.png){kind=avatar}
Here are just a few ideas I’m white-boarding so to open a discussion on ways a fun religion system can be implemented. Feasibility is held at a low importance at this current point in time, as the goal of the discussion is to get ideas out there more than anything else:
Religion Mechanics:
Point-Based System (similar to traits): Each religion has a certain number of starting points that can be invested in tenets that serve as the foundations and beliefs for the religion. The tenets and points can be scaled to population to represent the power of a religious institution growing with more followers.
Stratified System (similar to Civ 5): Each religion has proto-religious tenets that can then be developed into a system with various follower and founding beliefs. The founding beliefs are locked and cannot be changed, but the follower beliefs can be modified based on the ethics and pops composed of the followers of the religion.
Entity Worship:
It can be split into 3 categories:
Monotheistic: One powerful entity is worshiped and is considered to be incredibly powerful. Provides general bonuses to followers.
Polytheistic: Many powerful entities are worshiped and can be considered to have a hand in various parts depending on their ruling domains. Particularly useful in stratified systems.
Atheistic/Non-theistic: These center around more religious orders and doctrines than around the worship of a deity. This can also include living in harmony with nature or focusing on oneself according to tenets and principles. One way to categorize this is to look at Eastern-like religions like Buddhism or Taoism. These may be more suitable for materialistic ethics as this side can be more philosophical.
Cults:
Faction-like: Cults have happiness factors, and keeping them happy provides beneficial effects, while having them unhappy could bring unintended and detrimental effects such as a loss of stability, religious zealots, government disruption or coups, etc. They can be associated with tenets or beliefs that come with powerful effects or they can simply arise organically.
Other notes:
Unity as a currency: Unity can be used as a currency to purchase/switch beliefs and tenets in a similar way to influence is used for the government.
Influence as a currency: Influence can also be used depending on how influential the religion is in the operation of government. For example, cults and leaders that are religious could help contribute to the stability and happiness of planets.
Spread: Religions are like ethics in a way, and should spread and be able to have shifts in between populations.
Different Religion Interactions: Different religions may find themselves in the same world, and having them interact would be very interesting. The most organic way is to have it like species where sub-religions/denominations could split off from the “orthodoxy” based on how religions react where the new sub-religion gains parts of both religions (in a similar manner to how sub-species get mixed traits from Xeno-Compatibility).
No ethic locking religions: Don’t make religion locked to ethics, but you can make the tenets and beliefs locked to ethics instead. This leaves room for Materialists to have a machine-god religion and Megacorps to have flexibility without necessarily falling into the Gospel of the Masses civic. For example, Megacorps could have a money worshiping non-theistic religion that holds "Greed is good" and pushes people to try and make more money, which increases trade value at planets.
-----
I suppose in many ways this seems to be a religious take on the empire creation process, and so I want to hear other opinions as I feel my thoughts on the matter may be limited in it's approach.
Religion Mechanics:
Point-Based System (similar to traits): Each religion has a certain number of starting points that can be invested in tenets that serve as the foundations and beliefs for the religion. The tenets and points can be scaled to population to represent the power of a religious institution growing with more followers.
Stratified System (similar to Civ 5): Each religion has proto-religious tenets that can then be developed into a system with various follower and founding beliefs. The founding beliefs are locked and cannot be changed, but the follower beliefs can be modified based on the ethics and pops composed of the followers of the religion.
Entity Worship:
It can be split into 3 categories:
Monotheistic: One powerful entity is worshiped and is considered to be incredibly powerful. Provides general bonuses to followers.
Polytheistic: Many powerful entities are worshiped and can be considered to have a hand in various parts depending on their ruling domains. Particularly useful in stratified systems.
Atheistic/Non-theistic: These center around more religious orders and doctrines than around the worship of a deity. This can also include living in harmony with nature or focusing on oneself according to tenets and principles. One way to categorize this is to look at Eastern-like religions like Buddhism or Taoism. These may be more suitable for materialistic ethics as this side can be more philosophical.
Cults:
Faction-like: Cults have happiness factors, and keeping them happy provides beneficial effects, while having them unhappy could bring unintended and detrimental effects such as a loss of stability, religious zealots, government disruption or coups, etc. They can be associated with tenets or beliefs that come with powerful effects or they can simply arise organically.
Other notes:
Unity as a currency: Unity can be used as a currency to purchase/switch beliefs and tenets in a similar way to influence is used for the government.
Influence as a currency: Influence can also be used depending on how influential the religion is in the operation of government. For example, cults and leaders that are religious could help contribute to the stability and happiness of planets.
Spread: Religions are like ethics in a way, and should spread and be able to have shifts in between populations.
Different Religion Interactions: Different religions may find themselves in the same world, and having them interact would be very interesting. The most organic way is to have it like species where sub-religions/denominations could split off from the “orthodoxy” based on how religions react where the new sub-religion gains parts of both religions (in a similar manner to how sub-species get mixed traits from Xeno-Compatibility).
No ethic locking religions: Don’t make religion locked to ethics, but you can make the tenets and beliefs locked to ethics instead. This leaves room for Materialists to have a machine-god religion and Megacorps to have flexibility without necessarily falling into the Gospel of the Masses civic. For example, Megacorps could have a money worshiping non-theistic religion that holds "Greed is good" and pushes people to try and make more money, which increases trade value at planets.
-----
I suppose in many ways this seems to be a religious take on the empire creation process, and so I want to hear other opinions as I feel my thoughts on the matter may be limited in it's approach.
Upvote
0
