XML Modifications and Variations

[AndyDufresne]

XML Modifications and Variations



Ta-da! As Keyogi mentioned in the Updates, Changes, and Things to Come announcement, we've got something in store regarding XML modification and variation! Lack has long talked about making gameplay more exciting, unique, and fun. With our current XML scheme the community is rather limited in the interesting gameplay department. Some say it is stagnant and a little boring.

But the cartographers and the community have found a few gems in our current format: continents sharing countries, non-continent countries, negative bonuses, one-way borders, and 'no escape countries' (alcatraz/bermuda triangle). Lack never even imagined the possibilities that would arise from the XML being the way it is! It has all been a pleasant surprise to both him, myself, and the community.

But now Lack and I have a challenge for all your budding and imaginative minds! We'd like to compile a list of new gameplay ideas that you'd like to see possible. We can't guarantee that any of the ideas will be implemented, but we'd sure like to give it all a shot! When Lack is able to check in, he'll look over the ideas and see how feasible the suggestions are.

We'll mark them with the labels of: [Easy], [Moderate], and [Hard/Impossible] to do. So if you'd like to suggest a new revolutionizing idea, by all means go ahead and fill out the form! Please, only well thought out ideas, and 1 idea per post, and follow the format below. Thanks!



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Suggestion Idea: <Concise Name (Use huge, bold, and blue font)>

Description: <What exactly the idea is and how it modifies gameplay, please use details>

Why It Should Be Considered: <What's your pitch, what are the benefits from this variation>

Lack Label (Mod Use): <To be used at a later date, to determine feasibility>

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Get cracking with those great ideas!
--Andy

Make sure it isn't already a current xml feature: viewtopic.php?t=23382
--Coleman

An archived list of suggestions is available here: viewtopic.php?f=127&t=54619
--MrBenn

[dominationnation]

I think I will start with the obvios

Suggestion Idea: dinamic borders

specifics: borders or countries that can go from one way to both ways or move from one end of the map to the other.

Why It should be considered: To make gameplay more exciting and interesting. also helpful for the historical maps when one country will start out the war part of one country and ends in an other

Lack Label: [Maybe]

[DiM]

sorry i'm not filling the form but this is a message i sent to lack some time ago. he told me xml upgrades are coming and i should wait until then. so here is what i want:

hi, lack, i have a bit of a trouble with a map idea. i need to have several xmls in order for it to work.

so i was thinking. currently each map has it's own xml. could it be possible for a map to have several xmls (10, 20, 100, etc) and those xmls are chosen random at the start of the game?
i don't know exactly how it works but i don't think it would be too much of a problem coding the game to choose a random xml each time the game is created.


the second problem could be even more tricky. certain xmls at different points in the game. again it might be impossible but i have no idea how this works so i'm just asking. here's how it goes. at different stages in the game certain events (like an elimination, or somebody conquers a continent) the xml is changes. it's like going into a new era, bonuses are changed, impassible borders appear/dissappear, new territories arise.
let's say in round 9 we have an earthquake thar causes a part of a territory to split in half or creates an impassable rift. this would be really neat. ofcourse at each event a new graphical map will be selected to reflect the changes in the xml.

it would be much more work (designing like 20-30 maps in large and small versions) and 20-30 xmls, but it would be awesome to have a map like this with dynamic changes that affect gameplay.

and here is a pm from a discussion with yeti_c:

i've got a few xml things to ask you since you're the xml guru around here
also maybe you know stuff about programming cause it would certainly help.

i want to start working on a new project. but it involves certain programing and xml aspects that i'm not familiar with.

i'm planning a dynamic map.


1. several graphic designs are involved. so probably 20-30 maps need to be made. and also 20-30 xml. this is not a problem, it's hard and it takes a shitload of time but it's not unmanageable. so we have like 10 eras each with it's own graphics and xml and ~2 events per era (meaning 20 more maps (modified versions of the first 10). now the first problem. can the game engine support this? can it change maps and xml during a game? if yes we continue:
2. changing the maps and xmls should be done by triggers. there could be 2 types of triggers. time related. let's say round 13 means a minor event, round 20 a new era, etc. this is rather simple. the more complicated trigger is when it is decided by player actions. let's say if a player does something like taking a continent or eliminating an opponent, a new thing is triggered. this could proove more dificult. is this possible? if yes, we continue:
3. winning. you have 2 options of winning a game, either by eliminating the opposition or by objective. let's say the objective is to be the strongest player when you reach the end of the final era. can this be done?

now imagine all this idea with animations. like a minor event would be an earthquake that splits a continent in half (new bonuses new impassable borders) done in a nice animation.


i may be just dreaming but it would be really nice to have all this.

so it's basicaly not an idea but a whole bunch of them:
*dynamic borders
*ranged attacks
*random events
*impassable borders that switch to passable
*new continents that appear
*bonuses that change
*posibility to move your terits
*etc.

i'm in a real hurry now cause i have to leave on vacation so again sorry for notfilling the form

[KEYOGI]

You forgot the huge blue font!

