Author Topic: Old Reviews and Feedback thread Episode 1  (Read 19996 times)

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Offline General Battuta

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Re: Reviews and Feedback thread
The 'mainhall' is LUA wizardry and you can add new screens to pretty much your heart's content. You can also add things to the existing interface, like a 'go to techroom' button in the briefing, or a 'pilot's log' button in the CB.

It's not so much an addition to the interface code as it is sidestepping it entirely.

 
Re: Reviews and Feedback thread
I did notice that there wasn't much background information to be found in the mainhall after the setting jump. It didn't really detract from my enjoyment that much but the absence did seem a bit odd given how much detail you've put into other things, and given the diegetic frame around all the extra fluff you'd expect the protagonist to orient herself a bit more after the timejump.
The good Christian should beware of mathematicians, and all those who make empty prophecies. The danger already exists that the mathematicians have made a covenant with the devil to darken the spirit and to confine man in the bonds of Hell.

 

Offline Spoon

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Re: Reviews and Feedback thread
That's because I'm not very good at writing cut and dry text on background story things and because of that I don't really enjoy typing them. That's why I've opted to have all the 'background' stuff be told to the player in VN segments through other characters, because I find that easier to write and I think it's more interesting to the player that way too.
Urutorahappī!!

[02:42] <@Axem> spoon somethings wrong
[02:42] <@Axem> critically wrong
[02:42] <@Axem> im happy with these missions now
[02:44] <@Axem> well
[02:44] <@Axem> with 2 of them

 

Offline General Battuta

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Re: Reviews and Feedback thread
Checking up on the characters between missions is a lot better than checking for new tech entries.

I wouldn't mind seeing Dawn's comments on what she learns about her new timeframe, but I dunno, I'm not mad to have it.

 

Offline -Norbert-

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Re: Reviews and Feedback thread
Dawn's diary might be a good place for such comments.

 

Offline NGTM-1R

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Re: Reviews and Feedback thread
Okay, so, start the game

Spoiler:
EXCUSE ME SIR ARE YOU SPACE ELVES? PLEASE LEAVE MY DREAMS ALONE

...the fact that Dawn's uniform is more revealing than the tank top she sleeps in amuses me far too much. Not sure about her redesign so far though. Also, I haven't played FreeSpace in a long time so it was somewhat awkward that your tutorial mission did the movement controls, but not the firing ones. Welp.

UEU, naming sequential ships in the same class Oppressor and Liberator. I'm dealing with an entire civilization of derp, aren't I?

SPACE ELVES, I WAS JUST ABOUT TO KILL THE ENFORCER TOO. Tempted to try firing on them, but as I turned to do so the great god Spoon faded my screen to black.

Please tell the winged one to put on some clothes. Even I feel uncomfortable and I'm wearing a latex jumpsuit.

Oh **** you all, I SHOULD have shot at you!

Meanwhile, Tempest's shirt is made of cling-wrap.

And the Space Elves are Space Elfing about trying to conquer humanity now. ASSHOLES I'LL KILL YOU ALL

And then the smugglers killed me instead. Welp. That was quick.

More of my hilarious deaths or possibly just turning the difficulty down from medium when we come back.

Running Tally of Music I Recognize: The Labyrinth Called Yourself, Mobile Doll's Eyes (oh hey it kicked in when talking about unmanned fighters, well done Spoon)
"Load sabot. Target Zaku, direct front!"

A Feddie Story

 

Offline NGTM-1R

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Re: Reviews and Feedback thread
And we're back with more exploding. Also turning down the music, it's a little loud.

Spoiler:
Because I didn't mention it last time: ALL SYSTEMS NOMINAL

Tempest's numerical tag is "Snarky 1". Heh.

So I got one kill (two assists I picked up off Tempest as well) in my first fight. Using the keyboard with the default setup is awful; your afterburner and weapons are on opposite  sides of the keyboard and one hand is immobilized to fly on the numpad. This pretty much demands mouse or joystick flying.

