Steel feedback.

Sunless Sea
1

What do you think about the Steel Update?

My very first thought after a few hours was that the beasties and pirates are very sparse now. It seem a bit counter-intuitive. We need to test combat but good luck with that since the spawn rates has been reduced so much. One little lifeberg and it’s all over. I feel almost sorry for killing maybe the last one of the species. There used to be 2 lorn flukes near Fathom King, now it’s only one, and it’s a shame as they’re so easy to kill now.

The reduction of terror gain feels like an overkill. I hardly get any terror now. I think the better solution would be to increase base ship speed. I used to bump it from 10 to 25 in the config file, and felt it was just the right balance, but it’d be difficult now since the entire combat is balanced around it.

2

Does anyone know if Steel will be available through Humble Bundle, like Emerald was? I kinda don’t want to install steam just for Steel

3

Enemies are definitely too sparse at the moment. I’m a fairly far along character, but combat also feels fairly one or two shots and you’re dead. Which isn’t to say this isn’t vastly cooler than before, just that I was hoping for longer games of cat and mouse. Another issue is that it’s hard to feel like you’re genuinely trying to hunt down an enemy when you the player can see them on the screen. Probably not something that can be fixed. Again, very initial feelings based off only a few rounds of combat.

It was a bit disappointing to go find all these gorgeous new ports, then find that most of them don’t have content yet, though I imagine that’s coming soon. Also the place with the V name down south appears to be bugged where once you finish the questline you can’t leave and are forced to kill the game and load a new save. The place itself seems very cool, but there is just too much going on. Too many options and different menus, and it’s hard to get from one to another.

I’m not sure on the terror reduction. It’s definitely too low at the moment (at least without rebalancing some other element like speed, cost to reduce it, or map size) but maybe some midpoint between this and what it was? Or a sliding system where terror gain is based on where you are? It would be nice to not have to be so obsessive about hugging the cost and careful island hopping. Some of that is nice and helps form routes, but too much and you end up sticking to the same voyage/trade routes over and over.

I feel like I’m being too harsh. My immediate reaction to the combat was &quotThis is so cool, infinitely better than the old system!&quot and I honestly haven’t spent enough time to get a feel for it, or tried it as a new character. For the islands, it’s just the disappointment of thinking you were getting more than you got. Probably didn’t help that when I first read the update I focused more on the new islands then the lack of content.
edited by Acliabides on 10/1/2014

4

[li]maybe. [li]with shuffling, combat maneuvering, and a far vaster map to handle, the old rate of Terror accrual would be murder. you can see why it was so heavily nerfed for Steel. and the reduction feels eminently freeing - it’s like you really can reach out and explore the unknown wilds.
[li]

[li]that said, combat ain’t no joke no more.
[li]

[li]pre-Steel, early baddies had to work it to bring you down. their travails were a laugh, then a bore to be dispatched with indifference - and a pinch of lead shot. now, a couple shots to the hull and you’re lunch for the seahags. you can’t just ignore critters and pirates. you have to work to evade and watch your step if you do close to tangle.
[li]

[li]zo far, I’ve managed to bag a steam pinnace, some bats, and a couple other assorted knuckleheads in exchange for some major hurts (dang it! i meant to turn AWAY from the shot!!) and one mortifying sinking, which, incidentally, is also when i discovered just how much more damage these shots were throwing about the place.
[li]

[li]INTERJECTION: in many games, tagging an enemy triggers a momentary &quotfloat score&quot that reports the cost of the hit dealt or received. I WOULD RECOMMEND THIS. you just don’t have time to suss out the specifics of your condition from the old hull panel. alzo, LUVS for the floating crate animation upon execution.
[li]

[li]i’d say that monster propagation is just dandy. it would be hard to add more without the whole place turning into a war-fest. i’m not sold on the controls (i favored the arrow keys with my right and using WASD with my left has been an awkward adjustment) but i also felt that the 'zee seemed far more engaging. no more sleepwalking, even in familiar dregs. the game is much more demanding of your eyeballs.
[li]

[li]on a side note, do i detect the faint whiff of reduced fuel consumption in the zee breeze? perhaps even to foodstuffs? with shuffling, it’s harder to measure burn rates against the old standard, but checking my progress on the chart and watching the fuel gauge seemed to hint at a material drop in burn. i consistently get more mileage out of each trip than i’d normally expect.
[li]

[li]oh! and what do i get at Vender on my VERY FIRST docking? the Longboxes for Station III. any idea how many hours i burned in prior games and NEVER scored it? a little early to sound the horn, but perhaps the Iron RandoMiser has finally been brought to heel as well.

5

So far my only reaction is ‘oh god these framerates are awful’ (which is at least 50% the fact that so is my computer at the moment, but this is notably worse than Emerald was.)

6

After a few dozen fights I must say the combat is fun and engaging!

