I’ve always wanted a city builder/ strategy game in roughly this era with some more fantasy elements without necessarily being “fantasy” (i.e. no magic n such)
Structural and population elements by tier:
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Tier I:
Adventurers’ kiosks: 4x5 tile plot with single story structures and open courtyard with main entrance on the side, built structures take up half of the assigned tiles (for now). Required materials are 30 wood, with dirt floors. This structure allows the assignment of extra laborers to parties of up to three members to handle dangerous tasks that an average hunter can’t handle on their, yet too minor to send out the guards or barracks personal. Limit to two available parties for this tier. Parties do sometimes produce meat and hide, however, unlike hunters, new parties won’t produce as many of either material until they gain more veterancy, hunters are superior in this regard and should remain the primary method of gathering meat and hide at this stage. -
Tier II:
Adventurers Hall: courtyard layout upgrades to a single-story, roofed structure. Party sizes remain the same, but now the number of parties is increased to three. Said parties can now venture into ruins to seek adventure, treasure and thrills. (this would be replacing the academy requirement for exploration of ruins, having adventurers explore unknown depths makes more sense than sending a bunch of scholars, of whom have likely never left town). This upgrade requires 10 stone and 30 wood planks and tier II Town hall completed. Building now has a monthly upkeep of 10 gold per month. -
Tier III:
Adventurers Guild: Structure now includes a rear courtyard with open seating for party members to partake in food and beer; this boosts the morale of the adventuring parties and increases their combat capabilities by 10%. Structure now uses paper for posting jobs and other logistic tasks. Parties can now add a 4th member that has medical knowledge (must be selected from labor pool, individual must have worked at a healer’s house, hospital or apothecary for at least six in game months to fill the healer’s slot. Number of parties available to assign members is also increased from three to four. Upgrade requirements: Tier 3 town hall, 20 iron ingots, 50 gold ingots, 35 stone and 60 wood planks. Monthly cost goes up to 25 gold per month and Paper as needed to maintain progression of guild tasks.
Tier IV (Final Tier)
- Adventurer’s Guild HQ (only one Adventurer’s guild can be upgraded to a HQ):
- HQ structure upgrades to a full two story structure, while rear courtyard remains open air, the structure expands over it, providing shade and reducing noise pollution to the surrounding area. Main entrance is gilded with gold and trimmed in brick, glass main doors, glass windows and tiled roof, maybe a statue or two of adventurers on either side of the main glass doors.
This hall expands available parties to six and party size increases to five, parties can also be assigned horses from nearby stables if present in the city. Parties of full capacity can now go on “journey’s” where they become unavailable for a time to take on tasks elsewhere (like how the trade caravans leave) and only return when their task is complete. These returns often become trade events as they could have exotic or rare trade items acquired during their adventure. However, once returned, they will be unavailable for local tasks for a month or two while they rest (scales based on length of approved journey). Five member parties also get a significant boost to combat potential with boosts to all equipped damage types and armor types. One adventurer squad that has been on at least a few successful adventures can surpass a ten member squad of heavy knights.
If said party dies on their journey, no more journeys can be approved for a year, and a new party can be formed in their place back at the bottom. A journeying parties death will also result in a loss of happiness for the town for up to a year, scaling based on how much veterancy that party had earned, all Adventuring parties and military personal will suffer a mourning penalty for at least half the period of the affected happiness, affecting all combat potential and efficiency (% to be determined), said penalty will not affect any new parties formed after the penalty had been enacted however, since those members “signed up” despite the debuff period.
This structure now standardizes all the practices of all guild structures on the map, this requires books, both for the upgrade and as a yearly cost, the HQ has a radius that can span a large chunk of the map (scales with selected map size, roughly 70% of the map), any adventuring structures in the radius will receive said books and standardizations and receive buffs to various aspects of their operation (to be determined).
Structure requirements: Tier IV town hall, area desirability over 100% (guild HQ’s master only accepts the finest), 5k stone, 500 Brick, 250 wooden planks, 55 glassware, 150 iron bars, 4k gold bars, 50 books and 100 spices for the improved kitchen. This structure can no longer be be re-located and another HQ cannot be built until this one is either demolished or destroyed. Monthly cost is increased to 75 gold /month and 5 or more books/ year.
Why go this route? The game doesn’t need it. Honestly? I just think it would be cool, have named unique beasts and named raider members, captains and leaders alike that regular forces are not enough to handle without suffering major losses. Adventurers being responsible for exploring ruins (maybe even add full-on dungeons as a generated structure on the map for them to enter and “process”), recovering wreckages, dealing with Bandit outposts and patrols all while being the primary exploratory force for our cities just seems right for the era and theme the game is set in.
likely won’t happen, I know I’m likely recommending something way outside the scope of what would be considered at this stage of development but still, just thought this would be a unique addition to the genre that I haven’t really seen anywhere else.