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Disclaimer

This is an independent project that I am working on in my spare time. The game's story was inspired by the Dune novels by Frank Herbert but the design, programming, art, models, and music have all been created independently. The truth is i'm only using the dune story to give me a consistant framework with which to build the rest of the game. At a moments notice, all references to Dune can and will be removed if anyone involved with the estate of Frank Herbert has a problem with my personal project.

Keep in mind that all information on this site is only a breif overview of the design, as posting it all would take away from very precious coding time. Also - Everything is subject to change.

Gameplay

Gameplay will involve two main interfaces: The Administration Engine, and the Battle Engine. The user will interact with UI in a way that stresses Strategic and Narative immersion. In most cases, what you do is more important then how fast you do it.

Administration Engine

The player will play the game by using the various windows and controls available. The UI will take on 3 layers: The background layer, the "stay resident" layer, and the foreground layer.

The Background Layer will describe the scope of the decisions of the foreground layer and can take on three forms: Galaxy, Planet and City. For example: If the player is on the Military Foreground Window, with the Galaxy View as the background layer, any changes made will affect all of the troops in the entire Galaxy. The background layer will present a graphical representation of it's scope as well as controls that allow navigation.

The "Stay Resident" Layer contains the controls that remain consistent through out then entire administration engine. All of the foreground window buttons will always be available, as well as the chat functions, galaxy time, menu buttons and path. The path allows for quick an easy navigation throughout the galaxy.

The Foreground Layer is where the real work of the administration engine is carried out. The foreground layer is where individual windows will be present that contain the controls to direct your empire. The windows available in the foreground layer generally correspond with the spheres of influence.

Battle Engine

The battle engine takes on the form of a simplified Real time strategy combat with control of the divisions rather then the individual soldiers. Battles are fought on the surface of planets and character skill weighs evenly with player ability. Bonuses in damage will be applied based on soldier skill with a heavy influence by the quality of leaders present. Having your leaders at your battles is almost as important as having your troops there. The implication is in order to fight effective wars, you must have the intelligence to know when and where combat is occuring to get your best and brightest on the spot. Also - suprise attacks are very effective.

Dune Story

A question that must come to mind is Why Dune?

Let me start from the beginning. I have been working on the premise for this game off and on for about 8 years. About 3 years ago I began programming and about 6 months ago I finished my first game (Cyborg Cowboy) Having free time again I started doing a couple of technical demos to learn more about programming in 3d and my first big project involved Diablo-esc esc combat engine (with a little more spice of course) I ran into a problem when it came to creating 3d models and art for my game. Not that I lack confidence in my skills (even though my skills art shite) but I just didn't have enough time to be both programmer and artist. Luckily I ran into some fundamental design-flaws with my diablo-like combat engine and feeling like I had learned enough I decided to move on to something new.

During my work on the combat engine I had begun reading the Dune series of books and they peaked my interest in the Space strategy style of games. I thought to myself "I have been designing one of these kinds of games for years, but what has always held me was the story" I didn't want to run into the same problem with art when it comes to stories. With Dune, I have a pre-packedged, well fleshed-out story that I can draw from that will take me 0 time to develope. The down side being that I obviously don't own Dune so making this game isn't exactly kosher. To that I say screw kosher, i'm not selling anything, giving the Dune story away for free, or defacing the Dune name in anyway. So if someday I get a cease and desist letter from whoever I will honor it and remove the Dune from my game, but if not all the better.

Project Description

This is a learning project. The goal is to make a fun finished game. This is my second such project, the first being Cyborg Cowboy. I look at myself and what I would like to become as a Gameplay programmer. What I do is design and program the mechanics of a game that make it fun. Unfortunetly I don't work for a big company with lots of other programmers(yet) so I end up doing all of the graphics, networking, input, engine and tools programming also. Don't get me wrong, I love doing all of that too. I would just prefer to solely work on gameplay and let the experts of the other fields do their stuff.

All that being said, this project has been in the back of my head ever since I was 12. Something about space and commanding millions of people was always a large draw for me ever since I played Master of Orion and Master of Orion II. On my list of priorities this project lands at about 4, behind my girlfriend(Iona), School and Work...so don't expect it to be done soon. On the other hand, I wont spend second one on this project after I stop learning, so it also wont get drawn out. I have no reason not to cut features if they arn't fun, or if they are taking too much time away from the rest of the project.

As far as assistance goes I'm open to anyone willing. I have made the game's executable and source code open for anyone to download. As far as I'm concerned, you do what ever you want with it because i'm not planning on selling this game.

The following people have helped me out during the course of this project:

Sebren Green: My good friend and coworker, he helps me with all aspects of design. (check out his band's website Hyde)
Joe Schmedding: Another friend and coworker, Joe is a lazy asshole who said he was going to do some sound and music but never got around to it because he is lazy and an asshole.
Iona Maas: My beautiful girlfriend who helps with all aspects of design as well as supporting and participating in my crazy love for video games.

Spheres of Influence

Dune is played from the point of view of the ruler of one of the galaxy's major houses. Dune is played in realtime with 1 to 8 human or computer players at home or over the internet. 7 Spheres of influence will interconnect and dominate the administration aspects of the Dune universe. When houses clash, battle will be fought in real time on the surface of planets with the use of squad commanding and advanced battle strategies.