It was some great decision making on the devs’ part. People used to complain that fights are too frequent but it was only because it was such drudgery. Now combat has become a feature of the game instead of being a drag. Making it seamless adds a whole new level to the game.

The current system seems to be surprisingly well balanced. It feels like a nice middle ground between strategy and arcade. The only thing I find jarring is turning speed which is constant. Enabling the ship to rotate while stationary looks out of place. I strongly feel that it ought to be relative to the ship’s speed - 0 speed = 0 turning speed, full speed = full turning speed. Also, since sailing is so much more important now, maybe adding one stop to the ship’s throttle - 0, 1/3, 2/3, full - to add some flexibility.

7

Well, on my end, I notice that travel has been tweaked. It is now easier to avoid getting terror points when crossing swathes of the ocean. A number of the locations have also been pushed closer together, making navigating the vast underground archipelago far easier.

As for combat, I have only engaged in a few skirmishes yet there is one thing that irks me. In order to make our foes susceptible to attack we need to shine a light upon them which we do by facing them. Then in order to avoid damage we go full steam in reverse while firing off our payload. This seems an odd way to engage in any naval fight simulation, so I was wondering if there were plans to allow us to illuminate from our sides so that we can approach the enemy from an angle rather than straightforward.

Off course once our enemy is illuminated we can just turn about and fire upon it until we need more light (I think).

edited by Owen Wulf on 10/1/2014

8

Specifically the framerate issues seem related to the camera moving, if it’s not then framerates are actually fine; and as far as i can tell changing the quality level has no effect on this.

Actually an even larger issue, I loaded my steel save and found my ship shunted by to Fallen London, despite being moored in the Iron Republic (I can still access their storylets and shops, but apparently they have freed me from a few too many laws and broke the game. I can’t embark.)
edited by WormApotheote on 10/1/2014

9

Specifically the framerate issues seem related to the camera moving, if it’s not then framerates are actually fine; and as far as i can tell changing the quality level has no effect on this.

Actually an even larger issue, I loaded my steel save and found my ship shunted by to Fallen London, despite being moored in the Iron Republic (I can still access their storylets and shops, but apparently they have freed me from a few too many laws and broke the game. I can’t embark.)
edited by WormApotheote on 10/1/2014[/quote]

This was noticable in Emerald build, I noticed &quotframerate jumps&quot, but it was just my eyes looking at the tip of the screen and the ship jumping frames to fall in line… The screen moves before the boat does. When I pause and then un-pause in combat, this &quotframe skipping&quot? (I don’t know what to call it) has become more apparent .

*Edit: I also notice, legitimate framerate drops, with this new system of combat (as was already mentioned in the changelog), but I still think the new combat system is pretty awesome. I loves the crates dropping in the crystallized haze after battle
edited by GerbilSchooler on 10/1/2014

10

Yeah, the Steel Beta seems to have a habit of teleporting you back to London if you reload too far out. It didn’t break anything for me, though, just…jarringly moved me across half the Zee. I sent in a bug report!

Owen: You can deal with that by getting a Deck gun, which has a much wider firing arc (if a somewhat shorter range). I feel like they should make your default gun a deck one, honestly; fighting with it feels like it makes a lot more sense, while my Forward gun was a longer-ranged secondary weapon for approaches and stuff.

(You’ll gain firing solution whenever the enemy is in the fire arc, too; that only coincides with your headlights with the Forward gun.)

. . .

Personally, I think the new combat’s a lot of fun! It gives a new dimension to figuring out how to approach an enemy based on what they’re doing, so you manage to stay out of their sights. Though enemy ships seem to have a hard time getting a bead on me – especially compared to the Lifeberg I fought, which was fast, aggressive, and took me down after a prolonged duel. The new sea monster behavior definitely seems like it’ll make running away from them more interesting.

I would like to see more interesting abilities on the enemy ships, though: things like new fire arcs to avoid, or ships that drop floating bombs behind them, or some such. I just kept expecting them to do more when I engaged them, you know?

11

Per the Patch Notes, monster spawning and terror increase have both been deliberately turned down while the new combat mechanics are being tested. So if they seem too low, well, that’s deliberate and will be adjusted later! And do remember to report bugs to sunlesssea@failbettergames.com

12

Really wish that ship armor was modeled into the game, it would solve part of the fragility of the ships in the game as well as give more of a difference between something like the cargoship and the big Eschatologue, which really should be able to act unfazed against weaker attacks, usually.

Also, it would be interesting if crew can be killed if they’re happless enough to be in front of the cannon ball hurtling at them (maybe with an increase in terror while in combat, especially if you aren’t doing so hot?), or from bad damage control, if balance permits.

Damage control actually would be super cool now that I think about it, mostly for the chance for even more ways to do really stupid things.
edited by Woops on 10/1/2014

13

Where do you get a deck gun? I made a casual perusal of the armaments at Fallen London and they all looked like regular forward guns. I might have missed it though. I find a funny tactic for dealing with pirates is to ram them midship and unleash my payload whilst they try to circle around and face me. Though you would think that my dreadnought should punch a hole into any ship with that tactic (possible ramming ability later?).

