Here's a idea,
Let me know if you think it's too ambitious
After reading a few of Darren's post about a cave man simulator.. It hit me straight away!
Why not a real world sim?.
Start of with the usual basics one man with axe and trees...small wooden hut.. get some wood,catch fish & start growing foods.. From a fishing rod to rowing boat, then a trawler.. on to a fleet, All of which takes time to do. Along with crops and livestock for food. Clearly growing times would have to be somewhat reduced! Can't imagine poor ole Sam_the_farmerUK standing by his field for 6 months!
Players can then band together and have a Mayor who has control in a sphere of infulence(SOI) in which he/she can grant build rights etc.
Terrain deformation would probably not be advisable as after a month or two the planet would looks like a craterfest. Destruction is another issue needing contemplation. Who would want their busy town steamrolled by a crazy truck driver or pilot.
The more people join the larger the SOI. As players progress more basic resources are needed.. Iron Copper coal.. metals fuels and cables(power & lights).. Easy to see where i am going with this..??
Provide own power through town choices.. Coal,Wind turbine or Gas (resources that have to be found and transported over land rail or sea. Don't you all think it would be interesting to see how a alternative world might develop?
I guess the resources would have to be some what globally accurate, But allow for local pockets of resources to allow for initial construction.. How trade could work between towns/cities is another matter for someone else to come up with. Money would be pointless I think, Perhaps trade allows research to progress faster??( wanting to turn that lone mini windmill into a 500ft turbine?
I can just imagine a small town growing..building roads for lorry's and cars.. then rails for coal or other goods.. or even a airport for real time flight people/goods looking for resources in far away lands..
Jobs,titles,rolls to be filled but not impossible to progress if not enough men/workers.
Then people would probably ask, Why and what's the point?. I would just say that i think people that who tend to enjoy openworld/sandboxy construction games are usually very imaginative and are geared towards making things work and looking for progress.
I have a ton of other idea's that could be incorporated into this project but the list would be sooooo long
I think it would be great
Tell me what you guys think about this idea..
P.s Sorry if someone already had this idea.. I have not read through all the forums yet.