Running with passion to make this game
by Nick Gronow · 06/08/2007 (7:07 pm) · 11 comments
Turn based tactical strategy games. Those words are sweet to my ears. But where have they gone? It seems most of the good ones developed by the larger game companies have fallen to the might of the great FPS of our day. I miss the good old days when you would take a turn, then the comp would take its turn, then you would take your turn, etc. It seems these days if you are into that kind of game, too bad. Maybe your local hobby store can fulfill your wishes. Well, for me, I would like to see a turn based strategy game that expands over time. That is, its not just a one-time through game, but rather develops with time. Expansions would be released over time allowing for more and more options of army customization.
What exactly am I talking about? Let me tell you. My dream game would be set in the fantasy realm, with knights, thieves, dragons, wizards, etc., ranging from elves, dwarfs, trolls, orcs, goblins, even undead. This game would be designed specifically as a player versus player. Having a certain number of army points, you purchase your units and spend the rest of your points adding equipment and skills to each unit. I have the whole unit, skill, equipment, and weapon system figured out. There will be at first hundreds of combinations that will be possible to choose from. You will then pit your created army built from your own set of virtual army cards against other players in a turn-based square grid battle arena and see which of you not only has the best army, but knows how to use it well strategically in battle.
I just finished the move system this week, and next week will be diving into the action phase of the turn sequence. I may even post some screen shots of the working game if anyone out there is interested in looking at it.
If you are interested in helping out, I will on the lookout for modelers and effects makers. More to come!
What exactly am I talking about? Let me tell you. My dream game would be set in the fantasy realm, with knights, thieves, dragons, wizards, etc., ranging from elves, dwarfs, trolls, orcs, goblins, even undead. This game would be designed specifically as a player versus player. Having a certain number of army points, you purchase your units and spend the rest of your points adding equipment and skills to each unit. I have the whole unit, skill, equipment, and weapon system figured out. There will be at first hundreds of combinations that will be possible to choose from. You will then pit your created army built from your own set of virtual army cards against other players in a turn-based square grid battle arena and see which of you not only has the best army, but knows how to use it well strategically in battle.
I just finished the move system this week, and next week will be diving into the action phase of the turn sequence. I may even post some screen shots of the working game if anyone out there is interested in looking at it.
If you are interested in helping out, I will on the lookout for modelers and effects makers. More to come!
#2
06/09/2007 (8:10 am)
Thanks for the quick input Leroy. I see you have quite a bit of experience with some online gaming endeavors. Do you have any suggestions on how to target this market? I am eager to start letting the word out to those that are interested in this type of game genre. I should probably get the website going soon, and begin promoting it through websites devoted to gaming. Any leads you have on affordable or free game information websites would be greatly appreciated! 
#3
06/09/2007 (2:36 pm)
My favorite Turn based series of all time was Heroes of Might and Magix, allthough after III the whole concept went downhill - Heroes IV was well, O.K. so to speak but V with all its effects, 3D Surroundings etc. just ruined the whole thing!
#4
06/09/2007 (7:48 pm)
Warlords! And lets not forget Lords of the Realm. Warlords Battlecry was about as perfect as it gets in that genre.
#5
06/09/2007 (10:05 pm)
Masters of Orion and Masters of Magic < the bomb of TBS and civ as well :). 6 months solid of Civ in 1992 on the Amiga ahhhh heaven.
#6
www.battle-worlds.com/
For those who loved Battle Isle by Blue Byte.
06/10/2007 (2:23 am)
Hiya! Have a look at this. :)www.battle-worlds.com/
For those who loved Battle Isle by Blue Byte.
#7
I don't really know where you place core games if I'm honest, I have a game tool called 'gameDentity', and I've struggled to be able to find valid places to tell people about it or advertise it, although it is ideal for the core pc gamer. Perhaps I need to add game profiles for casual games or/and a press release. Speaking of press release, that's something that once your game is done can potentially get you exposure to more core gamers from magazines like pc format, pc gamer or something.
Other then that, I would say if you have a passion for it (as you definitely seem to have), you should just begin a plan to making it and completing it, bear in mind that because of the type of genre, your two main challenges seem to be AI and art, so it could take time, try and make it as simple as possible while keeping it's fun and gameplay level high, you obviously seem to have an eager market awaiting...
@Kevin: I think I played one of the later ones, wasn't impressed either ;)
@Dave: Yep, one of thee best, I need to put those in my played/gamelist or something...
@Stephen: I'm assumming civ is civilisation right, anyhow can you believe I've yet to play any of the civ games, always come close to but I think I was put off by the fact that the manual was bigger then my bible! (can't remember version) :0)
@Oliver: Nice link, the game looks interesting, shame there's no English version :)
06/10/2007 (4:11 am)
@Nick: Perhaps I'm looking too much into the casual gamer thing, from the replies on here, it's seems many people would be up for some old skool turn-based strategy. Something like Minions of Mirth and some other games in the gg shop would be considered core games and not casual, but I haven't seen these games in the likes of big fish or popcap (casual publishers), although even these publishers are getting more core as their customers become more game literate as it were.I don't really know where you place core games if I'm honest, I have a game tool called 'gameDentity', and I've struggled to be able to find valid places to tell people about it or advertise it, although it is ideal for the core pc gamer. Perhaps I need to add game profiles for casual games or/and a press release. Speaking of press release, that's something that once your game is done can potentially get you exposure to more core gamers from magazines like pc format, pc gamer or something.
