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Blusox69
01-09-2013, 06:16 AM
Hi all,

I'm looking for some feedback on a game concept I'm working on. I help create Android and iOS apps as a part of my job and have begun creating an app for a game idea I had years ago before tablets and smart phones were abundant.

The idea is simple. It's is a space combat game where 2 or more players engage in ship to ship combat. Players can have 1 ship or a fleet depending on the size of their game. Physical models are produced and used for the ships, a tape measure is used for measuring and a tablet or smart phone with the game app is used for pretty much everything else. Each ship model has an RFID chip in its base. Which, along with an RFID reader in the starter set, allows you to register your ships with an online account. The ships in your account can be customised electronically with upgrades to features such as weapons, sub-systems, crew etc. for free to a certain level or via an in app purchase for higher level stuff.

During a game any surface of any size could be used and the two or more players link their devices either via a global server if internet access is available, LAN, or Bluetooth. The first of those 2 options allows for cross platform gaming so both Android, iOS and Windows tablet users could play each other. Bluetooth normally only works between 2 similar devices and for 2 players. The tablets show your ship/fleets complete stats/mods while also showing a basic set of stats of your opponent’s ships/fleet. Movement is done physically using the models and tape measures while combat is resolved on the tablets. During combat you measure your distance to target physically, then select the ship in your fleet, followed by the weapon(s) that you wish to use and which are able to shoot your target. Then select your opponent’s ship, input the distance and select fire. The app uses an equation that takes into account range, the tracking ability of the weapon, and the shooting ability of your crew to determine a hit. Both tablets will display a hit or miss notification, if a hit occurs then a damage result is worked out using another equation taking into consideration such attributes as armour and weapon strength. Any damage sustained is logged in detail on the targets tablet and interface and in slightly less detail on the shooters unless they have war gear that allows for more detailed target interrogation.

Once a game is finished then the results for the players involved are uploaded, or cached if no internet connection is available, to a database where they can be displayed in a leader board and also level up their account, gain access to higher level upgrades and so on. New free and chargeable upgrades would be constantly added to the online store and would provide a fast moving dynamic feel to the evolution of the game not normally seen in miniature war gaming.

I've toyed with the very basic version of my app and I love it. However, everyone thinks their children a beautiful, so I'm putting the concept out there for some real world feedback. I still love making, painting and customising my models, but have grown tired of having to cart so many rulebooks, game boards and terrain back and forth when playing. I also love gadgets and hope that a game like this would bring technology and war gaming closer together.

Go easy on me, it’s only a concept. It’s cost me nothing but some of my spare time to get this far but if you have any ideas or questions then please let me know.

Blusox69
01-11-2013, 03:37 AM
Hi,

I added a poll to this just to get a feel of if gamers would be interested in a wargame that mixed miniatures and app based gaming.

Zeshin
01-11-2013, 12:31 PM
Seems intriguing. I would make sure though that content was available offline and make some way to play the game without the software side in case of phones being down, or network issues.

ElectricPaladin
01-11-2013, 12:37 PM
I would play the SH*T out of this game. I would play it like woah. I would play it so hard it wouldn't be able to sit for a week.

Assuming it was actually any good, that is.

Just make it Battlefleet Gothic with iOS support, and you've got a fan for life.

Blusox69
01-13-2013, 03:34 PM
Thanks for the replies. Battlefleet gothic was an awesome game in its time, I love some of those old GW games.

As for offline model, can't see why a downloadable copy of rules couldn't be included, although I intend to make the electronic interface of the game intuitive and as slick as possible so that you wouldn't want to use the paper alternative. I'm a big fan of user friendly interfaces and I think with enough refinement you can make a deep and complex rule set quick easy to pick up.

I've pitched the concept to a group of developers I use for other stuff and they seem interested so hopefully we can flesh out the bare bones of my idea. A few of them war game and liked it straight off.