Minor issues / discussions

Discussion on game mechanics, balancing etc.
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Posted relevant content can be used under GPL or GFDL (http://www.gnu.org/) for the project. Thanks!
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Trilarion
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Importing the design document content

Post by Trilarion »

I'm importing/re-formulating the content of the original design document and distribute the content into threads here. I haven't finished. I hope this simplifies discussion and makes clear how to proceed with graphical and programmatical development. We really need to concentrate on the concepts now so we know where we are heading.

Also I begin to see that I was overly ambitious with my ideas of changes. They have to be more fine grained and careful because I cannot guarantee they can be realized or they will be fun.

Still I don't see sense in producing an exact clone - you can buy the original game and it runs stable. I would see it as waste of time. I really hope we come to a good compromise/mix of old and new!
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Re: Small questions

Post by Xylander »

I understand why you don't want to recreate Imperialism (read: make a clone). But making a game like Imperialism on your own is a big thing. Complex markets, network synchronization, AI - a lot of difficult topics. OK - it's just for fun so let's start discussing your concepts and detail them a bit (most of your ideas are a bit too generic). I'm in!
Don't repeat yourself. (DRY)
Keep it simple, stupid. (KISS)
You ain't gonna need it. (YAGNI)
http://www.clean-code-developer.de/
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Trilarion
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Post by Trilarion »

Thanks for being in. I slowly fill the discussion threads. It will take some more time. I suggest that we first just let all the ideas flow and at some point try to narrow it all down. Identifying important decision points will be crucial.

I am now ready to go more like the original with some improvements but I think the most important thing is that we have a coherent idea how the game works (economy, ...) and that we keep it simple so the effort is manageable. Getting more complex later isn't a problem anyway. :)
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Trilarion
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Post by Trilarion »

Here is the plan how to manage the game mechanics discussion:
  • We will go on posting ideas and discussing them for some time.
  • We will especially discuss all critical points in the core concepts (economics, ...)
  • We will collect and write down a detailed proposal for each part of the game
  • We will discuss and refine these proposals
  • We will especially look for possibilities to simplify without sacrifizing fun knowing that our capacity to achieve things is limited and knowing that later there is always room to improve.
  • We will merge the outcome of the discussion into a master proposal containing all we want or not want in the project
  • From this we will derive the functionality and number of all the screens we need in the game
  • Our designers can then start to design these screens
I don't want to give time tables because these are always too optimistic anyway - but I am sure this will take more than a month.

If you have objections or alternatives. Just say so.
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Trilarion
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Complexity

Post by Trilarion »

Btw. last week I realized that with stationing troops in befriended minors or with trade over land routes actually it's not me wanting to make the game more complex. This is nothing to judge but somehow I feel relieved that it's not only me. :)
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Trilarion
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Post by Trilarion »

Here is the plan that I have. In the next days/weeks I would like to write a detailed proposal (even more detailed than so far) of the whole game mechanics and post them here, based on all the discussions that have taken place and with simpleness in mind. Simpleness is important because it will shorten the time until the first playable release and extension is always possible and much easier than cutout. If you really like to have a certain feature in the game or something is of extreme importance, I suggest that it is discussed right now.

Then I will publish this complete description of the game rules in parts or as a whole here and wait for incoming comments. Arising disputes/conflicts will be solved hopefully to the satisfaction of all (at least Ven and me) and then we will make this the master plan (for now).

With this master plan in mind we will design all game dialogs (design as in define all the necessary controls and views and approximately where to put them) and only then I will continue programming.
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Re: Small questions

Post by Veneteaou »

Sounds good. I'm hoping to wrap up our continuous tiles by the end of October, which aside from combat should be the lion's share of the art assets needed for a first release. Most of the working screens are static overlaid images that can be churned out much faster than tiles.
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Re: Small questions

Post by Trilarion »

Now I started writing down the detailed proposal. I estimate it will take about two weeks. I will reread this forum but don't expect me to deliver a perfect draft.
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Re: Small questions

Post by Trilarion »

A new week started and I continue writing out the details. So you can still maximize the chance of your pet ideas to be in the draft by mentioning them here. :)

Btw. here game designer Jon Shafer talks a bit about resource finding in the original Imperialism and in his new game (At the Gates). Link Update 25, paragraph Resource appearance
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Re: Small questions

Post by Veneteaou »

Btw. here game designer Jon Shafer talks a bit about resource finding in the original Imperialism and in his new game (At the Gates). Link Update 25, paragraph Resource appearance
Seeing the graphics of that game give me hope that ours can be top quality when all is said and done. You can tell that, even though he integrates some nifty tile overlapping, the game is clearly using hex tiles.
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