Author Topic: A possibility for creative people out there: More races for S.A.D.  (Read 8346 times)

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Offline Hot_Dog

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Back when I started designing Seek and Destroy, I stuck with only one race because I was concerned about the memory the calculator needed.  However, I am realizing just how much memory I am saving with the new techniques I have been incorporating into the game engine. 

So now, the only reason I don't add more races is because I can't think of anything.  S.A.D. requires that every unit has a strength and weakness, and never loses purpose even late in the game.  And of course, S.A.D. requires controlling a single unit rather than an army.  Thus, I cannot think about how to make a unique race with new properties that will allow this.  Also, I don't like the idea of races being identical in everything except looks and special abilities.

However, if someone has an idea for a new race for the game, I will take care of the necessary sprite work and ASM code.  If you come up with an idea, here's what I'm looking for (and this can be over time, not just all at once.  See below for details):

--------------------------------------------

1. A name, although first and foremost I will be looking for someone who comes up with an idea for the Tosonians
2. Sketches for buildings/ships.  There can be up to 9 ships and up to 16 buildings.  One building must be in the form of an Operation Center.
3. HP, Cost and abilities for the buildings
4. HP, Cost, Abilities, Damage, Range, Fuel Capacity, Gas Capacity, etc. for ships.  Remember that each unit should be important throughout the game.
5. Anything else that I can think of later

--------------------------------------------

I don't want to spend months like Blizzard does doing balance testing, so I will look to make sure that the race is somewhat balanced and just needs touching up--against itself, and against other races.

If you think you have something, just let me know, and I'll provide a topic you can post on for your race alone, so that you can show me ideas and I can give suggestions for balancing.  And if you have something, be sure to let me know--I can see S.A.D. having 3 or even 4 races if things work out.

Offline DJ Omnimaga

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Re: A possibility for creative people out there: More races for S.A.D.
« Reply #1 on: June 28, 2010, 11:06:52 pm »
mhmm, different races seems like an interesting idea. The thing to make sure is that there is a point in choosing a different race. Generally, you may have one race that has more powerful units in overall, but more expensive and energy-demanding. There will be one race with cheaper but weaker units. One race may be more focused on ground attacks while its air attack may be less effective, while the other may be more focused on the opposite. Some races may take less time to build units, but may take much longer to build buildings. That's of course while keeping each races balanced, so that two hardcore AIs would have an hard time beating each others.

Offline mapar007

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Re: A possibility for creative people out there: More races for S.A.D.
« Reply #2 on: June 29, 2010, 04:44:21 am »
* mapar007 absolutely wants one race that is completely balanced :P


Cool idea, but won't it be a PITA to implement? I can imagine that it requires a lot of really versatile code at the higher levels of your application... But of course I haven't read any of your source lately.

Offline Hot_Dog

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Re: A possibility for creative people out there: More races for S.A.D.
« Reply #3 on: June 29, 2010, 10:11:49 am »
Cool idea, but won't it be a PITA to implement? I can imagine that it requires a lot of really versatile code at the higher levels of your application... But of course I haven't read any of your source lately.

Well, if worst comes to worse, I'll stick with the one race, since getting the project done has to be the focus.  However, redesigning the engine seems to have left a second race--or a third, or a fourth--a possibility.  But I just can't think of another one.
« Last Edit: June 29, 2010, 10:19:11 am by Hot_Dog »

Offline matthias1992

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Re: A possibility for creative people out there: More races for S.A.D.
« Reply #4 on: July 03, 2010, 07:55:08 am »
If send you a mail about my idea for a new faction. It's not even half way finshed but I think it is worth cehcking out and since I dunno what you cehck earlier, this or your mail i'll just sort of "remind" you here...
MASM xxxxxxxxxx aborted | SADce ====:::::: 40% -Halted until further notice| XAOS =====::::: 50% -Units done| SKYBOX2D engine ========== 100% -Pre-alpha done. Need to  document it and extend |

~Those who dream by day are cognizant of much more than those who dream by night only. -Sir Edgar Allen Poe-

Offline Hot_Dog

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Re: A possibility for creative people out there: More races for S.A.D.
« Reply #5 on: July 03, 2010, 10:16:48 am »
I got the email, matthias.  It's yard sale day today, but I promise I'll respond to your email and posts as soon as I can!

Offline Hot_Dog

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Re: A possibility for creative people out there: More races for S.A.D.
« Reply #6 on: July 03, 2010, 11:50:49 am »
Excellent start!  I have a couple of things for you to think about when continuing to design the XAOS, but I definitely like what you've done so far.

