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Game Idea for BHG
It's kind of strange, and I ramble on, but these are some of the random notes for a game design Im working on. I have a lot of the sections more complete (such as the Lore programming language, which I actually have working more or less in a VB environment). But without further ado, I think this is the game of the future 
and I think BHG should hire me and make it a reality
Gods and Galaxies
I. Game Overview
Turn-based playing with planning capability(possibly some real time combat?). For example, say you want to build a town. You could plan things way in advance, and as the materials became available, they would begin to get built. Allows players to do something in the interim, perhaps they are running multiple things(characters, realms, etc) and need much time for planning in the future which could be done even off line.
In a nutshell, it is a way to play a game where what you do in a smaller scale world still carries over into a continuous larger scale universe. You could start playing in an rpg environment and eventually run a galactic empire.
II. Game Concepts
No set way to win, but many ways to lose. You, as the player, must decide what your goals are. Perhaps it is to keep peace in the land, etc. Must be many unattainable vistas on the horizon, thus the great number of ways to play. Should have more re-playability than any other game in history. No character level limit, more lore paths than could be done in a lifetime, tons and tons of ruynes (programming functions), magic, tech, etc.
III. The Game Scales/Dimensions
A. Character Level (RPG)
B. Town Level (AOE,AOK)
C. World Level (CIV)
Each world has certain natural recourses. Based on these recourses, one will be able to build, create certain things. Some worlds will have more than others. Some things, such as special towers, artifacts and magical items, will require various rare materials which one may have to travel far and wide to find. A trade route between worlds can be a very lucrative business, just as it could be on a smaller scale between two cities or empires. A trade route can be opened by successfully carrying materials between two points. Once established, the flow will continue as long as the source and the buyer maintain workers/money/trade goods coming. You can assign workers/merchants/pricing/escorts(military) to a trade route.
D. Galaxy Level (SW Rebellion, StarCraft)
E. Realm Level (Conceptual Management)
IV. Characters
Limitless possibilities. No classes, only lore paths, skills, levels, stats, technologies, etc. Only limited by the players desire for knowledge, power, etc. Can adventure, general armies, mayor towns, create businesses, smuggle goods, enforce laws, etc. Anything the player wants to do.
V. The Ruyne System
Similar to a magic system, but uses ruynes (concepts). Can string them in songs, use in combination with attacks or defense, with lore, create things, destroy things, manipulate things (land, time, etc), or combine with magic. The system is similar to a programming language, where the player can create functions, and use them in the game. The ruynes represent the basic building blocks to perform all kinds of feats (infinite amount really, totally creative system). Cost fatigue to use, can be very dangerous to try and gain or use. Once a character uses a ruyne successfully, he will always have it. Ruyne strings and functions can cost a lot of fatigue to use, if too much, could kill character (in a bad way). Can be used in lots of ways. For example: Characters who are garrisoning a town could keep defenses up which equate to functions they have created, they would cost fatigue per turn to keep up. If attacked, these functions would protect, retaliate (if that’s what they’re programmed to do). Perhaps they make workers more efficient, whatever.
VI. Magic
Similar to normal RPG magic system. Really for those not ready to dabble in ruynes/lore, but also combine nicely with them.
VII. Technology
Many different tech levels. Some places/people rely more on the mystical arts while some gear more towards high tech. One isn’t necessarily better than the other. While a 9th cycle warrior could take out your 20th century armies, a super star destroyer could also wipe out your tower. A good combo of each is quite nice.
VIII. Towns
A player might decide to devote his time into running a town. A town can be whatever you make it. Perhaps only a small waypoint for adventurers on the outskirts of civilization. Perhaps a huge city of beautiful architecture and the center of culture and government for an empire. Your desire and skill as a player will decide.
IX. Towers
Towers represent high concepts. You need a heartstone, lore, magic, technology, and willing Lords of the Tower to create one. They could represent any concept (whatever ruynes you bind into the heartstone). Towers are extremely powerful and can exist on several planes at once. There are many levels of towers (minor fortresses with one Lord and one Heartstone to Citadel Supremes with 9 Lords and 9 Heartstones).
X. Worlds
Worlds are similar to a Civilization type world, with various terrain features, etc. Each square can be broken down into smaller areas where play is on a smaller scale. For example, starting on level 1 (RPG level), you might have several character exploring a dungeon, lost ruynes, creating a village on a stream, etc. In the larger scale, armies could be traversing the squares to attack a rival tower or city of importance.
