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GENERALS
Strategic Modern War Simulation

Generals takes place in a war-torn future, amidst a large deterministic battle.  Two factions, Omega and Epsilon, reside on opposite ends of the 256x256 tactically designed battlefield, with one goal: destroy the other faction's HQ.  Two players take the role of Generals for each faction (for a total of 4 players).

At the start of the game, players select one of 12 uniquely classed General units:
Sniper, Bio-Tech, Mech, Infantry, Technology, Nuclear, Black Ops, Pyro, Plasma, Psi, Disease, Bombardment

ABILITIES
Each class has an average of 3 or 4 abilities in addition to a radically different gameplay style.  For example, the Sniper General is usually dependant on it's sniper rifle ability, accessable at any time by moving an automatically centered observer off the General...

Sniper Rifle Aiming
Sniper Rifle Firing + Returning

...This ability also has 4 types of ammo, .50 Cal, .65 Cal, Neutron Shell, and an undecided type (see my request for suggestions below).

There are eight abilities available to all the Generals:
Normal
- Capture, a single nearby neutral (P12, found in excess around the map) structure or unit, or already captured command point is captured by your General.
- Item: MedSynth, fully heals a 3x3 square centered on your General.
- Item: Mine, deploys a mine from your inventory.
- Undetermined slot(s).
Reinforcement
- Ground Assault, a squad of men are deployed from the faction HQ towards your location.
- Drop Pod, after loading a 2x8 area with units in your Troop Deployment area, an automated dropship is launched from your HQ and arrives with your men.
- Carpet Bomb, a heavy bomber (BC most likely) is deployed to your location and drops a series of kill-all explosions in a line.
- Undetermined slot.

RANK
The Generals can progress through 30 ranks, though it is not expected for a player to reach full level unless the game progresses for a relatively long time.  Each rank increase affects these things:
- Salary, a set amount of mineral income per couple seconds.
- Authorization, an auto-resetting gas amount that dictates various game aspects.
- Types of troops you can call in for reinforcement.  (This is also affected by your General's class.  Ex. Mech General can recieve a small amount of Goliaths whereas the Infantry General can recieve a horde of Marines.)
- Structures and technology.  More on this later...

COMMAND POINTS
The battlefield is speckled with variously sized bases and fortifications, known as Command Points.  Each Command Point base has a beacon and various structures.
Each faction starts with a handful of small outlying Command Points, and many more await in the battlefield.  Once a General (and only a General) captures a Command Point, they recieve a bonus, and the Command Point goes under their faction's control.  Units will now spawn on intervals at the Command Point and attack towards the enemy faction's base.  (I'm considering a tech-deterministic building system where the structures that are near a Command Point affect what units are spawned for attack waves.)

BUILDINGS
There are a limited amount of buildings you can enter and walk around inside in the game.
At your Faction's Main Base:
- HQ Building (CC).  Provides radical strategic options such as superweapon deployment and mass-suicide )
- Mothership Bay.  At high levels, around 20 and above, your General can invest in a Mothership.  A powerful air unit (or even a ground unit in some cases) is purchased here.  You can only have one Mothership.  A small set of extremely powerful abilities become available when you own one of these units, and are a method of bringing a long game to a definite end.  (Things like onboard superweapons or stat-modifying fields around the unit achieve this)
- Armory.  Purchase items like MedSynths, Ammo Cartridges (for gun abilities), Mines, AA Autoseeking Missles, Grenades, and more.

On the Battlefield:
- Bridgepoint Mall.  (There is a large urban environment in the center of the map.)  Civilians have taken cover in this structure and various shops and resources can be found here.
- Abandoned Army Base.  Third party guerilla forces have taken over this abandoned base and are using it as an indoor third faction HQ.
- More.

MORALE
Morale is a custom score of 0-100 for each player displayed in the top left.  Various things, such as kills, ability usage, and losses can modify the number.  If you General dies, the number decreases by 10 and he respawns.  If the number ever reaches zero, you lose.

Other Leaderboards
Yes, the leaderboard is a switcher.  Sorry if you think it's cluttered, but there are 4 stats displayed: Morale, Kills, Troops, and Rank.  You are alloted 50 men in your Troop Deployment area, and the Troops leaderboard shows "X / 50 Troops Ready for Deployment."  The rest are self explanatory.

SUGGESTIONS NEEDED
At the time of this posting, map version is 0.3 and is in Alpha.  At version 0.9, a testing beta will be released, then version 1.0 will be completed based on review and testing.  This map is not intended for the hordes of mindless B.Net kiddies, but instead for the select few who enjoy long, complicated strategy.  Enjoy.

If you have an idea, post it!!  Things to think about: abilities, items, large scale concept changes, structures, new features.  Let the inspiration flow!  If you idea is incredible and makes a big impact, I'll mention you in the credits.

