TST presents Reduction: Mission1 - Strap On Your Body Armour

"Pancage" and I recently played through this, the first mission in my Alien Swarm campaign, Reduction.

Enjoy...

The Sand Table presents Reduction, Mission 6

We're at the start line of Reduction, Mission 6...

Let's hit it, Marines!

Omega Station, come in... (Reduction has been Greenlit!)

[INSLOG-7348_Leviathan]: Any callsign, come in... We are a transport inbound. ETA 60 hours. Come in, over.

[INSLOG-7348_Leviathan]: Any callsign, any callsign, come in... Over...

[CBTTRANS-98703_BigDog]: Who is this?

[INSLOGVEH-7348_Leviathan]: Good to hear you. We are a longhaul transport, inbound from the Outer Systems. Interstellar Logistics Vehicle 7348: the "Leviathan".

C2: New target grid to follow!... Reduction V3.6 Is Up!

Marines, This Is Command-Control...
Listen up! We've been having some issues with mission coordination. Changes to ORBAT as follows...

Download it here...

Changelog...

Mission 6: Targeting HUD
Some of you grunts weren't aware that you had to actively target-select where Thunderhead's airstrikes hit (not just call them down). To make that painfully fucking obvious, Bugburner is giving you access to our battlespace C2 HUD, so you can see where airstrikes will land! Use this info wisely and call down effective airstrikes! Our flyboys are tired of killing dirt...

Mission 6: Hovercart Damage
All the lead flying around, together with the general hostility of the crawlers in this sector, is starting to show on the hovercart. You'll notice that bullet and drone hits are taking a toll on that thing. Try to keep it going, okay? We have a replacement on backorder, but our log boys tell us it could be months before that arrives (if it ever does).

Mission 6: Repair Proceed Bugfix
For some reason, the repair sequence at the first reload point of Mission 6 would result, now and then, in failure of the hovercart to move forward. Our tech boys have looked into it and fixed that. Shouldn't be an issue anymore. (It damn well better not be an issue...)

Mission 2: Crash Addressed
Abrupt mission failure has sometimes been occurring late in Mission 2. Something to do with the way paraflares are fired. While we don't have coder support, we have implemented a fix, and hopefully you won't experience sudden abort at that point. (We're doin' the best we can with what we've got, okay!...)

Regroup! Reload! Roll Out! - Reduction V3.5 is Ready!

Attention: Offworld Drop Marines...

Okay, I skipped over V3.4 and went right to V3.5. Got caught up in some changes to Mission 6 (and a bit more)...

Get it here...

Here's the changelog...

Repair kit added to the payload!
One of you Marines commented on this. So our ODM tech boys threw a quick repair kit into the carriage. At the first ammo drop, if the carriage has taken some hits, you have the option to do a few repairs (if you have a tech Marine). However, putting in that repair took up some space: there's a bit less ammo now (if you need more, bring it).

Those arty buggers were leaking memory!
If memory is like beer back at the barracks mess, then our localdeaf-and-dumb artillery guys, Hammerhead, were hogging it! (Fixed a memory leak, originating at the artillery guns, that could cause crashes early in the mission.)

Looks like a few aircraft have crashed recently...
Some aircraft have gone down in this sector lately. You'll see the wreckage as you pass by. Sorry Marines... no time for rescue ops. None of them made it out alive... So keep moving... Those boys at Outpost Charlie are waiting.

Added airstrike marking flares
Apparently, the presence of Thunderhead - our local improvised air support - has caused some confusion among Marines. (I don't know why... Maybe they forgot their basic training... Adapt! Improvise! Overcome!) Anyway, as of this moment all Marines will be required to mark airstrike targets with flares.

The hovercart will now grind crawlers up nicely!
You might have noticed that a bug might occasionally get sucked up under the skirt of the Carriage, preventing forward movement. Some dumbass tech had put in fancy composite material fanblades into the hovercraft's fan mechanism, so the blades would break off and the Carriage wouldn't move anymore. We put the old-tech metal blades back into the hovercart, so rest assured: if any crawler gets sucked up under the skirt it'll be ground up into hamburger momentarily, and you can continue moving forward. (Actually, we had installed this fix months ago... That dumbass tech must've been smoking something...)

