turn based games

[K4Z]

Firstly, those 3d models are bl**dy awesome. So low poly, and cartoony, but look soo cool. With that style you could pump out soo many models pretty quickly I'd think.

Lol, I love em .

Ok, I mostly use Lightwave for modeling,animating,render,etc. And Milkshape for making UT models. I posted my current LW work in the Introduce yourself thread (page 7), I'll post some updates and other stuff when I can get back to my own pc. I've used blender a hand full of times, but still need more time with it before I'm comfortable.

For the past few years I've done a lot of work with a small Online (and offline) RPG. I've just recently (3 months ago) started work on a small server for it. Players connect, enter a chat room, join games, etc similar to battle.net. So I have a bit of experience with Multiplayer Online stuff. Umm, I've done a little work with AI: puzzels, RPG monster battles, platform game bot pathfinding, etc. And I'd have to say implementing multiplayer is a easier than AI, but that depends an how advanced the game will be.

Bit by bit I've been working on small engine for an AdvancedWars (2) clone. One of my favourite Trun-Based tactics games. If you've never played it, the game (on the gameboy) has pretty poor graphics and uses a straight topdown squared map, but the game is very stratigic. And is about gaing the advantage in combat by moving through trees and mountainous terrain to gain more defence, etc.

Sadly I've never played X-COM/UFO, so i'm not too sure of the game play.
Could I hear some more of your thoughts on the setting, gameplay, story,etc.
Are you thinking total 3d or 3d rendered sprites? 3d tile based? Tactical like FF Tactics, ogre tactics? or just a hack and slash?

I've been wanting to make turn based game for ages, and I have heaps of ideas.
I'd love for you to start a a small Dev team for this.
I think it should be kept extremely simply (at first), don't worry too much about simple things like graphics, those can be change later. But yeah, i'm loving those 3d models .
So yeah, waiting for your reply...

[Sly]

i'm still more attracted by 3D graphic. I've also done some "example" models for a fantasy-style game. They look simple and cartoonish and i'm very proud of them :mrgreen:

Those models rock.

[{MSX}]

Firstly, those 3d models are bl**dy awesome. So low poly, and cartoony, but look soo cool. With that style you could pump out soo many models pretty quickly I'd think.

Lol, I love em Very Happy .

Ok, I mostly use Lightwave for modeling,animating,render,etc. And Milkshape for making UT models. I posted my current LW work in the Introduce yourself thread (page 7), I'll post some updates and other stuff when I can get back to my own pc. I've used blender a hand full of times, but still need more time with it before I'm comfortable.

Thank you In fact i've done them quite quickly. Also, they're interchangeable, so that you can make a set of caps, vest, etc, and then use them as you wish (in the case we want to make equipments in that way).
I didn't used textures for them. We could decide to completely texture them, to texture only some mesh (for example, the body armour) or to leave them this way (which is the simplest ). Also, if some of you have a pale idea on how to do it, we could think of hacking up a cell rendering for complete cartoonish look
About blender, i found it very good for many reasons. It's interface is somehow weird at the beginning, but it's designed for heavy use and it works good. Also, you can write plugins and exporters in python (a language that i usually hate but in this case it does his job ). I've already written an exporter that i use in my engine and works very good.
Also blender is nice for texturing, it has good unwrapping tools to generate the texture "skeleton".

Sadly I've never played X-COM/UFO, so i'm not too sure of the game play.
Could I hear some more of your thoughts on the setting, gameplay, story,etc.
Are you thinking total 3d or 3d rendered sprites? 3d tile based? Tactical like FF Tactics, ogre tactics? or just a hack and slash?

Too bad you didn't try it It's a masterpiece of the genre.
My idea about the setting is to do something like a mix, like Final Fantasy. That is, fantasy but without dropping completely guns, robots, etc.

The game map would be something like a square-tiled map (flat) with stilized elements on it (trees, rocks, whatever).
The look i'd like to have is like the one of Hopmon, a great game that i adore for it's semplicity and good looking yet simple graphics (from which i inspired for my models).





About the game play, the basic functionality is based on action points. Each unit has its own AP, that are replenished at the beginning of the turn. They can be spent for moving, using items, attacking, etc. The max value can be influenced by many factors, for example wearing heavy items will decrease it. Apart from the AP, there are the classical RPG values, mainly strength, constitution, agility, magical power.
I would keep this basic part quite small, perhaps just this four values or few more to define units. Maybe some other "tag" for tecnical use (human, undead, mechanical, flying etc).

Then, each unit can be equipped with a weapon and an armour (if human), can wear some items (ready for use), and can carry a certain amount of items.

