Game direction

[just.dont.do.it]

Having played a bunch of challenges and levels, I started to wonder about how the devs see the full game and how it should be played. For the moment, it seems a bit unsure of itself - there's a bunch of ideas on all sides.

Is it going to be mostly TAB-styled tower defense game? In that case, I suggest looking hard at TAB as there's quite a lot of aspects that TAB plainly did much better:
1) Different starting conditions: currently, there's extremely little difference in your build order and tech order on any map (given lvl1 start). Even the enemies' density doesn't make much difference, you can typically carve out just enough space for your expansion.
2) Unpredictability: the world is way too calm, you simply have to handle waves, avoid building too close to enemies, and mind your own deceased (which'll raise as zombies if left alone). Everything is way too predictable aside from map layout.
3) Single line of defense problem: enemies completely destroy your buildings, so there's absolutely NO reason to have good contingency plans - if enemies breach your walls, you're going to be massively set back anyway. This defeats any reason to build backup defensive lines, and in general, having any building outside of defense perimeter (save for mines at most).
4) Walls vs defenders: walls having projectile collision is a nice detail, but currently you're given no tools to plan for it - during a defense you might find out that most of your troops are shooting at your walls (trying to attack enemies).


Is it going to be a more Stronghold-styled game? Complex simulation for non-combatants, complex castle-building? Currently there's not much elements of it implemented - but I can definitely see the potential of going that way. There's some level of simulation for non-combatants as well as an odd (odd because frankly it feels like an afterthough kind of addition) mechanic of plague and burying the dead. There isn't much going on on the complex castle-buidling side, but something probably can be done there - walkable walls, towers that can be stormed with melee units, more defensive gimmicks, etc.

Naturally, the game must have its own way as well, but I think it's a good idea to at least aim to do better than previous great titles have done in this direction.

[Moto_kattie]

We are working hard on the game concept 😊 will see what it gonna be soon

[Guybrush3pwood]

It seems like they're just making an updated version of Firefly's Stronghold, which I'm 100% onboard with. I love it. They seem to know what they're doing and I think they should continue down that path.

[just.dont.do.it]

Originally posted by Guybrush3pwood:

It seems like they're just making an updated version of Firefly's Stronghold, which I'm 100% onboard with. I love it. They seem to know what they're doing and I think they should continue down that path.

At the moment, the game is quite very far from having something in common with Stronghold, though.

[Guybrush3pwood]

Originally posted by just.dont.do.it:

Originally posted by Guybrush3pwood:

It seems like they're just making an updated version of Firefly's Stronghold, which I'm 100% onboard with. I love it. They seem to know what they're doing and I think they should continue down that path.

At the moment, the game is quite very far from having something in common with Stronghold, though.

Are you kidding? It's almost exactly the same. The only real difference is a punishment/praise system.

[just.dont.do.it]

Originally posted by Guybrush3pwood:

Are you kidding? It's almost exactly the same. The only real difference is a punishment/praise system.

Um.
The only common ground here and there is that you're building something looking a bit like a castle and that both games have a bit of simulation on medieval economy. That's all.

Stronghold had considerably more complex castle-buidling and castle-storming, with walkable walls, multi-level building (until they threw it out in sequels), several completely different means of defending (tar pits, oil) as well as attacking (shields, tunnelers, melee units storming with siege towers or without them). Well, at least theoretically, in practice the AI wasn't particularly good at doing offense or defense, so any cleverness could only come from multiplayer.

Diplomacy is not an Option relates more closely to They are Billions on pretty much all the matters including economy, as even with a bit more detailed simulation it still follows TAB approach of "more land = more economy = more power", as opposed of Stronghold's "more land = more problems defending it". There's no complex castle-building, you're only putting out blockers for enemies as well as vantage points for your troops, and the enemy can't do anything clever with them other than draining hp of every wall block and tower in their path by attacking (with pitchforks if it's a peasant army).