ForumsForum GamesAnthill RPG (OOC)

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OperationNilo
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OperationNilo
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Shepherd

Hello and welcome to Anthill RPG! This is your host, Nilo the Ant.

The purpose of this out-of-character thread is to settle all questions and doubts that may surface before the actual RPG begins, to avoid getting the actual RP thread cluttered with questions and doubts that could have been answered before. That being said, feel free to ask any questions. This thread is here to answer them, after all.

Let's get down to business, shall we?

Okay. Some main rules are pretty straightforward.
1. Proper grammar and spelling is one of the most important. If english is not your 'best' language, just do the best you can.
2. Keep your actions reasonable. Don't try to go over the edge.
3. If you lose, remember that it's just a game. No reason to get mad at others.
4. When the victory conditions are met for a person, that's that. He/She wins.

The Map, the place in which the RPG will take place in.

Here is the sheet that will be used, along with short descriptions for each of the points (eliminate the spaces and information when you're done):

Name Pick a name for your insect/arachnid nation. Replace the 'Name' with it. Examples: "The Empire of Antopia", "The United Anthills of Example".

Race: Pick an insect/arachnid species, such as "Fire Ants" or "Common Termites". Once you pick your species, it's taken, which means that nobody else can choose it as well. There can be many players using Ants as their species, but only one player using Fire Ants or Bull Ants. The species that you can't pick (in any form) are: Mantises, Tarantulas and Scorpions, as these will be important NPC factions.
If you pick Bees or Wasps, or such an insect (with wings), note that they will not be able to fly, as this would be an unfair advantage.

Main Anthill/Lair/Nest: Name your capital insect/arachnid anthill or lair or nest, as well as its location. It can be anywhere in the British Isles except in London, The Ise of Man, Edinburgh, Dublin, or Cardiff.
Example: "Antopia, East Scotland". Replace Anthill with Lair, Mound, or such if necessary.

Cities under Control: Leave blank. The cities that fall under your control will be listed here, as well as their respective food income. Ex. Glasgow+X.
-------
Food: Start with 200. To keep the heart of the RPG (its relative simplicity), there is only one material, and it's this, food. Use food to research technology, train soldiers, and pretty much everything else.

Food Income: Start with 30. This is how much food you receive each turn, be it by farms, trade, tax, and tribute. It can be increased by technologies, threatening another faction, or gaining territory.

Technology: Leave blank. Your technologies will be added here.

Age: the Age of Stone. This age is the one your species is currently in.
-------
Soldiers: Start with 300. Soldiers are your main fighting force.

Soldier Cost: Put here a 100. Soldiers can only be trained in companies of 100 soldiers. This tells you how much food it'll cost you to train 100 soldiers. According to your weapons, and certain technologies, the cost can either increase or decrease.

Weapons: Start with none. These are the weapons your soldiers will fight with. You can pick a maximum of two different weapons at the same time, unless a technology modifies this. All your soldiers are equipped with the same weapons.

Vehicles: Start with 50 grasshoppers. Vehicles for your soldiers to ride and fight in/from.
-------
Here is a blank space. As the RPG goes on, more will be added (for example, how close you are to winning).

Now, let's proceed to several other rules!

How To Win/Objectives

Your objective in this RPG is to become the dominant insect species in Britain. The way to achieve this is to, well, win. There are several ways of winning. Here's the list:

1. Basic Victory: be the only remaining species in Britain.
2. Conquest Victory: conquer and hold London for 5 turns.
3. Scientific Victory: build a rocket and launch it to space.
4. Military Victory: build a WMD and blow up everyone.
5. Cultural Victory build a Wonder and hold it for 5 turns.

The player must be in possession of his/her main Anthill/Lair/Nest to win. it is also to be noted that if a player loses whilst attempting victory (for example, the player builds a Rocket and someone else destroys it), the player can try to win again (by building another rocket).
The winner gets a..uhâ¦a prize!

ECONOMICS

Technology

Technology is pretty straightforward. You just pick a technology from the tree that must be linked to a technology you already researched, pay up what it costs, and in the next turn it'll be available. Simple, right?

Workers

Since you're insects/arachnids, workers come in pretty large numbers. That's why you have an unlimited supply of them. They can't fight, however. A single soldier can kill scores of workers.

Food

Food can be obtained through several means. You could just rely on your food income, which provides a slow but steady supply of it. You could have your soldiers forage in the woods, which yields a moderate amount of food. You could raid other anthills for food. Or you could be creative and obtain food through other means.

