Q&A: Argo ATLS

ATLS Power Suit

Now that the Argo ATLS Power Suit has been added to the ‘verse, we posed a few questions to the dev team about the new cargo loader exo-frame. Here are the answers, straight from the designers themselves.

Does the ATLS provide any environmental protection? If not, can I wear an exploration suit while piloting it?

While the ATLS provides no environmental protection, there are currently no restrictions on what you can wear in the pilot seat. However, this isn’t the long-term intent, which is the case for all vehicles.

Does the ATLS provide any armor for my character, or does it influence my hitbox? So, would a bullet to the chest count as damage against the ATLS or my player character?

For its initial release, the ATLS is invulnerable, but any bullets that hit the player will deal the same damage as they usually would. For example, shooting a player in the arm still applies damage to the arm along with the associated multipliers.

We will be following up in a future release to include damage, visual damage effects, and destruction, so the ATLS won’t be invulnerable forever.

Does the ATLS come with any storage?

No, the ATLS has no storage capacity.

Is the Atlas equipped with bright headlights to enable me to work at night or any rotating flashing lights for safety and the extra industrial vibe?

For the initial release, the torch on your helmet will be the only artificial light source. However, we intend to add lights to the ATLS in a future update. 

Are there any exchangeable vehicle components (power generator, tractor beams, etc.) to customize the ATLS?

Paints are supported but vehicle components and the tractor beam are not customizable for the initial release. We have plans to update the ATLS to make use of the Resource Network feature, likely adding a battery that needs to be physically swapped out to replace it.

How fast does it move? Will it increase my max running speed?

No, it’s a relatively slow mech. When walking, it roughly matches a player’s fast walk. When ‘sprinting,’ the ATLS is between a player’s fast-walk and slow-run speed. This initial power suit is designed to traverse hangars and move cargo, not rush into combat or explore the wilderness.

Can it jump, and does it reduce my fall damage?

The ATLS cannot jump. Given its role, this may or may not change in future iterations, but future power suits with more combat or exploration-orientated roles may support jumping. 

No fall damage is taken currently due to it being invulnerable (unless you somehow hit a rock with your exposed head while falling).

How does it behave in EVA?

The ATLS has no EVA movement capability. While in zero-g, the ATLS can only be exited and not entered.

Does the ATLS tractor-beam gameplay mechanic differ from the handheld tractor-beam device?

Yes. As a dedicated cargo loader, the tractor beam automatically moves its target adjacent to its user, making it easier to view the surroundings.

A destination-preview hologram is then displayed in the environment wherever the user aims, with color coding indicating a cargo grid or surface placement. The tractor beam’s target is moved to the hologram’s location automatically when the ‘fire’ button is pressed. This provides faster cargo movement and faster cargo-grid selection (plus snapping) from greater distances.

A secondary fire mode (mouse two) allows the tractor beam’s target to be thrown instead of placed. A charge functionality increases the throw strength the longer the input is held.

When targeting ships or ground vehicles, the typical tractor beam functionality is employed instead to allow smaller upturned vehicles to be rotated and set down.

Can I injure another player with the ATLS by hitting, ramming, or falling on them? Can I kill my enemies or hurt others by hurling cargo containers at them?

The ATLS does not move fast enough to cause damage. If you do manage to fall on top of someone, it can be enough to kill them in normal gravity. However, this takes some doing, possibly involving a hovering ship and a lowered ramp.

Hurling cargo containers at others is not advised, as it can lead to any number of injuries or even death.

Can I attack someone with my FPS firearms (e.g. pistol) while piloting the ATLS?

No, the only other actions available while controlling the ATLS are accessing the mobiGlas and wiping your visor.

Can several ATLS pilots team up and move heavier objects, such as small spaceships?

Due to the nature of the new cargo-loading tractor beam, combined efforts are not possible for moving cargo boxes, but targeting ships and vehicles will combine the forces of multiple beams.

Does the suit count as a vehicle, and can I request an insurance claim at an ASOP terminal if it is destroyed?

The ATLS can be retrieved at an ASOP terminal if abandoned or otherwise lost. In future iterations when the ATLS is no longer invulnerable, insurance claims will be possible for a destroyed ATLS.

When piloting an ATLS, can I use passenger elevators, stroll through landing zones, or use public transportation to leave a spaceport?

No, the ATLS does not fit inside elevators, so you will need to transport them via ship interiors to any location you wish to use them (providing your ship is large enough). Hangars and freight elevators are their preferred environment.

Can I spawn my ATLS in a party member’s hangar?

Doing so is tied into allowing ground vehicles to be spawned via freight elevators. This is planned and being worked on, so as soon as it’s working and released, you’ll be able to spawn your ATLS in a party member’s hangar. This is still in development, though, and doesn’t have a release date. 

Assuming the ATLS becomes important to a cargo hauler’s day-to-day life, how do I transport it from A to B if I don’t have a vehicle with an onboard garage or an internal cargo area?

If the ATLS fits inside your ship, you can walk it inside and exit, leaving it in your ship’s interior. Otherwise, you’ll need a larger ship.

Can I lift the ATLS with a handheld tractor beam, a ship tractor beam, or another ATLS?

Yes. There are some known issues, which are work in progress, but it is functioning.

Does ATLS use batteries or fuel? How do I charge/refuel it?

For its initial release, the ATLS does not require fuel or batteries for its locomotion or tractor beam. We intend to have a replaceable battery using the Resource Network feature in a future iteration.

There have been recent balance changes to the Multi-Tool and dedicated tractor beams. With the launch of the ATLS and its new tractor beam type, is the current balance for these tractor beams representative of the game moving forward, or do you have other changes planned?

We have plans to address the balance further. The Multi-Tool and dedicated tractor beams were always meant to be the least powerful tractor beams in the game to allow puzzle solving, small cargo movement, and cooperative play. However, there are some bugs with combined tractor beam strength we would like to address before moving forward with the intended balancing. We also want to ensure that the full range of tractor-beam types are available to ships.

Here is an overview of the maximum-sized cargo crates we intend for each on-foot tractor beam to support in Alpha 3.24.1 and once improved functionality is introduced. (x2 beams would be two players combining their tractor beams of matching size on the same target.)

Multi-Tool

in Alpha 3.24.1: max SCU = 16future support for cooperative beams: max SCU (1 beam) = 8 | max SCU (2 beams) = 16

On-foot Dedicated Tractor Beams

in Alpha 3.24.1: max SCU = 32future support for cooperative beams: max SCU (1 beam) = 16 | max SCU (2 beams) = 32

 

ATLS

in Alpha 3.24.1: max SCU = 32future support for cooperative beams: max SCU (1 beam) = 32 | max SCU (2 beams) = N/A

The ATLS introduces a new type of tractor beam. Will ships be able to make use of it?

In a future release, we intend to introduce additional ship tractor beams of existing sizes with the new functionality. This will allow players to customize their ship loadouts with the type of tractor beam they prefer to use.

 

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