Disclaimer: This is a loose proposal, without diving into deep details, and it currently doesn't fully factor in the broader macro-economy or war mechanics
drawing from our experience and thoughts gathered across various hardcore economic and simulation games we've played over the years.
it's time to think about it before the game dies in millions of gold coins and as too many resources on the market where the player should not be self-sufficient and without costs
so here are someone my ideas:
Instead of a state budget that generates a surplus, what if it naturally operated at a loss? We could introduce a system that forces players to actively donate and build production networks around their nation to sustain it—or face the loss of national bonuses. If you want a strong country, shouldn't you have to burn your money in this "bottomless pit"? This could be the ultimate money sink needed to combat inflation and give cash a real purpose.
Should companies continue to operate essentially for free? Right now, production chains are a simple "1 or 0" system. What if we introduced real operational requirements—like Electricity needed to run factories, and Coal needed to generate that Electricity?
Building on this, could we also introduce "cheap labor" as a tangible resource required for production? Imagine a dynamic where low-development countries naturally produce an abundance of this "cheap labor" resource, giving them a unique and vital economic role. Furthermore, shouldn't a country's development bonus be much more fluid? What if wars and conflicts actively impacted and destroyed these development levels, forcing nations to constantly rebuild their economic potential instead of sitting on permanent, static bonuses?
Right now, employing actual human players feels like an unnecessary luxury because of high costs compared to the effortless production we currently have. But what if we completely revamped this dynamic? We could connect the worker system directly to Pillar 1, creating a loop where employment fuels the state, and the state provides bonuses that make hiring real players actually profitable again.
Why should the economy be limited to individual players running isolated businesses? To create a truly "hardcore" simulation, we need a sophisticated system of State-Owned Enterprises (SOEs) and Joint-Stock Companies.
State Corporations as National Anchors: Building on Pillar 1 and 2, the State should have the power to establish its own corporations. These entities would manage critical infrastructure—like the national Power Grid or Coal Mines—ensuring that the "Bottomless Pit" of the state budget has the tools to generate the resources it needs to survive. This creates a strategic layer: Does the state privatize these assets for a quick cash injection, or run them as a public service to lower costs for all citizens?
Player Joint-Stock Companies & The Share Market: It’s time to move beyond the "one player, one company" model. By allowing players to form Joint-Stock Companies, we introduce a system of shared ownership. Players could issue shares, allowing others to invest capital in exchange for dividends. This enables "mega-projects" that are too expensive for a single person, fostering cooperation (or hostile takeovers) and creating a genuine financial market.
The "CEO" as a Real Career Path: This shift transforms the role of the economic player. Being a CEO would no longer be about micro-managing production cycles, but about portfolio management, investor relations, and strategic negotiations with the State. A CEO’s value would be measured not by their "clicks," but by the dividends they provide to their shareholders and the stability they bring to the national economy.
Are we ready to stop relying on easy spreadsheet tweaks and start building an economy where choices matter and costs are real? Do you think implementing these three pillars could help the economy balance itself through actual gameplay?
We are in simulation game and really has potencial for creating real economy.
This article is a loose proposal intended to spark imagination rather than provide a finished technical blueprint. My goal is to outline a path for evolving from a "flat economy" into a deeper simulation where every economic choice has real consequences. I have intentionally avoided deep math or complex mechanics at this stage, as I believe we first need to focus on the core vision for the game’s future. By introducing these pillars, we can create a sustainable system that prevents the economy from stagnating due to boredom or runaway inflation. This is about transforming the game into a dynamic environment where the roles of players, corporations, and the State truly matter.
(Note: I used AI to help translate my thoughts into better English to ensure my points are clear).