It was fifty years ago.
Most of the Earth's population had been killed by aliens - Reticulans ...
In the end, our ancestors were forced into a peace treaty with the Reticulans ...
They saved mankind from extinction, but the price was high ...
We had to leave the Earth, our home planet ...
For ever.
Some of us has[sic] stayed in the rebuilt starship - Laputa - on the Earth's orbit ...
The rest of us were moved to Mars ...
With the help of the Reticulans, we built a base in one of the craters ...
We survive with the hope that in the future, we will succeed in transforming Mars into our home ...
New Earth!I think the commander lets up on the ellipses when he gets older.
It was really nice of the Reticulans to build us a base. They're generous for nearly genocidal invaders.
The commander is misinformed here. We're not banished from Earth; it's just .. not a good place to live after the events of the first game.
Title screen!
The title screen and loading screens have a fishbowl effect.
I don't feel like playing impossible. I think the strategic difficulty both makes attacks more common and makes research and production take longer. There are only so many battles on the same ~five maps I can handle, so let's not go for heavy strategic difficulty.
You may have noticed that I unchecked the tutorial box. It still makes me play through the tutorial map. Here we have Gene, who is part of a group excavating strange ruins. (The strange ruins are not a dance floor; please do not dance on the strange ruins.)
Unfortunately for Gene, a nearly destroyed mech with its weapons disabled has killed her husband. The only thing for it is to grab his scientific laser and shoot it twice.
This is what the inventory screen looks like.
One shot disables it. A second and Gene's husband is avenged.
Afterlight only has a few maps, but each has several variants. Fighting in your own territory, you'll get buildings like this, walkways which connect the map in different ways, and immobile rovers which can presumably be used as cover. I don't know what the buildings are for, since there's nobody to use them. The base has less than 30 people awake, including children.
Inside the building is Diego, and we get to learn how to control two people. It works exactly as you'd expect.
Having collected a squadmate, Gene begins the trek back to the UFO. The Reticulans gave it to us. As we only have the one, there is no air combat in this game.
A useful feature in Afterlight is that there are different sensory methods. Here we see that Gene and Diego can hear something blocking the UFO. We can't give an attack order on something that's only heard, but then again, we don't have a line of sight to it.
Also shown: Every squadmember has a color, shown under their portraits. We can easily see the route each is taking by colored lines on the ground. Just below their life meter and to the left is a number, showing how many seconds it will take to complete their orders.
What they heard was a stationary drone. Through a suit and on Mars. Skill.
The percentages next to the enemy show who is shooting it, and what their chances to hit are.
There are three different sorts of HP damage. Green marks fully healthy HP. Grey is stun damage, which quickly goes away over time. Red is wounds, which may be healed by a medic and instantly recover after battle. Martian mechs slowly recover wounds. Black is for longer term damage, which can only be healed over time on the strategic layer. Drones need to consume repair parts back in the base to recover this.
This is our UFO. Do not be alarmed.
After getting in the UFO, we're returned to the geoscape view. we can send out a scientific team in a rover to uncontested areas to grab them and expand our territory. If the territory has resources, a technical team in a rover can build mines.
The red markers are missions. In this case, drones would attack our scientific team, and need to be dealt with before we can take those territories.
The white flags each mark an unclaimed territory. Some other factions slowly take adjacent territories. Most of them don't seem to bother expanding.
The blue line between our base and the pole is an aqueduct. It brings water from the ice cap. If it gets attacked, we have a few days to deal with the mission before we die of thirst. Dying of thirst is embarrassing, so let's avoid that.
After the mission, people start talking. Have a flawlessly cropped dialog instead of a transcription.
Time to show off the various base screens. First is the main base view. This is where we build more buildings. I'd like to build a second hospital ward and a second workshop, but we need more mines first.
The base overview screen is largely useless.
This is the research screen, and our list of techs you can vote on. Of the non-obvious techs:
Survival Methods leads to better suits. Many regions are hostile, and we'll need better suits to conduct missions there. Armor is also helpful in an ironman run.
Automatic defense systems leads to drones.
Military Training lets our soldiers learn new skills with XP from leveling up. I'm particularly fond of the one that lets them run in a suit on Mars. Getting around faster is good.
Terraforming isn't a high priority. It lets us build stations that very slowly terraform the planet. As the planet gets terraformed, areas will gradually become less hostile. Also, we're kind-of on a time limit for getting the planet livable before some 10,000 people wake up and die from not having an atmosphere. I don't think this time limit is mentioned anywhere.
Researching firearms early would be really nice.
Here is the production screen. We can't make much right now.
Resources in this game are slightly strange. You never have 10 metal. You have 2 metal sources. If you have 2 metal sources, you can make as many items that require 2 metal sources as you want, and will never run out, but cannot make anything that requires 3 metal sources.
As our technician team gets more experience and training in making specific things, production times will go down. Production also goes faster if you're making a bulk order. There is an easy exploit where you can keep the bulk order time discount if you simply order too many items and move them back in the queue when you have enough. I will fight the temptation to use this on non-ammo, and only allow myself to queue two non-ammo items per workshop. For ammo, we'll probably need it.