XI. Galaxies
For the high tech player or even the character of great knowledge (the incarnation of time has no problem moving about in space, for example). Can play on a grand scale where entire solar systems are in their thrall.
XII. Empires and Alliances
The diplomatic model, can be run in accordance with standard diplomacy(empires) or conceptual alliances. Conceptual alliances could be considered, similar ideals forming a bond between characters. i.e. The Tower of Love and the Tower of Beauty.
XIII. Realms
Huge level. Only Nine True Realms exist.
XIV. Connectivity
Can play the game in a number of configurations that can be altered throughout the game. Perhaps you play by yourself (or a few friends) on a small scale and decide to add you planet, galaxy, etc. to a larger internet realm. Could be dangerous.
XV. Time
Time works strangely in the game. One turn on the character level is not one turn on the galactic level. When running a galactic empire, for example, you must realize that lots of things could be happening on the worlds below. The way to think of it, is broad swift strokes at the higher levels take more time to be carried out, while the finer decisions at the lower levels happen faster, mostly because the distances are not as great. Note that certain things, such as realm gate travel, could be near instantaneous (from a certain point of view), however.
There is a ration in the game of actions, or turns (these can be manipulated by the realm master). Standard could be:
Galaxy: 1 turn
World: 4 turns
Town: 24 turns
Character: 24 turns
So, on a world where one player is on world scale and another is on town scale, the player on town scale will be able to make 6 turns to very one of the player on world scale. Of course, since the player on world scale should have so many things to worry about, he’ll be able to occupy his time.
Note on Scale:
Town and Character are pretty much on the same game scale, the only real difference of scale is from the players point of view. While somebody playing on the Character scale will only be running one single character (and perhaps a few friends/mercenaries, etc), somebody on the town scale could control hundreds of things. So, in Character scale, Bob the player is Tom the Barbarian. If Bob decides to move up in scale, he could be several characters running a town, or bandit tribe, or Orc army, etc. Perhaps even a dwarven Mountain kingdom.
Notes:
Characters
There is no alignment in G&G. Your actions and lore used/known determines who you are. Example, if you claim allegiance to the Tower of Divinity, and then start down the Yellow Path, the lords may boot you out (if not just kill you).
1. Name
2. Race
Races: Human, Dwarven, Elvyn, Goblin, Orc, Half-Orc, Ogre, Dragon(various), plus a few alien type races, a few other fantasy type races (really any), and the ability for players to make up there own races. So, stock races in the game and a race/tribe generator for the player to create.
3. Level
4. Stats and Abilities
A. Strength
B. Speed
C. Dexterity
D. Endurance
E. Will
F. Physical Perception
G. Spiritual Awareness
H. IQ
I. Wisdom
J. Fatigue
K. Mana
L. Charisma
5. Skills
(Hundreds of Skills) Gain skill points per level and add to skills.
6. Items and Equipment
7. Magical Items
8. Power Items
9. Titles/Positions (including alliances belonged to, towers Lord of, towns mayor/guardian of, armies part of, etc.)
10. Experience Points
11. Ruynes Held
12. Lore
Lore points are gained per level. Must gain all the 1st cycle lore in a system before being able to learn 2nd cycle lore, thus it typically makes more sense to head down one path before learning new stuff. Unless someone wants to be more well rounded. Certain lore paths are cheaper than others.
A. War Lore (Path of the Warrior/Warlord)
B. Sorcery (manipulation of the Qualities of Existence)
C. Song Lore (special, not as above explanation)
D. Ruyne Lore (special)
E. Dance Lore (special)
F. Witchcraft
G. Tower Lore
H. Yellow Path (corruption)
I. Death Lore
13. Spells Known
14. Magical Skill (mana)
Notes: Starting the game
Player decides what scale to start on. Can start in Character scale, Town, or World. Suggest Character scale and working up for newer players. Lots can be done in character/town scale and some people may never care to leave it. You could adventure endlessly between worlds. In fact, it could take ages of real time to explore even one world! Your character could become leader of a people and build great cities across the land.
Note on AI.
