Hoi hoi chummers. It's time. The moment I've all been waiting for : release of my big UGC KILL-CITY: DETROIT.

 STATE OF THE GAME FAQ 

Unfortunately my game is currently crippled by a bug that I can not find a workable work-around for. Hence much of work has stopped on it even though it is 99% done. With great pain I have to let people know that the game only really works up until you exit the game. Due to a bug with story variables used in conversation (text expansions) in SRR, if you exit the game and then reload it, Kill-City: Detroit will be almost broken. You'll still be able to play, but all the base computer and runner dialogs will not display accurate information, pretty much messing the game up in a big way. But who knows? This bug might not even affect others, it might just be my PC, so let me know either way.

I'm going to wait for the next patch to see if it fixes it. If not, whatever it takes will get this problem fixed up for the Version 1 release, but I'm estimating this would be about at least 20 hours to fix by myself requiring a massive reworking of this game I already spent a hundreds of hours working on since July 25th so I'm not super-amped to do so currently. I rather spend those 20 hours adding a cubic ton of new content and game improvements, if I can.

Where does that leave the open beta? Well, it's mostly done. But because my game would take at least 12 hours to finish, there isn't much point for me to complete the unique special features of the alternate 9 bases in the game after the first one. Does this mean you shouldn't play it? Hell no. At the very least you should get one great play session out of it, for a few hours at least, and I'd love it if you game back when you can reload your save games and hope you'll delve into the game deeper on version 1 release.

 Release log 

0.87bb ('broken beta') Release 95% of the content complete. -Full game minus the following: +the unique base specials for 6/of 10 of the bases. Your starting base, Chang's Opium den, that special works. Currently hiring spirits in the Covenant works, the Ninja sword training special works, and the activation of Robocop-5 at OCP should work (haven't tested), but more are coming.

+Base defenses are only working for your first base, the opium den hideout. You will be attacked in the other bases, but the enemies will not scale and you will not have the defenses.

+yet to implement my planned 'death list' for runners. Basically this means you may, depending on random chance, be able to re-hire runners previously dead, or be able to hire the same twice to your team.

+Unique runner dialog "Describe your abilities" and "Tell me about yourself" . I may cut these options entirely from the game. As a published writer guy and a long time game player, I don't know if I as player would read through all the dialogue even myself, so I think I will not spend the time on the 5000 words plus of dialogue unless Kill-city gets pretty popular (I dunno, at least 10,000 downloads or so). If I do this it is the lowest on my list of priorities for the 10 or so things I have to finish in the game.

more special events, more items, hidden characters, more locked safes. Generally just more stuff. Will add more stuff as I go. Don't worry, a lot already in there.
Mid-game, end-game plot. I have this worked out and can finish it up, but basically not much point right now because of the inability to reload your game bug, no one will get that far, so not much point of me rushing to put this in. There is an overall plot which triggers 100 days (turns) into the game, and a special end-game boss and map once you take out all enemy faction/bases, but, ya, it's "coming soon".
 SPECIAL THANKS & DEPENDENCIES 

Foremost for Harebrained Schemes for enabling to make a great game that I myself would love to play. My goal in this decade of life was to make one game (next up a play, novel and a film) and now I have scratched the first off my list so thanks.

These dependencies are required (all available through the Steam workshop) and a 1000 thanks to their creators:

Street Samurai Catalog BY tracker

Portraits and Props BY Geeked

Shadowrun Fifth Edition Profiles BY Daemon

Memphis Motors BY backburnercomics

Sprawl Sites BY KingSchiebi

Alternate Player Outfits BY mater_tenebrarum

Each of these great packs, especially Portraits and Props followed very closely by the Street Samurai Catalog, have added a terrific amount to my game. Thanks again.

GENERAL GAME FAQ 

Tell me about the game in a nut-shell?

You are an unknowing pawn in an inter-dimensional game between entities as powerful as gods. Set upon your course by a DMT trip one night, and a lucky break, you have undertaken a plan to take over Old Detroit for reasons you can not even fathom.

