Game design: can such mechanics live?

Question

Game development

There are three races in the game. I would like them to be divided in the Starcraft way: numerous, average, strong. Namely, one of the races should resemble the raids of nomads, not outstanding, but HUGE in number, the second is a kind of special forces unit, accustomed to acting quickly and smoothly and not taking risks in vain, jumping headlong into hell, the third race is robots, traditionally wishing to destroy the first two, these are powerful, but few "terminators". Let's assume that race A and the game itself are free-to-play, race B is buy-to-play, and also has techno-magic shields that allow it to withstand short-term damage, but not long-term damage, which gives it an advantage in dynamic special operations - hit-regrouped, race C is distributed according to the pay-to-play system, and its soldiers are physically stronger than other races in everything, but the b-race is able to counter this with tactical short-term strikes, during which they are equal, and the second is just a number, while the c-race is used to crushing and burn out in tight formation so that no one runs away and does not have time to rest. In addition, according to history, the race of robots is devourers - they become stronger the more they kill the living, the food chain of the game ends economically on them, the other two races must be strong in order not to let themselves be killed, this is not part of the described mechanics, this is part plot. Will such mechanics live, or rather, work, as I planned? Or will everyone just play only the strongest race, or will everyone buy the middle race because it's a one-time payment? and its soldiers are physically stronger than other races in everything, but the b-race is able to oppose this with tactical short-term strikes, during which they are equal, and the second is just a number, while the c-race is used to crushing and burning out in tight formation so that no one runs away and does not had time to rest. In addition, according to history, the race of robots is devourers - they become stronger the more they kill the living, the food chain of the game ends economically on them, the other two races must be strong in order not to let themselves be killed, this is not part of the described mechanics, this is part plot. Will such mechanics live, or rather, work, as I planned? Or will everyone just play only the strongest race, or will everyone buy the middle race because it's a one-time payment? and its soldiers are physically stronger than other races in everything, but the b-race is able to oppose this with tactical short-term strikes, during which they are equal, and the second is just a number, while the c-race is used to crushing and burning out in tight formation so that no one runs away and does not had time to rest. In addition, according to history, the race of robots is devourers - they become stronger the more they kill the living, the food chain of the game ends economically on them, the other two races must be strong in order not to let themselves be killed, this is not part of the described mechanics, this is part plot. Will such mechanics live, or rather, work, as I planned? Or will everyone just play only the strongest race, or will everyone buy the middle race because it's a one-time payment? but the b-race is able to oppose this with tactical short-term strikes, during which they are equal, and the second is just a number, while the c-race is used to pressing and burning in tight formation so that no one runs away and does not have time to rest. In addition, according to history, the race of robots is devourers - they become stronger the more they kill the living, the food chain of the game ends economically on them, the other two races must be strong in order not to let themselves be killed, this is not part of the described mechanics, this is part plot. Will such mechanics live, or rather, work, as I planned? Or will everyone just play only the strongest race, or will everyone buy the middle race because it's a one-time payment? but the b-race is able to oppose this with tactical short-term strikes, during which they are equal, and the second is just a number, while the c-race is used to pressing and burning out in tight formation so that no one runs away and does not have time to rest. In addition, according to history, the race of robots is devourers - they become stronger the more they kill the living, the food chain of the game ends economically on them, the other two races must be strong in order not to let themselves be killed, this is not part of the described mechanics, this is part plot. Will such mechanics live, or rather, work, as I planned? Or will everyone just play only the strongest race, or will everyone buy the middle race because it's a one-time payment? so that no one runs away and does not have time to rest. In addition, according to history, the race of robots is devourers - they become stronger the more they kill the living, the food chain of the game ends economically on them, the other two races must be strong in order not to let themselves be killed, this is not part of the described mechanics, this is part plot. Will such mechanics live, or rather, work, as I planned? Or will everyone just play only the strongest race, or will everyone buy the middle race because it's a one-time payment? so that no one runs away and does not have time to rest. In addition, according to history, the race of robots is devourers - they become stronger the more they kill the living, the food chain of the game ends economically on them, the other two races must be strong in order not to let themselves be killed, this is not part of the described mechanics, this is part plot. Will such mechanics live, or rather, work, as I planned? Or will everyone just play only the strongest race, or will everyone buy the middle race because it's a one-time payment? will it work as I planned? Or will everyone just play only the strongest race, or will everyone buy the middle race because it's a one-time payment? will it work as I planned? Or will everyone just play only the strongest race, or will everyone buy the middle race because it's a one-time payment?

Answer 1

Maybe it will, or maybe not, it depends a lot on how to present these 3 races to the players, what genre the game will be in and what the gameplay will be, what will be the target platforms, target audience, marketing costs and all that.

Answer 2

The probability of the mechanics described by you is close to zero ...
It's better and easier to do this:
1. Several levels of development for each race (A, B, C, ... etc.). Free version - development to class "A" for all races. The enemies have something from class "B" (or more advanced, just to show the user and interest, but calculate the enemy's strength for the player so that they can win, of course).
2. Campaign (passage of the game scenario) for the selected race stops if it is necessary to switch the development class.
3. The number of levels of development of races: 3 or more.
Those. give players free to play in a smaller part of the entire game: 1/3 (or less)
4. If there is a network game - the same thing: if one of the players in the current game has not bought the game - the development limit for all players in this game is limited to the development class "A".
Whoever wants to buy - he will buy (or even convince to buy the one with whom he wants to play on the grid)
Such mechanics will definitely work.

Answer 3

What genre is the game? For what platform? How is buy-to-play different from pay-to-play? Your description of the races is meaningless without context. Yes, for a spherical game in a vacuum, you can balance three races with different war economies, did this answer make it easier for you?
Structurally, we can only discuss the sale of two-thirds of the game, about this we can say for sure that it will be difficult to do so that it is not negatively perceived by the players. You can look at Evolve for a bad example, and League of Legends for a good one. In general, it's easier to sell many small pieces of a game than a few large ones.

Answer 4

The script is great but not well developed.
The idea will work.
Without graphic content, the result is doomed.
It is not clear how to ensure additivity?

Answer 5

Judging by the description, the free race will not be able to defeat the paid race of robots.
So, as they will make robots stronger and stronger with their numerous deaths.