|
I wanted to share a subset of mechanics that I have been developing for use in the kingdom building aspect of the campaign. Some of this was inspired by the Civilization console games.
I am hoping to get feedback, and also additional ideas to incorporate for use with this mechanic. What other facets can these elements affect/augment? What events can they play a role in and why and how? etc.
This is the actual post I made on my gaming messageboard for the players to read. (they do not yet know that this is not actually part of the published campaign).
Culture Vs Technology
Overview
In most cases, these two elements of a society are typically counter-productive of each other. Civilizations that are rife with culture are often behind in technology that could make them a global powerhouse. On the other hand, civilizations that focus only on technology and advances fail to sprinkle a modicum of culture upon it's people. While not the antithesis of each other, the two concepts do typically act to hinder each other.
Historically, there was a renassaince era that saw the world bring about amazing cultural advances. It was replaced by an industrial era that saw culture take a backseat while industry, technology, and factories began to take a foothold in the world.
In the real world, you can think of Sweden as a major contributor of culture. They won't be winning any wars anytime soon, but at least they have the stylish Saab; and their swim team isn't so bad either. By contrast, few people ever consider taking their vacations in Korea. In the heart of the Cold War, the USSR pushed incredibly hard to advance their technology while literally forbidding its people to embrace culture: such things as westerized music and even Levi jeans that were popular elsewhere were greatly restricted.
Throughout the development of your kingdom, choices you make and improvements you establish in your cities by way of construction will inevitably begin to generate technological advances and discoveries and will begin to shower your people with a culture of its own. Different actions taken by your leaders, types of buildings that are established in your cities, and certain events that occur as a result of the evolving world will advance one of these concepts. You can begin to envision how your kingdom is reflected and how your cities embrace each of these notions; such as Paris and/or Rome being highly regarded as cultural cities, while Tokyo is one of the first places we think of when technology is discussed.
How Does it Work?
Like most concepts in the RPG, Culture and Technology in the campaign is measured numerically - not just an abstract notion. The numbers are tallied and tracked by the DM, but is disclosed to the players - to aid in meta-gaming decisions. Essentially, after certain events, or choices made by the kingdom's leaders affect either the culture or technology, the DM narrates these changes to the players. The total recorded for each score represents the entire kingdom - not individual cities. Furthermore, for every 5 points of currently held in one category, adjusts the other by a -1; as one stifles the other's ability to thrive.
What Do the Numbers Mean?
Like most concepts in the RPG, the totals are used to quantify the abstract idea. During the Event Phase, the DM has adjudicate any activity that occurs and narrates the events to you as well as summarizing any changes that occur to the kingdom as a result of the choices that were made during the previous phases of that turn. The DM then assigns any Culture Points or Technology Points (CPs or TPs) that may have been accrued as a result of the summarizing. At this point, you can choose to spend CPs or TPs to affect the next turn. Using CPs or TPs to affect your kingdom is done by spending multiples of 5 points.
Culture is typically obtained a bit slower and used in less frequent endeavors than Technology, however the impact that Culture has is typically more profound, and more immediate. Culture can be used to help address Unrest, be used to augment the effectiveness of an Edict, or be used to help in certain events that affect your kingdom - either acting as a buffer against adverse events, or acting to promote beneficent events. Finally, you can use Culture to affect your people's Loyalty or reduce the amount of consumption your kingdom uses (think eco-friendly sorts who promote things such as recycling).
Technology is accrued most typically by way of certain buildings that are established in a city. Technology can be used for a number of things to advance the kingdom's effectiveness. Most aptly, it can address Stability, or Economy when these are crucial during a phase in the next turn. Alternatively, you can spend TPs to undergo a venture of reseach in hopes of discovering technological advances. Such advances can do things such as increasing the productivity of the kingdom (BPs - for instance, finding new methods of farming), locating new resources (such as drilling for oil in the real world), upgrading defenses (such as improving walls) or making certain types of buildings or structures become more efficient at providing their benefits to your kingdom. Also, as technology advances and your TPs increase, you can discover new types of buildings, structures, or architecture that could greatly benefit your cities.
Note a couple of the buildings that I considered being "unlocked" from technology advancement are: sewers, and aquaducts. These ideas I got from previous posts - specifically with aquaducts helping in fire disasters or drought, and sewers helping in plaques or floods.
Other ideas for "advanced" buildings and how they can help in events would be appreciated.
More ideas will most likely come after I read the rules on mass combat in the new Kingmaker issue I just got - but I'm waiting to apply these concepts to that after I consider all the possibilities they have on actual building of the kingdom.
