On the way home today I suddenly had an Idea for a game mechanic. I was trying to think of how Spore could have been improved from one stage to another to make it more fluid when I came up with an idea only slightly related.
Basically the concept is that it is a wargame. It could either be Sci-fi or Fantasy. For Sci-fi I think I would do an FPS, for fantasy a Third Person Hack'n'slash.
So in the first stage of the game you are a conscript. Basic, untrained peon. You're job is to follow orders and try not to get killed. Rather than being a one man army you would be exactly the same as every other peon on both sides. You would level up the more you fight. But rather than levelling up so that you're damage increases or gain special attacks each level in a certain weapon skill would just make you more competent. Your attacks are faster, when aiming your arm is steadier, you reload faster. etc. There will be a Lieutenant in your group that will relay commands to you as long as you are in earshot of them. Simple things like "defend that convoy", "patrol this area", "charge that barricade." The other peons in your group will follow these orders and it's your job to try to make sure they pull it off. Once you level up enough you move on to the next stage.
The Second Stage would be Lieutenant. You are an officer now and have command of a small squad of peons. Pushing a button would bring up a tactical view from which you can give commands, while not using it the peons will follow you and fight to the best of their ability. Within the army will be other groups of peons being commanded by other lieutants. Above the Lieutenants would be the Warlord. The Warlord will send you broader objectives such as "capture this base", "Defend that ravine", "scout that forest". You will then take your group of peons to try and do just that by commanding smaller objectives. You will fight alongside your men and level up the more tactical decisions you make as well as the more you fight. Once you level up your tactical side enough you move on to the third phase.
The Third phase is the Warlord phase. While you still have your avatar and can fight in person you would probably spend more time in tactical view playing the game like an RTS. Of course as the strongest and most skilled unit in your army you will be able to physically go to the front lines and fight. Since you'll give broad objectives rather than specific moves you will be free to move your character as well and it will remove some of the micromanagement.
Tell me what you think of my idea and any improvements you can think of.
Basically the concept is that it is a wargame. It could either be Sci-fi or Fantasy. For Sci-fi I think I would do an FPS, for fantasy a Third Person Hack'n'slash.
So in the first stage of the game you are a conscript. Basic, untrained peon. You're job is to follow orders and try not to get killed. Rather than being a one man army you would be exactly the same as every other peon on both sides. You would level up the more you fight. But rather than levelling up so that you're damage increases or gain special attacks each level in a certain weapon skill would just make you more competent. Your attacks are faster, when aiming your arm is steadier, you reload faster. etc. There will be a Lieutenant in your group that will relay commands to you as long as you are in earshot of them. Simple things like "defend that convoy", "patrol this area", "charge that barricade." The other peons in your group will follow these orders and it's your job to try to make sure they pull it off. Once you level up enough you move on to the next stage.
The Second Stage would be Lieutenant. You are an officer now and have command of a small squad of peons. Pushing a button would bring up a tactical view from which you can give commands, while not using it the peons will follow you and fight to the best of their ability. Within the army will be other groups of peons being commanded by other lieutants. Above the Lieutenants would be the Warlord. The Warlord will send you broader objectives such as "capture this base", "Defend that ravine", "scout that forest". You will then take your group of peons to try and do just that by commanding smaller objectives. You will fight alongside your men and level up the more tactical decisions you make as well as the more you fight. Once you level up your tactical side enough you move on to the third phase.
The Third phase is the Warlord phase. While you still have your avatar and can fight in person you would probably spend more time in tactical view playing the game like an RTS. Of course as the strongest and most skilled unit in your army you will be able to physically go to the front lines and fight. Since you'll give broad objectives rather than specific moves you will be free to move your character as well and it will remove some of the micromanagement.
Tell me what you think of my idea and any improvements you can think of.
