JohannaK
Heroically Clueless
No, it's a MASSIVE improvement over the original. But it still looks bad. I'd say it's almost impossible to do anything that looks good with the original, though.
IOT Developmental Thread
- Thread starter Joecoolyo
- Start date
Tani Coyote
Son of Huehuecoyotl
- Joined
- May 28, 2007
- Messages
- 15,195
Tempted to make use of original. Lots of provinces always make me a happy camper.
NedimNapoleon
Weird Little Human
However made the original should be stoned. No one has committed a sin compared to him...Hitler could throw the first stone.
christos200
Never tell me the odds
Civ'ed
I ain't gotta explain a thing
And now for some ruleset, made in about 2 hours by a tired me:
Joining:
Choose 10 provinces IN EUROPE. at random, you get either a great power (with the 10 provinces) or a secondary power (5 provinces)
Nation name, flag, etc. Just be realistic please.
ANYTHING UNCLAIMED PROBABLY WILL BE NPC'ED, Especially in Asia and Africa
Owning the world
Because Europe will be pretty much claimed by all sorts of nations, You're going to have to think of another way to conquer the map.
Here's a few things to know:
Land Provinces
A land province generates 2£ a turn (year) and can be acquired by various means.
Naval Provinces
A naval province dictates how far you can supply your navy. you can have, aside from the upkeep-free coastal naval provinces, you can have one province per squadron.
Suez Canal
The suez canal starts off as part of the Province of Suez, a land province. As soon as I give the ability to build it via update, the de facto controller of Suez can buld it and whoever owns Suez owns the canal sea zone.
Conquering land provinces:
There are ways to do this, three ways to be exact:
Spheres of Influence
Spheres of influence are when you make an NPC your Sphereling. You get half of their income and soldiers. They will tend to join your wars if it looks profitable for them. After a while they might even join you. Costs 5 £
Peace Deals/Treaties
If you are at war with a country, you can recieve provinces as parts of a peace deal. In addition, in peace, you can sign treaties which do the same thing. Costs depending on agreement
Colonization
This is the standard version. This is tied to your Poor Strata number however, so the more colonies, the less armies etc. Costs are 1£
Pops
Pops are divided into three groups:
Poor Strata
Poor Strata form the main basis of armies and navies, 1000 Poor Strata = 1 army or 1 navy
Middle Strata
Middle Strata forms the economical basis, 1000 Middle Strata = 1 £
Rich Strata
Rich Strata forms a little bonus to £. 1000 Rich Strata = .5 £, but gives a 10% chance of actual fun economy events.
Each province has 4000 Poor pops, 2000 Middle Pops and 500 Rich pops. this can be increased through events.
Research
Research has been reworked. No longer do you spend money trying to research tech, instead you have events fire at random for each nation.
Research events WILL BE SPOILERED. I ask of you that only the recipient looks and then decides whether he wants to tell the world.
Diplomacy
As Victoria II proves, Conquest is not an option, and for god's sake, the one famous board game in the time period is Diplomacy. RP is encouraged. I'll try and give each NPC a different agenda - potential Saxony might have different ideas than Persia.
Bonuses:
The game will offer some bonuses for specific sea routes. These are areas on the edge of the map.
these are:
Greenland = although Greenland seems worthless, if sailing from Europe to America it might prove useful. 1 upkeep-free naval province
India = India is very rich, and having colonies here might actually be beneficial. +1£ per province controlled in the zone.
Cape = The Cape of Good Hope is still somewhat important as a trade post. +2£ pet turn.
America = America is a land of opportunity. Maybe we can trade. +2£ per turn, subject to events
The White Sea = important. Somehow. +1£ per turn.
ARMIES AND NAVIES: (I confess this is just written up now)
Armies cost 2£ each and 1000 poor pop each.
Navies cost 3£ each and 1000 poor pop each.
You'll have to balance these if you want to rule Africa, needless to say.
Joining:
Choose 10 provinces IN EUROPE. at random, you get either a great power (with the 10 provinces) or a secondary power (5 provinces)
Nation name, flag, etc. Just be realistic please.