The weapon can certainly be used to attack, which will be the main way of dealing damages in the game.
Weapons could be defined by some values, such as precision, range, damage dealt, etc. The resolutions of attacks will involve some easy calculation considering weapon stats, target stats, etc. like all RPG (D&D).
Each unit can have one or more default attacks, that can be used "like a weapon". This default attack can be for example a (weak) punch for humans (that are meant to use weapon), but can be a (powerfull) bite for a wolf or a throwing spike for a living plant.
About items, what i'd like is that each object can be "activated" to accomplish an effect. For example, a "magic mushroom" can be used (eated) to restore some life points, while a magic scroll can be used to cast the relative spell.
The effect may be one-use only or repeatable. The items can need a certain level on some RPG values to be used, and the relative effect can be great or small depending on them (for examples, magical items may need a minimum value for "magic power" to be used).
Units can also have effects. They works exacly like the effects for items. So a Paladin can have the "ability" to heal a little his friends, another unit could have the ability to increase it's action points for a turn in exchange for some life points (a kind of berserk). This will add more variety to the unit definition beside RPG values.

The point in this model is that the effects can be whatever, with no predefined "classes" or such. Much like in Magic The Gathering. Hopefully, this will make the game "wide" (and expandable) and players will always have a chance to see something new in each match.
In the "battle.net" part of the game players will be able to buy/sell stuff with each other and/or with a general "market".
At the moment of entering the game, they will choose a portion of their stuff to put in play (like in real miniature games). Some rules of each match will set the power of each army that is put in play (so that the match will be equilibrated).

Ok, that's it. I think this model will not be hard to implement, yet it should provide a nice game play.
Of course, i'd like to know what you think about it

I've been wanting to make turn based game for ages, and I have heaps of ideas.
I'd love for you to start a a small Dev team for this.
I think it should be kept extremely simply (at first), don't worry too much about simple things like graphics, those can be change later. But yeah, i'm loving those 3d models Very Happy .
So yeah, waiting for your reply...

Well if we start, we are already three
A condition for me is that the game should be open source and should run on linux too (no problem for this, i'll make it work on it).

[Sly]

The look i'd like to have is like the one of Hopmon, a great game that i adore for it's semplicity and good looking yet simple graphics (from which i inspired for my models).

Man, it's a small world. The guy who wrote Hopmon (James Saito) used to work here at Krome Studios. I was his boss.

[WILL]

I like the idea! And if the graphics were like those posted by you, MSX then I'm sure it'll be great looking too. With a very likeable style theme.

If the game is true to the X-Com/UFO type of gameplay then I'd be most interested in palying it. I may even want to beta test for you. Are you planning a 3D engine or a 2D one?

Oh for projectile weaponry don't forget the good 'ole bow and of course the cross bow! You know what you could do for the whole R&D/buy-sell side of the game? If you replace the X-Com organization with a King's kingdom and he has sages(or wizemen) and craftsman... you can have the research and development side of things from a medival startup to a cros-breed of whoever your enemy is and the whole fantasy side of things.

ie. Lets say your enemy is aliens[size=9px](for the sake that they have evolved weaponry and if youwant ot include this this will be a explainable way how)[/size]... a bit primative, but enough that they can make their way to you planet to cause trouble. You can send a party of heroes to vanquish known enemy human kingdoms then as the game goes on... you eventually discover aliens. By this time you will have or should have a sizable empire going. You can then grow a party or parties of warriors/heroes that you can send you capture discover the aliens... and somehow capture them and their technology.

Maybe a way to interact with the aliens is to have them is to have a one-way trip in a crashing probe, since they only want to take over the planet, right? And the aliens comeout of it... your knights find these and have their wizemen examine them. This is where the R&D stuff comes in... but you already start with learning how to make advanced human tech stuff like cross-bows and muskets, etc... You can purchase arrows and swords for your armies, recruit basic trades like fighters, healers, mages and archers, but maybe also be able to research new classes through the R&D system. Same with armour and magic through sages.

Oooww... cool game! You know if youlike these ideas, maybe I can sign on as a story writter? Do up some story bits for it...

[cairnswm]

About multiplayer, i think a simple 1vs1 is good, but i would want also a "container": something like a place where players meets and create/join games (like battle.net and the like), maybe with a mechanism for trading items, units, etc.

What facilities do you have to implement this? Do you have an environment that you could run Delphi ISPAI DLLs or even a Delphi TCP Server?

