RTS/Action game
by Marvin Hawkins · in Game Design and Creative Issues · 01/26/2005 (6:38 am) · 9 replies
Hi all,
I've got a concept that i've been developing and i want your first impressions of it. What I am planning is a hybrid real time strategy/ action game. The concept is best described as Mechcommander meets Mech Assualt. The game is set in an anime style universe where giant robot combat is the order of the day. the story line is that a benevolent race of alien beings have saved humans from extinction. but all the humans are not grateful. a group of mercenaries see the alien race as sinister and wants to destroy them. but another group of humans want to protect the aliens from this hatred and violence.
the rts portion of the game is the standard point and click stuff. but the twist of this game is that the player can manually control an armor unit (the giant mecha robots) with standard action controls. The game also has a duel mode in which during the single player campaign the player's hero units faces off against another hero unit in a 3rd person action segment(mech assualt)
the story is set up like an anime show or a manga comic book. the levels are treated as 'episodes' where at the end of the level the player is treated to scenes from the next level. this serves as the breifing. the goal of the story is to let the player feel that he/she is actually a character in the show.
i know its a little sketchy but would anyone be interested in playing this type of game? also i know since the rts sk has been realeased lots of people are working on this style of game rts/actionfps whatever. so people care to sound off about what other rts project ideas you got stewing about in your collective noodles?
I've got a concept that i've been developing and i want your first impressions of it. What I am planning is a hybrid real time strategy/ action game. The concept is best described as Mechcommander meets Mech Assualt. The game is set in an anime style universe where giant robot combat is the order of the day. the story line is that a benevolent race of alien beings have saved humans from extinction. but all the humans are not grateful. a group of mercenaries see the alien race as sinister and wants to destroy them. but another group of humans want to protect the aliens from this hatred and violence.
the rts portion of the game is the standard point and click stuff. but the twist of this game is that the player can manually control an armor unit (the giant mecha robots) with standard action controls. The game also has a duel mode in which during the single player campaign the player's hero units faces off against another hero unit in a 3rd person action segment(mech assualt)
the story is set up like an anime show or a manga comic book. the levels are treated as 'episodes' where at the end of the level the player is treated to scenes from the next level. this serves as the breifing. the goal of the story is to let the player feel that he/she is actually a character in the show.
i know its a little sketchy but would anyone be interested in playing this type of game? also i know since the rts sk has been realeased lots of people are working on this style of game rts/actionfps whatever. so people care to sound off about what other rts project ideas you got stewing about in your collective noodles?
#2
You'd control your units normally, like in other RTS, but at any time you could cast a spell and control one of your minions. It worked quite well and didn't take anything from the game, very useful if you wanted to hunt down a particular enemy.
I think thats what you mean anyway, if it is then you might want to download a demo of dungeon keeper 2 to see how it fits in. It's a very good idea, be nice to see it being used.
01/26/2005 (7:18 am)
Dungeon Keeper used a system like this.You'd control your units normally, like in other RTS, but at any time you could cast a spell and control one of your minions. It worked quite well and didn't take anything from the game, very useful if you wanted to hunt down a particular enemy.
I think thats what you mean anyway, if it is then you might want to download a demo of dungeon keeper 2 to see how it fits in. It's a very good idea, be nice to see it being used.
#3
thanks.
Marvin
01/26/2005 (12:36 pm)
Thanks so @ chris. in the dungeon you actually can control a pacticular unit directly? and do you happen to know how the camera was controled? ie player controled or engine controlled?thanks.
Marvin
#4
The Camera goes down into a first person mode when your controlling a unit, so it's extremely simple, the RTS camera is a little more complicated because you can position it in any angle or direction etc.
Take a look at these screenshots to give you an idea, you can get a good feeling for how it works, screenshots 1 and 5 are of a controlled unit, the rest are in RTS mode.
