Resources

[Groovy]

My goal with the resource model is to give it strong influence over which units a player is able to recruit, the idea being that different units from the same faction would be available on different maps. In other words, tying resource production to terrain types. Shortage of certain resources wouldn’t mean scrambling to acquire them through the marketplace, but taking town development in a different direction.

Here are the basic resources that I’d like to use:


Not sure which exotic ones to use, especially for magic. Crystals, gems, light, life force, and the like, are obvious candidates. I’m tempted to go the comic route and add things like gas (from swamps) and smoke (from volcanoes).

[Panda Tar]

Well, then the basic thing to do is trying to list some possible candidates by taking your terrain classification into consideration. One thing I'd like to point out is: as we take an approach of making Terrain-bound features something like a key-feature in the game, as it seems to be, and Mana is a channeling resource of spell casting, then Mana could be extracted from terrain for Magical purposes.

Food
Wood
Iron
Stone
+
Mana
Metal
Gas
Sulfur
Glass
Gemstone
Etherstone
Netherstone
Oil-Pitch
Steam-Mist-Fog
Coal
Lifeforce
Mythril
Heartgem (due the heart of the mountain you spoke about)
Soulstone
Relic
Crystal

What I'd suggest:

• Food (hiring)
• Wood (building, upgrades)
• Ore (building, upgrades)
• Mana (spell casting, upgrades)
• Flux or Heartgem (building, upgrades, hiring): this one would be energy stones, flowing and shaping themselves accordingly to each terrain, the exotic resource, to fill in the gaps left from other resources.

I do think is that there shouldn't be many. Each one chosen should have a mandatory use, and a second supportive use. The combination of these uses would change significantly amongst factions, surrounding terrain, etc.

[Groovy]

A nice list. Thank you Panda!
The only resource I would leave out at this stage is Relic, because I'm using the term to mean a certain kind of artefact.

I do think is that there shouldn't be many. Each one chosen should have a mandatory use, and a second supportive use. The combination of these uses would change significantly amongst factions, surrounding terrain, etc.

Agreed.

[Groovy]

It has just occurred to me to use music as one of the creature constitution types. It makes no sense, but it really appeals to me on a poetic level.

This would probably require music to be modelled as a resource as well...

[Groovy]

And on that subject, dream would be the perfect constitution/resource for magic-wielding.

I think I'm going nuts.

[Panda Tar]

Well, as long as that amount of details won't make it too hard to understand and play the game.

[Groovy]

Here is constitution information that is closely tied to the resources.

The reason for including unit attributes is to support spells and abilities that change unit constitution. So, for example, if a unit were to be turned from flesh to stone (by Medusa, say), its speed would decrease by 1 and its defence would increase by 1.

[Groovy]

I’ve hit upon an idea that looks very appealing to me as a storytelling aid. The idea is to have people’s physical constitution reflect their state of being. Most people would have the familiar flesh-and-blood appearance, with a few made from other common materials, such as wood and stone. One exception would be magicians. Because magic is fuelled by dreams, master magicians’ physical bodies would change to become constituted by those dreams – their dreams would come to define and sustain them. Their bodies would also reflect the state of their dreams – whether they have become rigid and limited (hardened into flesh/wood/stone), or whether they have retained their dreamlike qualities.

I haven’t worked out the details regarding music, but I’m guessing it would work along similar lines.

Another way in which the body makeup would reflect the person’s state of being is by indicating its changeability. I got the idea from demons, which are often depicted as fiery. I’m using fire to symbolise change, so the demons’ glow would indicate their willingness to change instead of being stuck in their ways. Occasionally, they would erupt in flames, while undergoing a particularly rapid and far-reaching transformation.

There might be other states of being worth reflecting in a person’s appearance, but this is all I’ve got for now.

[Panda Tar]

Sounds nice.

Still, I wonder if this much detail would be too hard to copy when one is playing the game?

[Groovy]

I don't know whether I'll include it in the game. It's more for the novel.

[Panda Tar]

Novel, now? I didn't remember you had in mind writing also a novel - something similar to a compendium with additional info and lore?

[Groovy]

I'm not sure what a compendium looks like. I don't think I've ever read one.

I started working on the novel long before the game.
http://fluffygroovy.com/birth-of-a-warlock.htm

[Panda Tar]

Ah, yes, that novel then. I was thinking you started writing one named Heroic.

A compendium is something like this:



It's almost as if it's a game manual, but with many other info being shown, history, etc. All information available on that game.

[Groovy]

I've decided to align the game and the novel, so it may as well be named Heroic.

I have no plans to write a compendium at this stage. You are welcome to take it up, if you like.

[Panda Tar]

Compendium might be a 'must-have' in later stages of the development, an encyclopedia. It's a job to do after everything is almost done, because it'll describe everything, how they work, lore, units, factions.

[Groovy]

Would it suffice to put this on the wiki?

[Panda Tar]

Wiki could be considered an online Compendium, actually. The glamour of having something like that in print is more likely to be sold in limited editions, such as it happens with artbooks - which I always find amazing to peruse at.

[Angelspit]

As a teen I used to spend more time reading compendiums and manuals than actually playing RPG game. Checking out statistics and reading about lore was fascinating.

I just had to post that random comment, please go on.

[Panda Tar]

I just had to post that random comment, please go on.

Always a pleasure to see other people here also, AS! Return more often, if you please.

[Groovy]

Good to see you checking up on us, Angelspit. It can feel lonely here at times...