Post by Manspeed on Dec 7, 2007 21:30:10 GMT -5
Ah.... yes. In an effort to take our slowly melting minds off the torturous wait for Brawl, I decided to give my creative juices a much-needed test and give you guys a much-needed good read by writing up some ideas I have for video games. These aren't so much fan-fics as they are quasi-instruction manual/faux strategy guides for games that I simply made up. They're basically outlines, like the kind from English class.
My first idea isn't even Nintendo-related, and it's being done as a way to break in my prowess on this little excursion. It's called...
Transformers: Tactics
Yep, a strategic RPG featuring the G1 bots and cons, along with some fan-made ones in order to even the ranks out. The fan-made characters I chose are all from this website and also featured on this website in really awesome fanart form. If you're a TransFan, I suggest having a looksie.
Anyway, on to the game. It takes place in the G1 era and it features the Autobots and Decepticons waging war over Earth's precious resources, which serve as a suitable method of creating Energon, the Cybertronians' energy source. Energon is the most valuable item in the game, but I'll explain that later. For now, I'll say that you can choose to play as either the Autobots or Decepticons, and their goals and styling throughout the game are similar in simple play mechanics, but different in the way things are carried out.
The Basics:
Okay, so like most army-based strategy games, you command a big squad of units. This will seem familar at first to Fire Emblem or Advance wars buffs. Each side is headed by a Commander (usually a big guy like Optimus Prime) and consists of several other types of Transformers. Like AW, you take turns moving your units around and performing different actions. The key to this game lies in the ability to Transform. Every unit has an alternate mode that possesses different capabilites that the unit's standard robot mode . In other words, instead of having Infantry and Tanks as seperate units, you now have Infantry that become the Tanks. Ain't that a hoot?
Naturally, the alt. modes and bot modes can each do things that the other can't, so a lot of this game's strategy comes in the form of deciding when to transform you units from one form to the other. Some turn into vehicles that can't attack, but can move greater distances. Other have more sturdy forms but can't move too well. The adds another dimension to what would otherwise be another strategy game. Other elements typical of strategy games are here, too such as varying stats for each unit, and certain special skills that only certain units can use. It's all there. Like I said, a little bit of Fire Emblem and Advance Wars with a Transformers twist. Not bad, eh?
About the Energon:
While Fire Emblem and Advance Wars had you fighting over castles and cities, respectively. This game revolved around securing areas rich with sources of Energon. As stated above, this stuff is important. Everything runs on it. It refills health, it serves as ammo for weapons, it fuels alt. modes and special abilities, and powers other important machines. Even a single Energon Cube is worth battling to the very end for. It's that valuable. This is also because it's the main goal of the game.
If you find any Energon out there on the battlefield, it's your job to secure it from the enemy, because it's yours to keep if you win. At the end of the battle it's stored away for later use. You have to be careful not to squander it all away on improving your units, because whatever's leftover is saved up, and if the enemy fills their stockpile of Energon before you do, they'll win and fly back home to the planet of Cybertron, leaving your side stuck on Earth for who knows how long. That's basically the story in a nutshell. It's heavily based on the basic plot of the G1 series. Maybe I could've done a bit better.
The Gameplay System
Now I'm gonna tell you how the system of this game works a little more in depth. As I said before, it's a bit different than your usual StratRPG and/or your usual licensed piece o' crap.
The first thing you need to know is that in the beginning, you have a Story Mode and a Tutorial Mode. I may think of other modes later. The story mode is sorta based on the plot of the old G1 series, with the Autobots and Decepticons stranded on Earth fighting over the precious Energon resources. The course of the game is split into different "acts" based on different seasons of the old animated series as well as the famous (infamous?) motion picture. It's not an exact adaptation, but it sets the stage pretty well.
