I am working on a level editor for an isometric game so the idea can be anything as long as it is isometric tile based. Here is what i have planned and accomplished for the editor:
Finished:
Tiles-
Grass
Paved Road
Paved road with lines

Raised Tiles:
Tall Grass
Sidewalk

Tile select and fill tool

Wall tool for placing and deleting walls

Planned:
Any tile or wall type required for idea
Object placement tool
Multi-floor and roofs

Possible:
Diagonal wall placement
Partial tiles

So the fame could be anything that could make use of this kind of level. For example a fantasy action RPG or a zombie survival game or maybe a RTS

Edit heres a screenshot from the editor:
http://imgur.com/6cDBg

RTS suggestion.

A fortified town surrounded by a large army. The town is backed up against an ocean thus supplies can get through. Resources are used to bolster defenses, feed the population, build new buildings, Salvaging of existing buildings that serve no purpose etc. Raids could be launched via the gate or alternatively dropped off by a ship along the coastline and attack from behind to either wreck or steal supplies, take out small groups etc. Resource management could be controlled via the ships i.e. you order what materials or personnel you need paying with them via internal taxes or war booty as well inhouse industries such as fishing etc.

I think the sim games are an undeserved segment of the causal market, maybe a iso sim game? Maybe something akin to Settlers?

RTS suggestion.

A fortified town surrounded by a large army. The town is backed up against an ocean thus supplies can get through. Resources are used to bolster defenses, feed the population, build new buildings, Salvaging of existing buildings that serve no purpose etc. Raids could be launched via the gate or alternatively dropped off by a ship along the coastline and attack from behind to either wreck or steal supplies, take out small groups etc. Resource management could be controlled via the ships i.e. you order what materials or personnel you need paying with them via internal taxes or war booty as well inhouse industries such as fishing etc.

So essentially it would be like a roguelike where you always lose in the end and you start out by building a fort and you have to mantain it, defend it, and lead raids?

So essentially it would be like a roguelike where you always lose in the end and you start out by building a fort and you have to mantain it, defend it, and lead raids?

Not necessarily a loss. Sieges invariably are won by defeating the invading army through some means or alternatively outlasting their own supplies. By utilising resources carefully and the careful use of raids what you can build the game into basically an "How to win the Alamo". Hard but doable. Though I must admit was thinking more a fortified city as opposed to a fort...but that could also be a scaling set of levels -- each level you start with a defense againt an invading army until defeated then you fall back to the next larger defence point until you have reached a point where you can fight back. The more successful your defences the less overwhelming the army becomes. Mini levels like timed games i.e. the longer you hold a defence of a pass the more resources you can send back, as well implement a scorched earth policy. Another level could be the destruction of bridges and fortification of river fjords. Another could be the limited choice given to either save people, or food, or metals etc i.e. which resource becomes vital to the war effort at that time.

The end result of the game could be as you said a crushing loss, but it could also be a victory. Not sure if any games are out there like this to be honest, but I must admit the more I write on this the more subtle intricacies I can see to make this game rather fun to play. Hope the answers help

[quote name='Lane Spangler' timestamp='1331328000' post='4920761']
So essentially it would be like a roguelike where you always lose in the end and you start out by building a fort and you have to mantain it, defend it, and lead raids?

Not necessarily a loss. Sieges invariably are won by defeating the invading army through some means or alternatively outlasting their own supplies. By utilising resources carefully and the careful use of raids what you can build the game into basically an "How to win the Alamo". Hard but doable. Though I must admit was thinking more a fortified city as opposed to a fort...but that could also be a scaling set of levels -- each level you start with a defense againt an invading army until defeated then you fall back to the next larger defence point until you have reached a point where you can fight back. The more successful your defences the less overwhelming the army becomes. Mini levels like timed games i.e. the longer you hold a defence of a pass the more resources you can send back, as well implement a scorched earth policy. Another level could be the destruction of bridges and fortification of river fjords. Another could be the limited choice given to either save people, or food, or metals etc i.e. which resource becomes vital to the war effort at that time.

The end result of the game could be as you said a crushing loss, but it could also be a victory. Not sure if any games are out there like this to be honest, but I must admit the more I write on this the more subtle intricacies I can see to make this game rather fun to play. Hope the answers help
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Thanks for taking the time to share your ideas. I think it is a good idea to make the game winnable even though I have no problem with roguelikes. As far as the city part though, I was thinking since I am spending so much time on the level editor, it would make sense to incorporate a limited version of it into the actual game. So that's why I was thinking you would start out with just a fort and you have to build your city up in a smart way in order to survive the invasion.