The AI will have to be very complex, but have a simple basic structure behind it. Example of a single player beginning game. The computer will generate the world based on the players choices (standard fantasy type world, random alien, custom (tech levels), etc.). The world will get created on a Civ type scale first, with major terrain features, populations, etc. put into place. If you play a typical fantasy type realms and choose Dwarven as your characters race, you may start in an area with a small dwarven town/mountain nearby. From there, begin your adventuring. Each square on the world map represents a large piece of land. You could stay on the square for some time. Of course, the world map squares will have to be a bit more diverse than in Civ, perhaps instead of just mountain, they could be 65%mountain, 10%hills, 25% grassland, or something. In that square you might find ruynes, ancient crypts, dungeons, dragon lairs, a goblin tribe, etc. You will also find recourses which you could mine, gather, etc. if you get gold enough/or charisma enough to get people to follow you (that is, if you want to create things). If you adventure, you will have to do something with you booty, if you collect more than you can carry. If you find a safe, friendly, well protected town, this might be a good place to store it in a bank or something. However, keep in mind that towns can be sacked. Okay, AI:
You start on character level in this square. The square will be populated by things and places. Some of the things on the world will have Agendas. The goblin tribe in the hills to the east may want to expand and have a powerful leader. This could be dangerous to the dwarf town. The dragon might even have an agenda. Even the dwarf town might, but not too many things will have it on this scale. Now, in various parts of the world, there might be some things that have an agenda on the World Scale. If far enough away, they shouldn’t be too much problem for a long, long time. Some of them may be fairly benign and just wish to create lucrative cities and trading centers. All of these will have characters behind them. When characters die, new ones may take there place. Some more powerful, some less. The computer will attempt to create a balance of power to some degree. It wont start the players off real weak with some Super powerful necromancer bent on world destruction next to them. But, at some point, things could get difficult, or even easy. This is how you could eventually conquer a world and move to the galactic level if you chose to. Tech levels can also very on a world. You may be living in sort of a fantasy world, while someone across the sea is inventing gunpowder and ironclads. You never know.
To keep the game pretty slow, run in character/town scale. You could adventure for a long, long time before you start running into high tech armies from across the world. Once moving into world scale (usually, you would want to do this if you were going after tech, anyway), you might start clashing armies.
In a game, the AI will not run a bunch of character actions all over the world. It will populate the areas you move into as you move into them and try to save on computing power. It may run a few world scale things far away, but not hundreds of character actions. However, it will have temporal imbalance, meaning, that you could run into powerful stuff early in the game. So be careful where you go. Scout slowly and save often. Listen to rumors if you hear them. If several players start on one world, though, it may run a bit slower.
Note on Losing the Game:
If on Character scale, your character dies, you would lose if you didn’t have some sort of lore which automatically resurrected you somewhere. On town scale, you could keep playing as long as you had something that belonged to you, even a single merchant. You could hire another character in you town or something. Don’t lose all your characters though, they are nice to have around.
Characters vs. Players:
There will be a max number of characters that a single player can run based on the scale of play he is in. In character scale, it is one. In town scale, it is five. In world scale, it is 10, and in galactic, it is 25. Realm scale will be discussed later, as it is completely different(you are controlling a realm filled with other players). You can make any being that you own a character in town and higher scale. For example. Your little town gets slaughtered by invading orcs. All your characters die, and you are down to a pikeman and a merchant. You could, technically, make that merchant and/or pikeman a character, and even eventually work him up to Galactic Emperor
War:
Combat is handle, obviously, different depending on what scale it is in and what units are involved. In character scale, typically each unit sprite would be one thing (person, ballista, whatever). It is totally turn based. In fact, in character scale, there is no difference between normal mode and combat mode. If you see something a long way off and want to cast a spell at it or shoot it, go ahead. Every action has a number of speed point required to perform, and the thing being shot at might have a chance to react.
Objects:
Everything in the game can be interacted with. A mountain has structural points, and could be manipulated by things such as lore, a blast from a super star-destroyer, etc. When building your town, know that various kinds of walls buildings are susceptible to certain things. Wooden palisades can be caught on fire, etc. A town made of wood is fodder for a dragon (as most things are, really).
Moving up in scale:
Moving from Character to town scale:
The character will have to hire some people to be able to move up to town scale. Some various town NPCs include: (note that the character himself can gain many of these skills and actually begin projects on his own or with hired people before actually moving up scale. No reason why a character couldn’t build a house or a fortification).
Builder
Soldier (various types)
Merchant
Tradesman (include blacksmiths, bowers, gunsmiths, inventors, etc) Depending on tech levels in surrounding area. Of course, sometimes tech levels will cross. You might have a guy making armor next to a person making guns, but it is up to you depending on what you want/need.
