Lately, I've had a few ideas for games that I want to host, and they won't leave me alone. I can't host them all, so help me decide which to run, and maybe help hash out mechanics. (Feel free to use or build off these ideas, of course.)
Candidate 1: Kerbal Colonization Program.
Players: 1 commander, controlled by standard suggestion game format, and 4-6 scientist/engineer/kerbalnauts, each controlled by a permanent player.
Setting: A fresh new binary system, previously untouched by Kerbalkind. The players arrive in a single ship (or small task force). No reinforcements or resupply expected; these Kerbals 'mature' quickly, allowing steady growth. The system is inhabited by a pre-space species which is incapable threatening a competent post-space species.
Gameplay: Explore the system and set-up mining operations and logistics. Invent new space components (or advance relatively primitive non-space tech). Enlighten the natives about the merits of explosives.
Candidate 2: Conquests of the Elemental Planes
Players: 6, each in charge of competing sides. Each is strongly aligned with a classical element (plus light and dark).
Setting: A web of roughly city-sized micro-planes. Each plane is aligned somewhere on the element circle.
Gameplay: Each city/plane is largely abstracted, with a focus (Production, research, growth, commerce, terraforming, magic, balanced, etc). Production will be modified by how closely aligned the plane is to the controller - Fire denizens are not good at living in water planes. Initially, players will be able to sorta profit from colonies on adjacent element planes, and take attrition even moving troops through other planes. Research will allow planes to be terraformed.
Balance concern: I want diplomacy to be important, and I want some sort of major incentive to fight your opposing alignment (the one with lands like hostile deathworlds, yes), with minor incentives to ally adjacent elements (the ones living on lands you can actually use). I'm not sure how to go about this. Trade goods that improve morale, a general trade good bonus, and troops being able to fight alongside each other for the latter? The former might need some sort of unique spells and units for exploring the ruins of the opposing capital, and allowing a build-a-wonder victory.
The other two are rougher ideas. Neither would use tactical combat due to sloth.
Candidate 3: Alternative X-COM against dimension-walker aliens.
This version of X-COM hasn't fought aliens before, and these aren't particularly strong. It might be fun to explore X-COM-tier R&D against foes that can be fought all-out.
Candidate 3.5: XCOM.
In new XCOM, the aliens are trying to test/recruit humans for something. What happens if Humanity accepts their offer at the end of the game? What sorts of fun might we have with XCOM allied with the Ethereals, against an even more deadly foe? (Or this might just be an excuse to throw XCOM's R&D division at spacecraft. It'd probably all end in spacetime singularities. So many spacetime singularities. Those should not be put in grenades, please stop it guys.)