Gameplay Overview

Lords of Nether is a Dungeon Management RTS game set in a dark fantasy world. The player takes the role of a powerful entity of their choosing, known as a Netherlord. They must construct elaborate, but functional underground dungeons to protect their Netherlord, the riches they acquire and their minions, untill they are ready to take the world above with their armies.

## Construction

Players are given a vast array of tools to build their underground lairs in each mission they tackle. This allows for great levels of customisation, as well as space management for more limited areas. In order to build, the player must first assign tiles of Earth for excavation by workers and then wait for them to claim the freed terrain. Upon this terrain the player can build anything from rooms to objects and traps. Nearly all construction costs Gold, which can be found in deposits throughout the Underworld, to be mined, or as loot for raiding in the Overworld.

#### Workers

Workers are creatures the player can summon with a simple spell, at the cost of mana. They are the single most vital tool for almost every menial task throughout the player's underground lair. Workers will do all the excavation and terrain claiming, the mining and collection of Gold, the construction of traps and walls, and even dragging unconsciouss creatures to their lair to be healed, knocked-out enemies to the Prison, or corpses to the Crypt for later use. They are versatile and key for all your underground operations, but incredibly frail and as such will almost never engage in combat with superior foes.

#### Rooms

The player can build a multitude of different rooms, each with their own unique functionality. These rooms can only be built on claimed terrain that belongs to the player. Creatures will rest within the Lair, satisfy their hunger in the Feast Hall etc. Rooms cost Gold to construct, calculated on a per-tile basis. However, building the room is only the first step. In order to make rooms truly functional, players can build a variety of furnishings in each type of room. These objects each have a different use. Per example, in the Feast Hall, the Kitchen dispenses food for creatures, while they can use the Table to sit and eat their meal in comfort (if they require it).

#### Traps

The first line of your underground defense, traps come in many varieties. These can be built on empty claimed terrain, like the spike trap, or even on walls, like the arrow trap. Traps may also be combined for added effect. Per example a tar trap will douse enemies in hot tar, damaging them and slowing them down, but if at this time they recieve any fire damage, such as that from a Flamethrower trap, they will burst into flames for severe damage. Humans may circumvent traps by the use of Thieves, who can both avoid traps and disarm certain high-risk ones. Some creatures also have various abilities to help them avoid enemy traps. Ghosts are immune to all physical traps and Trolls can actually attack and dismantle enemy traps directly.

## Strategy and Combat

In each mission they tackle, the player has two maps at their disposal: the Underworld, where they build and expand; and the Overworld, where the forces of Man usually reside. While the Underworld is ever changing due to the hard work of the player's minions, the Overworld cannot be severely affected, other than destroying that which lies in the path to conquest. The Creatures the player recruits, cares for and trains are the army with which they will bring destruction to the enemy.

#### Creatures

Almost all creatures are summoned via a Portal, through the spending of Gold. While they do not require pay for their services, they will need a place to sleep and in most cases, a source of food. Failing to meet these requirements may raise the ire of the creature and cause problems. Creature command is handled in a standard RTS manner, a player may directly select the creature and order it around, also being able to do so en masse and even assigning control groups for quick selection.  This elevated level of control allows for many delicate strategic maneuvers, such as ambushes, flanking and much more. In the Underworld creatures have autonomy and will go about their tasks. If given a direct order, creatures will fulfill it, but after a certain time passes without any orders, the creature will return to its autonomous behaviour if underground. In the Overworld creatures will act as an army, losing all non-combat related autonomy. In battle, every creature has different abilities, but save a few, they themselves determine how and when to use them. Their unique and (in most cases) intelligent behaviours will make sure that they utilize their combat potential to its maximum.

#### Spells

The player has access to a variety of different spells they can cast as a means to augment their strategic advantage. Most of these spells are purely for utility purposes, such as temporarily revealing an area on the map, or recalling units to the player's Throne Room. New spells are unlocked via research in the Library and will surely be a useful tool in the battle to take Antioch.