The Ideology System

In my opinion this system has room for improvement in regards to making it more intuitive to players. This is because some of the options are not ideologies. For example innovation and compassion are not ideologies, they are traits/attributes. Also, while the stats might make it somewhat clear why a trait is exclusive to an ideology, it's name does not. For example, I think the majority of players will look at the name 'Prestige' before looking at its stats and wonder why it's exclusive to the 'Authority' ideology.

Also, I think we're going to have to iterate on which options go where. For example currently you can't choose both influence and research. Are you sure you want to make these mutually exclusive? Could the player have the choice of focusing on e.g. influence and research at the expense of military?

Are you open to adding more ideology spectrums into the game? For example:

Oligarchic vs Theocratic vs Technocratic vs Monarchic/Imperial

How about an option to be non-ideological with choices that focus on reason, logic and rationality? Maybe there are some species that are simply incapable of being ideological? These species could be locked out of ideological options but have some fun, interesting and competitive non-ideological options.

Below I've made some changes to some of the ideology names and some of the trait names in an attempt to make them more intuitive to the player. I know you're probably going to cringe at the names I've chosen, I'm no expert at this, but hopefully these changes make enough sense to illustrate my point. I have no doubt that you guys will come up with better names  

 

Liberty vs Authority Decentralization vs Centralization

Liberty Decentralization:

• Self-Governance- +10% Approval on colonies
• Mobility Rights- +2 Starbase Range
• Free Trade- Grants a free freighter and Trader citizen
• Free Markets- +10% Income
• Private Ownership- Starbases no longer pay maintenance
• Enterprise- -25% Colony and Asteroid decay
  

 

 Authority Centralization:

• Iron Fist - +10 Control
• Prestige War games - Double Ship Experience
• Service Favors/bribes/political kickbacks - Soldiers generate approval
• Discipline- Can rush multiple times a turn
• Watchful- Fleets inside our borders receive an escort fighter
• Threatening Conscription - 3 free transports
• Dangerous- Transports get escort fighters
  

 

Opportunity vs Equality Equal Opportunity vs Equality of Outcome

Opportunity Equal opportunity:

• ·   Ambition- Leaders cost less to hire
• ·   Recruiting- Reduced cooldown to recruit leaders
• ·   Incentives- +10 Loyalty for Leaders
•     Celebrate Talent- +5% Approval for X turns after recruiting a Leader
•     Ruling Class Merit - Leaders cost even less to hire
•     Poaching Compelling offer - When you capture a Core World you also get their governor  
  

 

Equality Equality of Outcome:

• ·   Commune- +15% Growth
•      Representation Diversity hires - +10% Approval for Colonists
•      Generational Homes- +2 Population capacity
•      Shared Purpose Directed purpose - +1 citizens Resolve
•      Happy Workers Workers Party - Planets with over 50% Approval get +10% Manufacturing
•      Hope Expectation - Planets with over 50% Approval get +10% Income
  

 

Tradition vs Innovation Cultural Exceptionalism/ vs Innovation

Tradition Cultural Exceptionalism:

• ·   Sacred History Devotion - +50% Homeworld Influence
•     Devotion Dogma - +10% Approval for Cleric citizens
•     Code of Law Bureaucratic State - Adds an additional Policy slot
•     Alluring Propaganda - All Starbases generate influence
•     Radiant Narrative Control - +10% Influence
•     Lorekeepers- Gain 3 free Cleric citizens
•     Dogma Indoctrination - Immune to Culture Flipping 
  

 

Innovation- Research:

• ·   Eureka- +5% Approval for X turns after discovering a new Tech
•     Deep Research- +3 research when surveying an anomaly
•     Focus on Education- Gain 3 free Scientist citizens
•     Breakthrough- +150 Research
•     Logic- +1 citizen Intelligence
•     Revere Respect Science- +10% Approval for Scientist citizens
•     Quantum Leap- +10% Research
  

 

Compassion vs Cruelty Pragmatism

Compassion:

• Kindness- Approval bonus based on the players Compassion awareness
• Charity- -10% Crime
• Caregiver Sustainability - -10% Pollution
• Humility - +2 Diplomacy
• Favored - Anyone at war with us suffers a 10% Approval Penalty
• Popular - Factions that declare war on us anger other civs
• Consensus - All civilizations declare war on anyone who invades our homeworld 
  

 

Cruelty Pragmatism:

• Intimidating - +5 Intimidation
• Callous Disregard Pragmatic - +10% Manufacturing, -2% Approval
• Military Reverence Hawks - +3 Soldiers, Warforged Favor
• Ruthless Military focus - +20% Soldiering
• Attrition- -25% hit points for enemy ships in our borders
• Bloodthirsty War machine - +1% Approval per conquered planet
  

 

Transparency vs Secrecy

Transparency:

• Amiable- +1 Diplomacy
• Negotiators- +1 Diplomatic Capital per turn
• Shrewd- +25% Credits in Trade
• Trustworthy- +1 citizen Social
• Fair Traders- +2 Diplomacy with civilizations we have trade routes with
• Reliable- Other races will trade more favourably with us  
  

 

Secrecy:

• Silver Tongue - +5 Deception
• Criminal Ties- Ally with the Pirates
• Darkness - Enemy ships in our borders are -1 to Sensor Range and Moves
• Paranoia - All of our Leaders are Paranoid (lol, so in practice what does this actually mean? What are the in-game consequences of this?)
• Crime Lords- 3 free Diplomat leaders and +3% global crime
• Hidden Agenda- No one will declare war on us for the next 50 turns

 

 Diversity vs Harmony Cultural integration vs Indigenous Culture

Diversity Cultural integration:

• Flexible- +2% to Income, Research and Manufacturing
• Inviting- 3 free random species citizens on your homeworld
• Adaptable- Gain 2 tiles on every planet
• Cultural Appreciation- +20% Tourism
• Acceptance- No Approval penalty for mixed species
• Enticing - All planets and starbases within our influence join us (this is going to be a very difficult choice to resist taking lol) 
  

 

Harmony Indigenous Culture:

• Unification- +15% Approval to your homeworld
• Shared Belief Values - +20% Resistance
• Preferred Culture - +10% Approval for our civ species, -5% approval for other species
• Unique Voice - Civilizations that declare war on us anger other civilizations
• Core of the Empire Heart of the civilization - +30% Manufacturing on our homeworld
• Crown of the Empire Jewel of the Civilization - +30% Income on our homeworld