Oriental Empires -- 4x historical strategy

[Surtur]

There is quite a bit to the city management, although you can automate a bit if you are not into it. Basically each city has a number of building slots that can be used and you can upgrade your cities to aquire more. These buildings can be market squares, city walls, factories etc. In addition there are terrain improvements outside of the city that the city folk have to work to get. This can be creating new farm land, clearing wooded areas, setting up a road network and building mines and harbours at designated locations. These buildings and improvements require no building slots, as they are created outside of the city.

Another thing to note is that the cities consists of both nobles and common folk and you will have to keep both happy (make them feel secure etc.) to keep the city under control.

[Martok]

Sounds fairly meaty.  O0 

Regarding cities, will the player be encouraged to specialize them in any way (finance, food, administration, etc.)?  And is there any sort of mechanism(s) in place to prevent/limit city "spam"? 

[Surtur]

Yes to both.

From very early on, you will find that there are more potential buildings than there are slots. So specialization is indeed a must.

As to city spamming. The obvious mechanism to prevent this is by population numbers, as recruiting settlers costs population. In addition, there is the authority mechanic. Basically the more authority you have (gained from technologies, winning battles etc.), the more cities you can control. It is not a hard limit, but controlling more than your authority allows for can cause unrest.

[jomni]

Are there events and quests?

[Martok]

Yes to both.

From very early on, you will find that there are more potential buildings than there are slots. So specialization is indeed a must.

As to city spamming. The obvious mechanism to prevent this is by population numbers, as recruiting settlers costs population. In addition, there is the authority mechanic. Basically the more authority you have (gained from technologies, winning battles etc.), the more cities you can control. It is not a hard limit, but controlling more than your authority allows for can cause unrest.

Sweet.  8) 

[Gusington]

Sounds good Surtur, thank you.

[undercovergeek]

sounds a lot deeper than i imagined

[Gusington]

^...

[tgb]

<tgb sits and waits silently for a release date to appear on the Steam page>

[W8taminute]

Really looking forward to this title now.  Thanks for the info Surtur.

[jomni]

Yes to both.

From very early on, you will find that there are more potential buildings than there are slots. So specialization is indeed a must.

As to city spamming. The obvious mechanism to prevent this is by population numbers, as recruiting settlers costs population. In addition, there is the authority mechanic. Basically the more authority you have (gained from technologies, winning battles etc.), the more cities you can control. It is not a hard limit, but controlling more than your authority allows for can cause unrest.

Sweet.  8)

I like the sound of "Authority" as the ancient Chinese go by the logic of "Mandate of Heaven" (Divine right to rule).  And even the "kings" of the independent states of the Zhou Dynasty are just actually given the right to rule an area of land by the Zhou King.  Thou the Zhou King ended up as a figure head but still the official Divine Ruler until the Spring Autumn and Warring States Period where the independent Kings declared they are equal and battled for ultimate supremacy.

I'm interested about the diplomacy. How the relationships of states are done, and do they feature the hierarchy above, feudal vassalage, or tributary relationships.

[Surtur]

Are there events and quests?

There are no quests etc and no scripted events like we know from games like Europa Universalis. There are Edicts though, which are events/effects you can trigger yourself (think a bit like Ageod). Also there are rebelions/civil wars etc. Especially when your faction leader dies.

As for diplomacy, you can have protectorates that serve you once you are kicking some ass (the AI will actually offer to be your protectorate if it thinks it will get destroyed otherwhise). In addition, you can have other clans acknowledge you as the emperor.

[Gusington]

Is there any sort of naval component?

[Freyland]

Is there any sort of naval component?

Yes. Each developer has a belly button.  O:-)

[AchillesLastStand]

Is there any sort of naval component?

Here is a direct quote from a developer......
"Yes there will be naval battles, that will work in the same way as land battles. Work on these won't start until after Early Access release though, so I can't say too much, other than that they're planned to be in the game".