Other then that, I would say if you have a passion for it (as you definitely seem to have), you should just begin a plan to making it and completing it, bear in mind that because of the type of genre, your two main challenges seem to be AI and art, so it could take time, try and make it as simple as possible while keeping it's fun and gameplay level high, you obviously seem to have an eager market awaiting...
@Kevin: I think I played one of the later ones, wasn't impressed either ;)
@Dave: Yep, one of thee best, I need to put those in my played/gamelist or something...
@Stephen: I'm assumming civ is civilisation right, anyhow can you believe I've yet to play any of the civ games, always come close to but I think I was put off by the fact that the manual was bigger then my bible! (can't remember version) :0)
@Oliver: Nice link, the game looks interesting, shame there's no English version :)
#8
@ Everyone: I must agree that my personal favorite was the Heroes series too. I never played the fifth one, though I thought about it. I just didn't see enough of a difference between it and all the others to purchase it. They really reinvented it just too many times. I did enjoy how over the new releases of the first 3 especially they would have many new units, races, and buildings. That was I think why they kept their audience so long. You gotta have new and cool things in every expansion or release that make it worth playing. Just giving it new graphics and wrapping it in a new box isn't enough.
@ Leroy: Thanks for the encouragement. I think there is a solid market out there for this kind of game, but your right, I gotta find ways to reach them. Having a press release is a great idea. I like the sounds of that. I am going to build a website starting this next week and get some of the basic information on their to begin with and may even create a forum area, so I can get interested people interacting about it early on. There are a lot of great forum scripts out there I am sure I can use.
06/10/2007 (5:50 am)
@ Oliver: is there any information on Battle world in English? There website is top notch, and I am taking mental notes and there level of professionalism. @ Everyone: I must agree that my personal favorite was the Heroes series too. I never played the fifth one, though I thought about it. I just didn't see enough of a difference between it and all the others to purchase it. They really reinvented it just too many times. I did enjoy how over the new releases of the first 3 especially they would have many new units, races, and buildings. That was I think why they kept their audience so long. You gotta have new and cool things in every expansion or release that make it worth playing. Just giving it new graphics and wrapping it in a new box isn't enough.
@ Leroy: Thanks for the encouragement. I think there is a solid market out there for this kind of game, but your right, I gotta find ways to reach them. Having a press release is a great idea. I like the sounds of that. I am going to build a website starting this next week and get some of the basic information on their to begin with and may even create a forum area, so I can get interested people interacting about it early on. There are a lot of great forum scripts out there I am sure I can use.
#9
Example of my forum using their service www.eseforums.invisionplus.net and you can get one here www.invisionplus.net/. If you have the system requirements, you can also use the free webwiz forums or simply do a search in google for such as 'Free asp/php forum', 'free invision forum' or 'free hosted forum'.
Remember though, its a product or the development of a product, or a unique discussion subject that well create a community around a forum. Creating a forum from the above is easy (provided you don't do too much customisation), but make sure you focus on the development of your product, you've got a lot of work ahead of you, especially if your flying solo! :D
06/11/2007 (3:40 am)
There are some great free hosted forums you could use, including the one I use which is free with google ads at the bottom and stays open provided there is activity within 30 day periods (means I have to login/post something every month :S)Example of my forum using their service www.eseforums.invisionplus.net and you can get one here www.invisionplus.net/. If you have the system requirements, you can also use the free webwiz forums or simply do a search in google for such as 'Free asp/php forum', 'free invision forum' or 'free hosted forum'.
Remember though, its a product or the development of a product, or a unique discussion subject that well create a community around a forum. Creating a forum from the above is easy (provided you don't do too much customisation), but make sure you focus on the development of your product, you've got a lot of work ahead of you, especially if your flying solo! :D
#10
The Game is in TGB or TGE, TGEA?, do you have a design doc?
06/11/2007 (7:39 pm)
The game concept sound great. I like these games like Lords of the realm and heroes of might and magic.The Game is in TGB or TGE, TGEA?, do you have a design doc?
#11
______________________________
"Not everything that can be counted counts; not everything that counts can be counted."
07/05/2007 (5:56 pm)
Ah, Lords of the Realm. I loved that game. What a classic! Good times.______________________________
"Not everything that can be counted counts; not everything that counts can be counted."
Torque Owner Leroy Frederick
I agree turn-based strategy games are a bit of a dying breed, this may be due to people preferring or more use to fast pace games and having little/less time in their daily lives to play such games (or watch the computer playing games)? It will definitely be tricky to market this kind of game to a casual market (which it seems most of the indie market, distribution and publishers mechanisms are mostly aimed at in current times) which is all about quick, simple and well, casual.
Besides this though, aimed at the right market (I'm sure there are many others missing this type of game genre) it could prove a real winner! :0)