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This developers article has been moved to http://globulation2.devjavu.com/ |
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==Gameplay Guidelines== |
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Please go there to find in. Thank you. |
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This document tries to lay out some basic design principles for |
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Globulation 2. Good gameplay is more of an art than a science, so |
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these guidelines aren't intended as a statement of overarching goals, |
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a formula for what we believe makes a great game, or even a rigid |
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framework for the game to be measured against. They're just an |
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attempt by the developers to get to know what makes Globulation 2 the |
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game it is. |
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⚫ |
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=== Some Core Principles === |
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==== No micro-management ==== |
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This is Glob2's main selling point, and something that marks it out in |
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many ways. Globulation 2 is a real-time *strategy* game, and it's |
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important that the player feels he's controlling the broad strategy of |
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his civilisation rather than specific tactics of each individual unit. |
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==== There's more than one path to victory ==== |
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Globulation 2 should be a game where every move has a thousand |
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counters, and every counter a thousand weaknesses, rather than a game |
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where you build up a great army and smash your unsuspecting enemy in |
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one strike. Combat shouldn't be the only way to win, and even when it |
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is, there should be many ways of fighting a war. |
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==== The more information, the better ==== |
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Although, like any game, the rules of Globulation 2 need to be simple |
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enough to pick up quickly, the average Glob2 player can be assumed to |
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know his way around a bar chart. We shouldn't be afraid to present |
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the user with useful statistics about the game just in case they might |
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not understand. |
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==== Replay value ==== |
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Once you've picked up the basics of Globulation 2, it should be a game |
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you can return to again and again, perhaps months apart, when you have |
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a little time to spare. Globulation 2 needn't be so addictive as to |
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take over a player's life, just enough that he develops a soft spot |
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for it in time. |
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=== Outline of a game === |
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As a general rule, a game of Globulation 2 should involve an |
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exploration phase, a building phase, and a competition phase. These |
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phases can overlap with each other, but each phase requires different |
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skills, and should be fun in its own way. |
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The initial exploration phase involves finding out what your |
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surroundings look like, where you can find resources, how to guard the |
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borders of your territory, and where to start placing your buildings. |
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The building phase involves creating a large and successful town. |
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Depending on the situation, this might be large or small. There will |
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be geographical obstacles to overcome (such as your town becoming |
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overgrown or running out of resources). The town will grow in |
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different ways and at different speeds depending on the way it's |
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managed. |
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The final competition phase involves defeating your opponents. This |
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can be through direct means, such as stealing resources or fighting; or |
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it can be indirectly through converting or prestige. |
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A game of Globulation 2 should last long enough that the player has a |
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chance to enjoy and strategise over each phase, but carry on at a pace |
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that keeps the player on his toes. An hour or two is a good length |
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for a game. |
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| ⚫ |
[[Category: Developer Resources]] |
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