Combat in general feels very Babylon Project, with ultra-short-range just-over-100m dogfighting being the norm, and weapons ranges that reach out beyond about 250m being something of a joke because all the targets are very small and you can't hit them at those ranges. One kill off the second fight, while Tempest Captain-Killsteal'd off a couple of ones the Zepyhr's point-defense guns were eating and the Zepyhr got one.

Justice compliments me and Tempest, despite the fact that the Zephyr was very obviously doing most of the work. Also the rearm drone seems to wander around a lot...but it's a fast little bugger.

And the Hazels entered.

And then I lost the mission because I somehow turned on Glide and the key that did this or turned it off wasn't mentioned in the help list. That...is a significant oversight, Spoon.

Once more with feeling. Two kills off the Dragonflies, and I lost a third to the asteroid. Oh FS AI and your inability to cope with large objects, never change. Two kills off the Ray 2s this time as well, despite Tempest's attempt to Captain-Killsteal both of them. The Zephyr got the other two.

And the Hazels are remarkably easy to take out when GLIDE DOESN'T **** EVERYTHING UP.

Now let's walk around and talk to people!

And...and...oh god. I named this pilot TheRedComet on the theory of WHAT WOULD MISUZU DO... And my options for cool mercenary nicknames? #5? Even if Dawn is way more an Amuro than A CHAR, somebody should have warned me.

Ah crap, I misclicked and went to bed without talking to Tempest.

SPACE ELVES SAPPIN' MAH BRAINS shoot shoot as fast as you can you can't hit me I have unlimited afterburner!

Running Tally of Music I Recognize: The Labyrinth Called Yourself, Mobile Doll's Eyes, Christmas Eve AC195

Next time: stuff happens.
"Load sabot. Target Zaku, direct front!"

A Feddie Story

 

Offline NGTM-1R

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Re: Reviews and Feedback thread

Spoiler:
Dawn's white shirt? By far the best outfit in the game.

Dawn confirmed for best girl when she says exactly what I was thinking about the smuggler's name.

Lady, I already hate you for calling Dawn and Justice "cheeky" (have to cop to it for Tempest, though), and for trying to steal Dawn's awesome white shirt look.

Dawn reconfirmed for best girl by saying exactly what I was thinking about Ophelia.

Figured out what the glide key is! Lost the mission again because of it, but figured it out. Then hit the Contravention with dumbfires a whole bunch and did most of my damage that way because I'm hardcore like that. After that a tandem shield-killer and asteroid-debris hit nearly totaled it.

OH HAI ISLAND 3, it's like I haven't just finished a rewatch of MS Gundam. After announcing myself as the Dread Pirate Wafflesnatcher, buzzing Amuro Ray's house, and threatening to Operation British the place, they're all pretty mad. Unfortunately they can't fly and beat themselves to death against the colony while I skillfully traverse the entire Island 3 cylinder from the front to the back and then go fly out to say hi to the Contravention. Did anyone ever tell you you look a poor rendition of a Diagosse Giar, Contravention? Because you do! They get kind of mad about that and send some Kazes out to kill me, so I decide alternative methods are out and call the strike.

Meanwhile, the UEU is ZAFT (and I better not be Jesus Yamato), the CRF named their planets after the Queen from Freelancer because they are definitely Bretonia, and the SPACE ELVES ARE COMING. Destroy them all!

Break for lunch.
"Load sabot. Target Zaku, direct front!"

A Feddie Story

 

Offline NGTM-1R

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Re: Reviews and Feedback thread
Spoiler:
Tempest is a veteran of the Great Salt Shortage of UC 0097, I see.

Dawn is a Newtype. Also, I really half expected to hear the Newtype flash and see the little white line go across my screen.

And then I'm having a Nordera Day. Death2AllBattleaxe; I warned people I was an attack pilot at heart, but they did not believe me! Six kills...I only remember three of those. Oh well!

