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IDProjectCategoryLast Update
0016502Stars Beyond ReachBug - GameplayMay 4, 2015 7:49 pm
Reporterptarth Assigned ToChris_McElligottPark  
Status resolvedResolutionfixed 
Product Version0.809-0.810 
Fixed in Version0.811 (First Orangeshirts Release) 
Summary0016502: New Growth System for 0.811
DescriptionLooking at the new population growth system described in the patch notes worries me:

The maximum population for cities (both AI and player) are now increased to be the maximum number of jobs in the city if that is higher than the available food/water/crops/housing.
This keeps it so that birth rates can continue on more smoothly for the player, and it prevents all sorts of circular logic issues for the AI that was keeping them from growing.

Unless I'm mistaken, this means that if you have built tons of water/food/crops/jobs, but no housing, your population will grow to that size. Then those additional homeless people will cause a homeless citizen - crime death spiral.

On the other hand, jobs are typically the limiting factor to stable growth, so you won't see this except in very prosperous cities. I'd like the player to be limited to their housing and the ability to disable stabilize a city population by button, even if you have excess of everything. Or perhaps a series of population limits (housing, meals, jobs, no births, stable growth) where you can set what your limit is (default is housing). It could even unlock with a technology level.
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Chris_McElligottPark

May 4, 2015 7:49 pm

administrator   ~0040476

Good point, thanks!

* The maximum population for AI cities is now increased to be the maximum number of jobs in the city if that is higher than the available food/water/crops/housing.
** This keeps it so that birth rates can continue on more smoothly for the AI, and it prevents all sorts of circular logic issues for the AI that was keeping them from growing.
** But, on the player side, it allows for more fine-tuned growth based on how you build housing, as ptarth preemptively pointed out with the patch notes.
** Please note that AIs that are overdrawn on having more citizens than they "should" be able to support with their current meals/crops/housing/water will be having a new mechanic in upcoming versions that actually makes for interesting opportunities for you. Right now it seems a little cheaty for the AI, but it will actually be a bargaining chip for you with a new "distress" mechanic that will result from the AI being overdrawn. It's basically the AI's counterpart to crime, but where crime is an internal concern (great for you as a player, but invisible to you if the AI is faffing about with it), distress is an external concern (actually visible to you, and something that you can interact with in an interesting way).

Issue History

Date Modified Username Field Change
May 4, 2015 5:16 pm ptarth New Issue
May 4, 2015 7:49 pm Chris_McElligottPark Note Added: 0040476
May 4, 2015 7:49 pm Chris_McElligottPark Status new => resolved
May 4, 2015 7:49 pm Chris_McElligottPark Fixed in Version => 0.811 (First Orangeshirts Release)
May 4, 2015 7:49 pm Chris_McElligottPark Resolution open => fixed
May 4, 2015 7:49 pm Chris_McElligottPark Assigned To => Chris_McElligottPark