ULTRASPOILERS: How was TCP to have unfolded?

[CannedLizard]

What was the link? Who was the second agent ("that bearded bastard")? And how did the Gary and that other guy know about the failsafe through "experience?" (I think I read somewhere).

My guesses: The link is what keeps all the humans on their supply of Narcissus. Emily's got her supply cut off. Related, at all, to the Cassandra Project communications link?

Agent 2 was to turn up at least once in the first half - probably on mission 3, and a primary thing in terms of you wanting to turn your attention against the Project itself.

My question: who are the leviathan commandos mentioned earlier?

[DarkForge]

Really cool of you guys to ask and indeed answer all of the unresolved issues and mysteries about TCP. It's amazing how much enthusiasm has been created about a never-to-be-completed mod only supplying the first stage of its initially envisioned state. Although playing it through, it's easy to see why!

What I'd really like to know (and this was asked earlier but not answered): what exactly was up with the hidden chess pawns in the base? Was it planned for them to have some purpose in the game?

And what other Apollo Mods did you have planned for use (or what ideas for them had you come up with). Anything radically different to the abilities that the Deus Ex augs granted you?

[TCPfan]

What I'd really like to know (and this was asked earlier but not answered): what exactly was up with the hidden chess pawns in the base? Was it planned for them to have some purpose in the game?

Chess pawns? Never saw any chess pawns. Ill have to take a look tonight.

Where are they?

[DarkForge]

Chess pawns? Never saw any chess pawns. Ill have to take a look tonight.

Where are they?

One in the bathroom mirror, the other by Anna in the armoury. You can only see them if you have the vision mod.

[colcobb]

Nothing mysterious I'm afraid. They are just actor pawns with no mesh attached that are used for targets for things. The one in the bathroom is used to make the guard look in the mirror when he talks (ie. he is having a conversation with the invisible pawn), The one in the armoury is something to do with anna's behaviour on the shooting range, cant remember what exactly.

I must admit, I never realised you could see them with the vision aug. Shows how well tested TCP was eh?

[TCPfan]

During a conversation with Anna, you might have heard that a logical choice of weapons never helped a mission one way or the other, that one guy took a Rocket Launcher on what should have been a simple mission only to end up using it to take out squads while another slipped a SigP228 into her weapons belt to go to Area 51 where there should have been massive amounts of commandos.

How would that have impacted the game/future missons for Charlotte? Would there be more fighting to do if you took a bunch of rifles? Would you have had to face bots if you took the Grenade Launcher?

It could have been interesting ...

[DocSkrilla]

what was the nature of the link? the fact that it factors in whether or not charlotte goes rogue makes the link seem quite sinister. also, what made agent number two ("that bearded bastard") turn?

[Brem_X_Jones]

During a conversation with Anna, you might have heard that a logical choice of weapons never helped a mission one way or the other, that one guy took a Rocket Launcher on what should have been a simple mission only to end up using it to take out squads while another slipped a SigP228 into her weapons belt to go to Area 51 where there should have been massive amounts of commandos.

How would that have impacted the game/future missons for Charlotte? Would there be more fighting to do if you took a bunch of rifles? Would you have had to face bots if you took the Grenade Launcher?

It could have been interesting ...

There's a load of questions in this thread that I haven't answered yet, but this one is a quickie.

We were working on (And had the code operating for) a system to balance the game on the fly depending on what you decided to bring on the mission. As anyone who's fucked around with the Cass weapons will have noticed, they're not terribly well balanced in terms of pure destructive power. That's because rather than balancing the weapons, we wanted to balance the *level*. If you want to bring the HEAVY DUTY GUNS, then you need a different sort of level to play through to be challenging than the players with a toothpick and charm.

A calcluation worked out how aggressive and combat orientated your selection of equipment was as you entered the level, and varied the number of enemy at certain encounter points according to that. So, for example, if you went into a mission only armed with a pistol, at a check-point you may have a couple of guards. If you went in with the grenade launcher, the assault rifle, all the grenades and whatever, there could be a half dozen.

(I was also thinking along the lines of having more patroling guards if you had a distinct stealth set up, so making it more about sneaking and avoidance. There was lots of tricks we could do with the system)

It may have all gone out the window if we couldn't get it working in an acceptable fashion, natch, but the idea intrigued us enough to give it a shot.

KG

[DocSkrilla]

(I was also thinking along the lines of having more patroling guards if you had a distinct stealth set up, so making it more about sneaking and avoidance. There was lots of tricks we could do with the system)

It may have all gone out the window if we couldn't get it working in an acceptable fashion, natch, but the idea intrigued us enough to give it a shot.

KG

My goodness. The fact that this code was working, and that there's no actual game to play just makes the slow death of Cassandra more and more heartbreaking.

