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KaVir · 05-08-2002, 04:27 AM

This is how I envision it, although it's only one possible approach:

1. A settlement just founded.

It simply appears - "spawns" - somewhere on the map. It could be founded by a group of settlers who have left a previous settlement, or just appear naturally (perhaps if the number of settlements in the mud has dropped below a certain amount), but in the latter case it should appear somewhere where nobody has been for a while. It would initially consist of only a handful of people and perhaps a few huts.

2. A settlement growing to be self sufficient.

Each settlement would have a number of resources (perhaps "wood", "food", "stone", "iron" and "money"?). These resources could be increased through various methods - however a self-sufficient settlement would (at least initially) have to send workers out to collect them. Note that a successful settlement would almost never be self-sufficient, but would rely on trade with other settlements (although the actual action of "trading" could be assumed, by building wagons or trading ships, rather than actually simulated).

3. A settlement under attack by Players (farming, et all)

A settlement would be able to produce various things for different resource costs (and for people, upkeep costs). A "bakery" for example might provide a small food income, a "goldsmith" might produce a gold income, and so on. There would also be things like watchtowers (to improve the defence of the settlement) and barracks (for training citizens into soldiers), although each of these would take up space within the settlement.

So to answer your question, a settlement which came under heavy attack would start funneling more of its resources into producing extra troops, rather than into expanding - and eventually it might start cannibalising itself (destroying unnecessary buildings to make space for more military stuff, training workers into warriors, and so on). I'm thinking of some sort of combination of Monarchy, Age of Empires and Kohan.

4. A settlement under attack by other NPC/Mobiles

This would work in much the same way as with players, although it would probably be less common - skirmishes might well occur from time to time, but unless the settlements are blocking each other from expanding (or you've got some sort of "racial hatred" coded) it probably won't be profitable enough to be worthwhile.

5. A settlement growing beyond a settlement.

I envision that, similar to many RTS games, in order to advance to the next "stage", certain requirements would first have to be met. This would generally revolve around having reached a certain population level and having built a specified number of buildings of specified types. You could then have "ranks" for each settlement, ranging from "hamlet" to "city" (although if new settlements can later be built, it might be possible to build an entire empire).

Remember, it doesn't have to do more than provide a rough simulation internally, as long as it looks good to the players externally.

05-08-2002, 04:27 AM	#2
KaVir Legend Join Date: Apr 2002 Name: Richard Home MUD: God Wars II Posts: 2,052	This is how I envision it, although it's only one possible approach: 1. A settlement just founded. It simply appears - "spawns" - somewhere on the map. It could be founded by a group of settlers who have left a previous settlement, or just appear naturally (perhaps if the number of settlements in the mud has dropped below a certain amount), but in the latter case it should appear somewhere where nobody has been for a while. It would initially consist of only a handful of people and perhaps a few huts. 2. A settlement growing to be self sufficient. Each settlement would have a number of resources (perhaps "wood", "food", "stone", "iron" and "money"?). These resources could be increased through various methods - however a self-sufficient settlement would (at least initially) have to send workers out to collect them. Note that a successful settlement would almost never be self-sufficient, but would rely on trade with other settlements (although the actual action of "trading" could be assumed, by building wagons or trading ships, rather than actually simulated). 3. A settlement under attack by Players (farming, et all) A settlement would be able to produce various things for different resource costs (and for people, upkeep costs). A "bakery" for example might provide a small food income, a "goldsmith" might produce a gold income, and so on. There would also be things like watchtowers (to improve the defence of the settlement) and barracks (for training citizens into soldiers), although each of these would take up space within the settlement. So to answer your question, a settlement which came under heavy attack would start funneling more of its resources into producing extra troops, rather than into expanding - and eventually it might start cannibalising itself (destroying unnecessary buildings to make space for more military stuff, training workers into warriors, and so on). I'm thinking of some sort of combination of Monarchy, Age of Empires and Kohan. 4. A settlement under attack by other NPC/Mobiles This would work in much the same way as with players, although it would probably be less common - skirmishes might well occur from time to time, but unless the settlements are blocking each other from expanding (or you've got some sort of "racial hatred" coded) it probably won't be profitable enough to be worthwhile. 5. A settlement growing beyond a settlement. I envision that, similar to many RTS games, in order to advance to the next "stage", certain requirements would first have to be met. This would generally revolve around having reached a certain population level and having built a specified number of buildings of specified types. You could then have "ranks" for each settlement, ranging from "hamlet" to "city" (although if new settlements can later be built, it might be possible to build an entire empire). Remember, it doesn't have to do more than provide a rough simulation internally, as long as it looks good to the players externally.