[Strategy / Risk] Total War Three Kingdoms

[hi1]

[WARCRAFT III] Total War Three Kingdoms

Introduction
I am back with a new strategy war project that will be set during the Ancient Chinese Three Kingdoms period (184 AD ~ 280 AD). This will essentially be a large scale remake of my previous project: Romance of the Three Kingdoms

FAQs
Q: So why bother remaking an existing map?
A: Well, the previous map was limited in many ways such as map terrain size, poorly structured triggers, map design..etc. I hope with this remake, I can bring a cleaner, more organized and fun Three Kingdoms map to Warcraft III.

Q: What will be the main difference in gameplay?
A: Aside from the greater terrain size possible due to the recent patches, my focus of this remake will be on developing the infrastructures of individual cities. Instead of each city simply represented by a single building surrounded by some walls, I plan to add much more complexity to the cities by including housing areas, barracks/training camps, temples. By making the cities more complex, it will make the siege of each city much more realistic and difficult. There will also be pitstops, farmlands, outposts scattered across the land to provide additional income to the players. Refer to the screenshots below for a better visual representation.

Spoiler: Major City #1

Spoiler: Major City #2

Spoiler: Minor City

Spoiler: City Interior Barracks

Spoiler: Pitstop

Spoiler: Farmland

Spoiler: Outposts

Q: What is the main objective of the game?
A: This is a war for territory map and just like any other RTS maps out there, players must use manpower, tactics, and diplomacy to unite the entire China into a single colour.

Q: What does each player start with at the beginning of the game?
A: So, players will not start with any cities and instead each player start with a small outpost and army to begin their conquest. Furthermore, players do not select which warlord they play as, but instead they select which province of China they want to start at. The map of China is divided into 9 provinces and each province will be unique such as the heroes and units available for recruitment, as well as differences in economical strengths.

Spoiler

Q: What will the economy system be like?
A: The game consists of two main currencies: Gold and Supplies. Gold will be the primary currency for army recruitment and building construction. Sources of gold income will be from capturing cities, outposts, pitstops, villages, and sea ports. Supplies are used to sustain your army and it will be continuously deducted. The rate of deduction will be proportional to the size of your army. Once your supplies reach 0, your army will be begin to lose hp or be given debuffs (not decided yet). This supplies system will essentially place a stronger emphasis on controlling over farmlands which are the major supplies production sties and allow for the use of tactics to cut off supplies production of enemies to prevent them from camping inside cities.

The ROTK Team

 

[Valandil]

Instead of each city simply represented by a single building surrounded by some walls, I plan to add much more complexity to the cities by including housing areas, barracks/training camps, temples. By making the cities more complex, it will make the siege of each city much more realistic and difficult.

I love the idea of making cities more realistic and making add to the siege more complexity, good luck with this project ! Looking awesome in screenshots ! Waiting for a beta !

 

[cleavinghammer]

Will the larger cities be on the world map, or be represented by a building on the world map with the actual 1:1 city located on a submap?

 

[hi1]

Will the larger cities be on the world map, or be represented by a building on the world map with the actual 1:1 city located on a submap?

The entire city layout will be on the world map for simplicity sake

 

[cleavinghammer]

In that case, here's an idea: non-controllable but owned caravans and trade ships that leave cities and head for another city along predetermined routes, delivering gold, supplies and troops on arrival (amount depends on the distance between cities). Only cities with a trade building (market/caravanserail/harbor) can send them out.

Raiding these caravans provides slightly less gold and supplies, and the caravans can be upgraded (more cargo, move faster, have guards, etc.) at the trade building.

Other ideas:

* Supply caravans to outposts: if the outpost isn't resupplied enough, it rebels and turns to banditry to survive, spawning bandits to attack towns.
* Supply caravans to attacked cities. If the caravan gets through, the city can hold out longer.

 

[Ken Christopher]

Q: What is the main objective of the game?
A: This is a war for territory map and just like any other RTS maps out there, players must use manpower, tactics, and diplomacy to unite the entire China into a single colour.

