Interest Check Thread

Hosted Games Works In Progress
7524

Here is a concept I came with for a game collaborating with Chatgpt . I want to do a card game based visual novel based off the diadochi wars that happened after Alexander the great died. Well it’s gonna be an Alt history fantasy world with names changed but right now this is the basic concept for the game below.

I need some critiques . It is gonna take me years to make this lol :rofl: . I first got to learn programming , story writing , how to draw etc but it good end goal to have once I finished all my learning .

Concept is below….Tell me what you think of the idea and if it could be done. I’m willing to take things out of the game like the voice acting etc . Before even starting on building I want a rough outline to know what I’m gonna be working on finishing . The final game will be alt fantasy world based off the Europe, Africa and Asia set in the fictional Hellenic age .

:classical_building: Game Title:

Heirs of the Empire

:crossed_swords: Genre:

Narrative Strategy RPG • Visual Novel • Political Simulation • Action RPG • Fighting Game

:globe_showing_europe_africa: Overview

Heirs of the Empire is a hybrid visual novel and grand-strategy RPG set in the aftermath of Alexander the Great’s death in 323 BCE.
You step into the sandals of the Diadochi — the generals, rulers, and heirs who carved his empire apart — each driven by ambition, loyalty, and destiny.

Blending the political storytelling of Suzerain, the moral depth of Disco Elysium, the card-driven tactics of Ash of Gods, and Tekken-style duels, it’s a saga where every decision reshapes history.

The game unfolds through three interwoven systems:

  1. Visual Novel storytelling (Live2D / painterly art)

  2. Pixel-art strategic gameplay and exploration

  3. Real-time duels and battles

:gear: Game Modes

:film_frames: 1. Kinetic Mode

  • A fully story-driven mode with no choices or gameplay — just immersive narrative, music, and voice acting.

  • Ideal for players who want a cinematic historical epic.

:compass: 2. Interactive Mode

  • The full hybrid experience — visual novel choices, card strategy, and pixel-art exploration.

  • Players balance politics, war, and philosophy through the Five Pathways system.

  • Includes:

    • Tactical card battles

    • Pixel-art overworld for exploration

    • Character interactions, diplomacy, and fate events

    • Optional Auto Mode for players who want story without gameplay repetition

:boxing_glove: 3. Fight Mode

  • Standalone or story-integrated Tekken-style real-time battles.

  • Used for duels, challenges, and narrative combat moments.

  • Each Diadochus has a unique fighting style and finisher based on their archetype and Pathway.

Example:

  • Antigonus uses powerful defensive grapples and counter-blows.

  • Demetrius fights with acrobatic flair and siege-engine-inspired attacks.

  • Seleucus mixes spear mastery with elephant-charge supers.

:brick: Art & Presentation

  • Painterly or Live2D character portraits for storytelling and dialogues.

  • Pixel-art environments for exploration, movement, and army management.

  • 2.5D / stylized 3D battles for the Fight Mode.

  • Dynamic transitions between story, world, and combat keep immersion intact.

:brain: Core Systems

:dove: 1. The Five Pathways

Each choice, card, or action aligns with one of five philosophical “paths” — shaping both personal fate and world history:

Pathway Symbol Belief Values
The Lion (Power) :lion: Power is seized through strength and charisma. Glory, dominance, decisive action
The Fox (Cunning) :fox: Power belongs to those who deceive, persuade, and manipulate. Secrets, diplomacy, subterfuge
The Ox (Stability) :ox: Duty is to build institutions and legacies that outlast men. Order, prosperity, continuity
The Hound (Loyalty) :dog: Oaths, blood, and tradition bind the world together. Honor, kinship, legitimacy
The Ghost (Shadow) :ghost: True power hides in terror, espionage, and silence. Fear, mystery, control from the dark

Choices add points toward one or more pathways.
When a character’s Pathway dominance peaks, it unlocks special cards, dialogue options, or endings.

:joker: 2. The Card System

Cards represent tactics, ideas, and relationships.

  • Archetype Cards define personality and playstyle.

  • Character Cards represent historical figures and allies.

  • Action Cards represent duels, commands, or stratagems.

  • Conviction Cards symbolize the player’s ideals (tied to the Five Pathways).

  • Event Cards trigger historical or political crises.

  • Romance / Intrigue Cards influence alliances, betrayals, and marriages.

Cards come in Bronze, Silver, and Gold tiers — unlocked through battles, diplomacy, or fate milestones.

