Invicta - (RTS)

Hey everyone I’m working on a multi genre-RTS where you can hop in and out of each of the units you control. Would like some feedback from you handsome and talented gentlemen.

Newest

This looks awesome! I like the changing camera capability. Are you working in a team or by yourself?

By myself good sir. And yeah I’m hoping it translates. But so far it’s actually kind of fun to do. So hopefully with some calibrating(correct word?) it will smooth out and feel natural.

On a more specific note.

I was curious what would be your first pick units that are necessary in an RTS but also fun to play as.
Are there any units in your mind that would need an overhaul functionality-wise in order to be useful but ALSO fun to play?
would appreciate any feedback :slight_smile:

I personally love the very weak snipers, I feel like they have a specific strategy behind them and can only be used in specific situations (I.e they would not do very well in the environment that you have set up currently), Also I would personally like to see the “tank infantry” the guys that are so loaded down with armor that they only carry a melee weapon. I have to say that this game looks fantastic, and I wish could do that.

I look forward to seeing more of this great game

Fredstash

I’m glad you like those units. Both of those were some of the first ideas I had and plan to implement them soon. Although they wouldn’t work in the current environment, the current environment is an awful test area so down the road I will hopefully set up a closer to gameplay map. Thanks a million for the feedback

This is indeed a really cool idea, and the execution is looking great so far. I’d have to give a little bit of CC here.

  1. In RTS mode, it kinda makes sense / doesn’t matter too much how AI just stands there, since on most RTS games it’s about where they’re placed on the map (i.e. if they’re on a map tile with cover or something like that), so concepts like that are generalized and abstracted. However, in TPS mode, strafing and taking cover actually matters, so it seems like it’d be really boring / hard to win in TPS mode since the enemy AI simply stands there and attacks. Do you plan to add more manuevers for the enemy AI to make (i.e. reloading, taking cover, etc)? It’d be interesting to see a TPS battle play out from RTS mode if it were more dynamic.

  2. The mech seems to simply be a better unit overall than the infantry unit. Maybe you could make it move much more slowly to help balance the infantry’s lower power in comparison?

As for unit suggestions, you mentioned that the map is poor for snipers - maybe a unit could make the map more advantageous for snipers. For example, portals that allow snipers to shoot from multiple vantage points, or a unit that can produce portable cover.

A heavy infantry that could be more efficient at taking down heavy units like tanks or mechs would probably be good.

I think I’d also like a fast-moving mech / car type of unit that would be the “infantry” of vehicles, with low fire-power and defense, but higher attack power.

P.S. This would work well with a rogue-like type of game as well, where the dungeon is randomly generated and you control a squadron of characters that explore the depths.

After posting this morning I thought that you could have some sort of shield bearer, that sets up a sort of limited forcefield that gives all the infantry extra armor hotpoint (Though it wouldn’t be fun to play as).

Edit- Solarlune did mention something along the lines of defensive characters.

^ That would be fun to have in the game, yeah.

I wanted to ask but forgot to in my previous post - will there be any ability to bring squads of dudes along with you in TPS mode, or is group movement only for RTS mode?

I was wondering, is it going to be like old style RTS (s) with random maps, or are there going to be specific maps with goals (OR a mix of both, depending on gameplay choices)

What about us beautiful and talented ladies? =P

I really like the idea of the game! Reminds me of that one Driver game, where you went “spirit” or something and took over other people’s cars. It’s a great concept with a great initial implementation.
Although, I do have one question… How long has it been since you used Blender last? Because your characters are sliding a bit after they stop moving, it seems like you’re using the old method of setting them to the “dynamic” physics type and using velocity to move them. Have you looked into the new “character” physics type? It uses a much better, built-in movement system that actually stops upon collision, and doesn’t slide to a stop when movement stops being assigned to it.

Alright to answer some questions.

To SolarLune:

  1. The plan is to set up an AI for each unit that expresses their combat style. Since I am on a video schedule I set the marines to stand and shoot like in traditional RTS’ but I’m currently theory crafting what I’d like their behavior to be like. The general idea is having them behave as if they were enemies in a cover shooter like GOW. So like you said: Reloading, seeking cover, moving between cover to gain tactical advantage. Snipers and healers will further still need different behaviors that make sense for them but that’s a lot of code and testing so hopefully in a few weeks we’ll see where it goes.