This reminds me of KOEI's Romance of 3 kingdoms.

Q: What will the economy system be like?
A: The game consists of two main currencies: Gold and Supplies. Gold will be the primary currency for army recruitment and building construction. Sources of gold income will be from capturing cities, outposts, pitstops, villages, and sea ports. Supplies are used to sustain your army and it will be continuously deducted. The rate of deduction will be proportional to the size of your army. Once your supplies reach 0, your army will be begin to lose hp or be given debuffs (not decided yet). This supplies system will essentially place a stronger emphasis on controlling over farmlands which are the major supplies production sties and allow for the use of tactics to cut off supplies production of enemies to prevent them from camping inside cities.

Nice concept. New concept in Warcraft 3 I do believe. So it is a huge project. Looking awesome for the screenshots and desperately waiting for a beta .

 

[hi1]

Update on current progress:

• 13/43 cities are now complete up to four playable Provinces (these do not include the pitstops, outposts and villages that are scattered across the Provinces).
• Added new Warlord Rank system: Your Warlord is awarded with a new title along with bonus resources for capturing every 2 additional cities (eg. 2 cities = Colonel, 4 cities = General, 6 cities = Noble, 8 cities = Duke)
• Added heroes spawn system: Every 2 minutes, one hero will randomly spawn in cities on the map; therefore only recruitable by the owner of that city (whoever owns the city that Lu Bu randomly spawns in would be quite lucky )
• Gold and Supplies income system are now fully functional
• 13 heroes available to recruit
• All cities have invulnerable archers on the walls as defenses which become yours when you capture the city

Spoiler

Spoiler

Spoiler

Spoiler

Spoiler

The ROTK Team

 

[cleavinghammer]

Can the hero be revived when he dies?

Can they spawn for unclaimed cities?

 

[Ken Christopher]

Nice screenshots.

13 heroes available to recruit

What are the heroes? All players share the same?

Added new Warlord Rank system: Your Warlord is awarded with a new title along with bonus resources for capturing every 2 additional cities (eg. 2 cities = Colonel, 4 cities = General, 6 cities = Noble, 8 cities = Duke)

Something new here. Glad to see that.

 

[hi1]

Can the hero be revived when he dies?

Can they spawn for unclaimed cities?

Yes heroes are definitely revivable! And yes, heroes are able to spawn at any cities owned by neutral hostiles, not just player-owned cities.

Nice screenshots.

What are the heroes? All players share the same?

Heroes are exclusively recruitable only to the owner of the city in which the hero spawned in. The same hero cannot be recruited twice. Currently, the rosters are Zhao Yun, Guan Yu, Zhang Fei, Xiahou Dun, Xiahou Yuan, Lu Bu, Diao Chan, Ma Chao, Zhang Liao, Hua Xiong, Lu Lingqi and Gao Shun. You can expect about ~40 heroes in total when the map is fully complete.

 

[cleavinghammer]

Maybe have a mechanic where heroes can be bribed or automatically switch sides if certain historical conditions are met by a player. As I recall, Lu Bu kept switching sides during his life.

 

[Ken Christopher]

Heroes are exclusively recruitable only to the owner of the city in which the hero spawned in. The same hero cannot be recruited twice. Currently, the rosters are Zhao Yun, Guan Yu, Zhang Fei, Xiahou Dun, Xiahou Yuan, Lu Bu, Diao Chan, Ma Chao, Zhang Liao, Hua Xiong, Lu Lingqi and Gao Shun. You can expect about ~40 heroes in total when the map is fully complete.

I see... sounds great Good to hear that Guan YU is inside of the recruit-able list

 

[hi1]

Maybe have a mechanic where heroes can be bribed or automatically switch sides if certain historical conditions are met by a player. As I recall, Lu Bu kept switching sides during his life.

