Von_Lipwig's Blog

I've been thinking about this idea for quite a long time: to introduce some sort of forum turn-based strategy game to NF. Everything, from the map, setting and characters to the balancing and rules would be made by me. God knows I have the imagination to think of all the background and produce the map, and I have enough basic video game experience to think of some simple rules.

In this blog and all its upcoming iterations, I will be publishing my thoughts on how to make this game, and how to make it accessible enough for forum use. The first post might be the largest one as it will hold most initial information. Subsequent blogs will contain more specifics, alterations to earlier ideas, more detailed plans and stats lists. I encourage discussion and feedback as I need this game to work well in a forum environment, and I need it to be balanced enough to yield different outcomes every time.


Beta
When I feel the game is sufficiently developed, I will be hosting beta matches. Matches can take several days or even weeks depending on the level of guile ont he part of all participants. The first beta will likely only have 4 participants and a GM. The GM's job will be quite difficult unless I think of a way to streamline the system. For the players, the system should be fairly straightforward.


Map
The map is currently in development. I already have a rough outline for an island and there are a few placenames I have set aside for this. The map will be an island divided by a grid system which will be the basis on which you move your units. Units can only move a certain number of grids per turn. Any details on how/if surface types affect movement and other things still need to be pondered.


Factions
On the beta-island (as well as the final version of this map) there will most likely be 4 factions. These will be the Nobles, the Guilds, the Veterans and the Monks.

The Nobles will have a large starting capital, can quickly draft low-quality units, have the highest tier cavalry and can hire foreign mercenaries.

The Guilds will have a large number of trade routes/high income (depending on whether I decide to put in trade routes) and have the highest tier archers.

The Veterans are the only faction that can move their main city (as they don't actually have a city but a camp) and hide it. They have the highest tier infantry in the game.

The Monks have the highest overall morale of all factions even if they lack in fighting power. Monk units also affect other units' morale.


Policies
All players will be able to have policies that affect their faction. Each player has a finite number of policy slots, and some policies take up more slots than others, depending on their usefulness. Policies can affect units, income, movement and much more.


Movement
Each unit has a given number of grids it is able to move per turn. Units can be attached to eachother, which combines them into a larger force. There will be a maximum number of units per grid (like 10 or 20 or something). Units will be able to hide to ambush other units. Units can travel while hidden but will move only half as slow. Units can set up camps which they can use to block off passages.


Battle
Battle will take place whenever opposing units are placed on the same grid, or when a unit enters another unit's area of influence (for instance in an ambush or when a camp is involved). How each unit will do in relation to another will be calculated by a (hopefully!) easy stats system. I am still working on some ideas, which I will list here:


Stats
Each unit will get some statistics. I will try to balance all units but I will need beta testing before I can be sure. We're not at that point yet, but when we are: be sure to give me lots of feedback!

Here are the first preliminary stats:

Health: A unit always starts with a 100 men, so all units will start with 100 health. As a unit suffers losses, it will drop below 100. If units are combined, they can rise over a 100.
Morale: The number displayed here will actually be the number of men a unit can stand to lose before running. A unit of peasants may run after losing only 30 men, while a monk unit may only run after losing 80 men.
Movement: How many grids a unit can move per turn.
Attack: How much damage the unit does.
Defence: How much damage the unit can take. (I'm not yet 100% sure how to handle attack and defence. I have a few small ideas but I will definitely welcome suggestions!)
Additional Skills: Some units may have extra skills they can use in certain situations.


Home cities
Each faction has a home city. I'm toying with some ideas here. My latest idea is that each home city will be a small sub-map that has its own grid system which you can use to put down buildings or maybe even have city battles. Some cities will be larger than others, and some may be stronger of better fortified.

The Veterans' home city can be moved and hidden with the right policies adopted. I'm thinking it will lose some health points but will drop off the map for any attacker unless they stumble into it.


Diplomacy
Every player is more than welcome to talk to any other player throughout the game. No diplomats are needed to enter negotiations, you can simply PM the other user on the forum. See if you can outsmart your opponent... or even your ally.




How will this play?
There will be a GM. In this case, this will be me. The map with its grid system would be posted in a thread, and all players would take turns to make their moves. The turn order can be decided by whatever, aphabet or tossing a coin or something. In a single turn you can make a number of moves. You can move your units/armies around the map until their movement points are depleted, you can buy new soldiers, increase your income, construct buildings, upgrade existing ones, manage your cities, manage your policies and play political mindgames with your fellow participants.

When you have made all your moves, you can PM them to the GM (me) and the next move will start. The playing speed will not be VERY high as I will need to manage a lot of stuff in the background and update the map for every move (the main map in the thread would of course be updated so everyone can see all enemy soldiers... unless of course they're hidden, for which purpose I would have a map here that has ALL info).



Who's in?
Of course this hasn't started yet and likely won't for a few weeks until I finalise the map, stats, rules and units. Still, apart from beta testers I need people who have a better head for maths than I do, and people who can think with me and suggest cool stuff. I have quite a few units planned for all factions already, but if they don't have proper stats (and prior to that, a proper stat system should be in place first!) they're not going to matter much.

So I'm looking for anyone who wants to help get this off the ground.

After that, I will be looking for enthusiastic beta testers.

And finally, I will be looking for more players, as I have yet another map almost ready to go that can hold up to 10 or maybe 12 players! (as opposed to just 4!)


Shoot me a comment here, send me a PM, whatever.


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Next blog, I will be revealing a First Look on the Beta-Island map, as well as post a list of unit ideas for each faction.