This is something that is partially missing from every 4x game ever, as far as I know. As far as I can see every sinlge game, had you had complete controll harvesting resources, or manufacturing and using it to build new units, research new technologies or simply store and accumulate wealth. Empire growth was exponential.
However this is not how things always turned out in history. Why be a king if you can't live like one? Comission works of arts and monuments to celebrate your benevolent rule. Go to one of your 117 room summer cottage, and relax on finest meticolous handcrafted furniture in the entire empire. Import the finest and rarest fragences and jewerly from the across the continent and display. Hold a hundred day of gladiatorial games, to celebrate your victories in combat. You get the idea.
Rulers throughout history have dumped tons of money and resources simply for their own enjoyment. I would like to somehow incorporate this concept with a 4X game such as elemental. I beleive this type of content is easier to implement without ruining game balance.
Ideas
A)Alternate victory scenario " The Princess Bride": Each player is trying to compete for the princess hand in marriage. By impressing her, with the grander splendour and might of your empire. Building commisioning the things above would generate a "impressiveness" score. The princess visits three times at x/y/z time marks and takes a weighted average of scores. Who ever is the highest total at Z wins her hand in marriage. *If you played a Eurogame you can see the influence*
B ) Pacify Pessentry. People only follow the king because he has power, and is directly appointed by 'god'. what better way to show your splendor, might and power than by spending money on temples, momuments and such things. Showing the peasents that you are soo much better than them and that they are trully beneath you and your servents. Basically you have to spend some money decorating your empire with custom content in order to expand, those who don't can suffer revolts.
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