:dna: 3. Archetypes of the Diadochi

Each playable general embodies a dual archetype that defines their playstyle and personality:

Character Archetypes
Antigonus The Conqueror / The Supreme Commander
Demetrius The Dashing Prince / Master of Sieges
Ptolemy The Builder / The Economist
Seleucus The Explorer / The Empire Builder
Cassander The Ruthless Politician / The Usurper
Lysimachus The Survivor / The Opportunist
Eumenes The Genius Underdog / The Loyalist
Perdiccas The Regent / The Dream’s Keeper
Polyperchon The Elder Statesman / The Loyal Guardian
Antipater The Patriarch / The Arbiter
Leonnatus The Heroic Idealist / The Romantic Warrior

Each archetype comes with five Signature Cards unique to that leader’s tactics and personality — from Ptolemy’s “Build the Lighthouse of Alexandria” to Cassander’s “Poison the Heir.”

:candle: 4. The Fate Meter

Each major figure’s fate can diverge from history based on decisions and Pathway alignment.

  • If the meter remains low → they die their historical death.

  • If the meter reaches its peak → an alternate timeline unlocks, changing who survives, marries, or rules.

However, some deaths (like Alexander’s) remain immutable, grounding the narrative.

:house: 5. Family & Dynasty System

Borrowing inspiration from Crusader Kings:

  • Manage marriages, heirs, and dynastic politics.

  • In canonical routes, families remain historical.

  • In alt-history routes, new unions and children may appear — shaping future legacies.

  • Family trees dynamically evolve, showing both real and “what-if” branches.

:broken_heart: Romance & Intrigue

Love and ambition intertwine through Romance Cards, courtesans, and royal marriages.

  • Courtesans like Lamia or Badia influence politics and hearts alike.

  • Queens such as Eurydice, Roxane, and Olympias have playable or major roles in alt-history routes.

:crossed_swords: Gameplay Loop

  1. Dialogue & Story Choices (Painterly/Live2D VN scenes)

  2. Card Battles / Strategy Encounters (tactical map decisions)

  3. Pixel-Art Exploration (visit camps, temples, or cities)

  4. Fight Mode (real-time duels or cinematic combat)

  5. Outcome & Legacy Update (Pathway alignment + Fate meter progression)

:crystal_ball: Themes

  • Ambition vs. legacy

  • The cost of loyalty

  • How destiny bends beneath human will

  • The blurred line between history and myth

:artist_palette: Art Direction

  • Story & Characters: painterly or Live2D art for immersion.

  • Exploration: pixel-art world for nostalgia and clarity.

  • Combat: stylized 2.5D duels for cinematic impact.

  • UI: inspired by ancient Greek design — scrolls, mosaics, and sunburst motifs.

:headphone: Sound & Tone

  • Mediterranean and Persian-inspired instrumentation

  • Orchestral drama underscoring fate and philosophy

  • Voice acting for key moments

  • Subtle ambient audio in pixel-art sequences

2 Likes
7525

sorry but i’m gonna be blunt. story > concept. always. i don’t see anything about a story from what’s here, so…i honestly don’t see the point of asking feedback on what’s posted here. it’s just a brainstorm, which is obviously good to have, but it’s not an outline/story/plan.

6 Likes
7526

If this is the kind of game you want to create, you’re in the wrong place. The games created here are text-based. Few have illustrations, almost none have any kind of sound effect. Cinematic visuals and voice acting are well outside the scope of what anyone does here. (And teaming up with ChatGPT is going to be pretty generally frowned upon.)

8 Likes
7527

Why did you merge the thread. I already figured I wouldn’t use choice script after talking with a few other ppl. It doesn’t have the capabilities I need that’s why I posted that in game development forum. Isn’t this thread for choice script games . I decided on either using unity , unreal engine or Godot for this project . I most likely going with Godot .

I’m not gonna be writing the game with a.i I just used to help me get the concept I wanted together . I already figured choice script was wrong due to lack of visuals , no game play and lack of ability to add RPG elements .

7528

The basis of the story is the diadochi wars a series of wars that took place after Alexander the great died in 323bc . Also this isn’t a choice game at least not a text based interactive fiction game this more of a game game with actual game play elements unlike a text based Game . It will have interactive elements but it will not be like anywhere near as length as typical choice of games game as far as text . It would be more like a visual novel with strategy elements from crusader kings .

After Alexander the Great’s death, his vast empire fractures, and his generals — the **Diadochi** — battle to shape its future.

