I'm on a project since beginning of last year and wanted to present some major concepts since it reached a somewhat mature state. I'm mainly writing code and just creating a model every now and then, so theres few fancy stuff to see. I'd rather have some opinions/experiences on the general ideas. So comment as you wish.
Starting Unit:
1 "Pod"
Localized Production (done):
Players build huge cities (17x34 atm) ontop of metalspots with the "Pod", it is destroyed during/after this process. So 1 Pod=>1 City. New Pods can be built for a medium cost. The cities generate resources depending on their metal-extraction-value. The output is not placed in any global storage, but instead divided into the
City-Modules (done):
Every city consists of the city itself and 1 big and 1 small Module-Slot directly attached to it. Each slot can be filled with 1 building. There is a variety of small and big buildings to be placed in the slots. To do so, the empty slot is selected and the desired module is chosen. It is afterwards automatically built, depending on the resource-income of the city. Finished modules receive resources every second to use for their purpose (Production, Research,...), if they need it.
Consequences:
If a city has no busy module, the resources are wasted. Repeat: No global storage
No static def splattered around the map (Structures can only be attached to city)
Upkeep (Almost done):
Units (with some exceptions) have an upkeep, reducing the output of their parent-city. While not using the modules is waste, not using produced units is too, as a too big stock slows down the economy.
- Resource-System
- resource-system.png (10.02 KiB) Viewed 3456 times
There are no Tech-Levels. Progress is achieved gradually by researching. Noone but the player itself knows about the current state of research, as there are no indicators, whats going on inside the center. Thus, the enemy can really be surprised with a steady research.
The System allows for all kind of effects (Unlocking Units, Altering Weapons, De-/Increasing Damage, Whatever Lua allows)
Once researched, a technology is not lost upon loosing all researchcenters for example.
Modular Units (done):
Units consist of a chassis and a defined amount and set of weapons. Simple case: Standard Tank with Cannon or Rocket Launcher can be build.
- modular units
- modular_units.png (183.49 KiB) Viewed 3456 times
Most/All of the units have limited ammunition. My first idea was to have them recharge theirselfs at a speed<firerate.
Example: A unit can store 100 Shots, fires at 2/s and reloads an 0.5/s. It could fill up completely in 200 seconds, rapid-fires with 2/s at the enemy and if at 0 ammo fires at 0.5/s.
While it's easy to implement, I'm not sure, if it's a good idea.
Random-Death (done):
When units have less than 50% HP, each shot they take has a chance to instantly destroy them. The percentage is increasing with the targets weakness. While a 50%-Unit will unlikely die, a 40% HP-Unit has a far higher chance.
Currently its logarithmic, but it's a bit to drastic and needs a change. Maybe to a boring linear function?
Custom-GUI (done):
Such a game obviously needs a custom GUI to give out the special information and remove the *A-Stuff. Yep, it is there.
- Custom GUI
- side_menu.png (69.45 KiB) Viewed 3161 times
Hero (done. The second thing I implemented, but might remove/change it again.):
Besides the Pod, players start with a hero unit. It has a simple weapon but can be upgraded with some modules like shield, better radar, more weapons etc. To upgrade, it needs XP and (currently lacking) a city to leech resources. Further ideas are to allow for a completely new chassis later on and to ressurect it etc. But kinda unimportant to me right now.
So much about the technical gimmicks.
Concept-wise do I have full ideas for 3 factions, being completely different on style, units, weapons, gameplay etc, but right now i focus on finishing one.
Widgets & Gadgets are all customly written.
When theres a bit more content ingame, I'll upload a playable version. Razorblade helps me with models now, so hopefully it will happen sooner than expected
