Glukkon Management Game

[AlexFili]

This idea has entered my mind time and time again.
What I'm thinking of is along the lines of Final Fantasy: Darklord on WiiWare. With maybe a couple of elements of Badman and Dungeon Keeper 2.

I'm truly convinced that this idea could work.

For example, let's say you have a room with 4 squares.
In those four squares you could put in 4 Slig rookies.
Let's say that 4 equivalents of Abe show up, those Slig rookies are in trouble.

Instead, imagine if the player puts in three Big Bro Sligs and a chant orb. No chanting will make it much more difficult for the Mudokons. But Big Bros will be expensive, so they can't be placed on every possible square. Corners will have to be cut somewhere

Different units would cost different amounts of money. Glukkons would take up a square on the room, but would allow the factory to make more profit. But if the mudokons get to them, the Glukkons will be wiped out. Think of it like a dungeon in a typical RPG. You don't want the Mudokons to reach the treasure at the end, so you'll put obstacles in their way.

What I'm suggesting is a careful balancing act between money, profit and security. I think that a reasonably simple, but yet addictive game could work. I'm thinking Diner Dash meets Tower Defense.

Anyone with me? (This will be in Flash btw).

PS I can have a prototype running in a few days time. The more comments I recieve, the better my game will be.

[Venks]

Sounds incredibly awesome. A bit off topic, but I must ask: do you program in AS2 or AS3? I'm quite curious as most flash developers I bump into only know AS2.

[joshkrz]

This sounds great, its a really good idea. I'm guessing it would have the same kind of idea as a tower defense game but with a different graphics perspective?

--
Venks,

I started with and use AS2, the move to AS3 seems necessarily complicated and time consuming, do you have any tips to make the move? PM me or something if you have the time please. Thanks.

[AlexFili]

I use AS2. AS3 is only a massive leap forward for those more used to C++ and other programing codes. AS2 is proper Flash and is still supported by a large amount of game-makers.

I'm thinking of making the graphics top-down, so that you'll be able to see into the rooms like this;

[X][X]
[X][X]

Drawing characters top-down would be difficult though, so they might just be placed in a side-on 2D fashion. I'm glad you like the idea, I'll start working on it right now.

[MeechMunchie]

It has been much too long since someone did something in the style of Dungeon Keeper. Well done, AF.

[STM]

Sounds good, I think it would be good to pursue it!

On a side note I think a great idea would be a card game like Top Trumps except you can get industiralist decks and native decks of varying levels.

(eg. no-pants slig = lvl.1 where as intern w/snuzi = lvl.3) Any1 like to see this made? It would be a side project for me to do.

[MeechMunchie]

This has no effect on anything, but I decide to put forward some of my ideas in the form of a concept screen.

[AlexFili]

Wow, for a concept screen that's pretty good! Reminds me of Evil Genius a bit.

My Glukkon game will not feature a large amount of excavation or digging. I would rather concentrate on other sections of the game, rather than waste time with something that I'm no good at.

What I do want is a real-time, strategic game which allows the user for have an almost full-reign on what to put and where. Like with the Oddworld Party game I'll make the graphics simple to start with and then improve it when the prototypes done.

Here are my ideas for units so far;
Crawling Slig (10G) - Weak but cheap.
+Pants Locker (20G) - Improved strength and health.
+Wings Locker (30G) - Improved strength and health & Immunity to ground-based attacks.
+Big Bro Kit (65G) - Immense strength and health, almost impossible to defeat in close-combat.
+Sniper Kit (80G) - Very powerful shot, but very slow reload time.

Anti-Chant Orb (25G) - Prevent chanting, but occupies a space (loss in firepower)
Glukkon (50G) - Relatively expensive in the early game, but will generate extra money (as long as it's protected). - Like the Cows in Horde.

These are a few early ideas of units. I will include more as time goes on. Other ideas;
Native units that can be controlled - Eg. Mind-Controlled Scrabs/Genetic Experimental Creatures/Munch's Oddysee creatures (Interns/Vykkers etc).
Mine Cars - For use as transportation and possibly as an offensive tool
Booby traps - Things like spiked floors and alarms

[Josh]

This sounds awesome. Instead of G, shouldent it be M? Ya know, for Moolah.

[AlexFili]

Good point. Here's a screenshot. I'll try and make a small demo tomorrow.

[STM]

ooo shiny

[AlexFili]

Heres a basic demo.

[STM]

how do I access/play it?

[joshkrz]

Open it up within Internet Explorer or Firefox.

[mr.odd]

wtf! i can't play it! my computer says it don't know the program, even though it says flash on the file. any one know how to fix this problem?

[joshkrz]

Open With Internet Explorer, Firefox or your usual internet browser, if it still wont work, then this will:

http://joshkrz.fileave.com/AlexFili.exe

That EXE is a converted SWF. It doesn't install anything onto your computer.

[Varrok]

If you have Mozilla Firefox, open Archive with WinRar and drag'n'drop the .swf into the address bar

[JayDee]

maybe you could display it isometrically? kinda like Age of Empires

[joshkrz]

maybe you could display it isometrically? kinda like Age of Empires

That's what I thought it was at first.

Alexfili have you seen a tower defense game made in flash such as Vector TD?

Perhaps instead of a line you could actually create a passageway, also add power ups and stronger Muds as you get through the levels etc. Take a look at that game you might get some ideas.

Also it might be best to upload a EXE of the game or embed it into a webpage because alot of people don't have Flash.

Keep on going though, I'm sure you will make this into a great game.

[Venks]

joshkrz, there is no easy way to pick up AS3. Just practice using it like you would any other new programming language.

AlexFili I fully appreciate your simplistic graphics in this prototype. Way too many times in my prototypes do I get bothered by the appearance of things and spend time working on graphics which always takes up a large amount of my time. Which is just silly when all you're doing is making a prototype.

As for the current gameplay: The Natives should definitely get stronger units. Also seeing as the idea is a Glukkon Management game rather then just tower defense we need to see more managing elements. Perhaps the managing being the only way you produce the moolah to make your units. Perhaps you could add more things like having to slap Scrubs around to keep them scrubbing, laughing at Mudokons who are being tortured to increase morale, and stuff like that.

[STM]

dankun joshkrz

[AlexFili]

I will take these ideas on board. Not sure about the isometric thing, or the pathway. I'll see what ideas can be implemented quickest.