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RTS

Active Project

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RTS is an Active Project I am working on in a 2-person team.

A simple, classic Real-Time Strategy experience inspired by older Command & Conquer games,

but with mechanical twists and additions from other games of the genre.

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There are a few primary goals with this project:

  • First and foremost, we want to create a demonstrable portfolio piece, a vertical slice with opportunities for expansion off of a simple, strong baseline experience

  • Focus on design, documentation and creation of an effective plan prior to major development work

  • Explore and implement a mix of various RTS mechanics from multiple game sources

  • Practice documentation, project, and in-engine skills

  • Practice game balancing (units/buildings stats etc.)

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Please see below for some example entries of my Design Model for the RTS project

RTS Battle.png

Highlights from the RTS Design Model, created via Hack'n'Plan.  Click to zoom!

Some of the unique/combined mechanics that will be present in RTS include:

  • Damage/Armour System: Different armour and damage types exist and interact in varying ways.  For Minimum Viable Product, these interactions simple reduce (or in some cases, increase) the damage taken by a percentage based on what damage type is hitting what armour type.  There is room for expansion and adjustment of this system pending testing of the current values.

  • Splash Damage: Splash damage from certain attacks will allow area-of-effect damage and partial damage from near-misses.  Essentially, a portion of the area will receive full damage from the attack; units within the remainder of the area will take a reduced baseline amount of damage, with an initially sharp decline that levels off towards the far edge of the splash zone.

  • Spotter Units: Many units in RTS will have attack ranges that are greater than their sight ranges.  As long as another unit or building is providing line-of-sight of the appropriate area, these units will be able to use their full ranged capabilities.  This is to encourage the use of "spotter" units to increase the effectiveness of the player's army, and make map vision even more important than usual.

  • Terrain Effects: Working with the above, we want the terrain that units are on to be significantly meaningful in regards to their combat-effectiveness, just as it is in real life - this aspect is still in early ideation, but it is a frequently underused mechanic that can create more interesting tactical choices for players.  Certain terrain will have vehicles become bogged down and less effective, while infantry may receive a defensive bonus and sight range reduction from rough/rocky ground.  Additionally, cliffs and other "heights" will affect units as well - take the high ground!

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Please reach out if you have any questions or would like to hear more about this project!

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