Mechanically, this is a big gameplay expansion from vanilla SRR. I have added two new levels of gameplay with management (negotiating runner contracts and expanding your base of operations) and strategic level gameplay (there are 10 bases to take over, and how you go about this, is completely up to you in this non-linear game). Numerous other game improvements are also included.

Real basic description: You are a dude. You hire mercenaries, up to 7, and take over other gangs in squad-vs-squad combat.

 What was your goal here? 

To make the game I always wanted to play. For example, the last Xcom game, I was disappointed by how A) the enemies magically spawn as you move instead of not being pre-placed. They do in my game. B) You only have one base and you are never attacked in it, like the original. Fixed in my game. In a top level gameplay construction my vision of the game I wanted to make combines elements of Jagged Alliance, X-Com Enemy Unknown, and the Football Manager series (in player management). I wanted three levels of gameplay: strategic (big-game play), tactical (combat) and management (base and player control). 2 years ago I considered brushing off my programming skills and getting to work, but then decided against it (I have many interests!) When this SSR editor came out it was perfect, as I am also a big Shadowrun and cyberpunk fan in general.

 What other design philosophies to you follow? 

Randomness. Randomness is greatly under-utilized in contemporary game design. Nethack is one of my all time favorite games, and is a good example of randomness can really improve a game. Diablo 3 for example...switching to pre-generated levels? What where they thinking? This sort of stuff offends my sensibilities!

 Is KILL-CITY: DETROIT hard? 

This game is really ****ing hard right now. Maybe too much, maybe not. Again I made the game I wanted to play. I find 9 out of 10 games to easy. Whether they are a strategy or FPS or whatever, I always play on the hardest setting and that's only sometimes challenging enough. I don't think a game is fun if you can roll through it without failing at least twice. That being said, yes I think it may be too hard currently.

 You mention you have bases, how does this work in the game? 

There are 9 factions in the game. You start in one base. Any of the nine you take over (in any order) you can then transfer your base of operations there.

 What can you do with bases? 

Each base has numerous unique qualities to it, including a special-special. In each base you can upgrade: your income, your defenses, your medical care ability, and sell nuBTC, a currency in the game.

 Can you move to different bases whenever you like? 

No. You can only move into a base immediately after you take it over, through the base computer (after killing the boss). If you choose not to move into the base, you'll stay at your current one, you'd have to take it over again.

 So the AI, it attacks me in my own base 

Yes. How it works is when you end your day/turn through your base computer, there is a random chance each day of an attack. When attacked, you'll control all your runners and whatever base defenses you have bought will come to your aid.

 Is there a Matrix in Kill-City: Detroit? 

Oh ya. My Matrix is decidedly old school. It is a large, randomized void that can be visited once per day/ turn. I stuck with the '90's interpretation of what the 2014 internet was going to be. Decidedly cyberpunk.

 Is this game good for my 12 year old brother? 

NO. If he downloads it on his own so be it, but don't download it for him. This game contains tons of drug references, and tons of violence. If the graphics allowed it there'd be lots of sex in here to. I'm an arguably immature mature guy who finds the idea of cocaine-smuggling ninja's to be quite comical. If you do not, no worries, just don't play my game and complain to me about it.

You have used copyrighted characters from old games such as Bloodnet and books such as Stephen King's Gunslinger and from movies such as Robocop, are you afraid of getting sued?

No. And no one in my position should be afraid. My game is free and it is a work of satire and I believe it to both morally and legally valid to use the characters as I have in my meta-world plot that involves fictional characters interacting with fictional characters from other universes. I don't not morally agree with the over-use of 'copyright infringement' threats to censor legitimate and legally protected non-profit free speech.

 Give me some starting tips for my main player character. 

Don't put more than one point in decking; it will not be used in my gameplay system. Your team runners decking skill is important; for you, you just really need at least one for getting on the Matrix and more may help out but not as much as say, body. Magic users main player characters are at a slight disadvantage -- or should I say, they are a bit more difficult to play. In my game, buying magic is more harder to come by, only available through random encounters on the Matrix. Buy a good gun at the easy to find gun store by your starting base. Don't go into a fight without as many runners as you can muster. Depending on your team, some bases are better to attack then others. For example, don't tackle Delta City unless you have a grenade thrower on your team. Some maps a decker runner can save the day and some, they are not used at all. You can never go wrong with tough sons of bitches.