ANYTHING UNCLAIMED PROBABLY WILL BE NPC'ED, Especially in Asia and Africa
Owning the world
Because Europe will be pretty much claimed by all sorts of nations, You're going to have to think of another way to conquer the map.
Here's a few things to know:
Land Provinces
A land province generates 2£ a turn (year) and can be acquired by various means.
Naval Provinces
A naval province dictates how far you can supply your navy. you can have, aside from the upkeep-free coastal naval provinces, you can have one province per squadron.
Suez Canal
The suez canal starts off as part of the Province of Suez, a land province. As soon as I give the ability to build it via update, the de facto controller of Suez can buld it and whoever owns Suez owns the canal sea zone.
Conquering land provinces:
There are ways to do this, three ways to be exact:
Spheres of Influence
Spheres of influence are when you make an NPC your Sphereling. You get half of their income and soldiers. They will tend to join your wars if it looks profitable for them. After a while they might even join you. Costs 5 £
Peace Deals/Treaties
If you are at war with a country, you can recieve provinces as parts of a peace deal. In addition, in peace, you can sign treaties which do the same thing. Costs depending on agreement
Colonization
This is the standard version. This is tied to your Poor Strata number however, so the more colonies, the less armies etc. Costs are 1£
Pops
Pops are divided into three groups:
Poor Strata
Poor Strata form the main basis of armies and navies, 1000 Poor Strata = 1 army or 1 navy
Middle Strata
Middle Strata forms the economical basis, 1000 Middle Strata = 1 £
Rich Strata
Rich Strata forms a little bonus to £. 1000 Rich Strata = .5 £, but gives a 10% chance of actual fun economy events.
Each province has 4000 Poor pops, 2000 Middle Pops and 500 Rich pops. this can be increased through events.
Research
Research has been reworked. No longer do you spend money trying to research tech, instead you have events fire at random for each nation.
Research events WILL BE SPOILERED. I ask of you that only the recipient looks and then decides whether he wants to tell the world.
Diplomacy
As Victoria II proves, Conquest is not an option, and for god's sake, the one famous board game in the time period is Diplomacy. RP is encouraged. I'll try and give each NPC a different agenda - potential Saxony might have different ideas than Persia.
Bonuses:
The game will offer some bonuses for specific sea routes. These are areas on the edge of the map.
these are:
Greenland = although Greenland seems worthless, if sailing from Europe to America it might prove useful. 1 upkeep-free naval province
India = India is very rich, and having colonies here might actually be beneficial. +1£ per province controlled in the zone.
Cape = The Cape of Good Hope is still somewhat important as a trade post. +2£ pet turn.
America = America is a land of opportunity. Maybe we can trade. +2£ per turn, subject to events
The White Sea = important. Somehow. +1£ per turn.
ARMIES AND NAVIES: (I confess this is just written up now)
Armies cost 2£ each and 1000 poor pop each.
Navies cost 3£ each and 1000 poor pop each.
You'll have to balance these if you want to rule Africa, needless to say.
- Joined
- Mar 31, 2008
- Messages
- 14,928
The idea of the military mechanics for this one was basically the Civilization IV system with strongest units on top, weaker ones on bottom, and artillery units getting first strikes and yadayadayada. I don't plan on running this in the foreseeable future but hey, it might give somebody ideas of their own.
I was going to let players select the order of their units and other exotic things though because some techunits, especially Atomicpunk units, can be downright cruel to the first guy in.
Each unit would also have a tier or a couple of tiers depending on its makeup because there was a rudimentary tech system for the unique units. It's All in the Manual (TM).
Anyway, this was going to be the tiers. Conventional units were supposed to be jack-of-all-trades with useful tier bonuses that could benefit anybody. Cyberpunk units were tactical swarm units that would produce temporary units in battle, including more units that could produce more units. Atomicpunk units were going to be hardhitting stackbusters that at T2 would have a suicide ability that doubled firepower (and coupled with the stackbusting and other stack penalties mean you could effectively make glass cannons). Biopunk units were, finally, going to be the strategic swarm units.
