>>2169065
That's really easy to replicate. DE graphics are 3D terrain and sprites that are 3D renders as 2D images.
Nothing about that is new, personally. I'd like to go with a city building colony building type game with a defense element as otherwise you became a bored god after a while and lose interest meanwhile if there's an element of *risk* involved you have more reason to be connected with your colony.
Eg. Timberborn has water, Castle Story has wave defense, Rimworld has everything..
As for Terrain, being a bit more creative and using a voxel system allows you to dig away at the terrain but you want to keep that bizarre terrain type AOE has of angles and flats then modify it for cliffs and then cheat if you add water in.
You can simulate water very cheaply without actually simulating water, alternatively we're at that stage water simulation is easy.
Air simulation is very hard to do.
As for tech tree, I'd go with something that's well.. everything. Rocket carts on walls, grand bombard towers, etc.
If, I want to make blocks that are in the meso style then i can.
