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[stabbymcstabstab]

Fund overthrow of X amount of countries.

[Vector]

Seems like it's a civ sort of situation--find some conditions that represent having eaten the entire market to a non-recovery point.

Other things sound like fairly run-of-the-mill achievements?

[MaximumZero]

Yeah, I was just kind of spitballing more than anything.

[hemmingjay]

Testing will sort it out, but I imagine I will allow the player to turn on and adjust various win conditions. I have enjoyed games where players can challenge themselves and others. Post release I would like to add more gameplay options, perhaps scenarios such as having the player work for the 1980's era CIA and has to deliver x amount of arms to the opposing armies of the Warsaw pact to try and destabilize the enemies of NATO but without ever having a shipment caught(would expose US affiliation). Another scenario could the player is caught smuggling small amounts in his own country. The leader of the nation insists the player turns the country into a major arms supplier across the world, securing major contracts and exporting X tons of arms(perhaps a cheesy story about the player's family being held hostage).

It looks like the random mission generator will be strong enough to be included in the initial release with the sandbox and structured modes. I would like to include as many gameplay modifier options as possible.

[MaximumZero]

Is there any chance of starting way in the past (WWI?) and having to help research weapon technologies?

[hemmingjay]

Maximum, that is not really in the scope of the game. We have four games planned for the next 36 months and we have just filed to register the trademark "Weapon Tycoon" and it is scheduled to be our 2nd or 3rd game depending on the money raised through sales of Arms Dealer. Researching weapon technology is a key mechanic of that game.

[EagleV]

Any teasers you can give on the other two games? Or are there some threads I missed out there?

[Tiruin]

Interesting very this is! Watching with post! 

[hemmingjay]

Any teasers you can give on the other two games? Or are there some threads I missed out there?

Eagle,
I have already given too many clues on those projects which are likely to change quite a bit before production begins. Right now they exist on whiteboards and in game design documents mostly. Some concept sketches. I plan to stick to my expertise and super-serve a few small niches of the game market. I have an M.B.A., 8 years of military experience, multiple combat tours in three countries and four years of game industry experience. I am putting all of that in a blender to create various combinations of products that I can be a valuable team member on. I am lucky enough to have some very talented people who believe in me and a nice little nest egg to fund this first game. As long as it provides the money needed to start the next title, the dream continues. I have a five year plan and will continue to build this small studio/potential partnership. I also have the support of two very nice CEO's of established studios(one is also a publisher) and a half dozen indie studio heads that have pledged their help.

What this means is that I am lucky enough to bypass the ethereal stage where many games die because they fail to take form fast enough. Many people have a vision for a game, and even start it, but without a quickly developing structure of labor, marketing and business plans as well as a sturdy financial foundation the game quickly collapses. Too many people share their game during that phase which has made many of you skeptical.

I have kept relatively quiet about the game because: 1) I had no need to share beyond my own ego  2) I wanted to protect my vision until it was tangible  3) I didn't want it to be judged by the lack of art in the alpha. I would have shared images of the current builds if I wasn't so familiar with how dismissive gamers are. I am ready to start letting people experiment with the alpha as soon as I can insert some attractive menus instead of the crude 1980's-esque assets I have place holding now. We are roughly 6-8 weeks from beta and 12 weeks from release right now unless something goes wrong.

I have not decided if I should use Steam Greenlight to build some name recognition/cheap marketing or if I should bypass it. Both options have their merits and I can't really afford a proper marketing campaign before launching, nor would this type of game benefit from a traditional shotgun spread digital campaign. Word of mouth will make or break me so I will price it fair and provide a lot of replay value. Further, we have three gameplay expansions planned and those will all be free post release.

[MaximumZero]

Maximum, that is not really in the scope of the game. We have four games planned for the next 36 months and we have just filed to register the trademark "Weapon Tycoon" and it is scheduled to be our 2nd or 3rd game depending on the money raised through sales of Arms Dealer. Researching weapon technology is a key mechanic of that game.

I will play that game. By all that is holy, I will play it.

[hemmingjay]

Maximum, that's music to my ears! I am excited to build that game as well but it requires a seven month dev cycle and three times the budget. I have located a partner to make it with me as they have experience making a program that allows you to modularly make weapons from pre-built pieces. For that game we will need to let the user make their own design from components that they research as well as let the computer randomly assemble weapons for the AI as well as players who are not interested in the meta game of carefully balancing features/components in order to create the best firearm for a situation or contract. In that game the player creates weapons for the general market as well as weapons in response to national service bids(think the XM8 to replace the M4/M16). Designs will be submitted for vigorous field testing and assessment by the military and the contract will usually be awarded to the best designed weapon. I say usually because as always politics and bribes come into play. 

The final logo is done for Arms Dealer. Once our new map and UI is done I will introduce the world to the game and start mildly promoting it.

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