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CGD1 Brainstorm: Planet Colonization

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Mon, 07/28/2003 - 17:47
FastLearner
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Now that some core ideas are out, let's spend some time discussing them and pseudo-brainstorming about them.

It would be great if you'd take a moment to at least:

  • Mention something you like about the idea,
  • Mention something that you don't care for or are concerned about regarding the idea, and
  • Put out anything else about the idea you'd like, including any basic implementation ideas.
Please don't go into great detail about how you think such a game would work, trying to refine a bunch of mechanics or anything. Rather please keep it pretty basic. Once we pick one to move forward on then more details would make sense. Note, too, that whatever we go with we can still work on some of the other ideas later, of course.

Here's one of zaiga's thoughts:

Quote:
OK, some after some brainstorming with Sedjtroll I came up with the following:

This resourcemanagement and buildinggame is set in the not-so-distant future. The science of mankind has finally evolved so far that it is possible to colonize far-away planets. However, the climates on these planets are often hostile and protective housing is necessary to survive on these forbidding planets. Fortunately, there are several companies who specialize in producing "modules" which are used to build the colonies with.

As a player you are the owner of one of these companies. Together with the other players you are appointed to colonise several planets on the outskirts of the milkyway. The most succesful player will be elected Grand Supervisor for this part of the milkyway!

You cannot build a succesful colony without the help of the other players, so cooperation is important, but you must still make sure that you are the most succesful entrepeneur of all in the end!

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Mon, 07/28/2003 - 18:48
#1
FastLearner
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CGD1 Brainstorm: Planet Colonization

As I mentioned before I'm always a sucker for space themes, and I haven't seen many good Euro-style games that use space. I also like coopetition games and don't see it done enough.

Strangely the theme sounds a bit dry to me, though I suspect that would change as we flesh it out.

Resource management is always fun, to me. I think it might be fun to have a kind of supply-chain thing, too, where you can certainly expand out to that appealing planet over there but remember that you'll need to maintain the flow of goods along that line so if it's too far away it loses some of its appeal (but if you get there before the other guy...).

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Mon, 07/28/2003 - 18:57
#2
sedjtroll
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Coopetition

Something I like: I like the idea of a Cooperative/Competetive game- one where you are almost FORCED to help your oppoenents throughout the game, but in the end are competing directly agains them.

Something I am worried about: Fastlearner said the theme was dry. I have to agree. I don't know that this is the best way to go about it, but then again, your average citybuilding has been done and done again. I'd rather see a different kind of building other than citybuilding- which I suppose this is so maybe it will pan out better than I think.

Other thoughts: I think it would be good to have multiple players 'investing' in buildings/modules/whatever, increasing the benefit for the builder, but also qualifying themself for the benefit.

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Mon, 07/28/2003 - 19:10
#3
Anonymous
CGD1 Brainstorm: Planet Colonization

Something I like:

I like the theme. I tried designing a space colonization game for the last contest (escape the planet, colonize a new one). However it began to bog down in details, which brings me to...

Something I'm worried about:

I'm worried the game could bog down into a mind boggling amount of details that take the fun out of it.

I also liked the cooperation for personal gain aspect. It's something I've wanted to design around for a while now. You have to help the other players to help yourself, but you can't help TOO much, or you'll lose, AND you kind of have to keep some information hidden and to yourself as well. Ulterior motives and whatnot. I love that kind of gameplay, more of battle of wits, than luck.

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Mon, 07/28/2003 - 20:55
#4
phpbbadmin
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Thoughts

Positive:
Great idea..
Great mechanics..
Would be fun to play

Negative:
Too complex..

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Tue, 07/29/2003 - 09:00
#5
Scurra
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CGD1 Brainstorm: Planet Colonization

I think I agree with the sentiment here - great mechanic idea but potentially far too complex.
However, it probably wouldn't be that tough to simplify.
For instance, there is a wonderful mechanic in "Age of Steam" that is crying out to be reused in another context - track ownership. When you transport a good along a piece of track, the owner of the track scores points too. Now I think that AoS misses a trick by allowing track building and goods transportation to be done as part of the same turn, rather than making them choices (even though you do need money to be able to build track.)
But a game in which you have to decide between moving goods over other people's track or building your own track might well have interesting potential (especially if the "goods" are produced by the players too, rather than being fixed items - imagine how tough that choice would be: do I produce goods for others to ship, or build track for others to ship across, or ship goods to earn the money to be able to produce and/or build...)
I realise this doesn't perhaps fit the "space" theme, but I'm sure it could be shoehorned in somehow if it worked :)

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Tue, 07/29/2003 - 12:28
#6
FastLearner
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CGD1 Brainstorm: Planet Colonization

That's precisely the mechanic I'm using in my Elven Home (tree city) idea.

Not pooh-poohing it -- rather saying it's a good idea. :)

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Tue, 07/29/2003 - 13:09
#7
jwarrend
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CGD1 Brainstorm: Planet Colonization

My knee jerk reaction: city-building and space games are way too prevalent. Not that we need to reinvent the wheel, but I think this is a combination of genres where breaking original ground is a seriously uphill battle, and there's maybe too little room for creativity. I can see the brainstorming sessions going something like this:

"Hey, let's try using [this mechanic]".

"No, that's been done in [game Y]"

repeat ad infinitum...

-Jeff

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Tue, 07/29/2003 - 19:19
#8
Scurra
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CGD1 Brainstorm: Planet Colonization

FastLearner wrote:
That's precisely the mechanic I'm using in my Elven Home (tree city) idea.

Not pooh-poohing it -- rather saying it's a good idea. :)

OK, so we are the same person after all :)

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Tue, 07/29/2003 - 19:30
#9
Anonymous
CGD1 Brainstorm: Planet Colonization

Lol, great minds think alike, as the saying goes.

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Wed, 07/30/2003 - 08:10
#10
Anonymous
CGD1 Brainstorm: Planet Colonization

I'd have to say sci-fi and "city building" are two of my favorite flavors in most games. I think, if done well, this could be a great idea. As far as the complexity, that may be true. If we can find some root, single-sentenced idea of this game to build off of, then with a group this size, working in the direction of the proposed idea, I think it could really take off.

My thoughts on it, perhaps there'd be 5 or six base technologies that are assigned, one to each player at the beginning of the game. Then, if you are at war with someone who controls the Advanced Agricultural technology, you'd better colonize planets that easily produce food. Not the best example, but you get the idea.

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Thu, 07/31/2003 - 23:22
#11
hpox
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Re: Coopetition

sedjtroll wrote:
Something I like: I like the idea of a Cooperative/Competetive game- one where you are almost FORCED to help your oppoenents throughout the game, but in the end are competing directly agains them.

Yes! Same here.

Complex, but if the core rules is structured, cohesive and simple then complex becomes a good thing. We are so many people contributing that the complexity is nothing.

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