I’ve tried to build a sight-dependent system into Phosphor Command that I think translates well to real life, while still working as a video game

[u/antony920210]

I've been working on a game called Phosphor Command, a real-time tactics game with a base builder behind it.

Contracts fund a forward operating base; you deploy squads on top-down operations, and an enemy front creeps towards you every cycle. Made solo in Godot.

I wanted to talk a little about how troops' vision and sight work, because I think it's a cool aspect of the game.

Forces share what they see, both yours and the enemy's. One squad spots something, and you, as the player, can now see that target. But a squad can only shoot what it personally has a clear line of sight to and is within range of.

So a scout on a ridge can spot a target, but if the squad behind a warehouse can't see it themselves, they can't shoot it.

Sight is ray-traced per unit.

Woods: You can't see into woods from outside them. From inside, you can see out and across your own trees, but not into another wood. Forest maps end up being short-range fights almost the whole way through. See clip 1.

Hills: Hills block sight between two units on the ground. A unit standing on a hill can see over its own ridge, gets extra range and a damage advantage from the height. Anything on a crest silhouettes. See clip 2.

Concealment: Firing from concealment such as trees reveals you for a few seconds. The same applies to the enemy. See clip 1.

Buildings and terrain: Buildings are hard cover, with an adjacent unit taking 25% less damage. Crops conceal a stationary unit that isn't firing, and stop doing so the moment either condition is broken. Hedges and boulders block sight and channel movement. See clip 3.

Last known positions: A contact you lose stays on the screen as a fading ghost at its last known position, so you're always working with slightly out-of-date information. See clip 4.

Weather: Smoke, dust, and storms are occluders, so they stop sight rays for both sides. See clip 5.

The idea is that knowing where something is and being able to shoot it are two different things.

I've tried to build Phosphor Command around a sight-dependent system that I think translates well to how things would work in real life, while still being useful and interesting in a video game.

[u/SkinAndScales]

Is this modern warfare? Because most gunfire isn't based on direct visuals. Not saying that you'd have to change it cause I can see how your approach could be interesting gameplay wise, but I'm not sure how much it works if you're going for realism.

[u/antony920210 → u/SkinAndScales]

Thanks for the comment! It’s actually got me thinking quite a bit about the vision for the game and what I’m really trying to achieve with it.

I agree it’s far from realistic in terms of how modern combat actually works. There are systems like UAVs, radar scans, and other ways of finding targets that I have added, but I’m not trying to simulate warfare 1:1. I’d describe it more as being inspired by modern warfare while adapting those ideas into something that works as a game.

I appreciate you pointing out the realism side of it, though. It’s useful to hear how that comes across to someone seeing it for the first time!

[u/CriminallyCasual7]

Hard to relate to geometric creatures doing combat

[u/antony920210 → u/CriminallyCasual7]

Fair! I’d love to have more detailed assets that actually look like squads of troops, but it’s an indie game and it’s an area of game dev I haven’t really jumped into yet. All the art is currently drawn as geometry through Godot, and I was hoping that would give it a bit of its own charm!

I’ve tried to make the units feel more personal in other ways; they get names and level up, with rank icons, as they complete missions, so you gradually start to care about individual units. I’m planning to do a post about that system soon!

[u/CriminallyCasual7 → u/antony920210]

As a huge fan of total annihilation, I wonder if you can make them into robots? Could be a unique animation where it's top-down looking, like the sun casts a shadow at noon (at the equator). Just shooting out ideas. This is also just my perspective, I don't know what the indie gaming community at large would think.

Edit, you could also keep the cool neon colors but they're neon robots. Oh and if each one is unique with a unique name and stuff, maybe they have a semi unique shape and number of limbs and stuff. Like they spawn being different and imperfect which is cool imo.

[u/antony920210 → u/CriminallyCasual7]

Ah, that's a really cool concept! I’m actually quite a way through development at this point, so I’ve already got a lot of the world and story established. I have a whole story built around being on a “planet” that’s been waged by war, with you taking contracts and deploying your forces.

The idea of controlling robots could actually fit that world really well, and could even work as a twist or add some depth to the story. If you ever play the game (still in development ofc), I think you’d see how well some of these ideas could fit into what I’ve already created.

Thanks for throwing the ideas out there! Even if I don’t directly use them in this game, it’s definitely going to influence how I approach future projects, especially thinking about world-building and story earlier in development. Mainly, so I don't end up with a good idea like this that I can't use as much as I would have loved to!

[u/CriminallyCasual7 → u/antony920210]

For sure! Gratz on getting this far in the game. Whenever it comes to steam, feel free to dm me the link if you're trying to get some sales cuz I'd be interested lol 🤣

[u/antony920210 → u/CriminallyCasual7]

<3