The Backroads — an alternate route

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 Update of the (insert random time period here): I am in the process up uploading the initial alpha release of The Backroads as I type this, but it is being released as a semi-closed alpha test. If you’re interested in being involved in testing and updates and et cetera, send me a PM and I’ll make sure that happens. I’m going to leave the pre-alpha in place for the time being so that anyone who wants a quick taste of what TBR is all about can check it out — and, if sufficiently interested, poke at me to let me know.
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 Update of the (insert random time period here): The Backroads beta 0.5 is being being uploaded to Multiverse! The pre-alpha has been removed. Progress since then has been extensive, to the point that I am now comfortable with officially declaring The Backroads to be out of alpha. If you’re interested being a part of the beta testing, toss me a PM or poke me on the forum and I’ll add your name to the list for it to download from Multiverse.
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 Notice to all TBR beta testers: Any bug reports you have should be filed on TBR’s Ministry page.
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 The Backroads has been updated to beta 0.5.2. The most notable change is a fix to the Entropy’s 'drivePowerUse so that just moving didn’t cause everything on the ship to shut down. There were a few graphics tweaks here and there, too. Almost everything else was under-the-hood stuff, including a massive reorganization of UNIDs and splitting the graphics off into their own separate library — this will prevent future updates from requiring uploading (and, for players, downloading) a 150+MB file every time I make changes to the code but not to the graphics. Saves with earlier versions of TBR will break.
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 Current version is 0.5.3-a. Version 0.5.3 had a major bug in one faction’s ships that didn’t rear its head until I implemented the faction’s stations. The problem caused an error to pop up that said “Unable to start game” with no further details which certainly didn’t make finding the problem any easier. Fortunately, the fix was a fairly straightforward one once I figured it out.
 …Also in this version is a repaint of everything for April Fool’s Day. All of the paint jobs are either something I used in the past for something else, and two of them were used more recently in the March MMJ. I’ll be leaving the recolors up for about two weeks or so, until the day before TBR’s turn comes up on George has scheduled to show it off on Twitch.
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TheLoneWolf
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DAS AWESUM!!!!!!!!!! I wonder when I can do that stuff haha
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 The Backroads has been updated to Beta 0.5.4-c and yes, I know I’ve been bad about keeping this thread updated. The most recent version was pushed out for an emergency fix to this problem, which was pointed out by Gunship256. I keep finding new places to squeeze in new ships or entire factions (albeit minor ones). At least most of the friendly stations are mostly functional, though I really do need to get around to setting up a few missions — particularly for Ironground, so you can get a military ID without having to either sidetrack to St. Kat’s or hope you get a Commonwealth Fortress show up. I also still need to set up justice systems for the friendly factions, though that should be relatively simple to tack onto code already in place for customs and decon procedures.
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TheLoneWolf
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TBR is free, right? (lol joke)

Why don't you do a finale boss battle? Like a huge ship comes, OHKOs ICS, and then you fight it?
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TheLoneWolf wrote:TBR is free, right? (lol joke)
 Actually? Yes. It’s in closed beta, but I’m not charging for it (and not likely to). If you — or anyone else, for that matter — want in on checking it out, send me a PM with your Multiverse name. I’ll get you added onto the list.
TheLoneWolf wrote:Why don't you do a finale boss battle? Like a huge ship comes, OHKOs ICS, and then you fight it?
 I do have a boss fight in mind. More than one, actually, and several of them are going to depend on what missions you take and how you handle them. Granted, I don’t have anything that can one-shot the ICS, but there are several ships in the Backroads that are fully capable of pounding the everloving kack out of it. One of these ships will be on full display in a crossover Wolfy and I have in progress to link up TSB and TBR topology, but otherwise you’re not going to see it outside of the intro screen unless you do Very Bad Things™.
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I would love to try it, but I don't have a PC atm (lol) but that doesn't mean I won't take it apart and analyze the clever things you have done (I'm so evil)

You guys have a crossover?! 0_0 0.0

I can do pretty bad things. I can use a Mod In A Mod (tm) so my playership is a Phobos. Then, I'm going to destroy every object I see (mwahahaha) be it friendly or enemy. Thats bad enough?
Or I'll have to do those bad things that you do when you see a Victorian Night Club? Or I'll have to do other bad things that you do when you spot a Sisters of Domina or rescue slaves? Or are there unique bad things you want to tell me?
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 I don’t yet have said “Very Bad Things™” coded in, but destroying the Iron Snowflake will definitely qualify once I do get them coded in. And if the best you’ve got is a Phobos to go against this thing, all I can really tell you is, “…You poor bastard.” ^.~

 But yeah, if you want TBR, send me the PM with your Multiverse name.. I should note that it only works on the latest 1.7 alpha, currently, and that the graphics library on this monstrosity is approaching 200MB — this will not be a quick download like either CC or EP.
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TheLoneWolf
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AssumedPseudonym wrote: I don’t yet have said “Very Bad Things™” coded in, but destroying the Iron Snowflake will definitely qualify once I do get them coded in. And if the best you’ve got is a Phobos to go against this thing, all I can really tell you is, “…You poor bastard.” ^.~
You don't underestimate Phobii. And you definately don't underestimate Phobii bearing an Advanced Plasma Archcannon and Ares Plasabomb cannon ^_^
 But yeah, if you want TBR, send me the PM with your Multiverse name.. I should note that it only works on the latest 1.7 alpha, currently, and that the graphics library on this monstrosity is approaching 200MB — this will not be a quick download like either CC or EP.
200mb...
>.>
<.<
=.=
*.*
That huge?
No kidding?
T.T
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 Yes. That big. I have a lot of ships in this thing, and all of them are 120 facing spritesheets that are saved at the highest quality JPEG I can manage. Plus masks.

 Also, I figure this is as good a time as any to show off a preview of what will be coming for you if you do Very Bad Things™:
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 Yes, that is its in-game sprite. Yes, it is that big. Some specs on it:

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» Designation:  Executioner
» Class:  Dreadnought
» Length:  1,002 meters
» Mass:  9,125,000 tons
» Speed:  0.03c
» Weapons:
 — 6x I-P29 Cudgel cannon (plasma; level 9)
 — 10x I-T24 Bludgeon cannon (thermo; level 8)
 — 32x I-T21 Heavy Maul cannon (thermo; level 7)
» Defenses:
 — 48x segment of massive ablative plate (level 10)
 — Unyielding-class deflector (level 9)
 — Interior HP:  4,800
 That is the biggest and baddest thing that lives in the Backroads. It took two days to render all 120 of the 592x592 frames on my computer. Length and mass were both calculated out using specifications laid out by George, so they should be accurate to what his ships go by. InteriorHP was mostly done by extrapolation, but should be pretty close to accurate.
 …And Wolfy has no fewer than four ships in TSB that will drop the XEC, and several of those will do so without even breaking a sweat.
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JohnBWatson
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I like the idea of multiple boss fights - I remember that I was really excited to see what would happen if I sequence - broke and killed the Explorer in EP rather than deterring it, and it would be awesome to see a mod that makes a habit of letting the player go at it with much more powerful enemies fielding equipment a few levels above what we typically get. It'd probably be good to toss a few 'unconventional' weapons onto the larger, slower ones that can reliably hit at range, like the ICS has(though disintegrate would likely be overkill), to prevent anticlimactic 'kiting' of bosses(that or carrier capability - I can imagine the XEC containing more than a few fighters).
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TheLoneWolf
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Yeah me too. And I would also like to see different stories depending on different bosses.
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