Within the game, you recieve missions to go on. In all of them, you have to face the Decepticons on the battlefield in some way. Usually, the goal with be to either destroy all the Decepticons' forces, or secure a specific territory from them, which most of the time is loaded with Energon. Successfully completing a mission will enable you to keep any Energon you managed to get back from the Decepticons for later use. Running short on Energon is never a good thing in the heat of combat.
As for how the battles themselves work, in the beginning of the game you have a relatively small number of units in your repertoire. You can only send so many out on missions without having to use emergency Energon. Later on, as the story progresses, more Autobots will get in on the action and become part of your ever-growing ensemble. When you receive a mission, you can decide which of your guys you can send on it. The idea is to select the right ones for the job. Later on, when you have more available units, your options become more varied, though the later missions are complex and difficult, so you'll have to use your head.
Every Autobot has it's own special function and abilities (and alternate mode). Some of them are part of special sub-factions, such as the Dinobots, with their own individual leaders. Sometimes you have a group of bots that can combine to form a larger bot with more firepower. Some Autobots are so powerful they may take several turns and heaps of Energon just to perform one action. It's all about wise decision-making.
Each character also has a set of stats and tech specs on them. The stats are as follows:
Strength: Determines power of direct attacks.
Intellegence: Determines how many actions a unit can perform on one turn.
Speed: Determines order of carrying out commands.
Endurance: Determines character's HP limit.
Rank: Determines which units are given their commands first as well as whether or not they can carry out other actions.
Courage: Determines how far the unit can move at a time.
Firepower: Determines power of ranged attacks
Skill: Determines ability to use special actions.
That said, when it's your turn, you have the following commands available to you:
Move: Move the unit across the a battlefield.
Attack: Attack an enemy unit, direct or ranged.
Transform: Tranforms the unit. Will be detailed later.
Special: Use a unit's special action, whatever it may be.
When you issue a command to one of your units, the order they carry them out will be determined by their Speed and Rank. If one Autobot is higher ranked than another Autobot, they get first priority on commands, but when they actually perform their designated action, the order said actions get performed is determined by the unit's speed. Some units can be issued several commands at a time, though how many is determined by how smart they are (read: Intellegence).
In essence, the way the stats work in conjunction with one another adds quite a bit of depth to this game's system.
Well, that's it for the starting update. I'll be pulling a Sakurai and be updating this as often as I can with posts of varying magnitude. Any comments, criticisms and suggestions are much appreciated. I'm writing this not just for my own pleasure, but also for you guys, because I love ya.
My first idea isn't even Nintendo-related, and it's being done as a way to break in my prowess on this little excursion. It's called...
Transformers: Tactics
Yep, a strategic RPG featuring the G1 bots and cons, along with some fan-made ones in order to even the ranks out. The fan-made characters I chose are all from this website and also featured on this website in really awesome fanart form. If you're a TransFan, I suggest having a looksie.
Anyway, on to the game. It takes place in the G1 era and it features the Autobots and Decepticons waging war over Earth's precious resources, which serve as a suitable method of creating Energon, the Cybertronians' energy source. Energon is the most valuable item in the game, but I'll explain that later. For now, I'll say that you can choose to play as either the Autobots or Decepticons, and their goals and styling throughout the game are similar in simple play mechanics, but different in the way things are carried out.
The Basics:
Okay, so like most army-based strategy games, you command a big squad of units. This will seem familar at first to Fire Emblem or Advance wars buffs. Each side is headed by a Commander (usually a big guy like Optimus Prime) and consists of several other types of Transformers. Like AW, you take turns moving your units around and performing different actions. The key to this game lies in the ability to Transform. Every unit has an alternate mode that possesses different capabilites that the unit's standard robot mode . In other words, instead of having Infantry and Tanks as seperate units, you now have Infantry that become the Tanks. Ain't that a hoot?
Naturally, the alt. modes and bot modes can each do things that the other can't, so a lot of this game's strategy comes in the form of deciding when to transform you units from one form to the other. Some turn into vehicles that can't attack, but can move greater distances. Other have more sturdy forms but can't move too well. The adds another dimension to what would otherwise be another strategy game. Other elements typical of strategy games are here, too such as varying stats for each unit, and certain special skills that only certain units can use. It's all there. Like I said, a little bit of Fire Emblem and Advance Wars with a Transformers twist. Not bad, eh?
