Reading what has been posted so far about the two races United Empire (UaE) and Cravers (sorry my feeble brain translated that to humans and borg-types) and also reading the economy model I have a few queries on Dust/populations.



IMHO the idea to have a deep economy with a simple interface is important to the game success. And really hard to balance unless it just ignores the stated Race personalities.

• Economy seems based on 'human' type population motives so diplomacy with non-economy-based races would be challenging?
• If Cravers are just resource consumers scouring the galaxy for civilizations to devour how would their internal hierarchy fit with the economic model? Would they have enough societal structure to even have a government to rebel against?
• Dust as a replacement for currency -- is that just semantics? Seems like a finite resource or is it being mined, created somewhere by the precursors? You mention some heroes can actually 'use' it. Is it then destroyed? converted to something else? Just trying to understand balance issues. I always liked the way the buy/sell rates fluctuate based on demand/supply in SoSE, RON, etc.
• With the UE being ruthless mercantilists wouldn't their strongest weapons be economic? Trade embargoes? Mercenaries? McDonalds and Starbucks in the alien capitals?
  
  

could go on with a long list but pointless until we have all the races presented. I'm just curious on other's take on this.

maceman wrote:
Reading what has been posted so far about the two races United Empire (UaE) and Cravers (sorry my feeble brain translated that to humans and borg-types) and also reading the economy model I have a few queries on Dust/populations.



IMHO the idea to have a deep economy with a simple interface is important to the game success. And really hard to balance unless it just ignores the stated Race personalities.

• Economy seems based on 'human' type population motives so diplomacy with non-economy-based races would be challenging?
• If Cravers are just resource consumers scouring the galaxy for civilizations to devour how would their internal hierarchy fit with the economic model? Would they have enough societal structure to even have a government to rebel against?
• Dust as a replacement for currency -- is that just semantics? Seems like a finite resource or is it being mined, created somewhere by the precursors? You mention some heroes can actually 'use' it. Is it then destroyed? converted to something else? Just trying to understand balance issues. I always liked the way the buy/sell rates fluctuate based on demand/supply in SoSE, RON, etc.
• With the UE being ruthless mercantilists wouldn't their strongest weapons be economic? Trade embargoes? Mercenaries? McDonalds and Starbucks in the alien capitals?
  
  

could go on with a long list but pointless until we have all the races presented. I'm just curious on other's take on this.

I can see how having each species have their own economy model would be great, in terms of both gameplay and immersion, but the more species you have the more complex the whole system becomes. And I already hardly enjoy the 3 species variety of SOASE, no matter the "factions" they want to incorporate in Rebellion. The cravers should have the same economy model, altered to suit the species background. I hate to bring MOO2 as an example, but the Cybernetic trait did something similar to what we want here. They should have a similar trait/s for the Cravers and assign them to this species, maybe consuming Dust as well. I don't think needlessly consuming everything is their whole MO, as they need science and structure to even be a civilization, let alone conquer the stars. I believe the intent is for the species to be a borg simile as you put it and that's that.



I think that Dust is "produced" in your systems, as all resources are; but of course have their own modifiers and ways to increase production. It seems since no civilization can actually manufacture this nanobot network, they simply find it hidden across the planets they occupy. Which brings to bear the question of when and if it actually runs out. For what I've read, you spend dust on abilities for your agents and thus that Dust is gone; so to speak. I also agree with you that given the background for the UE, it should have trade related traits; maybe special abilities such commissioning the merchant marine for warfare or hiring mercenaries as you suggest. This I believe would all run on Dust. Really if you think about it, Dust seems just a namesake for money/credits; it serves the same purpose really. It does add an additional immersion factor, given the backstory of the game; as little as we know now.