Shifts

[threadbarezach]

Originally Posted by the9quad

This received an update today, now has gamecenter leader boards, 3 new AI levels, and score tracking. This is a good game, definitely one of the underrated gems on the appstore. The devs took the time to add the stuff the community wanted and their next game is a tbs scifI shooter. Class act this bunch and a awesome game.

Hi! I'm Zach, one of the folks at Threadbare Games (makers of Shifts). We really appreciate you checking out the game.

We're trying to get the word out about Shifts. We're a small indie shop, we need as many installs as we can get!

Sorry about not being in this thread earlier. On twitter we're @threadbaregames and a follow there will net you all the latest news about what we're up to.

[threadbarezach]

Originally Posted by Pitta

Just had a thought....what about an hypothetical async multiplayer mode where both players share the same galaxy, could hamper each others somehow, the one who colonize 4 planets first win?

That's an AWESOME idea! We'll put it in the list for when we next do some work on the game.

[Pitta]

Originally Posted by threadbarezach

That's an AWESOME idea! We'll put it in the list for when we next do some work on the game.

Hi Zach!
Thanks for coming here and thanks for making the great game!
Glad you like the async idea, could be cool to struggle against the odds competing or cooperating with a friend using long rage async interstellar communications :P

I guess implementing async in the game is no small effort tough, so personally I would concentrate first in little but maybe 'productive' (means: game more appreciable by a larger odience) additions....like polishing up a bit the intro and the endings, and maybe adding some sounds or art for the various events too (screams and explosions a plenty).
A bit more complete intro setting the premise and proper climatic endings (even if just a text with some background sounds and maybe a still art) could attract more people imho.
You have already a solid game here, I can see it easily expanded with additional campaigns, new crisis (maybe that require the use of combined crew members to be solved) and such.
I'm doing all I can to promote the game, I really think it deserves much more attention than it has right now.
Some really tense moments...

[LordGek]

Originally Posted by threadbarezach

That's an AWESOME idea! We'll put it in the list for when we next do some work on the game.

Oh, how about having the other players being the ones providing the hazards the player has to overcome? Now each player would have something like a hand of different hazards they can play on their opponents. Not sure how you'd limit dogpiling on one poor player though. Perhaps there would be a limit to how many hazards can be played on a single player in a turn. So now, besides trying to struggle through your own dilemma, you need to plot what would most mess with your opponents from the hazards you have on hand to screw them over with. Perhaps nasty hazards to play on other players can be part of the planet booty (like a hazard wildcard where you can pick any 1 of the 5 hazards to grant your next victim).

[creedofhubris]

Great game.

Some tips:

There is no event that gives you extra ARKS, and they drain away inevitably once the green crises appear, so on hard that's what's going to kill you. Prioritize the green crises in early game and the XO's crises in late game.

Hull breaches are also problematic. If there's only one it's inefficient to put your officer on shift to stop them, and they quickly start to drain your turns when you've got more than one. Each hull breach costs 2/3 of an action to fix, while each navigational error costs only 1/3 of an action to fix. When you get 2x hull breach you're locked in to clearing the crises and fixing hull full time.

The BRObot damage and navigational error events should be lowest priority, I think.

For interface, don't combine the XO with the Doctor. The doctor is best used when you are sitting on a question mark and have another adjacent question mark -- away team, move, away team -- since you won't be using advanced skills.

Scanning 3 worlds is very efficient if at least half the worlds are xs, which I think is true on hard. (You'll save 1.5 energy and .5 actions by scanning 3 worlds). Scanning 2 worlds is marginal. If you get the enhanced scanner range early you should spam that like crazy; it's the best enhancement in the game.

Remember that the crises don't hit until the end of your turn, so if you're doomed, interface the XO and nav officer and try to explore 2 worlds before you blow up.

[threadbarejamie]

Originally Posted by creedofhubris

Great game.

Some tips:

There is no event that gives you extra ARKS, and they drain away inevitably once the green crises appear, so on hard that's what's going to kill you. Prioritize the green crises in early game and the XO's crises in late game.

Hull breaches are also problematic. If there's only one it's inefficient to put your officer on shift to stop them, and they quickly start to drain your turns when you've got more than one. Each hull breach costs 2/3 of an action to fix, while each navigational error costs only 1/3 of an action to fix. When you get 2x hull breach you're locked in to clearing the crises and fixing hull full time.

The BRObot damage and navigational error events should be lowest priority, I think.

For interface, don't combine the XO with the Doctor. The doctor is best used when you are sitting on a question mark and have another adjacent question mark -- away team, move, away team -- since you won't be using advanced skills.

Scanning 3 worlds is very efficient if at least half the worlds are xs, which I think is true on hard. (You'll save 1.5 energy and .5 actions by scanning 3 worlds). Scanning 2 worlds is marginal. If you get the enhanced scanner range early you should spam that like crazy; it's the best enhancement in the game.

Remember that the crises don't hit until the end of your turn, so if you're doomed, interface the XO and nav officer and try to explore 2 worlds before you blow up.

Hey folks,
I'm Jamie, one of the other guys at Threadbare.

I just wanted to pop my head in here to give a thumbs up to creedofhubris.
Nice work on the tips, man! You're pretty spot on!