Wizards
Sailors
Etc.
and I think BHG should hire me and make it a reality Gods and Galaxies
I. Game Overview
Turn-based playing with planning capability(possibly some real time combat?). For example, say you want to build a town. You could plan things way in advance, and as the materials became available, they would begin to get built. Allows players to do something in the interim, perhaps they are running multiple things(characters, realms, etc) and need much time for planning in the future which could be done even off line.
In a nutshell, it is a way to play a game where what you do in a smaller scale world still carries over into a continuous larger scale universe. You could start playing in an rpg environment and eventually run a galactic empire.
II. Game Concepts
No set way to win, but many ways to lose. You, as the player, must decide what your goals are. Perhaps it is to keep peace in the land, etc. Must be many unattainable vistas on the horizon, thus the great number of ways to play. Should have more re-playability than any other game in history. No character level limit, more lore paths than could be done in a lifetime, tons and tons of ruynes (programming functions), magic, tech, etc.
III. The Game Scales/Dimensions
A. Character Level (RPG)
B. Town Level (AOE,AOK)
C. World Level (CIV)
Each world has certain natural recourses. Based on these recourses, one will be able to build, create certain things. Some worlds will have more than others. Some things, such as special towers, artifacts and magical items, will require various rare materials which one may have to travel far and wide to find. A trade route between worlds can be a very lucrative business, just as it could be on a smaller scale between two cities or empires. A trade route can be opened by successfully carrying materials between two points. Once established, the flow will continue as long as the source and the buyer maintain workers/money/trade goods coming. You can assign workers/merchants/pricing/escorts(military) to a trade route.
D. Galaxy Level (SW Rebellion, StarCraft)
E. Realm Level (Conceptual Management)
IV. Characters
Limitless possibilities. No classes, only lore paths, skills, levels, stats, technologies, etc. Only limited by the players desire for knowledge, power, etc. Can adventure, general armies, mayor towns, create businesses, smuggle goods, enforce laws, etc. Anything the player wants to do.
V. The Ruyne System
Similar to a magic system, but uses ruynes (concepts). Can string them in songs, use in combination with attacks or defense, with lore, create things, destroy things, manipulate things (land, time, etc), or combine with magic. The system is similar to a programming language, where the player can create functions, and use them in the game. The ruynes represent the basic building blocks to perform all kinds of feats (infinite amount really, totally creative system). Cost fatigue to use, can be very dangerous to try and gain or use. Once a character uses a ruyne successfully, he will always have it. Ruyne strings and functions can cost a lot of fatigue to use, if too much, could kill character (in a bad way). Can be used in lots of ways. For example: Characters who are garrisoning a town could keep defenses up which equate to functions they have created, they would cost fatigue per turn to keep up. If attacked, these functions would protect, retaliate (if that’s what they’re programmed to do). Perhaps they make workers more efficient, whatever.
VI. Magic
Similar to normal RPG magic system. Really for those not ready to dabble in ruynes/lore, but also combine nicely with them.
VII. Technology
Many different tech levels. Some places/people rely more on the mystical arts while some gear more towards high tech. One isn’t necessarily better than the other. While a 9th cycle warrior could take out your 20th century armies, a super star destroyer could also wipe out your tower. A good combo of each is quite nice.
VIII. Towns
A player might decide to devote his time into running a town. A town can be whatever you make it. Perhaps only a small waypoint for adventurers on the outskirts of civilization. Perhaps a huge city of beautiful architecture and the center of culture and government for an empire. Your desire and skill as a player will decide.
IX. Towers
Towers represent high concepts. You need a heartstone, lore, magic, technology, and willing Lords of the Tower to create one. They could represent any concept (whatever ruynes you bind into the heartstone). Towers are extremely powerful and can exist on several planes at once. There are many levels of towers (minor fortresses with one Lord and one Heartstone to Citadel Supremes with 9 Lords and 9 Heartstones).
X. Worlds
Worlds are similar to a Civilization type world, with various terrain features, etc. Each square can be broken down into smaller areas where play is on a smaller scale. For example, starting on level 1 (RPG level), you might have several character exploring a dungeon, lost ruynes, creating a village on a stream, etc. In the larger scale, armies could be traversing the squares to attack a rival tower or city of importance.