WARFARE

Soldiers and Soldier Recruitement

Soldiers are a bit more complicated than workers, though. To train soldiers, state how many you'd like to train, pay the cost, and then receive your soldiers the next turn. Note that soldiers can only be trained in companies of 100. You could, however, train as many companies as you're able to in a turn (you could train 200 soldiers in a turn).

Weapons and Vehicles

I hope this doesn't mix people up.

The real purpose of weapons is to allow your soldiers certain actions. For example, you could order some archers to attack a group of spearmen from a safe distance. The spearmen, if equipped with shields, could retaliate by forming a shield wall, if equipped with shields. The same applies to vehicles. Ordering a group of soldiers to mount some grasshoppers, then charging at the archers.

Combat

In a PVP battle, things could turn out rather different. If one player read the other's actions before posting, he could just retaliate and have an unfair advantage. This is why you will be able to e-mail your actions to the email I just created! operationnilo@gmail.com.
For every PVP battle there will also be a map, in which you could make your soldiers climb hills, ford streams, etc.. There will also be a battle map for every Player-Environment battle of respectable size. Don't worry, I have lots of free time.

OTHER

Player Alliances or Agreements

Players are able to ally one another to fight a common foe, declare war on one another, and/or engage in certain agreements (Ex. attack that guy and I'll pay you). Keep in mind that your ally is also allowed to betray you, so be cautious!
It is also to be noted that an Alliance could also win together, under one condition. The species of the members of the alliance must all be related in some way. For example, an alliance of Fire Ants and Bull Ants could win as a team, but an alliance of Fire ants with Wolf Spiders could not.

Players are allowed to sell or buy technology to other players.

--

I'm more than open to suggestions/questions/complaints/threats, so don't hesitate!

Here goes nothing...*clicks the submit button*

  • 107 Replies
LupusAureus
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LupusAureus
107 posts
Nomad

I cannot wait for it to start!

OperationNilo
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OperationNilo
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Shepherd

An updated tech tree. Hopefully no mistakes in this one.

Ah. Enjoy this long post about Technology.

TECHNOLOGY

the Age of Stone

I-I Gathering - +20 food income Cost: 500 food.
Your worker ants now focus on gathering every single food item there is in their destination, thus increasing your food income.

I-X Training - Allows you to train 300 soldiers per turn. Requires Gathering Cost: 390 food.
The training of individuals dedicated solely to the waging of war commences, thus allowing you to train soldiers.

I-II Foraging - Allows Soldiers to Forage Requires Gathering Cost: 400 food.
Your soldiers learn how to forage, thus gaining the ability to explore their current landscape for food, be it fruit or creature.

I-III Wood Gathering - Permits the creation of wooden tools. Requires Foraging Cost: 400 food.
The collection of small wooden branches begins, thus permitting you the creation of lesser wooden tools.

I-IV Clubs - Weapon:Club Requires Wood-Gathering Cost: 390 food.
One of your soldiers, trying to prove his honor to his captain, decides to employ a heavy wooden stick in combat with another, thus demonstrating the ability of heavy wooden sticks. Increases soldier cost by 0.

I-V Slingshots - Weapon:Slingshot Requires Wood-Gathering Cost: 490 food.
By attaching some spiderweb to a wooden base, and pasting a leaf in its center, a soldier could fire small pebbles at his foes. Increases soldier cost by 10.

I-VI Fire Requires Wood-Gathering Cost: 220 food.
Many are are killed whilst investigating the strange thing that will henceforth be called fire.

I-VII Tracking - Better foraging Requires Fire Cost: 420 food.
Looking for footprints, evidence, anything. Your hunters become adept at tracking and hunting creatures.

I-VIII Tunneling -+20 food income Requires Tracking Cost: 390 food.
Your anthill grows larger, and the worker population increases greatly, thus increasing the food output.

I-IX Enlightenment Requires 6 technologies and at least 1.000 soldiers. Cost: None.
Some strange power in the universe grants your species the power to think. Age up.

----------------------------------------

the Age of Embers

II-I Communication Cost: 520 food.
By teaching all your subjects a common language, they will now be able to maintain conversation.

II-II Farming - +100 Food Income, permits creation of farms Requires Communication Cost: 420 food.
Working together, small communities dedicated to farming arise. Food income increased by 50.
Farms - Build a Farm to increase your fojd income by 100. Can build up to 20 farms per city. Cost: 700 food.

II-III Irrigation - +200 Food Income Requires Communication Cost: 460 food.
By systematically irrigating their crops, farmers harvested more and better produce.

