I'm reworking my chariot racing game, and I am looking for some ideas on a mechanic when the chariots go around the corner squares (one at each end of the arena).
In Roman chariot racing the semi-circular structure at the end of the barrier splitting the arena, was called the meta or "goal". The chariots going around the metae was one of the most dangerous and dramatic parts of the race. Obviously to cut the distance down, chariots would try to shave as close to and as fast to the meta as possible.
If the charioteer cut the corner too shallowly, the chariot would end up hitting the meta. If he cut it too wide or lost control, the chariot would end up moving towards the roaring crowd. This would obviously loose ground and could potentially cost the race.
With my ideas so far, a chariot can travel 1-10 squares per turn. Right now, each lane (starting with the one nearest the meta) has a safe speed where nothing will happen if the chariot goes around the corner at that speed. For lane one, this is 3, lane two 4, and so on -- there are 8 lanes.
Each chariot has an alloment of energy that gets used up when moving. The faster the chariot moves, the more energy it costs to move.
On exceeding the safe speed, a random die roll needs to be made to see if the chariot experiences one of three possibilities:
1) neogotiate corner just fine.
2) loose control of chariot and will move outwards towards the stands until can gain control again.
3) something nasty.
I have left option 3 ambiguous. If the chariot is in lane 1 (right next to meta) and something nasty occurs, the chariot smashes against the meta. In any other lane, the horse gets slightly injured and the player looses energy or something.
On exceeding a corner's safe speed, the most likely thing to happen is that the chariot looses control, and less likely something nasty will happen. In doing this, I am trying to set up an interesting decision, where players need to weigh the risks of going fast around the corner to gain a few lengths.
I have noticed in typical race games that players that are ahead will usually play conservative. If a leading player knows they may experience a minor problem of loosing control of their chariot, they will go ahead and risk it. However, with the nasty possibility they will shy back as its realization may cost them the game.
The players behind will, however, risk a nasty outcome.
In other words, if the loose control possibility is expected but not so damaging, and the nasty outcome harsh but not so likely, it will present a balancing mechanism to allow players behind to catch up.
My first idea was to have a bunch of six sided die with symbols on it. One side would have loose control on it, and another a nasty symbol. The player would roll as many dice as he is over the safe speed. If a player rolls one or more loose control symbols the player looses control. If the player rolls any nasty symbols, the player rolls again with the same number of nasty dice rolled. If one nasty symbol is rolled, the nasty thing occurs. The nasty outcome and the loose control outcome are not mutually exclusive; both can occur.
The only problem with this idea is that you would have a lot of dice (at least 6). Do you think so?
Maybe instead a player could roll a d20 or d10 to get a similar outcome.
I am also considering at this point giving the option of players using energy to go ahead to increase their odds. With my idea above (players have typically 50 or more energy a race), the cost of increasing their odds by removing a die rolled, would equal the energy cost to travel at their present speed. At speed 10 this is 10 energy, at speed 9 this is 8, at speed 7 this is 6 and so on. Maybe this is too much.
Anyway, any input or suggestions would be appreciated.
--DarkDream
This mechanism seems to rely solely on probability. You take an X% chance to gain some fixed advantage, or play it safe. How about having simultaneous "orders"? Players can anticipate each others' moves, and try to "bump" another chariot that they think will be playing it risky at the metae.
For example, if player A decides to try to pull to the left into player B, but player B decides to increase speed, then B pulls ahead, and A swerves left, possibly out of control.
Another example: Player A goes beyond safe speed to catch B. B swerves left to bump him. Unsafe speed + being bumped = greater chance to lose control.