Post by Edward on Jun 10, 2011 9:32:34 GMT -6
Intro
Alright, I think its about time I started up a thread to discuss the game I'm trying to come up with. Sorry if my ideas and thoughts are shotgunned across the post. Feel free to ask any questions as I'm sure I forgot something.
Originally I was working on AUC 2, trying to figure out how to balance it with its different faction archetypes, but while I was working on it a second idea for a smaller scale game with more complexity suits really started to appeal to me. To me this idea was AUC 2.5 as I wanted to finish AUC 2. Long story short, I ended up working on 2.5 because I enjoyed it more and eventually dropped the AUC part all together.
So I don't really have a name for the game yet. Its small scale mercenary groups.
Background Story and Story Arcs
Much like the name, the background story... in that I haven't really thought about it one bit till I started typing this.
A few things are certain. There will be three corporations, more or less, running things. These guys hand out the missions we partake in. At first the missions probably won't have much of a story, just to get things started. But I'm hoping they can eventually chain off a story arcs concerning the corporations plans and other things. I have a few ideas, but nothing set in stone. Much like the title, I don't have names for these corporations either.
I want to continue special events stories like were adding into AUC.
Missions
Missions arn't too hard to explain. You pick them up, you do them, you get paid essentially. That's the backbone to all missions. Hard part is adding a story element to make it more then just a grind for money. Missions will pay in different ways sometimes. You be paid after you're done, in advanced, possible experience bonus, or be given a reward like a weapon or possibly a suit. Some missions may pay for repairs, ammo, and fuel. (I haven't decided if all three are going to be taken into cost, it may just be one or two of them)
Mission types that I can think off of my head are: Simple attack and destroy. Capture target, defend target, obtain item. I'll try to come up with something more then this, but these parts are the parts I haven't been working on yet. Sometimes some of these missions will have a time restriction.
Special events are going to be similar to the idea in AUC. Missions everyone can partake in. There will probably be a basic reward and an extra reward for taking a second risk or beating out the others depending on the event.
Starting Out, Players & NPCs
Generally everyone is going to start out on the same foot, with some variance. I'll probably throw money at everyone to build their starting suit. Notice I suit, not suits. I want people to start out as a single Merc. You'll be allowed at first to hire up to two wingmen which you will have to pay. The people you hire will not gain experience you can distribute and cannot be recruited.
You also don't get a ship. Go find some captain to ferry your ass to your mission area for a price.
Unlike the testing, you won't have your stats and skill all built up already. I'll probably give some points to spend on your main character to start though.
Experience will be gained through damage and maybe through missions. It'll work like in most RPGs. You level, you get points to spend. This will also extend to NPCs that you'll be able to recruit (Make up).
You get to spend these points on skills that are passive and actives. I'll probably add a list of what I came up with in a second post. I have ideas for different branches. The Ace Pilot style branch, focusing on improving you alone, a Commander Branch, focused more on buffing your team and other utility, and possibly a Newtype Branch, which I'm still workin on.
Also their will be a main character/player branch. This is a branch that isn't available to NPCs. This branch will its own points separate from the ones you spend on the other tree. This is more like having perks.
Ex: Recruit 1 Wingman, 2, 3, etc.
5% more money from Missions
10% Repair reductions
Possible Modifications to suits and weapons
Combat System
Boy, I never thought I'd cross the line by adding rolls. I actually really used to dislike the idea, that it was taking the RP out of RPG. But to be honest, I saw how people were arguing and disagreeing about things. This made me make things smaller scale and try to use a dice roll system to try to eliminate the feeling that the other person wasn't taking enough damage or delaying.
Will it really prevent these sort of problems? Probably not. Some people just will have a problem with it and claim the system is broken or unfair. Not saying they're not right. My main concern is stacking issues that will make doing one thing, like stacking either armor or thrust, will become the only way to play. Lets face it, if you know one way works the best, you're going to try to stack it and abuse it if you really want to win.
Unfortunately, I rather not spend a 100 battles trying to balance everything out as its gets boring playing by myself! So I will probably be making changes as the game plays and as everyone knows, if you change something that effects the players negatively, they're going to be ANGRY. I'll do my best to try to compensate for any changes I make, like refunding some money or returning skill points, but overall, I would appreciate it if people respect me trying to make things balanced. Suggestions are always welcome, but try not to say I'm not listening if I don't do what you say.
