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Sword & Scroll is a grand strategy game originally inspired by fantasy book series such as A song of ice and fire with warfare and political schemes constituting the core mechanics. The game has also been heavily influenced by other grand strategy games in particular by paradox and also from 4X games like the civilization franchise. The game is set in a medieval fantasy world where splintered factions, noble houses, fight for power. You take on the role of one of these houses.

Post news Report RSS Intrigues and Spies

A progress report about the game mechanics "Intrigues" and "Spies"

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Some progress about implementing intrigues and also how I intend to continue on with this!

Intrigues work similarly as in Crusader Kings II, you start a plot against some target House (For example fabricating a claim on a holding from him) and then you look for supporters who want to support your plot.

If you ask somebody to help you with your plot he gains favor points over you. These points can be used in return to force you to support their plots later on (refusing to repay a favor hits your honor) or also to force you to lend them a loan (Currently there are no other uses, but I intend to add more things).

Each plot requires a certain amount of plot points (I need some better names than "X points" later on) to be realized. These are gathered slowly over time and instantly by receiving supporters. The amount of plot points a House can contribute depends on their court power which reflects their influence on the House you wish to intrigue against. This influence can be increased by marriage, sending a diplomat, being a branch family, being the overlord and also by infiltrating the target House with a spy.

Fabricating claims and planting a spy in the target House are currently the two intrigues I implemented.

A spy enables you to see the military strength of the target House, what they are currently building and it makes it easier to perform intrigues. I will probably also introduce intrigues which are only possible when you have a spy. These are how things stand right now. Next let me talk on how I want to I currently plan to continue this (I say currently because I have revised this entire intrigue thingy dozens of times and I may do it again).

So what are the backdraws when inviting supporters? One thing is, as I mentioned, that they will gain favor over you which they can use against you. There will also be a diplomatic option to reveal a plot to the target House. There will be two ways which enable revealing a plot:

- If you are a supporter of the plot you can go and betray the guy who invited you and reveal the plot
- There will be a special intrigue which requires you to have planted a spy and which will then reveal what the target House is currently plotting.

In the same way you will also be able to reveal spies. If a plot is revealed it will become more difficult to perform it. Revealed spies will be killed off.

If your plot has been revealed, you will be informed about it, but you will not necessarily know who revealed it. You will only be told who revealed your plot if you have a spy at the target House.

This basically covers my plans for the spy game mechanic. I dont want to expand this too much since this is not a spy infiltration game.

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