So the setting is Mars. But not in the current time period we all know of. We are on Mars during all but forgotten time period where there are feudal lords; great warlords with mystical powers beyond those any earthling would have but Earth is still in the Crustaceous period or something.


It has been suggested my concept was an Action RTS or a Multiplayer Online Battle Arena. Mostly I am considering using Hero Engine free license because that's where my budget lies. If its good enough for an MMO development it should be for a lesser networkable game.

Anyhow, there's no capture the flag. Instead you lay claims on resources such as wood and ore then you build from there to create your own weapons and armor. No alts in this game, every character is expected to craft as well as defend itself. There is going to be a magic system. But I'm heavily skewing towards a sandbox skill system rather than a set class/ leveling system.

Going to be as close to instant gratification in this game as can be realistically provided. It might be free to play but not with bloated content expecting people to spend months on end or years leveling before they unlock the fun stuff.

Some concepts I'll leave out of this original post.

At some point I thought it would be easier to start a new game by adapting an older rules system. My decision at first was to use Open Game License content from Wizards of the Coast's D20 system. But it seemed too restrictive in the license.


In passing, a mention towards Dominion Rules was made in one of the FAQs, so off I go to research. So here's the license I'm looking at.... Seems very fair and here's the content.

I followed their rules by not copying the artwork from manual, but compiled all the words into google docs. Then I sat down to read. My brain spat out "You've never played a pen and paper game! You don't understand them!"

So I'll reluctantly agree with my brain on this one. Oh poo. So I asked someone who claimed to adapt the rule system from the PC game Fallout to PNP which is the reverse. Turns out he's on the other side of the world and teaching at university. Too busy to help.

What a dilemma.

At some point I thought it would be easier to start a new game by adapting an older rules system. My decision at first was to use Open Game License content from Wizards of the Coast's D20 system. But it seemed too restrictive in the license.


In passing, a mention towards Dominion Rules was made in one of the FAQs, so off I go to research. So here's the license I'm looking at.... Seems very fair and here's the content.

Just my two cent about PNP and cRPG/RTS. Adapting an existing PnP, though all the rules are present, could be more demanding than you think. Many things are really hard to implement though it is just one sentence in the rule set. On the other hand a lot of stuff is missing (i.e. game master tasks) which you need to add. And at last you will bind yourself to a license which will have some limitations.

Most games, which adapte existing rule sets, do it, because they want to utilise the popularity of a strong, existing brand (DnD, Warhammer etc.), and not to save some design work

Oh, you're so right!

Most games, which adapte existing rule sets, do it, because they want to utilise the popularity of a strong, existing brand (DnD, Warhammer etc.), and not to save some design work

You're so right! I would SQUEE and SQUEE like a little pig if I got the rights to Warhammer!

But is there away to write the rules from scratch??? I'm not sure. It's a degree of "easy"... if adapting the rules makes the game 20% easier to write then that's my rationale. It isn't trying to steal the thunder or borrow from the popularity of Dominion Rules.

Condidering Ethanon Engine. Might be a 2D project after all.

As seen here.