Okay, I''m putting together a doc for strategy games like dwarfsoft did for RPGs, and I want everyone''s input on format, etc. I already went through all 25 pages of design messages and downloaded all of them relevant to RTS and TBS games, so now I just have to sit down and read all of them!

Wooohooo! Lemme know if you need any help (hey, you can never overcommit to too many projects, right? )

Organization suggestions (applicable for RTS & turn-based, squad, empire, tactical, whatever):


One possible breakdown:

Production / Force Acquisition
-How do you get ''em


Movement
-Rules, types, costs, etc.


Unit Choices
-Special moves (digging in, Seige Tanks,

User Interface
-Great place to discuss: camera / viewpoint positioning (esp. for turn-based empire games), visual representation (healthbars are just the beginning), user interaction, how many layers of information can be shown, utility of helper screens (ok for turn-based, bad for real time as everything should be on one screen)

AI Options
Things like attack modes, scripting, rules of engagement

Force Design
What did Starcraft and Alpha Centauri do so right, and how can we learn from it?

Unit Design
What makes a good and bad unit
How we can avoid the unimaginative and typical "fast but light, slow but strong" varieties

Strategy
What makes for strategy?
Information
Laundry list of strategies and strategy elements: Envelopment, defense in depth, feints, etc.


That should be a start


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Just waiting for the mothership...

Oh, crap!!!!

And VICTORY CONDITIONS!!!!!!

Victory Conditions really help enhance strategy: King of the Hill, Capture the Flag, Most Resources, etc., etc., cause you to fight in ways you wouldn''t ordinarily fight. (Just as you play differently in a Free For All vs. Coop multiplayer game).

Hmmmm...

Also need Multiplayer ?

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Just waiting for the mothership...

Ok, first, where do I get to see Drawfsofts doc? (so I can see if the following is all rubbish or not)

I think Empire games probably shouldn''t go in the doc Wav as they have some design differences from Stratergy games. (Although a lot of the same rules can apply, I think the appication of the rules to the design process of Empire games is different)

Other things to consider for the doc (Although I think Wav has covered just about everything), The Technology Tree, Loss Conditions should go with Victory Conditions (and what happens when the player looses... personally I think it would be good if the player was given another scenario to play, to try and recover as it were, but thats irrelevent)...

quote: Original post by NightWraith

I think Empire games probably shouldn''t go in the doc Wav as they have some design differences from Stratergy games. (Although a lot of the same rules can apply, I think the appication of the rules to the design process of Empire games is different)

I dunno...I get what you mean, but to me, empire games (like Civ, if I''m understanding right) are just as much strategy games as WarCraft, HOMM, TA, etc. are.

Oh, and you can see the RPG doc by following a link in this forum''s FAQ.

quote: Wooohooo! Lemme know if you need any help (hey, you can never overcommit to too many projects, right? )

Yeah, I''ll let you know--actually, the majority of the posts I downloaded were started by you! Actually, as I''m going through working on it (probably in those categories, they make pretty good sense) I may have to start a few threads--I don''t think all of those have been discussed yet. (I could be wrong--it''s been known to happen once or twice before.)