0.4 Design Pad

From FreeOrionWiki
Revision as of 08:45, 22 June 2006 by Tyreth (Talk | contribs)

(diff) ← Older revision | Latest revision (diff) | Newer revision → (diff)
Jump to: navigation, search

Outline

This page is a notepad/preliminary design document for the designers to prepare for 0.4, which deals primarily with space combat and ship design.


Current Decisions

  • Slow Paced - the combat should be slow faced, to avoid a clickfest. This may mean long tactical combat, but is preferable to clickfests.
  • Maneuvering - Somehow, facing of ships and their location on the "battlefield" must matter
  • Timing - combat will operate in turns, at least internally to the engine. These turns may be hidden from the player. Around 3-5 seconds each
  • Pausing - Combat may be paused. Details still to be determined, but will include auto pause at end of each turn and play-through, which never pauses unless players explicitly do so
  • Order granularity - orders must not be too detailed, but also not too generic. Need to strike a balance that hits the sweet spot
  • Ordering - Orders may be given at any time (paused or not), and are queued to be processed in subsequent turns
  • Simulation - turns play out in real time, executing orders that have been given

Detailed Discussion

Pace

Summary: The combat should be slow faced, to avoid a clickfest. This may mean long tactical combat, but is preferable to clickfests.

Maneuvers

Summary: Facing of ships and their location on the "battlefield" must matter

Timing

Summary: Combat will operate in turns, at least internally to the engine. These turns may be hidden from the player. Around 3-5 seconds each

Pausing

Summary: Combat may be paused. Details still to be determined, but will include auto pause at end of each turn and play-through, which never pauses unless players explicitly do so

Order Granularity

Summary: Orders must not be too detailed, but also not too generic. Need to strike a balance that hits the sweet spot

Giving Orders

Summary: Orders may be given at any time (paused or not), and are queued to be processed in subsequent turns

Simulation

Summary: Turns play out in real time, executing orders that have been given