Hello, dear Forum.
Recently, I was toying with an idea for an intricate real time strategy game for use on maps provided by Google Maps, particularly when utilising their road, building and traffic information:
A police tactics simulator, much in the style of both the Police Quest and Emergency series, and further inspired by things like the Class 3 Outbreak Simulator, Prison Architect and Sim City.
Much like in an Emergency game, you get to choose a building HQ on a designated coordinates of (preferably urban) terrain, from which you can patrol the streets on foot, car and air, respond to call-outs, execute warrants, organise raids and searches, handle hostage takings and public threats, surround buildings, cordon off areas, evacuate areas, participate in chases (both on roads and through pedestrian zones), set up road blocks, divert traffic, set up checkpoints, surveill and/or protect sensible locations, implement security zones, organise convoys and secure transports, police the traffic, police demonstrations, control large crowds, commence manhunts and rescue search operations, and even do some serious investigative detective work.
All of it randomly spawned, all of it playable anywhere in the word on real life locations. The possibilities are - quite - endless in gameplay regards.
The game would be designed to be either birds-eye view or (better yet) isometric; it would be 2- (or 2.5-) dimensional, with units, characters and effects consisting of 2d-sprites (themselves probably flash-based). There would be both a wide array of emergency units and civilian units randomly moving around the map on the roads and paths.
Personally, I'd be really excited if such a complete game ever came out.
There is one vital problem, however - I have little to no game development or coding experience. I don't know how to implement games like those on Google Maps (again, think of Class 3 Outbreak), nor do I know what game engines I could utilise to lay a basis for this kind of game.
That's why I've decided to ask here:
Can this sort of gaming concept popular? Could it take off? In how far would this be a sensible choice?
And what engines or programmes can be used to make such a game a reality? How did other games implement Google Maps as a basis for their gameplay?
Has this idea already crossed somebody's mind? Are there any games like this one out there already? Are there any in development?
Thanks in advance for any tips, opinions and stimuli!