ANYWAYS, onto the combat system. So far I'm playing with ranges for space. I always saw suit combat as close range and deadly. Weapons like Machine guns and Bazookas are more effective close range, while weapons like cannons and sniper rifles will be more accurate at range.
Colonies and city will probably use some sort of map, with buildings being destroyable to avoid everyone hiding behind them all day. They can be shot through, but will probably reduce penetration.
Dodge, Aim, Block, Armor, and Health. Three most basic stats. Dodge will be applied on the defensive first, followed by block. If neither save you, then your Armor comes into play. If the shots go through, then you're health will be reduced until you're dead. Simple enough.
Ship combat is something I need to work out as they really just hang back and offer support fire, leaving most of the hard work to the suits.
I've changed my spreadsheet for AUC to allow me to do the calculations and rolls in the game much faster. Mostly just adding things for me as I input them and giving me information like the dice roll for the penetration range and the minimum roll to penetrate. Overall I want to be in control of all combat rolls. I've been practicing to get used to it.
Balance, Changes, and Suggestions
I know I typed up a paragraph about this in the combat system, but I really feel like its worth mentioning again. I don't want to be a dick when I say it, but we're not the most friendly bunch when we argue about this sort of thing at times. Getting verbally insulting or spiting people at times. I expect it and probably won't get very upset over it, but it adds NOTHING to the game. It certainly won't make me swing your way if you approach me an angry way.
Overall, I'm making the decisions. Its my game. I don't think I originally understood this a year ago. Its my game to make and change. BUT if no one wants to play the game because I don't listen to the problems of the player, its also my fault. Still, I hope that no one gets angry if I do choose to not follow their advice and suggestion.
But I will read all suggestions. If I don't like it, I'll try to explain why. Though there may be a time where I just don't like it and don't want to add it to the game. Still, I'll try to give an explanation.
Also, I'll post up any changes I'm going to make before I make them. Mostly to see what everyone thinks and to hear everyone's concern about them... or praise! Yeah right, but who knows, it could happen.
Alright, in the next post, I'll start listing things skills and talking about value of things like armor.
Alright, I think its about time I started up a thread to discuss the game I'm trying to come up with. Sorry if my ideas and thoughts are shotgunned across the post. Feel free to ask any questions as I'm sure I forgot something.
Originally I was working on AUC 2, trying to figure out how to balance it with its different faction archetypes, but while I was working on it a second idea for a smaller scale game with more complexity suits really started to appeal to me. To me this idea was AUC 2.5 as I wanted to finish AUC 2. Long story short, I ended up working on 2.5 because I enjoyed it more and eventually dropped the AUC part all together.
So I don't really have a name for the game yet. Its small scale mercenary groups.
Background Story and Story Arcs
Much like the name, the background story... in that I haven't really thought about it one bit till I started typing this.
A few things are certain. There will be three corporations, more or less, running things. These guys hand out the missions we partake in. At first the missions probably won't have much of a story, just to get things started. But I'm hoping they can eventually chain off a story arcs concerning the corporations plans and other things. I have a few ideas, but nothing set in stone. Much like the title, I don't have names for these corporations either.
I want to continue special events stories like were adding into AUC.
Missions
Missions arn't too hard to explain. You pick them up, you do them, you get paid essentially. That's the backbone to all missions. Hard part is adding a story element to make it more then just a grind for money. Missions will pay in different ways sometimes. You be paid after you're done, in advanced, possible experience bonus, or be given a reward like a weapon or possibly a suit. Some missions may pay for repairs, ammo, and fuel. (I haven't decided if all three are going to be taken into cost, it may just be one or two of them)
Mission types that I can think off of my head are: Simple attack and destroy. Capture target, defend target, obtain item. I'll try to come up with something more then this, but these parts are the parts I haven't been working on yet. Sometimes some of these missions will have a time restriction.
Special events are going to be similar to the idea in AUC. Missions everyone can partake in. There will probably be a basic reward and an extra reward for taking a second risk or beating out the others depending on the event.
Starting Out, Players & NPCs
Generally everyone is going to start out on the same foot, with some variance. I'll probably throw money at everyone to build their starting suit. Notice I suit, not suits. I want people to start out as a single Merc. You'll be allowed at first to hire up to two wingmen which you will have to pay. The people you hire will not gain experience you can distribute and cannot be recruited.
