None of this fixed in stone but I would be surprised if any major concept changes will be accepted by the development team. Feel free to propose ideas but if they change from the basic concept of game then don't be surprised if your ideas are rejected.
Firstly this game is going to have a finish, the server will reset and we'll all start again from scratch. Envisaged game time is about 10 months but that will vary a little depending on game play.
End game will be when a target is achieved, the building of something special. Probably a spaceship component that then needs to be moved safely to the centre of the map. No individual will be able to do this it will need an alliance.
Now game components, in no particular order; will tidy up later.
Bashing
This is a game term meaning repeated attacks on another player.
There will be some limit as to how many times you can attack another player in any one day, it will be quite a large limit however and as to how it will work will depend on balancing issues which we will look at when combat starts.
Markets.
You will be able to ship resources to your own villages with only restrictions being number of merchants, storage capacities & available resources.
You can ship resources to other players but they will have to ship back something at 1:1this is to prevent unfair "pushing" of resources.
Resources sold at market will be automatically transferred by the game.
You say what you wish to sell, how much, how far away and what type of resource you want in return. You do not get to see other players offers and the ratio you get (max/min 2:1) will be calculated by the game depending on what is offered and requested by all the players in the game.
Buildings
Some terminology first.
- Building Stages
- Building Evolution
- Building Slots
Buildings come in up to four variants, we call them evolutions or evo for short.
All buildings have an evo 1 and an evo final. A building is in evo1 at stages 1 to 10, evo 2 at stages 11 to 20 and evo 3 at stages 21 to 30. The maximum stage any building can reach is called the evo final (stage 10, 20 or 30). Most buildings have a different name at each of the first three evolutions.
There are three types of building slots in each village; small, medium & large.
Some buildings can go all the way to stage 30 in a small slot, for instance Storehouse. Some buildings will be restricted in a small slot but not a larger one. For instance Architects mansion can only go to stage 20 in a small slot but can reach stage 30 in a medium or large one.
Combat.
When you attack or defend you will mostly keep about a third of your units even if you lose. Those units will run away, In a defenders case they will return after a short while. Attackers will return home at normal speed leaving behind all carts & siege.
Weather
Although implementing weather - 4 seasons, 7 weather types, this is mainly for atmosphere. Actual in game effects, if any, will be minimal.
Laying claim
When you lay claim to a terrain or a settlement it is just a statement of intent.
There is nothing to stop another player taking a claimed terrain, nor even from making their own claim on it other than fear of retribution from you or your alliance.
Extra villages.
Settling will be easy at first but will get harder and harder to settle more villages. around 5 villages you will need to start to look at conquering other villages. Each conquered village will make it easier to settle another one.
A settled village starts with 1 of each store house and a village hall. It only has any resources if you sent them with the settlers. Any extra carts sent with settlers become units in the newly settled village.
Reinforcements
Reinforcements still belong to their original village and can not be used from the new village.
Exceptions to this are settlers and carts which can be sent to other villages to be used from there.
Terrains
Each village has 5 terrains it controls.
Each terrain gives different resources and some have special bonuses.
Currently you have control of the terrain you settle and the ones North, East, south & West of that central terrain.
There is a rare terrain type for each resource that has a lot of that type of resource.
There are ideas in progress that may happen including to let you chose 4 of the 8 surrounding terrains, let you capture them from other players and for a special building/unit associated with the terrain you settle on.
Alliances
You will be able to form and join groups, alliances.
You will share any explored map areas while in an alliance.
Be able to see when your alliance members are attacked.
Have a high score table for alliances.
End game victory, when implemented, will be awarded to the winning alliance.
