A game idea
Scythe
Join Date: 2002-01-25 Member: 46NS1 Playtester, Forum Moderators, Constellation, Reinforced - Silver
Join Date: 2002-01-25 Member: 46NS1 Playtester, Forum Moderators, Constellation, Reinforced - Silver
in Off-Topic
<div class="IPBDescription">Big island</div>I was sitting at work today, bored out of my skull, when this idea occurred to me. I'll just paste here the notes I have.
<!--QuoteBegin-Notes+--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Notes)</div><div class='quotemain'><!--QuoteEBegin-->big island - arma esque
attacker players control one force - one unit per player
defender players can control any of the defending forces - many more units than players
simple gameplay, combination of hard/soft counters, moonbase commander
airborne, seaborne and landborne
simple, functional graphics - QuelSolaar, A New Zero
power grid to power AA and sensors
power comes from a series of power stations distributed around the map
all buildings require power to function
defenders can set up factories
defenders can set up temp. power stations
defenders can set up temp. AA
defenders can set up temp. sensors
attackers have a stealth unit - cannot be seen by sensors, can be seen by enemy units - has long vision
defending team starts with scientists who research new units for them - attackers rescue them to research for them<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->
I think I could bang together a 2d prototype inside a couple weeks. Would anyone be interested in giving me a hand when I need some players?
--Scythe--
<!--QuoteBegin-Notes+--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Notes)</div><div class='quotemain'><!--QuoteEBegin-->big island - arma esque
attacker players control one force - one unit per player
defender players can control any of the defending forces - many more units than players
simple gameplay, combination of hard/soft counters, moonbase commander
airborne, seaborne and landborne
simple, functional graphics - QuelSolaar, A New Zero
power grid to power AA and sensors
power comes from a series of power stations distributed around the map
all buildings require power to function
defenders can set up factories
defenders can set up temp. power stations
defenders can set up temp. AA
defenders can set up temp. sensors
attackers have a stealth unit - cannot be seen by sensors, can be seen by enemy units - has long vision
defending team starts with scientists who research new units for them - attackers rescue them to research for them<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->
I think I could bang together a 2d prototype inside a couple weeks. Would anyone be interested in giving me a hand when I need some players?
--Scythe--
Comments
TBH, just about all of us are probably down for it <img src="style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/tounge.gif" style="vertical-align:middle" emoid=":p" border="0" alt="tounge.gif" />
defender players can control any of the defending forces - many more units than players<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->
Did you play my mod? (Petrified)
Nope, never. Link?
--Scythe--
You haven't really explained some of the core aspects, like what perspective you play from and how you control your character.
--Scythe--<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->
No link right now, a lot of people in these forums playtested though.
There were two teams, the mortals who and the watchers... mortals were just like a normal FPS, but the watchers could switch control between any statue on the level. It's a great mechanic.
I would definitely be interested in playtesting for you.
How were you thinking of handling the defenders? Would players be able to freely jump between them? What happens to a defender if a PC isn't controlling them?
It has zombies and oil tankers. Sometimes combined.
The defenders not under human control will have some basic AI. I.E. random walk until they spot an enemy, then they follow and shoot it until either the enemy dies or they do.
I'm not sure how I'm going to handle switching between units, it won't be an at-will thing, though.
<!--quoteo(post=0:date=:name=Rob)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Rob)</div><div class='quotemain'><!--quotec-->When you say "unit" do you mean "individual" or "military combat group (squad, platoon, etc)" ?<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->
A unit is something a single person controls. Either a small squad of soldiers or a vehicle.
--Scythe--
I'm not sure how I'm going to handle switching between units, it won't be an at-will thing, though.<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->
Ah, well that's very different. The reason I liked being able to the control any unit mechanic was because you were able to switch at-will to any unoccupied one.
Also, having AI on the units otherwise decreases the importance of taking control of them. It could increase player frustration if they always go off and do stupid things / things contrary to the player's plan. On the other hand, if their AI ends up bringing them to the right spot at the right time for the player to take control, it could add to the experience.
Also, having AI on the units otherwise decreases the importance of taking control of them. It could increase player frustration if they always go off and do stupid things / things contrary to the player's plan. On the other hand, if their AI ends up bringing them to the right spot at the right time for the player to take control, it could add to the experience.<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->
The reason against letting players swap at will is to remove the possible tedium of taking control of a unit, moving it somewhere, taking control of another unit, moving it to the same place, ad infinitum. I'm considering the defenders having a commander unit that can give a basic move command to AI units to reinforce a particular location.
--Scythe--
Step two: <a href="http://www.tjhowse.com/bigislandfiles/bigisland.zip" target="_blank">Download</a>,
Step three: See if it loads. 0-5 picks unit, WSAD controls. Don't press 6.
Next up: add in colours on units, tweak movement code to suit each unit type, prevent ground units from moving on sea and sea units from moving on ground!
--Scythe--
It's up to you chaps! Do you want to be able to reverse? Turning around will be possible in every occasion.
--Scythe--
Step two: <a href="http://www.tjhowse.com/bigislandfiles/bigisland.zip" target="_blank">Download</a>,
Step three: See if it loads. 0-5 picks unit, WSAD controls. Don't press 6.<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->
Updated! Q is full stop, for now. Wrote a colour-changing jigger to recolour the units at runtime. Left clicking fires a white dot. Woo! At present it has unlimited range and does no damage.
--Scythe--
--Scythe--<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->
It's totally overpowered. You must nerf the white dot now.
It's up to you chaps! Do you want to be able to reverse? Turning around will be possible in every occasion.
--Scythe--<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->
I vote that reverse is always a good thing.
Yes, we'll need five speeds. Two forward, and three reverse.