SCA Wars 29 Jan 06

Heavy Fighters Working Notes: 

Heavy Fighters Working Notes

Slide2: 

Development: Development is on Speculation zero sales = $0.00 Estimate of one year of programming(with exended delays due to jobs and family. Must be programmed to port over to 3D without extensive reprogramming of underlying rules or data handeling.

Target Market Notes* (not sourced yet): 

Target Market Notes* (not sourced yet) The Society for Creative Anachronism (SCA) is a medieval re-enactment society that is based out of the USA but has members worldwide. The SCA has 30,000 paid members and an estimated 25,000 non-paying members (paying dues is not mandatory) for a total of 55,000 members. Of this number an estimated 40% participate in the fighting arts, making a total of 22,000 potential customers. Each year, an estimated 2,000 new people join the ranks of fighting arts giving 800 new potential customers each year. Assuming a 20% purchase rate brings 4400 initial purchases and 160 new purchases each year. Given these figures, a very low price of only $10.00 for downloadable copies brings in a initial sales of $44,000 (market saturation) and $1,600 each year after. Additionally there is an estimated 150,000 members of other medieval re-enactment societies worldwide that might find this game useful.

Simulation Admissions: 

Simulation Admissions It has intentionally been modeled to reduce the variables that to what a small unit commander can see about his troops without going into details. Future version would be more detailed in model attributes and visual effects.

Roles and Responsibilities: 

Roles and Responsibilities Designer: Stacy Elliott, (Knight in SCA and Major in US Army Infantry currently working in Models and Simulation for the Military) Responsible for developing concept, basic tactical logic, and game flow. Initially this person would be responsible for marketing and advertising to the target market. Must have experience in small unit tactics, marketing, and knowledgeable in the target market. Maintaining and prioritizing wish-list and future build items. Recruiting and maintaining beta testers for content and presentation. Authoring and maintaining the users manual. Lead Programmer: Responsible for all programming and techniques used to achieve the results the designer specifies. Initially responsible for setting up, maintaining, and managing a website capable of selling and providing customer account support. Maintaining known bugs list. Setting timelines for all programming issues (bugs, wish-list, future builds, etc.) Recruiting and maintaining beta testers for programming functionality. Possible Future Roles: Graphics Artist: in the event that a 3D game is warranted. Webmaster: Responsible for creating and maintaining a website that promotes (ads, chatroom/forum) sells and distributes the game.

Future Plans : 

Future Plans The goal is to eventually create a fully modeled simulation that: Modeled 3D world and entities. (not just “poker chips”) Variable sized fighters based on height and weight male and female Skin color depicted for visual effects only. Pick and choose armor and weapons. Armor “skins” to fighter based upon height and weight. Weapon creator Weather effects Larger units with up to 2000 total entities More than 2 sides More detailed attributes of skill Individual fights within a tourney setting Re-mapable keys “Madden” style maneuver graphics to control units Various fighting styles based on SCA fighting techniques* Editable weapons to create new weapons * Admittedly this might be too hard to do as there are potentially hundreds of different animations sequences that would be need to be modeled.

Thoughts on Build Process: 

Thoughts on Build Process Admin screens and database is initialized. Playing field is generated. Camera moves around the field. Obstacles generated and displayed on field. Fighters are displayed on field. Fighters move according to user orders. Combat resolution. Units can be created. Units move according to user orders. Games can be saved/loaded Fighter AI. Unit AI. AAR is displayed.

User Interface: 

User Interface Mouse Left-Click-Drag = Lasso groups of fighters Left-Click = Select fighter Double Left-Click = Select all of the same weapon type that are on screen. Shift-Left-Click = Select or unselect multiple fighters Wheel Back = Zoom Camera Out Wheel Forward = Zoom Camera In Extreme Top of Window = Move Camera Forward Extreme Bottom of Window = Move Camera Backward Extreme Left of Window =Move Camera Slide Left Extreme Right of Window =Move Camera Slide Right Shift + Mouse Extreme Left of Window = Spin Camera Counter Clockwise Shift + Mouse Extreme Right of window = Spin Camera Clockwise Right-Click Forward, tilt Camera Down Right-Click Back, tilt Camera Up When Unit or Fighter is already selected Shift-Left-Click on terrain = Create waypoint Right Click = Create Last Waypoint Right-Click on Unit/Individual = Pull-up Menu Keyboard Ctrl F1-F12 = Make Groups tied to the Function key selected (fighters must have been selected prior to pressing Ctrl FXX Ctrl L = Line Ctrl E = Echelon Left, press it again for Echelon Right Ctrl C = Column Ctrl V = Vee Ctrl W = Wedge Ctrl D = Diamond Ctrl B = Box Ctrl M = Mob Ctrl A = Select all in Army W = Camera Forward S = Camera Stop A = Camera Slide Left D = Camera Slide Right X = Camera Back Z = Spin Camera Counter-Clockwise C= Spin Camera Clockwise Shift + W = tilt Camera Down Shift + X = tilt Camera Up Space = Range Shading On/Off Pause = Pause/Un-pause ESC = Quit + = Time Accelerate - = Time Slow prt sc = Save Screen Shot to pictures folder Backspace = Reset Camera to Overhead View

