In my previous post Manpower Calculations Revealed, I gave the details (mathematical equations) about how manpower values are calculated. As a follow-up, I though I could interpret the details and post a high-level explanation. As I thought about this, I came to the conclusion manpower works in two different and inconsistent ways. Whether this was Paradox’s original intent or whether it came about by accident, I can only guess. What I want to do is describe these two “Manpower Systems” so that we can discuss how the game should work. A decision needs to be made on how manpower should work before any fixes can put into a patch.
“Victoria” is based on the same game engine as “Europa Univesalis” and “Hearts of Iron”. In those games manpower increases gradually over time based upon manpower values of provinces. Manpower in “Victoria” works in a similar fashion. However, there are some differences. In “Victoria” manpower increases based upon the number of soldiers instead of province manpower values. It is also based on the “Defense Spending” slider setting. Thus by adjusting the slider and varying the soldier population a player has considerable control over the rate of manpower increase. Under this “Manpower System” soldier POPs do not represent actual troops but rather they represent abstract entities that are used for the manpower calculations. I’ll call this the “Traditional Manpower System”.
As I described in another post, the easiest way to gain manpower is to use the Manpower Exploit. Using it, you can generate free manpower on demand limited only by the POPs that you are willing to convert into soldiers. Does this exploit break the manpower system? It does if you want the “Traditional Manpower System”. However, there’s another way to look at it.
Think about how the “draft” works. Doesn’t the “Manpower Exploit” act like drafting men into the military? Didn’t conscripted armies fight the major wars of the era? Maybe the “Manpower Exploit” should be cleaned up and made the real manpower system. Under such a system simply converting POPs into soldiers increases manpower. These soldier POPs would represent troops and manpower. They would not be abstract entities that are used for manpower calculations. I’ll call such a system the “Conscription Manpower System”.
I believe that patching “Victoria” for either approach is equally feasible. As I have mention, there are errors in the manpower calculations. (I still need to post the specifics.) From a programming point I believe errors are minor and that Paradox would be willing fix them. How they are fixed depends on which manpower system is desired. The effort appears to be the same for either manpower system. Thus programming considerations needn’t drive the decision.
So how should manpower work? Should it be a “Traditional” or “Conscription” system? How say you? I look forward to your opinions.
George
“Victoria” is based on the same game engine as “Europa Univesalis” and “Hearts of Iron”. In those games manpower increases gradually over time based upon manpower values of provinces. Manpower in “Victoria” works in a similar fashion. However, there are some differences. In “Victoria” manpower increases based upon the number of soldiers instead of province manpower values. It is also based on the “Defense Spending” slider setting. Thus by adjusting the slider and varying the soldier population a player has considerable control over the rate of manpower increase. Under this “Manpower System” soldier POPs do not represent actual troops but rather they represent abstract entities that are used for the manpower calculations. I’ll call this the “Traditional Manpower System”.
As I described in another post, the easiest way to gain manpower is to use the Manpower Exploit. Using it, you can generate free manpower on demand limited only by the POPs that you are willing to convert into soldiers. Does this exploit break the manpower system? It does if you want the “Traditional Manpower System”. However, there’s another way to look at it.
Think about how the “draft” works. Doesn’t the “Manpower Exploit” act like drafting men into the military? Didn’t conscripted armies fight the major wars of the era? Maybe the “Manpower Exploit” should be cleaned up and made the real manpower system. Under such a system simply converting POPs into soldiers increases manpower. These soldier POPs would represent troops and manpower. They would not be abstract entities that are used for manpower calculations. I’ll call such a system the “Conscription Manpower System”.
I believe that patching “Victoria” for either approach is equally feasible. As I have mention, there are errors in the manpower calculations. (I still need to post the specifics.) From a programming point I believe errors are minor and that Paradox would be willing fix them. How they are fixed depends on which manpower system is desired. The effort appears to be the same for either manpower system. Thus programming considerations needn’t drive the decision.
So how should manpower work? Should it be a “Traditional” or “Conscription” system? How say you? I look forward to your opinions.
George