II-IV Mining - Permits the creation of Metal tools Requires Communication Cost: 420 food.
Delving deep into the Earth itself, your workers find strange and hardy materials that could be used for a wide number of purposes.

II-V Smithing - Permits the creation of Metal Weapons - Sword/Spear/Shield/Iron Armor Requires Mining Cost: 780 food.
By heating this material and hammering it into shapes, soldiers could now battle with stronger and better weapons. Sword attack is 70. Spear attack is 60. Shield grants 10 armor. Iron armor grants 15 armor. For each of the above weapons/armor used, cost is increased by 30. The shield counts as a weapon. A soldier can only use 1 piece of armor.

II-VI Hunting - Better foraging Cost: 420 food. Requires Communication
With new tactics for the Hunt, your soldiers become adept at the art of slaying wild beasts.

II-VII Bow - Permits the creation of Bows Requires Hunting + Slingshot Cost: 450 food.
By attaching spiderweb to a bent wooden stick, a soldier could fire small wooden bolts at longer ranges. Bow attack is 50. Increases soldier cost by 30. Bows cannot be used with a shield.

II-VIII Branch-cutting Requires Smithing Cost: 480 food.
Using metal tools to cut down lesser branches, larger wood objects could be created.

II-IX Shipwrights- Permits the creation of Biremes Requires Smithing + Cost: 800 food.
Early shipwrights could build Biremes. Biremes can be produced with 100 food per 5, each boat taking 20 soldiers as its crew. Biremes can transport armies across water. They are equipped with small ballistas that shoot wooden bolts and a large ram in the front.

II-X Masonry - Permits the creation of Greater Buildings Requires Communication + Smithing Cost: 970 food.
Your nation can now use stone to build. It is a great achievement, especially for insects. Permits the creation of:
Stone Wall - creates a stone wall around a said city. Cost: 2.000 food.
Barracks - Build a Barracks to increase your soldier capacity by 1000. Each Barracks also increases the number of soldiers you can train in a turn by 200. Can build up to 10 in a city. Cost: 800 food.

II-XI Architecture - Reduces building cost by 100 food Requires Masonry Cost: 800 food.
Instead of improvising whilst building, Architects will now design and supervise the construction of buildings, thus improving efficiency.

II-XII Siege Engines - Allows the creation of SIege Engines Requires Communication + Branch-cutting Cost: 600 food.
By building Catapults, ladders, and siege towers, capturing walled towns was made much easier. Permits creation of:
Siege Engineer Complex - required for the construction of Siege Engines. Cost: 200 food.
Catapult - launches stones at enemy walls and soldiers. Cost: 140 food (each).
Siege Tower - moved into position against enemy walls. Cost: 140 food (each).
Ladder - used to scale enemy walls. Cost: 20 food (each).

II-XIII Alchemy - +100 Food Income (per city) Requires Communication Cost: 530 food.
Many strange creatures in your lands dedicated themselves to the study of the elements, with the result of strange potions that help crops grow faster..

II-XIV Witch Doctors - Lowers research cost by 1% Requires Alchemy Cost: 1 food.
Inspired by the success of the study of Alchemy, a few individuals dedicated themselves to the study of the art permanently, most of them becoming mad in the process.

II-XVI Cartography Requires 10 Age 2 technologies and at least 2 towns. Cost: None.
By mapping the known world, the age of exploration begins. Age up.

----------------------------------------

the Age of Fire

III-I Printing Press Cost: 680 food.
The printing press allowed common knowledge to be spread around quicker. The intelligence of the average citizen thus increased, as the common worker now had access to the data acquired by scientists everywhere.

III-II Conscription - Can train 500 more soldiers per turn Requires Printing Press Cost: 600 food.
By forcing some of your workers to become a part of the army, your army could grow faster.

III-IV Casting - -20 soldier cost Requires Printing Press Cost: 680 food.
By creating molds and pouring liquid metal into them, tools could be created much more efficiently.

III-III Gunpowder - Permits the creation of Muskets Requires Conscription + Casting Cost: 680 food.
Allows the creation of Muskets. Muskets are weapons come with small bayonets locked into place below the barrel. Musket attack is 80. Muskets increase soldier cost by 40. Muskets can be used with a shield, but with no other weapon.

III-V Ballistics - Permits the creation of Cannon Requires Gunpowder Cost: 700 food.
Allows the creation of Cannon. Cannon are vehicles that can be produced with 80 food each, each cannon taking 4 soldiers as part of its squad. Cannon can fire Solid Shot, Explosive Shot, and Canister Shot.