Dungeon Keeper 2
01/26/2005 (12:59 pm)
The spell gives you full control of any unit that belongs to you, you can run attack and even tunnel through walls, but it's very basic.The Camera goes down into a first person mode when your controlling a unit, so it's extremely simple, the RTS camera is a little more complicated because you can position it in any angle or direction etc.
Take a look at these screenshots to give you an idea, you can get a good feeling for how it works, screenshots 1 and 5 are of a controlled unit, the rest are in RTS mode.
Dungeon Keeper 2
#5
Even from the first-person or third-person perspective you could order other, AI-controlled units around -- commanding them to construct buildings, gather resources, set up defences, assault the enemy base, and so on. You could even go into a standard RTS "god view" by using a building called a Relay Bunker.
The basic idea was similar to most RTS games. You gather resources (metal deposits) by building structures on them (and also by collecting the scrap left over from destroying enemy units), and use those resources to construct your base, which then allows you access to better vehicles and weaponry (all the vehicles have default weapons, most of which can be upgraded with better or more specialized versions), which you use to crush the enemy.
I loved the game (especially sniping enemy pilots and then stealing their vehicles) but a lot of people just didn't get it. Regardless, I'd definitely give it a look if you're thinking of doing a RTS/FPS hybrid of any kind. It's got a great interface for ordering units around while in first person and still looks great even when compared to a lot of today's games. (Not to mention it's been out so long it's practically free.)
01/27/2005 (1:42 pm)
Battlezone II did something similar but slightly different. You controlled a single soldier (armed with a machine gun/ sniper rifle and a jetpack) which was able to pilot almost every vehicle in the game (from fast, hover-based mortar bikes to tracked assault tanks to huge combat walkers).Even from the first-person or third-person perspective you could order other, AI-controlled units around -- commanding them to construct buildings, gather resources, set up defences, assault the enemy base, and so on. You could even go into a standard RTS "god view" by using a building called a Relay Bunker.
The basic idea was similar to most RTS games. You gather resources (metal deposits) by building structures on them (and also by collecting the scrap left over from destroying enemy units), and use those resources to construct your base, which then allows you access to better vehicles and weaponry (all the vehicles have default weapons, most of which can be upgraded with better or more specialized versions), which you use to crush the enemy.
I loved the game (especially sniping enemy pilots and then stealing their vehicles) but a lot of people just didn't get it. Regardless, I'd definitely give it a look if you're thinking of doing a RTS/FPS hybrid of any kind. It's got a great interface for ordering units around while in first person and still looks great even when compared to a lot of today's games. (Not to mention it's been out so long it's practically free.)
#6
01/27/2005 (5:52 pm)
Thanks i look into those two games. just as a follow up query how i hear since the rts sk came out alot of people have similar hybrid ideas. anybody else already starting work on something like this?
#7
01/27/2005 (6:50 pm)
Yep, the idea has been there in my project for about 3 years now, but the implementation of it is still in the future.
#8
Ive been a hugeeeee fan of battlezone 2 since it first came and and that is the primary design we are aiming for.
Commanders can control ai soldiers or give an order to an actual player.
01/27/2005 (7:51 pm)
Weve been planning to incorporate a similar style into www.illumina-game.comIve been a hugeeeee fan of battlezone 2 since it first came and and that is the primary design we are aiming for.
Commanders can control ai soldiers or give an order to an actual player.
#9
Time to re-tool my concept. >_<
08/01/2005 (10:54 am)
Oh, ouch. I just had one of those creativity-squelching experiences where you have a great idea, only to realize it was already done long ago. Good idea though, IMO.Time to re-tool my concept. >_<
Torque Owner FruitBatInShades
I have anther idea for you, what about having mulitplayers in 3rd person and a commander doing the RTS stuff and commanding the units. The other way ti imlement this is have the mech sections at strategic points in the game, say when you've broken the enemies defense and penetrated their base, then you switch into mech mode for the destruction part?