Author Topic: Hijacked Train  (Read 4414 times)

bushwhacker2k

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Hijacked Train
« on: July 09, 2014, 03:45:03 pm »
I played this area once before and I find myself wondering: From a design perspective what was supposed to happen here?

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Step-by-Step:

1 - Eliminating the bandits isn't a problem

2 - A cutscene happens (nothing is inherently wrong with cutscenes, but...), in which my character stands stock still making no attempt at stealth or tactical positioning and watches another bandit (bandits are already completely hostile at this point so I would be doing something instead of standing still) slooooowly walk up and set up a huge bomb (which one would imagine would take a few seconds, a few seconds with which I could react)

3 - Cutscene ends and my character, instead of doing anything at
 A - The end of combat
 B - When I spot the next bandit
 C - When the bandit starts walking
 D - When the bandit starts fiddling around with a bomb
just decides to have a little chat after giving the bandit ample time to do whatever she pleases.

4 - Finally I actually fight the bandit as I logically would have after stealthing after downing her friends

5 - Now comes a tedious process of trial and error in which the PC inevitably dies repeatedly unless they just give up and let the cargo get destroyed (this process is actually much longer than the rest, but I don't want to give away exactly how to solve it [despite the fact that I feel like the whole process is just ridiculous]).

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Okay. This qualifies as a bug because it falls under a category called 'Design Flaws'. This qualifies for that category because this process makes no sense in the flow of the rest of the gameplay.

I'm also just confused what the developer intention was here? Is this a little freebie for people who actually put points in Persuasion/Intimidate (which, I have to admit, I pretty much never do)?

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I strongly feel that several parts of this segment should be revised.

I can't make demands here but I'd really like to know what the intention behind the many instant-death options in disarming the bomb were. Are we expected to just reload repeatedly? I wouldn't have a problem with instant-death things, but this isn't a game where that's a frequent occurrence.

Setting up a bomb is OK, but don't have a pointless segment where my stealthy character stands out in the open and freely allows a bandit to set up a bomb. If you must have the bomb segment, have the bomb set up ahead of time and just have the bandit trigger the countdown after walking out of cover (though this brings up another point, you have to make it realistically feasible that she was set up in such a way that she could somehow elude my perception regardless of circumstance- if you had her come out of the sealed vault doors (since I can't access those) it would actually work).

bushwhacker2k

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Re: Hijacked Train
« Reply #1 on: July 10, 2014, 03:01:05 pm »
Bad design isn't a bug if it's working as intended. ::)

Not according to the professional quality assurance teacher I had! :D

I've been informed that even if they let it go it is still a bug if it can be considered a bug. (Same person informed me Design Flaws are definitely bugs)

I agree the cutscene where the last bandit appears could be handled differently. It truly breaks the flow if you're sneaking around looting the bodies, then suddenly one more bandit appears and pulls you out of stealth with his magical powers of dialog initiation :P But it didn't feel like much of a problem. They must have had the bomb ready for situations like that.

If you break it down that's basically my only complaint- the only real other thing is that I'm not sure what the dev's intention for what the player is supposed to go through upon disarming the bomb is.

minicheatbook

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Re: Hijacked Train
« Reply #2 on: August 19, 2014, 07:07:49 am »
Is the bomb defusing after you kill the bandit even possible? I honestly can't figure it out and can't find a single hint anywhere.

*Edit*
Figured it out but I swear it didn't work before when I tried the same thing. Is it random or based on the timer or something?
« Last Edit: August 19, 2014, 07:19:30 am by minicheatbook »

minicheatbook

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Re: Hijacked Train
« Reply #3 on: August 19, 2014, 10:07:04 am »
possible spoiler if it works (highlight to reveal spoiler)
Quote
I waited until around 20 seconds were left then i flipped the second switch, pulled the battery, then cut the black wire i think. i saved over it already so i cant go back and check. XD

LightningMonk

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Re: Hijacked Train
« Reply #4 on: August 19, 2014, 12:58:24 pm »
The Skills necessary  to disarm the bomb show up bracketed next to each correct dialogue option when diffusing the bomb. I believe it checks mechanics, electronics and traps.  I'm not sure if any of them show up if your skill is too low.

minicheatbook

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Re: Hijacked Train
« Reply #5 on: August 19, 2014, 08:45:02 pm »
Actually I never got any skill things next to the correct choices and my technology skills were pretty much maxed and my traps skill was at 20, maybe it checks traps first to see if it should show the other skill check values next to the choices they correspond to... i assume that 20 traps isn't really good enough to disarm a bomb lol