-
Notifications
You must be signed in to change notification settings - Fork 1
Home
Theme / Setting / Genre
2D Steampunk Dystopian Turn Based Game
Core Gameplay Mechanics Brief
Turned Based Combat
Rock/Paper/Scissors Units
Resource Management
Battlefield Control
Targeted platforms
Personal Computers
Project Scope
Creation within a year, rather than a semester
6 team members
Josh Bauer
2D Artist/Implementation
Trevor Hamilton
Pathfinding/AI Programmer
Derrick Smith
Map Design/Coding
Jacob Wolo
Unit Design/Coding
Jacob Gust
Sound Design
Colin Hogue
UI Design/Coding
Advanced Wars
The decision to create a 2D game came about after considering previous titles, Advanced Wars being one of them. Given a long break from the last Advanced Wars title being released we decided to bring that gameplay back into the spotlight. Taking inspiration from its turn based combat and it's Rock-Paper-Scissors style of units.
Dishonored
After talking about the gameplay inspiration we decided upon a Steampunk style art design. For a frame of reference we settled upon using Dishonored for inspiration, as it is a game that we’re familiar with. We will be utilizing the stylistic divide between the lower class and the upper class.
Pokemon
The sprite style art as well as the 2D overview with disproportionate views allowing for easier identification of rotation and direction of a character/unit. We’ve decided to base our game art off of Pokemon because it is an iconic game that implements its art style well and the art style used fits well with the game mechanics we will be using.
Sterling's Engine develops the conflict within a steampunk metropolis, The Machine. Join the lower class Steam Punks as they fight the oppressive upper class forces, rallying neighborhoods and stealing technology along the way. Or join the upper ranks of the The Machine’s army and control the city by force. The Machine needs a commander, which one will you choose?
Steampunk Aesthetic
Believable World Setting
Turn Based Combat
In the game there will be two sides, or commanders, opposing each other. Each commander will be able to build units, move units, attack units, or do nothing while it is their turn. Once their turn is done, the other commander now gets to build units, move units, attack units, or do nothing.
During each commander’s turn, the commander can build however many units his resources allow, move units within the scope of their movement range, attack enemy units, or do nothing and continue to build resources. Once one commander’s turn is done, the other commander gets to perform the same kind of tasks. These turns go back and forth until one commander is victorious over the other.
Commander Skills
There will be unique commanders in the game with specific passive abilities and features. Some of the features will be gain a certain amount of contraband(resources) at the beginning of the match, cheaper units, or stronger, more expensive units.
Each commander will have unique passive abilities such as cheaper units or stronger, more expensive units. Each commander will also have unique traits such as persuasive and rash, or focused and experienced. Different commanders will change how the player makes decisions in terms of units and resource management.
Rock Paper Scissor Units
Sterling’s Engine will feature several different classes of Units. All of these units will have their own strength and weaknesses. This will add in another layer of strategy for players. Allowing them to set up traps for enemy units at a minimal cost. Or be punished by not observing the state of the field.
Each unit will have its greater, as well as its lesser. Low health low cost units will be decimated by the greater high health high AoE damage units who are in turn decimated by the low health high single target damage units who are once again decimated by the swarms of low health low cost units.
Resource based Unit acquisition
Each unit will also have an associated Cost with it. This is the Contraband cost. This plays a part in both commander features as well as the Rock Paper Scissors gameplay mechanic.
The Player can obtain contraband via acquisition on the field either from defeating enemies or looting locations. With this contraband they can recruit more units into the fray. Starting contraband will be limited and can be influenced by commander choice, adding in another tactical element to the game.
Lower Class citizens have had enough of the upper class treating them as sub-human, and are staging a revolt.
In a sprawling cityscape know as the machine, an upper class has risen above all other classes over several generations, feeding on the labor of the lower classes. Overtime their view on the lower classes has diminished, now to the point of almost viewing them as subhuman. Gangs of lower-class citizens have formed and are fed up with their treatment by the upper class. Utilizing the steam based tools that they can find, these “Steampunks” are intent on tearing down the foundations laid by the upper class.
The player will choose from a variety of commanders while trying to take control of several territories located in The Machine.
The Machine will be comprised of roughly 6-7 Territories, each captured territory increasing the difficulty of the next captured territory. The Player can choose from a variety of commanders that either suits their playstyle, or is more beneficial for a given map. When capturing a territory, the Player will enter the combat view, in which they will control an initial amount of units in a first assault of the territory. From looting and defeating enemies the Player will be able to recruit more units to try and reach the end-goal of eliminating all enemy presence on the map. Once this is achieved, the territory will be captured.
2D
Textures
Buildings
Roads
Pipes
Infantry Units
Vehicle Units
Commander Portraits
Sound
Selection Audio
Firing Audio
Ambient Noise
Code
Character Scripts (Player Pawn/Player Controller)
Ambient Scripts (Runs in the background)
Scrolling Combat Camera (moves camera based on mouse position)
NPC Scripts
Enemy Unit AI
Animation
NPC
Explosions
Death animations
Firing Animations
<Object #1>
World Map/Territories
Milestone 1
Milestone 2
Etc.
<Object #2>
Unit Art
Basic infantry for both sides
Commander portraits
Basic animations
Advanced infantry for both sides
Basic vehicle units for both sides
<Object #3>
Pathfinding/AI
Object Traversal of a grid with no constraints
Object Traversal of a grid with distance constraints
Object Traversal autonomously applied
Object Traversal with some reason.
