[Idea] Multiplayer Browser Based Game Where You Create Your Own Religion

[Tiberius]

This is pretty cool. The player could have direct control of prophets, and those prophets could have a myth grow around them based on certain actions performed. Ex: Harvest grapes to make wine--> two towns over, they hear about a man of god who turns water into wine--> depending on the town, you gain followers or enemies.

Another good idea. Would be a nice way to help expand into other regions. A bit more about how regions would work:

You choose a starting region, and early in the game you would only be able to get followers from that region (i.e. you start as a very local religion) and build structures in that region. Once you level up enough you would unlock skills to use for expansion, for instance missionaries which you can send to other regions to gain followers. Once you have enough followers in a region, you unlock the ability to build structures there. So prophets might be a more advanced version of a missionary.

[Allnewoutlook]

Very cool idea. I hope I get to play it.

[Longhorn]

Ah, then yes in that case I had something in mind for that. There will be a load of options which don't really affect gameplay but are just there to make the customisation of your religion as widespread as possible.

So for instance, you would be able to set what your religion is called, what your followers are called, what your churches are called, upload graphics for certain things (deities is a good one, but also your religion's symbol). Really none of that would have an impact on gameplay, but it would allow you to create a personalised religion.

Oh, neat!

What about the setting? Is it going to be Earth? What about the time frame and in-game time flow?

[Exian]

That sounds fun as hell. Any ideas on developing armies or anything along those lines? I'm thinking of the Inquisition or ISIS. Might be a bit outside the scope here...

[Tiberius]

Oh, neat!

What about the setting? Is it going to be Earth? What about the time frame and in-game time flow?

It will probably be a version of Earth, but I don't think I'll use specific countries for regions. I want to keep the number of regions small at first, but I need them to be balanced, and I'd want the option of adding new regions at a later date.

The game will be real time. At first the only skills you'll be able to perform would only gain you a small number of followers, but would recharge after a minute or so. Once you level up you would unlock better skills which gain exponentially more followers but take longer to recharge. Same with structures (the more expensive ones will gain you more followers).

[Tiberius]

That sounds fun as hell. Any ideas on developing armies or anything along those lines? I'm thinking of the Inquisition or ISIS. Might be a bit outside the scope here...

Possibly. Players would be able to create factions to ally with other players, and a faction could declare a religious war on another faction.

I guess at some level a player may be able to create a militant wing of their religion with the sole purpose of killing the followers of other religions (with the risk of losing a large number of their followers, and counter attacks, etc)

[Alex K]

In any case, one goal of the religion should be that it is designed to make its followers maximally immune to deconversion. I'm reminded of the properties of priests and units in Age of Empires.

[Longhorn]

In any case, one goal of the religion should be that it is designed to make its followers maximally immune to deconversion. I'm reminded of the properties of priests and units in Age of Empires.

I like this idea. There could be some scale that measured the potency of the religion, the more potent it is, the less likely it is to lose followers by deconversion.

There could be skills used to attempt deconversion of another religion's followers, like Handing Out Flyers or Missionary Work or something.

[Aroura]

This sounds like a really fun idea!
Perhaps, to deal with the atheistic religions, just have the player start out with the choice of Gurus or Gods. But Then I'm curious how you'd deal with people that want Animistic religions, or ancestor worship?

[Exian]

Be sure to keep us updated. I'm sure many of us would be willing to beta test for you. I certainly volunteer.

And if you need some help with assets, I'm pretty good with gimp and PyxelEdit