New Defensive APC Protocol!
Bugburner here - command-control for this sector...

Somebody has jury-rigged an APC to act as a front gate for the bridge leading out of the Safe Zone... Whoever is in charge of that thing is getting sloppy. We had a bug get past it a few hours ago. As of this moment: that APC will remain in the closed position, unless specific orders are given otherwise! In the meantime, Marines wanting to leave the Safe Zone to cross the bridge into hostile territory will need to jump the barrier. (Don't worry... We know that razor wire is nasty stuff. We've given you a couple jump points to vault it.)

The terrain has changed a bit
Is it me or is there a bit more scorching and rubble on this turf?

Hope you enjoy it...
Just remember: a crawler wouldn't feel sorry for you...

Get Reduction V3.5 here...

Running Back to the Ready Line... Move it! (Mission 6 is Go!)

Marines, prepare to jump off!

The Payload is prepped and waiting...

Support assets are in place... We're talkin' air support... artillery support... command-control...

I know you've been anxious to move out.

So let's go...

(Get Reduction V3.3 here: http://www.preparetodrop.com/p/get-reduction.html... That's in the "get Reduction" page of this blog...)

I have a Xmas present for you...

No worries...

The latest version of Reduction... complete with Mission 6... will be delivered, as promised... with a bow on top... on Xmas Day 2013...

I'm just adding the wrapping paper and stuff. Getting something to drink, too...

(Don't rush me... It's Christmas...)

"Burn out or fade away?" - Reduction Mission 6 Trailers

Is it better to burn out like Jim Morrison, or fade away like Lou Reed?

I listened to The Doors "Five to One" a lot while making this, Mission 6. It captures the spirit of the alien war somehow. So I cut this trailer to this song...

But then Lou Reed passed away, so I thought I'd try an alternate version to music of his. Does it capture the spirit of an Earth that feels hopelessly sick...?

Which of these two trailers do you think works better? Upvote to vote.

http://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLxP2lws1RkuVv8Spu4Huf2y2vX6VMuNYp

"She's alive!... I believe you... But in 19 minutes this area is going to be a cloud of vapour the size of Nebraska": Reduction: Final Words

(Bishop's response to Ripley as Ripley prepares to go all the way, for the final rescue.)

What to say about this amazing Kickstarter experience?...

"Well, we've gotta get the other dropship..." Reduction V2.1 Has Jumped Off

Okay, folks. Possibly the last version of Reduction, the way things are looking.

Here you are: Version 2.1  (Clicky).

Play it. Have fun. Feedback is always appreciated. If you like it, please support it.

Changelog:

"This little girl survived longer than that with no weapons and no training." Reduction Feedback: The Gamers (and Veterans) Have Spoken...

(The line Ripley uses when she coaches the always pessimistic Hudson to stop doomsaying.)

(And yes, the last one IS authentic...)

"Damn it looks nice! Do you agree guys? It's looking pretty pretty good!" --- enex (in-game comment)

"I have to say but this is just.....THE ONE THING THAT IS COMPLETELY AWESOME! Keep up the good work!Definatley going to support this project!" --- Anonymous

"Impressive work there. Keep it up." --- Anonymous

"Fantastic work!... Valve to should learn from you!" --- Diggy246

"All Right People, Let's Move Like We Got A Purpose": Reduction V2: New Mission Is Online Now!

You heard the man! A new mission in the Reduction campaign is in the drop hanger.

So what are you waiting for!?! Go here and download that motherhumper! 

Come on people! Move it, move it! Go here. Download. Go here. Download.

Planned from the beginning (two years ago), this is Mission 2. Featured in the most recent trailer (click here). This is why the campaign released in April had the puzzling structure of Missions 1, 3, 4 and 5.

"Maybe You Haven't Been Following Current Events Pal, But We Just Got Our Asses Kicked": Reduction, The Kickstarter Halftime

(...So says Hudson, in "Aliens", after the squad gets their asses handed to them in their first battle against the bugs.)