You also don't get a ship. Go find some captain to ferry your ass to your mission area for a price.
Unlike the testing, you won't have your stats and skill all built up already. I'll probably give some points to spend on your main character to start though.
Experience will be gained through damage and maybe through missions. It'll work like in most RPGs. You level, you get points to spend. This will also extend to NPCs that you'll be able to recruit (Make up).
You get to spend these points on skills that are passive and actives. I'll probably add a list of what I came up with in a second post. I have ideas for different branches. The Ace Pilot style branch, focusing on improving you alone, a Commander Branch, focused more on buffing your team and other utility, and possibly a Newtype Branch, which I'm still workin on.
Also their will be a main character/player branch. This is a branch that isn't available to NPCs. This branch will its own points separate from the ones you spend on the other tree. This is more like having perks.
Ex: Recruit 1 Wingman, 2, 3, etc.
5% more money from Missions
10% Repair reductions
Possible Modifications to suits and weapons
Combat System
Boy, I never thought I'd cross the line by adding rolls. I actually really used to dislike the idea, that it was taking the RP out of RPG. But to be honest, I saw how people were arguing and disagreeing about things. This made me make things smaller scale and try to use a dice roll system to try to eliminate the feeling that the other person wasn't taking enough damage or delaying.
Will it really prevent these sort of problems? Probably not. Some people just will have a problem with it and claim the system is broken or unfair. Not saying they're not right. My main concern is stacking issues that will make doing one thing, like stacking either armor or thrust, will become the only way to play. Lets face it, if you know one way works the best, you're going to try to stack it and abuse it if you really want to win.
Unfortunately, I rather not spend a 100 battles trying to balance everything out as its gets boring playing by myself! So I will probably be making changes as the game plays and as everyone knows, if you change something that effects the players negatively, they're going to be ANGRY. I'll do my best to try to compensate for any changes I make, like refunding some money or returning skill points, but overall, I would appreciate it if people respect me trying to make things balanced. Suggestions are always welcome, but try not to say I'm not listening if I don't do what you say.
ANYWAYS, onto the combat system. So far I'm playing with ranges for space. I always saw suit combat as close range and deadly. Weapons like Machine guns and Bazookas are more effective close range, while weapons like cannons and sniper rifles will be more accurate at range.
Colonies and city will probably use some sort of map, with buildings being destroyable to avoid everyone hiding behind them all day. They can be shot through, but will probably reduce penetration.
Dodge, Aim, Block, Armor, and Health. Three most basic stats. Dodge will be applied on the defensive first, followed by block. If neither save you, then your Armor comes into play. If the shots go through, then you're health will be reduced until you're dead. Simple enough.
Ship combat is something I need to work out as they really just hang back and offer support fire, leaving most of the hard work to the suits.
I've changed my spreadsheet for AUC to allow me to do the calculations and rolls in the game much faster. Mostly just adding things for me as I input them and giving me information like the dice roll for the penetration range and the minimum roll to penetrate. Overall I want to be in control of all combat rolls. I've been practicing to get used to it.
Balance, Changes, and Suggestions
I know I typed up a paragraph about this in the combat system, but I really feel like its worth mentioning again. I don't want to be a dick when I say it, but we're not the most friendly bunch when we argue about this sort of thing at times. Getting verbally insulting or spiting people at times. I expect it and probably won't get very upset over it, but it adds NOTHING to the game. It certainly won't make me swing your way if you approach me an angry way.
Overall, I'm making the decisions. Its my game. I don't think I originally understood this a year ago. Its my game to make and change. BUT if no one wants to play the game because I don't listen to the problems of the player, its also my fault. Still, I hope that no one gets angry if I do choose to not follow their advice and suggestion.
But I will read all suggestions. If I don't like it, I'll try to explain why. Though there may be a time where I just don't like it and don't want to add it to the game. Still, I'll try to give an explanation.
Also, I'll post up any changes I'm going to make before I make them. Mostly to see what everyone thinks and to hear everyone's concern about them... or praise! Yeah right, but who knows, it could happen.
Alright, in the next post, I'll start listing things skills and talking about value of things like armor.