That’s essentially correct. I hadn’t really thought about themes but it’s certainly a possibility. What I’m doing here is demonstrating the technology and trying to decide whether it’s worth pursuing further.
Skirmish Game Design - An Ongoing, Open Discussion - 12-18-25 Is solo wargaming still a viable endeavor?
- Thread starter Mad Robot
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Thank you for the immediate feedback, this is not gonna be shown anywhere else or to anyone else, LOL. It’s just a quick demo to see what people thought of it.
Once I actually get my game completed, I intend to write five or six narrative campaigns that all take place in one geographic area.
Also, this technology is openly available to anybody. The program is called twine and you can download it for free and make something similar yourself.
When you get a big enough following for your game, you could host community member made stories. Just a thought from the Apocalypse World website, that I hope to copy myself someday.
The format looks great! I've been pursuing solo gaming for a bit and as someone who tends to get bored quick if I have to work too much out on my own, having the scenarios laid out like that is a wonderful tool!
If the design is to offer branching campaigns based on choice/battle success then this would make that so much more interactive I feel as well.
My question though is this, is the intent to have a 'Library' of starting circumstances and missions that can then branch out to tell different stories?
For example, you can choose (as stated before) a theme such as heist/raider/bounty hunter/strike team and then the missions in that story arc would branch from there and be different enough to each other to provide multiple playthroughs?
If the design is to offer branching campaigns based on choice/battle success then this would make that so much more interactive I feel as well.
My question though is this, is the intent to have a 'Library' of starting circumstances and missions that can then branch out to tell different stories?
For example, you can choose (as stated before) a theme such as heist/raider/bounty hunter/strike team and then the missions in that story arc would branch from there and be different enough to each other to provide multiple playthroughs?
As you describe it, probably not. What I intended to do is take the map I have made of the Chicago area in the United States and divide it into five or six zones. Each zone would then get its own narrative campaign with a specific storyline and events.
Your description Could possibly be done using this twine software but it would have a level of complexity that might actually throw some people off. There’s certainly the possibility to do something like that I’m just not sure it’s something I would pursue right away.
I’m not quite there in the process of designing things yet.
Lol, nah that’s not unheard of by any means. It demonstrates the challenge of creating something that can appeal to the widest spectrum of potential players.Yeah I tend to over complicate things sometimes
Map based sounds pretty fun, allowing for a few different play throughs
Twine software is a good idea for what you've described definitely
Can simpler rules be made interesting with a more complex campaign system, a deeper story/narrative?
Perhaps…therein lies a classic challenge of game design, I suppose.
Simpler rules can absolutely be interesting, layering over the campaign system and story provides additional depth.
The problem I see sometimes is games that confuse complexity with depth they're not the sane thing by any means, sometimes the most engaging systems are the ones with the simplest rulesets as you can get immersed in the story better and not have to worry about a game taking a huge amount of time.
Instead you can take your time to enjoy it
I have a question. Regarding settings for skirmish games.
How important are fantasy elements?
Like, is it important to have magic, monsters and aliens at least in the fluff, or is a more vanilla setting just as enticing? Could a survival theme work as well as a zombie survival theme?
How important are fantasy elements?
Like, is it important to have magic, monsters and aliens at least in the fluff, or is a more vanilla setting just as enticing? Could a survival theme work as well as a zombie survival theme?
spafe
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personally, I dont think it would have the appeal.
However, it doesnt have to have fantasy, it could be a time period shift, ie. skirmish/RP game in medieval or roman times would appeal, no magic involved, but modern day normal stuff...eh, less appeal
I second Spafe here, if it's only a zombie apocalypse and there's nothing extra to it like magic (again doesn't need to be can be anything scifi or fantasy or weird) I'm more likely to pass it by
I think it is until it isn't. If a game comes along that really grabs people and catches on it can change the dynamic, but that's a pretty hard thing to predict. Rick Priestly once told me (in the ancient days when we still had Games Days in the US) that Rogue Trader 40k was expected to be a short term product line. According to the to logic of the day fantasy sold well but sci-fi had a much more limited appeal.
If we’re talking about whether having that helps to appeal to more players, I think it does. I’m aware of some skirmish games that are just based on World War II. That’s nothing but re-creating historical battles, no fantasy of any kind.
