10 replies to this topic

[SillyCow]

I'm entertaining an interesting game concept:
A real-time strategy game that happens on a world-scale map.
In the game, you start out as a certain country on the map of the earth, and you start to evolve & conquer.
The map is a huge fractally generated map of the earth.

Using different zooming levels, you can micro-manage commando operations.
Or in a larger scale, move whole armies around to attack.

Building, will have the same principles:
Build a unique & beautiful city with important landmarks a-la Rome.
Or just macro create an boring templated one ( Los Angles :-) ) to increase your population.


The main concept of the game is to play at different scales:
Instead of pressing a region on the map and waiting for the battle to load, the player seamlessly zooms in and out (Google earth style).
The detail, and control mechanisms (how many units are selected) change automatically by the level of zoom.

I think this will be my next project.

But I'm wondering, does a game like this already exist?

Edited by SillyCow, 29 August 2012 - 06:10 PM.

[zergylord]

The closest thing I've seen is the Superpower series of games. After playing one of them, you'll realize why more people haven't tried to make something like this -- the scope is so large and unstructured that many features are underdeveloped and the game as a whole is extremely unbalanced.

[Orymus3]

Superpower even gained many prizes. It boasts having the largest 'real-life' database input for country startup powers, political parties, finances, etc.
It IS very sick, but isn't quite an RTS per se. It's more like a serious game, or some form of sim economy, politics and warfare.

For your idea, if you'd like, you could also include the FPS mode and you'd have a pretty kickass MMO/FPS but good luck with that.

[Mito]

For your idea, if you'd like, you could also include the FPS mode and you'd have a pretty kickass MMO/FPS but good luck with that.

he'd have a huge project that even EA won't be able to finish

[japro]

he'd have a huge project that even EA won't be able to finish

And that is before orbital combat is included!

[Mito]

And that is before orbital combat is included!

make it a sci-fy RTS and I would love to participate

[6677]

I think it could be done and its one of those things that in your head seems awesome (my first thought when I read it too) but in practice it might just end up being a bit of a mess and not fun to play.

[Mito]

I think it could be done and its one of those things that in your head seems awesome (my first thought when I read it too) but in practice it might just end up being a bit of a mess and not fun to play.

just as every idea i have =/

[SillyCow]

Of course there are many challenging aspects. But one could have creative solutions.
Balance as an example: why have balance? Conquer the world as the US for the easiest mission (level one). Enforce world peace by ruling from Afghanistan as the hardest mission.

Regarding the fps part. I like the idea, but I don't think I can do it. Fps games are so different from RTS games, that I would need three different engines.

I checked out superpowers. Graphically and ux wise it looks very similar to what I want to achieve. But gameplay wise it looks completely different.

[Orymus3]

Ya, I was being silly obviously.
A big part of the appeal of Superpower is the abstraction it creates. Tanks are just one icon with a number etc. Without abstraction, such a massive game really can't be played at all, so FPS would just destroy the concept and make it unbearable.

[marc40000]

I tried something similar like you describe, even though it was less realistic and more fantasy style and less politics and more rts: http://www.confrontation-unlimited.net/cuweb/
The world is split into generated islands that connect through portals. That way, as the amount of players rise, the world can dynamically be resized everywhere, not just at the borders. It's browser based and from 2000, but it still works. There are screenshots on the page.

I'm also working on a newer version of it with a dedicated client and nicer graphics etc: http://www.confrontation-unlimited.net This is still in development, so there are some quirks here an there but basically you can build buildings and units and fight.

@Orymus3: Funny that you mentioned the fps mode as I had the same idea and tried that. Since everything is 3d and physically simulated, you can select a unit, press f3 and controll it directly. You can still command your other units around in this mode since you can still select them and give them a target. I'm not sure if this will stay a gimmick though. I can hardly imagine this to be of much use when two armies fight each other.