Suggestion Idea:
Multiple Map Images

Description:
Could be used in a number of ways. Could be random or sequential at set intervals as well. Some examples:

• Seasons
• Tides
• Signs of wear and map deterioration (bomb craters, destroyed buildings)
• Would be needed for dynamic borders

Why It Should Be Considered: It has the potential to create more interesting/reaslistic maps and new gameplay options.

Lack Label (Mod Use):[Maybe]

[dominationnation]

sorry i'm not filling the form but this is a message i sent to lack some time ago. he told me xml upgrades are coming and i should wait until then. so here is what i want:

hi, lack, i have a bit of a trouble with a map idea. i need to have several xmls in order for it to work.

so i was thinking. currently each map has it's own xml. could it be possible for a map to have several xmls (10, 20, 100, etc) and those xmls are chosen random at the start of the game?
i don't know exactly how it works but i don't think it would be too much of a problem coding the game to choose a random xml each time the game is created.


the second problem could be even more tricky. certain xmls at different points in the game. again it might be impossible but i have no idea how this works so i'm just asking. here's how it goes. at different stages in the game certain events (like an elimination, or somebody conquers a continent) the xml is changes. it's like going into a new era, bonuses are changed, impassible borders appear/dissappear, new territories arise.
let's say in round 9 we have an earthquake thar causes a part of a territory to split in half or creates an impassable rift. this would be really neat. ofcourse at each event a new graphical map will be selected to reflect the changes in the xml.

it would be much more work (designing like 20-30 maps in large and small versions) and 20-30 xmls, but it would be awesome to have a map like this with dynamic changes that affect gameplay.

and here is a pm from a discussion with yeti_c:

i've got a few xml things to ask you since you're the xml guru around here
also maybe you know stuff about programming cause it would certainly help.

i want to start working on a new project. but it involves certain programing and xml aspects that i'm not familiar with.

i'm planning a dynamic map.


1. several graphic designs are involved. so probably 20-30 maps need to be made. and also 20-30 xml. this is not a problem, it's hard and it takes a shitload of time but it's not unmanageable. so we have like 10 eras each with it's own graphics and xml and ~2 events per era (meaning 20 more maps (modified versions of the first 10). now the first problem. can the game engine support this? can it change maps and xml during a game? if yes we continue:
2. changing the maps and xmls should be done by triggers. there could be 2 types of triggers. time related. let's say round 13 means a minor event, round 20 a new era, etc. this is rather simple. the more complicated trigger is when it is decided by player actions. let's say if a player does something like taking a continent or eliminating an opponent, a new thing is triggered. this could proove more dificult. is this possible? if yes, we continue:
3. winning. you have 2 options of winning a game, either by eliminating the opposition or by objective. let's say the objective is to be the strongest player when you reach the end of the final era. can this be done?

now imagine all this idea with animations. like a minor event would be an earthquake that splits a continent in half (new bonuses new impassable borders) done in a nice animation.


i may be just dreaming but it would be really nice to have all this.

so it's basicaly not an idea but a whole bunch of them:
*dynamic borders
*ranged attacks
*random events
*impassable borders that switch to passable
*new continents that appear
*bonuses that change
*posibility to move your terits
*etc.

i'm in a real hurry now cause i have to leave on vacation so again sorry for notfilling the form

It wouldn't be that hard. they would just copy the map on to a different file and make one change like adding an extra border or a crater or something

[KEYOGI]

I think it's important we don't get too carried away with changes. I can't say for certain this would be true, but I would expect large XML files and images with animation would just cause the whole process to run slowly. We're playing an online representation of a board game, I don't think we should turn it into a videogame.

[ClessAlvein]

Suggestion Idea:
Field Marshals and Generals, Fortresses and Siege Towers

Description:
The basic concept is giving +1 defense (Field Marshal, Fortress) or +1 attack (Generals, Siege Towers) to the top die in your rolls. The difference between Field Marshal/Generals and Fortresses/Siege Towers is that the former are mobile and perishable, perhaps deployable, and the latter are immobile and immortal.

