Sparta Command Design Discussion

[PTTG]

Sparta Command
Game Dev. Document

Plot Summary:

---Set after the Angry Red Planet game, and assumes that the crew eventually built a habitat and was eventually rescued. A new mission to mars is launched to basically do the same thing on purpose. Game starts at a number of possible points; In flight, On landing, on crash landing, After three months, On arrival of first crew pod, After two years + disaster.
---In flight allows for more throwing people to Vacuum and claustrophobic feel. On landing allows for Frontiersman theme. Crash landing for fun survival. Three Months means construction + Intrigue. Crew Pod means that there's already a large base for chaos in. Two years means there's a huge existing base to destroy.

History:
---Following the partial mission success of the ISC ARES III mission, and the survival of a significant number of the crew, plans for a permanent martian base and colony have been drawn up. The ARES mission was an early attempt to land humans on the martian surface, and certainly did so. It was launched and organized by the IAE (Agence internationale De L'espace: International Space Agency). In reference to the work and sacrifice of the ARES crew, the base has been named after the descendants of mythical Ares, the Spartans.
---However, mission control stopped short of appointing Col. Leo Nidalano as base commander.
---In the past few months, a landing site has been carefully chosen,and a flight path charted for the new vessel with exacting care and cooperation of NASA and European space agencies (the IAE International Measurements Co-ordinator has had more than twenty panic attacks). Despite all expectations, launch of the Mars Exploration, Research, And Permanent Habitat Establishment Craft (MERAPHEC, which doesn't mean anything, though the craft was referred to as "Merp-heck", which sounds like something Jim Henson would think up.) went by with little problem. Meanwhile, the multiple Cargo Capsules drifted on on their trajectory, launched weeks before on the long low-energy path, containing bunches of bulkier but still essential goods.
---Spaceship Merp has just achieved Martian orbit, carrying with it a crew of dedicated explorers and engineers, as well as a fantastic amount of supplies for the crew's mission. What will happen to the crew of Merp, these first settlers of mars, the Spartans?

Game Engine description:
---Sparta Command will be based on tiles-and-borders structure, with the addition of a simple Cellular Autonoma system that accounts for air quality/pressure/toxicity, fluid movement, temperature, and radiation and light, and even airflow direction. Actors such as the players and any NPCs (Which most likely will include only robots, so pathing won't be critical.) will potentially be able to move freely on the grid, but not necessarily.
---Key to the game will be multiple levels- at the very least three, and possibly more. This is because the base will be built at least partially below ground, insulating it from radiation. Further, there are resources below ground such as various ores.
---Meanwhile, the surface, while having the highest levels of radiation short of advanced power plant accidents, will also have natural light, which can power solar panels and grow plants in greenhouses. Further, it can be quicker to build on open areas on the surface than it is to dig out areas underground.

Player Characters:
---Customizing the PC will be an important part of the game. Buying skills, for instance, will allow you to use special equipement without difficulty. Other than skills, players select rank or class and any personal equipment they want to bring. Each class will also get some free skills and equipment, notably uniforms or suits. Ranks will be a separate but related section; technically Chief Engineer, Chief of Operations, Chief of Security, and Chief Scientist have equal rank, though this is not the case. Classes and ranks will be discussed in detail another document.
---Appearance will consist of three parts;
-Color selection, where you can select hair,eye,and skin color for graphics. May be just pixel-art anyway.
-Description, which lets players write detailed descriptions.
-Biometrics, which are game-determined and allow players to steal thumbprints, for instance.

Special Point rules:
---Many attributes, such as "expert" in a skill or special abilities, get more expensive for everyone as more players select it. If it's one player, it may cost 10 points, two may cost 15 points each, three players may need to pay 20 points each. This encourages diversity. This could cause some problems such as griefers "stealing" a slot as expert only to make it cost more for everyone else. This will require balancing.

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Code: Select all

Sparta Classes 2

Command : Black
   Authority:Varies
   Skill:Moderate
   Resources:Moderate
   Access:Varies
   Ranks:
      Executive asst.         Takes care of paperwork and normal office duties of other crew members.
      Bureaucrat            Organizes information and accounting, seems weak, but has subtle authority.
      Sub commander         Oversees all command personnel and helps the Supervisor
      Supervisor            In charge of entire base. Total access.

Science : White
   Authority:Moderate
   Skill:High
   Resources:Moderate
   Access:Low
   Ranks:
      Research asst.         Often a research subject, but skilled at general science.
      Research Specialist      Highly skilled in a specific area.
      Chief Scientist         Oversees all research personnel.

Medical : White + Red Cross
   Authority:Low
   Skill:High
   Resources:Moderate
   Access:Low
   Ranks:
      Nurse               First aid an medical assistance.
      MD                  Skilled medical practitioner and researcher.
      Chief Medical Officer   Oversees all medical personnel and reminds supervisor that he is a doctor.

Security : Red
   Authority:Moderate
   Skill:Low
   Resources:High
   Access:Moderate
   Ranks:
      Guard               A grunt. Normal duties include standing around.
      Agent               A veteran and a skilled criminal investigator.
      Chief of Security         Oversees the security division

Operations : Orange
   Authority:Low
   Skill:Varies
   Resources:Low
   Access:Moderate
   Ranks:
      Maintenance            All low-level jobs on the base, such as cleaning, minor repair, and stock keeping.
      Technician            Skilled but routine base jobs, such as operating most equipment, flight control & piloting.
      Chief of Operations      Oversees all operations personnel.

Morale : Green
   Authority:Low
   Skill:Low
   Resources:Low
   Access:Low
   Ranks:
      Civilian            No special duties relating to the base. May be wealthy mission investor.
      Morale Duty            Such jobs as barkeep and entertainment personnel.
      Morale Liaison         Organizes crew rotation and oversees Morale department.

Engineering : Blue
   Authority:Moderate
   Skill:High
   Resources:Moderate
   Access:Low
   Ranks:
      Engineer            Does general low-level engineering work, such as mining or construction.
      Engineering Specialist   High level engineering work, like prototyping, vehicle construction, advanced projects.
      Chief of Engineering   Oversees engineering section, much skilled engineering duty.

Cadet : Grey
   Authority:None
   Skill:Low
   Resources:Low
   Access:Low
   Ranks:
         Cadet            Dies.

These are some rough values for each class- most of them are made up of three ranks; basically consisting of a low-rank crew member, a mid-ranking crew member, and that classes' chief. A small standard game will include only the commander and each chief.

One key note is that Operations is not just janitors; it also includes the "general crew" that run all the equipment. In general, engineering makes something or fixes it, operations makes it go, science invents it, security shoots it, or shoots at it, morale brings everybody drinks, command yells at everybody about it, the Cadet gets blown up by it, and Medical puts him back together.

Note also that Morale may include the hydroponics section, or that may be operations. I just like the idea of having the farmers wear green.