No plan like an old plan

You know how all beginning programmers immediately set out to model the entire world with their first program?

Well I am no different.

This dream of mine is to create the ultimate city builder (in my mind!).

Over time I'll detail all the little bits and pieces I want to put together to make the whole, but for now it can be summarised as this:

SettlerCraftFortressCitylisation!

The main ingredient is the resource management from Settlers (Although my first introduction to the concept is from Knights and Merchants from years ago). Combining Minecraft and Dwarf Fortress is hardly a new concept, in fact the two games are already similar in many respects, something that seems to cause flame wars anywhere the two collide.

In Settlers you gather basic ingredients and slowly convert them into the next level. To get clothes you need sheep from wool using shepherds, turn it into fabric using a weaver, then into the final product using a tailor. One you thing you don't see in Settlers is getting multiple things from one source, like in K&M. For example a cow should give you leather and meat.


From Minecraft I want the elegantly simple portrayal of changeable worlds, with a massive level of customisation available. Also the procedurally generated world is a passion of mine, matched with my utter lack of artistic ability.
From Dwarf Fortress comes the characterisation and emergent storylines of the world, where the inhabitants drive you as much as you drive then. You can hear this in stories about DF where they talk more about responding to the game, as opposed to "Then I went here and did this...".

Apparently I've been coding too much, I keep ending sentences with;

Moving forward, the mention of Simcity/Civilisation gives you some idea of the scope I'm hoping this game will reach. With technology trees combined with moments of inspiration for the NPCS, each city/area should develop along slightly different lines, laying out their cities accordingly. Until they meet and can trade what they've learnt.


More than just a game this is going to be my simulation program, you see I love variables, they are my main barrier to creating games. As games evolve they tend to replace earlier concepts with newer, normally better ones. However it's not a straight upgrade and sometimes little things are lost, quirks that you may have come to love. Whenever one of my games reaches a certain 'Saturation Point' where there are enough variables, it goes no further.
I just sit there changing variables and playing my game, and inevitably stop adding new stuff or polishing it.

So I will try and allow large amounts of customisation, especially if anyone comments here about.


I am however going to start small. My current goal is to get a floor plane and a cube going in XNA, I've done it in the past but my memory is faulty.