Combatics Evolution Updates

So, I haven't started work on the project yet as I am focusing on finishing off PaintParty as well as a number of other minor projects. I have however had the chance to replay Diablo 3 and play Starcraft 2 HotS. Both games are a great inspiration to want to get back to working on CE. At this point in time a have a few things I will need to do before I can seriously get the game into a more reasonable state:

Update Combat Graphics:
- Use lighting and other rendering effects.
- Provide switch between perspective and orthographic.
- Optimize rendering for OpenGL ES (this is a big one)
- Update units to use 3D models (probably without animations, based on new LibGDX 3d code)
- Particle System and Effects (for spells/abilities/etc)
- Allow for in battle dialog (for story and such)

Update Combat Engine:
- Network the game engine for multiplayer and to simplify further design.
- Optimize and compress combat system
- Allow for large-scale maps
- Implement abilities (always going to be the slowest task)

Update World Map:
- Create something a bit more than the current squares.
- Flesh out a world zone
- Create 2-tier world layout (regional maps and world map)
- Allow for in world dialog (for story and such)
- Create 'quest/mission' system

Update Game Mechanics:
- Revise attribute system (minor).
- Revise buff/debuff system to be more customizable
- Rework ability system by providing more unique and interesting abilities as well as a better upgrade path

*Update Artwork:
- This will probably require gathering some open media content, but will still remain a low priority for now.

This is a decent sized list and easily 2-3 months of work full time so I will have to judge and see what I can manage. The first task I will focus on is getting the game engine networked since everything else will be built on top of it. I've spent a significant amount of time testing different was to network games and determine how to approach it for CE. I believe I have a solution, but when I start to seriously work on the game come April I may have something different to say.