This idea is rooted in the observation that almost every RTS game currently out has you play as a preset civilization with certain bonuses and weaknesses. What if, instead of having to choose from a number of civilizations with predetermined gameplay styles, you were given a degree of choice as to your civilization's strengths and weaknesses as you played the game. You would develop the culture of your civilization as you played. For example, by selecting which technologies or tech trees you would research, you could choose which weapons your units would be more proficient at. Perhaps you live in an open grassland or desert and therefore want to focus on upgrades for your archers, since your habitat allows shooting from a distance. On the other hand, if you start off in a thick forest or jungle, where ranged weapons are less practical, you could make your melee units the more proficient ones instead. You would therefore have the ability to choose which unit types were your best during the gameplay, rather than starting off with a pre-created civilization that had strong archers, strong cavalry, or what not. Perhaps you would be able to customize your economic strengths and weaknesses as well. Maybe you want a civilization that's better at gathering gold, or maybe one that can build farms on less fertile ground. You could also determine whether your civilization would be technologically primitive or advanced. Obviously going the advanced route, in traditional RTS style, would give you certain advantages, but what if there were also pluses to staying primitive? Choosing to be nomadic, and therefore gain the ability to deconstruct and reconstruct your buildings, could give you greater mobility. In fact, being primitive would give all of your units superior mobility, because they wouldn't be burdened with heavy metal armor and weapons. Of course, going primitive would require you to use different battle tactics than going advanced. If you chose to be primitive, you'd probably rely on guerrilla tactics a lot more than you would if you chose to be hi-tech. In summary, I'm describing a game where you could customize your civilization during gameplay instead of choosing from pre-created civilizations. You develop your civ as you go along. Could this work?

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Original post by Kahotep In summary, I'm describing a game where you could customize your civilization during gameplay instead of choosing from pre-created civilizations. You develop your civ as you go along. Could this work?

How is that any different from a mirror matchup in any existing RTS? (Hint: it is not.)

I'd say have the choices be limited in some way so that at the end game, everyone would be the same or distinguishably similar. Say the player can research 'points' and each 'point' can be put in to some technology's level. Theoretically, a player could max out every technology with 300 'points' but can only ever get 100 'points' in a game.

Something like that.

And Culture/Advancedness would be a technology that would allow certain technologies at the cost of intrinsic abilities. Level 0 Culture/Advancedness would let the players deconstruct buildings. Level 1 would loose that ability, but give the player Farming and Herding technologies as well as a boost in the player's building's HP.

The most important thing, though, would be to balance all of these techs. I find it annoy when I read in walkthroughs that a certain power is worthless to max out because the bonus it gives doesn't seem justified. The final level of Archery should be just as interesting and useful as the final level of Swords.

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Original post by Kahotep For example, by selecting which technologies or tech trees you would research, you could choose which weapons your units would be more proficient at. Perhaps you live in an open grassland or desert and therefore want to focus on upgrades for your archers, since your habitat allows shooting from a distance. On the other hand, if you start off in a thick forest or jungle, where ranged weapons are less practical, you could make your melee units the more proficient ones instead. You would therefore have the ability to choose which unit types were your best during the gameplay, rather than starting off with a pre-created civilization that had strong archers, strong cavalry, or what not. Perhaps you would be able to customize your economic strengths and weaknesses as well. Maybe you want a civilization that's better at gathering gold, or maybe one that can build farms on less fertile ground.

Something similar is used in Empire Earth I. It is based on Age of Empires faction bonuses but you can chose which bonuses to use by spending "civilization points". These points are gained by completing mission objectives in a campaing or given at the start of skirmish/multiplayer game. Of course you can always use predefined civilizations if you are not interested is creating your own.

You can visit this page for more info :
http://ee.heavengames.com/new/eeh/gameinfo/civilizations/custom.shtml

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Original post by Kahotep In summary, I'm describing a game where you could customize your civilization during gameplay instead of choosing from pre-created civilizations. You develop your civ as you go along. Could this work?

Definitely. In my opinion, customization is always fun but you should add it as an option unless your game is not based directly on it.

-RL

That sounds like a great idea!

I love it!

I think it would help give the game an edge. It reminds me of playing a multiplayer battle game online.

Makes me think of the tribal and civilization modes of Spore. Spore kind of sucks as RTSes go, but the factions are definitely customizable.

Just for clarification, are you talking about a game with a really, really big tech tree, or a game with branching options. Do your choices lock you out of some things (if you go nomadic, you can't get any improvements in stationary defenses)? Is this like Civilizations as an RTS?