Now, to save the Ostfront. Tempest is very unhappy, but that's cool because at this point DawnxJustice OTP, and also I'm vaguely reminded of Mihoshi by the Ostfront's captain. Which isn't Tenchi best girl, but it's pretty close. Also, I noticed that I can actually swipe Tempest's Dragonfly in ship selection. I didn't do it, but I should because I'm sure she'd complain hilariously.

HLP-1 Homing Lasers: don't leave home without them. In other news, the Crusader wishes to inform you that your boarding actions are very unwise because it is FIRING ITS LAZOR. I don't think it was supposed to do that.

Then the CSA Brillant Empyrean jumps in and complains it didn't give permission to run away, and I throw it the finger as we all jump out. Because **** space elves.

In fact, **** them even more. That was cheap and your MCWS are going to die for it. Not even your-dammit Spoon, at least let me kill ONE space elf?!

THERE IS NO DEBRIEFING FOR THIS MISSION! SPOON! Bad! Wait what. I failed? I'm pretty sure I won. I chased the MCWS off and everything! I don't think Spoon considered I and my endless supply of homing lasers could do this.

Well that wasn't very smart of you, Spoon. I can't let myself get disabled, that's a fail, and I can't win, that's a fail.
"Load sabot. Target Zaku, direct front!"

A Feddie Story

 

Offline NGTM-1R

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Re: Reviews and Feedback thread
Let's beat our brains against the paradox some more.

Spoiler:
Dawner, Dawnster...TEMPEST IS SECRETLY BUFFY SUMMERS! IT ALL MAKES SENSE NOW.

Spoon, you just gave jumpout thing before the mission wants you to actually do so, didn't you? It works this time without silliness of no debriefing because I waited a bit longer for Justice's last not-actually-a-line. Baka.

Moving on to the inside of subspace. Tempest is very gung-ho about chasing them, especially now that they're after her precious Dawnie. Sorry Tempest, I don't like you that way. Also, minefield clearance missions, the worst of all space game missions. Homing lasers, you are my only hope!

...this mission needs a checkpoint system. Also, the mainhall music desperately needs to be turned down a notch. I do find it amusing that Dawn lampshades how useless Tempest is in this sequence. I just wish I wasn't hearing it for the second time.

It's also wrong considering Tempest just saved my ass taking down the V3 while I was chasing the V6.

Justice snarks back at Tempest. Tempest, I think you're overlooking a key point: a captured Cryvan pilot is worth a lot of money to the right people. We should sell the Space Elves for experimentation. Serves them right! Spoon still hasn't let me kill an elf, though. Kind of sad about that.

In the meantime, Tempest does a nature presentation on Supply Drones, which apparently mate with space elves. HOLY FANFIC FUEL BATMAN, etc. I'm trying to move over to the Zephyr without crashing into it because I can't see it through the giant crack in my canopy/panoramic cockpit and linear seat setup.

Anyone up for more bugs? I was too close to the Zephyr when the directive popped, so now it's popped but I can't leave until the drone gets back but there's nothing to tell me that so I spend the next minute thinking the mission is broken. I frowny face at your mission design, Spoon. It's fun but the directives are not handled well. :nono:

Next time: will Spoon finally let me kill a Space Elf?
"Load sabot. Target Zaku, direct front!"

A Feddie Story

 

Offline NGTM-1R

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Re: Reviews and Feedback thread
In this chapter, even more HOLY FANFIC FUEL BATMAN

Spoiler:
Twintails, Wynter as she was marked in the mission, is blamed for getting them captured. That's cool with her, though, because she's perving on Justice. Double facepalm that I wrote that line, for the record. Think he's taken, lady.

She forgot the translator, and is now going to attempt to speak our language. Tempest thinks this will be good. She's going to talk lolcats or something, isn't she?

No, but she is going to say "WE COME IN PEACE" and you are so lucky Spoon hasn't given me an option to throw you out the ****ing airlock for that one, Wynter. You gain minor points by suggesting we torture your uptight companion, though. I'm cool with that, because **** space elves. And HOLY FANFIC FUEL BATMAN, she actually tries to get some alone time with Justice on her third line in English.

