Polity (DRAFT)
Metadata
| Property | Value |
|---|---|
| Status | Planned |
| Priority | High |
| Version Target | v0.3 |
| Dependencies | Economy, Factions |
Overview
One paragraph summary of what this feature is and why it exists.
State the core design goal this feature serves.
Problem Statement
What problem does this feature solve? Why is it needed?
Example from Other Games: In Crusader Kings 3, the stress system creates meaningful consequences for going against your character's personality traits.
Proposed Solution
Core Mechanics
Describe the mechanics in detail.
System Interactions
Trade-offs
✅ Pros
- Adds meaningful player choices
- Creates emergent gameplay
- Integrates with existing systems
❌ Cons
- Increases complexity
- May slow down gameplay
- Requires balancing effort
Design Principles Applied
Depth Over Breadth
This feature prioritizes meaningful interactions over many shallow ones. See Deep Game Mechanics.
Don't make this feature feel like busywork. Every interaction should have clear consequences.
Avoid the "numbers go up" trap where progression feels hollow.
Implementation Phases
Phase 1: Core Loop v0.2
- Basic mechanic implementation
- Player-facing UI
Phase 2: Integration v0.3
- Connect to economy system
- AI can use the feature
Phase 3: Polish v0.4
- Balance pass
- Edge case handling
AI Considerations
Per our AI design principles, the AI must be able to use this feature with the same capabilities as players.
How will the AI interact with this feature?
Testing Criteria
| Test Case | Expected Result |
|---|---|
| Player uses feature correctly | Desired outcome occurs |
| Edge case: resource at zero | Graceful handling |
| AI uses feature | Same results as player |
Open Questions
- How does this interact with multiplayer?
- What are the performance implications?
- Does this need tutorial coverage?
Related Documents
Revision History
| Date | Author | Changes |
|---|---|---|
| 2025-12-01 | Your Name | Initial draft |