07. May 2023, 23:37:05

#20

ATQuote

Agree with all your points, and realize there are no clean solutions here.

The paradigm shift with stalker was basically KNOWING that all of it happens as part of a simulation (500-1000 real-time simulated npc AI roaming the zone and doing their things) and not a shitty dice roll, with chances of your stash being looted dependant on how well you'd hidden it, how far from common paths, and most importantly the size and experience of a squad that moved past it.

This won't happen in ss2 of course and chance can indeed feel here like a cruel mistress.

Even with your current system there will remain an unpleasant nudge at the back of one's mind as to how to maximise/exploit it i.e. 'I've got 6 minutes left to run back to my stash to extend my timer before shit dissapears.

Lots of ideas of how to approach it creatively, but I'd imagine all easier said than done.
Come to think of it, simplest methods may work best here - what you have seems to be in that bracket already.

Then again, running on Impossible and considering that there is an infinite enemy spawn in the game, stashing things does not feel like much of a cheat or a problem. Personally, for the first time ever in SS2 I'm counting bullets and med hypos and the elevator is very empty, if not for the sad little shotgun and some maintenance tools I won't ever use as an OSA. Best solution may be to just play on impossible - it's horrible and I love it ;-)

08. May 2023, 02:37:07

#21

sarge945Quote

Quote by AT:

Then again, running on Impossible and considering that there is an infinite enemy spawn in the game, stashing things does not feel like much of a cheat or a problem. Personally, for the first time ever in SS2 I'm counting bullets and med hypos and the elevator is very empty, if not for the sad little shotgun and some maintenance tools I won't ever use as an OSA. Best solution may be to just play on impossible - it's horrible and I love it ;-)

The resource management aspect is definitely way better with the RSD loot hose, but as the game progresses, hoarding becomes easier and easier.

08. May 2023, 11:19:23

#22

ATQuote

Fair. Will make sure to look out for it when accessing the balance of RSD / randomiser.

08. May 2023, 11:44:46

#23

sarge945Quote

I normally play RSD on hard because I find it hard, since I find Impossible a bit too impossible

It might not be as much of an issue on Impossible

09. May 2023, 19:16:57

#24

ATQuote

Had another idea for you.

Very different approach, probably simplest, most fair and effective system ss2 can have considering its mechanics, though not sure if technically viable to pull off.

Don't invoke any degradation whatsoever. Instead, the more items the player has picked up and hoarded in the elevator + across all levels, the more the enemy spawn density increases. Put simply, you hoard more = you get more enemies free-roaming.

Beyond the obvious considerations - whether this can be somehow fairly measured and dynamically balanced - I would imagine restoring the old system shock 1 function of Vaporising items would be necessary as means for the player to 'anti-hoard' when they find that spawns are getting a little overwhelming in relation to their current stash size. risk / reward ratio.

EDIT: further idea. if setting up a completely new 'vaporize' framework is too much of a hassle, a possible creative alternative would be to turn the little trashcan bins in the game environment into such containers that vaporize and destroy items placed in them - I believe RSD introduced ability to drop items from inventory into in-world containers, so could possibly be hooked up to that pre-existing framework.