III-VI Rifling - Permits the creation of Rifles Requires Ballistics Cost: 2400 food.
Allows the creation of Rifles. Rifles are semi-automatic weapons with longer range and firepower than muskets. Rifles can only be equipped with grenades. Rifle attack is 110, and increase soldier cost by 80.

III-XIII Hand-grenade - Permits the creation of Grenades Requires Ballistics Cost: 1100 food.
Allows the creation of Hand Grenades. Hand grenades have a relatively low range, but are the most effective infantry-based anti-tank weapon. Moderate against infantry. Increase soldier cost by 40.

III-VII Steel Cuirass - Permits the creation of Steel Cuirasses Requires Casting Cost: 1200 food.
A moderately heavy steel cuirass, great for deflecting a musket's round shot. Protection against muskets: 30. Normal protection: 20. Increases soldier cost by 40.

III-VIII Vest - Permits the creation of vests Requires Steel Cuirass Cost: 1800 food.
Spiderweb Vests are excellent in stopping a bullet even before it hits its intended target. They increase protection against Rifles and Muskets by 50, and protection against other weapons by 20. Increase soldier cost by 50.

III-XII Tanks Requires Ballistics + ICE Cost: 1100 food.
Early tanks. Low mobility. A main gun, 2 machine-guns. Each tank costs 200 food and takes 5 soldiers as its crew.

III-IX Crop Rotation - +500 Food income Requires Printing Press Cost: 2800 food.
Farm productivity is increased by 100 points.

III-X Shipyards - allows creation of frigates Requires Ballistics, Shipwrights Cost: 1700 food.
A wooden boat powered by large sails. A great number of cannon on board. Each Frigate takes 100 soldiers as its crew. A Frigate costs 150 food. Frigates can carry up to 500 soldiers.

III-XI University - lowers Research cost by 4% Requires Printing Press Cost: 1100 food.
A center for the imparting of knowledge. Builds a university in your main city. If the university is destroyed, a new one can be built for 1000 food.

III-XIV Advanced Architecture - reduces Building cost by 200 food. Requires a University Cost: 1800 food.
The more in-depth study of construction and design allowed for cheaper building projects.

III-XV Patronage Requires Advanced Architecture Cost: 1800 food.
Become a patron of the arts, and promote the growth of culture in your nation.

III-XVI Laboratory - lowers Research cost by 5% Requires Printing Press Cost: 1300 food.
A center for the study of the sciences. Builds a Laboratory in your main city. If it is destroyed, a new one can be built for 1200 food.

III-XVII Engineering Requires a Laboratory Cost: 2000 food.
The application of what is known to what is made. Increases all armor points 50% and all weapon points by 50%.

III-XVIII Internal Combustion Engine Requires Engineering Cost: 1800 food.
The ICE permitted the construction of motor vehicles, such as cars and some tanks.

III-XIX Advanced Engineering Requires Engineering Cost: 2200 food.
Adavanced Engineering permits the player who has researched it to build vehicles for 50% less food.

III-XX Aeronautics Requires Advanced Engineering Cost: 2300 food.
The study, design, and creation of aircraft. Permits the creation of the Biplane, an early aircraft that flew at low speeds and altitudes and was armed with a single machine-gun. Biplanes, due to their low speed and flying altitude, are prone to land-based rifles and machine-guns. A biplane wing (4 biplanes) can be built for 200 food. Each biplane takes two soldiers as its crew, pilot and co-pilot.

III-XXI Age-Up Cost: None
To age up, you must have researched at least one of the following technologies:
Aeronautics.
Patronage.
Tanks.

and must control at least 3 cities.

----------------------------------------

the Age of Ash in this age, only one of three paths can be chosen. Once a player has selected a path, they may not go back.

the First Path

IV-I Advanced Aeronautics Requires Aeronautics Cost: 4000 food.
Biplanes now carry small bombs as well as their machine-gun.

IV-II Rockets Requires Advanced Aeronautics Cost: 4000 food.
The study of rockets goes underway, your scientists designing the engines and propellant that may be able to take your species into space.

IV-III Launch Site Requires Rockets Cost: 4200 food.
The Launch site is built and prepped for the launch of the SSS, the Small Space Shuttle.

IV-IV SSS Requires Launch Site Cost: 6000 food.
With the rockets in place, the rest of the Small Space Shuttle is built and assembled. Now, it must endure its final preparations to reach space, including assault from friend or foe.

the Second Path

V-I Anti-Air Missiles Requires Tanks Cost: 6000 food.
Tanks now carry small anti-air missiles for use against air targets.

V-II Nuclear Fission Requires Aeronautics Cost: 6200 food.
Your scientists study the changes an atom undergoes when it is split, and how much energy is released in such a violent reaction.

