Right now the spiritualist thing makes no sense to me. It never really has. Spiritualism is not a direct confrontation or opposite of machines, or industry. You don't see churches across the world going on marches to stop factories and shut them down.
What you do see though is Naturalists doing this. Or "hippies". People who believe we should be preserving nature itself. While alot of these people are spiritual, that isn't to be mistaken as the same thing. They are not. The mindsets are very similar which is why they tend to overlap quite often, but so does peace and spiritualism as well, and we don't see them combined into the same thing either, and arguably those are even more closely entwined in beliefs.
I think changing spiritualism to "Naturalist" would make far more sense. The belief that we need to be preserving nature, not flat lining forests to build parking lots and factories. This then would make even more sense for Naturalist, someone who understands there needs to be a balance, but preserve when you can, to fanatical naturalist who hates everything to do with removing nature. This mindset having a contant headbutt match with industrial makes complete sense.
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Spiritual itself I think should be combined with a new mechanic. Religion. Again not to be confused as the same thing, though again they are so similar they often go hand in hand so combine them together.
This would not be an ethic though, but a completely new choice that you choose. (Similar to choosing your populations traits).
A "Belief" traits screen that's coupled with the physical traits you choose for your population. These traits don't give specific bonus's or anything but they play a key role in the game itself and strategies. Two types of populations even from different empires entirely could have a similar spiritual belief, however, maybe they dont.
Or
It's an empire "belief" trait, that works on a global scale similar to industrial, warlike, etc. Empire that have a national type of "belief" get bonus opinions or negatives.
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Ethics themselves, I feel also should be seriously overhauled at some point. These are the very foundations of your empire AND people. I think the ethics should have far bigger swings in every direction that hit on many things.
Examples:
Naturalists get bonus's to farm Districts, but negative to industrial, while also providing a boost to amenities, and happiness. They also get a bonus output to natural planet modifiers but certain other modifiers are locked out (like deep mineral deposits. They wouldn't be mining, and destroying the land to get to them).
Industrial are the same, but in reverse.
(There would be other modifiers and bonus's, negatives, but this is just an example of some changes and additions).
Peaceful as well should combine Peaceful and defensive. Since Peaceful is the direct opposite of warlike, they should have the similar opposite traits, going along the idea that any peaceful nation who has made this far, and survived this long, undertands that they need to be able to defend themselves, even if they aren't looking for fights.
Bonus's to defensive structures, stations, and home turf bonus's, and defensive army buffs. Meanwhile the warlike get similar buffs for being on the offensive and NOT defending themselves.
What you do see though is Naturalists doing this. Or "hippies". People who believe we should be preserving nature itself. While alot of these people are spiritual, that isn't to be mistaken as the same thing. They are not. The mindsets are very similar which is why they tend to overlap quite often, but so does peace and spiritualism as well, and we don't see them combined into the same thing either, and arguably those are even more closely entwined in beliefs.
I think changing spiritualism to "Naturalist" would make far more sense. The belief that we need to be preserving nature, not flat lining forests to build parking lots and factories. This then would make even more sense for Naturalist, someone who understands there needs to be a balance, but preserve when you can, to fanatical naturalist who hates everything to do with removing nature. This mindset having a contant headbutt match with industrial makes complete sense.
--------------------------
Spiritual itself I think should be combined with a new mechanic. Religion. Again not to be confused as the same thing, though again they are so similar they often go hand in hand so combine them together.
This would not be an ethic though, but a completely new choice that you choose. (Similar to choosing your populations traits).
A "Belief" traits screen that's coupled with the physical traits you choose for your population. These traits don't give specific bonus's or anything but they play a key role in the game itself and strategies. Two types of populations even from different empires entirely could have a similar spiritual belief, however, maybe they dont.
Or
It's an empire "belief" trait, that works on a global scale similar to industrial, warlike, etc. Empire that have a national type of "belief" get bonus opinions or negatives.
------------------------------
Ethics themselves, I feel also should be seriously overhauled at some point. These are the very foundations of your empire AND people. I think the ethics should have far bigger swings in every direction that hit on many things.
Examples:
Naturalists get bonus's to farm Districts, but negative to industrial, while also providing a boost to amenities, and happiness. They also get a bonus output to natural planet modifiers but certain other modifiers are locked out (like deep mineral deposits. They wouldn't be mining, and destroying the land to get to them).
Industrial are the same, but in reverse.
(There would be other modifiers and bonus's, negatives, but this is just an example of some changes and additions).
Peaceful as well should combine Peaceful and defensive. Since Peaceful is the direct opposite of warlike, they should have the similar opposite traits, going along the idea that any peaceful nation who has made this far, and survived this long, undertands that they need to be able to defend themselves, even if they aren't looking for fights.
Bonus's to defensive structures, stations, and home turf bonus's, and defensive army buffs. Meanwhile the warlike get similar buffs for being on the offensive and NOT defending themselves.
