Designing your own units in-game instead of having only canned units

from Elemental Forums

Most Space 4x games like GalCiv allow you to design your own ships/units. I am just thinking, wouldn't it be cool if there was a similar system to design your own units in fantasy 4x type games rather than always be provided with a set of 'canned' units? And i am talking about in-game, not mods.

You would start off with a base class like peasant, militia, soldier etc. (much like how we have frigates, destroyers and battleships). Each class would then have a maximum carry weight. You then equip stuff into the units armour slot, primary hand slot, off hand slot and a secondary weapon slot.

For example, to create a Roman-like legionaire you would need to equip scale mail, tower shield, short sword and javelins.

Different items would provide different special bonuses to make your unit unique. Shields could grant bonus defense versus missle attacks. Spears could grant first strike ability. Bows and javelins provide missile attacks.

Now, instead of researching technology that unlocked canned units, you would research tech that unlocked different items that can be used to design your units. From low tech leather bucklers, you could research wooden shields, iron shields and tower shields. From wooden spears to iron spears to pikes and halberds.

Just wanted to throw a random idea out there. What are your thoughts on this?

75,122 views 16 replies
Reply #2 from Elemental Forums Top

R O F L :rofl: :grin: :w00t:

Offworld Trading Company
Reply #4 from Elemental Forums Top

POOF- I make your wish reality!! I am awesome.

Reply #5 from Elemental Forums Top

Great idea, I'm almost sure Stardock will implement something like this... :grin:

Reply #6 from Elemental Forums Top

Nah Frogboy will never go for this kind of wacky idea, 'not his style :P

 

Warder

Reply #7 from Elemental Forums Top

Yeah, its odd that no one has done this before. As 4x space games as old as MoO 1 and later Alpha Centauri already implemented such systems. I was wondering was there some inherent complexity or issues in bringing such a system to a fantasy setting?

I think one main problem with the fantasy setting has always been the need to keep the lore of the world consistent. Allowing players to custom design their own units would lead to lore breaking stuff like having elven berserker axemen or orc paladins.

I guess it may also lead to boring identical armies on each side. Providing canned units help to 'define' the character of various races by introducing weaknesses and strengths. If you could design your own units, then chances are, everybody will have roughly the same identical units. So you'd just go "swordsmen, check, spearmen, check, bowmen, check, cavalry, check."

Reply #8 from Elemental Forums Top

My thoughts on this are that Stardock have beaten you to this idea ;)

Reply #9 from Elemental Forums Top

Well it would be interesting to see how it pans out then. I haven't seen any specifics regarding this system or how it would work.

As i said, a system like this could end up with pretty boring one dimensional armies without any 'distinct' characteristics that makes the whole fantasy setting 'magical'.

Reply #10 from Elemental Forums Top

Although this post might be old and not terribly specific, I think it gives a good idea of how stardock wants to implement this.

 

https://forums.elementalgame.com/334164

Reply #11 from Elemental Forums Top

Thanks for the link. Nice to know that someone is trying to implement such a system on a fantasy setting.

I wait eagerly to see how the devs flesh out the system.

Reply #12 from Elemental Forums Top

love MOO love MOO best serries ever need more MOO.

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Reply #13 from Elemental Forums Top

not sure why you're saying trying, moondoggiee...

Reply #14 from Elemental Forums Top

Look at Galatic Civilizations 2! There is a thread where people have created differen't star ships with the in game unti creator. I tell you some of them are works of art. I imagine them taking what they learned from that system and making it much better for this game.

Reply #15 from Elemental Forums Top

There are SOME fantasy/sword type strategy-ish games that let you create units by giving them armor/weapons, but those games are mostly bad so not many people know about it.

Reply #16 from Elemental Forums Top

They've already taken care of it! No worries!