Game 12 - Post Mortem - RTS

My Game 12 is "RTS".  If you want to join in either with the same Genre or your own, use the tag 12Games12Weeks on Twitter and/or itch.io, I would love to see what you create in this time also!

MVP 

• UI
• Construction/Resource collection ability
• 3 unit types (to enable RPS) (maybe 4 ->  +worker/collector)
• Buildings
• HQ
• Turrets
• Unit Generation? (or make this upgrades on the HQ building)
• AI for Opponent
• Fog of War?
• upgrades?

Results

Took ~20 hours of work to complete.  Basically nothing from prior games was able to be use.  I started 2D, but then realized I would have to work out pathfinding/etc. so I switched to 3D.  I got unit construction and Unit AI/Damage working then moved on to "Side" AI, then end/load screens. You can find the game here: https://adroitconceptions.itch.io/12games12weeks-12-rts

What When Right?

• Tank Prefab trick to have 1 tank that gets told what type it is, then it builds itself up correctly.

What Lesson(s) Did I learn?

• RTS has lots of moving parts that are not 'default' in the engine.
• Smart AI is hard, interesting AI not as bad.

What did I take away?

• This definitely could be used as a playground for making a better AI with a few improvements (RPS units, resource collection) - right now it is mostly about focusing units to have more units at a combat.
• I over scoped the MVP.
• A good RTS relies on information, counters, choices.

Milestones/Workflow/Tool Usage

• 2D version of fighting tanks
• scrap 2D version
• build 3D tank models
• Build 3D terrain for map
• Tank select/send to location code
• tank moving code
• Build 3D model for base
• Spawning code
• tank combat code (&*^% angle processing to get the aiming to work correctly)

What would I do if I was to work further on this (Expanded from an MVP to a full game)?

• better art
• Resource gathering
• Build queues
• Unit groups
• alerts & jump to alert
• Better AI for AI commander
• Fully implement the RPS for the tanks
• audio
• multiple maps
• multiplayer (a whole different story with the amount of moving stuff in the game, I think RTS games are deterministic and only need to sent input syncing commands back and forth..)
• lots other.

Game 12 - Planning - RTS

My Game 12 is "Real Time Strategy".  If you want to join in either with the same Genre or your own, use the tag 12Games12Weeks on Twitter and/or itch.io, I would love to see what you create in this time also!

MVP 

• UI
• Construction/Resource collection ability
• 3 unit types (to enable RPS) (maybe 4 ->  +worker/collector)
• Buildings
• HQ
• Turrets
• Unit Generation? (or make this upgrades on the HQ building)
• AI for Opponent
• Fog of War?
• upgrades?

Concepts 

• Input 
• 2D Rendering
• 2D art
• 2D camera
• More Advanced UI (This is a RTS)
• Menu(s)
• AI

Extra Concepts

• Audio Playing
• Audio Effect Creation
• VFX

Art

• Units
• Building
• Level

Audio

• Units
• Move
• Attack
• Take Damage
• Die
• Buildings
• Move
• Attack
• Take Damage
• Die

Planned Tools

• Unity 2017.3
• Visual Studio Code
• Gimp
• Audacity
• BFRX or ChipTone

Reference

• RTS Sprite packs (Sci-Fi) (Medieval)
• A* (Pathfinding)
• Tactical Rock, Paper, Scissors
• RTS AI
• Fog of War in Unity
• Top Down Tanks

Game 11 - Post Mortem - WRPG

My Game 11 is "Western RPG".  If you want to join in either with the same Genre or your own, use the tag 12Games12Weeks on Twitter and/or itch.io, I would love to see what you create in this time also!

MVP 

I believe that the MVP for an Western RPG game would be to to take the Action Adventure and add some ability systems, and leveling.  World setting/character appearance customization/quest givers, while a big part of the Genre, are going to be skipped for the MVP at this time.

Results

Took ~10 hours of work to complete, 5 of which was staring at paper/computer and trying to figure out what exactly to make - what parts of the massive range of ideas that a WRPG could be to make. I started with the Action Adventure project, added abilities, leveling/etc and ability based challenges.  You can find the game here: https://adroitconceptions.itch.io/12games12weeks-11-wrpg

What When Right?

• Starting with the Action Adventure base project made building the project easy (once I got over the hump of what to actually make).

What Lesson(s) Did I learn?

• WRPG is a very broad term really covering multiple genre/game types.  As there are WRPGs that some WRPG fans would like and others wouldn't like... but both are in the genre WRPG.
• Character customization is challenging... Especially if you want it to be relevant to game play as the more game play relevant customization, the more "unused" content that has to be created.
• I think this is a place were I would be interested in seeing how systemic game-play + proc gen could be integrated to dynamically create worlds that are interesting for different characters.  However, I am also of the belief that good proc gen is actually harder then hand crafted ad you have to define "good" x in a programmatic way which goes beyond a 'feeling'

What did I take away?

• A WRPG is likely above the the current curve for a single dev.  At least if you are going to go supper far with the choices.  The amount of work to play time seems to go way up with the amount of choices.
• Game could really use a lock-on system to help in combat... and a camera aim ability for the projectiles.

Milestones/Workflow/Tool Usage

• Copy Action Adventure project to new folder
• Create Air Master Ability
• Create Flame Master Ability
• Create Melee Master Ability
• Create XP/Level system
• Create add level up menu to pause menu
• Add XP/level up info to game menu
• Rebuild level to provide challenge that can be overcome by each ability
• Work out a Flip camera X/Y menu/code system (from feedback on prior game( 

What would I do if I was to work further on this (Expanded from an MVP to a full game)?

• better art
• more enemies
• more/better FXs (both visual and audio)
• more quests/areas
• NPCs to interact with
• More attack choices (was limited by the animations I had available)
• More movement choices
• A few abilities to pickup/learn
• More quests
• A full ability tree
• Gear