Tempest gets upset. Damn, so much for the OTP. Dawn! She's muscling in on our man! Come on!

...HOLY FANFIC FUEL BATMAN...I'm pretty sure Wynter just moaned about being checked for weapons by Tempest. Jesus, are you for real lady? And if you are, why are you even still wearing clothes?

And Dawn threatens Wynter with the Comfy Chair. So, what am I, asks Dawn. Well, you're an esper, but the guy writing this is just going to keep calling you a Newtype since he finished watching MS Gundam a week ago and is working his way through Zeta right now. These two geniuses tried to pull Dawn out of subspace, nearly killing her, so I have them to thank for my freedom but seriously **** space elves.

Also, they're not in the regular fleet, and in fact aren't finished with academy. I feel as though I've been insulted. Perhaps I'll get to space them for it? A man and his female avatar ingame can dream! And they are here because...the Cyrvans have a cunning plan. Or one of them does. To use Dawn for something. Also Dawn is the Antichrist, or something.

NO DAWN! DON'T BE NICE TO THE SPACE ELVES! THEY'RE EVIL!

And then we get Breaker'd by our Cryvan Overlords and the game's over.

"Load sabot. Target Zaku, direct front!"

A Feddie Story

 

Offline Spoon

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Re: Reviews and Feedback thread
Quote
THERE IS NO DEBRIEFING FOR THIS MISSION! SPOON! Bad! Wait what. I failed? I'm pretty sure I won. I chased the MCWS off and everything! I don't think Spoon considered I and my endless supply of homing lasers could do this.
Was this in the ostfront mission or the last mission? Cause in the last mission this has been a reported bug that is incredibly elusive and not even best fredder, Axem, could figure it out.

Quote
Anyone up for more bugs? I was too close to the Zephyr when the directive popped, so now it's popped but I can't leave until the drone gets back but there's nothing to tell me that so I spend the next minute thinking the mission is broken.
Sorry about that. (that was a new one for me)
Urutorahappī!!

[02:42] <@Axem> spoon somethings wrong
[02:42] <@Axem> critically wrong
[02:42] <@Axem> im happy with these missions now
[02:44] <@Axem> well
[02:44] <@Axem> with 2 of them

 

Offline NGTM-1R

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Re: Reviews and Feedback thread
There are no Cryvan fighters in the Ostfront mission. From my experience it appeared to be something to do with the appearance of the directive to jump out vs. the last line of dialogue being later, but if it's something else, welp.
"Load sabot. Target Zaku, direct front!"

A Feddie Story

 

Offline Spoon

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Re: Reviews and Feedback thread
The CSA Brillant Empyrean deploys a few if you stick around for too long. The bug is super weird because the player is at no point in the mission 'allowed' to jump out. And the only end mission trigger should be impossible to trigger at that point. It's a mystery ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

Anyway, thanks for your amusing play by play.
Urutorahappī!!

[02:42] <@Axem> spoon somethings wrong
[02:42] <@Axem> critically wrong
[02:42] <@Axem> im happy with these missions now
[02:44] <@Axem> well
[02:44] <@Axem> with 2 of them

 

Offline redsniper

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Re: Reviews and Feedback thread
This is a fantastic rebuild of Wings of Dawn. Spoon's kept what worked from the original WOD, improved what was lacking, and made the whole package into a more mature and nuanced work.

We've still got coolio spaceships and guns (and now multilock! hnnng), rocking music, and more anime styled character art. The variety of missions and use of space terrain is a lot of fun. Part of me wants to say "let's fight somewhere other than around an asteroid," but the rest of me realizes there's not much else in space. I especially liked laying traps for the pirates and making the GOTTA GO FAST run on the space colony. The Zephyr and its small crew keep the SPACE ADVENTURE type campaign alive, like Homesick or WOD: Stranded; always a fun time. Also, props for the canopy cracks as your fighter takes damage. I love that kind of ****.