The options are
Easiest: An ASP site that is accessed through HTTP calls. Then returns data as the output of the ASP sites (see my web live tutorials). Requires an IIS server.
Harder: A delphi TCP server. Accessed from clients using IdTCPClient. Requires a Windows server where you can run your own executables.

For my DogFight entry I'm going to do the ASP option. But thats because I have an ASP based web site, but cannot run executables.

[K4Z]

Lets make a check list of what we've gone through, and still need to work out:

:arrow: The theme is medievil, warriors, knights, wizards, etc?, with robots and guns and stuff?
:arrow: Total 3d, characters, maps, effects?
:arrow: Square Tile, Flat maps.
:arrow: Multiplayer, connect to a server to play games, and trade items?
:arrow: Open source
:arrow: Portable


and some other stuff to decide:
:arrow: Render engine? OpenGl or a custom engine?
:arrow: Single Player? MultiPlayer with computer controlled players aswell?
:arrow: Is game data saved on a server or users pc?

--------------------------------

Here's some of my random ideas :

Players start by creating a profile, and start off with a little bit of money.
They can go to a sort of 'Market place or town/city', and can buy/hire characters. These characters are slaves/loyal soldiers/mercenaries/minions and they work/serve for you. And they usually start off low level. You can buy items and equipment for them to use in battle.
When you've got a small party of characters ready, you can then go fight with them. Train outside in a 'wilderness', fight in an arena, or challenge another player. When you win battles your characters will gain EXP and increase levels. Giving the RPG part to the game.
As well as buy/sell/trade items you can also trade your characters. So you can train a warrior/slave upto a high level and sell him to another player, for money, or for another character.
In single player there might be some sort of story that you progress through by doing quests and stuff. And random NPC adventurers will ask to join your party through the game, which will help you in battles.

-------

Players could have 'Land', not physically but just a number. This 'Land' determains the max amount of characters you can have.
Say, you start off with 40 acres, giving you a max of 2 characters. You fight another player, who has 60 acres. You win the battle against him and you gain a portion of his land, say he loses 10 acres and you gain 5 acres (the other 5 acres got razed in the battle and became worthless).
You could also be able to sell off your land, to other players. Or even raze/dig up your own land to find items and stuff.

Well thats just an idea.

[{MSX}]

Harder: A delphi TCP server. Accessed from clients using IdTCPClient. Requires a Windows server where you can run your own executables.

Argh Why on earth should it require a windows server ?

There is no problem in doing a cross platform TCP server. I did once some times ago for a MUD i was designing. That's exacly what we need so i could probably copy some code from there.
This evening i'll search it.
A TCP server is way more performant and easy to develop then a web service IMHO.

About the server, we can initially host it by ourself (on my PC for example), then we could find an host when we have something completed (the same way you would do with a MUD).

[cairnswm]

Ok TCP server it is.

I'd presume windows because I'm going to develop it in Delphi - Which as you know (I hope) is a Product that runs on the windows Platform

And I dont have access to anything else...


I have got working TCP server and client components working already. I'll do some work on them and get a server up and running. We can define specific messages later.


PS. I'm also prepared to try get involved in AI stuff. At the moment I just want to avoid the Interface development stuff if you are going 3D.

[{MSX}]

Lets make a check list of what we've gone through, and still need to work out:

:arrow: The theme is medievil, warriors, knights, wizards, etc?, with robots and guns and stuff?
:arrow: Total 3d, characters, maps, effects?
:arrow: Square Tile, Flat maps.
:arrow: Multiplayer, connect to a server to play games, and trade items?
:arrow: Open source
:arrow: Portable

ok for this

and some other stuff to decide:
:arrow: Render engine? OpenGl or a custom engine?
:arrow: Single Player? MultiPlayer with computer controlled players aswell?
:arrow: Is game data saved on a server or users pc?

Well if we want to implement multiplayer in this way, i'd drop single player.
About the data, i'll save all on server, and the "official" version of each running game will be the one on the server (this reduce possibility to cheat).

They can go to a sort of 'Market place or town/city', and can buy/hire characters. These characters are slaves/loyal soldiers/mercenaries/minions and they work/serve for you. And they usually start off low level. You can buy items and equipment for them to use in battle.
When you've got a small party of characters ready, you can then go fight with them. Train outside in a 'wilderness', fight in an arena, or challenge another player. When you win battles your characters will gain EXP and increase levels. Giving the RPG part to the game.

For this part of the game i was thinking of a managerial impostation, with no "movement" on a map or such. Much like soccer game where you handle your team before the actual match.
In your view it seems you have a map where you move to seach battles. I think it will better to keep the thing "virtual" and concentrate on the battle part.