Permanent Machine Spirit upgrades

[Stormraider]

After completing the game, I think having the Machine Spirit upgrades be permanent for each chapter would be interesting and perhaps more fun.

There are 8 weapons to upgrade and there are 8 levels in each chapter, with one Machine spirit upgrade "secret" on each level. Meaning you have to chose what weapon to upgrade on each level. When you reach the chapter boss you would be fully upgraded if you found everything.

You lose everything moving to the next chapter anyway so you would need to find the upgrades again going into chapter 2 and again in chapter 3.

This would perhaps also incentivize players to look for secrets and to get some progression in the play-through.

Only issue I can think of is on chapter 1 and 2 you don't have access to all weapons so if you found every Machine Spirit upgrade you would find some even when everything is upgraded, giving you nothing. Then again, that's similar to finding a vortex grenade when you haven't used the last one.

[VonPumpkinson]

Then the bolter will be overpowered.

[Stormraider]

Well, yes and no in my opinion.
All the weapons would be stronger yes, but would the bolter be overpowered compare to the other guns? That would depend on how you play the game.

The general consensus seems to be that bolter or plasma gun is some of the best upgrades since you use them a lot and there's plenty of ammo.

If you are the type of player that only finds one of these upgrades on the 8 missions then yes bolter would be a lot stronger for your play-through.

If you are the type of player that finds all the Machine spirit upgrade on the levels and always pick bolter, then no, it would not be overpowered. A permanent upgrade system would rather increase power to the rest of the weapons making them more likely to be used instead of bolter.

But sure, a permanent upgrade system for each chapter would make weapons stronger, and therefore the game easier.
But it's a single player game, only around 6% has completed the game, and less than 1% has completed it on the most difficult setting. I don't think making the game a little easier would matter that much.

[VonPumpkinson]

Then, the hardest difficulty would be easier.

[VasteV]

Originally posted by VonPumpkinson:

Then, the hardest difficulty would be easier.

Yes, and? You control what you upgrade. If you want the challenge, then don't upgrade.

[Viscount Danku]

No. Too much cheese.

[IonizedMercury]

No.

[VonPumpkinson]

Originally posted by VasteV:

Yes, and? You control what you upgrade.

So? Eventually, you'll get the ALL the upgrades.

Originally posted by VasteV:

If you want the challenge, then don't upgrade.

You're basically playing the game as intended.

[Dinosaurs_Are_Friends]

I think it works better this way. The idea that you'd be penalized for just doing chapter select feels bad. Instead, modular levels are nice and tidy and self-contained. As it is, the "weapons reset" thing is an anti-feature of Boomer Shooters which should already have been cut instead of preserving for faux authenticity.

[Stormraider]

Originally posted by Steaksauce:

I think it works better this way. The idea that you'd be penalized for just doing chapter select feels bad. Instead, modular levels are nice and tidy and self-contained. As it is, the "weapons reset" thing is an anti-feature of Boomer Shooters which should already have been cut instead of preserving for faux authenticity.

I have not done mission select but aren't you already "penalized" by losing all your weapons when doing mission select similar to getting to a new chapter? Or was that just something that happened when people used reset level.

Since the game per default don't let you have permanent machine spirit upgrades, why would you see it as being penalized, instead of see it as being rewarded for making a full play-through. Similar to rouge-likes where you can unlock shortcuts to get further into the game, but you lose out on the upgrades from completing earlier parts of the game.

[Lordwar]

So..progression, not bad idea. Game needs to be balanced around it and also i think it lacks in content to have it justife.
PS:GOUDA

[VonPumpkinson]

Originally posted by Stormraider:

I have not done mission select but aren't you already "penalized" by losing all your weapons when doing mission select similar to getting to a new chapter? Or was that just something that happened when people used reset level.

It's a boomer-shooter thing.

Originally posted by Stormraider:

Since the game per default don't let you have permanent machine spirit upgrades...

The Machine Spirit isn't upgrading your weapon, but rather a temporary boost. This is why you see a green aura.

[Stormraider]

Originally posted by VonPumpkinson:

Originally posted by Stormraider:

I have not done mission select but aren't you already "penalized" by losing all your weapons when doing mission select similar to getting to a new chapter? Or was that just something that happened when people used reset level.

It's a boomer-shooter thing.

You can still have more modern systems and ideas in your game. You don't have to be a bound to old limitations if it makes the game better or more fun.

Originally posted by Stormraider:

Since the game per default don't let you have permanent machine spirit upgrades...

The Machine Spirit isn't upgrading your weapon, but rather a temporary boost. This is why you see a green aura.

Doesn't really matter if you use the word upgrade or boost. The duration of the upgrade or boost is not what I would call temporary. The powerups are temporary, they have timers attached to them. The Machine spirits are the only thing that are mission limited in this way.

The game is fine just as it is, but I think that the game would be more fun with these being permanent instead of limited as they are now.
But first I hope they make some dlc with more levels and new enemies to give me a reason to play it more.