Command and Conquer Planning Thread

[<Nexus>]

I am in semi burnout.

Oh, I'm sorry to hear that

 

[PPQ_Purple]

On the bright side I did have time to actually step back and rethink some of the ideas I had for this.

And here are my jumbled thoughts on unit types. I am changing the role of Heavy infantry. My new plan for them is for them to be to be a jack of all trades but master of none unit.
Basically they are better at city attacking than Light Infantry but not as good as dedicated attackers which is Tanks. They are better at defending cities than Light Infantry but not as good as dedicated defenders which is Turrets. They need more infrastructure than Light Infantry in that they need barracks to build. But they don't require any resources unlike Tanks. They cost more than Light Infantry but not as much as Tanks or Turrets.

So basically if you are strapped for strapped for either resource access or hammers they offer a good enough but not perfect alternative to more dedicated units like Tanks. And if alternatively you have hammers to spare they also serve as a nice way to bulk up your defenses and field armies at a lower cost than investing into stuff like towers everywhere.

Also, I've come up with a bunch of lore and flavor texts since that ain't work.

 

[<Nexus>]

That sounds good. Seems like well thought out

 

[PPQ_Purple]

Also, have you ever considered the odd situation of Japan in the universe. Like, this break has actually given me the time to think about it and the more I do the more interesting my theories become. So I'd like to share them with you for comments and opinions.

First, what do we know about Japan in C&C?
Starting with Red Alert 2:

The game shows us two WW2 Pacific related memorials. Those being the Ivo Jima Memorial and the Arizona Memorial.
Even if we somehow excuse the later as saying that the Soviets attacked Perl Harbor (why would they?) the former makes no sense in a Soviet-American war setting. After all, WHY would the Soviet Union be putting such a strong fight up over Ivo Jima to warrant the historic memorial when the main war was happening in Europe?

And yet these two memorials are not only present in the game but carefully modeled and presented to us front and center in both sides campaigns. So clearly they are meant to be seen and noted as something important.

The opening cinematic of Red Alert 2 also shows us not one but two red phones on the table of the American president. One being labeled Moscow and the other Tokyo.
This means that in the 1970's Japan is still a major world player.

Finally given that Korea is independent in WW3 this means that the Japanese Empire as such has ceased to exist. Or is severely weakened. But the mere fact that it is Korea and not Japan that is the major allied colony / ally in the pacific while Japan is neutral also tells us that Japan was not conquered and subjugated like they were in our own timeline.

As for Red Alert 3 that game tells us that erasing Einstein from history in 1927 spawns an alternate timeline where not only is the Empire of Japan a superpower but they actually hold much of Asia including Hawaii. So much so that in the alternate 1970's they are one of the three leading superpowers rivaling the united states and Soviet Union.

So what is one to conclude from these?

If you ask me, my deduction is as follows:

In the timeline I am going for where Red Alert 1 and 2 are cannon but Red Alert 3 is not 1920's Japan is the same as in our own world. And it takes the same course as it does in our world through the 30's and 40's as well. During the 1940's and most likely immediately before or after but not during WW2 (otherwise we would be shown it in Red Alert 1) Japan picks a fight with the west and looses. But much like the Soviet Union they loose not thanks to an allied military victory but thanks to Einsteins technology. Thus by the 1970's they are diminished but not destroyed, much like the Soviet Union was.

They are thus enough of a world power to not be attacked by either side of the war and to warrant a red telephone (possibly meaning they have nukes) but not enough of one to join in. Or maybe they just figured they'd sit this one out for a change.

 

[<Nexus>]

Interesting. Actually I never really thought of Japan before (in this way) but now I imagine it as developing the same way as in our timeline until the time of WW2 but without its European allies, Japan stayed more passive and isolationist. And the erase of Einstein from timeline may have caused such butterfly effects, that may not even require explanation.

 

[PPQ_Purple]

Another thing to consider is the fate of Nikola Tesla. In our timeline the guy had a great run inventing stuff but by the end of his life most of the support for his work had dried up and so most of his ideas of that late period newer really materialized. And yet in the Red Alert universe clearly the opposite happened. So the only conclusion we can draw is that in that world he was in fact at some point (most likely in the late 20's) approached by the Soviet Union and given a blank check to work on his projects. That would have given him some 20ish years to work his magic which as we see in RA1 and 2 he clearly did.