Wealth

Gain financial dominance by controlling your commodity trade. The spice must flow and who ever controls it controls the galaxy. Don't get too greedy or else you might find the emperor apt to give your planet away. Adjusting costs in all aspects of the game can yeild higher efficency, but beware: cut spending too much and your output will suffer, your will turn-coat, and your advisors will sell information to your enemies.

Military

Military might will make your enemies cower in fear belowe you, and lack of it will leave your doors open for any would-be conquerors. Recrute troops from your cities or conscribe religious fanatics to win wars. Create hierarchal divisions and assign leaders to form your army. Leader bonuses will affect all troops stationed at the combat site, so puting your leaders in the right place at the right time can win decisive battles. Train for combat with war games to learn the local terrain, level your troops, and hone your skills for war!

Politics

The more land you control the more influence you posess in galactic affairs. In order to fight battles and ship goods you must pay for transports from the spacing guild. Make the guild mad and the price will rise, but keep the guild happy and the price will drop. Keep your emperor happy with tribute and bribes, or risk loosing his favor and your fiefdom! Create alliances with other houses to stop upstarts from taking over the galaxy or form cartels to control prices of valuable commodities.

Intelligence

Knowlegde is power and in Dune, knowledge is controlled by espionague, prediction, and precience. Send spys to the courts of other houses to keep a good watch on those who might attack you. Keep a watch on your own court for the spys of others. Send missinformation, develope plots, sabatauge your enemy, assassinate those who oppose you.

Technology

Invest money in the right area and you might find yourself the sole owner of the next waive of military technology that will give your troops the edge in combat. Pick the wrong avenue and waste your reserves while your enemies strengthen their ranks. Research gene manipulation techniques to create the best humanity has to offer. Mining equipment failing to produce? Spend money on optomization to increase efficency and lower mining costs.

Breeding

A chain is only as strong as weekest link...Your camp will be made up of Weapons Masters, Doctors, Spys, Generals, and Leaders. All whos performance is determined in a large part by their genes. Take the natural route and develope an advanced breeding program to select the best genetic matches or use your technology to create perfect humans.

Religion

Religion plays two key roles in Dune: 1) Create a religion to stop a social uprising and control the masses. 2) Create a religion to produce fanatics that will fight to the death under your flag for any cause that you give them. But beware, the larger your religion grows the less you control it. Keep your religion small and managable or face the wrath of the preists that take over...

Planets

Each planet in the game will have it's own unique problems and benifets, as well as look. The planets are crafted to represent the extreme locations of earth but that doesn't mean that each individual planet will lack diversity. In other words, you will still find deserts on lush vibrant worlds, just as you will still find ice on desert planets, but each incarnation of the regions will follow a comon theme decided by the global enviornment. Following is a list of planets and their description in respect to the game.

Dune

Dune, the desert planet. The home of the galaxy's spice production and plagued by a complete and utter shortage of water. Players who pick Dune as a homeworld will must do the following: Balance your spice production with harvesting costs. Protect your spice mining from smugglers and raiders. Purchase or Harvest enough water to please your house and your subjects. Communicate and deal with the local undocumented population, the Fremen. The Fremen are a troubled and mystic people, so the threat of a religion is all to clear to the house stationed at Dune.

Caladan

Caladan, a temperate, earth-like planet. The populous of Caladan is pampered in their lives as riches come easy. A good ruler must keep a close watch, lest his subjects get bored and start complaining about a life that people on other planets would most likely image as heaven. A good military on caladan will focus on sea and air power, and a good economy will built around taxing the exporting and importing the various riches the planet has to offer.

Tleilax

The planet of Tleilax lies shrowded in mystery to rest of the galaxy. Heavily set on the practice of gene manipulation, the Bene Tleilax are capable of producing spys of enormous skill and ability. Breeding takes on a whole new meaning for the player that chooses Tleilax, as new members of the house are created rather then born.

Tupile

Tupile is a sanctuary planet on the edge of the galaxy. An enormous ocean covers the serface of tupile, so all cities are located underneath the waves. Tupile is used as middle man in the conflicts of the universe much like switzerland in our current world. The player who picks Tupile will have his hands in everything and nothing at the same time. Plan on spending most of your time delving into the politics of the galaxy and manipulating others to suit your needs.

Salusa Secundus

Salusa Secundus is quite simply a hell hole. Covered by oceans of molten lava and poisonous gas, The average life expectency for the citizen of Salusa Secundus is 25. Deemed a prison planet by the emperor, Salusa Secundus produces some the most crazed and die hard soldiers the galaxy can imagine. The economy is sustained by prisoner trade and the occasional contracted invasion. To stay alive, the player of Salusa Secundus must keep his army strong and more powerful then any other in the galaxy.

Giedi Prime

Giedi Prime is a forest planet bent on economic domination over the galaxy. Many highly sought after commodities are produced on this highly inhabbited planet, all of which can catch a very high price in the galactic exchange. Military strength aside, the player of Giedi Prime will attempt to buy their way to victory.

Ix

Ix is machine world. Breaking the widely accepted convention against complex machinery and computers, Ix leads the forefront in technology throughout the world. Costly research yeilds high profit and high loss for any player who picks up the banner of Ix. The populous will most likely dismiss any form of mysticism brought to them, so unhappiness must be dealth with by force or by appeasment. The Ixian economy is rooted in the black market dealing with the illegal selling and trading of Ix's many unconventional machines. An Ixian military would have the potential to be the best equiped in the galaxy but unfortunetly devoting ones budget to research leaves little for much else...