ANN: Version 3: Pocket Economy 2015-1-8
Preface
The list of versions named in the best WTF-style continues. Since V.2.0 was
Trust in Economy, now, almost a month later, it is clear that the trust has been demonstrated, because the economy has grown a lot since that. The worst-performing metric has been building mass, up "only" 60%. Total value of land and gold price have performed better.
So after finishing the scope design of the splitting of the services pool, long overdue as it feels, I also realized that what we are doing is stuff that is more than half the original scope of the original
Version 3: Economy. Since then, the version number, and the release date of that version have been sliding fast towards the future.
So hopefully you are pleased as I inform:
this Version 3: Pocket Economy, delivers most of the stuff that Economy was ever intended to deliver, and does it in the easy-to-access (harder to admin) Google DB format, which was not intended, and
does it in 90 days, a full 10 days earlier than Economy was ever intended to be released!Features of V.3
The game will be modularized to consist of subgames, which can simulate any area of life, liberty and pursuit of happiness. The following subgames will be released (some in their 2rd/3th incarnation already):
1. Character Management (since 1.0)
This includes the framework of advancing in level, and managing the household and the business empire (Nobles mainly) by buying and selling commercial and speculative assets, resources and the like. In the new version, servants will be systematized to give points in household and business management, and these have a quantifiable effect on the output of those.
2. Building/Design (since 1.1)
This does not undergo any changes.
3. Renting out Apartment/Commercial Space/Halls (since 1.2)
This has been the backbone of city expansion ever since the beginning, because the greatest new construction need is apartments for NPCs. Renting them out gives easy-to-forecast basic income, which has ranged from 0.8% to 1%+ APR. Commercial space and events/halls have similar rules for payout, and now also their own pool.
4. Hotels (since 1.2)
Hotels will undergo a rehaul, where points are earned/graded in categories of Service, Luxury, Milieu, Fame and Price. A formula/simulation calculates the payouts. The maximum score is 20/20. To get high points, enough must be invested to staff and hotel design must be good.
5. Restaurant (since 1.2)
Restaurant game changes similarly as Hotel - the establishments are graded in Food, Service, Luxury, Fame and Price. Having the best Chefs and Butlers is a priority for high-end places, as well as choosing the price (anything can be tried). In the low end the business is more about sizing the space and workforce correctly to produce at the lowest cost to the expected clientele..
6. Army (since ~1.3)
Army has been training silently since about 1490, when it was becoming clear that the threat of barbarians is neutralized. Now the Army will get a renewed role as guards of the city, and they will charge a security fee from business owners. Some potent NPC officers have reached the rank of Lieutenant Colonel, pushing their masters to full Colonels. The army stands ever vigilant to rise against any threat, and having an officer position is an important asset in any Noble's CV, notwithstanding the grants of land given to the officers. It's hard to believe we could survive without an international conflict for long any more.
7. Quarry (since 2.0)
Explained many times in the last few days
8. Piety (since ~2.0)
The church is administering this subgame, the point of which is to measure and grade the overall piety of a character, the trait that lives longer than you. Good deeds are a major component of piety, and a good place to start is by giving a small donation for completing the 3-story Pious Club (Church account, with a note to the Bishop).
9. Science (since 3.0)
Some NPC types give you Science points output, which can be directed to research technologies and advances of many kinds. They are collaborative, mostly
10. Culture (since 3.0)
As the highest aspect of humanity, Culture is the unremovable "victory point score" that accumulates to the long-term players due to their ownership of culture assets, doing deeds of culture, sponsoring culture, etc. Both Culture and Piety scores will be instrumental in granting promotions beyond L9 - it will be easier to see that wealth itself does not make you great, but becoming great is much easier with wealth well spent.
The economic backbone in the games follows the "input-output-pool share" model. Inputs are hired NPCs, land and buildings, other things represented by money, and immatrial assets such as fame. These generate output according to the rules and formulas in the game. Output is converted to pool shares that pay daily dividend. Typically upfront payment for the means of service production (eg. buildings) generates money to the pool and daily dividends deplete it, but for example Army works exactly the opposite.
The modules will come playable around 1550, and existing servants converted to new types. Sorry for the stuff lost in conversion: some well-thought servant role from 60 years back will become "Assistant-2" and lose all history and production value. That will certainly happen. On the other hand, some long-term servants will (according to dice and other fair methods) be promoted to valuable Gold and Silver servants.