  2. The mechs are much better but that will reflect in varying point cost. when you play a game you will choose a point total to play at and purchase units for your army up to the pre-agreed upon amount. The points in a way will hopefully bring their own balancing in the fact that if I spend all my points on very few but powerful mechs or fliers etc, and one of your cheaper units or a lot of lucky shots from your many cheap units kills my mech then I’ve lost a lot more points than you have and a lot of tempo swing. Now having said all of that I have not had the proper time to devote to balancing yet so none of the damage/armor/speed values are set in stone. Everything is place holder to prove the concept and fit my weekly upload schedule.

BTW really like the (units change terrain for benefit) idea

And as far as unit diversity I would like to field: basic infantry (ranged and melee heavy), mounted calvary units, psychic/magic users, multiple mech types, flying vehicles, snipers, and cheap heavy weapons squads etc. So I am totally with you on the varying types.

PS. group movement at this point is reserved for RTS mode.

Thank you very much for some very well thought out and poignant questions. It really helps keep the creative juices churning.

To fredstash

The maps will probably be random or decided upon but the goal is to create different game types with differing goals. Kill each other is fun but leads to people trying to find the best one build to kill the opponent. So i’d like to mix it up by making game types where the “best” murder build isn’t necessarily the fastest or the sturdiest, forcing players to mix up their builds and hopefully helping the game avoid glaring unbeatable death stars.

Thanks for the feedback :slight_smile:

To MichelleSea

Pardon my misogyny. I’m not super sure which Driver game you mean but I’d like to check it out. As far as the movement system I’m using, you hit the nail square on the head. The reason was when the new character type came out it was really buggy and I had a lot of problems with it so I just kept trucking along with what I was doing. Apparently the type has gotten better since its first implementation so I’d be willing to repay a visit to it. Thanks for the heads up :slight_smile:

Once again you guys all rock. Best of luck on your projects

Sounds like you’re thinking things through effectively - nice work, and no problem. I think Michelle was referring to Driver: San Francisco. You can see the effect in this video toward the 2:00 mark.

As a side-note, rather than using Character physics mode, I’d personally try chugging along with Dynamic mode and using Python to stop the linear velocity of objects when they’re done moving. However, Character physics mode might work well nonetheless - I don’t have much experience with it.

Thanks for the link and that’s what I was planning to do but I should see if the new system works now.

Sorry, I try to respond every time I think about something, The defensive character could be a scientist, he could have some sort of limited Force field, a small gun, and capabilities (I.e something like the portals aforementioned, or the ability to open doors.

I really enjoy giving ideas, I have had limited time to work myself (Right now) , and giving suggestions on a project that is moving forwards, is pretty fun.

Everybody’s doing rts these days :slight_smile: Great game !
About the character sliding problem, what I do is just suspending dynamics when they stop, it won’t work if they’re always moving though.
Good luck with your project :wink:

Keep it up fredstash. Ideas are like gold.

Also I gave the character physics type a try again. not too shabby so far. It’s saving me a lot of code in making a jump system or having to use rays to tell how far off the ground I am. We’ll see if I get a bunch of errors

Well in THAT case!

What about a flying character that has no defenses and no weapons, but can pick up and carry infantry units? This can allow for some paratrooping action (over the walls I gooooo) while being balanced out by being 1HKO-able and non-retaliable.

Or how about suicide bombers? Small, cheap, and dangerous, but again, foiled by being 1HKO.

“ferrymen”

a unit, that packages other units into a projectile, then places them using a cannon.

(the round hit’s and the units appear where the round lands?)

can sit “loaded”

so you can send 5 in, carrying 5 units,

and beam them all in a flanking maneuver,

(pictures someone sending in 5 suicide bombers and removing power plant)

maybe a “balancing unit” as a defense against this,
can create a field that the projectiles bounce off of?

(scattering your units?)

Both awesome ideas peeps. And in essence you’re both talking about some form of troop transport. I get excited about those kind of units cause I’d really like the game to be inviting for people who may not be super comfortable with all of the non-support units. But again I really appreciate the feedback.

The idea as of now was to have a flying troop transport that had minimal weapons and weak hull kind of like MichelleSea was suggesting. But a unit that utilizes a teleport function (maybe not even for sending units) seems really fun. BluePrintRandom really struck a chord with me on the balancing aspect. I feel like a great way to keep any unit from becoming too OP is by everything having a counter. I need to write that down somewhere :confused:

You could always add a random stupid infantry, that is really inexpensive and has limited weapons and armor.