{Lovecraftian}

Game Concept

Thesis: {Lovecraftian} is a cosmic horror-inspired turn-based strategy game designed to capture the occult multiverse originally penned by H.P. Lovecraft, master of horror. Take control of humanity, technological masters of the surface world but faltering everyday – take control of the burgeoning super mind being cultivated by the development of Artificial Intelligence and all its cybernetic minions – take control of the forces of monstrosity, the daemons from the underworld now rising in the wake of the Universe’s apocalyptic alterations… Each faction within the triad now deigns to entreat The Great Old Ones into the fray in their favor, whether they know it or not.

Setting: Modern world | The whole of planet Earth’s landmass, as well as its vast underworks – (Hollow Earth) – oceans (all the way down to the Mariana Trench) – and extra-dimensional pockets and planes and Gates of all kinds…

Characters & Story: Humanity vs. A.I. vs. Monstrosity ~ an advanced human society wars amongst themselves for generations, degrading their souls to the point of extremified immiseration and estrangement – for the lower and upper classes, respectively. Eventually they develop true blue artificial intelligence, which invokes a singularity and breaks away from their human masters. All the while, humanity’s various sins against nature evolve aspects of the population into monstrous figures known as daemons – cults arise to summon more denizens of monstrosity into the surface world… a three-way war now plagues the modern world.

In {Lovecraftian}, you will choose one and lead them on in the final war to come, where the Great Old Ones will enter the fray and help decide upon a final winner amongst the trio – will it be:

Humanity, our children in the A.I., or our shadow in Monstrosity that will lead this world into an even darker future…

Gameplay:

4X (Explore, Expand, Exploit, Exterminate) Turn-Based Grand Strategy ~ {Lovecraftian} is primarily inspired by 4X strategy games such as Civilization and Endless series, among others of the genre. It is a multiplayer-capable turn-based grand strategy game. That includes resource management and combat, as well as constant special in-world events that can reshape the course of the battle – omens, signs and eventually attacks from The Old Ones … as they interfere to try to help their chosen avatar to victory.

Outside of the influence of the Old Ones, the game features a relatively standard progression of Explore, Expand, Exploit, Exterminate format. The three factions of Humanity, AI, and Monstrosity each start on varied areas of the map of the world. Humanity controls Asia, the AI control the Americas and Africa, and Monstrosity lurks in Europe. Each faction starts with resource centers, workers and soldiers already deployed throughout the world – it is to the player to develop their strategy and story from there.

The Great Old Ones ~ The Great Old Ones are the not-so-secret stars of the {Lovecraftian} experience. It is they that crack the most influence upon the player populace and the other two forces in the world. Each populace – Humanity, AI and Monstrosity – each entreat the Old Ones throughout the game to grant them one of three things – 1) knowledge, 2) resources, 3) power. Like a technology tree, the Old One tree can be tapped every turn to greatly accelerate your army’s strength or your trade center’s resource gathering. But the whole world pays a price when the Old One you entreated begins to buffet the world with their plagues.

The Great Old One plagues include such game-world-shifting events:

• Hostile, otherworldly monsters summoned in areas of the world
• Superstorms form on the ocean horizon, ready to thrash the coasts
• Fires break out in the greens of the world
• Natural EMPs stun parts of the world grid
• Production stops around the world as workers are controlled
• Technological progress is halted
• A literal plague breaks out
• And MORE

The default roster of Great Old Ones include H.P. Lovecraft and other writers in the Cthulhu mythos rogues gallery of dark deities:

• Azathoth
• Nyarlathotep
• The Great Intelligence
• Fenric
• Cthulhu
• Dagon
• Grace
• Nestene Consciousness
• Guardians of Time
• Celestial Toymaker
• Gods of Ragnarok
• Hecuba
• Animus

However, players can also create Great Old Ones of their own, using a robust set of customization options for their terrors and appearance alike.

No matter what, every Great Old Ones shares a singular trait: nearly unrestrained power.

Culture / Technology / War ~ “Everything comes in threes.” ~ Rendezvous With Rama — To match the three different factions, there are three major 4X resources to handle. Thus, there are three victories in the game, based on which of the trio of resources you can maximize enough to overtake the others and the world.

• Culture – Builds happiness within your populace + Creates Artists, Monuments, and Symbols to use
• Technology – Builds productions within your civilization + Creates Engineers, Ships, and Marvels to use
• War – Builds weapons within your army + Creates Generals, Metal Gears, and Terror to use

Any faction may focus on any of the three – it is just that AI and Monstrosity “Culture” and “Technology” will each differ based on their natures. War is just about the only activity that looks about the same between Humanity, AI, and Monstrosity.

Humanity vs. A.I. vs. Monstrosity ~ Each of the trio of factions feature their own strengths and weaknesses; similar to Starcraft, you will experience an entirely different game when you choose each starting populace.

• Humanity — Balanced – utilize social technology to advance Culture faster – likes to infiltrate enemy areas with spies and propaganda before moving with armies. Humanity can manipulate both AI and Monstrosity into fighting each other first.
• Artificial Intelligence — Defensive – spawn emergent Technology over times that can accelerates production or technological progression exponentially, periodically. AI can lower the Technology rating of their enemies through hacks.
• Monstrosity — Offensive – Evoke fear in Humanity and ineffectiveness within the AI; they are boosted in combat against both factions. They gain huge War bonuses throughout the game.

Devotion vs. Efficiency vs. Massacre ~ Each faction’s superpower is related to their core nature. The superpower charges over time, with small time bonuses gained for technologies developed or battles won. {Similar to The Golden Age mechanic in Civilization}.

• Humanity gains “Devotion” to each other, with human to human solidarity – all resources and forces are boosted for a season and can win battles and make discoveries they’d normally not.
• A.I. gains “Efficiency” and it means they briefly unlock future technologies by using time travel and can deploy them as prototypes in the modern world.
• Monstrosity gains “Massacre” – in all regions where a Monster army is currently engaged in a fight against opposing forces, hell leaks onto the material plane and that battleground changes in a flash.

Conjuration vs. Bio-Terror vs. Hell on Earth ~ Outside of through max’ing out Culture, Technology, or War – there is a special {possible} endgame victory condition for each faction:

• Humanity uses connection to cosmic outside forces {The Great Old Ones} to combat their machines and shadows to the point of turning humanity itself into an End-of-Evangelion-type collective god-being to rival the Great Old Ones themselves – Humanity joins their ranks.
• A.I. uses the grid to supplant humanity and effectively steel themselves against monsters. With a true singularity serving as a black hole-esque event horizon – all non-technology based beings are wiped out in an instant via Perfect Time Travel.
• Monsters devour Mankind and AI alike, then rule over an infernal landscape, a true Hell on Earth.

Old One Mode ~ In an alternate – early-access – game mode, you and your friends can oversee a semi-simulated 3-faction normal game, but with you now playing as one of the Great Old Ones. Try to influence the world into a conclusion that you desire.

Inspired by ~

Call of Cthulhu RPG

Starcraft

Endless Series

Endgame: Lead one of three living forces out of the modern age and into the afterscape, with Great Old Ones cackling over head. {Lovecraftian} gives you a three-way 4X strategy designed for replayability via an engine of thrilling randomness sprinkled into calculated progression.