Hi all,
I've been thinking about how to make compressed parts easier to get and make it possible to have super compressed parts.
I have an idea to remove the option to manually make compressed parts and instead make them drop from enemies.
Currently to get compressed parts you need to first get parts you want to compress, then go to the shop, then go to compress mode, then press X on the parts you want to compress and for 5 alloy they will be compressed.
It's overly complicated and causes a lot of problems:
1) It's a lot easier to build big ships than small ones - so players who like smaller hitbox for dodging projectiles are disadvantaged, which is not fair.
2) It costs alloy and currently, it's not possible to dismantle parts in shops, so players get punished for forgetting to bring alloy.
3) The whole compression system lacks tutorial. It means that new players have no idea about compression system and when they find out that it exists, they don't know how it works.
4) Manual compression creates very strange parts! For example, if the player selects generic part first when compressing it with a fractal part, the game will create a compressed generic part. Confusing, inconsistent, etc.
5) Manual compression allows players to create parts with 16 properties, and parts with 16 properties fill the screen with their giant tooltips! It's the main obstacle to making "super compressed" parts, which would allow players to create parts with 32 properties!
I could make improvements to this system - allow players to dismantle parts in shops, add a tutorial for compressing, improve compression interface, rework tooltip system to allow parts with two grades - a lot of work.
The other solution is to make compressed parts appear with the normal parts.
How would that work?
Instead of putting stats of two parts into one part, the game will use the item generator to create compressed parts as they are dropped by enemies.
First, the generator will create a normal, not compressed part.
Then, there will be a 50% chance to turn that part into a compressed part.
If the generator will choose to create a compressed part, the stats of the base part will be multiplied by 2.
E.g.:
Relay
Level 1 optimized weapon
0 / 1 amplifier slots
Uses 1 part slot
100 damage relay
Generates 1 ether on kill
V
Relay
Level 1 compressed optimized weapon
0 / 2 amplifier slots
Uses 2 part slots
200 damage relay
Generates 2 ether on kill
V
Relay
Level 1 super compressed optimized weapon
0 / 4 amplifier slots
Uses 4 part slots
400 damage relay
Generates 4 ether on kill
That's right, if I want to, I can allow the generator to multiply part stats by 4, 5, 6, 32, creating ultra compressed parts, ultimate compressed parts, deluxe parts, deluxe enhanced parts, pro parts, and so on!
No limits.
Because base part cannot have more than a set amount of properties, having compressed etalon with 16 properties will become impossible and tooltips will be tamed.
Plus, I won't need to make a tutorial, the whole compress mode mess in shops would cease to exist, new players could instantly start building small ships, and the variety of parts dropped would increase, so it's great.
Obviously, this new system comes with its own problems.
1) Doubled the number of trash parts! If a player wants to build a big spaceship, all the compressed parts player will get from drops will be useless and current plans are to make 50% of parts compressed/super compressed.
2) Players would not be able to make compressed parts manually - goodbye to perfect compressed etalons with +80% damage.
3) The compressed parts would make the game more confusing for new players. With manual compression, new players would only get confused in shops. With all that compression mode mess.
And I think that is all.
I think that's a small price to pay.
Besides, I can implement relic or something that makes only compressed/only normal parts spawn, and don't spawn compressed parts for the new players, so it's just one problem.
I would implement it right away if it were just for me, but I admit that I have no clue what crazy things are you guys doing with the compression system, so before I do any changes, I want to hear what you think.
In other news:
I'm still working on story mission XIV, I'm expecting it to be done within this week. Hopefully, the Release Countdown: 3! is also near.