Now that Desktop Dynasties is officially released, it's time to start on the next project! I'm sticking to football since I learned a lot during the development of DD. I don't want to lose all that by waiting too long.
My process is very much "figure it out as I go", so dynasties work pretty well to look back on later. Also, I've been doing a lot of streaming on YouTube and posting on twitter but I've found that a good old-fashioned forum is really the way to go.
Plan for the Saunders Project:
- Overall, the game is going to be a "Coaching RPG" with full college and professional league play.
- 100% coach-mode.
- Start at the bottom of the college league with a rookie coach, and develop your way to the top of the college/pro league. (hiring, firing, etc)
- Integrated play and playbook designer. Somehow this is going to be based on your coaching skills.
- Use the same basic visual in-game engine style as DD. 3D players, bright colors, bordering on "toon" style. (not the gritty realistic style a lot of the 3D engines are using)
- 11-on-11 instead of the 8-on-8 game DD uses.
- Not a tabletop game setting like DD. Make the players actual humans.
- Multiplayer (most likely import/export system)
- I will adjust the NFL/NCAA rules a bit to make the game a little more fun. There are a lot of things that annoy me about football, and I get to fix them now. (example: I hate penalties, so no penalties!)
My goal is to have something ready for Early Access by 4th of July weekend. Full launch before the college football season kicks off. (assuming I don't go broke and have to get a job before then)
First up, play creator!