Lesson #1 in How to Keep Your People Happy? Do not ignore their suggestions.
This week, I decided to start a CIV game in which I would not try to be successful. Instead I decided to rule my civilization with a "because I can" attitude. I was the ruler. They should not dare to question my authority.
Example: No, citizens of Rome, you may not build an aqueduct in the city. You must live among your filth for the rest of eternity. Needless to say, my city eventually fell, most likely to the plague (the game says barbarians pillaged my city, but I choose to stand by my plague theory). Actually, my whole civilization didn't least very long. I concentrated in making my people very smart. They knew all the new technologies centuries before other people did, they were just not fighters. In about 400 AD, my people were in such disarray that it was quite simple for a surrounding nation to conquer mine. Oh well.
While my people were living in the miserable conditions I created for them, I imagined myself to be living in a palace of pure gold, with slaves to cater to my every whim. I was living the good life while my people were slowing dropping like flies.
This is one of the points that Jared Diamond made at his speech a few weeks ago. Even though I wasn't really living the good life while my people suffered, I treated the game as such. I did not care about the health or happiness of my people (do you know how upsetting it is to look at your screen and see a whole bunch of angry red faces staring back at you? my cities = not pleased) I essentially locked myself in a "gated community." This became the reason for the eventual dissolution of my civilization.
As Diamond said, we cannot be members of a global community if we do not care about our fellow man. Sometimes the bests interests of the general public are our best interests as well. Only then will our own civilization be able to survive and prosper.
I'll step off my soapbox now...
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3 comments:
yeah, I attended the Diamond conference as well. awkward microphone problems reflected poorly on Rollins, I though. Anyways, yes, it is VERY important to keep happy people, otherwise they will mutiny and join other civilizations. At first I didn't pay much attention to the red or green faces surrounding the cities, but I realized quite soonly that the happiness of your people is pivotal to the success of your empire.
I've been having a lot of trouble with that as well. Most of the time, I just kind of want to ignore all my cities' requests so I can focus more on doing and creating what I want. However, like you I paid for it when nearly all my cities got angry and unhealthy making them all much harder to deal with.
What you should try doing, which I've already started, is routinely check out your cities' status. See how mad/happy they are and how healthy/unhealthy they are and what's affecting each. If your city is unhealthy because it's surrounded by jungle then cut it down, if your city is unhappy because you don't have enough protection then create more soldiers, etc.
That is so funny! I was wondering what to do once I finish my game. I guess play different scenarios would be a good way to make the game more interesting. The idea of a gated community with servents would be a good idea if you were inside the gate living the luxury life but that is about it... the other people must have been pretty pissed. I am supprised that your people didn't revolt or something. I look forward to reading about your other ideas.
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