Turn Based Grand Strategy / 4x Game

Turn Based Grand Strategy / 4x Game

Postby someone » 23 May 2020, 16:01

This is about an early concept, checking if there is interest in collaboration to make it real. I'm mainly looking for one or more programmers.

I've been playing and modding strategy games of all kinds since the early 2000s. While many of them are enjoyable, I've yet to find a game with most of the features I'd like to see, be it commercial or free/open source. So the idea of creating something new has been around for a while. Doing the whole lot by myself feels overwhealming though, since I lack programming skills. But I concider myself relatively experienced in game design and could also handle the artwork part, unless more skilled people show up. Instead of starting from scratch I'm also open to the idea of heavily modding an existing open source game.

Follows a list of most features I have in mind, all are up for debate or further explanation.

    - High Moddabilty / Preferably Open Source Software.
    - 2D Graphics. For simplicity/easier development, with an emphasis on coherent artstyle and visual clarity.
    - Turn Based Region Movement. Think of Risk or the first 2 Total War Games. This is fits with other features, but also has to do with limiting turn (and overall game) length instead of having to move loads of units on hexes or squares. Also works great with Hotseat.
    - Units Move In Army Stacks.
    - Automated, But Visible Combat. Similar to Dominions & Spartan/Gates of Troy. You can configure the deployment and move orders for each unit in an army, which you can also change before each battle. In battle units advance/wait accordingly to orders, first facing opposing enemy units, then trying to attack/flank other nearby enemies. Autoresolve option.
    - Terrain (De)bonuses For Units. Region terrain type also determines battlefield size and terrain features in combat.
    - Several Possible Requirements For Units. Technology, Structures, Resources and appropriate population types. Units will include both levies (raised from what is available in a region until settled back, reducing local economy at the same time) and retinues (standing army).
    - Regions Have Various Population Types. Like nobles, citizens, slaves etc which can grow/shrink over time or due to events. Those are also linked to the structure and trade systems and belong to cultures which affect public order and recruitment options.
    - Regions Have/Produce Resources. Like grain, horses, iron etc, some of them needed for some units, structures and tech advancements. Those can also be assigned as trade goods, providing more income per sold resource, as you approach monopoly towards each resource by conquering more of the map. Some structures require resources to be maintained, which if you lack will be automaticaly purchased at a rather high cost.
    - Characters. Such as rulers, generals and governors affecting gameplay in their respective roles. I'd like to go to Crusader Kings II level of depth with them, settling for something simpler might be more reasonable though.
    - An "Authority" Type Resource. Generated by rulers, events, government type and other factors. Serves as a limit to armies and regions controlled and when low increases the chance for revolts and other bad events.
The final goal would be a flexible game able to represent more or less any pre-modern setting in depth, while not being needlessly complex like later Paradox "a gazillion modifiers and buttons" design. I'd like to have the main game set in the Classical/Hellenistic/Early Roman Era of which I'm quite the nerd, alternatively I've got a fantasy-themed script almost ready.

Thanks for reading :)
someone
 
Posts: 4
Joined: 23 May 2020, 14:19

Re: Turn Based Grand Strategy / 4x Game

Postby rogerdv » 24 May 2020, 20:37

I could contribute a bit. Im a big fan of Heroes of Might and Magic and Freeciv, and would like to see something like that, but open source.
User avatar
rogerdv
 
Posts: 289
Joined: 10 Dec 2009, 18:26

Re: Turn Based Grand Strategy / 4x Game

Postby Julius » 24 May 2020, 22:22

For Heroes of Might And Magic it would be easier to make a libre asset pack for Fheroes2 or vcmi.
User avatar
Julius
Community Moderator
 
Posts: 3297
Joined: 06 Dec 2009, 14:02

Re: Turn Based Grand Strategy / 4x Game

Postby someone » 28 May 2020, 15:31

rogerdv {l Wrote}:I could contribute a bit. Im a big fan of Heroes of Might and Magic and Freeciv, and would like to see something like that, but open source.

Julius {l Wrote}:For Heroes of Might And Magic it would be easier to make a libre asset pack for Fheroes2 or vcmi.

Rogerdv, I guess by "contribute a bit" you mean you're interested but not willing to take the main coding burden?

I'm wondering if it is be possible to alter Freeciv to include regions instead of hexes, unit stacks, resource requirements for units and characters (or at least leader units of some type). Plus UI/control improvements, I find it quite annoying on that part. Unciv (civ 5 clone) is also similar in many aspects, with it's pros and cons, but still quite early in development.

HoMM (etc), although good for what it is, I think is quite too different to serve as a basis for what I have in mind.

I also came across this https://forum.freegamedev.net/viewtopic.php?f=5&t=12159, but seems to be in early development and real time.
someone
 
Posts: 4
Joined: 23 May 2020, 14:19

Re: Turn Based Grand Strategy / 4x Game

Postby rogerdv » 29 May 2020, 19:59

I can contribute about 5-6 hours per week, maybe more, if the project uses Godot as engine. Currently Im not involved in any serious project, but have some issues with my hands due to carpian tunnel.
User avatar
rogerdv
 
Posts: 289
Joined: 10 Dec 2009, 18:26

Re: Turn Based Grand Strategy / 4x Game

Postby someone » 30 May 2020, 14:08

rogerdv {l Wrote}:I can contribute about 5-6 hours per week, maybe more, if the project uses Godot as engine. Currently Im not involved in any serious project, but have some issues with my hands due to carpian tunnel.

Might be good for a start:)
I have a lot of questions though, the most important of which should be:

Are you familiar with the amount of work needed for such a project?
Should we find more people first?
If not, would you be able to handle all programming tasks, even if little by little?
Is Godot suitable for such a game?
How well will it handle large maps with loads of entities?
Any serious related concerns that I may have failed to grasp?

Sorry if some of the above sounds clueless, as I've mentioned I have practically no programming skills.
someone
 
Posts: 4
Joined: 23 May 2020, 14:19

Re: Turn Based Grand Strategy / 4x Game

Postby rogerdv » 30 May 2020, 16:19

AS any other medium-large project, it will take effort, I know, so yes, I think we need to find at least an artist.
Godot is a genberic engine, capable of many things, why wouldnt be suitable for such game? It is better than writing everything from scratch, and yes, can handle some load.
User avatar
rogerdv
 
Posts: 289
Joined: 10 Dec 2009, 18:26

Re: Turn Based Grand Strategy / 4x Game

Postby someone » 30 May 2020, 16:59

I've already collected a large number of 2d sprites and other graffics. Some of them could be placeholders (not all are opensource, and for some I'm not sure yet), others are quite suitable (depends on chosen final artstyle ofc). 0 AD, FreeCiv and other open source games also have quite a bit of good 2d art. Plus I'm improving my Gimp skills, I can provide ok placeholders and probably even final graffics little by little. So the art part doesn't worry me that much. Ofc a skilled artist would be great to have.

So if you're feeling like you can do it with Godot I'm willing to start a more detailed discussion on how to organize this as a project.
someone
 
Posts: 4
Joined: 23 May 2020, 14:19

Who is online

Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 1 guest

cron