One project I have been picking away at for awhile is a sort of RTS crossed with a light RPG system that would focus on settlement growth.

Currently I am in the stage of going back to base code and working on the full project from the ground up, and using Panda3D for the graphics framework. (Not sure about any kind of multiplayer support, but I might look into keeping things open enough to add in later.) I will plan to work most of the project with mostly place holder graphics, but I am looking at trying to build a system for generating unique forests, buildings, and characters, rather than having vasts hordes of "clone armies" running around the game.


For the design elements I have been working on building a realistic system, and in some ways making this a farm and survival sim. Each character would need X amount of food per day to live, plus extra for work they do, and food would be raised in roughly realistic amounts and times.


Initially game would start out in a pre-designed "Homeland", based off Scandinavia and nearby regions. The player is given a set number of points to create their initial family, buy goods and supplies, and hire other settlers and families to join them.

From there the player can either move around a high level world map and head west across the ocean into a new world that is generated as it is explored. The generation process will be based off of the real world: Close to the Homeland would be at least one midsized island, similar to Iceland, or a series of smaller islands scattered around in easy sailing of the homeland for trade. Farther to the west would be more landmasses.


When you find a location on the world map you will then go to the settle mode. There you would have to find secure fresh water, build shelter, and begin your farm/food supply and collection of other resources. Eventually you would begin to build a more permanent settlement, and try to attract other settlers.

Main game play would revolve around building your settlement, farms, houses, store houses, meeting halls, etc. Gathering materials and tools to make life in the settlement better, trading with other settlements or back in the homeland, and possibly going off viking/defending against raiders.

My question is, what kind of options would people expect from a game like this?

For a game like this I would make the player 'just' a settler. That way they could do their own thing (go off exploring away from the main settlement, start own homestead/colony) and the original settlement wouldn't need tended to. They could have a plot of land for building and farming on, but they aren't in charge of the town. They could maybe come to power somehow, or start a splinter colony.
Looking after your family is all you have to do, but helping neighbours if they have bad harvests etc could contribute to your standing and eventually help you gain power.


Another interesting thing would be sporadic messages from the homeland. Missions such as send back X amount of Y trade good (for towns, not individuals) could mean extra settlers coming out. If the all colonies together grow to, say, 10 thousand settlers (depends on how big this game would be tbh)then the people may start wanting independence. The player could have a hand in influencing this and it gives an unprecedented chance for massive bloody battles (which is all gamers want :P).

On a more technical side is a system I've seen used in a few games. It's an event system that uses various parameters and variables to simulate complex goings-on that seem natural. For example:
If Grain = >4000 Units
And Population = >200
Then msgbox ("Surplus! The bountiful harvest has lead to a surplus of grain which was traded to other colonies.")
+ 200 Florins(?)
+ Relations with <Insert neighbouring colonies names here>
+ Relations with homeland

----------------------------
Yes that was the worlds worst visual basic psedocode :D

This could be used to provide challenge and little storylines to add flavour. (The grain surplus meant other settlers came to your colony seeing it as the most prosperous. This made other colonies jealous and the homeland, worried about your growing power, put taxes in place. A vocal element within the colony wants to break free from the homeland. Eventually you must choose to stay with the homeland, causing 50% of settlers to leave and create another colony that will always hate yours OR go for independence which would lead to another story arc....)


A large enough database of events would make every game unpredictable, unique and fun.

Norse? Ah, any chance of upgrading to, say, Martian? No? Well, then I'll offer my Mars Settler ideas in 13th Warrior/Beowulf format. [grin]

* Tie movement in the overworld to supplies. Challenge me to save up enough food/water to sale all over. Maybe I camp out in Vineland just to get supplies so I can go out further.

* Let me name the new lands I discover

* Let me start off as the king. Make it so that I can click and move people directly to task rather than indirectly as in Dwarf Fortress

* ala Civ, random villages with random dispositions, gifts, threats and the ability to trade

* Popup situations which humanize the peasants-- judge what to do when a valuable peasant is accused of a crime, or choose whether or not to give your blessing to a wedding; have this drive some sort of popularity/support variable(s) like in Tropico, each of which helps get certain things done

* Different factions with different build priorities

* Special items which can be crafted, found or looted

* Random trading ships

* Random hostile competitor raids (if you don't do full-on RTS combat maybe tower defense?)

When making a colonization game, it is important to understand why colonization takes place, and how and why colonies succeed or fail. A good book to read (but it is a big book so if you don't have time you might not be able to read it all) is Jarrad Diamond's: "Collapse: How Societies Choose to Fail or Succeed". (wikipedia entry: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Collapse:_How_Societies_Choose_to_Fail_or_Succeed ).

It is an intersting read if you are interested in Anthropology. There is a section in there that directly deals with the Norse settlemnt of Greenland.

Also, you might want to look into Social Networks (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Social_network ).

Using a simple Social Newtowk you can use it to model relationships between the main actors (PCs and NPCs) and how the actions of the actors changes these relationships and feed that back into actions the actors take.

You might want to look at the game "Sword of the Samurai" for ideas as well ( http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sword_of_the_Samurai_%28computer_game%29 ).

Edtharan, thanks for the suggestion. I always keep an eye out for suggested titles.


Wavinator: Have no fear, I do have plans to eventually do a similar game but set in sci-fi. You'll be the commander of a deep space settlement ship (One way, no going back for help after the fact.) where stasis systems are failing at an ever increasing rate. The goal of the game will be to remain in control, and save as many as you can.


Also yes, I completely agree that overland movement should rely on resources. No so much actually moving around a continent, as you can forage for food and supplies, but more so for oceanic travel. You might be able to fish to replenish food, but eventually you'll need to find fresh water before all the ale runs out.

I as thinking of having it more as you play the leader of a house, and it is your settlement. You get direct control of your 'family', and can assign tasks to other settlers, but they retain some independence. (No trying to work your settlers to death! Unless of course your family can put down a rebellion by themselves.) Later in the game you'll get freemen joining your colony who you will rent land to, but they will go about their own business.
Assuming my AI scrips don't totally suck, do you see any major flaws with that idea?


What kind of "Special Items" would you expect to find?



Expanding your settlement would rely on being successful, gathering surplus resources (Such as food), and getting news about this back to the home land. I was personally planning on having this as a fairly slow game and partly focused on daily/weekly life so expanding your settlement by raising the next generation will be a long and slow task.