Hey,

New to game design… been playing around for ages just doing some tinkering in my spare time. Just trying to sharpen my programming skills.

I have been working on a cold war management style game (multiplayer controlling different aspects of one country, air, sea, land, governance, research etc)

Currently I'm at the stage of designing the conflict / battling mechanisms for air combat. I can't think of how to allow the player to interact with the units. Currently they are controlled from a map view allowing the player to control the movement of assets to geographic regions to undertake roles.

I am looking for ideas for the players to interact with the game, mechanics and ways of calculating the battle outcomes.

All ideas muchly appreciated!!

Backend written in python

Front end is JavaScript, HTML and CSS

Regards

Zxman

That sounds like an exciting project

@vimur thank you. Its more of a project to help get my kids into programming. I hope to share code soon.

Try to come up with logical lists. (involve the kids on this)

[Air combat]

• Limited range (point of no return) aspect could require better player strategies to not loose air units.
• Building air strips to allow refueling to reach offensive targets.
• Resupplying fuel to airstrips/bases ( things get depleted during use )
• <insert your idea>

Factory Upgrades

• Allows better airframes/engines ( this could lead to easier/better combat conclusions)

Pilot Training/Ability factors. ( same. Ace pilots will crush the average stick jockey )

• Protect your aces or loose the races.
• 
  

These were mostly strategy ideas.
For actual combat, flying formation might be worth exploring.
Air unit types could be important.

• Bombers ( heavy damage but slow )
• Light Fighters ( quick but weak punch )
• Heavy Fighters ( a little slower but more fire power )
• 
  

You'll have to wait until the game is over before you can steal the other players scientists. 🙂
Happy designing.

Ooh great ideas with the limited range / pilot skills.

Also like the idea of organising the aircraft into formations.

That's might be a good mechanic…

I see the game being played out in phases

Gather intelligence about enemy, based locations, plane types and hence their skills etc

Attacking air ti air and air to ground

Defence, building Sam and radar sites

Build, spending credits to upgrade research, buy fuel, resupply airports etc!!

The idea of sending squad of planes out in formations is a great idea!!