The Perfect Mod

[Galgano]

So I started a new game recently, and I entered Sera's shop. I read through the Why So Serious?...er Mad? question. Sera was talking about supplying a custom mod to the guy for a horse cock, and how it would pay rent on her place for a whole year. How bad would it be for her to sell mods like that to the player? Judging by what she said, it would be incredibly expensive, say 80,000 or something (bear in mind, I haven't gotten past Antville yet, so I don't know how easy it is to reach that number), to get a single transformation with no complications whatsoever. And the price would double for each additional guaranteed transformation. It would also take a week or something for her to "procure" the mod. I know part of the fun of the game is seeing what you get from a mod, but the way I see it, she is already offering something like that. Plus, it would let people know that she is making money and not losing it by giving you TF items for you to sell to her over and over. What are your thoughts?


P.S. I did a search of the forum topics and couldn't find another topic like this one. Sorry if this topic has already been made.

 

[Etis]

So I started a new game recently, and I entered Sera's shop. I read through the Why So Serious?...er Mad? question. Sera was talking about supplying a custom mod to the guy for a horse cock, and how it would pay rent on her place for a whole year. How bad would it be for her to sell mods like that to the player? Judging by what she said, it would be incredibly expensive, say 80,000 or something (bear in mind, I haven't gotten past Antville yet, so I don't know how easy it is to reach that number), to get a single transformation with no complications whatsoever. And the price would double for each additional guaranteed transformation. It would also take a week or something for her to "procure" the mod. I know part of the fun of the game is seeing what you get from a mod, but the way I see it, she is already offering something like that. Plus, it would let people know that she is making money and not losing it by giving you TF items for you to sell to her over and over. What are your thoughts?


P.S. I did a search of the forum topics and couldn't find another topic like this one. Sorry if this topic has already been made.

TFs are one of the most complicated things in game, both in writing and coding. This is because all of them have quite compliceted (and usually unique) mechanics behind them. It would be quite easy to make simple TF in a FS/FoE style, where you would have fixed, simple blurb, but it would be boring.

 

[PyrateHyena]

you can find a horsecock tf item on tarkus, so selling something that does the same to the player would be pointless. I would imagine that a system where you can choose what a mod does and "commision" sera to make it may take a whole lot of effort writing and code-wise, while save-scumming with existing tfs comes the player a lot cheaper. I do not dislike the idea, don't get me wrong, but i guess you would have to write it up yourself.

 

[Galgano]

TFs are one of the most complicated things in game, both in writing and coding. This is because all of them have quite compliceted (and usually unique) mechanics behind them. It would be quite easy to make simple TF in a FS/FoE style, where you would have fixed, simple blurb, but it would be boring.

I'm sorry, I'm just a little confused and lost. Are the coders not allowed to use existing code? I'm not saying that they need to reinvent the wheel. They could just as easily create a struct or class that has a flag and other data required for the TF. Then the function in the class that gets called when the PC consumes the TF item would just check a list of these structs/classes and based on its flag, it will call the appropriate existing function with the necessary data. They won't have to create new mechanics or create new blurbs, just use the existing old mechanics because it's already written. Sorry if I'm getting on your nerves or something.

 

[Ormael]

I'm sorry, I'm just a little confused and lost. Are the coders not allowed to use existing code? I'm not saying that they need to reinvent the wheel. They could just as easily create a struct or class that has a flag and other data required for the TF. Then the function in the class that gets called when the PC consumes the TF item would just check a list of these structs/classes and based on its flag, it will call the appropriate existing function with the necessary data. They won't have to create new mechanics or create new blurbs, just use the existing old mechanics because it's already written. Sorry if I'm getting on your nerves or something.

Doing what you proposing would be close to cloning existing items effects. Or maybe call it taking parts of different TF effects to create a new-old Tf item that got all accesable in other items already.


And with horse mod meantioned with Sera case we not only got horse tube at tarkus that we can find but also if memeory serve well whole equine TF item that change PC over many hours ingame toward been more like horse.


