it sounds great in theory, but i think its to big and ambitious to ever get made.

and even if its get made i think its probably to unfocused to work as well as it might in your head.

i think you'll be much better of focusing on just one of these systems.

like a space trading sim or a space combat sim where you're trying to play the different factions against each other.

i mean just one of these elements well is hard enough on its own, never mind balanceing them in the same game.

anyway just my two cents.

Thanks for the two cents.

I really believe that this is possible if you can define it all using an algorithm and have a server that can host it.

The algorithm takes time to develop, and once i get a few proof on concepts done, I will try to raise funds for the project to get some more people involved.

I'm looking at fractal algorithms to generate the NPCs, but just need a bit of time to sort the kinks out.

The world *should* keep itself in balance after that, unless a radical terrorist NPC gets some crazy idea and blows up the planet.

In the past I have implemented small portions of this 'grand plan', but the pieces on their own don't function very well.

I fully realise that this is a project I have absolutely no hope of completing on my own, but my goal is to create a platform that the game can be built upon, and then gradually modify the components (such as NPCs) in update packages.

I am hoping that once people see the idea, some other programmers/designers would be interested in joining the team, and then its a matter of exponential growth.

The only part of the game that I'm not too familiar with is the DirectX interaction, but I have had much experience in the past with C/++/# programming, so its just a matter of looking at what functions do what I'm trying to do.

You must be in the phase where you're really getting the hang of programming and you feel a sense of limitless power, am I right? That won't last. You'll hit a wall of complexity. Your idea involves database, network, AI. You would definitely need help. Every developer you add slows you down and increases the chance of failure. But your idea is too ambitious; it's a red flag; nobody worth having will join.

Don't start huge projects when you're young, it'll wear you out. Keep it simple and have fun.

Maybe you could make a crappy looking, single player RPG version of your game. Just the high level details of places, factions, economics, stats to geek out on, and some kind of simplified combat subgame. There are people who would play that.

Thanks Onigiri, that's exactly the plan I'm going for :)