Powered Exoskeleton don't work

[My name can't be thirtytwo chara]

Just, at all. You put it on and get no benefit to your stats. With or without power, it says (Nonfunctional) next to the strength part of the description.

[Rittless]

Let it boot up. That's it!

A lot of the advanced electronics take some time to actually turn on and work. The exoskeleton is one of them! Once you equip it, keep an eye on your in-world messages and let a good number of turns pass. You'll see messages related to the equipment making various noises, and eventually it will become 'ready'.

[My name can't be thirtytwo chara]

Oh....... Thanksss

[Zalpha]

I was just coming to post this! I thought maybe it takes up more than one slot and my Quills mutation was blocking it from working, I have never used it before. Cost me all my resources to get it as well. :(

It is a little disapointing as a really expensive item. I think as an item it should give 3-5 strength instead of only 2.

[Zalpha]

Originally posted by Rittless:

Let it boot up. That's it!

A lot of the advanced electronics take some time to actually turn on and work. The exoskeleton is one of them! Once you equip it, keep an eye on your in-world messages and let a good number of turns pass. You'll see messages related to the equipment making various noises, and eventually it will become 'ready'.

I have the item VISAGE and it has a power-up count down on the item but the exo-suit doesn't have it. I am guess it is either not had the counter added or bug as well.

I will try leaving it on for awhile and see if it switch on.

[Zalpha]

Okay after some time it starts working but it says nothing about that, nor does it show a timer on the item like the item VISAGE does. I consider it a bug, how was I supposed to know that is how it works.

[Rittless]

It should say 'The powered exoskeleton beeps.' or a similar message in the message log. There are other messages for the boot-up such as 'whines' and 'whirrs'.

No, it's not so clear but once you know about it, it is fine. Discoverability is something that is hard to get 'right' about roguelikes of this fashion and Qud has a little bit more to do here, to be fully honest.

I'm not sure VISAGE offers the same messages; I haven't used one in a long time.

Regarding usefulness - most of these kinds of items are really only of major interest/benefit to True Kin AV builds and are of little use to DV builds (or mutants as in your case), but the exoskeleton does have a place. +2 strength means it will always add +1 to your strength modifier which is a very valuable thing if you have a strength build. The VISAGE however drains too hard for its benefit IMO.

Mutants don't need the help for their stats of interest, have mutation skills that mitigate their statistical weaknesses by the time exoskeletons/VISAGE items enter the picture, and can much better use their valuable equipment slots for resistance, DV or AV items (and in the case of the back slot, the Portable Beehive is a great choice for a +2 DV, and a mutant is more likely to have other options to work around the loss of the 'Floating Nearby' slot that normally gets a Floating Glowsphere ASAP to solve light issues.)

Just remember that these items exist when you come to play a True Mutant AV build, but until then, most wearable technology you can just ignore as a mutant. DV builds like passive technology wearables like nanoweave and flexiweave but that's about it. It's AV builds that love all of the cybernetics, the vibroblades, the heavy weapons, basically anything that takes cells or charges.

[Zalpha]

Originally posted by Rittless:

The exoskeleton does have a place. +2 strength means it will always add +1 to your strength modifier which is a very valuable thing if you have a strength build.

I do think it has a place but I also feel that the price verses the benefit is way off. It costs 3 to 4 times more than a backpack and only offers 10 more carry capacity. It should +3 strength or more in my opinion to be worth the price of the item. Also it is rather under whelming. I come playing S.T.A.L.K.E.R. and an Exo suit is one of the goals to get and feels great when you get it, but it isn't the same for getting in CoQ, it could even be over looked as it isn't much of an item. (It isn’t like it is an item that will stop you from dying and needs to be nerf hard or an item that will let you rampage).

Anyway just sharing my thoughts, my first time finding it and using the time.
Edited for spelling mistakes.

[My name can't be thirtytwo chara]

Originally posted by Ritty:

Just remember that these items exist when you come to play a True Mutant AV build, but until then, most wearable technology you can just ignore as a mutant. DV builds like passive technology wearables like nanoweave and flexiweave but that's about it. It's AV builds that love all of the cybernetics, the vibroblades, the heavy weapons, basically anything that takes cells or charges.

I mean, I would sorta disagree with your whole premise about True kin getting less stats than mutants. They got cybernetics, which tend to help more with generalised combat and such than mutations do, and they get the vastly improved Eaters' Nectars.

Further, DV cybernetics (like translucent skin) can get you a /hefty/ +6 DV, plus some AGi junk, and smaller, but still great things like movespeed, gun carrying capacity, and more are available, all /highly/ valuable for a DV based true kin.

And Vibroblades?! They're ♥♥♥♥♥♥♥ goals for the early game shortblades wielder!

Originally posted by Zalpha:

I do think it has a place but I also feel that the price verses the benefit is way off. It costs 3 to 4 times more than a backpack and only offers 10 more carry capacity. It should +3 strength or more in my opinion to be worth the price of the item. /quote]
Probably fair. 2 strength is good, but often not that big a deal for something with a ♥♥♥♥♥♥♥ 6 bit.

[Rittless]

I didn't say or mean that True Kin get less stats than mutants; it's the exact opposite. They need stronger tools and more stats because they don't have mutations!

A levelled up Carapace mutation is arguably the best AV equipment in the game, for example. Fully-levelled up (not to speak of opportunity costs for all the MP required,) it objectively is the best AV armor. That's just one mutation; the benefits of stronger mutations such as Temporal Fugue, Chilling Hands, Multiple Arms/Legs is more obvious and True Kin either have no access to those benefits or need to give up an equipment slot to provide a similar or lesser form of it via equipment. The cybernetics are great and powerful but are expensive, hard to find specifically what you need and cannot provide as strong boosts as the fully levelled mutations can. Sure, three lots of Translucent Skin gives +6 DV, but thats three copies of the implant you need as well as the cybernetic credits. If you have triple-jointed and level that up it will provide +6 DV as well by providing +6 agility - as well as an extra dodge chance on top of that dodge boost - with the tradeoff being a Strength penalty as well as the MP cost.

And with many mutations like TF, it's a boost that isn't stat-based or equipment-based but is still incredibly strong and can be part of a strategy.

I like and play both types of character, to be clear, it's just that they have very different progressions and build requirements in early, mid and late game.

Originally posted by "Zalpha":

It costs 3 to 4 times more than a backpack and only offers 10 more carry capacity.

I think backpacks are worthless compared to their trade cost and their utility cost of losing the back slot to begin with, so I completely agree with you there that exoskeletons are overpriced.

At the same time... the game has the taco suprema in it. Not all costs in the game make sense, some items are better built or found.