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Creating a board game based on RTS games.


X3M

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I 've only peeked in this thread from time to time, but - I think - I agree with your cousin; this is begging to be programmed on a computer. I understand your initial motivation was of course to turn computer games into board games, but it 'd still be something of your own, a turn based game that you can tune as you wish. It's quite feasible for a person or small team to create such a little game with simple graphics and then it will be far easier and fun to experiment with the numbers for balance.

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"A tale of woe and despair".

After a few pms with X3M I tried my hand at realising my suggestion myself - programming the game. Currently I have a version that displays a map and move units around:

https://dl.dropbox.c...exgame0.001.zip

Arrow keys to scroll the map, mouse wheel to zoom in/out. For now it's ordos turn and there's no switch - so can only move the ordos units. Pick the region, select all, hit move and pick region to move. That's it so far.

This forum seems all but deserted now but there used to be several people who could make a game or two. If anyone around would like to contribute in any way - be it coding or icons/textures etc, they 'd be most welcome.

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My god, you made so many improvements since yesterday.

Thanks for the reading material.

It's the folks at sfml who deserve thanks; they've created wonderful tools to play around with. In fact, I changed my mind. I spent the night experimenting with scrolling the map. I didn't address any of the current issues you pointed out yet, but I made a new version that I will post on the topic. There are now unit icons too.

So I guess we continue here then?

I love the unit icons :).

Once this version works 100% however. A wall of only €30 would have 120 pieces in a region like that :D. I suggest that the picture can overlap each other once there are too much pictures. Still, a selection on a region would have to give info about the units in that region. Like remaining health etc. This could be done in a way by having something like a side bar. Where the unit pictures are also shown.

I am also thinking of continuing with the EBFD units. Since you have those pictures. If we want to stay true to the unit prices in game. Then I need to start using different types of armour. The minimum would be 25 instead of 50. But I need to warn: the game will be hard to balance, since sometimes a unit type is just missing if we want to be true to the real game. Or I choose to not being true to the game mechanics of EBFD. But this is also the reason why the C&C people didn't like my board game which had C&C units. On a side note, the suicide units and the size reduction factors will become important. I am currently working on the size reduction factors. But the suicide mechanics, I discarded them for being one of the hardest things to balance. I could start an entire topic on that one.

I will also think of how the sandworm should work. They will have no random weapon, very high priced, and "small" sized. And there should be a new region type, not a mountain, but "hard" terrain. Where sandworms can't move. You should also keep in mind that if we are going to use harvesters, they should move automatically in a new chapter of a round. But also be able to select them and have them do something different before the auto kicks in. But this is all for the future.

I just noticed: you accidental switched speed with range.

Those who don't move, remain selected. But I guess you will fix this as soon as no1 will move at all.

Good job on the half hexagons. Get the pictures inside of the region, it will look way cooler.

I love the selection indication.

I love the scrolling and zooming.

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At least the title is correct for this thread.

Creating a board game based on RTS games.

Based on RTS would mean, you control an army and so does the opponent, AT THE SAME TIME. But the RT is dying here. After altering the rules constantly, I have come to a conclusion. My board game is far, far away from being RTS now. It's just S now.

It has completely transformed into a turn based game. Why?

-The game master got removed, all the actions had to be played 1 by 1 after that. But since every unit was allowed to do 1 action per round. It was still a 'sort of' RTS. Well, the R died, so TS.

-At first, players could have a different amount of turns each round. But chances are high that that is going to stop. After all, moving through small area's should happen fair. For this, only a maximum of actions should be allowed for each player. And when you apply this, then the game might as well become turn based. Even though, applying actions with 1 sqaud all the time, or the squad awaits actions of other squads until the quota has reached of maximum actions. We are now somewhere between TS and just S. Depending on the amount of actions for each player each round.

The maximum actions for each player could be increased by:

Playing a card which allows just 1 more action.

Or researching something like more control of units.

Or having something like a Radar, which increases control.

So, then you start with just S, which itself can increase the T in TS.

Perhaps I should start a new thread with:

Creating a turn based strategy board game based on RTS games.

To make things clear, I got this conclusion since I was trying to fix the rules according unit sizes and region sizes. And how movement should work.

:(

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Edit:

I have thought something up. Also, the game that Spectral Paladin is making, will have some sort of game master. So it will be like Same Time Risk. STR instead of RTS. O well. I'll continue making my manual. And adjust a copy of that into the STR version.

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New version:

https://dl.dropbox.com/u/105214643/towad0.002.zip

Did a mini overhaul on internal region representation. I suspect I 'll do more as my understanding of hex grids increases. For now the map was reduced to a 10x10 slanted grid.

A known issue is the ability to actually move units in invisible regions off the map.

The new stuff:

-End of turn option.

-Selected region is displayed in a bigger size on the right and whatever's in it. Regions on the map instead ony show number of units and side they belong too (*only one color shows when opposing units in same region).

