Released : Grand Rogue Auto 0.2.5 [Test Build]

GRA 0.2.5 has been released !

You can grab it in the download section of this website.

This new version adds a large amount of features, most of them are related to the economic system and the NPC AI. I won't explain here all the changes because they are too numerous to list in a single post, but there's a (massive) changelog at the end of this post for those who are interested. However I will detail here the major highlights of this new version.

The GUI had a large overhaul and introduces buttons and a quick access bar which work the same as in any Diablo-like or MMO. You can see your chance to hit your target. Several new statistics have been added to your player info window. You cannot put weapons in the bar yet and there's still some work to do, especially with the mouse handling (and yes, moving using the mouse will definitively be improved in next version).

The economy is more or less rolling. Factories have been added to the game and the content of non weapon related shops is depending on their production. It still needs some heavy tuning, though. The factory districts are ugly as possible, but like every other map types, they will be reworked to be more "random" and better looking at a later stage.

Several new NPC jobs, buildings and items have been added to the game. The item and effect modding editors are now fully functional. Good luck figuring how to use those, though ;)

NPC AI has largely been improved. Actions chosen by NPC are more varied and much less predictable. They can buy and use most items too. It doesn't reflect in combat yet, though. The cops are also much less likely to ignore you (except when on break, of course) while passing right next to you.

Gameplay wise, you can try to lockpick containers (and buy lock-picks to help you in that task) to get goods for free. You can use burst shots granted you have a weapon supporting this firing mode, so SMG are now a viable option. NPC don't use the feature yet, though. Your "Player Info" screen includes several new statistics and a global score (hall of fame coming next). Also most weapon related skills have now a real impact in-game, skill points are between 0 and 1000 now (instead of 255). And a new survival game mode has been added, with zombies :)

There's also an unsupported and buggy real-time mode. It's in the debug menu.

The addition of stealing from containers somehow break the balance of the game in the favor of the player. It will be corrected when the police will be less dumb. Item/weapons prices and effect are probably not balanced, but that's a minor concern that will be slowly corrected in next version.

Speaking of what's coming, the next major release will finish the economical part of the game and introduces NPC to NPC interactions. So you'll probably get active doctors, pickpockets, and a range of new options both for the player and the NPC.

And here's the full changelog:

v0.2.5 - Economic Tree Part One
 (+) [Gameplay] Added ability to pick locks to the player
 (+) [Gameplay] Full support for item effects
 (+) [Gameplay] Added Zombie Mode
 (+) [Gameplay] Using beds in houses doesn't cost money anymore
 (+) [Gameplay] Optional, buggy and unsupported realtime setting
 (+) [Gameplay] combat skills increase by scoring kills and successful hits
 (+) [Gameplay] Sleepiness increases 50% slower
 (+) [Gameplay] Score and other statistics added to the player info window
 (+) [Gameplay] Several new items
 (+) [Combat] HtH, Handgun, Rifle and Shotgun skills are now used by the combat system
 (+) [Combat] Added burst shot handling (smg are now viable)
 (+) [AI] NPC can go shopping
 (+) [AI] NPC can use items from their inventory
 (+) [AI] NPC are more likely to move across the map and go at the restaurant
 (+) [AI] Actions chosen by NPC have more variety than before
 (+) [AI] Patrol type jobs (police, thugs) more likely to change sector
 (+) [AI] Patrol type jobs improved so they can scan for enemies while moving
 (+) [AI] In sector pathfinder more precise (but a bit slower)
 (+) [NPC] Factory Workers added to the game
 (+) [NPC] Zombies added to the game (for specific game mode)
 (+) [NPC] Couriers added to the world (moving goods from factories to shops)
 (+) [World] Put distinctive sign to restaurants
 (+) [World] Added Industrial District map type (will be redesigned later)
 (+) [World] Added factories and depots
 (+) [World] Added pubs to the city street map types
 (+) [World] A lot of new decorative furniture
 (+) [World] Food stores added to the world
 (+) [World] Most shops' stock is depending on factory production
 (+) [GUI] Added 5 quick access buttons assignable to items from the player's inventory
 (+) [GUI] Added durability indicator to Inventory window when necessary
 (+) [GUI] Added toolbar for quick access to main commands
 (+) [GUI] It's now possible to enforce the correct aspect ratio
 (+) [GUI] Added a window to manage containers (retrieve/deposit items)
 (+) [GUI] Double click in inventory -> use item or equip weapon
 (+) [GUI] Added Hit Chance indicator when a target is selected
 (+) [GUI] Recolored player info window
 (+) [GUI] Added a window displaying the keyboard/mouse controls to the help menu
 (+) [Engine] Code optimizations, database access done through pointers
 (+) [Engine] Several improvements related to containers, inventory and work items
 (+) [Engine] Moved to latest unofficial revision of Graphics32
 (*) Fixed : Influence of charisma over item prices was too generous
 (*) Fixed : Issue causing the first two NPC not to do anything
 (*) Fixed : Needs going into negative when using items
 (*) Fixed : Items not stacking correctly in inventory
 (*) Fixed : Some zones were not assigned to a sector causing exception type errors
 (*) Fixed : Targeting error message
 (*) Fixed : Blood spilled could spawn out of the map causing possible memory corruption
 (*) Fixed : Several combat/death related AI issues
 (*) Fixed : First items of the wrong category found in shops (food in hospitals bug)
 (*) Fixed : Furniture placement was spawning one less furniture than expected
 (*) Fixed : Hospital beds not healing fully if the player is not sleepy enough
 (*) Fixed : Collecting money while in ghost mode