That's a nice list, but can you point to some specific game effects that all those options would have? It's all very well saying I have a religious democracy with a socialist economy and martial law, but it's hard to envision what game effect that would have. That's my constructive criticism bit. Also, you need to determine a real penaluty for changing government. SMAC/AX had a token money payment which was no penalty at all.
In favour of Civ1/2/3 style archetypes: Some of those combinations just don't make sense together, such as representative theocracy. Some of them might reasonably be expected to give different bonuses in specific combinations. This also makes it hard to mod effectively.
From a modder's point of view, social engineering is to government as the unit workshop is to units. It forces you into whatever archetypes and terminology the game designer decided are relevant, and it leaves the overall options very open.
In favour of Civ1/2/3 style archetypes: Some of those combinations just don't make sense together, such as representative theocracy. Some of them might reasonably be expected to give different bonuses in specific combinations. This also makes it hard to mod effectively.
From a modder's point of view, social engineering is to government as the unit workshop is to units. It forces you into whatever archetypes and terminology the game designer decided are relevant, and it leaves the overall options very open.
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