THE GOOD, THE BAD AND THE DOWNRIGHT UGLY

[Stab-Gyro]

LONG READ AHEAD!

This is going to be a mix between feedback and a small combat guide at the end, as reading through the discussion posts I’ve noticed we’re all faced with the same issues all round.

Now in an effort to remain constructive and hopefully get the devs to read through all these recurring issues, I’m going to list my main points from the good all the way to the somewhat enraging… (that inventory for example, but we’ll get to that later…)

I do think that it’s just as important to point out what works as well as what doesn’t, as rather than discourage the team working on this game I’d like them to be pushed to do better for all the right reasons. This could potentially be a great game, and I will only post my review on it once it’s out of early access, and here’s hoping that by that point we’ll all be happy with the final product… IF and only IF the game ends up being what it’s aiming to be.

I have about 70 hours of playtime with 3 different play-throughs (one at release, one at the first patch and the last one which was about 30h for this latest patch) and this is the first EA game I’ve ever played so my knowledge on how to deal with EA is somewhat limited.

THE GOOD

THE PUZZLES: Probably my favourite part of the game is when you have to figure out some sort of puzzle whether for a quest or to get into special locations, etc… It’s to me something that still needs to be pushed further but I’ve really enjoyed all the ones presented so far.

RANDOM EVENTS: There are some great ideas there, I just think we need even more of those to give life under the dome even more personality. The ones I’ve gone through have been intriguing and mysterious, here’s hoping for an even bigger variety in the future.

IMPROVED LOCATIONS WITH MAPS: I actually like some of the newer designs for some of the old locations and they do make more sense, at least for me. Most of the locations at the last patch had no available maps, but now it’s actually nice to be able to see the layout of everything and that was definitely a welcome addition. I really like the new presentation for the underground arena as well as the Magellan layout, some small details have changed in places but I do think they make a difference

REBALANCED SURVIVAL NEEDS: I do think that’s been improved and is well balanced, I found that managing thirst, hunger and radiation was a lot smoother on this latest play through and I wouldn’t make any further changes on that score.

NEW ENEMIES: Some of the new enemies that have been introduced are quite interesting and I think we all can agree that the more the variety the more enticing combat can be (on which I have a few notes later too…)

CRAFTING: This has improved a bit since patch 1 and there are more things to craft, but again this needs even more variety in order for the players to really start using all these crafting items that are all mainly gathering dust in my Magellan room (that has no bed sadly…)



THE BAD

LACK OF NEW LOCATIONS: I’ve walked the entire map and I was surprised to see that there are still no locations south of the Maelstrom. If you draw a horizontal line just under it there is literally not a single place to visit south of that line (That’s pretty much half of the Dome map). Between Patch 1 and 2 I really expected to be able to visit quite a few more places, but apart from a few small places (all in the northern part of the map in any case) there’s nowhere new to visit, at least if you come from patch 1 I can’t seem to have noticed many new locations, but if I’m wrong do correct me.

FACTION PRESENCE IS STILL WEAK: I was hoping for the factions to be more present and ironed out after the first patch, but apart from randomly trading with them on the road you aren’t going to be getting any quests with them as the game stands. They are very useful in their limited presence, as they allowed me to get all the necessary coffee, water and beans for me to walk that entire map, so cheers fellas!

SKILLS THAT ARE STILL LOCKED: Stealth being my main one as well as piloting, but I know there are a few more that are still not completely ironed out. I love the idea of all the skills that have been presented to us, I just wish we’d be able to use more of them at this stage. Stealth is still useful in a way but without access to any of the talents that go with it you don’t really want to put any points in it because it doesn’t actually lead to anything. Same for piloting, which is going to bring me to my next point…

NO VEHICLES: This might be one of the things we’re all looking forward to the most, especially with the idea of that mobile base that I’ve heard about. I can imagine this is potentially a lot more complicated to implement than most, but considering we’re on the second patch I was really expecting we’d at least be able to drive some cars, even if they’re not anything more than a movement boost on the dome map.

CHARISMA 5 NEEDED TO HAVE A PARTY: Actually this is just basically a note to myself because I haven’t actually had the chance to play with a party yet and apparently the minimum charisma necessary to access that feature is 5, so take note people… also I hate that limitation, hence this being in the BAD section.