Hm I think it wouldn't be very fair if you can just easily bribe the enemies' heroes away. But I was thinking of a hero wage system in which if the players consistently fail to pay their recruited generals, this will result in the generals leaving the faction and return to the global hero pool and will be spawned somewhere else in the map for other ppl to recruit.

 

[Machico]

Any plans to add more city post-capture options? I mean, for example, if a player takes a city but knows he can not keep it long, instead of capturing it, he can loot it and pass the city command to a hostile neutral, something similar to the RTW Barbarian Invasion system.
It would be interesting and fun to turn cities into ashes, or bring devastation on your own lands as a kind of "scorched earth tactic"

 

[hi1]

Any plans to add more city post-capture options? I mean, for example, if a player takes a city but knows he can not keep it long, instead of capturing it, he can loot it and pass the city command to a hostile neutral, something similar to the RTW Barbarian Invasion system.
It would be interesting and fun to turn cities into ashes, or bring devastation on your own lands as a kind of "scorched earth tactic"

I think that's a really great idea, but it can also easily be abused, as people will just burn the cities every time they are about to lose the city? Perhaps, there needs to be some kind of penalties or restrictions on burning cities down?

 

[cleavinghammer]

A chance for player-held cities to revolt (or even parts of their army) if they use the ability too often/too much, economic penalties as hordes of refugees go to other cities, military penalties as the army is less than happy to have to destroy the land they fought to win...

A city razed once too often becomes a Ruin, and large amounts of money must be spent to make it livable again.

 

[Machico]

I think that's a really great idea, but it can also easily be abused, as people will just burn the cities every time they are about to lose the city? Perhaps, there needs to be some kind of penalties or restrictions on burning cities down?

The solution is in itself in the action, since when looting it, the city has to significantly reduce its "income", therefore, it is not very profitable to try to reconquer it after leaving it at the mercy of the enemies. As much as looting and scorched earth are double-edged, if you burn your land, you will slow down the enemy, of course, but when the war is over you will be left with useless lands.
The systems should point to a kind of "quick resource rewards" but with long-term consequences.

 

[cleavinghammer]

Any plans for unique regional units or mercenaries?

 

[hi1]

A chance for player-held cities to revolt (or even parts of their army) if they use the ability too often/too much, economic penalties as hordes of refugees go to other cities, military penalties as the army is less than happy to have to destroy the land they fought to win...

A city razed once too often becomes a Ruin, and large amounts of money must be spent to make it livable again.

The solution is in itself in the action, since when looting it, the city has to significantly reduce its "income", therefore, it is not very profitable to try to reconquer it after leaving it at the mercy of the enemies. As much as looting and scorched earth are double-edged, if you burn your land, you will slow down the enemy, of course, but when the war is over you will be left with useless lands.
The systems should point to a kind of "quick resource rewards" but with long-term consequences.

Thanks for sharing these awesome ideas, I will consider those options

Any plans for unique regional units or mercenaries?

Yes for sure there will be unique units, there are 9 provinces in the game and I aim to have at least one unique unit per province. Some examples being Tiger Knights, White Feather Warriors, Elephants, Xi Liang Heavy Cavalries, Righteous White Horses, Camp Crushers, Fearless Vanguards.

 

[cleavinghammer]

How about special buildings (historically important monuments, monasteries, palaces...) that train unique units as well?

Other ideas:

Revolts that occur if there are too many negative conditions (not enough food, not enough gold, too much pillaging, too many losses...), spawning Neutral Hostile rebels and military units around the rebellious city and military units defecting to the closest enemy in range or becoming NH.

A spy unit that can incite revolts in an enemy city, sabotage their buildings, contaminate their supplies, etc.

Paying a large amount of money spawns a NH barbarian army/pirate fleet at one of the map edges, that then attack-moves to the opposite edge.

Event: A huge barbarian army / pirate fleet spawns randomly. All non-allied players are neutral towards each other until the threat is dealt with/until X time passes.

 

[hi1]

How about special buildings (historically important monuments, monasteries, palaces...) that train unique units as well?

