Imagination Wars: An Overly Complicated RP

So, I first posted this in Forum Games a while ago. It didn't pan out, so I thought I'd give it another shot in what seemed like a better environment for it.

Alright, to start out, this is going to be slightly different than most forum games. It's a little complicated, but I'm hoping that won't turn too many people off. It's a game for five people- four players and a GM (me). The four people will sign up and the slots will be given out on a first come, first served basis.

So, Imagination Wars is a PBP strategy game, set in your Imagination! A PBP strategy game is exactly what it sounds like: A turn based strategy game played by post. The fun part is this: Because Imagination Wars takes place in your Imagination(!), you can create any unit you can think of, as long as you have the Imagination Points (IP) to pay for it. Here's how it all works out-

There are two ways to win imagination wars. The first is to destroy all of your opponents fortresses. The second is to have the maxium amount of units out (10) while your opponents all have zero.

The basic rules-

• Each player starts out with 250 IP
• Every turn you gain 10 IP (from your Fortress's ability)
• To build units, you must spend IP
• Each player may control no more than 10 units at a time

More details:

UNITS:

• There are two types of units: Buildings and Creatures
• You can create any type of unit, with any stats and buildings you want, as long as you have the IP to spend for it
• Every Unit can have a maximum of three abilities
• A Unit takes IP cost/10 turns to build, minimum one turn

CREATURES:

• Creatures are a special type of unit that can move, attack, and use abilities.
• Units have four stats:
  • HP - 100
  • ATK - 10
  • DEF - 5
  • SPD - 3
• Each Unit has a weakness and resistance, selected from one of the following damage types: Burning, Freezing, Energy, Crushing, Cutting, Toxic, Corrosion, Psychic, Dark. The unit takes x2 damage from special attacks of damage type that it's weak to, and x.5 from ones that it resists.
• If you wanted to build a Unit with just these stats as they are and no abilities, it would cost 10 IP. Adding/Subtracting from stat amounts and adding abilities.
• Modifing stats changes IP costs as follows-
  • HP: +/- One per HP
  • ATK: +/- 5 per ATK
  • DEF: +/- 5 per DEF
  • SPD: +/- 10 per SPD
• stats have the following uses:
  • HP: When a Unit has zero HP, it's dead. HP cannot go over starting HP
  • ATK: Modifies how much damage you do when attacking normally
  • DEF: Decreases how much damage you take when being attacked
  • SPD: How many squares the unit can move per turn

• CREATURE ABILITIES
• Each Creature can have up to three abilities. Here is a list of some you may use. Remember, you can come up with any ability, even ones outside of this list. As a general rule, a very weak ability is +5 to the final IP cost, a weak one is +10, an average one is +15, a powerful one is +25, and a very powerful one is +50
• There are two types of abilities: Activated and Continuous. Activated are split into two further types: Ones that stay on when activated (Activated C) and ones that do one thing then stop (Activated S). You can only activate a creatures ability during your turn and only in place of an attack. In other words, if you couldn't attack, you can't activate an ability.
  • Flight(15): A creature with the flight ability can move through other Units, and can only be attacked with a special attack or another creature with flight
  • Special attacks: A special type of Activated (S) ability. You cannot move in the same turn you use a special attack, and you cannot use a special attack if you used one last turn. There are three types of special attacks: Ranged, Cone, and Area. With a ranged attack, you can hit anything in a straight line within your range number of squares. With a cone, you automatically hit anything in front of you in the cone. The cone increases in size as it goes forward up to range. With an area, you automatically hit anyone in the square around you with dimensions equal to the attack range. The range of a special attack is always at least three, but can be increased for a higher IP cost. Damage from a Special Attack is unaffected by your ATK. You purchase damage when buying the attack for IP.
    To create an attack, choose what type it is. Ranged attacks have a base IP cost of +5, Cone has +10, and Area has +20. Then, choose the amount of damage you want the attack to deal. For a ranged attack, the cost is +2 IP for every 1 damage, for a cone it's +5, and for an area it's +10.
    Finally, you choose your range. Your range is automatically set to three, and you can keep it at this if you choose. If you choose to increase it, it cost +Base cost for every +1 range. So for a Ranged attack it's +5 per range, for cone it's +10, and for area it's +10.
    Finally, you choose the Damage type from on of the weakness/resistance types mentioned above.
    Example: A ranged attack would cost +5 to start, then +10 if you wanted it to deal 5 damage, then +10 if you wanted it to have a range of five, for a final increase of 25 to the Units IP cost.