The best part of the system was going to be flexibility. You could make a unit that is T1 in everything, meaning you would have a hard-to-hit, stackbusting, mildly regenerating unit that more advanced Cyberpunk units would be able to produce in the field. You could have a T1/T3 unit, a T2/T2 unit, a T2/T1/T1 unit, a T4 unit, and any other combination I haven't thought of.
For instance, a T2 Atomic/T2 Biopunk unit I thought of was a high firepower unit that I would always order a suicide attack with. The unit would do damage overflow, potentially destroying the target as well as a unit or two in the overflow, and you would receive half the cost of the unit back, as well as a quarter of the cost of destroyed units.
Units would have also been divided between front units and support units. The battle would open up with the support units attacking each other and then on the front units, probably destroying a few fodder units people would put on top of their stacks, and then the front units would go after each other for a couple of rounds and then a winner is determined and provinces chance hands.
Three domains of course. Land, air, and naval.
Anyway, tiers.
T4 abilities were purposely made over the top to make up for the fact that you would have to specialize it. A T4 Conventional unit is extremely accurate, extremely fast, and hits twice. A T4 Cyberpunk unit can spam units that can spam units that, themselves, can spam units, and to top it off it generates beakers.
A T4 Atomic Unit can, if strong enough, single-handily destroy an entire stack. Damage overflow, unit cycling, and continued damage to those cycled units? For practical purposes, a T4 unit sent on a suicide run is a one-shot nuclear weapon.
Finally, a T4 Biopunk unit is unkillable. You can destroy it in battle, but there's a good chance you'll see that exact same unit again in another battle. Not only can you not kill it, but as the trend starting at Natural Selection proves, you actually make the enemy stronger the more you fight.
But yeah, possibilities. How about a T1 Cyber/T2 Atomic/T1 Biopunk unit. The unit can be produced on the front, go on a suicide run, and then you would have actually receive free EP because units produced in battle don't actually cost you actual EP outside of the cost of the initial production unit.
As such, Atomicpunk units were supposed to counter Biopunk (destroying a unit with the overflow damage means it only refunds itself and doesn't see battle). Biopunk counters Cyberpunk (because rule of cool). Cyberpunk counters Atomicpunk (simple create a T1 unit with high resilience, little everything else, and have your T2 units deploy the unit as a shield to damage overflow). Conventional units don't really counter anything really. They're just generally good.
Anyway, what do you all think?
I was going to let players select the order of their units and other exotic things though because some techunits, especially Atomicpunk units, can be downright cruel to the first guy in.
Each unit would also have a tier or a couple of tiers depending on its makeup because there was a rudimentary tech system for the unique units. It's All in the Manual (TM).
Anyway, this was going to be the tiers. Conventional units were supposed to be jack-of-all-trades with useful tier bonuses that could benefit anybody. Cyberpunk units were tactical swarm units that would produce temporary units in battle, including more units that could produce more units. Atomicpunk units were going to be hardhitting stackbusters that at T2 would have a suicide ability that doubled firepower (and coupled with the stackbusting and other stack penalties mean you could effectively make glass cannons). Biopunk units were, finally, going to be the strategic swarm units.
The best part of the system was going to be flexibility. You could make a unit that is T1 in everything, meaning you would have a hard-to-hit, stackbusting, mildly regenerating unit that more advanced Cyberpunk units would be able to produce in the field. You could have a T1/T3 unit, a T2/T2 unit, a T2/T1/T1 unit, a T4 unit, and any other combination I haven't thought of.
For instance, a T2 Atomic/T2 Biopunk unit I thought of was a high firepower unit that I would always order a suicide attack with. The unit would do damage overflow, potentially destroying the target as well as a unit or two in the overflow, and you would receive half the cost of the unit back, as well as a quarter of the cost of destroyed units.