XI. Galaxies
For the high tech player or even the character of great knowledge (the incarnation of time has no problem moving about in space, for example). Can play on a grand scale where entire solar systems are in their thrall.
XII. Empires and Alliances
The diplomatic model, can be run in accordance with standard diplomacy(empires) or conceptual alliances. Conceptual alliances could be considered, similar ideals forming a bond between characters. i.e. The Tower of Love and the Tower of Beauty.
XIII. Realms
Huge level. Only Nine True Realms exist.
XIV. Connectivity
Can play the game in a number of configurations that can be altered throughout the game. Perhaps you play by yourself (or a few friends) on a small scale and decide to add you planet, galaxy, etc. to a larger internet realm. Could be dangerous.
XV. Time
Time works strangely in the game. One turn on the character level is not one turn on the galactic level. When running a galactic empire, for example, you must realize that lots of things could be happening on the worlds below. The way to think of it, is broad swift strokes at the higher levels take more time to be carried out, while the finer decisions at the lower levels happen faster, mostly because the distances are not as great. Note that certain things, such as realm gate travel, could be near instantaneous (from a certain point of view), however.
There is a ration in the game of actions, or turns (these can be manipulated by the realm master). Standard could be:
Galaxy: 1 turn
World: 4 turns
Town: 24 turns
Character: 24 turns
So, on a world where one player is on world scale and another is on town scale, the player on town scale will be able to make 6 turns to very one of the player on world scale. Of course, since the player on world scale should have so many things to worry about, he’ll be able to occupy his time.
Note on Scale:
Town and Character are pretty much on the same game scale, the only real difference of scale is from the players point of view. While somebody playing on the Character scale will only be running one single character (and perhaps a few friends/mercenaries, etc), somebody on the town scale could control hundreds of things. So, in Character scale, Bob the player is Tom the Barbarian. If Bob decides to move up in scale, he could be several characters running a town, or bandit tribe, or Orc army, etc. Perhaps even a dwarven Mountain kingdom.
Notes:
Characters
There is no alignment in G&G. Your actions and lore used/known determines who you are. Example, if you claim allegiance to the Tower of Divinity, and then start down the Yellow Path, the lords may boot you out (if not just kill you).
1. Name
2. Race
Races: Human, Dwarven, Elvyn, Goblin, Orc, Half-Orc, Ogre, Dragon(various), plus a few alien type races, a few other fantasy type races (really any), and the ability for players to make up there own races. So, stock races in the game and a race/tribe generator for the player to create.
3. Level
4. Stats and Abilities
A. Strength
B. Speed
C. Dexterity
D. Endurance
E. Will
F. Physical Perception
G. Spiritual Awareness
H. IQ
I. Wisdom
J. Fatigue
K. Mana
L. Charisma
5. Skills
(Hundreds of Skills) Gain skill points per level and add to skills.
6. Items and Equipment
7. Magical Items
8. Power Items
9. Titles/Positions (including alliances belonged to, towers Lord of, towns mayor/guardian of, armies part of, etc.)
10. Experience Points
11. Ruynes Held
12. Lore
Lore points are gained per level. Must gain all the 1st cycle lore in a system before being able to learn 2nd cycle lore, thus it typically makes more sense to head down one path before learning new stuff. Unless someone wants to be more well rounded. Certain lore paths are cheaper than others.
A. War Lore (Path of the Warrior/Warlord)
B. Sorcery (manipulation of the Qualities of Existence)
C. Song Lore (special, not as above explanation)
D. Ruyne Lore (special)
E. Dance Lore (special)
F. Witchcraft
G. Tower Lore
H. Yellow Path (corruption)
I. Death Lore
13. Spells Known
14. Magical Skill (mana)
Notes: Starting the game
Player decides what scale to start on. Can start in Character scale, Town, or World. Suggest Character scale and working up for newer players. Lots can be done in character/town scale and some people may never care to leave it. You could adventure endlessly between worlds. In fact, it could take ages of real time to explore even one world! Your character could become leader of a people and build great cities across the land.
Note on AI.
