SpaceWreck - Fallout inspired isometric retro indie RPG

[Kamaz]

As touted, combat is 100% optional in Space Wreck. There are many ways to deal with threats, but here's one example of the engineer character using a remote control "gun" to turn otherwise hostile sentry bot into a loyal companion.
Context: there are generally five main character archetypes in Space Wreck - smooth talker, soldier, "thief" (stealth oriented), explorer and engineer (techie, hacker etc.). While there are more than few shades of gray and these roles often overlap and transcend each other, I try to provide solutions in one of these areas.
This example is of an engineer play style - granted you have high enough SCITEC and TINKER skills, necessary components, tools and access to a workstation, you can create a remote control device that allows turn your enemies into your friends (granted they are of metal). Given your success in targeting them with your PERCEPTION and RANGED, of course. There are other gadgets and tools you can construct that give you some edge in certain situations.
It's also worth noting that it is not a single skill you depend on. For example, SCITEC unlocks blueprints for items but you must roll TINKER to actually build these things. And, as I noted above, when trying to apply these in action, you must either have some decent RANGED aptitude or have to SNEAK close enough that that does not matter.

 

[iridium_ionizer]

It's looking great now!

Context: there are generally five main character archetypes in Space Wreck - smooth talker, soldier, "thief" (stealth oriented), explorer and engineer (techie, hacker etc.).

What are typically actions performed by the explorer archetype?

 

[Kamaz]

It's looking great now! What are typically actions performed by the explorer archetype?

Thanks!

Explorer is my "dump" archetype. This is the gameplay that does not depend on stats, skill checks to succeed. Instead, you need to explore - check out everything there is, loot all freely available items, visit all available locations, read everything you can get your hands on. (However, you don't have to talk to anybody, as you might not have enough CHARM/speech.) Because it does not require passing any skill checks, it is also the default or fallback solution/path. Though it is also the most time consuming as well - so it helps if you've got some other skills that open more options.

Note, however, that even this path is completely violence-free by default.

Example

Very basic example: you need to get an item. That item is in a room with a locked door. If you have a lock pick, you can open the door that way. You can pick keys from a nearby guard. You can defeat the guard to get the items. If you are small enough and have the right tools, you can squeeze through the vent. You can talk to guards superiors and, after calling in some favors, get in that way.

But the explorer solution does not require any skill - instead, you must observe the guard's routine and notice that she drinks from the same bottle that is stored in a box. Then, if you have found Sleeping pills (e.g. in a nearby infirmary), you spike the drink when the guard has walked far enough on her predictable patrol.

Another benefit of the explorer archetype is that I can stop worrying whether the player will be able to complete the game with some crazy stat combination - there is always a default option.

 

[Hardboiled Android]

This looks absolutely incredible!

 

[Alphons]

Each update makes me want to play it more, so thanks for frequent posts @Kamaz.

Is it still coming out in Early Access near the end of February?

 

[iridium_ionizer]

Because it does not require passing any skill checks, it is also the default or fallback solution/path. Though it is also the most time consuming as well - so it helps if you've got some other skills that open more options.

Note, however, that even this path is completely violence-free by default.

- there is always a default option.

Great design idea. I wish more games did this. I am officially looking forward to this.

 

[Gamesbasi]

This game is actually a great game, I find it's graphics to be awesome as I feel like I went back to my younger years when I started playing this one.

 

[Kamaz]

Oh, wow, such a response! Thanks, guys!

I just wanted to share this small, almost useless feature that I find funny - this "Enter random number" option is actually not just for show. There's a 1 in 10000 chance of being right, though it was hard to demo it. You'll have to trust me on this.

 

[Kamaz]

Because "Space Wreck" takes place in, well, space, you need a spacesuit. While you are exploring huge derelict carcasses of former ships and stations, the existence of air could be sporadic at best due to the present hull damage and overall age. That's where the small gauge below the HP bar will come in handy as it indicates whether you are...
a) safe in an oxygen-rich environment (green)
b) outside but safe (yellow)
c) exposed to vacuum and suffering.
An average person supposedly can survive around 15 seconds exposed to the vacuum of outer space. In the game, it varies between 5 and half-a-minute, based on your stats.

 

[iridium_ionizer]

So I'm guessing that there may be some situations where going out the airlock is a viable solution. Cool...

Is there any lore / technobabble about the artificial gravity (ex. magnetic / velcro shoes, centrifugal action, Science! artificial gravity, etc.)? You don't have to say if it is better left as a surprise.

Also g-strings in space?? Ripley's pair seemed purely functional. But I guess you might have to do what ever it takes to shave 0.01 kg off the payload at launch.