[colcobb]

Yeah, the code was working IN KIERONS HEAD.
Never work with delusional, egomaniac journalists kids.

[The Watcher]

Never work with delusional, egomaniac journalists kids.

So, never work with any journalists?

*runs like mad*

[Trestkon]

I'd just like to say kudos to you guys managing to finish up the first chapter.

I'm amazed at how much detail and backstory Kieron had whacked up. With all that on the table it's great that you were able to pull it together and get the first part finished up.

-Off Topic Productions
-The Nameless Mod

[Brem_X_Jones]

Yeah, the code was working IN KIERONS HEAD.
Never work with delusional, egomaniac journalists kids.

Tim had the basic "Adding up the points for each weapon" in the codeset.

AB had it working in the village map.

Remember?

KG

[Brem_X_Jones]

My goodness. The fact that this code was working, and that there's no actual game to play just makes the slow death of Cassandra more and more heartbreaking.

It wasn't really a code issue, to be honest - it was a design issue. Having something which "Rates your weapons you're carrying then sets it on a Danger level" was relatively simple. Having to go through each level, flagging up each group of baddies depending on what level they appear on was where the work is.

It's not that hard a system to implement - just to get working to a satisfactory level.

KG

[DocSkrilla]

it's not whether it was difficult coding or not that makes it so sad. the ambition and innovation-- the over-the-top ambition. and the very clear innovation. the originality, in other words. that's what makes it sad. i mean, how many games balance themselves to the player's specifications and thereby make themselves, in essence, new games each time you play? and how many FPSRPGs do that? yeah, the fact that The Cassandra Project was quite surely the most atmospheric, engaging, and original mod in years. it often seems like we're surrounded by a slow death of originality in games.

[colcobb]

Tim had the basic "Adding up the points for each weapon" in the codeset.

AB had it working in the village map.

Remember?

KG

Sorry, didnt remember that bit. I was only messing anyway. I remember you working out how many points everything should be worth, but I didnt realise Tim had implemented it.

[Brem_X_Jones]

Sorry, didnt remember that bit. I was only messing anyway.

You called me delusional, you big Meanie.

I swear it existed. Also: My Alien Abduction experience.

KG

[Brem_X_Jones]

it's not whether it was difficult coding or not that makes it so sad. the ambition and innovation-- the over-the-top ambition. and the very clear innovation. the originality, in other words. that's what makes it sad. i mean, how many games balance themselves to the player's specifications and thereby make themselves, in essence, new games each time you play? and how many FPSRPGs do that? yeah, the fact that The Cassandra Project was quite surely the most atmospheric, engaging, and original mod in years.

We were also fine chefs and surprisingly decent human beings.

KG

[Always_Black]

I can nearly juggle.

[Tim Was Already Taken]

We were working on (And had the code operating for) a system to balance the game on the fly depending on what you decided to bring on the mission.

I just want to kick developers who have the resources behind them and yet never actually try anything remotely as ambitious as this.

[colcobb]

You called me delusional, you big Meanie.

I swear it existed. Also: My Alien Abduction experience.

KG

Ha, even if you were right on this one, you're still delusional. Aren't we all?

I think if you are a creative optimist you kind of have to be. An example, for my GCSE design tech project, I spent the first few months working, in all seriousness, on a full scale remote control replica of the Johnny Five Robot from Short Circuit. Then I reluctantly admitted maybe that wasnt practical, and carried on working on a full size robotic arm for another couple of months. Eventually I ended up making an electronic access control system (which was pretty dull but had a groovy clear perspex box and interfaced with a bbc micro).

Anyway, to this rambling being, The Cassandra Project was to game mods what fully independent remote control robots are to GCSE design projects.

[DocSkrilla]

a bbc micro? how many decades ago was this, eh? last time i used a bbc was when i was attending calcutta international school and we had to use those computers to learn BASIC. even then, those things were such trash, constantly falling apart (literally).

[Unheard Of]

Well, I was using one in an English state run primary school in the late 80's, and it was still there when my brother got there (Mid 90's). So, less than ten years ago is possible.

EDIT: Except Cobb used it at secondary school. Oops.

[colcobb]

Well I'm 28, so GCSE's were 12-13 years ago. To be fair, we did have 386's(maybe 286's) for general use, but the Beeb had a simple buffer box interface for connecting to external sensors and controlling relays, and could be programmed to use it with some straightforward basic.

[Brem_X_Jones]

Ha, even if you were right on this one, you're still delusional. Aren't we all?

We tried though. I always knew that it was highly unlikely we'd ever get to the end-game of our plans, but it was worth thinking of them. Shame, and was a learning experience.

It's a shame we didn't get the next part out, really. The whole Child Abuse subplot would have played out incredibly well, I think.

KG