BEDS IN BEDROOMS: or lack thereof… I mean I would like to not be forced to cross to the other side of the residential level and steal someone’s bed. I’m all about that social distancing, just need a bed in my room and I won’t have to go share my germs with the rest of those well washed oranges (they sure love hanging around the shower stalls)

CAMERA ELEVATION NEEDED: The camera is mostly alright, until you’re not able to zoom out enough when your character changes elevation and then you’re just not able to see where you are. Because of terrain elevation the camera should also be able to move up and down depending on that. This also causes issues in combat, as sometimes areas that are higher up aren’t recognised and you can’t actually move to them (happened to me on a few occasions in random encounters). It should be like XCOM or similar where I can just go pg Up or pg Dn on my keyboard and bam I see exactly what I want to see. It’s only in a few locations (the swamp is the perfect example when you’re on the edge of the exit, you’re super zoomed in on the terrain no matter what) but it is quite frustrating still.


THE UGLY

THE INVENTORY FROM HELL: The Encased Inventory menu I believe was made to test us as humans. This is where it starts being really difficult to stay constructive because I honestly don’t understand how anyone could create that inventory and be like “yeah that works, job well done on this one, let’s crack the champagne open”. If there was an award for the worst inventory ever created in a game this would definitely be up there with the worst of the worst. Not a single part of that inventory makes sense and going through it brought me to the very edge of my sanity. I hate the “grid” style inventory at its core, I’ve just never understood who ever thought that was a good idea to present items, but even if I look past that every aspect of that menu is flawed. This game has so many different types of items and yet there are only 4 tabs, and the sort button is just there to enrage us even more as we desperately try to find what we need. I’ve spent more time going through that inventory than playing the game I feel, and I always dread having to open it because it’s just such a pain to use.

Rant over, so back to being constructive here’s what I would propose in order to at least make the inventory usable. More tabs at the very least would mean we can separate the things we don’t actually need to have in our faces all the time (like all the quest items just randomly surrounding all the things I actually need to see), so this is the tabs I’d propose (notice how I thought of having a tab just for relics, who’d have thought that might be a useful thing to have in a game cantered around relics… yeah ok now the rant is over for real)


HEALTH/DRUGS - FOOD – WEAPONS / ARMOUR - AMMO – RELICS - CRAFTING – QUEST ITEMS – ALL


Anything along those lines would make the experience of going through the inventory a less traumatising one I’d hope.

COMBAT: Here it is, we all agree there’s a huge issue here. I’ve actually managed to find a way to thrive in combat with my blue wing tech but only because I know the shortfalls of the game mechanics and how to use them against the game itself.

Lower level enemies like rats and cockroaches should not have the same hit points as a human, that just makes no sense. The balancing needs to be redone not just in how combat works, but also in terms of stats and their effects. People have mentioned this before and I’ve also noticed this but no matter what enemy you face they pretty much always do between 8 to 14 in damage and they’re all a lot more accurate than we could ever be. In the first patch I actually really enjoyed combat and it might have been too easy in parts, but it was also a lot more enjoyable. Video games still need to be fun, and if an RPG has tedious combat then you’re more likely to just give up and move on. The devs are going to need to revisit this and find a middle ground. Maybe Patch 1 was too easy, but Patch 2 is like adding a hardcore mode that you never knew you were forced to pick.

HOWEVER, here’s how I’ve managed to do well in combat, if this helps anyone then at least you might be able to control that rage inside and find true happiness once you’ll have killed all those damn roaches in the swamp that have been mocking you ever since you lost 37 battles in a row to the B******S!

COMBAT GUIDE

_ Focus on one attack skill and stick to it (light weapons, heavy, melee, etc). I only used light weapons and got it to 90 with a level 10 blue wing and that was enough for me. If you spend too many points on different combat skills you’ll never be able to go high enough to make it worthwhile (in the current state of the game anyway).