 Tell me about how much control you have over your runners? 

I sort of hacked together my own complicated, expanded method of working with runners. As opposed to vanilla SRR your runners will stay with you, as long you are paying their contract. However you can not equip them with very much equipment -- most runners only can take up 2 items. This was on purpose to avoid the hoarding and applying of first-aid kits, which are much harder to come by in Kill-City: Detroit. (It is intended that players will heal their team more by resting in their bases). The runners have expanded, you can hire your own hell-hounds and spirits in the full game, in addition to special unique characters.
Runners are valued by cost. So, in it is just as feasible to have one 100$ a day superstar as it is three 33$ a day hobos collecting bullets for you. If you die, it's game over. If your runners die, you'll save their wages 

 So you control each runner like your player? 

In combat, yes. However through your base computer you can alternatively set your runners to do be controlled by the AI. I thought this feature would be awesome for those (maybe only me lol) who would like to take a more managerial role to the game instead of hands-on combat. Note though that while this feature does work, I have not play-tested it hardly at all. I believe it'll work well let me know if your dudes grenade themselves or what-not please 

 Sell me on taking the time to try out Kill-City : Detroit? 

I intended to make a game that a person would even want to play 5 years from now. I think the design is innovative and solid. Kill-City brings in tons of innovations, is different each time you play, can be played in many ways, and showcases some top UGC content out there, in addition to new art assets. And it is a lot of fun. I could be wrong -- I made it so I can't judge -- but at least give me a chance to be proved wrong and give it a shot .

Does KILL-CITY: DETROIT take place in the Shadowrun Universe? 

Not particularly. I went more for a late eighties, early '90s cyberpunk world in general. No characters in Shadowrun appear in the game, save a beautiful hand-drawn fan-made piece of art I'm using with permission featuring everyone's favourite runner, Jake Armitage. I'm quite familiar with the Shadowrun world as was seriously considering trying to write an adventure for it a decade or so back, but I thought it'd be better to keep KC.D it's own world.

Kill-City: Detroit takes place in a near future where Detroit is bankrupt, the United States government is crumbling under a rot of corruption, crime is rampant.....and many other similarities to our modern world 

 Are there many bugs in the game? 

There might be, but honestly, can't say. I designed and executed a very modular methodology for creating this, so it was not even until I was more than 9/10s done that I brought all the different parts of the game together. One of the last things I did was the character creation traits, for example. I have not even taken over all the bases myself as they are presently are, nor defeated all the bosses, let alone doing all of this with one character (really have no idea how long this would even take).

Note this is an open beta and is not the finished product though. There will be problems.

 Are the load times are crazy long for everyone? 

Yes, unfortunately they are. The system that creates your team runners is a somewhat complicated round-about method that is taxing on system resources. However the bright side is that all though the initial load times are along, after about 5-10 seconds when the map is loaded, the game will run at regular/normal speed. This also may be optimized in the future.

 What's coming in the future for this game? 

Well first, full release. I have not set that. I'm thinking Dec 20 but it is subject to change. It's also a bit out of my hands as waiting to see if new save system will fix my big bug save bug right now. But either way, it'll come.

After that? I hope to an expansion when Dragonfall is released. Kill-City: Detroit 1.1exp will have one more faction, one more base to control, 3 or more new special hidden runners to hire, more weapons, and just more all-around content. Namely also Matrix-found missions, such as robbing banks and other targets, that will randomly be generated based on maps from the Sprawl Sites UGC.

I'm really hoping also that my game will be playable on tablets in the future. While phones I'm not too sure about (due to screen size), I think Kill-City could be a perfect match for tablet gamers.

I've done an enormous time with the editor so I'm also thinking of putting in music and custom sounds. I haven't cracked this yet, but believe it can be done through making your own assets with the (free demo) of Unity, and doing a lot of tom-foolery hackery to get it going. I recorded a lot of base computer AI-voices that I would love to see in the game, especially.

killcity.detroit  @ gmail.com