My main gripe with WOD1 was that most of the characters didn't have... character, they were just faceless wingmates, so why bother? So I was really glad to see this has basically been turned around completely and now we have art for everyone and even ZOMG personalities, interpersonal dynamics, and even dialogue trees like some kind of RPG or VN. I particularly liked the Wynter/Akyha dynamic. Furthermore there was another gripe I didn't realize I had until I saw how much better it is in nuWOD, that being the setting didn't seem very fleshed out. It was just "there was a UEU, then war with Cyrvans, now we're bros and it's time to fight aliens, gg." The various Terran factions and their uneasy peace in the face of Cyrvan invasion feels much more believable, and getting to see it all from an outsider's point of view keeps any one of them from being the obvious "good guy's" or whatever.

There are also a lot of little things that basically go unnoticed and unappreciated unless they're missing. Like the characters commenting on how well equipped the pirates are or how much use they get out of the rearm drone, lol.

I keep in touch with Spoon and Axem pretty regularly on IRC, so I've seen bits and pieces of their scripting magic over the past few years. Seeing it all at once in a single campaign is mind-blowing though. If it weren't for like the HUD and briefing layout I wouldn't know it's FS.

So there's the praise, now for the crits:
Dawn doesn't seem to care at all about the UEU ending, which I thought was weird. Maybe it can be chalked up to the drugs, but it would have been nice to see a little more of her adjusting to the new time period. I also thought that Tempest and Justice accepted her too readily, but it fits the light-hearted anime theme. Which is all well and good, except I think it leads to some tonal dissonance between the whimsical VN segments and gritty space battles. It wasn't really an issue with WOD1 since you're just fighting invading aliens, but when it's other humans there should be some more gravitas. Really, I think I just feel bad about killing Ophelia because she seemed like a lovable dumbass. :p

All in all, this new WoD is a fun time and I can't wait for the next ep!
"Think about nice things not unhappy things.
The future makes happy, if you make it yourself.
No war; think about happy things."   -WouterSmitssm

Hard Light Productions:
"...this conversation is pointlessly confrontational."

 

Offline Spoon

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Re: Reviews and Feedback thread
As I already said on IRC, great review. Thanks :D
Urutorahappī!!

[02:42] <@Axem> spoon somethings wrong
[02:42] <@Axem> critically wrong
[02:42] <@Axem> im happy with these missions now
[02:44] <@Axem> well
[02:44] <@Axem> with 2 of them

 
Re: Reviews and Feedback thread
I mostly lurk and like... never post. But after getting FS2 working again, yay Win8 stupidity, I sat down to play Wings of Dawn: Episode 1.

Now, my Freespace skills have clearly suffered from lack of use, so it was definitely hard... but...

The entire style of Wings of Dawn was mind-blowing. I didn't think Freespace could even do some of the things you've made it do here. From the moment I sat down to start playing it, I didn't stop, that's compelling gameplay, but definitely compelling story. I absolutely love the characters your developing and how you've managed to put them together inside a slapstick-scifi-anime-comedy mix with nothing short of beautiful models supporting it. (for the record, I was a fan of even the initial models).

I do look forward to future installments and thank you for sharing.

Now if only I was as accurate as those AI tend to be sometimes....

 

Offline AdmiralRalwood

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Re: Reviews and Feedback thread
I didn't think Freespace could even do some of the things you've made it do here.
Weeeellllll... there is as reason it comes with its own executable. ;)
Ph'nglui mglw'nafh Codethulhu GitHub wgah'nagl fhtagn.

schrödinbug (noun) - a bug that manifests itself in running software after a programmer notices that the code should never have worked in the first place.

When you gaze long into BMPMAN, BMPMAN also gazes into you.

