02-08-2003 08:27									#1
	let's talk social engineering Support Apolyton buy from Amazon

I really like SMAC's Social Engineering.

I was wondering though, what if the player were able to directly "buy" SE effects, instead of choosing preset SE choices? In other words, what if the player could directly "buy" say +1 industry or +2 growth? Obviously, there would need to be a mechanism to prevent a rich player from simply "buying" +5 everything.

I just think this idea could be really good, if properly thought through, because it could give the player a lot more flexibility and control over SE, since the player would no longer be limited by preset SE choices.

I have even thought through a great way to implement the idea.

The player could allocate a positive only if they also allocate a negative somewhere. For example, I can pick +1 industry but then I also have to pick -1 something else.

The player would be allowed to have a bit more positives than negatives. How much so would depend on the government.

Each time the player changed something, they would have to pay a certain amount of gold based on how big the change is, the government, and how many cities they have.

The governments would be the usual civ types, republic, democracy, despotism, communism etc...

The more totalitarian types would allow a bigger surplus of positives, but change would be more expensive. Conversely, democratic governments would allow a smaller surplus of positives, but change would be very cheap.

	09-08-2003 06:38									#2
	Support Apolyton, buy Civilization: The Boardgame

I think players should instead be able to do what is REALLy done in reality: buy stuff which makes changes on industry, growth, etc. So basically, it would be done by buildings and wonders. Perhaps also other things such as "artist supporting" (as in ancient Arab states), reading for everyone, education system...