A text based strategy game with computers

[mantas]

Hello everyone,

I have been working on a one project for quite some time now, and I would like to ask your opinion about this. I have been working on a quite unique game, and I'm not sure if people would be interested in it.

This is a text based web game, that is quite unique IMO, I haven't seen anything likes this so, I would say that is a quite 'new' game concept and could be hard to understand as well.

The games main focus is computers. Gameplay consists of (as of now) buying parts for a computer, putting those parts together into a what is called 'machine', then tweaking it, overclocking it. And finally executing a task with it called coin mining, which essentialy will add coins to your wallet with the speed based of your computers' power.

Computer customization is quite detailed. You can choose CPU, Motherboard, Power Supply, Coolers, Fans, HDDs. Every component has different properties like HDD space, PSU wattage etc. Even the same model components could have different properties, such as quality and might degrade slower or faster, overclock better or worse than others. Component power consumption is calculated as well. Also thermal simulation is in, and different cases, heatsinks, thermal pastes have different thermal resistances. Component temperature depends on sum of these resistances and its generated power.

Tasks are made in such a way, so that component speeds should be relativly similar in terms of performance in order to prevent bottlenecks (where one part/worker could slow down whole execution).

This is one of those games that you don't require spending a lot of your time. You just need to think a strategy, buy things you need (in game), set it up, tweak it and leave it, while coming back from time to time to check if everything is working correctly.

Game would be free to play, obviously.

Currently the game is in a very early stage and a lot of things are missing and everything is subject change.

A finished game would have:

 

• Power Sources: players will able to buy things like solar panels, wind generators, maybe reactors for power production, and they will able to sell that produced power to other players.
  

 

 

• Manufacturing: players will able to manufacture components, of course they will need to buy expensive tools to do that. For example if you want to manufacture CPUs, you will need to create a new architecture and invest research into it, you will able to improve it as much as you put resources into it.
  

 

 

• User banks, shops, computer storing rooms: One of the main game development goals it to make that taxes (bank transaction taxes, power bills, taxes for storing your machines and etc) would go to other players, that deliver these services. So that admin doesn't have to create/spawn items, sell power, etc. This would make the game have its own economy system, where everything comes from the players, and nothing is spawned in by the admin.
  

 

 

• More tasks (currently there's only coin mining task) that will produce different outputs when executed. Those output file could be used in manufacturing to upgrade architectures. So part manufacturers would be buying these files from players.
  

 

I might post some screenshots if any of you are interested.

If this game turns out to be worthless, it fine, I have nothing to lose, I've learnt so much about programming, web development, source control while doing this, it was a very fun learning experience. :)

If you have any questions, please ask.

So would you like to see/play something like this or would you not? Please leave your opinion about this. Thank you for your time. :)

EDIT: Screenshots are available on twitter. Warning: WIP front-end https://twitter.com/workloadgame

Edited April 25, 2015 by mantas
Added twitter URL for screenshots

[Coly010]

It's a very interesting concept.

I would like to see it have a progressive gameplay. You start off with a horrible computer, you coin mine, buy better parts, can do coin mining more efficient.

Then when you have more tasks, go real hardcore and have it that one of the tasks could be to design the architecture of a super conputer, it spends time working that out then gives the user a list of the components it'll need to do this. They can build a supercomputer , supercomputer can then be rented to other players who are in desperate need of the extra power

[mantas]

Since a lot of features are missing, game is currently about buying, upgrading and buying more. However I plan to introduce manufacturing, which would change things quite a bit, since players could start making money by making and selling computer parts. Like you mentioned progressive gameplay would be one of the main development goals. I have added link to twitter where you can find some screenshots of the game. I'm currently working on a new UI, new database structure for more expand-ability.