Coders can use any code they want. It just what would be final effect. Also some part of code can be reused in many places and well should be as they kinda like backbone parts of code. Some other parts like effets of TF items are less used outside each item that use them. Otherwise we would have like 10 or more items that all giving X or Y body part to PC. And only difference between could be price, how hard is to farm/buy them or what other effects are possible with each item. Make similar thing to few more body parts and we got literaly tons of TF items that are in most cases reductant. Sometimes having less possibilities isn't as bad as one may think.


So don't take it as attack at you or smth but giving idea to make tons of times that have mix of already existing effects from few different TF items would make using TF items a little bit more murky and unclear.

 

[Galgano]

I agree that the price should fluctuate based on availability of existing mods, but I'm not just talking about the horse dick. I only brought up that particular mod because that was what the guy ordered from Sera. Also for those over time mods. What if a person only wanted a TF that was 24 or so hours into the mod, but not all the things before it. They would have to take the mod, then find other mods to revert those changes and hope that his/her desired change doesn't get overwritten. The custom mod wouldn't make these other mods irrelevant because the price is so high. The player would still have to spend about the same amount of time save scumming for the perfect TF. This way, they have the option to spend less time save scumming and more time exploring. Of course they could always get lucky in their save scumming.

 

[Ormael]

I thin custom TF item was discussed in past at least once. I think it wasn;t as much popular since nothing changed in this matter toward adding something that could count as stub custom TF item. But not loose fiath maybe somone will write down that stub and submit to Fen to review.

 

[Rare Pleasure]

I belive the spesific mod she is talking about is the "Synth sheath mk.1" http://wiki.smutosaur.us/Horse-Cock


It gives you a horsecock and balls, with zero other effects (besdies a small boost to libido), and is free. A similar (possibly identical) item can be bought for 15k from Anno. Either way they both can be found on the planet Tarkus.

 

[NotYouNorI]

I belive the spesific mod she is talking about is the "Synth sheath mk.1" http://wiki.smutosaur.us/Horse-Cock


It gives you a horsecock and balls, with zero other effects (besdies a small boost to libido), and is free. A similar (possibly identical) item can be bought for 15k from Anno. Either way they both can be found on the planet Tarkus.

1. Tarkus is a junkyard planet; I doubt Sera would sell an junked, outdated/prototype model.


2. The item Anno is selling is just a attachment for androids; practically a dildo. It won't give an organic a horsecock.

 

[Darkfirephoenix]

...So if I'm reading this right you want a option/mod that allows you to select what transformation you get beforehand... Why make it so complicated? Why not make a vendor/machine that simply allows you to specify what transformation you want and then applies? So you would get the effects of Minerva (editing tool) without having to work through the code yourself integrated into the game but with a big price tag for usage, right?

 

[Ormael]

Splicers Vendor Machione from Bioshock 1 or 2?


Hehe I couldn't resist putting this pun after last poster xD


But it my if whole idea of that perfect mod lift off ends in something similar to what I half-serious throw...

 

[Galgano]

...So if I'm reading this right you want a option/mod that allows you to select what transformation you get beforehand... Why make it so complicated? Why not make a vendor/machine that simply allows you to specify what transformation you want and then applies? So you would get the effects of Minerva (editing tool) without having to work through the code yourself integrated into the game but with a big price tag for usage, right?

I get that it's easy to just mod yourself using Minerva, but there are still some people out there that shy away from doing things that way. The reason I want Sera to do it instead of some ol' vending machine is because she was talking about how she helped another person by creating a custom mod for him, only to have him go to the Panda Palace, get a cheaper mod, and get lucky (because NPCs can't save scum), Wait...you said vendor, not vending. That was the idea in the first place. I think you read it wrong. I wanted a vendor to sell it in the first place, not an option to just change everything. The humongous price tag is to dissuade people from only resorting to this option. Plus, if they just Minerva their money, then what's to stop them from just Minerva'ing their body as well.

 

[Darkfirephoenix]

I get that it's easy to just mod yourself using Minerva, but there are still some people out there that shy away from doing things that way. The reason I want Sera to do it instead of some ol' vending machine is because she was talking about how she helped another person by creating a custom mod for him, only to have him go to the Panda Palace, get a cheaper mod, and get lucky (because NPCs can't save scum), Wait...you said vendor, not vending. That was the idea in the first place. I think you read it wrong. I wanted a vendor to sell it in the first place, not an option to just change everything. The humongous price tag is to dissuade people from only resorting to this option. Plus, if they just Minerva their money, then what's to stop them from just Minerva'ing their body as well.

