I've been working diligently on the engine for Starcraft Tactics, and I've gotten to the point where I believe everything I want to do is possible and where other people can help, so I decided it's time to start recruiting!
What is Starcraft Tactics?
In its simplest form, SCT is an engine for creating a turn-based, tile-based strategy map. The reason I'm creating the engine, though, is to make an extensive single-player (or maybe co-op) campaign in the vein of old console "tactics" games such as Final Fantasy Tactics:
Game Design
If you've ever played FFT, then you basically know the design of SCT: two sides fight on a small map, where the objective is usually (but not always) to kill the other side. Each side can field 5-10 hero units, taking turns moving and using abilities. Like FFT, SCT will utilize a sort of job system:
The job system: SCT is an RPG where individual hero units can shift between jobs, learn skills in that job, and then shift those skills over to another job. Like FFT, a given unit will be able to use their current job's skills as well as a "secondary skill-set." So, say Raynor the Hero reaches max-level Ghost, and then decides to become a High Templar caster; Raynor would then be able to set the ghost skills as his secondary skill-set so that on the battle-field, he has both the ghost's and HT's skills. In addition to skill-sets, each job will have a reaction skill, a support skill, and a movement skill, and these can also be set.
How far along?
As I mentioned earlier, the engine's at a point where I can start creating content. Right now it's basically nothing but the engine (which is pretty hefty in its own right). I've created a tile-system movement & attack & targeting system that I'm pretty happy with and a turn-based "active time" system that I'm also pretty happy with.
But I have almost no content, though I have started to fill out the story-line and begin early job/character design. I'd really like to get some team members involved early so they have a say in design choices.
Just to be clear: though the basic idea comes from FFT, the jobs, skills, equipment, characters, and storyline will not be carbon copies. The jobs will be enhanced, and the storyline will be completely original. SCT will be a single-player (or possibly a coop) campaign featuring a large number of maps, one for each battle, with each map utilizing the same engine.
Interested?
I've already got person working exclusively on creating a custom UI, and I'm looking for a couple more team members in particular:
Terrain Expert - (Filled) This job is essential. A great deal of the strategy in FFT (and thus also in SCT) comes from excellent terrain. Height advantage is huge, and I'm writing my engine to utilize this. Certain job classes can jump up and down level cliffs; some abilities can target up cliffs, while others cannot. Attack range is increased when firing downhill, decreased when firing uphill. So the terrainer for SCT has a doubly difficult job. The landscape has to be both beautiful and strategic.
Job/Class/Character Design - (Filled) Need a creative person to design the various jobs & skills, considering both their tactical use and the badass factor that makes em fun to use. Whoever wants this role should really be familiar with FFT & other tactics-type games, as SCT is meant to have a strong flavor of these games. This person doesn't really need to implement said jobs & skills, just design them (though that'll also be an over-all team task).
AI Coder - (Filled) This is meant to be a single-player (or maybe coop) game, so the computer will need to have a good enough AI to make them exciting opponents. Just to be straight, this will be a very challenging task; not only do you have to create a good AI, but you have to do so within a totally different engine from vanilla SC2. In some ways that makes it easier, but mostly it just makes it hard & awkward.
Item System Coder/Artist/Design - Need someone to create an extensive item system; this is an RPG and it will use a slot system (left hand, right hand, armor, hat, accessory). Items will be store-bought between battles (probably).
If you could pull off a co-op I think that's be awesome, only thing funner than beating a rpg, is beating a rpg with a friend.
I think that the only way to keep the "action" going and have multiplayer would be to have the multiplayer like FFT for the PSP but allow them in story mode
This looks really awesome. I'd like to try my hand at designing the AI. I've played a lot of FFT and other tactics games myself, so I know what kind of AI responses are necessary to create a fun experience. I'm an undergrad Comp Sci major, so hopefully I can bring something good to the table.
I have someone for AI Bobbert but the more the merrier. Not really, having two people writing overlapping triggers or data is a mess. However, the engine is getting more complicated. We're redoing the height system because cliffs were really limiting, but as a result, we're going to have to write our own pathing system. If you want to work with me on that as well as implementing the abilities & other random data & trigger editing, then send me a PM.
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Hi all!
I've been working diligently on the engine for Starcraft Tactics, and I've gotten to the point where I believe everything I want to do is possible and where other people can help, so I decided it's time to start recruiting!
What is Starcraft Tactics?
