I'm getting pretty good with the Unity engine, so if someone wants to work together on a mockup of some ideas, I'm down for that. I'm no artist though so preferably someone who would do the art side, and I do the coding side.
I'm wondering about the cell colony game mechanics. What do you envision as the control scheme for each player? One cell like an RPG, or 3rd-person control of many cells like an RTS?
My idea is each person is there own cell and can perform actions (or abilities ie: "Secrete acids" could be keybound to key "1", or something). The concept of multiple cells like an organism working together would be:
A: An AI would control excess cells (AI controlled cells are created when a player controlled cell splits. A player controlled cell that splits can either be taken over by a human or an AI)
B: Humans would have first dibs on all cells in an organism
So, take for example, if this was a MMO game, and you and a bunch of your friends want to make a guild. Bam, you do it, just it's considered an "organism". However in this game it has more functionality and bindingness, once you form an organism you're all kind of stuck together as a single multi-cellular organism. (Maybe you'd be able to freeroam even after forming this community, or being in a guild would give you an option to form the organism whenever you want like a guild super-ability requiring a number of members of the guild or something idrk).
It could also be round-based, not MMO, so same style as above but with a lot less permanence.
tl;dr: Each person controls one cell. At least, that was my initial idea, but I'm open to anything.
I want a game that's a super combo of CK2 and Mount & Blade.
- There are multiple (around like, 12) kingdoms that preexist and need casus belli to declare war upon one another, but small feuds between lords can spark skirmishes, which could turn into war.
- From CK2: allow your companions to fill certain royal counsel positions, such as spymaster. Certain companions will do better in certain positions: take Jeremus from the vanilla game. Great doc, horrible/nonexistant scouting skills. Perfect Court Physician, good Court Steward, horrible Spymaster.
- Form plots to denounce your fellow lords for political gain. Frame them as evil heretics. Elope with their daughters. All the political maneuvering and interaction expected of a CK2 inspired game.
- Religious wars; kingdoms are split between religions and they can war upon one another if their religious head is beefing with another religious head.
- You can literally craft your own empire from between these kingdoms; there's empty land you can claim and start building small villages and forts on to later turn into cities and castles.
- Getting other kingdoms to RESPECT YOUR AUTHORITY requires either a papal mandate with their religious head or enough prestige/fame to be accepted. Or you can get a legit claim by marrying a lord's daughter. Or all of the above for the strongest right to rule.
- Commission system for masterwork/unique gear: once you have enough money and fame/get vassalised as a lord/get recognized as a ruler, you can commission a set of royal heraldic armor, matching crown, and a strong, unique weapon. This will take time, of course.
- Outfitters for your companions: a place where you can order multiple copies of the same heraldic armor for your companions. They aren't unique armors, but they are standard quality and you don't have to run around to get matching armor for your royal companions. Also sells basic boots from leather to plate and matching gauntlets.
- Levy and conscription system and deeper morale. Levies are farmers/freemen that you put a call to arms to, who you pay to join your army. They start with half morale and grow it faster and start better armed and can upgrade to Men-at-arms. Conscripts are unpaid serfs that are forced to take up arms. They are horrible quality and don't get very far skill-wise. They also have horrid morale that never gets above half a bar/percentage. Raising either conscripts or levies takes time. They are summoned up in a large lump and can be diversified to light cavalry (Levies only), infantry and ranged soldiers. Conscripts only go up one level and go from peasants with pitchforks and tunics to padded cloth (colored your heraldry colours), armed with basic spears and bows. Levies can rank up twice to men-at-arms level combatants with mail and heraldic tabards. Knights and heavy cavalry are special cases: to even get these guys you either need to hire a merc company for their heavy cav, or you need to be a lord of some rank and can order your marshal to gather your landed and unlanded errant knights.
[il]Combat is choose-able between Mount & Blade's "Take the field yourself and lead from the front" and a Total War style RTS: to make the units you control, your conscript groups can be divvied up into groups from the party screen, and you can auto sort and auto fill units: "Red team" might be nothing but light infantry you can specify to hold up to the unit cap (based on your leadership and tactics skills). So when you pick up some peasant levies and buy them up to light line infantry a certain amount will auto dump to Red team to fill them up to your set cap. [/il]
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I got more ideas to add here, but this is the base list for right now.
edit: tried to flesh it out but kinda fucked up my post.
Also, that was orgasmic. Seriously I love CK2 and played some M&B before.