I was mainly reffering to what MAY be easier to implement/code: A item that you have to specify beforehand what it does OR the ability to outright define which part gets which TF. I think making a item would be more work especially if you define BEFOREHAND what changes it should cause, or you just make it a thing Sera/Vendor SAYS they will give you and be instead a option to change x-things after x-days of "preparation" for x money

 

[epidemico]

I feel that part of why this hasn't happened yet, and also part of why Fen and Co. would--maybe--be a little hesitant to add it to the game, is because the game is called Trials in Tainted Space, not Minerva in Tainted Space (though that'd be a pretty cool NPC to see, hehe). Like, though it might not have as huge of a focus as CoC did in terms of throwing corruption and involuntary TFs at the PC: a large part of TiTs does revolve around the "dangers," you might face during the Rush. (of which I do think there should be more, tbqf) 


If you take that away, even with a huge price-tag attached to it, I feel you're effectively removing a large percentage of the "danger," or "anxiety," a player might feel when encountering a new monster or event. Like, what's the point if losing to a tough enemy sees the PC TF'd into something they might not want to be when they can just run back to their ship and re-customized their Avatar whenever they want?


Plus, the ability to custom-mod parts of your body like that might play merry havoc with more than just the TF mechanic--imagine how customizing your character to that degree could fuck with the racial score systems, your feats, pregnancies, se)( scenes reliant on distinct body parts, etc, etc, etc. It's not as small of a thing to do as I think many forumites believe.

 

[Ormael]

True true. Giving free option to edit PC body ingame without Minerva help could have some under the hood effects that most people not thinking about when saying aloud: do it do it.


Beside sometimes is fun to keep loading few times save to get some effect....as long it not like friggin 30 min for some specific effect that seems to never trigger but wiki say it's possible to attain.

 

[Blackwater Syn]

as long it not like friggin 30 min for some specific effect that seems to never trigger but wiki say it's possible to attain.

Black vanae markings.

 

[Ormael]

Black vanae markings.

Hehe than I tip my hat toward you for been so patient to try get them normaly ingame with savescumming than calling Minerva to help. Well if I been in such position and that Tf effect would really interest me I would do the same eaither spending as much time I need to get it ^^

 

[Blackwater Syn]

To be honest, I only gotten that the honest way once. I've edited my skinAccent every time thereafter. Goo's have it easier than most other PC's though, since they can use the hair stylist to get a color they can change their body too, and just switch around those until they have the colors and parts they want. If they ever add in a Solidify item, it will be a blessing to all save scummers.

 

[Ormael]

I not yet had it been lucky enough to have some effect proc in under 10-5 min time.


Well goo Tf effect of changing color would be nice after having solidify item. Just I recall goo item itself say changes are un reversable so after assuming solidify item would it mean PC can pnly once go from typical body to goo body and then back after which it will be forever impossible to become goo?

 

[Couch]

There are two reasons this won't happen and neither of them are what you're going on about:


First, the base content for this project alone would be the combined amount of every TF item in the game so far, plus the selection dialogue surrounding each one.  That's a ridiculous amount of effort.


Second, for something like this to stay useful, you'd have to keep updating it in perpetuity.  Every time a new item gets added, that's a bit more shit you have to add to your "perfect" mod.  It's a millstone around everyone's necks for the rest of the game's lifetime.


Specific directed transformatives have their place.  A one-size-fits-all does not.

 

[EmperorG]

Black vanae markings.

Gold vanae markings for me, got it by accident on my first try since I was testing what Skysap does, took me an unholy amount of retries to get it again on purpose.

 

[Etis]

Gold vanae markings for me, got it by accident on my first try since I was testing what Skysap does, took me an unholy amount of retries to get it again on purpose.

Good to prefer silver, all you need is to start with pale skin to have them

 

[Ormael]

Meh why go for some easy to trigger TF effect. All fun in those harder to trigger that later we can brag we got X and Y and Z rare effects on our perfect PC ^^