V-III Nuclear Warheads Requires Aeronautics Cost: 6500 food.
Your scientists explore the possibility of using this new-found power in war, tipping the heads of missiles with this new way of obtaining energy.

V-IV WMD Requires Rockets Cost: 7000 food.
After receiving many threats and embargoes by other nations due to your research involving Nuclear Weapons, it is time to destroy them all and become the superior power in the known world. A Weapon of Mass Destruction will be built that will destroy everything in its wake, even if that includes ourselves.

the Third Path

VI-I Renaissance Requires Patronage Cost: 4000 food.
The practicing of the arts increases greatly in your nation, thus decreasing the cost of research by 10%.

VI-II Greater Architecture Requires Renaissance Cost: 4000 food.
What if greater buildings were made, to show that your nation is indeed the most cultured and intelligent in the world? Ah, certainly all the others would be envious of our superior prowess.

VI-III Wonder - Design Requires Greater Architecture Cost: 4200 food.
A team of the most well-known architects of your nation assembles to plan and build a Wonder, what will certainly become the apex of known civilization. This vast monument will be a testament in stone to the advances of our glorious nation.

VI-IV Wonder - Construction Requires Wonder - Design Cost: 6000 food.
Construction of the greatest achievement of the greatest civilization in the known world begins. When it is completed, everyone shall truly know the greatness of our civilization.

OperationNilo
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OperationNilo
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Shepherd

Working on the OP and the post after. ETA 75 minutes.

OperationNilo
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OperationNilo
3,937 posts
Shepherd

Okay, the RPG has begun. Please post before the deadline, that is July 17, 12:01PM. Here is the link.

OperationNilo
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OperationNilo
3,937 posts
Shepherd

July 20*. I seem to be making lots of mistakes lately.

thfcJack
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thfcJack
64 posts
Nomad

What are some normal things we will do in a turn, and how much may we do in a turn?

OperationNilo
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OperationNilo
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Shepherd

What are some normal things we will do in a turn


In a turn, you may (if possible):
1. Use your soldiers to:
Attack.
Forage.
Pillage.
Move to a certain position.
Contact another city/species.
And such actions, soldiers are not only used for battle, they're your controllable individuals.

2. Technology.
Research.

3. Vehicles
Build.
Move.
Attack.

But the truth is that I like to think that you could do almost anything that could come to mind. You could send your soldiers to hunt for crickets to ride, or make them jump off a cliff and die. It's really limited to your imagination (but of course, the actions have to be at least somewhat realistic).

and how much may we do in a turn?


Wow, I can't believe I forgot to put this up. Thanks for the reminder.

A player could do:
1. Soldiers. 3 actions with his/her soldiers.
2. Vehicles. 3 actions with his/her soldiers.
3. Technology. Research 1 or 2 per turn (of course that a player may not research a technology and the technology that comes after the previous one in the same turn).
OperationNilo
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OperationNilo
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Shepherd

I also forgot to add that a player may, if possible, recruit soldiers as well. The amount of soldiers a player can recruit is in here:

x
â¨Race: x
â¨Main Anthill/Lair/Nest: x
â¨Cities under Control: x
â¨-------
â¨Food:
â¨Food Income:
â¨Technology:
â¨Age:
â¨-------
â¨Soldiers:
â¨Soldier Cost/Recruitment: 300/0
â¨Soldier Weapons/Armor: None/None
â¨Vehicles: 50
â¨-------

jambola2
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jambola2
24 posts
Nomad

Rube Goldberg is the inventor of the sattirical Rube Goldberg machine.
This is his original one - http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/8/88/Rubenvent.jpg/450px-Rubenvent.jpg

jambola2
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jambola2
24 posts
Nomad

http://i.imgur.com/Ap32m27.png

jambola2
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jambola2
24 posts
Nomad

First age skill tree.

jambola2
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jambola2
24 posts
Nomad

Ugh , microsoft word is hard to use.
Wood gathering comes under foraging , not under training

OperationNilo
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OperationNilo
3,937 posts
Shepherd

Wow mate, thanks!

Quick piece of advice, I think it's easier in power point.

jambola2
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jambola2
24 posts
Nomad

Suggestion
Make a secondary currency that is not necessary , but helpful.
Maybe call it gems.

Some possible uses could be 20% food production increase for 1 turn for 1 gem. Forcefield around a specific anthill for 1 turn for 3 gems.

If you like the idea , implement it :P

jambola2
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jambola2
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Nomad

Above idea from a game called ant wars.

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