_ GEAR GEAR GEAR! Use Magellan as your starting point for your initial gear. Don’t go in the wild until you’ve at least upgraded all your clothing, bought a backpack and some proper weapons. Right now most of the items you find for crafting aren’t usable, so just sell them for big money and just buy the best equipment you can find. Once you’re out and about stop once you get the opportunity for a weapons merchant and upgrade again. A part from a few rare specific finds the best weapons are sold by the travelling merchants, so that’s’ your lifeline. ALSO every chance you get fill up on ammo everywhere you go

_ USE THE GRENADE LAUNCHER, which you find in the container on top of the Roach nest in the swamp (remember those guys!). So once you’ve killed those roaches your life gets easier (even if you have a low skill in heavy weapons I’ve still won every fight since I got that weapon). That launcher can be used from quite far (I do have high Perception though which might change a few things) which helps to control how to start and stop encounters which I explain below.

_ FLEEING IS WINNING. After I got the launcher I would hit a starter shot with the grenade launcher, hit whoever, that starts the fight, then I’d just go as far back as I could and that would immediately stop the encounter. I would then reload and do that until I got all the bad guys. I’d go between that and the ak47 to finish off who I needed, but they never ever follow you if you escape after a shot you initiated. That enabled me to do the cave, the observation camp and most other encounters to be honest without too much of a hard time.

AMMO TYPE REALLY HELPS. When they say to use incendiary ammo against roaches it’s no joke, if you can only ever use that against them then you will find it a lot easier to win those encounters. For tough encounters with humans use armour piercing rounds and it will definitely give you an edge.

I’m hoping that the above tactics won’t be necessary for too long, but in the game’s current state this may allow you to move forward with certain locations that you couldn’t complete.


END NOTE

I’m obviously quite fond of this game, or at least a lot of the ideas for it, but I can’t help but admit that this second patch was not the exciting update I thought it would be. So for now I’ll leave it aside until things change, and hopefully that inventory gets a complete overhaul too…

In any case I believe that early access is a game of patience, so I’ll play other things whilst I wait and hope the next patch has a lot more to it.

Also if anyone managed to survive reading this novel and you want to back up some of the points I’ve made, please stay as constructive as possible (unless it’s about that inventory, in that case just let it out, I get it) and also stay safe at home people and Encased Team!

[MasterAeschylus]

Have to agree and have mentioned the fighting is OP. Tried as a Silverwing and found myself restarting as a blackwing just to "survive" and have more "fleeing" moments rather than getting 3 tapped by endless AP enemies. I want the developers to keep making it and improving because i'm very happy with what is out in the DOME so far.

[Moraven]

+1 that sums it up pretty well.

[Arkangel of Mono]

Originally posted by Aeschylus:

Have to agree and have mentioned the fighting is OP. Tried as a Silverwing and found myself restarting as a blackwing just to "survive" and have more "fleeing" moments rather than getting 3 tapped by endless AP enemies. I want the developers to keep making it and improving because i'm very happy with what is out in the DOME so far.

I did silver wing on my first run and it was a bit of a slog as well. You just need to play to the wings strengths until you get comfortable with the game. Silver wings use small arms and charisma for party based combat. Whites use High tech and Black uses heavy. Blue I think is melee and orange is hand to hand.

[Robineus]

It's far more based on your stats than your wing, each wing gets a small boost to a certain area it's true but if you launch a character with 10 brains then chances are you're going to go with high tech regardless of the wing.

[xarfaks]

I agree that they need to redesign the inventory and item management in general.
Right now it is somewhere between sadistic and incompetent. Most certainly unnecessary frustrating.

I even started a topic on it I welcome your comments and suggestions there.

[Stab-Gyro]

Originally posted by xarfaks:

I agree that they need to redesign the inventory and item management in general.
Right now it is somewhere between sadistic and incompetent. Most certainly unnecessary frustrating.

I even started a topic on it I welcome your comments and suggestions there.

That really is the part that frustrates me the most, as I've found a way around most issues one way or another, but it would be nice for the devs to recognise at least some of the problems that have been around since it was initially released (aside from combat which they seem to be looking at currently).

[Stormtrooper]

Originally posted by Stab-Gyro:

That really is the part that frustrates me the most, as I've found a way around most issues one way or another, but it would be nice for the devs to recognise at least some of the problems that have been around since it was initially released.