Buzzsaws and knives are melee weapons. Knives can be thrown, but I don't usually bother. Not shown:
Scientific Lasers for 14h and 9m. They're pretty bad, but we can make-do with them for a couple weeks if we don't research firearms first.
Batteries for 8h and 35m. Each has enough charge for 15 shots of a scientific laser. Different laser weapons use different amounts of charge, but use the same batteries.
Toolkits for 17h and 11m. Soldier/technicians can use them to repair suits or drones. This is useful, since suits with holes shot in them are not conductive to living.
Suit repair sets for 7h 9m. Each has enough duct tape for 10 repairs.
Dynamite for 8h 35m. Some missions have us destroy a certain object. Dynamite is mostly only useful for that, since it takes a bit of time to place and then explodes on a timer.
Here is our storage screen. I'll only rarely use this.
Shown is our stock of old Earth weapons and ammo. The guns are nearly as good as what we can build, but we can never get more ammo for them.
Not shown: 2 scientific lasers with 4 batteries, 2 Reticulan laser pistols with 12 batteries of 20 shots each, a toolkit with no repair packs, 0 dynamite, and a pair of muzzle mods: A silencer and an accelerator. They can go on any bullet gun and are easily moved to other guns. I think in the second game, silencers caused confusion. Here they reduce the muzzle flash and shooting sounds.
That is so very Hollywood. "Let's use silencers on our rifles in close combat. On Mars. They'll never notice us."
We have 7 basic suits. Since we can't build more, I assume we instantly retrieve them if we abandon a team somewhere. Spacemagic.
This is the squad assignment screen. Here we choose which people are on the UFO, and what suit they're using. It can save several different configurations, as you would hope.
Here is the equipment screen. It looks pretty much like the inventory screen does in battles.
The only way to get weapon stats is by placing them on a soldier, since they use vary with the soldier's skills. I don't feel like transcribing them or uploading 17 screenshots to show off the different weapon stats. Assume they are mostly as you would expect.
Actually, the scientific lasers aren't as bad as I remembered. With Ute's average skills, they hit for 15 every 2.4 seconds with 83% accuracy and 30 range. The Reticulan laser pistols hit for 20 every 1.7 seconds with 88% accuracy and 25 range.
Those aliens are total slackers. These are the best pistols they have. These scientific lasers aren't even real weapons.
Here is the diplomacy screen. We cannot yet talk to the people left at Earth, and do not have contact with anyone else. The screen itself is only mildly useful.
Last screen, and the one you've been waiting for. The People tab.
We get these people, and eventually draft a few children. That's it for human personnel in the game. White numbers on a portrait indicate soldier levels. Green is for scientists, and red is for technicians. A few people have two classes. We have 8 people who can craft, and 8 who can research. Getting additions to either group is very rare, and I love them all and I will go through great lengths to keep them.
Anyway, with 4 slots in a lab or workshop, and needing scientists and technicians to expand, they are quite valuable. I'll only send one soldier/technician and soldier/scientist out per battle, and will focus on their survival. They are needed to repair suits or use medkits. They'll be stretched a bit thin back at base, and will probably be behind the pure soldiers on skill training. I don't think I can run without at least 6 scientists and technicians, so I'm only opening two of either for recruitment. If they die, that's it - No more repairs or medkits.
Time for attributes and skills. Every level up, in addition to a point for training, soldiers gain a point that may instantly raise one attribute. Every skill is governed by two attributes, and levels up roughly once every other attribute level.
Strength affects Physical, Mechanical, Constitution, Speed, and Manipulation.
Agility affects Snap shot, Physical, Dodge, Speed, and Scouting.
Dexterity affects Aimed shot, Snap shot, Speed, Mechanical, and Manipulation.
Willpower affects Aimed shot, Mechanical, Constitution, Scouting, and Charisma.
Intuition affects Snap shot, Scout, Dodge, Manipulation, and Charisma.
Physical is melee attack speed and damage.
Aimed shot is the mode you'll be using most of the time. It makes you shoot faster and more accurately in aimed shot mode. I think it also increases critical hit chances while aiming.
Snap shot burns through ammo, but can be useful if I mess up and something needs to die
now. Around mid-game, once we're better at making ammo and if your snapshot skills are great, I'll let people prefer to close for snap shots.
Mechanical is for rocket launchers and heavy machine guns.
Constitution affects HP. Each level gives roughly 27% more HP than the previous level (79, 100, 126, 159, 200, 256[?]). Critical.
Speed makes you move faster. When moving the squad together, they'll move at the slowest speed so they all arrive at the same time.
It's useful, but I probably won't spend much time moving people off alone.
Manipulation affects the time needed to deal with the inventory, reload, and throw things.
Dodge makes enemy attacks less accurate.
Scouting lets you see and hear from further away.
Charisma resists psy attacks and is useful for the leadership trait. (I don't think there is mind control in Afterlight, just straight-up psy attacks. They work through walls.)
Ute here is generally average, with above average defense. She has 2 training points spent on the skill Reticulan Anatomy, which makes her hit Reticulans harder and with better critical changes.