Why It Should Be Considered: It makes large armies more dynamic and dangerous, and holding various key positions more important. Just as having good leaders or a good defensive position in a real batallion improves morale, these modifications can also affect battle outcome greatly.

Lack Label (Mod Use): [No]

[ClessAlvein]

Suggestion Idea:
Travel Time

Description:
Some crossings, especially those involving harbours and ships, would have x turn delays in the army reaching their destinations. Armies en route could be visible or invisible, and I suppose a new "territory" of a ship would be created when the attack arrives (not counting towards the territory total). If the attacker succeeds, then the territory would be taken and the transient ship territory disappears; if the attacker fails, then the remaining armies would return to the original position. If the position that the attacker attacked from was taken by a hostile army, then that army would disappear.

Why It Should Be Considered: It creates scenarios where opportunistic strikes would be very important, and allows the defender to scramble for a defense (although the attacker could be doing this as a distraction!).

Lack Label (Mod Use): [No]

[Evil DIMwit]

Looks like we have a whole bunch of good ideas that need to be put into a regular format. But, one idea per post, so something I've been meaning to address myself:

Suggestion Idea:
Variable basic army grants

Description:
I don't know what else to call it; basically this would allow mapmakers to fundamentally alter the minimum number of armies each player gets per turn, and the number of territories needed to gain more armies per turn.

A slightly more challenging version might allow for different scales, like logarithmic (i.e. you need one territory for the 1st army, two for the 2nd, four for the 3rd, eight for the 4th, etc.); possibly allowing mapmakers to set their own equations for this based on certain variables like number of territories, continents, or armies held.

The default values should still probably be three and three.

Why It Should Be Considered:
The basic version, I think, is a natural way to extend the XML, and would probably be beneficial to small maps, of, say, eighteen territories (though even in a thirty-territory map the minimum of twelve territories for the first extra army seems a little high). Or it could be used for larger maps accordingly.

The more complicated version, admittedly, does have less use, though I can imagine it being useful to change the underlying balance of the game -- a logarithmic scale would likely prolong a game, while an exponential scale would make holding on to every territory that much more important. Maybe someone else can come up with a better use to justify adding this...

Lack Label (Mod Use): [Maybe]

[Janiv]

Suggestion Idea:
Starting Neutral Territories

Description:
This allows the map creator to force some countries to be neutral at the start of the game. In addition, the number of armies starting in the neutral territory could be specified in the XML.

Why It Should Be Considered:
This would allow map creators to have special territories that give bonuses without having to worry that any one player would start with those bonuses. Being able to specify the number of armies would allow the map creator to determine how hard that territory is to capture.

This could help out in capture-the-flag type maps or other things like in the map "Valley of the Kings."

Lack Label (Mod Use): [Yes]

[Evil DIMwit]

Why It Should Be Considered: This would allow map creators to have special territories that give bonuses without having to worry that anyone player would start with those bonuses. By being able to specify the number of armies would allow the map creator to determine how hard that territory is to capture.

Ooh, really good idea there.

[dominationnation]

Why It Should Be Considered: This would allow map creators to have special territories that give bonuses without having to worry that anyone player would start with those bonuses. By being able to specify the number of armies would allow the map creator to determine how hard that territory is to capture.

Ooh, really good idea there.

I agree, that way Siege! could have continued its original bonus idea in the throne room

[cairnswk]

Why It Should Be Considered: This would allow map creators to have special territories that give bonuses without having to worry that anyone player would start with those bonuses. By being able to specify the number of armies would allow the map creator to determine how hard that territory is to capture.

Ooh, really good idea there.

I agree, that way Siege! could have continued its original bonus idea in the throne room

I would luv to have that option of neutral territories in my Valley of the Kings map....the Afterlife would then have to be attacked to get the bonuses. Very good idea!!

[Janiv]

Suggestion Idea:
Ranged Attacks

Description:
Some borders could be marked as ranged borders with an attribute in the XML. If a country had a ranged border, then you could attack that country but not be able to advance your armies into the territory if you conquer it. Instead the country would be populated with a 0 neutral in the territory or if that was not possible a 1 neutral.

Why It Should Be Considered:
This would allow for the simulation of air attacks, siege weapons, artillery, archers, wizards casting spells from towers, etc.

Lack Label (Mod Use): [Yes]

[cairnswk]

Suggestion Idea:

1. Fractional Individual Territory Bonuses 2. With Variable Conditions

Description:
1. As well as having a continent/region bonus allocated on the basis of holding all territories in the continent/region, another game play could be if each territory that was held by a player could accumulate a fraction bonus i.e. 0.5 or 1.5 at the end of each round.
2. This fractional bonus could then be dependant on certain conditions using if, then or else statements (if these are possible in XML).

