still too bloody random

[Boozdeuvash]

AKA "How to win that game?".

I feel I need to vent my frustration right now. I was having a decent Kestrel easy run in term of scrap, weapons and systems, the only thing I was lacking was crew member. The FTL roulette decided I would only find one trader with crew (bought one human, not enough cash for the Rockdude) and lost one to these new "put out fire" events (more randomness! like there wasnt enough already). Of course I found myself at the wrong place at the wrong time: sun sector with four mantises teleporting. Ship went out with 5HP and went boom in the next sector in fight, all of that because fighting mantids and putting out fires at the same time isnt exactly easy with three dudes).

I don't consider myself being bad at videogames, but for some reason, since the beta came out I havent been able to win a single game, and have reached the last sector a handfull of time, always with a bad setup because I spend most of my cash repairing when things go bad. The more I play, the more I feel it's only a matter of luck, which is not exactly the fun I envisioned when I kickstarted the stuff.

Devs: please make it less random.
Others: how do I win that game?

[emlazz]

Devs: do not listen to the complaint about randomness. That's what makes this fun. Predictable is not fun. But I think you understand that. Thanks.

Boozdeuvash: I'm not particularly good at video games and I've beaten the boss three times on normal. I haven't even played easy mode... I think you need to mix up your strategies. Pause more often. Prepare for extremely high-risk situations like mass boardings, etc.

[rauth]

Others: how do I win that game?

Just keep on trying or change your point of view...

I played round about 10-15 games so far but I haven't beaten the boss yet. And I really don't care if I beat him or not. For me this isn't the goal of the game. For me it is all about experiencing the journey and that every new run is completely different so I have to adapt to this new conditions.

Sure, having only three or four crewmembers isn't optimal, but at least you are able to upgrade piloting (auto evasion) and to substitute crew with drones... if you are lucky and can buy some. Life isn't fair either...

[veryalien]

Feels a little Diablo 3esque sometimes, when it's so random you wonder when you'll catch a break.

Not sure what constructive criticism I could give in terms of tuning balance. I've had runs where I did not find a single new weapon, not at a vendor or from random events. Yet I always seem to find cloaking devices and transporters at almost every vendor.

Maybe shops need to be expanded a little more so that you always find one or two augments, one or two drones, one or two pieces of equipment, and one or two weapon systems. This way you'll always have some choice on spending valuable scrap to get stuff you just can't find otherwise.

[Primar]

Others: how do I win that game?

Vent your ship, stack in medbay.

Personally, the randomness is fine for me - if I could just get a perfect setup every time, it'd be dull as anything. Having to adapt and work with what you get is far more interesting.

[Volthar]

I also think it's too random, and it's getting worse. The more drone. equipment and weapon types that they add, the smaller your chance of actually getting a useful item in the store when you visit. It's especially noticeable for me with drones where there are now a lot of drone types that are situationally useful but your odds are less than 50-50 of finding an anti-ship drone even if you do get lucky and find a vendor that sells drones.

[Boozdeuvash]

Devs: do not listen to the complaint about randomness. That's what makes this fun. Predictable is not fun. But I think you understand that. Thanks.

Devs: do not complain to people telling you not to take.. huh, kindly ... something. Ah well.
I don't mind uncertainty. I do mind the almost certain fact that uncertainty will be so high it will make the entire game uncertain.

Others: how do I win that game?

Vent your ship, stack in medbay.

Personally, the randomness is fine for me - if I could just get a perfect setup every time, it'd be dull as anything. Having to adapt and work with what you get is far more interesting.

They blew up O². Annnd I disagree with you, when you get the perfect setup everytime as easy, it only means you better start playing medium or some hypothetical hard. I like games where you can get good at. I got pretty good at managing manageable situations, it's the unforseen non-manageable ones and the generic lack of control that makes your game head nowhere (not enough scraps, not the right traders, etc...) that bother me.

Others: how do I win that game?

For me this isn't the goal of the game. For me it is all about experiencing the journey and that every new run is completely different so I have to adapt to this new conditions.

I played about 50 games (I think, counting the single-sector ones where you get screwed on your second or thrid fight), things get a bit repetitive. I was hoping for new, different contents but it is just a bunch of flip-the-coin events and a couple of weapons I have never seen.


One last thing: that would be sweet if there was a reactor room that provides the juice and you would be able to target it like any system. Cutting the power, redirecting it around when your reactor takes a hit, etc...

[Gorlom]

I do mind the almost certain fact that uncertainty will be so high it will make the entire game uncertain.

That's kind of the point. That's what makes it (roguelikes) fun.

[Muramas]

I think people need to take a step back and look at the situation. Random is a double edged sword. Too much of it makes the game unplayable but it gives us a unique experience each time.

I think some of the major issues is that if you don't get a good shop within the first few sectors you game is done. This is what we call bad random. E.G. Not having the ability crack though shields because you only have two / three laser shots.

I think with a little reworking of the shops would go a long way to fix some of the "randomness" issues.

[curithwin]

When you code you can not be too random, ever its not how computers work.

A true random system is impossible on any computer, what happens is they seed a function that works out number progressions into an array table that it holds until it is reset. Commonly setting this once per play is enough to give it a look of randomality using the time from Jan 1st 1970 to now in milliseconds, this creates huge numbers that are seldom repeated in the array so you could all it random. After that you have to code in how you interpret those numbers for use in the game. This is hard to do as you set out switch's or if/else conditionals you need to give some options a greater chance to come out than others. Giving ALL options the same chance to come out would be so random we may never get off the first sector, but increasing favarible results to come out more often is the way they possibly do it already. If they made it any more none random it would not be as good as it is and it would be more linear in progress and constant in layout.

Also this is what beta testing is all about getting the BEST switch table you can to make the game fun, varied, but not too easy. There will be times when it's hard as rock to do. They will try and minimise this, but not too much or longevity for the game will be lessened.

I hope this helps explain what's under the hood.