Bay 12 Games Forum

Now that sounds like a crazy fun idea. I remember hearing about those kinds of shirts some years back, though as is I'm going to have enough trouble offering the shirts I've designed already :/. My payment solution won't allow me to sell shirts, and as much as I don't like PayPal I may have to resort to using them for that part of the launch (separate from the game itself...).

Endless Legend: one of the reviews says "Heroes of Might and Magic meets Civ."

I suppose if I'm ever going to get into a 4X, this is it. Anyone else have opinions?

Quote from: Graknorke on April 12, 2015, 12:20:10 pm

Foreword: So this started off as a more general thing but then I figured that the Half-Life universe is actually a perfect place to set the concept so I guess I'll just pretend it is because games set in that universe outside the core Half-Life games would be nice.

Spoiler (click to show/hide)

A (turn-based I suppose) strategy game based around asymmetric force (hear me out here), where one player is an incredibly strong military occupier (the Combine) and the other plays as a resistance force (the rebels). The game would take place across a conurbation where different regions come with particular qualities, for example agricultural areas will have less security activity, and residential areas make it easier to hide operations in.

The different factions would have different win objectives. The rebels have the simplest, which is to destroy the central Combine base of operations in the area, which is an incredibly difficult task given that it's where the heaviest forces are mobilised from. Once it's destroyed the rebels should well be able to seize the rest of the area without comparable resistance.
The objective on the Combine side, on the other hand, is to keep the rebel group's support below a certain threshold for a period of time, after which it can be effectively concluded that they've been defeated proper. Of course the rebels are not reliant on a single base of operations so direct combat is not as straightforward.
In addition, the Combine has to keep away an outside threat that is easy to deal with but could be dangerous if left unchecked (Xen wildlife). This exists to keep the Combine from just keeping an overbearing military presence everywhere. It diverts resources. And should the defences be compromised, there would be problems, so while the wildlife isn't sided with the rebels, it would be in the rebels' best interest to sometimes help them along.

Actions would be taken every turn depending on resources available. Combine would have to build up facilities for holding units in order to improve numbers, while the rebels would focus on setting up safehouses, scavenging weapons and building support. Other more general actions would be sending armed units to areas for combat purposes, and distributing propaganda. The Combine player would have an advantage in terms of the forces that can be brought to bear, while the rebels have the advantage in being able to respond faster and disengage faster when an action is completed or called off, meaning that it's harder to ambush them or catch them at a base.

Probably some other stuff too but to be honest I kind of don't care too much about specifics. Really I just want a game with a reasonable portrayal of rebellion against a force that would be superior in a direct confrontation, and also a non-FPS game set in the Half-Life universe.

I actually think the whole asymmetric turn based warfare would make a really great boardgame.  One player is occupiers, everyone else plays different resistance factions, one player takes all.  Or maybe resistance factions partially work together, either way.