 

[<Nexus>]

The other night I had a "revelation" about the GDI:
Before becoming a 'World government', it was an international organization overseen by other governments.
So I imagined the following mechanics: First player to build GDI HQ world wonder, gains access to special GDI units (maybe buildings too?). Any civ that has Alliance or Defensive Pact with this player also has access to these stuff.
Later GDI can emerge as a new civ - the "how" is a different question.

What do you think?

 

[PPQ_Purple]

I guess this is as good a time as any to outline my revised look at NOD and GDI. This is all very much alpha though. So feel free to comment, argue etc.

Basically once I get to them my intent is to copy the overcouncil / undercouncil mechanics from FFH with a dash of Mercurians if I can get it to work. It shouldn't be that hard since they are just a modified version of the UN and Apostolic Palace.

To start off, there will indeed be a wonder founding both (Temple Prime and Philadelphia Station respectively). This wonder activates their respective voting systems. It also works like the Mercurian Gate in that it summons in Nod or GDI respectively. Only in this case it's going to not just give them that particular city like with the Mercurians but all the players cities, units etc. So it basically turns the building player into Nod or GDI. I intend to have Yuri work the same way if I get to him. This is assuming I can get this to work. Which I should.

So building Temple Prime turns you into Nod, activates the Nod voting system AND makes you a permanent non replaceable chairman. And the same is for GDI.

Once Nod and/or GDI are founded players will get the option to adopt the appropriate Civic to join one or the other or just not adopt either and remain neutral. Same as in FFH. These civic will let them join the voting but they will also give them access to faction unique techs. And through these techs they will get access to unique units and buildings and stuff from their faction. The tradeoff being that once you join you can't switch out. So you are stuck with your choice for the rest of the game. This is to prevent people cheesing and getting things from both sides.

In terms of what is up for voting you'll have the usual trade embargo, open borders, defensive pact between all players etc. Only there will be no voting victory. Instead there will be a vote to either put all faction members into a permanent alliance or maybe makes them vassals of the leader. I've not decided. The idea is to make the end game a two faction megawar though.

I am still working on the WW3 (RA2) part of the game though.

 

[PPQ_Purple]

Some good news. I have found a new way of working that has allowed me to regain motivation to slowly work on this. Time is still a big issue, but at least motivation is not.

 

[<Nexus>]

Nice
Post any screen shots you can, so we can cheer you further.

 

[PPQ_Purple]

Nice
Post any screen shots you can, so we can cheer you further.

You already did. In fact it's you who helped me realize what I was doing wrong back when you asked me if what I had so far was playable.
It took me a while but I realized that the problem I had was that I was adding things in a very methodical way and that meant I newer had a playable version. Like, add all techs but no buildings so the XML is broken. That sort of thing. And that's demotivating because I can't start up the game to actually see my results.

Now I can. Screenshots will come tomorrow once I clean the art up a bit. As I am currently in the progress of adding each tech one at a time and than doing everything for that tech (unit, building etc.) And a part of that is a lot of art. Like for example changing improvements and buildings to look like stuff from the games. Mostly because I find that fun and thus motivating.

Also for some reason things just won't upload today. No idea why. But the forum gets stuck.

 

[PPQ_Purple]

Workshop replacement, based off the RA1 refinery.

 

[PPQ_Purple]

Allies, turret tier 1: Pillbox (two model variations)

 

[Blake00]

Ooooh have been looking forward to when you'd start posting screens.. good stuff! Looking forward to seeing world shots when the time comes!

 

[<Nexus>]

Any recent progress?

 

[PPQ_Purple]

I am basically done with the RA1 era and have half the RA2 era in terms of tech tree planned out. Still struggling with some details before I can start adding those.

 

[<Nexus>]

Any news?

 

[PPQ_Purple]

I am basically stuck because this is far too much work for a single person. And the unpaid aid I was hoping to recruit by using this thread to build up hype has failed to materialize.

 

[Stew Pid]

I am basically stuck because this is far too much work for a single person. And the unpaid aid I was hoping to recruit by using this thread to build up hype has failed to materialize

What model format does Civilization 4 utilize? I have see tons of 3D handmade C&C models that people upload for modders to use from every C&C title, some even fully rigged with a skeleton and they allow permission for you to use as long as you credit them. I am sure there are some models would help you plan or drive momentum to this project if you used some of them instead of working entirely from scratch.

 

[PPQ_Purple]

The models are not an issue for me. I can churn those out. The issue is everything else. The XML work alone is just too much for one person to do. Than the AI balancing, game balancing and everything else. It's just way too much.

Either way I am going to leave CIV for a couple years.