 99 |
|     :    :    : #.....# :           :| Ammo   : ###########---------112 /200 |
|     :    :    : #.....# :           :|                                       |
|     :    :    : #.....# :           :|                                       |
|     :    :    : #.a...# :::-:::::::::| Armor   : Flak jacket [1]             |
|     :    :    : #.....# :           :| Sidearm : M4A3 pistol (12/12)         |
|     :    :    #.#.a...# :           :| Primary : 12g. combat shotgun (5/5)   |
|     :    :    |./.....# :           :| Heavy   :                             |
|     :    :    : #.@...# :           :| Grenades: 1.Frg(5) 2.Inc(0) 3.Krak(5) |
|     ::::::::::: ####### :::::::::::::|                                       |
|      :                               |                                       |
|      :                               | Medpacks: 10                          |
|     ::::::::::::::::::::: :::::::: ::|---------------------------------------|
|     :      :       :    : :      : : | activate... You close the door.       |
|     :      :       :    : :      : : | You open the door.                    |
|     :      :       :    : :      : : | Choose direction to open/close or     |
|     :      :       :    : :      : : | activate... You close the door.       |
|     :      :       :    : :      | : | You prepare your primary weapon!      |
|     :      :       :    : :      : : | You open the door.                    |
|     :      :       :.   : :      : : | There is krak grenade lying here.     |
I probably would have opened fire on a warrior at this point, rather than moving.  I'm going to gamble on needing only two blasts to kill the nearest juvenile.  Staying still didn't make sense (I want them on the same line).

Only two blasts
Code: [Select]
+------- Military Tower, level 1 ----------------------------------------------\
|     :    :    : #.... : :           :|                                       |
|     :    :    : #.....| |           :| Rashak, Private Marine                |
|     :    |    : #...+.# :::::::-:::::|                                       |
|     :    :    : #.|...# :           || Health : ##################-- 91 / 99 |
|     :    :    : #.....# :           :| Ammo   : ###########---------112 /200 |
|     :    :    : #.....# :           :|                                       |
|     :    :    : #.....# :           :|                                       |
|     :    :    : #.....# :::-:::::::::| Armor   : Flak jacket [1]             |
|     :    :    : #.%...# :           :| Sidearm : M4A3 pistol (12/12)         |
|     :    :    #.#.....# :           :| Primary : 12g. combat shotgun (3/5)   |
|     :    :    |./.%...# :           :| Heavy   :                             |
|     :    :    : #.@...# :           :| Grenades: 1.Frg(5) 2.Inc(0) 3.Krak(5) |
|     ::::::::::: ####### :::::::::::::|                                       |
|      :                               |                                       |
|      :                               | Medpacks: 10                          |
|     ::::::::::::::::::::: :::::::: ::|---------------------------------------|
|     :      :       :    : :      : : | You open the door.                    |
|     :      :       :    : :      : : | Choose direction to open/close or     |
|     :      :       :    : :      : : | activate... You close the door.       |
|     :      :       :    : :      : : | You prepare your primary weapon!      |
|     :      :       :    : :      | : | You open the door.                    |
|     :      :       :    : :      : : | There is krak grenade lying here.     |
|     :      :       :.   : :      : : | The juvenile dies. The juvenile dies. |
I was expecting the further juvenile to survive the second blast.  If it had, I would have switched to the M4A3.

The flip side: CS is bad to have ready when leaving a room into a corridor.  E.g.