-Can now select units individually by clicking on their icons.

-Can use ESC to clear all selections.

-The regions where movement is possible are highlighted in cyan, depending on the units selected.

Do let me know how it fares perfomance wise as well. There's quite a few things I could do to improve it if it comes to that.

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Sorry for not being online this week, work demands my presence in the afternoon till night in 1 week. Then again just day shift in another. This week, I was home between 22:30 and 23:30, and I am a good sleeper :D.

Good things:

- I like the fact that the movement possibilities are highlighted. The difference between the Minotaurus and the Rifle Infantry is so obvious, I love it. It was wise of me to start with 4 completely different units to test on. The same will be for the range.

- Esc for deselecting everything is a good option.

Bad things:

- A bug? When you select the Ordos units, you still play with the Atreides units?

- Units don't move any more? I think I am doing something wrong, if it worked for you.

Possibilities?:

- Can you add the Shift, or Ctrl key to deselect just 1 unit?

- Can you change the 12 and 13 into the amount that the units are worth? If done right, both will say 3600.

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-- Units don't move any more? I think I am doing something wrong, if it worked for you.

Hm? They 're most definetely supposed to move.

- Can you add the Shift, or Ctrl key to deselect just 1 unit?

Clicking on unit should deselect it.

-A bug? When you select the Ordos units, you still play with the Atreides units?

- Can you change the 12 and 13 into the amount that the units are worth? If done right, both will say 3600.

These two should be easy to address.

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Read my last post for last additions :), I haven't seen Spectral Paladin around lately. So I don't know about the computer version.

Status:

- I got a paper version for 2 basic armies as mentioned before. This includes cards and experience points.

- I am working on a manual for other people to read and play the game.

- What I would like to add is, new sized units. For example, the sniper costs €600, and it's size is 600. But I want to modify this and rebalance. Infantry that are as big as tanks does not fit people's tastes. And if new strategies are opened, then it would be cooler. Right?

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Ow, I got some computer models too. In the form of some calculating programs in Excel.
I was only posting that Sniper stuff, so other people could see some example fights. What to do, what not to do.
Not really the results, but more the thought and strategies that come with this game are what count here ;).
This was not testing ;)

For example, some attacks are not done if you don't have certain cards.
Cards will provoke players to do something.
Some units have a provoking ability as well.

For example, if you combine Snipers the following cards:
- Assault, the Snipers move in at range 7 and immediately attack.
- Lucky, the Snipers will do 16,7% more damage with the dice, 6 act like if they are 7 Snipers.
- Backdoor, the enemy has some expensive (€480) Tank Blaster Infantry hiding behind the cheaper Sand Bags. The Snipers can now aim at the Tank Blaster Infantry instead.
- Flank, if the Backdoor doesn't work because the Tank Blaster Infantry are protected from 2 sides.

Something like this would be a planned strategy for taking out a little stronghold that's specialized against tanks. A strategy like that can be tested in a computer model. But players need to know that they actually can apply this. That, a computer model cannot do.

Besides, I personally don't need computer models for testing, since testing on paper actually works 10 times faster by now ;). Not the game that is played, but simply the mathematics for the game. If I want to test something, I don't need to adjust a program for this, I simply change some variables in my quotations. And I see the progress of the fights in 1 view. I can simply see at what point something goes right or wrong. In the first Sniper example, you can see that the Snipers actually have 3 good rounds, then after that, they die horrible. With some other units, this difference is very subtle, but still can be seen if the numbers are on paper. A computer model shows less stuff, and you cannot really put it in graphs.

Besides, when your version is ready. You need comparison material for knowing if you have done it right, right?

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  • 2 weeks later...

Here's a brief update from me then,

The new version isn't ready yet. Introducing combat has highlighted the need to design and write an actual interface. All in all, it's quite more ambitious than just a board game - I guess I should have seen that coming since it's meant to emulate rts game. While it serves as impetus to learn and that's a good thing, I don't see actual work on it being done before xmas.

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  • 1 month later...

Thanks.

 

Some updates:

- Searched all over the internet for good terrain templates. Talking about the 3D form of hexagons, and those that increase level of hight as well. No such templates exists, so I have to come up with some myself.

 

Edit:

So I did. And I use some simple plastic and paper for it.

 

It feels very durable too. :)

 

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Thanks,

My major problem is to make it understandable, what I do here.

My second problem is to make it understandable enough so that people can play the game.

There are not much people who actually can play this game at this moment. There are 4 others now. I am happy that most of them are positive about it. And give me advice.

The one who is negative about it, lost all the time because he didn't apply micro tactics. It's very important in this game.

For all I know, it's a board game for nerds then who are willing to think like a chess player. But that's ok ^^.

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anyways best of luck... will be waiting...

If you have some dice, pen, coloured paper and scissors.

And are willing to try something.

I can PM you with something to start with.

I know that I have posted something here in the past. But I deleted it back then.

 

And again today at 29-1-2013 22:48.

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