Concept: Introduce a dynamic trade network system that allows players to establish trade routes, form economic blocs, and engage in complex trade diplomacy, enhancing the economic gameplay and strategic depth of Humankind.


Mechanics:

  1. Trade Routes: Players can establish trade routes between their cities or with other civilizations. Trade routes could generate resources, income, and potential bonuses based on the types of resources being traded.

  2. Economic Blocs: Instead of just individual trade deals, civilizations could form economic blocs with specific benefits. Economic blocs could be formed based on shared ideologies, cultures, or diplomatic ties. Bloc members could enjoy reduced trade tariffs, shared research boosts, or even coordinated military actions.

  3. Trade Agreements: Trade agreements could become more intricate, allowing for multi-resource trades, technology exchanges, and joint economic ventures. Players could also negotiate trade embargoes against specific civilizations to apply economic pressure.

  4. Resource Dependence: Certain resources might be region-specific, encouraging interdependence and trade. This would promote cooperation between civilizations and discourage isolationism.

  5. Trade Disputes: Disputes over trade routes, tariffs, and embargo decisions could be taken to a diplomatic stage, adding a layer of complexity to diplomatic negotiations.

  6. Piracy and Protection: Introduce the possibility of piracy on trade routes, necessitating investment in naval or security forces to protect valuable trade networks.

  7. Economic Technologies: Include a technology tree dedicated to economic advancements. Technologies could range from improvements in logistics for longer trade routes to innovations in financial systems that grant economic bonuses.

  8. Economic Victory Path: Implement an economic victory condition that requires achieving a certain level of global economic dominance, encouraging players to focus on economic growth and influence.

Benefits:

  1. Strategic Depth: The trade network system adds another layer of strategy, encouraging players to balance economic growth with diplomatic decisions and military readiness.

  2. Diplomatic Interactions: The intricacies of forming trade blocs, negotiating agreements, and managing disputes provide more opportunities for engaging diplomatic interactions.

  3. Economic Specialization: Players can specialize their cities based on the resources they have and engage in strategic trading to acquire the resources they lack.

  4. Realism and Immersion: A robust trade system enhances the realism of the game world, reflecting the historical importance of trade networks in human civilization.

  5. Varied Gameplay Paths: The introduction of economic blocs and trade diplomacy diversifies gameplay paths, allowing for peaceful economic victories, cooperative bloc-building, or cutthroat economic competition.