 March 23, 2008 - 6:09pm | I posted this as "Soldiers as Followers" in Delta Dawn, but I thought that more people might be interested in this particular discussion. As I was participating in a discussion at the Gleemax blogs, I came across some great ideas that will help Delta Dawn troop movement and combat mechanics. The use of a "followers" mechanic would allow you to control a squad, platoon, or whatever. Here's how it works. When I hammered out the unified combat system between AD and KH (See AER: Combat), 5 action types appeared. These are automatic actions, swift actions, move actions, standard actions, and full round actions. Your character normally has 3 of those actions in a round: swift, move, and standard. The character can sacrifice their move and standard actions to have 3 swift actions. This is the basis from which controlling followers arises. You may command your followers by using your actions. You can trade a swift action to command any number of your followers to use move actions. You can use move actions to command any number of your followers to use standard actions. You can use standard actions to command any number of your followers to use full round actions. If you use 3 swift actions, you can command 3 groups of your followers to perform 3 separate move actions. Commanding swift actions is automatic. Your followers can be used to help you in battle or to defend you in battle, performing a support roll. I think this accurately depicts a command situation in battle. It also means that you are someone else's follower and they may spend the same type of actions to get enhanced results from you and other officers. A coordination mechanic (call it Coordinated Effort?) could allow you to trade a full round action to make a suggestion to an officer of equal rank or higher to perform a coordinated maneuver. You and the officer of equal rank can then spend actions as normal in the next round commanding their troops. This all transfers well to boardgame mechanics. There could be some standard command types, such as: Fall In Disperse Detach Attack Fire Hold Fire Move Out Press Forward Charge Fall Back Abandon Arena Regroup Take Cover Take Position Hold Position Flank Each of these standard command types have action costs. |
 March 24, 2008 - 12:54am | Sounds more like RTS game commands to me. 3. We wear sungoggles during the day. Not because the sun affects our
vision, but when you're cool like us the sun shines all the time. |
March 24, 2008 - 10:06am | What does "RTS" stand for? In a list of accronyms, I could only pull out "Radius Trigger Scripting" as a possibility as maybe meaning video game commands. If that's so, then yes, but just because video games use something doesn't mean it's an invalid mechanic. For instance, you can make a character in a video game jump, but does that make jumping in a roleplaying game invalid? Of course not. Yes it is similar, but that doesn't make it a bad idea. These particular commands would require special rules. Some are already outlined, but individually, say the command "Fall In" would be written like this: Fall In Action Cost: Swift The henchman moves from his current position to follow behind your character. All henchmen in the Fall In position have the same cover as your character, if any. If your character is exposed, they are exposed. |
 March 24, 2008 - 10:09am | I think Bill meant "Real Time Simulation" as in vid games, CJ. "You're everything that's base in humanity," Cochrane continued. "Drawing up strict, senseless rules for the sole reason of putting you at the top and excluding anyone you say doesn't belong or fit in, for no other reason than just because you say so." —Judith and Garfield Reeves-Stephens, Federation |
March 24, 2008 - 10:13am | Either way, same answer. |
March 24, 2008 - 5:33pm | haha I didn't claim it invalidated it, Mr. Defensive :-P I wasn't attacking it at all. I was just musing that it reminds me of commands for Real Time Strategy games like Command & Conquer and others. Likening something to familiar material isn't a bad thing. I left that comment from my blackberry, and therefore didn't type much (it has a full keyboard, but my fingers are twice the surface area of a key haha). 3. We wear sungoggles during the day. Not because the sun affects our
vision, but when you're cool like us the sun shines all the time. |
March 24, 2008 - 5:43pm | Oh. Sorry. I see a lot of comments over at Gleemax where people try to liken 4e to video games, using that as a reason not to play, so I'm just ready to counter it. |
March 24, 2008 - 7:36pm | I've played several video games that have turned out to be very good board games, and vice-versa. I own Age of Mythology boardgame, and love it to death. I also have Settlers of Catan computer game, and draw nearly as much enjoyment from it as from the boardgame of the same name. Playtesting is the key, of course. I'm eager to see what Delta Dawn has to offer. 3. We wear sungoggles during the day. Not because the sun affects our
vision, but when you're cool like us the sun shines all the time. |
March 24, 2008 - 7:44pm | So what do you think of the follower (henchmen) mechanic here? Like it? Hate it? Tweak it? |
March 25, 2008 - 11:27pm | It sounds like a solid enough mechanic, but I wonder how well it will play out. I think there needs to be some significant playtesting soon... eh? 3. We wear sungoggles during the day. Not because the sun affects our
vision, but when you're cool like us the sun shines all the time. |
