SF RPG: Stat-based Invention?

AJ · 2001-02-08T14:40:34

Sick of these posts yet? The Game: A 3D isometric science fiction RPG where you adventure in a starship The Idea: Players can gamble to invent new devices and weapons The Details: The core idea is simple: In addition to buying new, more powerful modules, players can research them via the Commercial Research Lab. The Commercial Research Lab would be a special facility found only in some star systems. Using it players could increase the stats of devices, and invent new ones. They could increase the damage of weapons, extend the range of sensor, and create weird new modules. Each Research Project would involve a certain cost, amount of time, and risk. The risk would work like a Critical Hit combat system: Sometimes the researchers would hit the mark, and sometimes fail disasterously, and sometimes have wild success. There would be no refunds, however, so players would be making a gamble. Research Projects The Research Project would be a game object. It could be bartered, sold, hidden, and manufactured. In some cases, the project could be stolen. Enemy empires might hunt the player if they knew he had a certain Research Project. To Prototype or Not To...? Another gameplay phase that might be fun would be once the new device was manufactured: The first time it was created, it would be more expensive (up to +50% more). The more advanced the Proto, the higher the chance that it would have side effects / bugs. The player could pay to have it tested. Tested modules would have no side effects. Untested modules might have side effects or be defect free. Side effects would range from a harmless shutdown to disasterous system damage. Implementation Detail Stats for devices would be generic. The initial limts would be determined by the tech level of the empire the player starts in. By researching or stealing technology, the player could increase the caps on the stats. Device stats would be things like: Minimum Range Maximum Range Size Cost - Increase for greater capability, decrease for space savings Resource Required - What it burns / uses Cost Per Use - How much per use / shot Intensity / Damage - Strength of the effect or amount of damage Affect Type - What it affects (hit points, shields, communications, etc) Who Type - Affects self, other, or both Recharge Rate / Delay - Time it takes to reuse Effect Region Type - Effect is a Sphere, Cone, Line, Point Looking for others... Comments appreciated. -------------------- Just waiting for the mothership... Edited by - Wavinator on February 2, 2001 7:31:26 PM

Game Design and Theory Game Design

Started by Wavinator February 02, 2001 06:30 PM

11 comments, last by Wavinator 23 years, 7 months ago

Anonymous

February 06, 2001 02:16 PM

State machines... hmm, that got the ol'' imagination going.

So, if I were to combine the effects of a cloak and my communications system I get a more stealthy form of communication. Certainly something that someone else might think of. How about combining my communications system with my regenerative shields to get a... um, just what would you get? Just thinking that it might be tough to assure weaknesses for all possible combinations

Anonymous

February 06, 2001 02:16 PM

Wavinator

Author

2,020

February 08, 2001 02:40 PM

quote: Original post by kseh

State machines... hmm, that got the ol'' imagination going.

So, if I were to combine the effects of a cloak and my communications system I get a more stealthy form of communication. Certainly something that someone else might think of. How about combining my communications system with my regenerative shields to get a... um, just what would you get? Just thinking that it might be tough to assure weaknesses for all possible combinations

You''re right. I may have to fall back on the useful but lame "overwhelming force" contingency, where you''re eternally outnumbered. At least by big nations. I like that in games like Escape Velocity you can upgrade yourself and knock over small independent colonies (just like in the old game Pirates!)

BTW, comm + shields? This would actually do something. Devices will have basic types: EMITTER (emits some effect), GENERATOR (similar, but eats something to do it), etc. etc.

If you run your comm through your shield emitter, you could boost comm range. If you run your shield emitter through the comm system, you''d probably blow it. Or you''d get a minor shield boost.

Some systems just won''t be compatible. I''m thinking of doing this by giving things energy types and tolerances, which determines whether or not something will work with something else, and what the damage would be in trying it.

--------------------
Just waiting for the mothership...

--------------------Just waiting for the mothership...

SF RPG: Stat-based Invention?

This topic is closed to new replies.

Popular Topics

Recommended Tutorials

SF RPG: Stat-based Invention?

This topic is closed to new replies.

Popular Topics

Recommended Tutorials

Reticulating splines