RTS Game pitch

Finally we formed another team and decided to build an RTS game.
When we talk about RTS game, it is easily to raise up many typical RTS, such as Warcraft, Starcraft, Age of Empire, Command and Conque, etc. RTS games have many similar feature, and how to make our game unique was our team's No. 1 question. And also because there is 6 members in our team, we can not make a Warcraft scope game like Blizzard. So, we come up with the game idea which is single screen and cute art style game. We also come up with a courage system, which mean the unit ability will affect by its courage value.
For the prototype, we want to make it as simple as possible but also include our core idea. The premise of the game is, you are traveling into the space. Unfortunately, your spaceship crash into Mars, and you need to explore the planet to find parts to repair your spaceship to escape. At the same time, aliens may also attack you, you may need to collect resources to build your defense. For the prototype, you only begin with 5 penguins to collect resources and find parts.
The further work for the game will be: different parts may need different amounts penguins to move it to the base; parts could be alien labs, player can build their own labs base on them and upgrade weapons; it can be 3 kinds of penguin and 3 kinds of alien, they all have their unique ability; penguins could chose to equip different kinds of weapons.
I also have thought about how to apply Kingdom Hierarchy System into the game. The basic thought is, when a group of penguin was defeated, they loose all their weapons, but they still alive with their own level. The penguin could die only if they continue getting attack after they are defeated.

Thesis Game Pitch: Kingdom Hierarchy System

At the beginning of Spring 2013 in Game Project II, we are going to make our thesis game.
At the end of last semester, I did a game pitch of dragon race for the Game Design final project. I like this pitch, however, I prefer to make an RTS game. Specifically, I want this game to be a game with some ancient Chinese culture. And for my favorite, the ancient Chinese culture means the Three Kingdom history.
Currently, there are already many games built on the Three Kingdom history. I want my game has at least one unique feature, and that is the Kingdom Hierarchy System:

The game will suppose to be an isometric view. Here, each player start as civilian. As the player raise crop in farms, make merchandise in factory, or participate into a battle, he will gain experience to grow. Somehow he can become a general, and then a king. The king can be overturn by his general, an the general can be overturn by civilian. If the king was overturned, he become a civilian again, and he can start from the beginning to become a king again.

From civilian to king, player would play more RTS and kingdom management. On the other hand, as a civilian doesn't have much power to domain an area, he can play more RPG feature.

The game will have two modes: Peace mode and Battle mode. In Peace mode, kingdoms could not attack each other, and generals, civilians can not overturn their kings too. At this time, players are suppose to do more kingdom development, such as raising the farm, build more barrack, etc. At a specific time period, the game turns into Battle mode. Now kingdoms could attack others, or defense themselves. King could be suddenly overturned by his generals or civilians at this time too. King, generals and civilians can also suspend to their enemy at this time.

A more visual view of this game would be: WarCraft III + Ragnarok + Romance of The Three Kingdoms. So, player normally is just like playing Ragnarok: go out to hunt some animal, raise their farms, earn money and exp. to upgrade level. As the battle mode unlock, they will play like WarCraft III: train military in barrack, send out dominion to attack or defense, control their hero character to enhance advantage. If they win the battle, they gain more terrain for their kingdom. Generals and civilians may suddenly overturn their king at this time.

However, this game idea maybe too huge for a student thesis project. There are many detail should figure out how to make the game work. If this game going to be built, I would do more detail design about the Kingdom Hierarchy System first, to make it simpler first for the game.

Acknowledgement: The Kingdom Hierarchy System is first came out by Zhi Dong. He discussed this idea with me two days before the game pitch presentation.