1. What are the statistics of each unit?  (Feel free to refer to http://ourl.ca/3907, http://ourl.ca/3908 and just remember that we want the race balanced enough.)  It seems that so far balance isn't an issue, but only the statistics will tell ;D
2. Be sure you have a construction unit, and one or maybe two units that can be equipped with plasma torpedoes.  These are essential to winning the game, as you can find here: http://ourl.ca/3903/71841
3. Although I promised to do sprite work, I'm terrible at drawing legs, so if you want your "bigfoot" to be animated as walking, you'll need to provide that work
4. Be sure every unit can be defeated by at least one unit from each race, to a reasonable extent.  Case in point:  While I like the idea of the chunker being slow, powerful and not able to attack buildings, the fact that it will always win a fight means players will want to avoid it instead.  With teleportation available in the game, they can easily avoid the chunker.
5. Feel free to read the story setting information, it is not related to the campaign and contains only information I'm putting in the S.A.D. manual.  Maybe you can come up with an origin/story setting for the xaos?

Keep up the great work!  I'll have a new topic specifically for discussing the Xoas, so please post there unless you want to email.


Offline DJ Omnimaga

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Re: A possibility for creative people out there: More races for S.A.D.
« Reply #7 on: July 03, 2010, 03:26:44 pm »
Btw one thing I really recommend with each race is to make sure building time for structures is nott way too long. In SC and in your SAD latest screenshot, it seemed pretty reasonable, but in Warcraft 3, it was ridiculously long (the reason why I got bored of WCIII. Tried to play a few weeks ago and did not even bother finishing the game)

Offline Hot_Dog

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Re: A possibility for creative people out there: More races for S.A.D.
« Reply #8 on: July 03, 2010, 03:34:32 pm »
Btw one thing I really recommend with each race is to make sure building time for structures is nott way too long. In SC and in your SAD latest screenshot, it seemed pretty reasonable, but in Warcraft 3, it was ridiculously long (the reason why I got bored of WCIII. Tried to play a few weeks ago and did not even bother finishing the game)

Most buildings will take about 15 seconds to a minute to build.  Operation Centers take two minutes for a very good reason.

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Re: A possibility for creative people out there: More races for S.A.D.
« Reply #9 on: July 03, 2010, 04:34:36 pm »
Ah, pretty cool then ^^

Offline matthias1992

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Re: A possibility for creative people out there: More races for S.A.D.
« Reply #10 on: July 04, 2010, 04:51:19 pm »
Attempt #3

Quote
I'll have a new topic specifically for discussing the Xoas, so please post there unless you want to email.
I can't find it so i'll post here. I'll take care of all the remarks you made. I actually had a pretty detailed reply If it wasn't that posting continued to fail bacause of a duplicate file.

In the attechment are the buildings for the Xaos so far.
MASM xxxxxxxxxx aborted | SADce ====:::::: 40% -Halted until further notice| XAOS =====::::: 50% -Units done| SKYBOX2D engine ========== 100% -Pre-alpha done. Need to  document it and extend |

~Those who dream by day are cognizant of much more than those who dream by night only. -Sir Edgar Allen Poe-

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Offline matthias1992

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Re: A possibility for creative people out there: More races for S.A.D.
« Reply #12 on: July 04, 2010, 04:56:07 pm »
ty :P
MASM xxxxxxxxxx aborted | SADce ====:::::: 40% -Halted until further notice| XAOS =====::::: 50% -Units done| SKYBOX2D engine ========== 100% -Pre-alpha done. Need to  document it and extend |

~Those who dream by day are cognizant of much more than those who dream by night only. -Sir Edgar Allen Poe-

Offline DJ Omnimaga

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Re: A possibility for creative people out there: More races for S.A.D.
« Reply #13 on: July 04, 2010, 06:44:57 pm »
Wow I love those so far, Matthias1992, good job :D

Offline matthias1992

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Re: A possibility for creative people out there: More races for S.A.D.
« Reply #14 on: July 05, 2010, 10:22:39 am »
Here is a small gif (my first) of bigfoot of the xaos walking. It could be smoother but personally I like the robotic feel it gives...
« Last Edit: July 05, 2010, 10:53:25 am by matthias1992 »
MASM xxxxxxxxxx aborted | SADce ====:::::: 40% -Halted until further notice| XAOS =====::::: 50% -Units done| SKYBOX2D engine ========== 100% -Pre-alpha done. Need to  document it and extend |

~Those who dream by day are cognizant of much more than those who dream by night only. -Sir Edgar Allen Poe-