Summertime Time. - Theorycraft

With the summer coming around, I'm going to have hours, upon hours of free time, and actually plan to do something with it. This means, that I do actually need to find something to do mind. Part of my time will be taken up by modelling, but I really want to get an actually decent map done.

I've had a few ideas, so I'll explain them quickly, and then hopefully get some ideas back, and even new ones would be appreciated.

1) Arcane Annhilation - In the spirit of games such as Total Annihilation, Supreme Commander, and BA: Spring. These games work off infinite resources. In general, there are two types of resources: energy and metal/mass. To get energy, you just build buildings that make it (ie: solar, wind), and for mass, you have something to extract it from certain deposits around the map. The goal here would be to convert this style of resource harvesting, into a fantasy themed map. The player always starts with one "commander unit" who they must keep alive in this style of game, and must kill the enemies to win.

2) Phase Stun CTF - [NAME TEMPORARY] A CTF map, with a variety of twists. The players have a variety of ways of stunning enemies, such as traps and different spells. They can also create "walls" to block the players movement. The second feature is that there is an alternate reality that the players can "shift" into, retaining their respective position. So, you might want to wall an area off, and force the players to teleport out of that reality, into the one where you have set a cunning trap at their location. There would be round based games, where you don't respawn until the flag is captured as well. I need suggestions on how damage is dealt.

That's all for for now. Need feedback and suggestions.

I'd be more than willing to assist in any way possible on any of the projects.

I like the resource harvesting method for idea one, and that could probably be done fairly easily, it's just a matter of implementing other things that set it aside from just another melee map.

Phase Sun, while I like the idea, seems like the game could get really, really annoying at times.

No comment really on Catacombs, just what would separate it from any other dungeon crawler.

I agree with you 'bout Catacombs. Removed from post, but can't edit poll. :|

First, thanks for the offer.

After talking this over, I'm leaning towards the CTF (Now named Parallel Arena), with some revisions.

1) No damage will be dealt.
2) "Gadget" items (charged) enable the players to perform new actions (ie: decoys, shields)
3) There will be some method of knocking the players back to their side, but difficult to aim (casting time?), so they pretty much need to be stunned. Not really sure what I mean by "knocking back to their side", but it would be something that hinders there progress, and let's them be un-stunned.

Alternately, Arcane Annihilation hasn't changed much as an idea, but I've been thinking about the various trees I want.

Classically, in this style of game you have: Land, Air and Water. Here, I'm considering a Magical and Martial approach, both with a mix of Land/Air/Water troops.

Ironic how catacombs got the most votes :p

I know. It depresses me to no end.