0 A.D. Is Wasting Its Potential !

[lilypoppy]

 

I believe 0 A.D. has enormous potential – not just as a game, but as a platform for storytelling and community-created content.

As someone who has created many scenarios in Age of Empires II, I see a key opportunity for 0 A.D.:

Make the power of the engine easier to use.

Right now, creating interesting scenarios often requires programming knowledge. This excludes a huge part of the potential creator community.

 

My suggestion in 3 points:

1. Unify Triggers and Scripts

A visual trigger system for beginners using simple Conditions → Actions.

JavaScript remains available for advanced users.

The two should become different levels of the same system rather than feeling like separate tools.

2. Upgrade Atlas

Make Atlas a true scenario creation environment – with objectives, events, dialogues, reinforcements, ambushes, and dynamic gameplay.

The creator should be able to focus on story and gameplay, not constantly think about the code required to make an idea work.

3. A Small Official Campaign – 3 Scenarios

It doesn't need to be a huge campaign.

Three well-designed scenarios could be enough to demonstrate what 0 A.D. can do.

But there is an even bigger opportunity:

Make the campaign editable and use it as documentation.

Players could open the scenarios in Atlas, study how they work, modify them, experiment, and learn by doing.

The official campaign would become more than content.

It would become a living tutorial for scenario creation.

 

The Vision

Play → Discover → Learn → Create → Share → Contribute

A player finishes an official scenario.

They think: "I want to make something like this."

They open Atlas.

They experiment.

They create their own scenario.

They share it with the community.

And eventually, that player may become a contributor.

 

Why This Matters to Me

I have experience with Age of Empires II scenario design, and I would genuinely love to contribute to 0 A.D.

However, due to health limitations, I can't code or work on complex systems for long periods.

That's exactly why I care about this problem.

I know how technical complexity can prevent a great idea from becoming a playable experience.

My suggestion comes from both sides – as a player, and as someone who wants to create.

 

The Opportunity

Much of the foundation is already there.

The potential is already there.

The community is already there.

The opportunity is to make that potential easier for everyone to use.

0 A.D. doesn't necessarily need to become more complicated.

It needs to make its existing power more accessible.

 

Give players the tools to become creators.

 

[Perzival12]

15 hours ago, lilypoppy said:

 

1. Unify Triggers and Scripts

A visual trigger system for beginners using simple Conditions → Actions.

JavaScript remains available for advanced users.

The two should become different levels of the same system rather than feeling like separate tools.

 

Something like this is planned iirc, but the Atlas is built off of some very hardcoded software, and needs a complete redesign in order to add new features. Both things are in the works though! https://gitea.wildfiregames.com/0ad/0ad/pulls/7803
 

15 hours ago, lilypoppy said:

 

2. Upgrade Atlas

Make Atlas a true scenario creation environment – with objectives, events, dialogues, reinforcements, ambushes, and dynamic gameplay.

The creator should be able to focus on story and gameplay, not constantly think about the code required to make an idea work.

 

Objectives and events should be in the next release https://gitea.wildfiregames.com/0ad/0ad/pulls/7785/files, dialogues as well https://gitea.wildfiregames.com/0ad/0ad/pulls/8614, and as for the others, those are just trigger scripts (like your first point).

15 hours ago, lilypoppy said:

 

3. A Small Official Campaign – 3 Scenarios

It doesn't need to be a huge campaign.

Three well-designed scenarios could be enough to demonstrate what 0 A.D. can do.

But there is an even bigger opportunity:

Make the campaign editable and use it as documentation.

Players could open the scenarios in Atlas, study how they work, modify them, experiment, and learn by doing.

The official campaign would become more than content.

It would become a living tutorial for scenario creation.

 

This is technically planned, though it probably won't be in the game until R30. However, if more players push for it, then maybe it can be in R29, that's up to the WFG team (of which I am not yet a member).

You're 100% right about these, and as you can see, they should be in the game soon-ish. Until then, I hope to see you around the Forums more often, and maybe even creating a few scenarios (triggers really aren't hard once you learn how they work).

Edited 4 hours ago by Perzival12

[asterix]

3 hours ago, Perzival12 said:

Something like this is planned iirc, but the Atlas is built off of some very hardcoded software, and needs a complete redesign in order to add new features. Both things are in the works though! https://gitea.wildfiregames.com/0ad/0ad/pulls/7803

There is also https://gitea.wildfiregames.com/0ad/0ad/issues/8964