BUILDINGS

• Buildings cannot move, or deal attack in any way. They can do passive damage if you can justify how it's dealt.
• Buildings have two stats, HP, which starts at 50, and DEF, which starts at five. They act the same way as they do for a Creature.
• Your fortress is a special building that doesn't count towards your Unit limit and has HP 100, DEF 5, The ability “You gain 10 IP each turn”, and the ability “If this is destroyed, you lose the game”
• The main point of buildings is abilities. Unlike creatures, a building can have any number of abilities
• The ability cost for a building is half the cost (rounded up) as for a creature

THE TURN

• In each turn there are two phases- build and act
• In the build phase
  • Declare if you want to start building a unit, and the details of the unit • * Put any units that have finished construction into play
  • Note that you can only build a Creature in your start zone, and a building with three units of a creature.
• In the act phase:
  • For each creature
    • Move if desired
    • Attack or use an ability if desired
• Combat: There are two types of combat, normal and special. In special you use a special attack. In normal, you attack a unit in one of the eight surrounding units to attack.
  • Normal: Pick a unit in the eight squares surrounding the attacking unit. Roll a d6, and add the result to the attacking units ATK. Then subtract the defenders DEF from the result, and the final number from the defenders HP
  • Special: You can only perform a special attack if you do not move in the same turn and didn’t use a special attack last turn. Perform it the same way as a normal attack, except the possible targets are different and you use the special attacks damage instead of the attackers ATK. At the end, before subtracting from the defenders HP, multiply the result by any applicable weakness/resistances.

Final note: There will be a board. I will be drawing it, and it will be awesome.

edited 19th Nov '11 2:03:45 PM by rumetzen

Have you considered special units called leaders?

Now when you say buildings can't do damage would a Tesla tower with the ability to harm flying units when the units get within a certain radius not be allowed?

I must admit that this looks very interesting.

It comes. The corrupter comes. Don't let it touch the tower lest all reality crumble.

I'm a bit hesitant to introduce a new unit type. I think you could work something out using the existing rules.

I think you're right. Building's can do passive damage if it's justifiable, but they can't attack. Changing the rules.

I am interested, as with the last iteration.

Need a tall, brawny fella to come by and inspect your pickle? Perhaps I may be this fella.

I have University classes all day Tuesday and Wednesday every week, which might interfere with my ability to post in the forums. With that said, I definitely want to put my name into the hat before all the spots are taken. Oh, the myriad of wonderful creatures that I could fabricate at a moment's notice...

Mkay. So who's definitely playing?

@Re: Buildings can't attack: Is a missile silo officially a creature?

You exist because we allow it and you will end because we demand it.

If it can attack, yes. You could just give it speed zero.

Can you create more creatures of the same type or not?

"If there is a hole then it's a man's job to thrust into it" - Ryoma from New Getter Robo

My ideas just keep piling up. I shall have a troupe (sic) of Shakespeare clones with laser vision, who will be called LaserBards.

Need a tall, brawny fella to come by and inspect your pickle? Perhaps I may be this fella.

*

Will this be played in a regular forum thread? 'Cause if so, interest.

edited 28th Nov '11 8:03:30 PM by Artemis92

Ponders too much; thinks too little. Currently goes by Knowlessman.

Chainsaw: Yes you can

Artemis: Yes it will.

Once again, I'd like to know who's definitely playing, because the first four people who say they are will get the spots.

Not me, I'm afraid; college work. Possibly once exams are over, though.

Ponders too much; thinks too little. Currently goes by Knowlessman.

Random idea: The game could have no "win" conditions. When one player gets knocked out of the game, another one takes their place.

It's probably a very bad idea.

Maybe if you allowed for rotation...

Ponders too much; thinks too little. Currently goes by Knowlessman.

Could be fun. I am definitely playing.

edited 21st Nov '11 3:49:16 PM by Aniventerie

Need a tall, brawny fella to come by and inspect your pickle? Perhaps I may be this fella.

As I've said before, I definitely want to put my name into the hat. The metaphorical one that contains the identities of the participants of this game, that is.

So, that's two people. Alright.

Make that 3, loving the concept.

♌

@rumetzen: Assload of questions here:

• When someone makes a creature/building, do they PM it to you, or do they post it here?
  • If the latter, are other players allowed to steal the design and make some for themselves?
• How do we decide who goes first? Do we roll initiative?
  • Do you roll stuff for us?

Ponders too much; thinks too little. Currently goes by Knowlessman.

Haven't really thought about it. I guess they'd post it.

I was thinking turn order would be the order you showed interest. You guys make the rolls. I'm assuming I can trust you not to cheat?

edited 23rd Nov '11 11:28:19 PM by rumetzen

Actually, I think for most play by post games, the GM usually does player rolls (not that I've got any personal experience whatsoever). On principle, you know?

edited 24th Nov '11 4:14:38 AM by Artemis92

Ponders too much; thinks too little. Currently goes by Knowlessman.

Oh, alright. Then I guess I'll do that.

Dodging. Does every attack always hit?

EDIT: Also, range. Does an attack necessarily have to be special to target a nonadjacent unit?

edited 24th Nov '11 11:05:06 AM by Artemis92

Ponders too much; thinks too little. Currently goes by Knowlessman.

Normal attacks must be special to hit a nonadjacent unit.

Dodging... bleh I don't really wanna have to deal with it. Let's see how every attack hitting works.