[SDK][conversion] Underworld RPG: The Faces of Civilization - meat to fill the shell

chrusion

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Civ IV becomes the evolving shell (world force) that houses a dynamic RPG environment.

Sub-maps are built in an SDK branch of the current CvMap and CvGameAI generators.

Sub-maps are zoomed in magnifications of the current Civ IV terrain tiles.

Civ IV plays "overhead" at a rate dependent on the current RPG activity . This rate can be adjusted by player preference. A sample speed to start with is 1 Civ IV turn for every 1 RPG year. If no RPG activity is desired, Civ IV turns can be taken consecutively.

The focus of game power is put on heroes. The Ruler of the civilization is the main hero. Power is a general term for anything that can advance a civ's religion, finances, territory, technology, diplomatic relations, aquisition or building of artifacts and wonders, establishing new cities, etc. From a high level strategy point of view this is Civ IV. RPG is in the details.

All heroes start out as common workers except the Ruler. The Ruler is a special hero that is the player's avatar into the game. The civ is only capable of growing to the point that the Ruler has the ability to maintain. There are many quests and duties the Ruler can take on that will give the experience needed to develop these abilities. These actions often will also have other direct benefits on the status of the expanding empire.

The Command Ability vs Morale Cost

Other heroes may be enticed to accompany the Ruler on quests or take care of duties. The number of heroes that can be in the direct command of the Ruler at any one time is determined by the Command Ability. A Ruler is able to command a selection of heroes who's combined Morale Cost is less than the Ruler's Command Ability.
Morale Cost is directly related to the power or effectiveness of the hero. The stronger the hero, ther greater the Morale Cost. The financial wizard will also have a high Morale Cost, as will the charismatic diplomat.

The Influence Ability vs Morale Cost:
The relation to Command Ability

Heroes also have a Command Ability (remember, the Ruler is just a special hero). Heroes can be assigned heroes of their own. These hero underlings do not directly respond to an order from the Ruler but, like a chain of dominoes, eventually recieve that order (or a slightly modified version) through their hero superiors. The strictness of the Ruler's command and the loyalty of the hero are involved in determining the purety of the order. The general inturpretation of the order itself may also have an effect on the order that is passed down to the underlings.
Influence Ability restricts the size of the total hierarchy that is commandable by the Ruler. Each hero has an Influence of its own that restricts the subhierarchy the hero can command. The intricate details of managing this hierarchy can be left to the Ruler AI or fiddled with to any level that is desired. Guidelines can be applied that cause the AI to manage things according to the current goals of the Ruler.

This is just the tip of the iceburg of the plan that is being set forth. I would like to open this up to any comments, and ideas.
 
Sounds pretty good, but you posted this in the wrong area. You should PM a mod to ask them to move it to the main Creation & Customization thread.
 
chrusion said:
Civ IV becomes the evolving shell (world force) that houses a dynamic RPG environment.

Subworlds are built in an SDK branch of the current CvMap and CvGameAI generators.

I'd be happy with just being able to make the submaps. If you did just that much and released it I think it would open up a lot of possibilities.

Roger Bacon
 
My game plan is to create a post holocaust environment (Fallout, Gamma World, Wasteland, etc.)
There is a mod that has this goal but I want to make it a top-down RPG.
The Underworld RPG design document is in progress.
Sub-Map C++ archetecture design is being laid out.
 
If you succeed in this, it would be a tremendous accomplishment (given the inability to alter the graphics engine). Good luck with it!
 
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