Of course, those games are not as well-known and will probably not get picked up by a lot of folks unless they are specifically looking for something of that nature. Perhaps they offer an interesting change from games that do have those fantasy elements.
In a general sense, I think whatever you put in the setting to make it appealing to people, it has to have enough depth to keep them interested. It’s not enough to simply say the world is “like this” or “like that”. Even the background has to be sufficiently populated with characters and places to give it some identity.
Also, adding something “extra“ to the world that you’re creating allows players to step outside reality. Generally, people have always looked at games as a form of escapism.
As to your idea of a straight survival game, I think that’s a bit too specific. To me, that sounds like a situation where you’re gathering resources and trying to stay alive on a day-to-day basis. Almost sounds like some indie video games I’ve seen in recent years. I can’t imagine that kind of thing would translate well into a skirmish setting.
Hope I understood what you’re asking.
Of course, those games are not as well-known and will probably not get picked up by a lot of folks unless they are specifically looking for something of that nature. Perhaps they offer an interesting change from games that do have those fantasy elements.
In a general sense, I think whatever you put in the setting to make it appealing to people, it has to have enough depth to keep them interested. It’s not enough to simply say the world is “like this” or “like that”. Even the background has to be sufficiently populated with characters and places to give it some identity.
Also, adding something “extra“ to the world that you’re creating allows players to step outside reality. Generally, people have always looked at games as a form of escapism.
As to your idea of a straight survival game, I think that’s a bit too specific. To me, that sounds like a situation where you’re gathering resources and trying to stay alive on a day-to-day basis. Almost sounds like some indie video games I’ve seen in recent years. I can’t imagine that kind of thing would translate well into a skirmish setting.
Hope I understood what you’re asking.
Great replies, thanks. I'll be more specific. Maybe it will help the discussion and get me more specific input.
I am designing a skirmish game on YouTube, but having a break to work on the video quality. The game is roughly on the 90s cartoon the Visionaries, but with a little bit more realism.
Humans are living on a futuristic planet, but suddenly all technology stops. In the cartoon, the sun changes colour, magically stops technology from working and pours magic into the world. In my game I wanted it that technology was powered by a radiation emitted by the star/sun. This radiation stops and so does all technology.
Then the human survivors form new medieval like societies on a barren planet.
I have ideas on the societies but I am struggling to add back in the fantastical elements. Perhaps dormant aliens have awoken? Solar powered mining robots from before the super solar energy was discovered? Scientifically created monsters?
I am designing a skirmish game on YouTube, but having a break to work on the video quality. The game is roughly on the 90s cartoon the Visionaries, but with a little bit more realism.
Humans are living on a futuristic planet, but suddenly all technology stops. In the cartoon, the sun changes colour, magically stops technology from working and pours magic into the world. In my game I wanted it that technology was powered by a radiation emitted by the star/sun. This radiation stops and so does all technology.
Then the human survivors form new medieval like societies on a barren planet.
I have ideas on the societies but I am struggling to add back in the fantastical elements. Perhaps dormant aliens have awoken? Solar powered mining robots from before the super solar energy was discovered? Scientifically created monsters?
spafe
Executive Officer in charge of Hats
Staff member
Necromunda Custodian
Yak Comp 2nd Place
Tribe Council
Why did the sun change colour?
Did aliens mess with it then come down to the planet? Did demons mess with it then come to possess/control the humans? Come up with a fun reason for the sun changing colour and you have your wierdness I reckon.
In the demon example, it would allow you to have 'good', 'evil', sides, factions, etc depending on accepting the rule, fighting it, trying to restore the sun and empower tech via tech, prayer, other? Bargains with the otherworlders? Lots of options.
that would give you the 'other' element. Or I would play it as an unknown reason for why it changed, the different factions formed, some wanting to restore it and cling to the tech (maybe they can synethsis radition to power smaller/limited kit), some who turn to basic tech of the old ways, others who fall into druid/hippy society. Gives the groups that are either 'seperate' and your players move between these kingdoms/fiefdoms/territories in their adventour, or full blown wars between the factions, with the players choosing sides etc.
Just my 2 creds
Did aliens mess with it then come down to the planet? Did demons mess with it then come to possess/control the humans? Come up with a fun reason for the sun changing colour and you have your wierdness I reckon.