Also - I don’t know if it is because of the Steel Update or not but for some reason the entity at Port Cecil is not accepting my &quotwatchful idol&quot (flint statue). Is it because I had it when the quest started? It really is the only piece I have not been able to acquire and give to him.

edited by Owen Wulf on 10/1/2014

14

Owen - have you upgraded your idol? If not, there’s a missing step you need to fulfil.

15

I suspect when it’s fully released it’ll be on humble, but while it’s an opt-in beta it will remain on Steam. Though perhaps if you sent them an email they could put a build up, I don’t know!

16

FBG say “about a week or so” for rollout of Steel to HumbleBundle.

17

Not yet, but will do.

18

Owen: After some quick checking, it’s the &quotReproach&quot and &quotDenunciation&quot guns that are deck-mounted, both available from Carrow’s Naval Surplus.

19

The combat has a definite learning curve. I’m trying to learn how to maneuver with this new combat, but it’s not easy.

20
  • I feel like I should preface this a bit. Those of use with long standing games (like me) might have a slightly skewed view of how things are right at the moment of this release. I have a fully pimped out Arcade of Sighs , a non random map and very high stats… Such as it is at this time. This is neither a good or bad thing. Just something to keep in mind! =D

[color=rgb(194, 194, 194)]Now! With that out of the way…[/color]

COMBAT-[color=rgb(194, 194, 194)] [/color]

  • Glad for the changes. Its a bold step up from the old! I was/am hoping for a wider more standard left/right&quotbroadside&quot style weapon down the line With a narrow front gun. That just might be the 'Zurface 'Zailor in me.[/li][li]Following that- I’d also like to see differentiated arcs in existing weapons and, more broadly; ship equipment overall.[/li][li]I agree in feeling like things are overall a little slow and underpopulated right now. But- as noted by Sir Francis? I expected that as per the release notes. More to come, here![/li][li] I find myself fighting in reverse speeds most, currently. Is this intended?

TERROR-

  • Liking changes for terror gain overall. Static and coastal light seems better implemented. I was slightly miffed about the way it was prior regarding ambient civilization and whatnot. [/li][li]I still think lighthouses need more buffing/relevance to our lives, somehow.[/li][li]I do feel terror -as of this writing- needs to be scaled to gain some of its bite back. I’d like to see a compromise here. As I like the way the mechanic is currently going in this incarnation.

BUGGAGE-

  • Same sort of TP bug as some others. I quit via mutton island. on reload it it says mutton/Quaker’s and those storylets. But my ship is at Shepherd/Fieldhaven isles. Odd. I can still launch from port and everything though.[/li][li]As others mentioned frame rates are not where they should be. I run a pretty solid gaming rig. It’s slightly troubling that this is an issue in a game with rather simple, though very beautiful visuals . I am by no means an expert to the factors involved here!

STORIES-

  • Are not something i’m trying to pry into, too much! I want to preserve the mystery for myself. I’d been testing how long I can keep the BC alive in a 580+ day game. (protip: not long. ;; RiP)[/li][li]Are back to being added, yay! ^^ Honestly I don’t have a lot more to say about them as yet.[/li][li]I’d still like to see some port side storage being added into the two major cities of the current game. I put it here because you could easily add stories and risk factors involved to obtaining and having them. Wish list item, but I think it’d be appropriate and thematic addition.

TODO/CONCLUSIONS-

  • Continue listening very nicely to our feedback and acting on it. we really appreciate it![/li][li]Add enough interesting landmass and stories to make me think a full reroll is warranted. XD[/li][li]Tighten/raise/resolve frame rate issues. Is there a way to show FPS? It might help s players put this to bed.[/li][/ul][ul][li]WISH LIST- Port storage, more ship items added/variety/ differentiated weapons/ quest gear (A’la The Serpentine.)[/li][li]SUPER WISH LIST- customization on ships are something i’d love, personally.Doodads and colors! Also such randomization on enemy ships where appropriate.

[color=rgb(194, 194, 194)]Overall, I think this is a very encouraging step taken, Indeed!! I’m glad FB takes the time and effort to listen to fans input and [/color]actually do something meaningful[color=#c2c2c2] with it to improve their product for us. in the short term here they’re delaying their game. Many companies would say &quotdeal with it.&quot Having a solid dialogue with your player base and being willing to commit to things you are new to/ uncomfortable with/didn’t think were possible as a company builds great brand loyalty and I’m thinking a great game.[/color]

TLDR-

  • Looking good, Brosiden!

EDITS-

  • So far just spelling and grammar!



edited by Eredras Blackzee on 10/2/2014
edited by Eredras Blackzee on 10/2/2014