Sorry for the lack of responses earlier. The details are still being refined, that's why there weren't any concrete examples posted before.
Turn based or RTS? If it's turn based, then we've got enough of them already, but an RTS would immediately grab my attention.
turn-based. I'm not a big fan of RTS's (and that's an understatement), but if you are, try Star Drive - another indie, it's in beta currently, you can grab it on Steam. Pretty good for what it is.
- Varied races with unique gameplay - +10% growth? Research halved? A bonus to combat efficiency? Meh. These are not game-altering changes. We strive to make species really different. Each one is going to have a trait, ability, or gimmick that forces the player to readjust to a new strategy.
Could you give an example?
Sure.
Humans have a Council, which you cannot defy too much or you'll get denounced from your position.
The Empire are powerful but sterile, you have to "farm" enemies to grow.
Krom slowly destroy planets they inhabit, forcing them to move colonies in the longer run.
Descriptions of the first two have already been posted on our site, if you want more info.
- Complexity as a means to an end – most of today’s games are catered to the casual gamer, and thus stripped of many features and lacking depth. On the other hand, we feel that stockpiling gimmicks and mechanics that have no real influence on the game’s flow and only make playing more of a chore is a dead end. Complexity is a must, but it has to serve the player, not the other way around.
Again, example?
See below or read bout
our take on diplomacy- Technology more than just a linear progression – again, latest 4X games struggled a lot with coming up with a sensible tech system. Separate trees that you select and research one by one are not interesting the slightest. In Starlife, we are trying to put some meat on these bones.
Erm... example?
For one, there will be four ways of researching tech: standard research, standard diplomacy/espionage, but you can also order your civilians (see below) to do some for you, and there's prototyping - which is using a (for example) captured ship with unknown tech inside. Each way gives a bit different bonuses.
Tech tree itself is a kind of combined MoO-like tier system at first with a proper tree (prerequisites, mutually exclusive designs, etc.).
- No unnecessary micromanagement – Micro is always a bane of 4X in longer, bigger games. Our plan is cutting down on it without limiting players’ choices.
It's becoming repetitive but, example? This specifically has turned somewhat disastrous on some games that tried to combat this, MoO3 for example split the series fanbase in regards to this.
Agreed that locking the player from too many options is not a good idea. See below (again).
- Your subjects are living creatures (unless they’re robots) – Have you ever felt that those billions of subordinates on your colonies are mindless drones that need constant babysitting? Well, we have. That’s why in Starlife citizens actually have will of their own. They are quite helpful, but, if mistreated, can make your rule a pain.
Is this going to be any different from how other turn-based games handle population unrest?
Unrest is one thing, and it'll probably won't stray too far from the established.
I'll just
Most of the planets are colonized and governed by civilians. They pay taxes and erect improvements by themselves. You don't control them personally (though you can adjust farmer/worker/scientist/trader ratios) - though you can tell them to colonize a specific planet or use a particular policy. Rather than queuing production on every planet (a thing that I absolutely can't stand in long-running MoO or MoM games), you will have to keep civilians in check without angering them too much.
Some planets are military stations, and those are controlled directly by the player.
Ships. You simply order them, and they are built as quickly as resources enable. You need not pick a specific planet.
More about ships:
Scout and colony vessels are controlled normally, you ask them to explore or colonize a specific system or a planet and they do.
Military armada is completely different. Individual ships cannot commanded, but of course you can divide your armada into fleets. Normally, fleets are confined to your territory. You can send them on patrol or to guard a specific position.
Now, when you want your fleet to attack, you choose it, designate the target, pick if you want a full frontal assault or a hit-and-run or whatever, it shows you how long will it take for the fleet to get there, and you confirm the order. While underway you could ask them to return if, for example, you've been attacked in the meantime. Enemy can detect your ships if it has radars (which can be countered by masking devices) or a spy network in your empire and react accordingly.
As I've said, the systems are still in motion, so excuse me if it's too vague.
