Drone Swarm

WIP games, tools & toy projects
#1

Today after long time I’ve put some time together to work on a small prototype, inspired from Swarm RTS.

Drone Swarm is a single player real time strategy game where player controls a lot of small drones and fight against AI controlled players to conquer the galaxy!

Drones moving to the center of the map, but AI try to defend…

Blue AI on rage!

In this first release there are the basic concept:

  • base stations with influence radius
  • drones that spawns regularly from base stations
  • player can control where drones goes next drawing select boxes
  • simple AI that attack player stations

My idea is to work a little bit on this small prototype in the future, in particular add a proper AI, levels and more players to interact with it. When I will have a solid foundation I hope to work on gameplay elements and create, hopefully, something unique.

Nothing incredible, but you can try it now on Itch.io:

PLAY NOW

p.s: any suggestions or feedback are welcome, even on early stages!
p.s: open source on Github

#2

Good concept.

You can introduce some different types of drons. For example scouts, light armored but very fast with long view range. Fighters, general purpose. Bombers, slow but heavy armed, designed to attack planets.

#3

Well, I’ll have to try this out.

#4

Sure! I’m thinking also to introduce a campaign mode where you can spend tech points and unlock new units

Let me know what do you think !

#5

Version 0.2 is up on itch.io and gamejolt!

In this update I’ve just added a neutral zone, so player can conquer it and take advance of it!

#6

Version 0.3 is up on itch.io !

In this version:

  • player can more easily select drones drawing selection boxes
  • simple AI that attack player stations and drones!
#7

The box selection is highly counter-intuitive, in your game one needs to

press->release->drag->press->release

to select whereas normally this would be

press->drag->release

Another thing is that the selection color does not go back to white and units often just stop moving after fights.
It runs well (until it lags because the unit production is infinite) though and the flocking looks good.

#8

thanks @VaTTeRGeR for your feedback!

I agree selection could be more intuitive, I hope to create something like an RTS (Starcraft, Warcraft) following your advice, really appreciated!

I miss the stop moving bug, thanks for noticing it

#9

Version 0.4 on itch.io !

This time I’ve shared more toughts on this release and future work, so feel free to try the game and feedback!

@VaTTeRGeR: what do you think about new selection mode?

In this release:

  • new selection mode: drag selection boxes
  • added a proper menu and level selection screen
  • improved basic AI
#10

The AI kicks my ass any time now with it’s higher unit output ;D

The circles around the base do not appear btw ???

The selection is nice now!

#11

Insta-feedback! Thanks!

Now AI it’s a little bit stronger and yeah circles around bases are gone for now, I’d like to find a better way to display them in the future!

#12

Hi

I checked your newest version of the game. Looks pretty good.
However, I cant win because AI very fast moves its drons toward top-right corner base and gets the adventage.
Is there another base which player can capture to get more drons and counter-attact AI?

#13

Version 0.5 is on itch.io and thanks to meva, I’ve fixed AI and added 3 levels, let me know what do you think about it !

#14

Hi,

Great job:). Now I finished your game and had much fun playing it.
I like the dynamic of the game.

There is one thing which could be improved.
When you move units somewhere they do not come back to base neither automaticaly attack ememies around.
So, player has to pay attention to units far away to group them and push forward.

I am waiting for more levels :wink:

#15

I’ve just updated it to version 0.6:

  • colored area around stations again
  • levels with more than one AI to fight
  • swapped level 2 and 3 (thanks to orochii)
  • 3 more levels
  • saved level progression on user home dir on disk

Not too much crazy, but another little step on right direction! Let me know if you find any bug or you have any suggestions, much appreciated!

You can play it on Itch.io: here

#16

Hi, I tried your game.
Great job:). Levels are cool and very playable.
However, the game is going on a little to fast for me.
For example, you can slow down the speed of ships creation, so player will have time to think about strategy. On the other hand, it is also funny when you have to react fast and intuitive:). You can change ships creation speed from level to level or even from planet to planet.

#17

@meva: nice idea, thanks!

#18

You’re welcome :wink:

#19

I’ve just released version 1.0 for Drone Swarm, in this release:

  • 4 more levels, now 10 levels
  • removed planet percentage indicator and added a coloured visual instead
  • a little story screen

Any feedback as usual is appreciated!

#20

Hi,

Nice step forward:) I had fun playing your game.

What is the condition for capturing the enemy main base? When your first unit get there or when you kill all enemy units in the base?
I did’nt notice it because things are going very fast:)

Good idea with changing colors when your enemy is taking back a base.