Your comments are appreciated.
Robert
|
|
More behind the scene thoughts. These are points not specifically made in my original post as these are the actual mechanics that I haven't yet decided on:
Buildings:
Buildings that generate Culture:
Academy, Arena, Cathedral, Guildhall, Inn, Library, Luxury Store, Magic Shop, Mansion, Monument, Noble Villa, Park, Tavern, Temple, Theatre
Tenements remove Culture.
Buildings that generate Technology:
Academy, Alchemist, Barracks, Caster's Tower, Exotic Craftsman, Garrison, Granary, Guildhall, Herbalist, Magic Shop, Mill, Piers, Smith, Tannery, Tradesman, Watchtower, Waterfront
Parks remove Technology.
Spending Technology to do research ventures:
I liked the idea of "terraforming" that I read on another post - I figured that would be something that could be learned via spending TPs.
Resource finding - spending 1d3+1 turns (months) to find a new resources in a hex. Resource hexes increase the productivity from the hex. Essentially a group of geologist minds are excavating hills or mountains or woods or whatever looking to strike gold (or whatever).
Increasing productivity of farms - like learning new ways to cultivate, adding irrigationg etc. This can increase a farms production by 1 for one hex. Requires 1 turn.
Increase Defenses - spend 1d3+1 turns to increase functionality of one of the building types that increase defenses. This effects all such buildings in a particular district.
Technology for Stability or Economy
Perhaps using it in phase one to affect the Stability check by +2 The technology of the city made a discovery so that controlling the kingdom was easier that turn.
Perhaps using it to help sell a magic item by giving a +2 to economy check - maybe the technology aided in advertisement, or showing it off, or making word of mouth carry faster and further, etc.
Culture for Unrest
A reduction of 1 Unrest at the end of a turn can make a difference. Using culture to do so may be a good way to limit Unrest at the end of one phase when preparing to go into another one. Culture can be as simple as streetside artist or something.
Culture for Edicts
Somehow I would like Culture to increase the effectiveness of an edict - perhaps by spending the 5 culture points, Stability, Economy or Loyalty bonus increases to the next higher category for the same price.
Events
I'm thinking some of the events that are listed could benefit culture - like visiting celebrity, good weather, Natural blessing, new vassals, and Outstanding success (which affects both).
Others help technology: Economic Boon, Food Surplus, Outstanding success,
Certain events may be able to be helped by spending CPs or TPs (but not sure how - yet - a bonus to the associated check seems to make sense).
TPs: Bandit Activity, Food shortage, Disaster, Monster Attack, Sensational Crime, Plague,
CPs: Assassination Attempt, Feud, Public Scandal
Other ideas are welcomed
Robert
In most cases, these two elements of a society are typically counter-productive of each other. Civilizations that are rife with culture are often behind in technology that could make them a global powerhouse. On the other hand, civilizations that focus only on technology and advances fail to sprinkle a modicum of culture upon it's people. While not the antithesis of each other, the two concepts do typically act to hinder each other.
No. Just, no.
I'm sorry, I don't really have time to give all the reasons that this doesn't work, so let me just say two things...Hollywood, and the Internet.
The example with Sweden doesn't work, as Sweden was (and to some extent still is) an industrial powerhouse by regional standards. For example, the Swedish defense industry still produces large amounts of the Swedish military's hardware, whereas Norway and Denmark buy from larger countries (and I thinke the Germans would be miffed if you tell them they have no culture since they have lots of industry).
Also, the Renaissance saw the introduction of all that fancy armor we take for granted in fantasy settings (full plate is Renaissance tech), which is most certainly "technology". It also saw the introduction of functional gunpowder weapons. (Defining the Renaissance as roughly 1400-1550).
|
|
In most cases, these two elements of a society are typically counter-productive of each other. Civilizations that are rife with culture are often behind in technology that could make them a global powerhouse. On the other hand, civilizations that focus only on technology and advances fail to sprinkle a modicum of culture upon it's people. While not the antithesis of each other, the two concepts do typically act to hinder each other.No. Just, no.
I'm sorry, I don't really have time to give all the reasons that this doesn't work, so let me just say two things...Hollywood, and the Internet.
Really??? The internet and Hollywood are best friends...? In case you haven't seen the news lately, the internet has been the bane for movie and music industry thanks for a new and easier means of theft.
Sure the internet has produced a new type of culture - but it's still typically media and entertainment which is a form of culture; there is a lot of technology that is not entertainment based.
