BioSynth: Rising - Pre-Alpha Demo

[Farflame]

By the way, here's the new Kickstarter: https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/neptunegames/biosynth-rpg
I'll announce a launch date when everything is ready.

Welcome to the site. Nice project. Im glad that its not tactical RPG with missions but more like Baldurs Gate.

- First minutes doest look good because the video is too bright and it looks quite bland but later the graphics is ok.
- Do you have companions quests there too?
- Is the cyberpunk world somewhat different from others?
- Do you plan to add more options to combat in order to make it more tactical? Now it looks pretty basic which will not make many fans happy.
For example if you dont want to waste time with full cover system (adding more objects for cover, whole calculations etc) you should at least more types of attacks or crouching for better aim or lower chance of being hit but at a cost of AP (or something else).

 

[Couchpotato]

@Farflame we did a interview before and there are other newsbit's with the info.

 

[NeptuneGames]

Welcome to the site. Nice project. Im glad that its not tactical RPG with missions but more like Baldurs Gate.

Thank you!

- First minutes doest look good because the video is too bright and it looks quite bland but later the graphics is ok.

Thank you for the feedback, I'll try to improve it.

- Do you have companions quests there too?

They are planned and in the demo you get a hint at them, but they aren't in the game yet.

- Is the cyberpunk world somewhat different from others?

Yes, it is. I'm calling it cyberpunk because it's the quickest way to describe the environment and many characters' appearance. But it's more appropriate to call it sci-fi. There's a big biopunk component... for example there are mutants.

Also, usually the cyberpunk worlds have a lot of cyborgs but not many robots. Here the robots are way more common.

I'm just giving you a quick overview... but things get interesting.

- Do you plan to add more options to combat in order to make it more tactical? Now it looks pretty basic which will not make many fans happy.
For example if you dont want to waste time with full cover system (adding more objects for cover, whole calculations etc) you should at least more types of attacks or crouching for better aim or lower chance of being hit but at a cost of AP (or something else).

Not sure if you saw this video:

Those are still early levels and we're in an early stage of the game. I already planned many cool ways to make the combat feel different, but can't share more of what is already pubblicly available at the moment.
I can say that there's no plan for a cover system... I think it gets boring over time and it reduces the chance of experimenting with new things.

If you have other question or feedback, feel free to ask/write.

 

[Farflame]

Thank you for the feedback, I'll try to improve it.

Generally the graphics is ok. Probably few areas could use some work. I meant mainly brightness of the video. Correct lightning and contrast is important.
We would mostly agree here that its better to focus on gameplay and quests.

They are planned and in the demo you get a hint at them, but they aren't in the game yet.

Good.

Yes, it is. I'm calling it cyberpunk because it's the quickest way to describe the environment and many characters' appearance. But it's more appropriate to call it sci-fi. There's a big biopunk component... for example there are mutants.
Also, usually the cyberpunk worlds have a lot of cyborgs but not many robots. Here the robots are way more common.

Biopunk and robots - for me good news. I like it.
So we can expect more creatures like this biomechanical "pet" (from Torment: Tides of Numenera).

Not sure if you saw this video:
we're in an early stage of the game. I already planned many cool ways to make the combat feel different, but can't share more of what is already pubblicly available at the moment.
I can say that there's no plan for a cover system... I think it gets boring over time and it reduces the chance of experimenting with new things.

No, I didnt see that video. I admit that it looks better now. But I still think that you should add an option to choose from 2 or 3 types of attack. At least for some weapons. + that crouching, for example.
I think that so far your combat system is still not enough for more demanding fans. Not to mention there will be probably group of players who will whine that its not like X-Com and cover is missing etc. For me its not a problem. But people have different tastes.
I think there was some critique like that regarding Broken Roads that the combat system is not good enough and it should be more like X-Com.

BTW
Does the game take place only in one cyberpunk city and areas around? Its like isometric CP 2077.

 

[NeptuneGames]

Generally the graphics is ok. Probably few areas could use some work. I meant mainly brightness of the video. Correct lightning and contrast is important.
We would mostly agree here that its better to focus on gameplay and quests.

