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Personally, I find the current building system in the game to be rather lackluster. While I suppose there is some element of strategy in choosing the optimal buildings for your settlement, the only thing you do later on in the game is just clicking upgrade. And that's pretty much it. There aren't many buildings to choose from either. Also, I believe it's silly how all-powerful rulers have to build coops and meadows in their provinces.
My idea is to completely revamp the current system and introduce districts, instead of normal buildings. Districts would, along with Development, act as a proper measurement of size of a settlement. They would serve a purpose of better visualizing how developed and populated a settlement is. (No, I do not suggest implementing pops or any population mechanic)
(Also, I absolutely do not suggest Stellaris districts)
Beyond this better visualization of a settlement, I believe it makes more sense for a ruler (especially higher-tier ones) to deal with settlement development on a larger scale. Dealing with individual buildings, such as simple barracks, feels like a job for lesser lords. Kings and Emperors would build new cities and expand existing ones., not deal with beehives and coops.
While districts would serve a purpose of "buildings of a larger scale", there would still be "lesser" buildings.
Keep buildings are essentially buildings in direct use by the settlement owner. Also, they can serve as normal buildings in tribal settlements, since those are obviously not as expansive as proper cities. These buildings would be chapels, barracks, stables, libraries, etc.
Countryside buildings are there to act as a clear separation between economy buildings like farmlands and mines, and proper settlement buildings.
Special buildings are unique historical (and otherwise) buildings/wonders.
I will give a longer overview below.
I have taken some time on making a Paint edit of a province screen, just to better illustrate my suggestion.
Forgive my lack of UI design skills, as well as of editing skills.
There are 9 district slots for every barony. Slots are unlocked at various Development levels. There are several types of districts that can be built on these slots.
Housing and Temple districts are the two main ones and they can be built without restrictions. Merchant, Military, Hospital and Sewer districts can only be built one each.
Each of these districts provide a unique bonus to the barony. Mostly, they affect income, control and sanitation.
Here's a rough overview of what bonus (and malus) each district gives:
Temple: +income, -sanitation, ++control
Housing: ++income, ---sanitation, ---control
Merchant: +++income, --sanitation, --control
Hospital: -income, ++sanitation, +control
Military: --income, +sanitation, +++control
Sewers: ---income, +++sanitation, -control
Slums: -income, ---sanitation, ---control
Housing means more people, thus increased income from taxes. Big downsides are sanitation issues, which lead to disease outbreaks and higher revolt risk from reduced control.
Temple provides less income, but it increases control over the barony, due to religion. Merchant districts provide the greatest income, but they negatively impact sanitation and control. Hospital provides a significant boost to sanitation, giving a reduced chance of disease outbreaks. It does however require upkeep, thus impacting the overall barony income. Military districts are great at increasing control, but they require a significant upkeep. Same thing with Sewers, as they also have a large upkeep, but they deal well with sanitation problems.
Of course, certain districts also provide levies.
Slums are not a buildable district. They appear on their own and pose an annoying issue for your settlement. Beside being a completely negative factor on your settlement, they also occupy a valuable district slot. Slums can be "upgraded" into a proper Housing district, but that will require a significant investment.
Countryside represents the barony economy activities outside the main settlement. There you can build farmlands, pastures, mines and roads among other things. These "buildings" primarily affect the supply levels of a province. More food-producing buildings also make the populace happier. Mines will provide greater income, while roads increase movement speed through province. Countryside can be devastated after a siege. There are several levels of devastation, each turning a number of countryside buildings inactive. Armies that pass through a province, but do not have enough supplies, will also automatically contribute to devastation.
Idea here is to separate buildings from countryside and the settlement, but also to provide an additional layer of gameplay.
Keep will consist of several slots for buildings for personal use by the barony owner.
Training Yard lets you potentially improve your Prowess.
Library, Chapel and Wine Cellar help you deal with your Stress levels.
Escape Tunnels greatly reduce the risk of your court and family members being captured after a siege.
There would need to be a limited number of slots for these buildings.
Defenses represent...well...defenses of your settlement. Walls, towers, gates and ditches. These are all buildings that help you survive a siege. One notable difference from the current system is the Coverage feature. While you can construct a formidable defense around your main keep, your growing settlement will become more vulnerable with time, unless you have good Coverage from your defenses. Basically, as you construct more town districts, your Coverage drops. Low Coverage means maluses during a siege and a greater impact to province Devastation. You simply increase Coverage by building/upgrading defensive structures.
Here's an example:
Settlement has 1 district. You construct simple Walls for 100 gold, which provide maximum defense coverage.
Later on, your settlement grows and you build a second district.
Now you have 2 districts, but your walls are not covering both of them. They negatively impact your barony during a siege.
There is a simple button Expand, which upgrades your walls to cover the entire settlement.
In this example, cost could also be 100 gold.
And if you have 9 districts, but you only built walls for when you had 1 district, your Expand button will require 800 gold to upgrade walls fully. If you leave a 9-district settlement with walls that only cover 1 district, you have a serious disadvantage during sieges.
Of course, cost of defense buildings scales with number of districts you have.
Special Buildings require little introduction. They are unique buildings, dominating the province. There are historical buildings, but there should also be a way to construct your own grand wonder.
Final thoughts:
All the extra features, like Sanitation, Devastation and Coverage are simply what I wish to see in the game. I understand not everyone would like them implemented in a manner as I described them. And obviously, all the types of buildings/districts and their effects are there to fill in the details of a core system overhaul.
