(display: "Init")\
WASTELANDER
A demo of some exploration and base-building mechanics.
[[Start|Base Camp]]
Double-click this passage to edit it.
{
(set: $scrap to 0)
(set: $scrap_max to 2)
(set: $scrap_camp to 0)
(set: $supplies_max to 2)
(set: $supplies to $supplies_max)
(set: $skill_scouting to 0)
(set: $skill_combat to 0)
(set: $skill_charm to 0)
(set: $camp to 1)
(set: $locations_all to (a: "Forest","Mountain","Bandit Camp"))
(set: $locations to (a:))
(set: $plus_scouting to "(set:$skill_scouting to $skill_scouting + 1)''You gained a point in Scouting!''")
(set: $plus_combat to "(set:$skill_combat to $skill_combat + 1)''You gained a point in Combat!''")
(set: $plus_scrap to "(set:$scrap to $scrap + 1)''You found some valuable scrap!!''")
}
________________________________
Supplies: $supplies/$supplies_max
Skills: Scouting $skill_scouting, Combat $skill_combat, Charm $skill_charm
Scrap: $scrap/$scrap_max
Locations known: $locations
(set: $supplies to $supplies_max)\
''Base Camp''
You're at your usual campground. You forage while you're here and restock your supplies up to your max carrying level.
(if: $camp is 1)[It's a simple cleared dirt area with a firepit and your tent. Skeletons are everywhere, posed as poignant reminders of civilization's downfall. Radioactive barrels pollute the nearest pond.]\
(else-if: $camp is 2)[It's got a crude hut that you've inexplicably built from tires and rebar rather than perfectly good timber. You've also rearranged the skeletons into amusing positions. You've gotten rid of those annoying barrels by drinking the contents a little at a time so they're empty now.]\
(else:)[You've built a multi-room house with a working lightbulb, stairs, and some flags that cover some of the gaping holes in the walls. You still can't bring yourself to bury the skeletons though. The old barrels now line your home's walls, providing a gentle glow at night.]
Travel to specific known places:
(if: $locations contains "Forest")[ [[Forest]] ]
(if: $locations contains "Mountain")[ [[Mountain]] ]
(if: $locations contains "Bandit Camp")[ [[Bandit Camp]] ]
[[Go scouting for new places|Scouting]]
[[Drop off your scrap at camp|Drop off Scrap]] (You have $scrap_camp here now. You must drop it off to spend it.)
[[Spend 2 scrap to make your camp cooler|Upgrade Camp]]
[[Spend 2 scrap to raise your carrying capacity|Upgrade Carrying]]
[[Spend 7 scrap to refurbish an airplane and win the game|Win]]
You are in a forest that is awesome beyond words. You have a 50% chance to randomly find scrap here.
(if: (random:0,1) is 1)[\
(if: $scrap is $scrap_max)[You found some valuable scrap, but you're carrying too much to take it.]
(else:)[$plus_scrap]
]
[[Base Camp]]
You are on a mountain with all kinds of cool ancient lasers and satellite dishes and stuff. You have a 70% chance to randomly find scrap here.
(if: (random:1,10) <= 7)[\
(if: $scrap is $scrap_max)[You found some valuable scrap, but you're carrying too much to take it.]
(else:)[$plus_scrap]
]
[[Base Camp]]
You reach a bandit camp, but the dudes here start shooting at you. Can you fight them off well enough to loot some bodies, or will you have to run?
(set:$score to $skill_combat)Combat skill: $score,\
versus random roll: (set: $x to (random: 1,10)) $x
(if: $score > $x)[\
You kill a bunch of bandits and take their stuff, filling your pack with as much scrap as you can carry!
(set: $scrap to $scrap_max)\
]
(else:)[\
You're forced to run away. You did learn from the experience, though. $plus_combat
]
[[Base Camp]]
(set: $done to 0)\
(set: $score to $skill_scouting)\
(set: $score to $score + $supplies_max)\
You go exploring to find your way to new locations.
Scouting skill: $skill_scouting
Bonus for large supply capacity: $supplies_max
Your modified skill is $score. Try to roll lower:\
(set: $x to (random:1,10)) $x
(if: $score > $x)[\
Eligible to find a new location!
(if: $locations contains "Forest")[](else:)[\
You discovered the Forest!
(set: $locations to $locations + (a:"Forest"))(set: $done to 1)$plus_scouting
]\
(if: $done is 1)[](else:)[\
(if: $locations contains "Mountain")[](else:)[\
You discovered the Mountain!
(set: $locations to $locations + (a:"Mountain"))(set: $done to 1)$plus_scouting\
]
]
(if: $done is 1)[](else:)[\
(if: $locations contains "Bandit Camp")[](else:)[\
You discovered the Bandit Camp!
(set: $locations to $locations + (a:"Bandit Camp"))(set: $done to 1)$plus_scouting\
]
]
]
(if: $done is 0)[ (if: (random:1,10) <= 3)[ $plus_scouting ] ]
[[Base Camp]]
(if: $camp is 3)[Your camp is already cool enough; no more upgrades.]\
(else:)[\
(if: $scrap_camp < 2)[ You don't have enough scrap to upgrade. ]
(else:)[ You upgrade your camp! (set: $scrap_camp to $scrap_camp - 2)(set: $camp to $camp + 1) (if:$camp is 3)[You've reached the max camp level.] ]
]
[[Base Camp]]
(if: $scrap_camp < 2)[ You don't have enough scrap to upgrade. ]
(else:)[\
(set: $scrap_camp to $scrap_camp - 2)\
You upgrade your carrying capacity!
(set: $scrap_max to $scrap_max + 1)\
(set: $supplies_max to $supplies_max + 1)\
]\
[[Base Camp]]
(set: $scrap_camp to $scrap_camp + $scrap)\
(set: $scrap to 0)\
You drop off all your scrap. You can spend it from here.
[[Base Camp]]
(if: $scrap_camp < 7)[ You don't have enough scrap. ]
(else:)[\
You install enough ancient circuitboards to make an old airplane fly again, then fly away from this wasteland to a nicer place. You win!
''Discussion:''
I'd probably do this in Unity if I took it more seriously. You'd move around on a 2D map, either still limited to locations you've randomly discovered how to reach or just by how much you can move around without exhausting a supplies meter. The second is probably more fun. It'd look something like http://kschnee.xepher.net/pics/code_projects/111128planar_rpg.jpg .
The bandit camp interaction would be replaced with the "wasteland trader" concept, in which you do a tense negotiation to see if you can trade without the locals deciding to rob and eat you. Since any one camp would tend to accept you after the first few times, removing the danger, there'd need to be some other way to encourage further exploration. Negotiate to make the camps start being good citizens instead of thugs. Get different resources from each camp. Recruit backup for some kind of heavy labor.
As for the genre, it doesn't have to be a post-apocalypse scavenger world. If it's to have the bandit-camp gameplay as an important feature then it still needs dangerous armed camps to trade with. If there are friendly settlements already, then there must still be a reason to venture outward. My main alternative is an ocean planet that has some civilized islands but also pirate and savage-tribe islands.
]