Game Idea: Real Time Strategy

[angeladik]

Combat:

As mentioned earlier, every unit can receive both move order and action order. Both of them can be spent doing nothing (waiting). Units can make only one move and only one action per turn. Cavalry is an exception - able to receive 3 move orders and one action (attack) order.

Knight:
- melee combat unit - can fight enemy only on hex next to him
- attack power: 1
- health points: 2
- unit strengths: stops Cavalry, 2 HP, defender of the Archers
- unit weaknesses: slow unit, vulnerable to Archers

Example of fight:
- beginning of the turn
- move order
- move order executed
- attack order
- attack order executed (2nd time - Knights die)
- new turn

Collision: If one Knight has more HP, he kills the opposing one and secures hex, if not, both die

Archer:
- long range combat unit - can fight enemy up to 3 hexes away
- attack power: 1
- health points: 1
- unit strengths: long range attack, excellent vs Knights and Workers, able to hit and run
- unit weaknesses: slow unit, vulnerable to Cavalry, only one action (attack) per two turns (reload time), can't attack unit next to him

Archer's range:
- Archer's attack range

Example of fight:
- beginning of the turn
- 1st turn - move order - Knight moves, Archer awaits
- 1st turn - attack order - Archer attacks Knight
- 2nd turn - move order - both units move, Archer is not able to attack - needs a reload
- 3rd turn - move order - Knight moves, Archer doesn't need to
- 3rd turn - attack order - Archer attacks Knight
- end of 3rd turn - Knight is dead
- 4th turn

Cavalry:
- melee combat unit - can fight enemy only on hex next to him
- attack power: 1
- health points: 2
- unit strengths: swift unit - 3 hexes/turn, excellent vs Archers
- unit weaknesses: vulnerable to Knights

Move: 1st move order executed before Archers/Knights/Workers, 2nd move order executed with all Archers/Knights/Workers, 3rd move order executed after Archers/Knights/Workers move. This would give cavalry ability to force enemy to respond to their 1st move and also allow cavalry to respond to enemy moves - 3rd move order.

Example fight:
- beginning of the 1st turn
- Cavalry moves 1st
- both units move, if Archer wouldn't move, he would die in this turn (after cavalry 3rd move and attack)
- Cavalry moves again
- Archer attacks cavalry
- 2nd turn - Cavalry moves 1st
- Archer moves (Cavalry can't move forward - rule of collision)
- Cavalry moves again
- Cavalry attacks Archer
- Cavalry kills Archer
- beginning of 3rd turn

Collision: Cavalry can't move forward if there is an enemy unit on chosen hex
or
Collision = Trample: Deals 1 dmg, but:
* Cavalier has 2 HP and enemy unit is a full HP Knight = Cavalier dies (becomes impaled), Knight recieves no dmg
* Cavalier has 2 HP and enemy unit is a 1HP Knight = Knight dies (becomes trampled), Cavalry recieve no dmg
* Cavalier has 1 HP and enemy unit is a full HP Knight = Cavalier dies (becomes impaled), Knight recieves no dmg
* Cavalier has 1 HP and enemy unit is a 1 HP Knight = Knight dies (becomes trampled), Cavalry recieve no dmg
* Cavalier has 2 HP and enemy unit is a full HP Cavalier = both die (just like hitting a wall with speed of 80 km/h or more )
* Cavalier has 1 HP and enemy unit is a full HP Cavalier = 1st one dies, 2nd one recieves 1 dmg (like 1v1 of Knights)
* Cavalier has 2 HP and enemy unit is an Archer = Archer dies (becomes trampled)
* Cavalier has 1 HP and enemy unit is an Archer = Archer dies (becomes trampled)

After successful trampling Cavalry can execute next move order or attack order. It means it can trample next unit or attack chosen target.

That would be all for now. Next things to do: cost of units, what resources are required to hire a unit, combat optimisation (possible changes in HP/dmg values, this may include a Worker in combat - with 1HP/1dmg stats probably). Now I ask you to discuss this post and point every mistake/suggest changes. Moreover, please point my language mistakes, this is not my first language

Adrian

[sh4wn]

I really like this idea, and can't wait to actually write a bot for this. However, maybe the rules are a it complex for beginners.

Maybe we can ask Google to sponsor us CPU time on (for game processing), and App Engine for the website.

[angeladik]

I would say that this is an alpha version. These are just my suggestions and they can be far from optimal ones. That's why I ask all of you to discuss these ideas, to find possible mistakes/problems and find a way to solve them. However, this is just an idea for now, my programming knowledge is not good enough, I am not able to create such game engine. On the other hand, I've got plenty of free time now and if some of you could suggest me any way to start it and show me sources of knowledge required to finish this project, I would be really glad. For now I am not able to do anything more than post my ideas including pictures (and short animations in future if I will manage).

I am not familiar with organisation of such a contest, maybe someone else will discuss your idea about Google.

Anyway, thanks for response and keep going, I really need feedback to find out if I should proceed with this idea or it is not worth much.

Adrian

[smiley1983]

Here is one process for making a new game:

Clone Ants:

git clone https://github.com/aichallenge/aichallenge.git

In the directory "aichallenge/ants", you will find the files "ants.py" and "playgame.py".

Everything relating to the Ants game is contained in "ants.py". Copy it to another filename, read the code to see how it works, and then modify / rewrite as needed until you have your game.

To run it, modify the (few) lines in playgame.py which refer to Ants, so they refer to your game instead.

You will also need to make some starter packages.

If you want to see two examples of other games conforming to the same system, have a look at the "wargame" and "asteroids" directories of this TCP server code:

https://github.com/smiley1983/ants-tcp

They don't have a "playgame.py", but use "tcpserver.py" to run the games instead. The "asteroids.py" and "wargame.py" files contain the game replacements. You may find them to be an easier starting point for creating a new game, since they are smaller and simpler than Ants (from memory).

If your game reaches a playable state, you will also want to make a visualizer.

I would like to suggest that if you are keen to build this, it's most likely to be successful if you start with a much-simplified version. The current game proposal is quite large, with quite a lot of reading; a game with a simpler set of rules will be easier to implement and more likely to attract users, at least to begin with.

[angeladik]

Thanks for help. I think that I will start with resource gathering. If it will work, I will implement more. Meanwhile, I am waiting for further suggestions.

Adrian

[angeladik]

Because of russianaicup.ru I will have a short break. Please make use of this time and ask as many questions as you want

[angeladik]

Ok. I am back. Unfortunatelly, I didn't manage to make a (good) bot for russianaicup.ru . On the other hand now I have time to think more about this idea Soon I will post Hex map description and I will need your help to discuss it.

[sh4wn]

[angeladik]

I am going to post (probably tomorrow) a way I think about hex grid and its representation in 2D array. I am glad you share your opinion about making game simple. On the other hand, strong simplified version would be close to ants - square grid, one type of combat unit, one type of resource. It may and in splitting ant in two - warrior and worker instead of two in one. Moreover, I suggested that this may be a team challenge. Code would be much more sophisticated, games could be really interesting. Of course, this may result in smaller amount of submissions, because it may be hard to find someone else on your coding skill level etc. All in all, this is a topic to discuss, so I do this I also encourage all of you to talk as much as you want, because it may result in interesting ideas (and who knows, maybe realisation - hope so )

Adrian

[sh4wn]