I was never talking about the graphics alone, but always in coordination and combination with gameplay.
Another reason for that is that you get the functionality of the towers done, definition of what makes a TD game (or any game for that matter) varies wildly, but here is an example set-up, which would give me the depth (which is something different than complexity) I like:
Ordinary arrow tower - medium range, medium damage, medium speed - good for starting, can be upgraded, should also be useful in later levels, maybe split the tech tree at the end to allow for either hitting multiple enemies in a line (pierce) or more fire rate
Cannon tower - low range, high damage, low speed - also a good starting point, depending on where you want to go, has splash damage (hits multiple enemies at once), also upgradeable (maybe add a "bouncing" effect making the canonball bounce on the ground for a few times)
Slowing tower - low/medium range, low damage, medium speed - excellent in combination with the canon tower, slows enemies down to create groups and helps the aim of slower towers, later upgrades might add splash
Fire tower - medium range, high damage, medium speed - sets enemies on fire (conflicts with slowing tower), making them take damage over time, but also run faster (upgrades to have slight splash)
"Sniper" tower - long range, high damage, low speed - good against single key-value targets or single enemies who got through your defences, also good in combination with the slowing tower (later upgrades might add a "bouncing" or piercing shot)
Rapid Fire tower - low range, low damage, high speed - deals a lot of damage very quickly, but has limited range, good for corners of a maze, also a good anti-air tower (upgrades to have a slight slowing effect)
That would make a total of 6 towers, not too complex if you ask me (I don't know Gemcraft, so I can't compare it to that). But the important part is that every tower has a specific and different function and every tower is useful at any time of the game (although the latter 4 towers probably would be more expensive so not available at the start of the game). And last but not least you can use all of the towers or just a sub-set depending on what strategy you roll (ice + canon to get enemies in a group and take out all at once, ice + sniper to kill one by one while the cripple through the maze, fire + rapid fire/arrow tower, just a shit load of arrow towers as they are fairly cheap etc.), which gives a nice depth and allows for personal or level dependant strategies instead of allowing only that one winning combination (or always needing all towers).
I don't think there needs to be more elements than ice or fire, or maybe not even those two (you could probably get the same functionality with another symbol), but they add some nice strategic choices.
The reason why I talked about the graphics part so much is that people tend to focus on the graphics alone and forget about the gameplay or also think about the gameplay, but not in combination with the graphics, so the end result does not work that "smoothly".
I wasn't suggesting your towers were bad, I like them and I certainly could not create better ones, but graphics is only one part and I am glad you think so, too, but when creating graphics also keep gameplay in mind.
Oh btw, I like the discussion that is going on here, but everything will be void if nobody goes ahead and actually programs this game, which I won't
Another reason for that is that you get the functionality of the towers done, definition of what makes a TD game (or any game for that matter) varies wildly, but here is an example set-up, which would give me the depth (which is something different than complexity) I like:
Ordinary arrow tower - medium range, medium damage, medium speed - good for starting, can be upgraded, should also be useful in later levels, maybe split the tech tree at the end to allow for either hitting multiple enemies in a line (pierce) or more fire rate
Cannon tower - low range, high damage, low speed - also a good starting point, depending on where you want to go, has splash damage (hits multiple enemies at once), also upgradeable (maybe add a "bouncing" effect making the canonball bounce on the ground for a few times)
Slowing tower - low/medium range, low damage, medium speed - excellent in combination with the canon tower, slows enemies down to create groups and helps the aim of slower towers, later upgrades might add splash
Fire tower - medium range, high damage, medium speed - sets enemies on fire (conflicts with slowing tower), making them take damage over time, but also run faster (upgrades to have slight splash)
"Sniper" tower - long range, high damage, low speed - good against single key-value targets or single enemies who got through your defences, also good in combination with the slowing tower (later upgrades might add a "bouncing" or piercing shot)
Rapid Fire tower - low range, low damage, high speed - deals a lot of damage very quickly, but has limited range, good for corners of a maze, also a good anti-air tower (upgrades to have a slight slowing effect)
That would make a total of 6 towers, not too complex if you ask me (I don't know Gemcraft, so I can't compare it to that). But the important part is that every tower has a specific and different function and every tower is useful at any time of the game (although the latter 4 towers probably would be more expensive so not available at the start of the game). And last but not least you can use all of the towers or just a sub-set depending on what strategy you roll (ice + canon to get enemies in a group and take out all at once, ice + sniper to kill one by one while the cripple through the maze, fire + rapid fire/arrow tower, just a shit load of arrow towers as they are fairly cheap etc.), which gives a nice depth and allows for personal or level dependant strategies instead of allowing only that one winning combination (or always needing all towers).
I don't think there needs to be more elements than ice or fire, or maybe not even those two (you could probably get the same functionality with another symbol), but they add some nice strategic choices.
The reason why I talked about the graphics part so much is that people tend to focus on the graphics alone and forget about the gameplay or also think about the gameplay, but not in combination with the graphics, so the end result does not work that "smoothly".
I wasn't suggesting your towers were bad, I like them and I certainly could not create better ones, but graphics is only one part and I am glad you think so, too, but when creating graphics also keep gameplay in mind.
Oh btw, I like the discussion that is going on here, but everything will be void if nobody goes ahead and actually programs this game, which I won't