<Object #4>
Sound
Basic Interaction Audio
Ambient Music
Combat SFX
<Object #5>
Units
Unit Object Creation
Unit Object Implementation
Unit Object Permutations
Commander Creation
Commander/Unit Interaction
<Object #6>
Maps
Default Array
Basic Tile Information
Special Tiles
Multiple Map Setups
<Object #7>
UI
Camera Movement with wasd
Camera Scaling with Mouse Wheel
Camera Movement with edge-of screen
Right-click drop down menu
Right-click drop down menu on Units
Infopane on unit hover (mouse)
Screen Information Tiles
Combat Overlay (combat UI)
Fog of War
Game Overview:
World:
Steampunk
Turn Based
Turns are based on commanders
Each Unit moves [x] per turn
Units have different movement patterns, how far they can move
-Each unit moves [x] spaces per commander turn
2D Top-Down
Gameplay:
Movement
Units have a set amount of spaces that they can move
Some terrain will be impassible.
Movement can be prevented by other units.
Units cannot stack on a tile
Depending on other units, a unit may pass through a unit as if it were not there, but cannot stop on said unit.
Unit Basics
Units can be a wall to other units Unit Cost is Fixed, higher tiers costing more Follow a rock paper scissors formula, having weaknesses and strengths against other units
Unit Types
Infantry
Basic Infantry(Mugger/Enforcer)
Move: 3
Health: 3
Weak to all forms of combat vehicles and anti-infantry
Effective against other basic infantry and medics
Ineffective against all vehicles
Cost: ?
Range: 1
Damage: Single Target, 1 dmg
Flamethrower
Move: 2
Health: 3
Weak to all combat vehicles and snipers
Effective against basic infantry and medics
Ineffective against all vehicles. Possibly ineffective, or deals normal damage, against other flamethrowers Cost: ?
Range: 1
Damage: Single target, 1 dmg, if attacking infantry 3 dmg
Balance ideas/worries
Can add some sort of AOE attack to hit multiple targets
Can gain reduced damage from basic infantry and other flamethrowers
Worse than Sniper unless there is a massive cost difference or this class gets some sort of utility or difference in its unit effectiveness
Sniper
Move: 3
Health: 3
Weak to all combat vehicles and anti-infantry
Effective against all forms of infantry
Ineffective against vehicles
Cost: ?
Range: 2-3
Damage: Single target, 1 dmg, if attacking infantry 3 dmg
Balance ideas/worries
Not able to counter attack or be counter attacked
Medic
Move: 3
Health: 3
Weak to all combat units
No combat capabilities
Restores health to wounded infantry units. Possibly can restore health to damaged vehicles
Cost: ?
Range: 1
Healing:: Single target
Recon(Punks)
Move: 6
Health: 3
Weak to all Combat vehicles and anti-infantry
Effective against infantry
Ineffective against vehicles
Cost: ?
Range: 1
Damage: Single target, 1 dmg
Balance ideas/concerns
Make it permanently airborne to remove terrain movement restrictions and increase effectiveness against ground based infantry but still consider it infantry
Only make movement air based to remove terrain movement restrictions. This will keep its current weaknesses and strengths.
Worries with infantry based recon is that it is arguably worse in every possible way compared to a vehicular recon unit. Will be vulnerable to anti-infantry and still only deal regular damage to them.
Vehicles
Moto-bike recon(UE)
Move: 6
Health: 5
Weak to combat vehicles
Effective against other recon and infantry
Ineffective against Combat vehicles
Cost: ?
Range: 1
Damage: Single target, 2 dmg
Tank
Move: 4 or 5
Health: 10
Weak against artillery
Effective against everything
Cost: ?
Range: 1
Damage: Single target, 5 dmg
Balance ideas/worries
Possibly split into light and heavy tank
Artillery
Move: 4
Health: 4
Weak against all forms of attack
Effective against all units
Cost: ?
Range: 2-5
Damage: AOE, 5 dmg
Example of how I’m imagining the unit would fire. https://youtu.be/mFmSP7_crtM?t=2m23s It would function similarly to how the missile silo targeting works in the above video
Balance ideas/worries
This unit could target single units and deal splash damage to the area around the targeted unit The splash damage idea might make the unit too strong
Troop Transport
Move: 5
Weak against all forms of attack
Cost: ?
Air
Zeppelin
Story based unit that will probably only appear in certain maps/missions
Commanders
SteamPunk Commander
Decreases cost of all units
Increases contraband received
Decreases effectiveness of all units?
Upper Echelon Commander
Increased cost of all units
Increases effectiveness of all units
Resource
Contraband
Generates from controlled buildings/places on the map
Gained from killing/looting enemy units
Terrain Types
Road/Street
Increase vehicle movement by 1
Sidewalk(Maybe)
Increase infantry movement by 1
Broken Tiles
Reduce movement by 1
Wall
Can’t be moved through
Ruins
Reduces movement speed by 1
Adds some defensive bonus to unit occupying this tile
Building Types
HQ
Can be captured
If captured the mission is lost
Produces contraband
Base Camp
Produces infantry units
Can be captured
Might consolidate base camp and factory into one building
Factory
Produces vehicle units
Can be captured
Might consolidate base camp and factory into one building
Store/Front
Produces contraband
Can be captured