In its simplest form, SCT is an engine for creating a turn-based, tile-based strategy map. The reason I'm creating the engine, though, is to make an extensive single-player (or maybe co-op) campaign in the vein of old console "tactics" games such as Final Fantasy Tactics:
Game Design
If you've ever played FFT, then you basically know the design of SCT: two sides fight on a small map, where the objective is usually (but not always) to kill the other side. Each side can field 5-10 hero units, taking turns moving and using abilities. Like FFT, SCT will utilize a sort of job system:
The job system: SCT is an RPG where individual hero units can shift between jobs, learn skills in that job, and then shift those skills over to another job. Like FFT, a given unit will be able to use their current job's skills as well as a "secondary skill-set." So, say Raynor the Hero reaches max-level Ghost, and then decides to become a High Templar caster; Raynor would then be able to set the ghost skills as his secondary skill-set so that on the battle-field, he has both the ghost's and HT's skills. In addition to skill-sets, each job will have a reaction skill, a support skill, and a movement skill, and these can also be set.
How far along?
As I mentioned earlier, the engine's at a point where I can start creating content. Right now it's basically nothing but the engine (which is pretty hefty in its own right). I've created a tile-system movement & attack & targeting system that I'm pretty happy with and a turn-based "active time" system that I'm also pretty happy with.
But I have almost no content, though I have started to fill out the story-line and begin early job/character design. I'd really like to get some team members involved early so they have a say in design choices.
Just to be clear: though the basic idea comes from FFT, the jobs, skills, equipment, characters, and storyline will not be carbon copies. The jobs will be enhanced, and the storyline will be completely original. SCT will be a single-player (or possibly a coop) campaign featuring a large number of maps, one for each battle, with each map utilizing the same engine.
Interested?
I've already got person working exclusively on creating a custom UI, and I'm looking for a couple more team members in particular:
Terrain Expert - (Filled) This job is essential. A great deal of the strategy in FFT (and thus also in SCT) comes from excellent terrain. Height advantage is huge, and I'm writing my engine to utilize this. Certain job classes can jump up and down level cliffs; some abilities can target up cliffs, while others cannot. Attack range is increased when firing downhill, decreased when firing uphill. So the terrainer for SCT has a doubly difficult job. The landscape has to be both beautiful and strategic.
Job/Class/Character Design - (Filled) Need a creative person to design the various jobs & skills, considering both their tactical use and the badass factor that makes em fun to use. Whoever wants this role should really be familiar with FFT & other tactics-type games, as SCT is meant to have a strong flavor of these games. This person doesn't really need to implement said jobs & skills, just design them (though that'll also be an over-all team task).
AI Coder - (Filled) This is meant to be a single-player (or maybe coop) game, so the computer will need to have a good enough AI to make them exciting opponents. Just to be straight, this will be a very challenging task; not only do you have to create a good AI, but you have to do so within a totally different engine from vanilla SC2. In some ways that makes it easier, but mostly it just makes it hard & awkward.
Item System Coder/Artist/Design - Need someone to create an extensive item system; this is an RPG and it will use a slot system (left hand, right hand, armor, hat, accessory). Items will be store-bought between battles (probably).
If you're interested either post here or PM me!
To end, here's a short (somewhat boring) video demonstrating the engine, just so you know what I'm talking about:
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Cheers!,
Xen.
Nice, It's like my tactics system I made for WC3!
@TECGhost:
Looks pretty good. Did you have AI on that?
I am loathing the thought of writing AI for this.
@xenrathe:
Ya I had custom RPG AI with Threat and stuff. A* path finding code aswell.
@xenrathe: Go
Looking forward to playing it. Love FFT.
If you could pull off a co-op I think that's be awesome, only thing funner than beating a rpg, is beating a rpg with a friend.
I think that the only way to keep the "action" going and have multiplayer would be to have the multiplayer like FFT for the PSP but allow them in story mode
@xenrathe: Go
This looks really awesome. I'd like to try my hand at designing the AI. I've played a lot of FFT and other tactics games myself, so I know what kind of AI responses are necessary to create a fun experience. I'm an undergrad Comp Sci major, so hopefully I can bring something good to the table.
@Bobbert116: Go
I have someone for AI Bobbert but the more the merrier. Not really, having two people writing overlapping triggers or data is a mess. However, the engine is getting more complicated. We're redoing the height system because cliffs were really limiting, but as a result, we're going to have to write our own pathing system. If you want to work with me on that as well as implementing the abilities & other random data & trigger editing, then send me a PM.