Units would have also been divided between front units and support units. The battle would open up with the support units attacking each other and then on the front units, probably destroying a few fodder units people would put on top of their stacks, and then the front units would go after each other for a couple of rounds and then a winner is determined and provinces chance hands.
Three domains of course. Land, air, and naval.
Anyway, tiers.
Spoiler :
T4 abilities were purposely made over the top to make up for the fact that you would have to specialize it. A T4 Conventional unit is extremely accurate, extremely fast, and hits twice. A T4 Cyberpunk unit can spam units that can spam units that, themselves, can spam units, and to top it off it generates beakers.
A T4 Atomic Unit can, if strong enough, single-handily destroy an entire stack. Damage overflow, unit cycling, and continued damage to those cycled units? For practical purposes, a T4 unit sent on a suicide run is a one-shot nuclear weapon.
Finally, a T4 Biopunk unit is unkillable. You can destroy it in battle, but there's a good chance you'll see that exact same unit again in another battle. Not only can you not kill it, but as the trend starting at Natural Selection proves, you actually make the enemy stronger the more you fight.
But yeah, possibilities. How about a T1 Cyber/T2 Atomic/T1 Biopunk unit. The unit can be produced on the front, go on a suicide run, and then you would have actually receive free EP because units produced in battle don't actually cost you actual EP outside of the cost of the initial production unit.
As such, Atomicpunk units were supposed to counter Biopunk (destroying a unit with the overflow damage means it only refunds itself and doesn't see battle). Biopunk counters Cyberpunk (because rule of cool). Cyberpunk counters Atomicpunk (simple create a T1 unit with high resilience, little everything else, and have your T2 units deploy the unit as a shield to damage overflow). Conventional units don't really counter anything really. They're just generally good.
Anyway, what do you all think?
Terrance888
Discord Reigns
I like it! Sonney Boy.
Will there be set costs for the tiers? i.e. All units are the same price, just differently specialized?
Is it OK if I steal parts of this for SilliNES3: The Search for Imago?
Will there be set costs for the tiers? i.e. All units are the same price, just differently specialized?
Is it OK if I steal parts of this for SilliNES3: The Search for Imago?
- Joined
- Mar 31, 2008
- Messages
- 14,928
Like RAFOE, each player would have been able to select a techpath. However, I planned on making different Beakers purchasable with EP that are spent to create new units from scratch or improve on existing ones that you have access to. My favorite thing from RAFOE was the idea that I could create a UU blueprint and then trade and sell that blueprint to others.
As for all unit costs are determined, I had a basic idea but I wasn't sure how I would approach a tier cost.
For instance, pretend this is a T2 Cyber/T2 Atomic Unit (half the beakers used to create the blueprint were Cyberpunk Beakers, the other half Atomic Beakers).
Atomic Robot
Accuracy 6
Mobility 6
Firepower 6
Resilience 6
and pretend this was a T4 Biopunk Unit (all beakers were Biopunk beakers
Hive Queen
Accuracy 2
Mobility 2
Firepower 2
Resilience 2
The Atomic Robot, under a no-tier added system, would cost (and this is a rough cost) 24 EP. The Hive Queen would cost only 8.
However, which unit is objectively better is hard to say. The Hive Queen, as stated, is indestrucible, but the Atomic Robot can clearly wipe her out easily and given its high mobility and accuracy, often.
For that reason, I'm leaning toward no added cost for having a specialized unit because you're already paying a cost by not having a diversified unit.
Also, the different beakers would have added bonuses. All beakers, when creating a unit, can all increase or decrease any stat, including the actual cost of the unit (though, lowering a stat to cheapen a unit is cheaper). However, an Atomicpunk Beaker would increase Firepower by two points instead of one when used for Firepower. Biopunk resilience, Conventional mobility, and Cyberpunk accuracy.
Support units are more expensive though. Thinking it would take two beakers to increase a stat by one, unless it is the right beaker, like Conventional for Mobility.
This is IOT. Stealing from each other is how we say we love one another.
Terrance888
Discord Reigns
I would love you, but there is a certain #neschat thing we both know about.
Thanks!