First and foremost, I wish for the current building system to be expanded. If it's overhauled in a similar way as in my suggestion, then amazing!
If not, I'll appreciate ANY upgrade.
My idea is to completely revamp the current system and introduce districts, instead of normal buildings. Districts would, along with Development, act as a proper measurement of size of a settlement. They would serve a purpose of better visualizing how developed and populated a settlement is. (No, I do not suggest implementing pops or any population mechanic)
(Also, I absolutely do not suggest Stellaris districts)
Beyond this better visualization of a settlement, I believe it makes more sense for a ruler (especially higher-tier ones) to deal with settlement development on a larger scale. Dealing with individual buildings, such as simple barracks, feels like a job for lesser lords. Kings and Emperors would build new cities and expand existing ones., not deal with beehives and coops.
While districts would serve a purpose of "buildings of a larger scale", there would still be "lesser" buildings.
Keep buildings are essentially buildings in direct use by the settlement owner. Also, they can serve as normal buildings in tribal settlements, since those are obviously not as expansive as proper cities. These buildings would be chapels, barracks, stables, libraries, etc.
Countryside buildings are there to act as a clear separation between economy buildings like farmlands and mines, and proper settlement buildings.
Special buildings are unique historical (and otherwise) buildings/wonders.
I will give a longer overview below.
I have taken some time on making a Paint edit of a province screen, just to better illustrate my suggestion.
Forgive my lack of UI design skills, as well as of editing skills.
There are 9 district slots for every barony. Slots are unlocked at various Development levels. There are several types of districts that can be built on these slots.
Housing and Temple districts are the two main ones and they can be built without restrictions. Merchant, Military, Hospital and Sewer districts can only be built one each.
Each of these districts provide a unique bonus to the barony. Mostly, they affect income, control and sanitation.
Here's a rough overview of what bonus (and malus) each district gives:
Temple: +income, -sanitation, ++control
Housing: ++income, ---sanitation, ---control
Merchant: +++income, --sanitation, --control
Hospital: -income, ++sanitation, +control
Military: --income, +sanitation, +++control
Sewers: ---income, +++sanitation, -control
Slums: -income, ---sanitation, ---control
Housing means more people, thus increased income from taxes. Big downsides are sanitation issues, which lead to disease outbreaks and higher revolt risk from reduced control.
Temple provides less income, but it increases control over the barony, due to religion. Merchant districts provide the greatest income, but they negatively impact sanitation and control. Hospital provides a significant boost to sanitation, giving a reduced chance of disease outbreaks. It does however require upkeep, thus impacting the overall barony income. Military districts are great at increasing control, but they require a significant upkeep. Same thing with Sewers, as they also have a large upkeep, but they deal well with sanitation problems.
Of course, certain districts also provide levies.
Slums are not a buildable district. They appear on their own and pose an annoying issue for your settlement. Beside being a completely negative factor on your settlement, they also occupy a valuable district slot. Slums can be "upgraded" into a proper Housing district, but that will require a significant investment.
Countryside represents the barony economy activities outside the main settlement. There you can build farmlands, pastures, mines and roads among other things. These "buildings" primarily affect the supply levels of a province. More food-producing buildings also make the populace happier. Mines will provide greater income, while roads increase movement speed through province. Countryside can be devastated after a siege. There are several levels of devastation, each turning a number of countryside buildings inactive. Armies that pass through a province, but do not have enough supplies, will also automatically contribute to devastation.
Idea here is to separate buildings from countryside and the settlement, but also to provide an additional layer of gameplay.
Keep will consist of several slots for buildings for personal use by the barony owner.
Training Yard lets you potentially improve your Prowess.
Library, Chapel and Wine Cellar help you deal with your Stress levels.
Escape Tunnels greatly reduce the risk of your court and family members being captured after a siege.
There would need to be a limited number of slots for these buildings.
Defenses represent...well...defenses of your settlement. Walls, towers, gates and ditches. These are all buildings that help you survive a siege. One notable difference from the current system is the Coverage feature. While you can construct a formidable defense around your main keep, your growing settlement will become more vulnerable with time, unless you have good Coverage from your defenses. Basically, as you construct more town districts, your Coverage drops. Low Coverage means maluses during a siege and a greater impact to province Devastation. You simply increase Coverage by building/upgrading defensive structures.
Here's an example:
Settlement has 1 district. You construct simple Walls for 100 gold, which provide maximum defense coverage.
Later on, your settlement grows and you build a second district.
Now you have 2 districts, but your walls are not covering both of them. They negatively impact your barony during a siege.
There is a simple button Expand, which upgrades your walls to cover the entire settlement.
In this example, cost could also be 100 gold.
And if you have 9 districts, but you only built walls for when you had 1 district, your Expand button will require 800 gold to upgrade walls fully. If you leave a 9-district settlement with walls that only cover 1 district, you have a serious disadvantage during sieges.
Of course, cost of defense buildings scales with number of districts you have.
Special Buildings require little introduction. They are unique buildings, dominating the province. There are historical buildings, but there should also be a way to construct your own grand wonder.
Final thoughts:
All the extra features, like Sanitation, Devastation and Coverage are simply what I wish to see in the game. I understand not everyone would like them implemented in a manner as I described them. And obviously, all the types of buildings/districts and their effects are there to fill in the details of a core system overhaul.
First and foremost, I wish for the current building system to be expanded. If it's overhauled in a similar way as in my suggestion, then amazing!
If not, I'll appreciate ANY upgrade.
Last edited:
- 10
- 1