If I am right, you're talking about the sewers, right? The brightness was a choice of the person who at a time was working on that level, to give a more foggy look. Fixing that is a 5-6 click solution... so it takes less than 5 minutes.

Biopunk and robots - for me good news. I like it.
So we can expect more creatures like this biomechanical "pet" (from Torment: Tides of Numenera).

Most of the mutants comes from a human base. I feel like we can experiment... but that depends on the available resources.

Anyway, we plan on having "cybermutants", so mutants with robotic parts. Something that looks like this, for example: https://www.artstation.com/artwork/DxPy5R

No, I didnt see that video. I admit that it looks better now. But I still think that you should add an option to choose from 2 or 3 types of attack. At least for some weapons. + that crouching, for example.
I think that so far your combat system is still not enough for more demanding fans. Not to mention there will be probably group of players who will whine that its not like X-Com and cover is missing etc. For me its not a problem. But people have different tastes.
I think there was some critique like that regarding Broken Roads that the combat system is not good enough and it should be more like X-Com.

Thanks!
Consider that you get 1 new skill per level...at level 4 (which is very early game... you get there in about 2 hours), you already have 3 skills per party member. Some weapons give skills. Some armors give skills. There are quickslots which are basically additional skills.
And you can start having an interesting build already at level 3, as you can see from this video:

Then there are destructibles: environmental objects with which you can interact. Not just exploding barrels, but also electric wires, hologram projectors, falling platforms.

And there is more that I can't share yet.

I think that we can give players a good combat system. But we'll be able to say that only after the players experience it. If they like it, great. If they don't, we'll listen to feedbacks and make all the necessary adjustments to provide something good.

BTW
Does the game take place only in one cyberpunk city and areas around? Its like isometric CP 2077.

Yes, it's only 1 city.

The areas around can be very different from the city. Like for example this:


And then, there's a location in the middle of nowhere that after a big accident became a unique place in the world and drew a lot of attention.

 

[Farflame]

you're talking about the sewers, right? The brightness was a choice of the person who at a time was working on that level, to give a more foggy look.

Yes, the sewers. Brightness and foggy look - it really doesnt work.

Fixing that is a 5-6 click solution... so it takes less than 5 minutes.

More fixing like that.

Most of the mutants comes from a human base. I feel like we can experiment... but that depends on the available resources.

Ok. I would like to see more non-human mutants.
That creature in the artwork you posted sooner is good imho. Is it from your game?

Anyway, we plan on having "cybermutants", so mutants with robotic parts. Something that looks like this, for example: https://www.artstation.com/artwork/DxPy5R

Ok. This design is a little generic imho, but ok.

BTW you can also look at mutants from Spiders RPGs - Mars: War Logs and Technomancer.
But they were presented mainly as oppressed race - I dont think you should use the same approach.

Consider that you get 1 new skill per level...at level 4 (which is very early game... you get there in about 2 hours), you already have 3 skills per party member. Some weapons give skills. Some armors give skills.

On the video you choose from three paths. Does it mean that there is no skill tree in BioSynth? You just choose between different options that the game offers you?

I think that we can give players a good combat system. But we'll be able to say that only after the players experience it. If they like it, great. If they don't, we'll listen to feedbacks and make all the necessary adjustments to provide something good.

I have the same hope. As I said I think it needs some work.

The areas around can be very different from the city. Like for example this:
And then, there's a location in the middle of nowhere that after a big accident became a unique place in the world and drew a lot of attention.

Ok, fine.
Big accident - it sounds like meteorite strike or some big excavated relic.

 

[JDR13]

I have the same hope. As I said I think it needs some work.

So, you've played it?

 

[Farflame]

So, you've played it?

No, I didnt. I wrote my impressions so far.

 

[JDR13]

No, I didnt. I wrote my impressions so far.

To be fair, you only get a limited impression from just watching a video. Also, not sure why you keep saying it should be like XCOM. It's not a tactical strategy game.

 

[Farflame]

To be fair, you only get a limited impression from just watching a video.

Of course. Did I say otherwise? It was from videos and from talking here with developer.

Also, not sure why you keep saying it should be like XCOM. It's not a tactical strategy game.

Where did I say that? You misunderstood me. In fact I wrote opposite opinion.