Thank you for pointing out all your issues with the game. That was a long, but also a very useful read. Our team will look into everything you posted about and will see what can be done. Currently, combat balance is our main focus, but other aspects of the game are just as important for us.

[gallaghan2000]

Originally posted by Stormtrooper:

Originally posted by Stab-Gyro:

That really is the part that frustrates me the most, as I've found a way around most issues one way or another, but it would be nice for the devs to recognise at least some of the problems that have been around since it was initially released.

Thank you for pointing out all your issues with the game. That was a long, but also a very useful read. Our team will look into everything you posted about and will see what can be done. Currently, combat balance is our main focus, but other aspects of the game are just as important for us.

As far as inventory management is concerned, i mentioned before that there needs to be a key ring. Which if done correctly would also support color-coded bags within the inventory that can relieve some of the inventory problems until a closer look can be taken.

My biggest issue right now is the lack of crafting components and benches for what you can make at Concord Station as some of the things you can make have ridiculous requirements in numbers but no real outlet early game. Tin Can grenade takes some 10 units of black powder, but the first guy that sells it is in Picnic and he only sells 8 units a day when you might want to make bullets or the explosives (30 units) as well.

edit: Also, the number of any given item in inventory needs to be at least 1 font size bigger in some places. I have trouble reading the numbers of ammo in my inventory when i am in the main screen checking the ammo count on special ammo.

[Cadmus_Labs]

Hello!
Thanks for thorought breakdown.
I will address some of the points in future, when I'll have a bit of time.

For now can confirm that new filters for inventory almost ready and will be added next week https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=2072396333

["the" Chase]

Nice to see a thought out criticism. Good job on writing that beast out!

[gallaghan2000]

Originally posted by Cadmus_Labs:

Hello!
Thanks for thorought breakdown.
I will address some of the points in future, when I'll have a bit of time.

For now can confirm that new filters for inventory almost ready and will be added next week https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=2072396333

It looks better, but I still seriously recommend the key ring thing. If nothing else when done right it will also include the base coding needed to make a relic equivalent of a bag of holding.

[Cadmus_Labs]

Originally posted by gallaghan2000:

Originally posted by Cadmus_Labs:

Hello!
Thanks for thorought breakdown.
I will address some of the points in future, when I'll have a bit of time.

For now can confirm that new filters for inventory almost ready and will be added next week https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=2072396333

It looks better, but I still seriously recommend the key ring thing. If nothing else when done right it will also include the base coding needed to make a relic equivalent of a bag of holding.

Sure something like this will be done at some point. Maybe not in next hotfix.

[Reef]

havent played in awhile but for the elevation bug just double click your picture should fix it if i remember right

[gallaghan2000]

Originally posted by Cadmus_Labs:

Originally posted by gallaghan2000:

It looks better, but I still seriously recommend the key ring thing. If nothing else when done right it will also include the base coding needed to make a relic equivalent of a bag of holding.

Sure something like this will be done at some point. Maybe not in next hotfix.

I know I mentioned this elsewhere, but I would request that the number of items in inventory be shown in a slightly higher font. As my numbers get in the double digits, it gets harder to easily read/identify them.

Second, for the sorted sections, it might be a good idea to put the weight of all shown items in the lower right hand corner so that a player has an easier time assessing just what it is they're carrying that is so heavy... like water :P

[Stab-Gyro]

Originally posted by Cadmus_Labs:

Hello!
Thanks for thorought breakdown.
I will address some of the points in future, when I'll have a bit of time.

For now can confirm that new filters for inventory almost ready and will be added next week https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=2072396333

Cadmus Labs, thank you for taking the time to read this post and for looking at the inventory issue. I know it can't be fun trying to cater to all the player's needs but I for one appreciate this change as it shows that you're listening and understanding the areas that do need improvement.

I am really looking forward to a new inventory system, but Gallaghan2000 is right, some text is very small and hard to read, maybe the ability to scale some of the UI better (text size and all) would be a neat way for people to adapt the game to their monitor's needs.

These things may seem small at first glance, but when you play an RPG you are spending a lot of time managing equipment and reading text, so I can tell you already this is going to improve a lot of the players' experience and enable them to focus on the game itself.