Community X- browser based game? Any one interested?

[s9ilent]

After playing The settlers online/castle empires, it got me to thinking... hey I could totally do that (but naturally I see more spaceships and pew pew, than bows and arrows)

Any way, is there any interesting in DEVELOPING a game (yes I'm sure lots of people are interested in playing one.. but I'm more concerned with development.


My goals are to...
1) Make a online browser based game. (targeting PC's)
2) Using a free host
3) Preferably using skills that I already know, (or that are at least easy to learn)
4) Put hooks in browser game to allow some interfacing with actual X3 TC/AP
(Possibly secondary objectives include looking into mobile devices but tbh.. ick....)


My idea to implement the above:
-Make the game in Silverlight
-Host on app harbor (free host for .net development). Given the choice of host


Game general concept:
-Strategy game, mostly focused on building stations to get resource, to build combat ships, with NO (limited) trade ships management. e.g. like settlers (you don't order your settlers around individually, you just build buildings, and eventually you build weapons, weapons create combat units which you DO directly control).


Game Implementation idea/details:

-Given that no free host lets you run background/long life threads, the game will essentially have to run asnyc, within the span of a single service operation (e.g. one query.)
I was planning on doing this by making the game operate around the idea of a Timeline.

e.g.
Time 0, wheat farm construction completed, start factory (lets assume that it produces every 60 seconds). It registers the next event at t=60
Time 30, I log out
Time 60 Nothing happens as I'm logged out and no operations happen on the server
Time 120, nothing continues to happen
Time 150, I log back in (which hits an update method). This notices that there was an outstanding even at t=60 to *complete* the factory product cycle, so it completes it (adds the resources etc.) which then causes it to register another cycle (at t=120). It checks the reigstered cycles again and see's the cycle registered at 120 so it completes that cycle as well etc.

So in effect it will simulate the production of your factories across time, in a one operation.

In normal x3 this would not work as outside parties will trade with you, but in this game, trading with external parties is NOT done automatically, it is done explicitly.




My planned deviations from existing X-games:
-In current x games, price is a function of quantity (which is fine). But that price is for the entire transaction of goods. (i.e. You pay a fixed price K, for EVERY ware in the transaction). In my system I plan to make the price depend on the quantity purchased as well.
The easiest way to picture it is, average (price before purchase ,price after purchase ).
This way price does actually live EXACTLY on the supply-demand curve.




Any way.. I think that is enough typing for now....
thoughts comments feedback?

[Drainy]

Some thoughts;

You may have thought of this but obviously you would need to be careful with the X link, if you borrow too much it may infringe some rights somewhere, also hooking in may be a good idea but it would probably be too complex and scare off random other users.

A space trading game would be a nice idea but its been done quite alot, infact some of the guys on this board have a game like that.... but the name and URL seem to have vanished from my bookmarks, I'm sure someone will chip in with it

Oh and SilverLight is the sign of the devil. At least keep it in something cross-platform friendly, Moonlight is fairly rubbish quality attempt at getting silverlight into linux.

[Alee Enn]

Drainy,

Maybe you mean this one?
http://portal.ashesofangels.com/

I might even get back into playing it again

[Sorkvild]

Wow sounds really awesome, better than OGame

[Samuel Creshal]

You do realize there is already a community x-browser game in development? Or, well, was, X: Online Assault looks slightly dead by now. Still, you might take a look into it.

[EmperorJon]

I'd play it. As for the whole copyright infringing thing, I'd talk to Ego before continuing. If they're aware that it's an entirely fan made non-profit thing then I can see them allowing it.


EDIT: Play AOA for a while, then got bored with the lack of ships and things to do, and the overloaded universe.