The AI will have to be very complex, but have a simple basic structure behind it. Example of a single player beginning game. The computer will generate the world based on the players choices (standard fantasy type world, random alien, custom (tech levels), etc.). The world will get created on a Civ type scale first, with major terrain features, populations, etc. put into place. If you play a typical fantasy type realms and choose Dwarven as your characters race, you may start in an area with a small dwarven town/mountain nearby. From there, begin your adventuring. Each square on the world map represents a large piece of land. You could stay on the square for some time. Of course, the world map squares will have to be a bit more diverse than in Civ, perhaps instead of just mountain, they could be 65%mountain, 10%hills, 25% grassland, or something. In that square you might find ruynes, ancient crypts, dungeons, dragon lairs, a goblin tribe, etc. You will also find recourses which you could mine, gather, etc. if you get gold enough/or charisma enough to get people to follow you (that is, if you want to create things). If you adventure, you will have to do something with you booty, if you collect more than you can carry. If you find a safe, friendly, well protected town, this might be a good place to store it in a bank or something. However, keep in mind that towns can be sacked. Okay, AI:
You start on character level in this square. The square will be populated by things and places. Some of the things on the world will have Agendas. The goblin tribe in the hills to the east may want to expand and have a powerful leader. This could be dangerous to the dwarf town. The dragon might even have an agenda. Even the dwarf town might, but not too many things will have it on this scale. Now, in various parts of the world, there might be some things that have an agenda on the World Scale. If far enough away, they shouldn’t be too much problem for a long, long time. Some of them may be fairly benign and just wish to create lucrative cities and trading centers. All of these will have characters behind them. When characters die, new ones may take there place. Some more powerful, some less. The computer will attempt to create a balance of power to some degree. It wont start the players off real weak with some Super powerful necromancer bent on world destruction next to them. But, at some point, things could get difficult, or even easy. This is how you could eventually conquer a world and move to the galactic level if you chose to. Tech levels can also very on a world. You may be living in sort of a fantasy world, while someone across the sea is inventing gunpowder and ironclads. You never know.
To keep the game pretty slow, run in character/town scale. You could adventure for a long, long time before you start running into high tech armies from across the world. Once moving into world scale (usually, you would want to do this if you were going after tech, anyway), you might start clashing armies.
In a game, the AI will not run a bunch of character actions all over the world. It will populate the areas you move into as you move into them and try to save on computing power. It may run a few world scale things far away, but not hundreds of character actions. However, it will have temporal imbalance, meaning, that you could run into powerful stuff early in the game. So be careful where you go. Scout slowly and save often. Listen to rumors if you hear them. If several players start on one world, though, it may run a bit slower.
Note on Losing the Game:
If on Character scale, your character dies, you would lose if you didn’t have some sort of lore which automatically resurrected you somewhere. On town scale, you could keep playing as long as you had something that belonged to you, even a single merchant. You could hire another character in you town or something. Don’t lose all your characters though, they are nice to have around.
Characters vs. Players:
There will be a max number of characters that a single player can run based on the scale of play he is in. In character scale, it is one. In town scale, it is five. In world scale, it is 10, and in galactic, it is 25. Realm scale will be discussed later, as it is completely different(you are controlling a realm filled with other players). You can make any being that you own a character in town and higher scale. For example. Your little town gets slaughtered by invading orcs. All your characters die, and you are down to a pikeman and a merchant. You could, technically, make that merchant and/or pikeman a character, and even eventually work him up to Galactic Emperor
War:
Combat is handle, obviously, different depending on what scale it is in and what units are involved. In character scale, typically each unit sprite would be one thing (person, ballista, whatever). It is totally turn based. In fact, in character scale, there is no difference between normal mode and combat mode. If you see something a long way off and want to cast a spell at it or shoot it, go ahead. Every action has a number of speed point required to perform, and the thing being shot at might have a chance to react.
Objects:
Everything in the game can be interacted with. A mountain has structural points, and could be manipulated by things such as lore, a blast from a super star-destroyer, etc. When building your town, know that various kinds of walls buildings are susceptible to certain things. Wooden palisades can be caught on fire, etc. A town made of wood is fodder for a dragon (as most things are, really).
Moving up in scale:
Moving from Character to town scale:
The character will have to hire some people to be able to move up to town scale. Some various town NPCs include: (note that the character himself can gain many of these skills and actually begin projects on his own or with hired people before actually moving up scale. No reason why a character couldn’t build a house or a fortification).
Builder
Soldier (various types)
Merchant
Tradesman (include blacksmiths, bowers, gunsmiths, inventors, etc) Depending on tech levels in surrounding area. Of course, sometimes tech levels will cross. You might have a guy making armor next to a person making guns, but it is up to you depending on what you want/need.
Wizards
Sailors
Etc.
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