If you need to talk with me personally, my AIM is PsiShock3 and my e-mail is thewards@sbcglobal.net
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I'll now post the Rank-determined salary and authorization levels, as well as 2 General's abilities and their costs... tell me your ideas and I will gladly use them if they're good!  I'll be posting the General's ability sets two at a time, so everyone can synergize better.

Rank   |   Salary   |   Authorization Level
(X .... 5X .... 100X)
1 .... 5  .... 100
2 .... 10 .... 200
3 .... 15 .... 300

And so on until 30

Rank 30 .... 150 Salary .... 3000 Authorization

AUTHORIZATION LEVEL

In Generals, your gas is equivelant to the authorization level of your rank.  Say you have rank 5, and therefore your authorization level is 500.  You will have 500 gas available.  If you were to use an ability that requires 500 authorization or less (and whatever other reqs), the gas is subtracted and the ability commenses.  Every four or five seconds, your authorization level is reset to your rank-defined amount (so in this case, 500.  And FYI, players recieve salary every two authorization resets).  Authorization is also used for structure construction (ex a Supply Depot is 765 minerals and 100 gas, which means you can build it at rank 1.)

ABILITIES

Sniper
Sniper Rifle (Constant): An observer constantly centers on your General when you walk.  If you ever move the observer off without walking, it activates your sniper rifle.  You will proceed to fire a round of whatever ammo is loaded.  To cancel the ability, move the observer back to the General before the timer is up and your shot fires.
.50 Cal Ammunition: Loads a 8 second range shell that kills 1 unit.  100 Auth + 1 Ammo
.65 Cal Ammunition: Loads a 7 second range shell that kills units in a 2x2 location.  400 Auth + 1 Ammo
Neutron Shell: Loads a 6 second range shell that kills all organic units (marine, firebat, ghost, zeal etc.) and the pilots of vehicles--as explained earlier--in a large radius.  1000 Auth + Neutron Charge Item
In consideration: Cluster Shell: Loads a 7 second range shell that creates a mine field with 7 mines in a circular pattern.

<div align='center'>
Using carefully counted, created, and then moved zerglings, a minefield can be generated anywhere on the map, flawlessly.  Since the zerglings that designate their locations are moved and not created, there are no placement errors and the minefield is generated smoothly around blockages.</div>

BioTech
Genesis (Constant Ability): The BioTech General spawns BioPods (larvae) that crawl around nearby at all times.  If one ventures too far, it dies.  They can be instructed to develop into one of various lifeforms at any time.  BioPods are the primary tool of the BioTech General in this game.  Lifeform costs and auths vary.
Endo Synthesis: Activates a healing energy field that heals nearby organic matter to 100% HP.  Kills all nearby eggs and larvae.  200 Auth
Hibernate: Freezes all your nearby BioPods (they will convert to P12 but are not capturable).  They become unusable for the time being.  500 Auth
In consideration: Xeno Wave: All hibernating BioPods on the field explode and spawn an unstable Xeno lifeform (broodling).  This is done almost instantly using hypertriggers, which are enabled in this map.  Drains 5 minerals per BioPod + requires 1400 Auth

<div align='center'>
The key to a BioTech General's success is strategic and swift cultivation of lifeforms.</div>

I'll release 2 more General's abilities lists after these two recieve your feedback and ideas.  Think radically, and think anew.
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More screens are on the way, but I have been working on more technical aspects such as the Command Point system, however I have been putting heavy thought and an amount of work into the personal on-the-field abilties of each general.  I need your ideas and support with a few of the following.

Sniper - The rifle I showed you earlier.
Bio-Tech - Larvae that crawl around for easy unit creation. (Having technical issues; the larvae start to move across the map instead of roam.  Been trying comp-switching the roam scripts, blah blah, nothing is working.  Ideas?)
Mech (Now the EM Mech General; with a focus on electromagnetic weapons) - Very close mechanical units become neutral and available for capture, and all nearby shields are reduced to 0%.
Infantry - Dunno.  What do you think.
Technology - The probe is a very vital unit that I will be turning into a normal engineer-type troop.  In its place we can either leave Technology as the general's name and type, or pick a new unit and type.  Tell me what you think!
Nuclear - The ability to nuke for 750 minerals at any time (sweet deal).
Black Ops - A constantly centered map revealer, giving enhanced sight.
Pyro - Dunno.
Plasma - Dunno.
Psi - Nearby organic units become yours.
Disease - Nearby organic units are killed immediately.
Bombardment - Lays mines as it walks, plus a Warp/Neutron (mode-switching) cannon (like sniper rifle).
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Note: There are three ammo types for abilities that use observers to target.  Each ammo type has its own cartidge unit for your General's inventory:

Shell cartidges are used for cannons that fire shells.  These weapons are usually long range (whole screen lengths).  They are unique because when the weapon fires, a shell (scourge) fires from your unit to the target.  When the shell/scourge hits the target... you guessed it, the weapon fires on the target.  Depending on the weapon being used, a unique "firing" sound is played for all players in the game, to notify them a shell weapon has been launched from somewhere.

