(Did you ever ask yourself what really might be behind the gameplay changes from 1.1 to 1.2? I'll tell you:)
[Dark Legion Development headquarters, 2:00 a.m.]
A: People, I got some bad news for you. As you all know, our game Tremulous 1.1 was an astounding success. Unfortunately, the foundation is not willing to pay any longer for all the equipment that is used up in the game and forces us to pay the expenses of any future version ourselves, altough they cannot move cost to us of any already existing versions, due to contract obligations.
B, C, D: *sigh of relief*
A: However, the expenses for any future version we have to pay ourselves, so, in order to keep cost low, I suggest the following changes for Tremulous 1.2 *hands out some copies*
B, C, D: *reading the paper*
B: Hey… wait a minute… battlesuits made of paper machee with aluminium foil instead of a magnesium alloy… How do you expect this to be immune to poisoning? Even a dretch can bite completely through! And talking about dretches, what's with all the changes in alien sizes?
A: The battlesuits no longer will be immune to poison, we will sell it as “balance change”, and the new alien sizes, well, those damn creeps are simply easier to breed that way.
C: I see you also did something to the lucifer cannon, the use of cheap KAOS-A-13 coil magnets instead of the old proven A-17s may save of 25% of the costs, but the weaker containment field they produce will lead to a reduced maximum ammo load, also, single lucifer shots will travel faster, because the field cannot reduce the momentum well enough, how do you want to explain this to people?
A: Erm, actually…
D: Let me guess: balance change!
A: *shrugs*
B: The new tyrants cost only half as much as the old ones, but the healing aura is gone and health has been reduced to 350…
A: But the basilisks now have a healing aura!
B: Yeah, because it costs only 10% more than a basi without it, why didn't you give it to dretches in the first place?
A: I thought it would make'em overpowered.
B, C: Ah!
D: I see that also the hovel got removed, saving one entire template. *throws papers on the table*
A: Yeah, isn't that great? … Why do you throw the papers on the table??? People, just think, the foundation is no longer gonna pay, I mean, we ourselves …, and…
C: Don't be too mad at him, he's definetely got a point. Also, I think we really could sell it as balance change overall, mind that that cheaper aerosol for the flamethrower may not be that much fun as the old one because the aerosol is heavier and rather moves with the wielder than to stay put and burn his face when he runs, but, it still is cheaper. I like it.
D: Same goes for the shotgun, pellets only one tenth the old price, so you simply use more…
B: Come on, people, this is ridiculous, everything is made cheaper, cheaper and cheaper again – did I mention it got cheaper? – and you will sell this to the players as “balance improvements”? Do you really have this little self-respect???
A, C, D: *look at B*
B: I should have known…
A: So, what do you think? Pass the bill?
C: I definetely vote F1.
D: Yeah, me too, I mean, so what: F1.
A: F1.
B: Yeah, of course, you wrote it.
C: So, what'll it be?
B: Ah, screw that. What choice do I have? F1.
A: Okay, so, the bill has passed. And if anybody ever asks about the new equipment and alien bodies: It's all for the balance change, understood?
B, C, D: Got it.
