Game Development Reference
In-Depth Information
The Roman city simulation game
Caesar III
(
Figure 9.2
)
is a good example of an
economy-building game. In this game, players grow cities in the era of the Roman
Empire. They need to build infrastructure for traffic and water and construct build-
ings to produce food and other basic resources. To expand the city's economy, the
player needs residences, workshops, markets, and warehouses. The simulated citi-
zens demand temples, schools, and theaters, and at the same time, the player must
provide security against different types of threats by building prefectures, city walls,
and hospitals. Finally, the player must train soldiers to protect the city from invad-
ing barbarians.
FIGURe 9.2
Caesar III
The city's economy is dominated by a multitude of resources. Farms produce wheat,
fruits, or olives, and clay pits produce clay that can be converted into pottery in
special workshops. Other workshops convert olives into oil, or metal into arms.
The residences the player builds are in constant need of these and other goods.
The better the player can supply these residences, the wealthier their inhabitants
become. This has two advantages. First, wealthier houses can house more people
and generate more labor to operate the farms and workshops (at least initially).
Second, wealthier citizens pay more tax money needed to build more farms, work-
shops, and residences; to pay the salaries of prefectures that keep the city safe from
crime and fire; or to pay the military to protect the city from invading barbarians.
