Story
The game is an open-world sandbox that takes place during a civil war within near future North America. Players take the role of characters within one of the world’s many factions and complete goals to improve their character, build settlements, and progress through the story. The game blends elements of real-time strategy, tactical shooter, crafting sandbox, and roguelike games to create a vast and varied dynamic environment. The game can be enjoyed either by yourself or with other players, and includes several different conclusions based on your decisions, and your relationship with other players.
Goals
- Narrative driven
- Dynamic, evolving environment, both physically (resource depletion) and the tide of war
- Opportunity for varied gameplay/ replayablity
- Unique, personal stories
- Open world, sandbox qualities
- Accessible and enjoyable (low barrier, high skill ceiling)
Details
- What is the purpose of this game?
- The purpose of this game is to tell a story, to entertain players, and to encourage strategy, teamwork, and creativity. The gameplay should be immersive and focus on personal stories > big events. Balance high-tension realism with casual gameplay. Gameplay should be approachable for most, with room for mastery (high skill ceiling, low barrier to entry).
- What makes this game different?
- Defining features that separate this game from others would include: Balancing casual and high-skill aspects to keep gameplay assessable and interesting at both ends of skill level (Low-level vs high level zoning. Room for advanced, technical gameplay that will serve as a supplement, not a requirement, for gameplay. The game will place emphasis on teamplay, scavenging for resources, taking and holding ground, and crafting within a story-driven, sandbox environment. Events do not wait for the player; larger forces are at play and timing can mean the difference between a major advantage and a crushing defeat. Roguelike gameplay elements include perma-death (losing all or some of collected resources and the current player character) but with systems in place to allow for rescue/recovery of some/all items lost in order to remain approachable. Gameplay balances real-time strategy, large scale, group control elements with interpersonal storytelling and exploration.
- What is the setting?
- The game takes place in the midst of a growing conflict on the North American continent in the not-so distant future. A single government entity has established rule over the continent, but its influence is stretched thin over the great area. Many different factions and classes inhabit this area, and all seek their own goals; some looking to better their own lives, some to build up their communities, and others that seek to destroy everything in their path. A resistance is growing but lacks the support of the many isolated towns and communities. The environment is vast, spanning many cities, countrysides, deserts, and war-torn wastes containing the human and industrial spoils of war. Soldiers patrol and enforce order across the land, rebels wage guerrilla warfare against their oppressors, scavengers cobble together what they can to survive, everyday people attempt to live their lives in the face of civil war. There is no clear “good” or “bad”, the perspective of each faction is legitimate in their own eyes. The conflict is at a turning point and the future of the continent is yet to be determined.
- Who will the player control?
- The player is given the opportunity to play the role of a unit within a variety of factions in the game-world. Player characters are not permanent, losing a character in combat means that character is gone. Each faction has pros and cons to balance. The “default” role of the player is a scavenger, living within one of the worlds many starting locations. Scavengers begin ill-equipped but are able to stockpile resources they gather between characters, so long as the settlement’s population persists. Scavengers benefit from being low-profile, and are primarily a crafting faction, they are general not participants in large, multi-army battles, but may be caught in the crossfire if they stumble into the wrong area at the wrong time. Additionally, scavengers are able to play to either side, quietly supporting the army as “loyalists”, or the guerrillas as “sympathizers” who can play the role of scouts, spies, or saboteurs. Players may also “enlist” In either the standing army, or the guerillas. Soldiers benefit from industrial and weapon superiority, but their numbers are limited. Soldiers engage in both “patrol” and large-scale conflict. Soldiers are primarily a conflict class, and revolve around timed deployments, where resources are only saved if they complete their predetermined mission. Guerrillas begin in civilian areas or small outposts with mixed equipment. While lacking in military force, guerrillas are a master of the land, and can move inconspicuously amongst scavengers. Guerrilla players are a balance between the war-fighting soldier class and the crafting scavenger class. Upon death, the player loses their character along with some or all of their loot. Players can regain this loot through a variety of means. Soldiers can be revived, scavengers can be replaced, and guerrillas can hide their kit in dead drops, visible only to other guerillas. Through different factions and classes, the player character can experience a variety of gameplay elements while progressing the game story from different fronts. Unique, interpersonal stories and side quests serve to connect the player to the player character. In the grand scheme of things, each player character is replaceable, but the player never wants to lose “their” character.
- What is the main objective?
- The main gameplay cycle revolves around collecting resources, establishing/reinforcing settlements, taking and holding ground, and perusing faction specific goals to gain an advantage in the greater conflict. Teamplay and cooperation is as important and valuable as the combat cycle and may sometimes be the better option.
- Players(single/multi)?
- The game should be completable in a single-player configuration, using both friendly and foe NPCs.
- The story should still be rich in a multiplayer environment
- Players can cooperate, battle, or betray each other within the game world.
- Gameplay within multiplayer must be balanced to prevent griefing (zone locking/ discouragement/ negative reinforcement).
- Victory conditions?
- Absolute victory on the server-scale is possible but is a very long and difficult process.
- Not every ending is a victory for the player’s faction.
- Not every ending is a happy ending, ie: the rebellion succeeds, but at what cost?
- End-game conditions include total control of the map’s major positions, depletion of resources, peaceful resolution, or armistice.