Excerpt from new GDD: Gameplay and sample match Thread - skykick

Would appreciate folks trying to poke holes in this;

3. Gameplay

Gameplay is based upon a simultaneous turn-based system, alternating with about ten to fifteen seconds of realtime action in between turns. If a player manages to get their aircraft within engagement range (represented by a sphere around enemy targets, the radius of which is dependent upon the range of the player's selected aircraft), players are given the opportunity to hop into the turret or guncam of their aircraft during real-time mode to take the shot.

Players are given control of up to three individual aircraft, all of which can be given commands simultaneously during the turn phases, though only one aircraft can be manned by a player (the priority being the closest aircraft).

Objectives for missions can range from simple seek and destroy to evading detection, flying through obstacles, shaking chasing opponents, and recovering objects.

Different aircraft will perform different maneuvers at different rates; in the example below, both aircraft are the same, however if one aircraft had a maneuverability advantage and the other had a speed advantage, the more maneuverable aircraft may be able to complete a 180 degree reversal in one turn instead of two, whereas the faster aircraft would be able to fly farther and faster during a single turn. Also, different turn radii at different speeds will take different amounts of time to complete.

Other additions to the game could include special abilities or manuevers that players can choose to deploy to aid them in a dogfight, that effectively increase speed, decrease turn time, increase gun accuracy, or perform other special maneuvers.

a. Sample multiplayer game.

Pre turn 1: Players select their aircraft and join the game. In this scenario, there are two opponents with one aircraft each, who are placed about five miles apart, at the same altitude, facing each other.

Turn 1: Both players make their moves. Player 1 decides to go high, Player 2 decides to go low. At the end of the turn, both players hit submit.

Real time sequence 1: Both aircraft move; however neither reach engagement range. The sequence ends with no major events.

Turn 2-4: Both players work towards an advantageous position. Player 1 manages to get behind Player 2 and is within engagement zone. At the end of every turn, players can choose to start the turn in a guncam view that allows them to take a shot at the enemy. If the aircraft enter engagement range while the player is not in guncam view, the AI should automatically fire, depending on it's orders. Players can switch in and out of guncam view during the extent of the real time segment.

Player 2, however, chooses to spin their aircraft to slow down, hoping to force Player 1 to speed by. They do this by telling their aircraft to move at a sharp, impossible angle, causing them to spin out of control. Visually, this would be indicated by a grey movement line and ghost aircraft along said movement line stopping at the point of spin, with several exclamation points over the final ghost. Gameplay wise, they are trading height, speed, and any other action during the next turn (turn 5), in order to evade Player 1's fire.

Real time sequence 4: Player 1 gets a cuncam view, where they use the mouse to try and aim so as to hit Player 2's aircraft. The gunnery is not hitscan; it requires leading the target and taking into account airspeed and bullet velocity. They hit a few shots for some light damage. Player 2's aircraft enters it's spin and begins to fall. The turn ends; Player 1 is now past Player 2 and climbing, Player 2 is falling at about a 35 degree angle.

Turn 5: Player 1 initiates a hard 180 degree turn to end up facing Player 2. This maneuver will take two turns to complete, as indicated visually on the flight path marker. Player 2 has no actions to perform with the stalled aircraft.

Real time sequence 5: Player 1 completes ½ of their turn. Player 2's aircraft corrects itself and levels it's wings at a slight downwards angle and has picked up some speed.

Turn 6: Player 1 chooses to finish the turn. Player 2 chooses to continue a shallow turning dive towards Player 1. This allows him to increase speed while maneuvering to only give Player 1 a brief head on pass.

Real time sequence 6: Both players complete their turns and the turn ends with both players on a head on pass; Player 1 is high, Player 2 is low.

Turn 7: Player 1 chooses to dive on Player 2 and does not choose to take the shot, instead letting the AI do it for him. Player 2 chooses to initiate an Immelman, which will take two turns to complete.

Real time sequence 7: Player 1 extends and Player 2 finishes the turn halfway through the maneuver.

Turn 8: Player 1 chooses to perform a 180 degree turn, which will take two turns to complete. Player 2 chooses to complete their turn.

Real time sequence 8: Player 2 completes their turn and is now behind Player 1, who is in the middle of their 90 degree turn.

Turn 9: Player 2 chooses to dive on Player 1. Player 1 chooses to cancel their remaining 90 degree turn and instead dives to pick up speed for another maneuver.

Real time sequence 9: Player 2 initiates a diving attack on Player 1. They are unable to catch up as Player 1's dive allows them to extend just out of range.

Turn 10: Player 2 chooses to continue a shallow dive in pursuit of Player 1. Player 1 chooses to perform a Split-S, which will take two turns to complete.

Real time sequence 10: Player 1 and 2 both execute their chosen maneuvers.

Turn 11: Player 1 chooses to continue their maneuver. Player 2 chooses to intiate a 180 degree turn. At this point, Player 2 initiates a “speedbrake” ability which allows them to complete a 180 degree reversal in one turn, with some cooldown time afterwards.

Real time sequence 11: Player 1 continues their turn and levels out. Player 2 reverses and is now directly behind Player 1. The AI takes a potshot before the turn ends.

Turn 12: Player 1 chooses to initiate a vertical climb until they stall at the top due to running out of airspeed. They initiate a bonus that allows them to stabilize and not lose out on the following turn, the trade-off being that their available movement distance is curtailed to allow for recovery. Player 2 chooses to press their attack and continues straight towards Player 1. Upon hitting commit, he selects to start the match in the guncam.

Real time sequence 12: Player 2 fires and scores some hits but ultimately misses any lethal zones. Player 1 zooms up and stalls, though the aircraft recovers during the turn and again returns to a slightly nose down angle.

Turn 13: Player 2 chooses to turn 180 degrees to the right, while Player 1 chooses to initiate a gentle left hand descending turn.

Real time sequence 13: Both players initiate their maneuvers; Player 2 ends the turn 90 degrees through their right hand turn; Player 1 is slightly to the left of player 2.

Turn 14: Player 2 continues their turn. Player 1 initiates a hard 90 degree turn to set themselves up for a firing position on Player 2.

Real time sequence 14: Both players complete their maneuvers. Player 1 is now behind Player 2.

Turn 15: Player 2 chooses to make an Immelman. Player 1 chooses to slow their aircraft down by placing their movement target a very short distance in front of their aircraft. They opt to start the next turn in the guncam view.

Real time sequence 15: Player 2 initiates the Immelman, exposing his pilot to Player 1, who fires and scores a pilot kill. The match ends. Both players are returned to the lobby and/or the match is reset for a best X out of Y.

Players are given control of up to three individual aircraft, all of which can be given commands simultaneously during the turn phases, though only one aircraft can be manned by a player (the priority being the closest aircraft).

Don't quite understand this bit. You are given three aircraft to control . . . but you can only control one? Or?

Everything else seems pretty solid

You can move three aircraft but when it comes to control during the real time segment you can obviously only fire out of one.

First half of the GDD is up on Piratepad, please make any alterations or additions as you see fit;

Piratepad.net

I understand that, but what advantage does directly piloting a craft have over instructing it to perform combat manoeuvres and letting it perform them autonomously?

Or can you only make one aircraft perform attack moves per turn?

You don't pilot; you only get to operate it's weapons in a turret view; sort of like the Call of Duty "guncam" in the HC-130.

Edited by: InvertedVantage