Hi, Actually, I've been debating writing something like that for quite some time, except that it'd be a scifi thing, kind of like Star Craft. ----- Original Message ----- From: "Christopher Bartlett" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> To: "gamers-audyssey.org" <gamers@audyssey.org> Sent: Monday, June 26, 2006 5:45 PM Subject: [Audyssey] Noodling a new game concept.
>I am going to start work on creating a tactical/strategic land battle > simulation game that is accessible to the blind gaming > community. I'm doing this for myself, and if others enjoy it, so > much the better. Here are some initial thoughts and I'd-like-tos > that should give the rest of you an idea of the sort of thing I'm > considering, along with solicitations for ideas how to solve the > major problems. > > 1. Scalability. I want the player to be able to operate at command > levels from small units (platoons and companies) up through corps and > army command. The game would be played as a series of scenarios > featuring various levels of command, each of which would have > different time and space scaling parameters. With the battle at > Gettysburg as my first intended scenario pack, there could be > scenarios for Meade and Lee as army commanders, Longstreet, Reynolds > and Hancock among others as corps commanders who played significant > parts in the battle, down to regimental scenarios, such as > Chamberlain and the 20th Maine's defense of the Little Roundtop on > the second day, or the battles across the Wheat Field. > > 2. Command&Control. There are many simulations that allow you to > maneuver units around directly. What I'd like to create is something > where the player issues orders to units, based on information > reported to him/her, and then the game shows the results of the > imperfect execution of the orders based on the unit's morale and > effectiveness. (green units, even with high spirit are less > effective than veteran units.) Different levels of complexity or > skill levels could incorporate different amounts of variation from > the expected order execution. > > 3. Fog of War. Information given to the commanders should be of > varying quality dependent upon the measures he/she takes to gather > it. At Gettysburg, Lee had less than his accustomed high quality > intelligence about Meade's dispositions because JEB Stuart's cavalry > was off joy-riding rather than performing their > screening/intelligence function. There should be a premium on > gathering tactical intelligence, and the commander who fails to do > this should be punished when he/she guesses wrong. The skill levels > modify how imperfect intelligence is. > > 4. Terrain effects. Here is my first significant conceptual problem > and I'd welcome input. How does one convey terrain information > audibly on a large scale? This is not simply putting a player into a > three-dimensional soundscape, this is conveying details of a large > map to the player so he/she may maneuver units around on it. How do > I convey the shape of Meade's defensive line to the Confederate > player? How do I convey the terrain that leads up to the line on > Cemetery Ridge? > > 5. Scenario generation. I'd like to make it possible for players to > contribute scenarios, complete with user-created maps, forces > etc. My primary interest is Civil War, but others might be more > interested in ancient battles or more modern ones. > > Before anyone gets overly excited, my programming skills are fifteen > years out of date, and I never did any Windows programming. I > haven't the faintest idea where to begin to learn all that stuff. I > have the desire to learn and the will to put some time into this > project, since I expect no one else will do it. I'd appreciate > suggestions for resources/offers of encouragement/much patience. > > Christopher Bartlett > > > > _______________________________________________ > Gamers mailing list .. Gamers@audyssey.org > To unsubscribe send E-mail to [EMAIL PROTECTED] You can > visit > http://audyssey.org/mailman/listinfo/gamers_audyssey.org to make > any subscription changes via the web. > > > -- > No virus found in this incoming message. > Checked by AVG Free Edition. > Version: 7.1.394 / Virus Database: 268.9.3/374 - Release Date: 6/23/2006 > > -- No virus found in this outgoing message. Checked by AVG Free Edition. Version: 7.1.394 / Virus Database: 268.9.3/374 - Release Date: 6/23/2006 _______________________________________________ Gamers mailing list .. Gamers@audyssey.org To unsubscribe send E-mail to [EMAIL PROTECTED] You can visit http://audyssey.org/mailman/listinfo/gamers_audyssey.org to make any subscription changes via the web.