In the demon example, it would allow you to have 'good', 'evil', sides, factions, etc depending on accepting the rule, fighting it, trying to restore the sun and empower tech via tech, prayer, other? Bargains with the otherworlders? Lots of options.
that would give you the 'other' element. Or I would play it as an unknown reason for why it changed, the different factions formed, some wanting to restore it and cling to the tech (maybe they can synethsis radition to power smaller/limited kit), some who turn to basic tech of the old ways, others who fall into druid/hippy society. Gives the groups that are either 'seperate' and your players move between these kingdoms/fiefdoms/territories in their adventour, or full blown wars between the factions, with the players choosing sides etc.
Just my 2 creds
I had a few of those! I know I still have some issues of the Marvel comic hidden away in a box somewhere.
You may want to check out the old cartoon Thundarr the Barbarian. It's world is a very cool combination of "super science and sorcery".
How about this: When the sun changed, it caused a huge solar flare and resulted in a massive EMP; thus destroying technology as we knew it. Then, after the chemical change occurs in the sun, along with it's color, a strange type of unknown energy is now being thrown at the earth and it has bestowed magical powers to some people.
EDIT: Well, I swear I never saw Visionaries before, lol. But as a premise for a game? Sounds interesting to me. That feels like a tall order, to balance the scifi and magic elements but it could certainly work.
Also, if you allow enough time to go by in the game world, after the sun change, the monsters could be mutations as a result of the strange new energy being projected by the sun.
How about this: When the sun changed, it caused a huge solar flare and resulted in a massive EMP; thus destroying technology as we knew it. Then, after the chemical change occurs in the sun, along with it's color, a strange type of unknown energy is now being thrown at the earth and it has bestowed magical powers to some people.
EDIT: Well, I swear I never saw Visionaries before, lol. But as a premise for a game? Sounds interesting to me. That feels like a tall order, to balance the scifi and magic elements but it could certainly work.
Also, if you allow enough time to go by in the game world, after the sun change, the monsters could be mutations as a result of the strange new energy being projected by the sun.
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The solar flare idea fits. I am feeling more like pseudo-science rather than straight up magic. I was thinking that perhaps there was a large piece of radioactive material on the upper levels of the sun, and that it was expected to slowly sink into the core, where gravity would prevent the energy from escaping. But instead it sunk suddenly.
I would rather steer away from straight up demons from hell, but...
Maybe this loss of the radiation is a cycle connected to the hibernation of non-physical aliens? That their immaterial nature is the setting's 'definitely not magic, but clearly is' spirit energy. ?
For the playable factions I am trying to keep away from religion and leave that in the hand of players. I am more interested in what factions could form from modern day organisations and how they would influence the player's guys. Religion feels like something that would cross barriers in that regard.
For reference the factions I have in mind are the descendants of :
1- The government and army
2- The police (separate from the government as they were loyal to the law, not the government)
3- A mega corporation (who are the most technologically progressive in the setting)
4- A collaboration of sports companies (who love fame and claim to champion the common people)
5- A nomadic faction that originated from ordinary people, left without leadership
Once I get a video set up done then I want to make some models to flesh them out some more.
Edit: the colour changing this was the cartoon, not necessarily the game. The game isn't intended as the Visionaries board game.
I would rather steer away from straight up demons from hell, but...
Maybe this loss of the radiation is a cycle connected to the hibernation of non-physical aliens? That their immaterial nature is the setting's 'definitely not magic, but clearly is' spirit energy. ?
For the playable factions I am trying to keep away from religion and leave that in the hand of players. I am more interested in what factions could form from modern day organisations and how they would influence the player's guys. Religion feels like something that would cross barriers in that regard.
For reference the factions I have in mind are the descendants of :
1- The government and army
2- The police (separate from the government as they were loyal to the law, not the government)
3- A mega corporation (who are the most technologically progressive in the setting)
4- A collaboration of sports companies (who love fame and claim to champion the common people)
5- A nomadic faction that originated from ordinary people, left without leadership
Once I get a video set up done then I want to make some models to flesh them out some more.
Edit: the colour changing this was the cartoon, not necessarily the game. The game isn't intended as the Visionaries board game.
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