Hi, Contingent upon my wife's approval =) and some considerable free time over the next 6 months here is what I would like to create. Please let me know your thoughts. Criticism is always good. Target Audience: Those who like the challenge of getting rich in a production environment in the old west. Concept: Time is late 1800s somewhere in mountain country in the US. There's a demand for newly discovered crystals. Red seem useful for healings and illnesses, green helps crops grow and blue brings forth rain/water from wells. Wars, droughts and famines produce the need for any one of these crystals. You own a mining facility. Workers bring up the crystals and load onto pony drawn wagons. The crystals are brought to distribution building..and placed on a pony drawn barges which move the crystals from the mining facility, via the canal to the city. Unpurchased crystals sit in a warehouse under guard. The demand for crystals will change throughout the game. There is a $ cost associated with everything. I.e. miners must be paid $2/day. Food for ponies, opening new mines, storage of crystal, etc. all cost money. The challenge is to grow the business without going bankrupt. Why could you go bankrupt? * If no one buys the color crystal you are producing it costs money to store (floorspace and guards). * A mine explosion will injure miners and close off mine. This will stop production. Need a new mine opening if you haven't already planned for it. The player is the mine owner. The bookkeeper (accountant) is the guide who moves around quickly sweating over minutia...he is constantly worried...almost nagging. Sometimes he gives good advice..other times his advice may have financial consequences. System Stuff: Platform: Windows OS Visual Format: Top-down, maybe isometric (I've never done one before) Graphics: DirectX 9 (2D) Sound: FMOD Language: C++ Tools/Editor: Combo of C++ and VB6 Time Issues: I'm obligated to participate in 2 to 3 more game programming challenges over at gameinstitute.com over the next 6 months. I really need my wife and family's support on this one. =) Regards, Chuck [Edited by - chuckbo2006 on January 14, 2008 6:02:24 PM]

Hi,

Quote:very 1800s look and feel

I'm thinking of the need for data display...1800's style.

I'm not sure if typewriters existed then. I know using ink with quills was the thing. So, displaying data in a 'cursive' look with ink might be appropriate...instead of spreadsheet style data. I'm guessing an abacus would have been outdated. I'm curious when mechanical adding machines were invented. I need to google and take a look-see.

Regards,
Chuck

Sliderules had just been replaced by large calculators in the late 70's when I was in high school. I'm not sure they were ever useful for adding, credits and debits.

Another thought is that a business clerk would have been quite competent at doing 'sums' required for book keeping. It would be interesting to show sums being written with a cursive slant by the accountant.

Regards,
Chuck

This link http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cash_register teaches us the cash register was invented in 1879. Of course you can go the steampunk way and pretend that Babbage plans to build in 1822 a mechanical programmable machine met enthusiasm and funds.

The first mechanical adder to be sold is probably the Pascaline (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pascaline) dating from 1645 but it didn't meet a lot of clients.

I would say, go for it, it wouldn't be out of place unless you were in a remote and rural area.

Yvanhoe,
Thanks for the feedback. It seems that adding machines at this time are appropriate. I'm spending a bit of time thinking about how such a game configured for 1880 would look...fonts, graphics, style, etc. This is going to require some research. I'm thinking western motif.

At present, I've 10 more days remaining in another game programming challenge. I'm building a topdown shooter using DirectX 2D, FMOD, etc. This shooter program along with other challenges recently have done a lot to sharpen my skill. Of course I am generally weak with graphics. Graphics will be very important. A running log of my current project is at http://www.gameinstitute.com/forum/index.php?board=44 You do not have to be a student to view.

I'm also looking at the prospect of doing Isometric. I've never done this before. On the other hand another student at GI has got a nice looking top down in 3D with cool camera moves. I also like that style. Of course I have to implement models...which are a degree more difficult for me. I've not worked with animating .x files.

So, if I use comfort as a guide for choosing technology I will probably stick with 'topdown' tiles and 2D sprites, DX 2D, etc.

Regards,
Chuck

Hi Everyone,
I just completed my entry for another game programming contest at gameinstitute.com. It's a 2D tank shooter. The contest was only 4 weeks long. This is probably my best game to date. It includes my first attempts to build a simple physics engine and to have 10 AI agents (enemy tanks) move about using waypoints. This is the first game in which my beta testers (my youngest son and his friend) seemed to actually enjoy the game. =)

http://www.chuckbolin.com/games/RommelsFantasyRevenge.zip

Anyway, after some domestic chores such as yardwork, I'll consider writing a game specification for my idea. I usually get some quality thinking time in while cutting and trimming the lawn.

I'm certain if I develop a 2D version for 4E6 then I don't have to reinvent my graphic library functions. I will need to improve collision detection and response....especially since the moving objects will consist of people, ponies, wagons, barges, etc.

Regards,
Chuck

Hi,
This is uncanny! I took my family to mountains of North Carolina and ended up (unexpectedly) touring an old mine. Here's what popped out to me:

* Potty cars. =) Never really thought about it much...but there is the predecessor to the porta-potty on wheels so it can ride up and down the rails inside the mine.
* The mining cars were pulled with PONIES inside the mine. I saw actual photos. I didn't know that.
* At the end of the day, they would set dynamite and blow about 6 feet of rock. They would wait until next morning to ensure fumes dissipated and dust settled. EXPLOSIONS!!
* The area was full of quartz CRYSTALs and other similar type rocks.
* I saw all sorts of old (1890s) documents regarding payment and expenses associated with the mine. ACCOUNTANT??

I have spent a considerable amount of time thinking about the game from beginning to end. I need to nail down the 'it factor' that makes the game interesting and fun.

Technically, I'm certain I can do most everything in code that is necessary...but there will be opportunities to work on new 'techniques'.

I hope to commit to this project soon...I'm taking my time only because it will be my biggest game to date if I finish it as planned.

Regards,
Chuck