 

[Kamaz]

Also g-strings in space?? Ripley's pair seemed purely functional. But I guess you might have to do what ever it takes to shave 0.01 kg off the payload at launch.

Well, they don't call it zero-G environment for nothing...

Is there any lore / technobabble about the artificial gravity (ex. magnetic / velcro shoes, centrifugal action, Science! artificial gravity, etc.)? You don't have to say if it is better left as a surprise.

Why don't you download our pre-Early Access demo and see for yourself?

 

[1Punman]

Well, they don't call it zero-G environment for nothing...




Why don't you download our pre-Early Access demo and see for yourself?

Now it got to me names of the vessels Sprīdītis and Bulta,

Well, they don't call it zero-G environment for nothing...




Why don't you download our pre-Early Access demo and see for yourself?

Pēc pieejamajiem materiāliem izskatās ļoti interesanti. Novēlu, visu to labāko, jo spēle ir burvīga.

 

[Kamaz]

Now it got to me names of the vessels Sprīdītis and Bulta,

Pēc pieejamajiem materiāliem izskatās ļoti interesanti. Novēlu, visu to labāko, jo spēle ir burvīga.

Opā! Paldies!

 

[1Punman]

Opā! Paldies!

Vienmēr, laipni.

 

[Alphons]

Well, they don't call it zero-G environment for nothing...




Why don't you download our pre-Early Access demo and see for yourself?

Saved a playthrough for a weekend. I really like it. Sadly my first playthrough bugged out after around 80 minutes (gave a terminal pass to Ingrid, but couldn't tell her to hack it or use a terminal myself, so I tried to pickpocket it from her and got error 529).
I'll be playing again today.

Things I liked:
-writing- I really enjoyed interacting with other scavengers, reading through terminals and FAQ MAN
-art style is really unique and locations have a ton of details
-sound design
-skill set is simple, but balanced (plus critical failures are funny)

Things I'd like changed:
-lethal melee- I think stuff like knives, drill shiv and other sharp objects should be lethal. Though I wouldn't add non-lethal ranged weapons
-better pathfinding for other characters- while I was sneaking around a pair of cambots with Janka, Ingrid happily marched right into them and got almost killed


Bugs (there were a few)

Spoiler

• Error 529 (prompt to contact developer)- I tried pickpocketing Ingrid for a fuel bunker terminal pass and the game froze
• I found the valve for scavengers and gave it to Janka. He took it to his buddy near the ship. He still gave me a quest to look around for it.
• After leaving the crew dormitory with Janka and Ingrid through a ladder, Janka ended up in a totally different room where he was almost killed by Supermarket Guard. He teleported to me after I went back down the ladder.
• Found a cambot gun and 5 cartridges, equipped it and reloaded. Found 5 more in a crate and tried to reload again, but all my bullets disappeared (0 in clip and inventory). Couldn't replicate it again.

 

[Kamaz]

Thanks for the excellent feedback. We've been working on the game since the launch, here's some for the visuals:

Critical hits for certain damage types can have special animations now.
Also, basic electric shots now also have some fx to clearly indicate a successful hit. Note: the character in the GIF has abnormally high FOCUS and ranged, that's why every hit is probably critical.

 

[Kamaz]

"Overcharged Laser Drill - a scary makeshift rifle fashioned from a laser drill tip with safeties removed and power circuits overcharged."
Here's another final laser critical hit special animation.

 

[Kamaz]

In the stations and spaceships of the Space Wreck universe, magnetic soles are usually used to simulate gravity. This makes running too awkward and tricky, so, if you want to move quickly, you just fly -

 

[Kamaz]

Weapons are more than DMG dispensers in Space Wreck. Take for example knives - if you attack someone with a blade, it shows new bonus options, like PUNCTURE and RIP. This is because knives are good for dealing with armor - PUNCTURE lets you bypass armor completely (though, with a difficulty penalty) but RIP, at cost of severely reduce damage, directly affects armor integrity - a couple of slashes and enemy is no longer protected by its shell. It is even more effective if combat happens to take place in space.

Sometimes it makes sense to bring a knife to a gunfight.

 

[Kamaz]

How you create your character will determine how you will play the game. That is why Space Academy will now evaluate your character for the position of captain beforehand!

(SPOILERS: you get the job)

Turns out the character build is really important and you have to make this decision - that will define the rest of your game - before even seeing how it works. This caused some pushback from early access players and we have adjusted the initial flow. First, there is this character evaluator, that highlights your strong suits and, also, flags the potential issues (e.g. that you cannot talk to NPCs). Secondly, you get fewer skill points in the beginning but you also get a few early quests that trigger basic interactions thus you can adjust your build slightly having experienced the game a bit.

There is some tuning to be expected but you can see this flow in action already.