I've recently been brewing over ideas for a potential map to start working on. Key things I've been trying to emphasize on are:
Simple Concept
Replayability
Lots of interaction, with minimal skill to pick up and play
Sense of Progression
My idea is to combine two popular game styles - Diplomacy/Civilization and Merchants RPG elements - into a single experience.
The idea is that you will have a fairly standard Diplomacy/Civilization game, where you advance your nation, secure your borders and war with one another; combined with purchasing their weaponry from arms manufacturers. This would create a dynamic experience that encourages interaction, new strategies, and more.
Nations: Macro-manage nations, claiming control points / cities, building infrastructure, interacting with other players, and spending resources.
Arms Manufacturers / Companies: Compete with one another to create cost-effective weapons to supply to nations, to further personal development/tech, and advance their own private agendas. Companies will get the opportunity to FULLY customize units they design on the fly, and these changes will automatically affect nations and their gameplay with minimal work involved.
Design Challenges
Implementing this concept is going to require the following things (to my knowledge):
A large, appealing map for diplomacy/civilization style play
Automatically updating the command card for nations' SCVs/construction units and buildings, listing units and structures offered by arms manufacturers to maximize user friendliness. This may not be directly possible, and may require making the illusion of such happening. This?
Creating a system for arms manufacturers to create and customize units, implementing cost management
What I Need From You
What do you think of this idea? I'm really curious to hear what everyone has to say - I've been trying to find a cool niche to home in on, based on my experience with arcade games so far.
Are you interested in...
Designing the map terrain?
Helping with automatic command card updating?
Interface design? [For arms manufacturers]
Helping with custom weapon design modules?
Suggesting new ideas, such as weapons/buildings that arms manufacturers can create/customize?
...if so, I'd really, really appreciate your help in getting this idea off the ground!
If you would prefer to contact me personally (not in this thread), please don't hesitate to message me on Skype: likaithewolf
Thanks guys! I look forward to hearing from you all!
-
Extra notes regarding gameplay, technical
Arms manufacturers will have a seemingly boundless amount of options for their units, such as different flags (armored, psionic, etc.) that they can apply, as well as many different weapons built into the game, that can be modified in behavior (attack rate, damage, extra/less damage to certain types).
Manufacturers can try to stuff a unit full of tons of buffs and abilities, but this will diminish its cost-effectiveness, and require nations to invest more in their technology, and pay significantly more to acquire them. (Diminishing returns)
Manufacturers can customize unit design, decals, unit model, unit weapon, buffs, abilities and more - for added cost.
Manufacturers (assuming a maximum of 3) will be able to sell up to 4 custom units for each category (infantry, mech, air) - to be constructed out of their specific buildings. This will provide nations with a near-full command card of units to choose from when they click on their barracks, factory, or starports.
Manufacturers will also be able to design custom buildings, which provide players with defensive capabilites, buffs or abilities, such as sensor towers, custom turrets/fortresses, or buff towers that provide passive bonuses to allies, or debuffs to enemies.
Manufacturers can customize the name and tooltip design for each unit they create. All of these changes are automatically made to nations, and requires no interaction on their part. Changes will immediately be available to them from their production facilities, streamlining gameplay.
Possibly allow manufacturers to SAVE their unit designs locally, so they can pick from previously-made designs on the fly!
EDIT 9/5/16:
Removing Arms Dealers, and designating customization ability to each individual nation.
Hello!
I've recently been brewing over ideas for a potential map to start working on. Key things I've been trying to emphasize on are:
My idea is to combine two popular game styles - Diplomacy/Civilization and Merchants RPG elements - into a single experience.
The idea is that you will have a fairly standard Diplomacy/Civilization game, where you advance your nation, secure your borders and war with one another; combined with purchasing their weaponry from arms manufacturers. This would create a dynamic experience that encourages interaction, new strategies, and more.
Nations: Macro-manage nations, claiming control points / cities, building infrastructure, interacting with other players, and spending resources.
Arms Manufacturers / Companies: Compete with one another to create cost-effective weapons to supply to nations, to further personal development/tech, and advance their own private agendas. Companies will get the opportunity to FULLY customize units they design on the fly, and these changes will automatically affect nations and their gameplay with minimal work involved.
Design Challenges
Implementing this concept is going to require the following things (to my knowledge):
What I Need From You
What do you think of this idea? I'm really curious to hear what everyone has to say - I've been trying to find a cool niche to home in on, based on my experience with arcade games so far.
Are you interested in...
...if so, I'd really, really appreciate your help in getting this idea off the ground!
If you would prefer to contact me personally (not in this thread), please don't hesitate to message me on Skype: likaithewolf
Thanks guys! I look forward to hearing from you all!
-Extra notes regarding gameplay, technical
EDIT 9/5/16: Removing Arms Dealers, and designating customization ability to each individual nation.