Last night, I had this really complicated idea for a new feature (though I doubt it has any merit whatsoever). Read it and see what you think.

The basic idea is, it would run on timeframes much like the Site Market Game, only would probably take longer. It's called "National Domination."

A player would sit down at the computer (we'll call you "Fred_1"), and register. The first thing they see is a screen with hundreds of American cities on it, and they are asked to pick where they want to put their home base.

Then, the fun begins.

Say that Fred_1 is from Pittsburgh. So he puts his base there (any number of bases can be in a city). Now, the object of the game is to get the entire country (e.g. all the players) under your thumb. In your alliance, as I call it. So you click "Random Player", and it turns up Joe_Schmoe in Portland, OR. So you click on Joe_Schmoe, and see that he's just starting out like you are. You send a message to Joe_Schmoe via the National Message System (he'll see it next time he logs on) saying "Join my alliance or I will bomb you."

Joe_Schmoe doesn't like Pittsburgh, so he replies "No". When you get his No, you will see a big button reading "BOMB!" Click it, and a high-powered bomb will hit Joe-Schmoe's headquarters.
Joe_Schmoe, learning of this, will retaliate, and the first person to be hit 5 times (since he was hit first, Joe_Schmoe) is forced to surrender. Joe_Schmoe becomes part of your alliance.

Now, he's not totally dead. That would be cruel. In fact, he can still do anything he wants. HOWEVER - You can order him to bomb somebody and he MUST do it, and he cannot attack you or any members of your alliance. You can also not attack him.

So now there are two people in your alliance. You click "Random Player" again, and you get John_Smith in Dubuque, IA. You ask him politely to join your alliance, and he says No. So, you send a message to Joe_Schmoe saying "John_Smith in Dubuque needs a lesson" or something to that extent, and you both bomb him at the same time. Now it takes less than half the time for him to be hit 5 times and forced into surrender. There are now 3 members of your alliance.

Now you're getting giddy. You click "Random Player", and get "Jane_Smith" in Houston. Without bothering to check on her, you order Joe_Schmoe and John_Smith to attack her.

What you discover is that Jane_Smith is already a member of an alliance.

With 20 members.

So, the entire alliance bombs your headquarters in Pittsburgh at the same time. You are hit five times. Unfortunately, you are now part of the big alliance - as are Joe_Schmoe and John_Smith.

The game ends when the whole country is owned by one alliance.

Of course, that's not all. The alliance members can ask for backup on their individual campaigns, the battle system really needs to be refined, but...

Sound like a good idea? Mindless drivel? Or both?