About the Energon:
While Fire Emblem and Advance Wars had you fighting over castles and cities, respectively. This game revolved around securing areas rich with sources of Energon. As stated above, this stuff is important. Everything runs on it. It refills health, it serves as ammo for weapons, it fuels alt. modes and special abilities, and powers other important machines. Even a single Energon Cube is worth battling to the very end for. It's that valuable. This is also because it's the main goal of the game.
If you find any Energon out there on the battlefield, it's your job to secure it from the enemy, because it's yours to keep if you win. At the end of the battle it's stored away for later use. You have to be careful not to squander it all away on improving your units, because whatever's leftover is saved up, and if the enemy fills their stockpile of Energon before you do, they'll win and fly back home to the planet of Cybertron, leaving your side stuck on Earth for who knows how long. That's basically the story in a nutshell. It's heavily based on the basic plot of the G1 series. Maybe I could've done a bit better.
The Gameplay System
Now I'm gonna tell you how the system of this game works a little more in depth. As I said before, it's a bit different than your usual StratRPG and/or your usual licensed piece o' crap.
The first thing you need to know is that in the beginning, you have a Story Mode and a Tutorial Mode. I may think of other modes later. The story mode is sorta based on the plot of the old G1 series, with the Autobots and Decepticons stranded on Earth fighting over the precious Energon resources. The course of the game is split into different "acts" based on different seasons of the old animated series as well as the famous (infamous?) motion picture. It's not an exact adaptation, but it sets the stage pretty well.
Within the game, you recieve missions to go on. In all of them, you have to face the Decepticons on the battlefield in some way. Usually, the goal with be to either destroy all the Decepticons' forces, or secure a specific territory from them, which most of the time is loaded with Energon. Successfully completing a mission will enable you to keep any Energon you managed to get back from the Decepticons for later use. Running short on Energon is never a good thing in the heat of combat.
As for how the battles themselves work, in the beginning of the game you have a relatively small number of units in your repertoire. You can only send so many out on missions without having to use emergency Energon. Later on, as the story progresses, more Autobots will get in on the action and become part of your ever-growing ensemble. When you receive a mission, you can decide which of your guys you can send on it. The idea is to select the right ones for the job. Later on, when you have more available units, your options become more varied, though the later missions are complex and difficult, so you'll have to use your head.
Every Autobot has it's own special function and abilities (and alternate mode). Some of them are part of special sub-factions, such as the Dinobots, with their own individual leaders. Sometimes you have a group of bots that can combine to form a larger bot with more firepower. Some Autobots are so powerful they may take several turns and heaps of Energon just to perform one action. It's all about wise decision-making.
Each character also has a set of stats and tech specs on them. The stats are as follows:
Strength: Determines power of direct attacks.
Intellegence: Determines how many actions a unit can perform on one turn.
Speed: Determines order of carrying out commands.
Endurance: Determines character's HP limit.
Courage: Determines how far the unit can move at a time.
Firepower: Determines power of ranged attacks
Skill: Determines ability to use special actions.
That said, when it's your turn, you have the following commands available to you:
Move: Move the unit across the a battlefield.
Attack: Attack an enemy unit, direct or ranged.
Transform: Tranforms the unit. Will be detailed later.
Special: Use a unit's special action, whatever it may be.
When you issue a command to one of your units, the order they carry them out will be determined by their Speed and Rank. If one Autobot is higher ranked than another Autobot, they get first priority on commands, but when they actually perform their designated action, the order said actions get performed is determined by the unit's speed. Some units can be issued several commands at a time, though how many is determined by how smart they are (read: Intellegence).
In essence, the way the stats work in conjunction with one another adds quite a bit of depth to this game's system.