You play as one of these heirs, each with distinct ambitions, ideals, and loyalties that will decide the fate of the known world.

Through war, politics, and betrayal, you’ll forge alliances, claim thrones, and rewrite the legacy of Alexander himself.

In a world where empires burn and kings are made by blood and cunning, only one truth remains: **to inherit the empire is to fight for its soul

.

1 Like
7529

This entire forum is for ChoiceScript games. The Game Development forum is for people working in ChoiceScript. There are people who participate in this forum who use other tools to create their games, but they don’t create threads for their games here. Even if you were writing in ChoiceScript, you wouldn’t be allowed to create a thread at this point because you don’t actually have a WIP, just a concept.

If you do create this game, you’re welcome to participate in discussions about game design here, and to post about your game in the Other Interactive Fiction category when it’s finished, but there really isn’t an appropriate place here for a thread dedicated to a non-CS game in development.

9 Likes
7530

To be fair, @Qianyixia386 was trying to figure out if they would be able to do the game with choicescript, as such, their thread was acceptable imho. They weren’t checking for interest nor using the forum to discuss other engines (beyond checking choicescript features and getting recommended other engines). So moving their post here and chastising them are not good calls.

3 Likes
7531

They said they’d already decided not to use ChoiceScript and that’s why they decided to post in the Game Development forum.

I didn’t chastise them, I explained why their post didn’t belong where they put it. Maybe it doesn’t really belong in this thread either, but that only underscores that there is no correct place on this forum for concept threads for specific games that aren’t even within the scope of what this forum is here to discuss.

6 Likes
7532

No, they decided not to use ChoiceScript after posting there and hearing from people that ChoiceScript wouldn’t be a good fit for their project.

2 Likes
7533

They were referring to an earlier thread they’d created, which you can still see on their profile, about whether to use ChoiceScript or something else. At the time I moved the post last night, it hadn’t been around long enough to have accumulated any substantive discussion. And they said themself that they posted where they did because they had decided not to use ChoiceScript.

And in any case, development threads for specific games, without a working link to a ChoiceScript project, are not allowed anywhere. If you think I did wrong, take it up with the mods, and if one of them tells me what I should have done differently, I’ll do that from now on.

4 Likes
7534

Merging the threads is fine, no worries.

@Qianyixia386 It’s probably going to be more fruitful to post this in a Godot, Unity, or Unreal development community as this forum is focused on text-based games. (Though depending on the community, the reception to chatgpt-based “brainstorming” may vary.)

2 Likes
7535

Before I made that thread I had made an earlier thread to see if choice script was a fit for my project. I didn’t know forum was exclusively for choice script games. I discovered the site through a former hosted games works in progress game which I guess moved to twine. I never played the choice script version of their demo though I’ve played choice games and the twine version was amazing . I was wondering if choice script had those same capabilities but learned in my thread it didn’t and wouldn’t suit my needs . The twine game had both music and other things you don’t typically see in choice script .

It’s no problem it was just misunderstanding . I do have a more text based game idea I wanted to try for another game also but I know I want to use twine for that project too . Can twine projects go in the hobby projects section once I have an official demo for it .

7536

That makes sense and I will do that . The game is heavily text based thought in my other thread you closed you said this is site is for interactive fiction when you should just said text based games. The game I’m doing is heavily text based visual novel which last I checked is interactive fiction . In fact on the interactive fiction tag on most sites I use vast majority of the games have pictures and would qualify as a visual novels cough cough itch.io cough cough . I just added rpg elements to mine because I know most gamers don’t like visual novels but ppl will try them if they have more game play elements .

7537

The Hobby Projects section is still for ChoiceScript games, just ones that aren’t intended for publication by Hosted Games, such as super-short or fanfic games.

As I said before, you can post in Other Interactive Fiction when your game is finished, but there’s really no way to post a thread about a non-CS game in development. You’re more than welcome to join in discussions about writing and game design here, but if you’re looking for feedback on the kind of game it seems you want to create, I recommend you find a forum that caters to people creating whatever game engine or tool you decide to use.

1 Like
7538

@Qianyixia386 try https://intfiction.org/

1 Like
7539

Okay thanks just signed up on the site .

7540

Honestly I’d say go on Itchio forums or join a discord community like Game Dev League , rpg maker is not a bad engine either, also there is Smile Game Builder or RPG Developer Bakin (which can port projects to Unity)

5 Likes
7541

that was quite the read.

7542

Thanks got all these recommendations noted checked out the smile builder on steam That looks awesome .

7544

So goated

1 Like