Thanks!
- Joined
- Mar 31, 2008
- Messages
- 14,928
In retrospect, I would flip the T1 and T2 Atomicpunk abilities. It makes collateral damage something only a more specialized Atomic unit can do, so it won't be as widespead and dampen Atomicpunk's specialty. Meanwhile, the suicide ability means more units are capable of doing that, but because it doesn't do collateral, it means you would pick up the T1 Atomic and not T2 only if you are considering a one-strike unit.
Plus, T3 Cyberpunk+T1 Atomic is basicially a missile that can produce missiles that can produce even more missiles. Midflight.
Edit: Also, T4 Cyberpunk's other ability would be stealing blueprints instead of producing beakers. Fits in better, easier to balance, and is sufficiently awesome to warrant inclusion.
Plus, T3 Cyberpunk+T1 Atomic is basicially a missile that can produce missiles that can produce even more missiles. Midflight.
Edit: Also, T4 Cyberpunk's other ability would be stealing blueprints instead of producing beakers. Fits in better, easier to balance, and is sufficiently awesome to warrant inclusion.
carmen510
Deity
I've been contemplating this idea for a while, and while I was thinking of making it an NES, I think the playstyle would be far more suited for an IOT.
This IOT's setting would be the Warlord Era in China, with all of the anarchy and foreign interventionism that entails. It would likely start in 1916 or sometime during the 1920s.
Players would create a warlord state in China, with all widely varying societies & governments. It could be a monarchist state seeking restoration (or succession) to the emperor's throne, a communist-agrarian collective, a foreign puppet corporate state, a traditionalist theocracy, a commercial city-state, a military dictatorship, or a reformist & emerging democracy.
Foreign powers would be NPCs that meddle in China's internal affairs and players can choose to slavishly obey them, play tit-for-tat, or fight against foreign imperialism. They would contribute to Chinese modernization with foreign investment & contracts, but domestic turbulence would occur from colluding with foreign devils. The United States, Japan, Russia, Great Britain, Germany, and France would all be foreign powers. There may also be other NPCs like the Kuomintang, Pu Yi, and the Shanghai International Settlement that can lord over certain high value cities and possibly form umbrella organizations.
Obviously, the Warlord Era would involve lots of fighting against other warlord states, which would likely be NPCs early on and would branch out to other players. It would also involve lots of tenuous alliances to maintain a balance of power against others.
Provinces would likely reflect China's situation at the time; eastern & coastline provinces will be far more developed, but also prone to foreign influence. Western provinces will have much harder terrain to expand in & less developed, but food supply and defense will be more secure. I'm not quite sure what to do with population yet, though one will likely not run out of soldiers. Research levels would depend on self-development and what foreign powers give you; the most advanced technology available in this game would likely be tanks & military aircraft, although naval units will also play a role, particularly on rivers.
The map would likely be restricted to modern-day China, Taiwan, and Mongolia. I think Korea will be left as a Japanese puppet state. I would also like to keep certain cities under NPC control, like Hong Kong, Beijing, Macau, Shanghai, and Guangzhou. Taking these cities would provide great rewards, although it may also lead to a large-scale foreign intervention.
I will also throw in random events like famines, floods, rebellions, and other crises that the players may deal with. Foreign events may also change the way NPCs act.
While I intend for this to be very freeform with regards to creativity, I would expect some grounding in logic, pragmatism, and realism, in the sense that communists don't suddenly align with the United States or give out free contracts to Great Britain.
The map would likely be a cropped version of the Darkest Hour map, although other suggestions are welcome. I'm trying to gauge interest for this.
This IOT's setting would be the Warlord Era in China, with all of the anarchy and foreign interventionism that entails. It would likely start in 1916 or sometime during the 1920s.
Players would create a warlord state in China, with all widely varying societies & governments. It could be a monarchist state seeking restoration (or succession) to the emperor's throne, a communist-agrarian collective, a foreign puppet corporate state, a traditionalist theocracy, a commercial city-state, a military dictatorship, or a reformist & emerging democracy.
