ID:113313
 
Ever since my commitment to the GSD competition, I have been doing nothing but changing up my ideas.

So, after about 3 discarded ideas, I'm on idea #4. I stated that the game would be like Dwarf Fortress, and that is still true, but I don't want it to just be "Dwarf Fortress on BYOND", I want it to just have some similarities.

I really like the lack of focus on graphics and more on text and detail with characters and enemies. The game won't be ASCII, but it will be very retro looking. You'll start off underground ( like that Dwarfs?! game ) or maybe just in a world ( hopefully generated ) like Dwarf Fortress or Minecraft. The object is just to grow in every aspect: buildings, population, military. You would be able to create new characters, but you have little control over them. They have a mind of their own, and depending on what type of character they are, they basically live their lives. The only way you can control them is using broad commands. For instance, you can't tell one individual Archer to go scouting, but you will have a "Scout" command which basically makes ALL of your military go scouting. Its just an example of some control, but not absolute control so it makes you feel like you're actually one single person apart of a growing society rather than God with unlimited control.

Also, I plan to have descriptive writing, but a lack of animation. Instead of seeing an archer move his hand and see an arrow shoot out, you'd read something like "Bruno Bowheart fires an arrow at the Dire Wolf." A character being attacked would just be represented with an icon flicker.

I'm not going to bother with all the farming and things like that. I'll probably have each kill earn you some gold and through gold everything will be purchasable. I want the main focus to be combat and dealing with the monsters in the world, and having your characters get stronger.

I also want this game to be multiplayer. Still trying to figure out how I can work that into the game.

Drop some suggestions, now is the best time to do it. Its harder to add things once you already have a game because then you end up having to change a lot of stuff in order to accommodate things like major systems and whatnot. If you want to see a certain feature in a game like this, make it known.
Sure, start with the warrior aspect of building a hero, but don't exclude farming and the other stuff like that. Seeing your character in more than one roll can get you even more attached to it. Hell, maybe even add a marriage system or something cool like that.
Boxcar wrote:
Sure, start with the warrior aspect of building a hero, but don't exclude farming and the other stuff like that. Seeing your character in more than one roll can get you even more attached to it. Hell, maybe even add a marriage system or something cool like that.

I was planning on having different genders so thats a possibility.
Perhaps multiplayer could be having multiple cities? Each player owns one. Try to get the most prestige for your city, by a combination of sending your warriors out more often and smarter decisions. You can attack the other players, or you can have them trade. Whichever!
Well good news is I've decided something: it'll be underground.
So indie it hurts.

Have you decided if you're going to make it open source or no?
One of the biggest problems with a game like Dwarf Fortress, or an RTS, or Civilization Simulator, or anything where you control a large number of units, is controlling a large number of units. You need to have a concrete design for how the player switches control between units or groups of units. Not to mention, this area isn't one of BYOND's strong points. I'd suggest a concept where you directly control only 1 character.

Keep in mind that you only have 15 days left. Making any game in two weeks is a giant challenge. Be realistic about what you can achieve, especially when it comes to procedurally generated content.
To offer up an idea I had for an unrelated project, control a leader, with an AI "squad" or set of units that follow and mimic the leader's actions.

If you had more time, orders and formations would work into this.
IainPeregrine wrote:
One of the biggest problems with a game like Dwarf Fortress, or an RTS, or Civilization Simulator, or anything where you control a large number of units, is controlling a large number of units. You need to have a concrete design for how the player switches control between units or groups of units. Not to mention, this area isn't one of BYOND's strong points. I'd suggest a concept where you directly control only 1 character.

That is why I was going to have broad commands. You would never control each character individually. each command would effect every unit and so there is less stress and difficulty when it comes to controlling units. Commands would be executed with the pressing of a macro, for example, "R" for "Retreat", which causes all your units to move back towards your base.
Stephen001 wrote:
To offer up an idea I had for an unrelated project, control a leader, with an AI "squad" or set of units that follow and mimic the leader's actions.

Like Battalion Wars?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OOEUt4PUTMY&feature=related