History: Ute Heinemann was born in Karl-Marx-Stadt, later Kamnitz, in Central Europe. In 2000, she represented her country at the Olympic Games in the former United States. She was one of the fiercest warriors against the Reticulans in the war preceding the exile to Mars. Then, she fought together with Benant Haradze and this experience binds them to this day.
Character is the colony's most experienced solder.
A vocal section of Afterlight's players hate Ute's angry-scratchy-granny voice. I find it to be funny.
Benat is a soldier/technician. A few characters have bonds, usually parents/offspring. If they're on the same squad, they get bonuses when one is near death. I don't remember if there's a corresponding morale hit.
Harold's set to become a decent melee attacker. A pity that's so dangerous. He has 2 points spent on Minor Stability, a very useful skill. High damage hits tend to knock characters over, leaving them vulnerable until they get back up. This skill gives resistance to that.
History: Harold Zamyatin was a young boy when he arrived on Mars. His father was one of the pioneers who died settling on this harsh planet. Harold grew up to be his proud successor and he distinguished himself on many important missions all over Mars. His wife died when she gave birth to his daughter - Olga.
Diego, again, has a fairly average spread of stats. He starts better than Harold at melee combat, due to a higher speed. He has 2 points spent on Minor Heavy Equipment, letting him use heavy weapons. We won't have any for a while, sadly for him.
History: Diego was one of the strongest men in the colony. He did not inherit the intellect of his father, but in times of peace he has been a worthy worker. Now he can show his valor as a soldier. He is a very good friend both to Oliver and Samantha Svensson.
((His father is the head scientist.))
Samantha is good at shooting. Her low constitution should be brought up in the first few missions, since 79 HP won't cut it for long. She has not spent any training points.
History: Samantha has been a good organizer and skillful worker. Now she must use her talent as one of our soldiers. She has been deeply in love with her husband, Oliver Svensson, for a long time. She is also a good friend to Diego Ramirez, who is the only other person the same age as her and her husband.
Hikaru is the first of our soldier/technicians. He is a lower level. There's not much to say about his stats, other than that he needs training to be useful.
History: I'm tired of transcription. Tadeusz is his son, but I'm not putting them in the same battle because they're both scientists.
Tadeusz has fairly average skills across the board, but stats off weak where it counts: Aim and Constitution. He starts with medical training. He also has an excellent chance to become perfectly average across the board, if you're easily amused like I am.
His history says he's air-headed and careless.
Gene. Average aiming skills, weak con.
According to her history, being present for her husband's death has affected her deeply, since she is a very sensitive woman. She has a daughter named Rita.
Rita's kinda rude, really. "
What, do
I have to get them all?" Yes Rita. You are a soldier. You signed up to kill things, now please kill things or I'll take away your radio ... Right,back to people we have now.
Mark's starting stats rate him as average in everything I care about.
According to his history, he is funny and curious, and is popular.
Pauline actually has good aim, but she's slow and fragile.
She is the mother of twins, Claude and Pierre.
Benat has good con, and average aim. I've never used him as a soldier, since he starts with the technician skill, minor surveyer, which means he helps build mines faster. Feel free to pick him anyway, there are plenty of technician points, and the out-of-base technical team tends to end up with spare time.
His history marks him as an old veteran from Earth, an expert in pyrotechnics and explosives, and as Ute's friend.
Oliver has average defensive skills and weak shooting skills.
His history marks him as charismatic, despite what his stats say. Samantha is his wife, and he is friends with Diego.
Vera is average at shooting and living, but moves a bit slowly.
Her history marks her has like a queen. She's married to the base commander, and is friends with Mark Wells.
The drones and aliens tab are empty. The inactive tab has Gene's husband. He was a scientist/technician, which would have been very valuable and now I'm going to ragekill every mech I see. Sure, I was going to kill them anyway, but now I'll rage kill them instead of normal killing them.
Only people with soldier levels are claimable. I prefer to choose what to teach the pure scientists and technicians as needed.
To sign-up, please claim a soldier. First-come first serve. Only those who are currently available are claimable. No wait-list. Please also choose how stats should be distributed. If you can't decide, I like to max willpower first, since it gives both HP and boosts aimed shots. After we have training researched, I'll let you pick which ones of those you want.
Remember, only two each of soldier/scientists and soldier/technicians are available to claim. They'll probably end up a few levels below everyone else, since I'm not risking them all in the same battle, but I'll be protecting them better.
The current weapons you may choose from are: Scientific lasers, buzzsaws, knives, 1 Earth rifle, 2 Earth pistols, and 2 alien laser handguns. The next few battles can safely be run with knives, and I'd prefer to do so, but even if we start researching weapons first, I won't have a full set of real rifles made by the time we need to use actual weapons. Alien batteries are limited, but we will find plenty, and there's not much reason to hoard them.
I also need to know what to research. We should be fine with firearms as any of the first three techs. You may list a general area to research, if you prefer.
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Topic: Let's Play UFO Afterlight: Recruiting (Read 9821 times)