Robert
|
|
The example with Sweden doesn't work, as Sweden was (and to some extent still is) an industrial powerhouse by regional standards. For example, the Swedish defense industry still produces large amounts of the Swedish military's hardware, whereas Norway and Denmark buy from larger countries (and I thinke the Germans would be miffed if you tell them they have no culture since they have lots of industry).
Also, the Renaissance saw the introduction of all that fancy armor we take for granted in fantasy settings (full plate is Renaissance tech), which is most certainly "technology". It also saw the introduction of functional gunpowder weapons. (Defining the Renaissance as roughly 1400-1550).
Really guys? Really??? This is the help the board can offer??? Me thinks thou art focusing too much on the fluff details and nitpicking.
What I was hoping to procure from everyone was some ideas to make the "RULES" and mechanics work. Not debate esoteric military facts about Sweden.
Culture vs Technology; Art vs Science; fluff vs mechanics, democrats vs republicans, left side vs right side of the brain - however you wish to categorize them. They are two different approaches. While they may sometimes compliment each other in some ways, too much of one will inevitably begin to diminish the other. As I said, this is a gamist concept - concepts that were inspired by the Civilization computer/console game; in that game you can win via a cultural victory, or a technology victory (among others). If you pursue both equally youre bound to lose.
That's all I was trying to emulate; and simulating for gamists perspective. What I would appreciate is feedback on how the mechanics are designed and how to make them work better or more robust. The idea was to add more fun to the kingdom creation process.
Regardless of the Internet and Hollywood, your premise is that in fantasy (ie pre-industrial) societies culture and technology are negatively corroborated. However, judging by historical examples, this is wrong. Especially the Renaissance, which is the most historical analog to a fantasy setting. During this time, there were great advances in technology AND culture.
Culture is generally innovative and changing (I hesitate to claim "better") in societies experiencing great changes, it being economic growth, increased international standing, wars and the like. And monumental culture is generally just an indicator of a bunch of really rich people hiring a lot of artist to make neat stuff. Regardless, this drive is not negatively corroborated with an increase in technological growth.
EDIT: If you want feedback, don't couple the systems. Let each be a separate total, and don't reduce one when the other increases.
|
|
EDIT: If you want feedback, don't couple the systems. Let each be a separate total, and don't reduce one when the other increases.
Fine. That's good advice. Thank you for the afterthought.
Now if that's the only area that could be improved then it appears I'm a better rules and mechanics writer than I gave myself credit for.
I'll give you an example of what I speak: Think of the debates in Alaska for oil drilling. Do we "waste the providable resources in order to preserve the natural culture" losing out on valuable resources? OR do we ignore natural culture for the sake of technology?
The more you swing the pendulum in one direction or the other, the other loses out on more.
Robert
I see your point, but in a fantasy setting "pendulum mechnics" are better for religious (Abadar vs. Erastil, Pharasma vs. Gorum) or "interest groups" ("logging vs. druids", merchants vs nobles). Culture and industry would simply be spending areas and not corroborated. Modern "this or that"-questions are more about budgeting in almost all cases except environmentalism and conservation, and budgeting is built into BPs (and taxation edicts). Spending on health care does not hamper spending on defence other than the fact that the state has a limited amount of resources to divide between the two.
|
|
Spending on health care does not hamper spending on defence other than the fact that the state has a limited amount of resources to divide between the two.
Thank you for the input - and that is precisely the "balance" act that I'm trying to illustrate.
Another example that came to me - "Mordor" Talk about an anti-cultural society that is about nothing except some war-technology despot.
Of course my limited knowledge of star trek makes me think of the Klingons, too. But you could barely fill a thimble with my knowledge of Star Trek.
Robert
Curious. Pocket Empires for MM's Traveller also uses Culture as the big "pendulum score," though it treats the relationship between technology and culture in the opposite fashion.
I agree in general, but I don't agree in specific. While I'd love to see a lot more guns or butter in a dominion simulator than is in the current KM set up, using culture doesn't fit with the genre terribly well.
|
|
I agree in general, but I don't agree in specific. While I'd love to see a lot more guns or butter in a dominion simulator than is in the current KM set up, using culture doesn't fit with the genre terribly well.
Interesting. I don't necessarily disagree. However just because Brevoy and KM seem to be more of a dark ages setting, doesn't exclude it from haing the concept of culture. Religion and festivals, along with events such as celebrity visitng, even some arena events (should the arena be built) all of which are part of the kingdom building, can create a modicum of culture among the people.
Robert