Open door, step two forward....
Code: [Select]
+------- Military Tower, level 2 ----------------------------------------------\
|:     :   .  :    #.#    :    : :     |                                       |
|:     : .    |   .#.#-::::    : :     | Rashak, Rookie Marine                 |
|:     :      :    #.#    ::-::: :     |                                       |
|:     :.     :    #.#    :    : :     | Health : ###################- 94 / 99 |
|:     :      :    #.#    :    : :     | Ammo   : ###############-----299 /400 |
|:     : .    :    #.#    |    : :     |                                       |
|:     :===   :    #.#:-:::    : :     |                                       |
|:     :===   :    #A#    :    : :     | Armor   : Flak armor [2]              |
|:     :===   #.   #%#    ::-::: :     | Sidearm : M4A3 pistol (12/12)         |
|:     :      #... #.#    :    : :     | Primary : 12g. combat shotgun (5/5)   |
|:     :      #....#.#    :    : :     | Heavy   :                             |
|:     :      #..../@|    :    : :     | Grenades: 1.Frg(4) 2.Inc(0) 3.Krak(4) |
|:     :      #....#.#    :    : :     |                                       |
|:     :      #... #.#    :    : :     |                                       |
|::::::::::::::-:::#.#:::::::::: ::::::| Medpacks: 10                          |
|                  ...                .|---------------------------------------|
|                  ...                .| You heavily hit the warrior! The      |
|::::::::::::::::::###:::::::::::::::::| warrior dies.                         |
|:                                     | You reload your weapon.               |
|:                                     | You prepare your primary weapon!      |
|:                                     | You let go of your weapon and grab    |
|:                                     | the sidearm!                          |
|:                                     | You open the door.                    |
This hunter really is a bit close for my taste, but with a sufficiently hard first hit from the M4A3 it still might be possible to not choose between melee damage and a krak grenade.  It's early enough in the level that I can plausibly recover from this before Military 3.

Code: [Select]
+------- Military Tower, level 2 ----------------------------------------------\
|:     :   .  :    #.#    :    : :     |                                       |
|:     : .    |   .#.#-::::    : :     | Rashak, Rookie Marine                 |
|:     :      :    #.#    ::-::: :     |                                       |
|:     :.     :    #.#    :    : :     | Health : ###################- 94 / 99 |
|:     :      :    #.#    :    : :     | Ammo   : ###############-----299 /400 |
|:     : .    :    #.#    |    : :     |                                       |
|:     :===   :    #.#:-:::    : :     |                                       |
|:     :===   :    #.#    :    : :     | Armor   : Flak armor [2]              |
|:     :===   #.   #A#    ::-::: :     | Sidearm : M4A3 pistol (11/12)         |
|:     :      #... #.#    :    : :     | Primary : 12g. combat shotgun (5/5)   |
|:     :      #....#.#    :    : :     | Heavy   :                             |
|:     :      #..../@|    :    : :     | Grenades: 1.Frg(4) 2.Inc(0) 3.Krak(4) |
|:     :      #....#.#    :    : :     |                                       |
|:     :      #... #.#    :    : :     |                                       |
|::::::::::::::-:::#.#:::::::::: ::::::| Medpacks: 10                          |
|                  ...                .|---------------------------------------|
|                  ...                .| warrior dies.                         |
|::::::::::::::::::###:::::::::::::::::| You reload your weapon.               |
|:                                     | You prepare your primary weapon!      |
|:                                     | You let go of your weapon and grab    |
|:                                     | the sidearm!                          |
|:                                     | You open the door.                    |
|:                                     | You barely scratch the hunter!        |

Not a good enough hit to continue shooting (sigh).  But it's now close enough to safely use the krak grenade on (assuming Basic Fitness and Basic Perception)...which I promptly do.  The chances of roasting myself with a lesser rating in either skill at range 3, is pretty good.

30
AliensRL / Re: Ideas!
« on: April 04, 2007, 23:18 »
Weapons with ammo still in them: cf. http://forum.chaosforge.org/index.php?topic=766.msg7367#msg7367 .

pulse rifle/99-round clip: cf. http://angband.oook.cz/rgrm.php?showpost=93625 .  Intentionally nerfed to 60, there were playbalance problems.

I still find it very unusual to actually use up a pulse rifle clip between reloads, but it should be superior to the smartgun in some statistic.

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