Normal or Bullet weapons use the same ammo cartidge item.  This ammo type is used for weapons like the sniper rifle or, say, a laser gun (don't think I'm gonna add one of those).

Neutron weapons are more rare but require this ammo cartidge to be in your inventory to use the weapon.


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SOME MORE ABILITIES (And we all say... Yay!)

E.M. Mech General

(Constant Ability) Electromagnetic Field- Disables all nearby mechanical units, making them neutral, and available for capture.

EMP - An enhanced energy weapon that disables all nearby/medium distance mechanical units, as well as structures (includes command points), and scrambles the systems on ground troops (they lose their current orders and are ordered to flee back to base)

Electromagnet - (Uses authorization points per second of usage) Medium distance mechanical units are forcibley attracted to the EM Mech General, providing a unique strategic opportunity for the General.

Scramble Missle - A shell weapon that, upon impact, scrambles the systems of all mechanical units in the blast radius, aligning them with Player 5, and therefore ordering them to attack all nearby units except themselves.

EM Bomb - A mine-type weapon that explodes if a mechanical unit comes near it, neutralizing the unit and setting nearby shields to zero.  It is a powerup, so for strategic advantage, (this applies to any powerup unit on the field), an engineer (probe or SCV) can carry the bomb to any target the General desires.

Plasma General

Ion Cannon - Deploys the corsair, an "Ion Drone."  Upon casting the Ion Drone's D-Web (targeter), the Ion Drone self destructs and an ion beam fires from the Plasma General's orbital satallite to the location designated by the D-Web, obliterating any unit in the vicinity and neutralizing structures.  The D-Web disappears too.

Warp Crystal - The General assimilates a glasslike crystal (powerup unit) with mine-like properties; any enemy organic unit that comes near the crystal is immediately teleported back to base.  Rows of these can be used to create walls, etc.  Only can be moved by probes, because they are robotic engineers and are not affected.

Plasma Cannon - A shell-type cannon ability that, upon impact, creates a gravity vortex, forcing units towards it for a moment, then exploding, killing all units in its blast radius.

Assimilate - The General creates a probe using powerful onboard plasma construction equipment.

Psi General

(Constant) Mind Control - Nearby organic units are instantly reverted to your control.

Psi Blast - Similar to the EMP, but for organic units.  It kills a few organic units in in a medium-large radius, and mindcontrols the rest.

Fear - (Uses authorization points for every second of usage.) Nearby enemy organic units are ordered to run back to base in fear.

Exodus - (Uses authorization points for every second of usage.) Nearby enemy organic units are drawn to the Psi general and can be lead anywhere (or exterminated.  Hah hah.)

Need an idea - Post one.

Bombardment: Are you sure he should lay mines as he walks? there are two problems with this:

1. Mine placement- mines are always placed below the player, making the walking player have to walk AROUND it, which is annoying at times.
2. Splash damage- Mines are the essence of splash dmg; if i am correct, they splash all units just like tanks do.

Pyro: How about an ability that is like a miniature Carpet Bomb, and you can choose the location with an Observer (which is made when you choose ability) and it launches a scourge to the location, blowing up enemy units within a 2x2 radius of the scourge. (This could instead be used for Bombardment)

Pyro2: Hmm.. what about an "Extreme burn" function? where basically he literally "turns up the heat" by making a bunch of normal computer-controlled firebat units. The reason it is called "Extreme burn" is because he will most likely be splashed by his own instense heat (the spawned firebats). It is sacrifice for power.

Pyro3: I want to help you with Pyro, so I'm making things up as I go. You could make a "smoke" function (yes its a defiler that has a few seconds to make a dark swarm over the firebat for ranged protection and I know its very primitive.. but its hard thinking of things for the Pyro.. )

Pyro4: Hmm.. well pyro isn't ONLY fire huh.. it pyro just refers to something about fire... hmmm... PYROtechnics! Bleh that sounds like the mini carpetbomb (see above) Hey he could spawn infested terrans! ooh Rockets! Flaming projectiles!
Hmm (organic units set on "fire"/irradiated... I like that)

Infantry: Oooh heres a nice guy... (thought about blocking effects of Fear; see four to five posts above) What if Infantry general has little "unique" abilities... but vastly "upgraded" default abilities? Like because of his efficiency, he can heal all units within a 6x6 or 5x5 radius with ONE medipack instead of 3x3!

Also, he should give his troops greater morale for victories and less for losses. Furthermore, he should start out with better ammo in bulk compared to other generals.
Infantry2: When making the stats and abilities, I would assume that the infantry general would have experience and be prepared for the majority of situations.

Sniper: I like the sniper rifle idea.. but.. does it work on generals? It would seem too easy to win with the sniper if you could get in good shots enough you know?