Hidden Asset (isometric assassination/stealth game)

**Christian Knudsen** · October 10th, 2012

In the last blog post, I mentioned something I was working on that wasn't quite ready to show yet. Well, it's working now, so here it is:

I've added functionality for showing these power lines when hovering over something that's connected to something else. Until now, you kinda had to guess or give it a try to figure out what shutting off a fuse box would do, for example, but now it should be a lot easier.

This also means that I can have multiple fuse boxes (or switches or other stuff in the future) that all affect different parts of a building - instead of just a single fuse box that shuts off all power. This really opens up the options for adding various puzzles to a map.

**Christian Knudsen** · October 26th, 2012

Release: v0.1.4.1 (and Development Video #19)
October 26th

Here's the latest version and a video demonstrating what's new gameplay-wise:

Hostile Takeover Demo v0.1.4.1 for Windows (20 MB)
Hostile Takeover Demo v0.1.4.1 for Linux 32-bit (20 MB)
Hostile Takeover Demo v0.1.4.1 for Linux 64-bit (20 MB)

Please note that savegames from previous versions won't work in this version.

Watch it in HD!

Changes:

- Fixed bug with saving open doors.
- Fixed issue that made NPCs react to seeing you with a weapon in another building.
- Fixed bug that made it impossible to do an aimed shot while crouching.
- Fixed bug that would potentially crash the game when drawing the selection outline around a shooting character whose line of sight is broken.
- Fixed minor issue with the opening and closing of some doors not affecting tile lighting.
- Fixed some issues with elevators that could severly mess up the pathfinding of NPCs.
- Fixed player and background noise levels getting stuck if sound files are missing for some reason.
- Fixed bug that would cause the player to still be alive after dying if he was following a character when killed (i.e. the player had clicked on a character and the player character was walking up to that character).
- Fixed issue that would make a character face in a different direction than he was moving when getting out of another character's way.
- Fixed bug that would make a character choose an edge tile to walk to when getting out of another character's way.
- Made level visibility also apply to other buildings.
- Added power lines overlay when hovering over fuse boxes (and other stuff that's connected to something else via power lines).
- When clicking on a world object or using an item on it, the player character will now automatically walk up to it if it's out of reach (but not if the player character is in one building and the object in another).
- You can now shoot at characters in an elevator, and they can shoot at you.
- Made sure the current objective screen is removed if you walk into an elevator and the elevator buttons are displayed or walk up to talk to a character.
- Added an arrow for when hovering over an edge tile to show that going there will make you leave the map.
- Integrated the current objective and restart location buttons better with the interface.
- Made placement of character dialogue take into account whether or not the character is in a moving elevator.
- Changed the name of the Electric Surge and Lock Override devices to Remote Power Surge and Remote Door Lock.
- Added functionality to the scripting language so that actions can be set to only occur after a dialogue has ended and the player has closed the dialogue screen (such as the receptionist only going to investigate the car alarm when the player closes the dialogue window).
- Some changes to the test map.

**Christian Knudsen** · November 29th, 2012

This past month, it's been quiet on the update front, but that doesn't mean I haven't been coding away on Hostile Takeover. It just means that what I've been working on has proven to be a bigger and more complicated task than I anticipated. In the meantime, here are some work-in-progress screenshots from v0.1.5:

**ELD** · November 29th, 2012

Keep going man, loving the updates! Can't wait to see it released and for sale! Will post it up on www.gamingonlinux.com in the morning

**Christian Knudsen** · November 29th, 2012

Sweet! Thanks!

**Sarys** · November 30th, 2012

Originally Posted by weasel fierce

THis looks very exciting. I was a huge fan of both Syndicate and still consider XCOM the best game ever made.

Definately looking forward to this.

What's with the XCOM??? every one says it's THE best squad based strategy game out there....And it's released 1994 the year I was born. I have never played it...I guess I have missed a lot.

**mastablasta** · November 30th, 2012

Originally Posted by Sarys

What's with the XCOM??? every one says it's THE best squad based strategy game out there....And it's released 1994 the year I was born. I have never played it...I guess I have missed a lot.

UFO: Enemy Unknown and it's direct successor X-Com: Terror from the deep are one of, if not the best, isometric tactical & strategy games.
i've played them through a couple of times. though not original UFO as i don't like it so much due to limited environments and weaker graphics and options. but some people prefer it.

They had a few successors (Apokalypse...), clones and spinoffs but nothing comes close to originals in their simplistic user interface and engaging gameplay. graphics might not be so great (by today's standards) but gameplay is fantastic and engaging. you can run them in linux using dosBOX. they are available on various abandonware sites if they are not sold somewhere.

an opensource port exists that enables you to play them against other players. an opensource game that is similar is UFO:AI (works in linux) that uses quake engine to dra environments. there is also a new version in the making or already out that looks quite neat.

you should definatelly find them and give them try. just don't be discouraged by graphcis. they are not up to today's standards, but they were good at the time. it's the game play that is good.

**Sarys** · December 3rd, 2012

Originally Posted by mastablasta

UFO: Enemy Unknown and it's direct successor X-Com: Terror from the deep are one of, if not the best, isometric tactical & strategy games.
i've played them through a couple of times. though not original UFO as i don't like it so much due to limited environments and weaker graphics and options. but some people prefer it.

They had a few successors (Apokalypse...), clones and spinoffs but nothing comes close to originals in their simplistic user interface and engaging gameplay. graphics might not be so great (by today's standards) but gameplay is fantastic and engaging. you can run them in linux using dosBOX. they are available on various abandonware sites if they are not sold somewhere.

an opensource port exists that enables you to play them against other players. an opensource game that is similar is UFO:AI (works in linux) that uses quake engine to dra environments. there is also a new version in the making or already out that looks quite neat.

you should definatelly find them and give them try. just don't be discouraged by graphcis. they are not up to today's standards, but they were good at the time. it's the game play that is good.

Gamersgate sells XCOM games I bought XCOM collection that comes with all XCOM games (minus the newest one)
I've only played the first one and that's good but hard. But I like it. I think it's bit better than UFO:AI

**Christian Knudsen** · February 3rd, 2013

Release: v0.1.5 (and Development Video #20)
February 3rd

Here's the latest version and a video demonstrating what's new gameplay-wise:

Hostile Takeover Demo v0.1.5 for Windows (21.5 MB)
Hostile Takeover Demo v0.1.5 for Linux 32-bit (21 MB)
Hostile Takeover Demo v0.1.5 for Linux 64-bit (21 MB)

Watch it in HD!

Changes:
- Fixed issue with light sources on a tile with a coffee table.
- Fixed minor graphical bug at some wall joints.
- Created the player character's look and implemented the system for having characters with unique appearances.
- Made the animation and sprites for sneaking.
- Removed the planned separate sneaking movement mode (which was supposed to be more silent, while crouching would just hide you behind cover).
- Removed Combat Mode and just made it so that characters you need to talk to can't be attacked.
- Added Tactical Mode in place of Combat Mode, which highlights stuff that can be interacted with, shows the restriction level of areas (green, yellow, red) and displays a color-coded field-of-view cone for NPCs (and a white field-of-view circle for the player).