Afterworld and the use of RPG hooks in grand strategy
DiscussionComments
Adding trait trees to administrative units often leads to build homogenization. We saw this in several 4X titles where specific governor combinations rendered all other strategic choices obsolete.
I am not sure if governors are enough to make it less daunting... if the core global management is still a spreadsheet, a few character perks won't really hide the friction... wouldn't a more central protagonist be more effective?
I am skeptical that this avoids compromising systemic complexity. When we saw similar simplified onboarding in the early 2010s strategy boom, the abstractions usually just obscured the actual levers of power until the player hit a wall.
To your point about obscured levers, I wonder if they are using a scaffolded approach to complexity. Specifically, does the game utilize progressive disclosure (revealing mechanics only when the narrative requires them) or is it a parallel system?
look at the recent thread on qol traps; friction is where the mastery happens.
If the RPG hooks serve as a narrative wrapper for complex variables, it could effectively reduce the initial cognitive load. A character's personal quest could hypothetically guide a player through the economic systems without it feeling like a manual.
The interview actually specifies that these RPG hooks are tied to Sector Governors with unique trait trees. This suggests the RPG elements are integrated into the administrative layer rather than just being a separate player-character layer.