Playing with Atoms

The Atoms of Total War : Rome II

In this game there a 6 core game atoms that when blended together provide a fluid experience that is both fun to play in the short term and provides a long lasting experience over the course of an entire game.

Empire Management:

Empire management is broken up into protons which are:

1. Empire management requires preparation in the form of planning your actions. 
2. The solid core mechanic is to manage your empire successfully.
3. There is a a range of challenges that you must complete on the empire level, including food management.
4. These challenges require various skill sets.
5. There is a feedback system provided through a empire score ranking.
6. Failure to properly manage your empire will result in disaster.

Province Management: 

Province management is broken up into protons which are:

1. province management requires preparation in order to decide what buildings to construct and what troops to raise in any one province, with the former effecting the latter.
2. The solid core mechanic is to create a province that can run by itself without too much micromanagement.
3. There are a range of challenges presented to the player including dealing with unhappy provinces which can lead to a rebellion, and provincial tax rate management.
4. These challenges require a good deal of though process and can often rely on your empire management as input factors.
5. The feedback system is provided through your province happiness and income.
6. Failure here would be denoted by losing your province to a rebellion or even a province that does not generate enough income caused by building to many buildings that effect on of the feedback values.

Economy: 

Economy management is broken up into protons which are:

1. Preparation is required in the form of thought on what type of economy you want to have.
2. The solid core mechanic is money because everything revolves around money. Well and food.
3. There a range of challenges thrown at the player from food shortages to insufficient tax revenue.
4. A player has different ways to deal with these challenges.
5. The way in which a player handles the challenges can effect the overall game.
6. There is a feedback system in place by listing your budget and food stocks.
7. The mastery problem is dealt with because there are effective and less effective techniques each harder to learn, but once a player masters them going back would be bad for the game.
8. Failure can result in food shortages which make regions unhappy, weaken armies and bankruptcy. \

Diplomacy:

Diplomacy management is broken up into protons which are:

1. Diplomacy management requires preparation because the player needs to carefully consider who he wants as allies, enemies or neutral relations with it.
2. The solid core mechanic is to manage your diplomatic relations in such a way that you can successfully defend your empire.
3. The AI will be provide a range of diplomatic challenges.
4. A range of diplomatic options are open to the player to deal with these options.
5. Unfortunately there is not much skill in using the abilities.
6. A feedback system is in place in the form of AI relations to you.
7. The mastery problem is not dealt with because there are a limited number of options and the AI responds to them the same.
8. Failure to have effective diplomacy would result wars that can cost you troops and regions.

Military Strategy: 

Military Strategy is broken up into protons which are:

1. Preparation is required to raise armies and decide on what campaigns you will undertake and how many at a time.
2. The routes you choose to move your troops and the locations you decide to attack will effect the battles so locations will be important.
3. The core mechanic is moving your troops around and placing them in strategic positions to benefit your cause the best.
4. There are a wide range of challenges associated with military strategy around placement and movement of your armies, as well as knowledge collection on your enemies and allies.
5. The player is given different tools to solve the various situations he will in. 
6. The better able the player is able to use the tools he has at his disposal the better his empire will preform
7. The mastery problem is dealt with because if a player uses poor strategies that are easy to learn they will not be as effective as harder to master by more effect strategies.
8. Failure can result in the loss of a region or armies which can set a player back greatly.

Military Tactics: 

Military Tactics is broken up into protons which are:

1. Preparation is required on the battle field so you can inflict many enemy causalities while minimizing your own. A player needs to deploy his troops intelligently.
2. The physical locations on the map will effect the battle outcome.
3. The solid core mechanic is the battle itself, everything revolves around it.
4. There are a range of challenges that the player will face that vary based on terrain, weather, buildings and the nation you are fighting.
5. A range of different abilities is required to solve the different challenges put forth.
6. Depending on the skill of the player he will be able to perform the abilities better.
7. The feedback system is in place in the form of a battle results screen.
8. The mastery problem is dealt with because if a player uses poor strategies that are easy to learn they will not be as effective as harder to master by more effect strategies.
9. Failure can result in the loss of a battle and many casualties which can also result in the loss of a city.