Feedback Suggestions for 1b Economy

from Elemental Forums

So the basic skeleton of an economy is there, and I mean very basic.

Does it work? well, I honestly can't say very much for or against it because I don't feel enough content is in the game to test a robust economy. "I can haz sword guys"... sometimes. I'd really like to see some more special material requiring items we can build and test with. Can we put the full armor suits back into the beta at least? Horses or Battleships if possible maybe.

Due to unknown factors my gold is usually in the far negative even when I'm showing positive income. There are obviously a lot of things not showing up in the Kingdom Report!

- There are also a lot of things we're going to want it to show which aren't in the game yet:

  •  Trade pacts
  •  Guild treaties?
  •  Piracy Rrrr!
  •  Whatever else that is cool!

So the first thing I think we need is a detailed kingdom report. How much money are we making from buildings? How much was the last turns exploration bonus gold? What is driving hidden costs and money gain? (I suspect road making and caravans... but I don't know!!!)

I'd really like to be able to see a more detailed city report somehow. The little toolbar isn't cutting it because I believe at some point when I research magic crystals and stuff I should be able to see them. I expect there to be a lot more resources than can realistically be shown there.

6,490 views 7 replies
Reply #1 from Elemental Forums Top

Most of the hidden costs are buildings I think.. the palace is some 200g and each hut/inn is 50g, pretty sure the other buildings have a gold cost as well. When you mouseover a building icon and the "card" shows up above it, look for the number next to the gold coin symbol, this is the gold you'll instantly lose when you place the building.

I think part of the problem is that the gold costs should not be incurred until the building is actually built - or at least until construction starts. Right now if I "place" 8 huts, I pay for them all at once, even if the 8th hut won't even begin construction for another 20 turns. This:

     a.) doesn't make sense (I could've waited 20 turns before placing the 8th hut in the queue, same effect in the end, but the gold is deducted much later - so what happens to that gold for the 20 turns it's not being used?)

     b.) creates a big separation between spending the gold and actually getting what you spent that gold on, which makes it much less clear where the gold is actually going. Why am I at -200 gold? Because in 10 turns, after the farm currently being constructed is finished, that gold is going to be spent on a hut. You see, it just doesn't match up.

It'd be much better if it was more like: queue hut to be built (no immediate cost) - 25 turns later when the hut actually gets built, you get a message: "A hut was built in City X, 50g was deducted from the treasury to fund this construction."

Reply #2 from Elemental Forums Top

Having the money subtracted from your treasury when you order the building created does make it simpler.  If you have it so that everything in your queue is paid for then there are no suprise debts later.  Several cities with building and soldier queues would make it easy to loose track of your money. Otherwise you would require more information when contracting out buildings.  Such as total treasury at this time, the amount of income,  the amount of money that WILL BE spent on buildings currently in the queue.

I'd suggest when you goin into building placement mode you get a kindom report that tells you what resources you have available,  what income you have coming, how much is "earmarked" in a queue somwhere, and maybe how the selected building will effect the kingdom.  The pop-up can be dressed up as some advisor on public works or the guildmaster of the builder guild.  The screen can also be used to tell the player what might be needed (more farms or a special building for a rare resource that is going unused.)  The pop-up could be real useful to modders who add new structures that might need some explaining as well.  I find it nice to have all the information right there for such decisions!  Expierneced players can turn off the advisor later when he is no longer useful to them.

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Reply #3 from Elemental Forums Top

Exactly. It is better if the money is being spent immediately.

Reply #4 from Elemental Forums Top

I'm actually aware of the building costs.

Something else is causing the turn based income to go up and down in my games in amounts generally around 10 gold a turn.

Reply #5 from Elemental Forums Top

Caravans, I think. After all they transport gold.

Reply #6 from Elemental Forums Top

Goodmorning all

 I just want to say that spreading the cost over many turns should be an option, but not the default.  possibly with some slightly raised total cost assosiated with that choice.  sometimes you just don't have the goal sitting in your account to do things you would be able to afford, if the cost was spread out over a few turns.   Paying all up front definately aught be the default IMHO, but per turn costs also have thier advantages and shouldn't be blocked out of the games mechanics.

Take care

 Robbie

Reply #7 from Elemental Forums Top

Robie.Price: Yes, it was in Galactic Civilisation II. I think the concept is good.

BTW: I thought I cannot build anything, if I am in debt. It appears it does not work that way. 

Alternative way: you can not build anything, if you don't have enough money. You may however borrow some money and they will be subtracted as the upkeep (the faster you repay the debt the less you have to pay). This allows you to use borrowed money  any way you like - bribe enemies, hire troops or heroes, buy technologies..... The maximum amount of money you can borrow should be limited (the limit shall follow the size of your empire) and no one shall be allowed to have more than n loans.