"I am one of the best FREDders on Earth" -General Battuta

<Aesaar> literary criticism is vladimir putin

<MageKing17> "There's probably a reason the code is the way it is" is a very dangerous line of thought. :P
<MageKing17> Because the "reason" often turns out to be "nobody noticed it was wrong".
(the very next day)
<MageKing17> this ****ing code did it to me again
<MageKing17> "That doesn't really make sense to me, but I'll assume it was being done for a reason."
<MageKing17> **** ME
<MageKing17> THE REASON IS PEOPLE ARE STUPID
<MageKing17> ESPECIALLY ME

<MageKing17> God damn, I do not understand how this is breaking.
<MageKing17> Everything points to "this should work fine", and yet it's clearly not working.
<MjnMixael> 2 hours later... "God damn, how did this ever work at all?!"
(...)
<MageKing17> so
<MageKing17> more than two hours
<MageKing17> but once again we have reached the inevitable conclusion
<MageKing17> How did this code ever work in the first place!?

<@The_E> Welcome to OpenGL, where standards compliance is optional, and error reporting inconsistent

<MageKing17> It was all working perfectly until I actually tried it on an actual mission.

<IronWorks> I am useful for FSO stuff again. This is a red-letter day!
* z64555 erases "Thursday" and rewrites it in red ink

<MageKing17> TIL the entire homing code is held up by shoestrings and duct tape, basically.

 

Offline Spoon

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Re: Reviews and Feedback thread
I mostly lurk and like... never post. But after getting FS2 working again, yay Win8 stupidity, I sat down to play Wings of Dawn: Episode 1.

Now, my Freespace skills have clearly suffered from lack of use, so it was definitely hard... but...

The entire style of Wings of Dawn was mind-blowing. I didn't think Freespace could even do some of the things you've made it do here. From the moment I sat down to start playing it, I didn't stop, that's compelling gameplay, but definitely compelling story. I absolutely love the characters your developing and how you've managed to put them together inside a slapstick-scifi-anime-comedy mix with nothing short of beautiful models supporting it. (for the record, I was a fan of even the initial models).

I do look forward to future installments and thank you for sharing.

Now if only I was as accurate as those AI tend to be sometimes....
Thanks, glad to hear you enjoyed it  :)

Weeeellllll... there is as reason it comes with its own executable. ;)
I actually think that by now, most things that WoD requires are in trunk by now. With the exception of the increase of BMPman slots.
Urutorahappī!!

[02:42] <@Axem> spoon somethings wrong
[02:42] <@Axem> critically wrong
[02:42] <@Axem> im happy with these missions now
[02:44] <@Axem> well
[02:44] <@Axem> with 2 of them

 

Offline AdmiralRalwood

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Re: Reviews and Feedback thread
Still haven't had a pull request for multilock.
Ph'nglui mglw'nafh Codethulhu GitHub wgah'nagl fhtagn.

schrödinbug (noun) - a bug that manifests itself in running software after a programmer notices that the code should never have worked in the first place.

When you gaze long into BMPMAN, BMPMAN also gazes into you.

"I am one of the best FREDders on Earth" -General Battuta

<Aesaar> literary criticism is vladimir putin

<MageKing17> "There's probably a reason the code is the way it is" is a very dangerous line of thought. :P
<MageKing17> Because the "reason" often turns out to be "nobody noticed it was wrong".
(the very next day)
<MageKing17> this ****ing code did it to me again
<MageKing17> "That doesn't really make sense to me, but I'll assume it was being done for a reason."
<MageKing17> **** ME
<MageKing17> THE REASON IS PEOPLE ARE STUPID
<MageKing17> ESPECIALLY ME

<MageKing17> God damn, I do not understand how this is breaking.
<MageKing17> Everything points to "this should work fine", and yet it's clearly not working.
<MjnMixael> 2 hours later... "God damn, how did this ever work at all?!"
(...)
<MageKing17> so
<MageKing17> more than two hours
<MageKing17> but once again we have reached the inevitable conclusion
<MageKing17> How did this code ever work in the first place!?

<@The_E> Welcome to OpenGL, where standards compliance is optional, and error reporting inconsistent

<MageKing17> It was all working perfectly until I actually tried it on an actual mission.

<IronWorks> I am useful for FSO stuff again. This is a red-letter day!
* z64555 erases "Thursday" and rewrites it in red ink

<MageKing17> TIL the entire homing code is held up by shoestrings and duct tape, basically.