Hello and welcome to HEXTERMINATE’s second devlog. To start with, a quick update about the state of play: the game is coming together very well, with the save games now working and a considerable amount of modules now in-game. Having a blast playing it at the moment, now that there is a real progression in how powerful the player’s ship is and in retaking the galaxy. Today I’ll be taking a look at two important features, Flagships and the alternative Hardcore mode. Flagships Although the player will find himself knee-deep in hostiles, each faction that roams the galaxy has a fleet that contains a Flagship. Flagships are considerably more powerful than the regular ships of that faction, game changers that represent that faction’s technological pinnacle. Additionally, these ships have bridges with specialised equipment which increase the performance of their faction’s fleet, so taking these command and control ships out is extremely important. The player goes unprepared to a fight with the Marauder flagship. This does mean that need to be approached carefully and with a finger ready to hit the “Enter hyperspace” but the rewards are well worth it. Flagships drop high-end modules, with the flagships of the more advanced factions dropping the most advanced modules in the game, making them the perfect targets if you want to get those shiny Artefact / Legendary weapons… Hardcore mode Usually the destruction of the player ship is small setback – the player is respawned at his home sector’s shipyard. In hardcore mode, however, it is a different matter. Playing in hardcore mode provides a real challenge, where the ship’s destruction is final. The influx of adrenaline is that much greater, seeing that last engine explode, the hyperdrive charging and praying that it will get to those 100% and jump out before the bridge is destroyed. Additionally, the enemy flagships have modified loot tables when playing in hardcore, rewarding those brave enough to face them with considerably increased chances of dropping high-end modules. The player stays at a distance while the Pirate flagship and an Imperial battleship trade shots. What’s next? Now that the game is being saved / loaded properly and the flagships are in, I’ll finish the itemisation (reactors, weapons and addons) and work on a few missing effects: hyperspace (remember Homeworld?) and muzzle flashes.
Date
10 years ago
Views
179 Views
Reading Time
2 Mins Read
What is HEXTERMINATE? HEXTERMINATE is a top-down space shooter where the player creates and customises his own ship as he undergoes a quest of bringing back the Empire from the brink of destruction. Customisation plays an enormous part in how the player tackles this challenge and a live, breathing galaxy keeps changing even as the player is engaged in combat. This single-player game is currently under development for Windows and approaching the first Pre-Alpha. It also allows for players to mod the game to a certain degree by modifying XML files. Facing the Marauders. Customising ships The great strength of HEXTERMINATE’s customisation system is that it allows all kinds of ships to be created from various kinds of hexagonal modules. Armour, weapons, engines, etc, everything can be combined to allow the player to create the type of ship he wants. From fast, long range gunships to behemoths bristling with weapons, you can assemble them in any way you see fit – just keep in mind that modules can be individually destroyed, so a ship can be left stranded by having its engines or reactors blown up. Ships can be modified at an allied shipyard – usually an Imperial shipyard or one you have claimed from another faction, after destroying all hostile ships in that sector. Enemy shipyards, however, can be fairly well protected, making attacking such a sector a risky proposition. In this screenshot you can see an Imperial shipyard, guarded by two additional weapon platforms. An allied shipyard where the player can customise his ship. This one is guarded by two small defence platforms – they’ll be helpful if the shipyard is attacked but don’t count on them holding it on their own. Once the ship is docked, modules can be dragged and dropped from the player’s inventory. As it can be expected, modules come in different rarities and are balanced to match. The rarest weapons in the galaxy are truly monstrous and will reduce lesser fleets to slag in no time. Safely docked at an Imperial shipyard, the player can customise his ship. Adding a few missile launchers will certainly be useful but it is a trade-off – each module increases the mass of the ship, reducing how its movement speed. More engines or a fuel injector module will be needed to counterbalance it. Reclaiming the galaxy Centuries ago, the Empire reached across the galaxy, seeding mankind throughout the stars. These days, however, it is much reduced, with severe internal strife having fractured it and seeing splinter factions fill the power vacuum. This is where the player comes in, taking the place of an Imperial Commander and taking part in the Great Reclaiming. The galaxy view shows all the sectors where the player can fight, colour coded by alliance, as well as the currently active fleets. This is, however, not a turn-based game. The galaxy doesn’t stop when the player starts fighting, although it progresses at a reduced speed so overwhelming changes don’t happen while the player is in a battle. However, it adds a layer of complexity to every fight, as nearby fleets might decide to converge on the on-going battle. It is entirely possible for the player to be fighting a difficult battle against Marauders and having a nearby Pirate fleet decide that it is a good idea to drop in and ruin everyone’s day. What’s next? Most of the core game systems are now working. At the moment, the major feature that needs to be implemented is saving the galaxy state – everything else is being saved correctly. Additionally, I’m currently creating a number of flagships – particularly powerful ships that can be part of an enemy fleet, which not only pose a greater threat but also drop better modules as a reward. This ties in with the Hardcore Mode, which I’ll explain in a later post.
Date
10 years ago
Views
165 Views
Reading Time
3 Mins Read