Why should this be considered:
1. This would enable individual territories to be coded with bonuses for themselves rather than for the continent as a whole. It would enable a different procedural game plan to be developed, perhaps slower or faster depending on the individual bonus allocated. At present I believe (if I am correct) we can only distribute whole number in the bonuses XML.
2. Variable conditions woudl allow for greater game variation to be developed. (Not sure if this can be accomplished with the new modifications)
1. Lack Label: (Mod Use) [No]
2. Lack Label: (Mod Use) [No]

[Wisse]

Suggestion Idea: Mutiple attacks

Description: you can attack 2 countrys at once without loosing extra armys (or 1/2 of the normal armys, mayby there would be an option to choose that too)

Why It Should Be Considered: Could be something for a defensive wall or something like a strong place, or countrys in the middle of other continents

Lack Label (Mod Use): [No]

[yeti_c]

Suggestion Idea: Final Objective

Description: Similar to a continent definition... if a player holds all of the objective territories then they win the game.

Why It Should Be Considered: Kindof similar to mission cards - but defined across the whole map... would give 2 routes to victory... My original idea for this was in a "Trivial pursuit map" where you had to gain all 6 "cheese" squares and the centre territory... this coupled with Neutral territories would be ace.

Lack Label (Mod Use): [Yes]

[yeti_c]

Suggestion Idea: Trade Routes

Description: Method of moving armies along specific routes (only affects Adjacent)

Why It Should Be Considered: You have trade routes that connect to each other and you can reinforce along their length as you wish...

Lack Label (Mod Use): [No]

[Gilligan]

Suggestion Idea: Neutral Players

Description: When a player becomes a deadbeat, the "computer" can take their turns, as a normal player. This could happen in the beginning too, with the few neutral territories.

Why It Should Be Considered: It would change people's strategies, and with 3 or 4 deadbeats in the game it won't be boring.

Lack Label (Mod Use): [No]

[yeti_c]

Suggestion Idea: Neutral Players

Description: When a player becomes a deadbeat, the "computer" can take their turns, as a normal player. This could happen in the beginning too, with the few neutral territories.

Why It Should Be Considered: It would change people's strategies, and with 3 or 4 deadbeats in the game it won't be boring.

Lack Label (Mod Use):

I'm 100% sure this isn't an XML change... this would be a gameplay change!!

C.

[Contrickster]

Suggestion Idea: Overloaded Territories

Description: On specified territories (mountainous, icy, desert, wasteland etc), once armies reach above a certain specified number either

a) No more can be added (there is an army number limit for that territory

or

b) Once the territory becomes overloaded the territory loses a specified number of armies every turn until the territory restores to the load limit (unless constantly replenished).

Why It Should Be Considered: Added territory realism and strategy consideration. Is it really realistic to have 100 armies on Greenland and 1 in Ontario - what do they feed on, where are their energy supplies, how are they housed - it should be more of a challenge to populate specified challenging regions with armies. This could open up "close up maps" such as with cities (urban areas) and forests etc.


Lack Label (Mod Use): [No]

[dominationnation]

bonus go on specific territorys

It would be sort of like getting a set of cards. When you get certain bonuses instead of putting them where ever you want they automaticly go on a predetermined territory.


That way you could have a training camp and any troops that you get as a bonus for that would automaticly go on the last territory



Lack label: [Yes]

[Wisse]

whaha i started with the underline and everyon is doing it too

[Janiv]

Suggestion Idea:
Decay Territories

Description:
A territory marked as a decay territory in the XML could result in a specified number of troops killed in that territory per turn.

An alternative variation to this idea could be troop loss only occurs when you move into the territory or deploy additional troops to that territory.

Why It Should Be Considered:
This could allow for the creation of things like mine fields, poisonous or radiated land, hot lava, areas under attack from bombardments, etc.

Lack Label (Mod Use): [Yes]

[Contrickster]

Suggestion Idea:
Decay Territories

Description:
A territory marked as a decay territory in the XML could result in a specified number of troops in that territory per turn.

An alternative variation to this idea could be troop loss only occurs when you move into the territory or deploy additional troops to that territory.

Why It Should Be Considered:
This could allow for the creation of things like mine fields, poisonous or radiated land, hot lava, areas under attack from bombardments, etc.

Lack Label (Mod Use):

Good idea. Radiated land features in USApocalypse.