 

[JDR13]

Of course. Did I say otherwise? It was from videos and from talking here with developer.

No, but you're critiquing it from a video. That's all I'm saying.

Where did I say that? You misunderstood me. In fact I wrote opposite opinion.

Yeah, my bad there. I read that wrong.

 

[Farflame]

No, but you're critiquing it from a video. That's all I'm saying.

Im offering feedback for unfinished game based on my impressions and experience. Thats all.
I would like for them to be successfull. To avoid recent fate of Broken Road, for example.

 

[NeptuneGames]

Ok. I would like to see more non-human mutants.
That creature in the artwork you posted sooner is good imho. Is it from your game?

Yes, it's in the game.

Let me clarify: I said "mutants that come from a human base", not humanoid mutants. The difference is that, starting from a human, you can mutate a creature quite a lot. That big beast comes from a human base too.

BTW you can also look at mutants from Spiders RPGs - Mars: War Logs and Technomancer.
But they were presented mainly as oppressed race - I dont think you should use the same approach.

Thanks for sharing, didn't know those and saw some cool concepts from them.

Of course, it all depends on what can fit in the lore - mutants have a couple specific origins in BioSynth.

On the video you choose from three paths. Does it mean that there is no skill tree in BioSynth? You just choose between different options that the game offers you?

There are 3 skill trees per class. Each path is a skill tree. You can pick skills freely, as long as you have the requisites.

I have the same hope. As I said I think it needs some work.

I totally agree with you.
In fact, I didn't say that the combat system is good in its current state. I said that I'm confident that it'll be good once we implement what I planned - but again, flexibility is the key... players will have the last word.

Ok, fine.
Big accident - it sounds like meteorite strike or some big excavated relic.

It's a man-made thing totally out of control. I don't want to spoil it

 

[Farflame]

Let me clarify: I said "mutants that come from a human base", not humanoid mutants. The difference is that, starting from a human, you can mutate a creature quite a lot. That big beast comes from a human base too.

Ah, I see. Now its perfect. I look forward to more human-based-abominations.

Thanks for sharing, didn't know those and saw some cool concepts from them.

You are welcome. Spiders are usually very good at art. These games are sci-fi/cyberpunk so maybe they can inspire you a little (for example, creatures in this short clip, its only several seconds, then there is different non-cyberpunk game).

Of course, it all depends on what can fit in the lore - mutants have a couple specific origins in BioSynth.

Do you feel to reveal a little bit?

There are 3 skill trees per class. Each path is a skill tree. You can pick skills freely, as long as you have the requisites.

I see. So once you choose your skill tree at some level, you are stuck with it? You cant choose the other trees later?

I totally agree with you.
In fact, I didn't say that the combat system is good in its current state. I said that I'm confident that it'll be good once we implement what I planned - but again, flexibility is the key... players will have the last word.

Ok. Glad to hear that.

It's a man-made thing totally out of control. I don't want to spoil it

I see. Probably some kind of chemical facility that was blown away and some "liquid shiit" was leaked into the land and water. So now it makes big problem for the city, especially for the slums... I let my imagination fly a little.

 

[NeptuneGames]

Do you feel to reveal a little bit?

Spoiler: Mutants origin

There are certain environmental situations that lead to heavy mutations. But it's more common that a mutant is born in a laboratory... usually against its will.

I see. So once you choose your skill tree at some level, you are stuck with it? You cant choose the other trees later?

You are free to pick a skill from any skill tree.

I see. Probably some kind of chemical facility that was blown away and some "liquid shiit" was leaked into the land and water. So now it makes big problem for the city, especially for the slums... I let my imagination fly a little.

Spoiler: Hint

It's way worse than that. Also, nobody cares about the slums... if someone nuked it, people in the rest of the city would be happy.

 

[Farflame]

You are free to pick a skill from any skill tree.

Are there also non-combat skills?
And can you invest points into attributes like Strength, Agility, Intelligence..?

 

[NeptuneGames]

Are there also non-combat skills?

Up to now, I've been focusing on developing combat skills, so there isn't any non-combat skill yet.

And can you invest points into attributes like Strength, Agility, Intelligence..?

Currently, only when you build your character at the start of the game.