Notice I didn''t say "conflict free!!!"
What are some possibilities for noncombat strategy? Could it be made as appealing as a traditional RTS?
I''d like to float out an idea, inspired by Paul Cunningham''s
building thread: competitive network building.
First, a quick setting: You''re competiting to be the first to unlock the secrets of a city sized alien machine. You want to build buildings and favorably redirect a network of resources before your oppoenent does. The game would involve things like research, sabotage, theft, diplomacy, and (of course) network building. The winner places the right buildings in the right places at the right time.
Specifics?
Everyone starts with a flying Hauler that can pick up buildings, move the around, and create new buildings. You have to buy a spots on the map to place buildings on them. You get money from trading and tapping resources.
There are 2 types of buildings: human-made, and alien. Human buildings can be designed from scratch, but are fragile. Alien buildings are tough, but should be researched to be fully understood.
To build a network, players place buildings and infrastructure in 3D. Players can build some things over and under one another (bridges, tunnels, skyways). They can also scavenge building parts to create new buildings.
When the player makes a network by combining infrastructure and buildings, he gets different resources. For instance, if he connects power lines from a alien generator to the rest of his buildings, he can get power. Other types of infrastructure would be roads, pipes, communications arrays, and teleporters.
Not all resources are good, though: Some buildings generate heat, or radiation, or toxic sludge as a by product, and the player''s network has to move these around to a safe place. Radiation, for instance, can be trucked to a burial site or expensive launchpad... or "accidently" leaked onto your competitors.
Finally, players can win by:
A) researching special spots on the map and putting the right buildings there
B) building a superior network
C) cornering the market on certain infrastructure supplies like piping or resources like fuel and water
Waddaya think?
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Just waiting for the mothership...