Other ideas:

Revolts that occur if there are too many negative conditions (not enough food, not enough gold, too much pillaging, too many losses...), spawning Neutral Hostile rebels and military units around the rebellious city and military units defecting to the closest enemy in range or becoming NH.

A spy unit that can incite revolts in an enemy city, sabotage their buildings, contaminate their supplies, etc.

Paying a large amount of money spawns a NH barbarian army/pirate fleet at one of the map edges, that then attack-moves to the opposite edge.

Event: A huge barbarian army / pirate fleet spawns randomly. All non-allied players are neutral towards each other until the threat is dealt with/until X time passes.

For special buildings, I currently can only think of Shaolin temples which ofc enable training of Shaolin monks. Feel free to suggest other special buildings that were well known at the time. I have already placed many well known gates scattered across the map eg. Hu Lao Gate. Perhaps I can also add sites where famous Three Kingdoms battle took place eg. ChangBan, YiLing, ChiBi (Red Cliff)

Hm yah a spy unit is quite a nice idea, it might work as a rlly nice strategy before launching a siege. Though, how might one counter a spy unit?

I do plan to add various random events such as bandits, disease outbreaks and locust swarms (open to more suggestions as well).

 

[cleavinghammer]

Guard dogs, other spies, individual watchtower upgrades, putting a big flashing icon and/or warning when a building is affected by a spy. Basically, their only defense is their invisibility.

Other spy abilities: steal tech (gives you an upgrade you haven't researched yet), steal information (pings/briefly gives vision of all player's units or heroes), open gate (gate remains open during a siege), defection (converts an enemy to your side for a multiple of their cost), assassinations (major damage to heroes, but maybe a separate unit).

Maybe have a mechanic where the more you use spies and scorched-earth tactics, the less other players will want to negotiate with you, represented by rising costs.

Also, regarding the wall archers: maybe make them die one at a time according to how much life the city has left, allowing both players to keep track of how the siege is going.

For other monument ideas, I recommend the SC2 map Rise of China (it's where I got the idea in the first place).

Weather effects:
Drought: Greatly reduces supply income, reduces unit move speed.
Flood: Reduces supply income, buildings in X range of a river are destroyed.
Typhoon: Ships in X range of a harbor cannot move, ships in more than X range of a harbor take damage.
Blizzard: Reduces move and attackspeed.

Idea: Promoted units: regular units that survive many battles get promoted into powerful generals (not heroes, but they get hero resistance) with auras to benefit other units. They can also be garrisoned in cities to improve productivity and defense.

 

[hi1]

Update on current progress:

The map now supports up to 7 players with 23 cities and 5 playable provinces available:

Things added:
-11 new heroes
-1 new unit type available to all cities: Pikeman (Cav counter unit)
-2 new unique units: Fearless Vanguard (available in Ji Province), Xi Liang Heavy Cavalry (available in Liang Province)
-Unit upgrades that are purchasable through marketplaces found in cities

Spoiler

Spoiler

-Corruption system: Players gain 3% less income for every additional city they own which should help to lessen snowballing effect
-Wall archers now have limited arrows represented by their mana
-Fire arrow ability for all archer units

Spoiler

The ROTK Team

 

[cleavinghammer]

Do you lose the upgrade if you lose the city?

 

[hi1]

Do you lose the upgrade if you lose the city?

The upgrades are permanent once you purchase them. They are kinda like research upgrades but instead these upgrades unlock spells on units, rather than directly increasing the base damage/defense of units

 

[CNiper]

Looks awesome Hi1, can't wait to play it again.

 

[hi1]

Glad to announce the map is finally near completion, will be carrying out couple multiplayer tests online before doing an official release very soon!

Terrain: 100%
Heroes: 100%
Units: 100%
Pathing: 95%
Diplomacy: 100%

 

[hi1]

The map is now posted! Check out the map at Total War Three Kingdoms v1.0 Official