Foreign powers would be NPCs that meddle in China's internal affairs and players can choose to slavishly obey them, play tit-for-tat, or fight against foreign imperialism. They would contribute to Chinese modernization with foreign investment & contracts, but domestic turbulence would occur from colluding with foreign devils. The United States, Japan, Russia, Great Britain, Germany, and France would all be foreign powers. There may also be other NPCs like the Kuomintang, Pu Yi, and the Shanghai International Settlement that can lord over certain high value cities and possibly form umbrella organizations.
Obviously, the Warlord Era would involve lots of fighting against other warlord states, which would likely be NPCs early on and would branch out to other players. It would also involve lots of tenuous alliances to maintain a balance of power against others.
Provinces would likely reflect China's situation at the time; eastern & coastline provinces will be far more developed, but also prone to foreign influence. Western provinces will have much harder terrain to expand in & less developed, but food supply and defense will be more secure. I'm not quite sure what to do with population yet, though one will likely not run out of soldiers. Research levels would depend on self-development and what foreign powers give you; the most advanced technology available in this game would likely be tanks & military aircraft, although naval units will also play a role, particularly on rivers.
The map would likely be restricted to modern-day China, Taiwan, and Mongolia. I think Korea will be left as a Japanese puppet state. I would also like to keep certain cities under NPC control, like Hong Kong, Beijing, Macau, Shanghai, and Guangzhou. Taking these cities would provide great rewards, although it may also lead to a large-scale foreign intervention.
I will also throw in random events like famines, floods, rebellions, and other crises that the players may deal with. Foreign events may also change the way NPCs act.
While I intend for this to be very freeform with regards to creativity, I would expect some grounding in logic, pragmatism, and realism, in the sense that communists don't suddenly align with the United States or give out free contracts to Great Britain.
The map would likely be a cropped version of the Darkest Hour map, although other suggestions are welcome. I'm trying to gauge interest for this.
SamSniped
DJ Goodboye
Sounds like an awesome idea! I'll definitely join 
JohannaK
Heroically Clueless
While reading this book I got on China, I thought of doing one in the Warring States period. I'll speed up my read and try this out as a kind of test.
Terran Empress
Hornet
Heck yah ill join that
christos200
Never tell me the odds
I will join a Warlord Era IOT. Restoration of the Ming Dynasty!!!! Down with the Communists and the Manchu Barbarians!!!
Civ'ed
I ain't gotta explain a thing
I would definitely join a warlord-era IOT
Tani Coyote
Son of Huehuecoyotl
- Joined
- May 28, 2007
- Messages
- 15,195
Announcing that MPV will be put on standby after Sons of Mars IV.
I will instead be launching something called "Another Terra: Empires and Nations" or ATEN for short.
No details to be given.
I will instead be launching something called "Another Terra: Empires and Nations" or ATEN for short.
No details to be given.
- Joined
- Apr 4, 2010
- Messages
- 8,873
Oooh, sounds interesting. And I'm happy as long as you host MPV before you disappear completely into Sonicland, if that ever happens.
Tani Coyote
Son of Huehuecoyotl
- Joined
- May 28, 2007
- Messages
- 15,195
Coming soon…
-For warmongers: diverse and flexible yet simple combat system to command and control weaker states
-For builders: A large, robust economic system to master to enrich your people
-For diplomats: An array of powers of varying levels to befriend, and a great deal of pre-existing friendships, rivalries, and enmities to comprehend
-For manipulators: Espionage missions galore, and national rivalries and hatreds to take advantage of
-For storytellers: A history made cooperatively by the players to allow greater depth
-For warmongers: diverse and flexible yet simple combat system to command and control weaker states
-For builders: A large, robust economic system to master to enrich your people
-For diplomats: An array of powers of varying levels to befriend, and a great deal of pre-existing friendships, rivalries, and enmities to comprehend
-For manipulators: Espionage missions galore, and national rivalries and hatreds to take advantage of
-For storytellers: A history made cooperatively by the players to allow greater depth