Module flow: 

Module flow Flow Chart 1 Splash Page Y New Game N Execute AAR Save Load Saved Game Build Scenario Create Playing Field Define Scenario Create Fighters (side assignment) LAN Chat/Meeting room Save Scenario

Slide10: 

The following slides are concept only, GUI can be made to suit programmer and images should be developed for target audience.

File Window: 

File Window Name Date Saved Description Picture of Battlefield Bridge battle 16 SEP 02 Testing the Blocking Giles attacking 16 SEP 02 Going for it At the barrier 16 SEP 02 Testing a Pennsic Idea At the gates 16 SEP 02 Here they go Open field 15 SEP 02 Maneuver test Castle Battle 12 SEP 02 Breach the walls File Options Load Save Delete Time remaining 20:00 Quit New Pressing any of the title line will sort the entire list Snapshot Help Pause

Options Window: 

Options Window Allow Popup Quotes Allow Pausing Display Lives (used in resurrection battles) Display Names above icon Display Lives Remaining in Resurrection Battles Display Range Shadows Display Offense/Defense Bar Display Relative Combat Power Sounds On 15:17 File Options Time remaining 20:00 Help Pause

Create Unit #4: 

Create Unit #4 Total Allowable Time Humidity Blows Thrown Blows Received Counted Blows Conventional Blows Temperature F Blows One or the other File Options Points Last Man Standing Victory Conditions Resurrection Lives Non-Resurrection Type of Battle Weather Will effect endurance - OR - Help Pause Done

Playing Field Creation: 

Playing Field Creation 20:00 Impassable Area Wall Bridge Blue Res Blue Res. Red Res. Red Res File Options Scoring Area Blue Start Red Start Time remaining 20:00 Right click to get popup lists Left click to add Right click to subtract Left click to edit points Help Pause Done Size Reset All S M L

Scenario creation: 

20:00 Blue Res. Red Res. File Options Blue Start Red Start Time remaining 20:00 Help Pause Done SP . . . . 2W Scenario creation Size Reset All S M L

Fighter/Side Creation: 

Fighter/Side Creation Main Weapon Shield Endurance Skill Speed Height (inches) Weight (lbs) Color indicates side that has been assigned Pressing any of the title line will sort the entire list File Options WS Leadership Teamwork Offense Defense Random Name Switch Side Random Attributes New Move fighter to list Speadsheet can be used to create fighters too. Random Fighter Help Save List Icon dynamically built as fields get inputed Will effect ability to crash through lines Reset All Button flips the side and changes to the active color Effect range of weapon

Example of Tactical Pull-down Menu: 

File Options WS WS WS Time remaining 20:00 Blue Lives Remaining = 30 Red Lives Remaining = 30 Example of Tactical Pull-down Menu Pull on Slider to change Offense/Defense Show Off/Def Option On If Lassoed fighters have different states, they appear grey Help Relative Combat Power Red = 7 Blue = 9 Bill the Bad Todd the Tough Giles the Brave Max WS WS WS WS WS WS WS SP Offer WS Displayed if any Enemy fighters are lassoed and option is checked Pause Right Click to bring up attributes

Example of icons: 

WS = Weapon and Shield PW = Pole Weapon SP = Spear 2W = Two Weapon M = Missile Knight, standing, with weapon and shield Squire walking with spear Knight running with Pole Weapon Novice running with Spear Squire standing with two weapons = Facing = Walking = Running Example of icons

AAR Thoughts: 

AAR Thoughts After Action Review (AAR) thoughts Replay in real time Forward, backward in time Flyable Camera Statistics charts showing kills and kills over time.

Fighter Attributes: 

Fighter Attributes Physical Traits Height (will be used to determine personal range) Weight (will be used in charges to determine a breakthrough for offense or defense) Speed (to determine personal rate of movement) Endurance (ability to stay in the fight without getting exhausted.) Shoot Skill (overall skill encompassing all combat traits) Offense (Current Offense Setting) Defense (Current Defense Setting) Communicate Team Member (ability to stay with unit) Leadership (ability to inspire people, and issue orders)

METT-T AI Thoughts: 

METT-T AI Thoughts What are the Victory Conditions? What is my mission? (Missions) Who am I facing How many? (entity_count) How strong? (Sum of Skill (n)) What is Weakness? (compare WPNs to own) What troop advantages and disadvantages do I have? Obstacles? Time Available? Mission Enemy Troops Terrain Time