Game Manual and Docs

This page contains all the info you need to play SaltyFront, or answer any questions you might have about the game mechanics. This page will be updated along with any new game builds, if any mechanics are changed/adjusted.

Registration

Using the !register command in chat will register your user name. This will let you bet on fights and sign up for tournaments. When you register, you start with 1000 credits, and 100 credits of insurance.

Betting

Use the !bet (amount) (team) command in chat to place a bet. You must be registered first to bet on matches, and you can only bet before the match starts. The (amount) can be a number, or the words "all" or "half". The (team) can be the team name, or the words "left" or "right". !bet cancel will cancel your bet, but the house will keep a 10% cancellation fee. Odds and payouts are calculated just like horse-racing. Bets currently placed for the next fight will be shown on the betting lists for each team

• Player bets are displayed in green.
• Corporate sponsors will randomly place high value bets on either team. Corporate bets are displayed in white.
• NPC pilots will randomly place low to medium value bets on either team. NPC pilot bets are also displayed in white.

Fighting

Use the !fight command in chat to sign up to fight in a tournament. You must be registered first to fight in a tournament. If the current tournament hasn't started yet, you will be put in the signup queue immediately. If the current tournament is already underway, you will be put in the next tournament's signup queue instead.
Once your name is in the signup queue and the signup phase ends, you will be added to the tournament roster based on your priority. If you get in, a pilot and mech with randomized stats and equipment will be created and added to the roster. Teams will be filled out so that players are spread out, and not concentrated in the first teams.

Signup Priority

All users have a priority number, which is the percent chance they have of getting into a tournament. If there are not enough users to fill up the roster, NPC pilots will be generated to fill it up.

• All users start at 30 priority (i.e. a 30% chance to be picked).
• If you don't get picked for a tournament, your priority goes up by 10.
• If you do get picked for a tournament, your priority is reset to 30.

Tournaments

Tournaments are set up as single elimination with 8 teams, starting with 4 quarter-finals, then 2 semi-finals, and the final match. The winner of the final match will be crowned champion if there isn't one already. If there is an existing champion, then a championship match will be held after the final match to decide the champion.

Bonus Rewards

At the end of the match, bonuses will be paid out to pilots that get special achievements:

Commands

The current available chat commands are:

!register: Register your user name. You have to register before you can place bets or sign up for fights.

!balance or !bal: Shows your remaining balance and amount of insurance. Insurance is the minimum amount that will be left in your account, ensuring that you won't be 100% broke.

!bet (amount) (team): Place a bet of 'amount' on the team 'team'

!bet cancel: Cancel your bet

!fight: During the tournament sign-up phase, it signs you up for the current tournament. Outside the tournament sign-up phase, it adds you to a queue for the next tournament, and you will be automatically added to the next tournament's signup list.

Pilot Classes - (Trial Feature)

Please note that this feature is being tested right now, so some details might be different from what is written here in the manual.
When a pilot is rolled with the !fight command, they will randomly specialize in certain weapon skills. Users can choose what the pilot specializes in by adding an option to the !fight command:

• !fight melee will roll a pilot with high focus on the Melee skill
• !fight short will roll a pilot with high focus on the Short skill
• !fight long will roll a pilot with high focus on the Long skill
• !fight mixms will roll a pilot with medium focus on the Melee and Short skills
• !fight mixml will roll a pilot with medium focus on the Melee and Long skills
• !fight mixsl will roll a pilot with medium focus on the Short and Long skills

Combat Mechanics

Combat turns alternates between teams. All active mechs on a team act, followed by the mechs of the other team.

During its turn, a mech moves and attacks if possible. Its movement range is determined by the move stat of its legs. Terrain has a movement cost when moving through it. The maximum difference in height a mech can move is determined by the jump stat of its legs.

When attacking, the attacker performs an attack, and the defender performs a counter-attack if possible.

If the defender is able to counter-attack, the mech with the higher priority weapon type will act first. The order of priority for weapon types is:

To attack, first the To Hit % is calculated using these formulas:

Then, a random number is rolled. If this number is less than To Hit %, the attack hits. If this number is less than 10% of To Hit %, the attack is a critical hit.

Another random number is rolled to determine hit location, using the following table (Note: It is possible to hit a part that has already been destroyed.):

The attack calculation process is repeated the same number of times as the fire_rate stat of the weapon.

Damage is calculated by the following formula, with a minimum result of 1:

The critical multiplier is 1 for normal hits, and 2 for critical hits. If the part being hit is already destroyed, then half of the damage is transferred to the body. Missiles/explosives are a special case. The calculated damage is done to the part being hit, but 20% of that damage is also dealt to all other body parts as splash damage.

Status Effects

Status effects can be inflicted by various special skills in combat. These effects last for a certain amount of turns (one 'turn' is when a single mech acts). If a mech already has a status effect on it, and that same status effect is inflicted on it again, then the duration of the effect is reset.

Stun - The affected mech cannot move, act, or counter-attack while stunned
Burning - The affected mech is on fire, and takes 15 damage (before damage reduction) to all parts every turn

Skills

Melee Skills

Combo Hit - Attacks twice
Kneecap - Inflicts stun for 4 turns
Skewer - Ignores target's damage reduction

Machinegun Skills

Focus Fire - All shots hit a single location, randomly rolled
Mag Dump - Attack with double fire rate
Spray N' Pray - Attack with double fire rate, randomly spread between main target and all mechs within 2 squares

Shotgun Skills

Stunner - Inflicts stun for 4 turns
Slug Shot - All pellets hit a single location, randomly rolled
Street Sweeper - Pellets are spread between main target and all mechs within 2 squares

Flamethrower Skills

Meltdown - Inflicts burning for 4 turns

Rifle Skills

Anti-Armor - Ignores target's damage reduction
Double Tap - Shoots twice
Disable - Inflicts stun for 4 turns

Missile Skills

Incendiary Rocket - Inflict burning for 4 turns
EMP Missile - Inflicts stun for 4 turns