Okay, so it's pretty obvious to anyone who can see that Reduction is not lighting on fire on Kickstarter.

So, time to regroup. Darwin, I-Ching. Gotta adapt, improvise. Roll with it.

I am far from out of this.We're at the halftime and it's not over until the fat lady sings.

So be advised: you'll be seeing some heavy updates to Reduction and its Kickstarter campaign coming in the next few days.

In the meantime, I'm pulling my gear out of the APC and getting ready for the long haul.

And don't be a stranger. Any contribution is a good contribution, and all are appreciated.

Stay tuned.

Vasquez, take point! LET'S MOVE! - Mission 2 trailer is online, and KICKSTARTER IS GO!

Go go go! Let's move it out!

Okay, so the Reduction Kickstarter campaign is launched! Let's try this experiment - to see if it's possible to roll a game campaign out using Kickstarter.

In the meantime, here's the trailer for Mission 2...



 I'll release this mission if the Kickstarter campaign succeeds. It will be your first reward.

What Alien Swarm Means To Me

A Gritty Kind Of Sci-Fi

When I was young, years ago, I used to design and gamemaster science-fiction tabletop roleplaying missions and campaigns. This was where I cut my teeth on mission design, game design - even screenwriting and filmmaking to some extent, as many of my campaigns and missions were delivered in a cinematic way.

Ten Seconds, People! Look Sharp! (V1.9 Online; Kickstarter Imminent)

Tomorrow Kickstarter for Reduction goes live, along with a new video trailer.

In the meantime, I'm releasing this: Version 1.9 of Reduction. Development based on your feedback of a month. Changelist:

Take us in low... Immediate dustoff on my command! (Mission 2 Trailer is Online!)

Offworld Drop Marines, I hope you have your gear squared away.

Here is your video teaser for Mission 2...

Where's the damn beacon?... Oh I see it. (Version 1.8 up)

(Spooky music as you see the ghostly surface of the planet - which you just know is overrun with scarey aliens - come into view beneath you...)

Okay folks, I've gone in and fixed Mission 3 (in which you begin having crashlanded on Earth). Get it here, as usual...

Changelog:

• Overhauled all of the spawning on Mission 3. To reduce LAAAGGG! It's a little easier now, but more importantly playable. (Tough mission because the bugs are running around a lot in the open lawns and parking lots, and being alive so long means they generate more traffic.)

(All of this tech-support updating is going to pay off on future maps.)

Thanks to DimedRoll for giving me a kick in the ass to deal with this.

Also, new trailer inbound shortly.

Somebody wake up Hicks... (Version 1.7 is up.)

Just in case you thought this was not going to end nicely... I am pleased to disappoint... (Or reassure... as the case may be...)

Version 1.7 is up. Get it here...

Changelog (pretty much all in Mission 1):

• Optimized many traffic-generating entities on Mission 1 - to really reduce lag.
• Raised the ceilings of all the hallways, to be friendly to grenade launcher spammers everywhere.
• A few minor prop and visual design changes and stuff.

Also... Be advised: Incoming video trailer for Mission 2 (the missing mission) this weekend.

All right! Gear up! Two minutes people. Get HOT!

Offworld Drop Marines... Listen up!

My latest build of Reduction - Version 1-point-6.

(Hoah!)

Changes are:

• Improved the Escape Pod drop sequence... Now you (hopefully) won't be bouncing out of the ceiling as you're being blasted through the floor in an escape pod. But also, now you'll hear the call to get ready...
• Altered the buzzer spawn parameters in Mission 3: fewer buzzers, but each is stronger. There were complaints of lag, and frankly it comes down to the terrible audio coding on this NPC monster: the buzzer. It's audio output is lagging the game servers (sorry mappers: not even setting it go gag works, as the gag ceases when the NPC becomes "angry"). Anyway - I just reduced the number to try to cut down on lag for that part of Mission 3.

Thanks, in particular, to DimedRoll - for your excellent feedback...

Get the download here: http://www.preparetodrop.com/p/downloads.html.