{"title":"4X strategy games","prompt":"What makes a great 4X strategy game?","summary":"A 4X game hands the player an empire of one city and a hidden map, then asks them to explore, expand, exploit and exterminate against rival empires, one turn at a time. Underneath, it is a growth engine: land becomes yields, yields buy more land, research and armies, and the lead compounds. A designer's work is mostly brakes and choices. Expansion costs, upkeep, war weariness and catch-up rules stop the snowball from deciding the game early, and the tech tree, map and rivals keep each turn full of decisions without an obvious best answer. The genre's known faults show up late in the game: too many orders per turn and a winner who is clear long before the end.","root":"four-x-game","nodes":[{"term":"4X strategy game","aka":["4X game","empire builder","Civ-like","turn-based strategy"],"kind":"product","plain":"A strategy game in which you lead an empire from one settlement across a map you have not yet seen. You explore, expand, exploit and exterminate, turn by turn, against rival empires.","ask":"Does every turn hold a decision the player cares about, from the first city to the last war?","cues":["A tile or star map with unexplored fog at its edges","Per-turn yields in a top bar and a research goal","Rival leaders and an End Turn button"],"children":["map","expansion","economy","tech-tree","military","rivals","factions","victory","turn","interface","four-x-arc"],"variants":[{"label":"Setting","items":[{"id":"setting-history","name":"Historical","plain":"A history-spanning world from the first city into the modern era.","why":"The historical skin is surface: the same cities, yields and tech tree run under a space or fantasy setting.","sources":[{"label":"2K Games, Sid Meier's Civilization IV Manual","url":"http://cdn.akamai.steamstatic.com/steam/apps/3900/manuals/manual.pdf?t=1416443468","kind":"maker","page":"Introduction","quote":"can span the entirety of human history.","work":"2k-civ4-manual"}],"svg":{"screen":"7Roma3Antium+24+31+18+27+91250 AD Turn 112FeudalismNEXTTURN"}},{"id":"setting-space","name":"Space","plain":"Star systems instead of tiles, colonies on planets and fleets instead of armies.","why":"Space is the setting, not the reason: a space 4X still settles, grows, researches and fights over a shared map.","sources":[{"label":"Stellaris Wiki (Paradox), Beginner's guide","url":"https://stellaris.paradoxwikis.com/Beginner%27s_guide","kind":"reference","page":"Beginner's guide","quote":"is an evolution of the grand strategy genre with science fiction and space exploration as its core premises.","work":"stellaris-paradoxwikis-beginners-guide"}],"svg":{"screen":"Sol+24+31+18+27+92312.04Fusion DriveNEXTTURN"}},{"id":"setting-fantasy","name":"Fantasy","plain":"A fantasy world with magic, heroes and monsters beside cities and armies.","sources":[{"label":"MuHa Games, Master of Magic Game Manual","url":"https://shared.fastly.steamstatic.com/store_item_assets/steam/apps/1623070/manuals/Master_of_Magic_Manual_Patch_March_24.pdf?t=1726823439","kind":"maker","page":"Introduction","quote":"With these raw materials, you must build a thriving city, explore the two worlds of Arcanus and Myrror, and finally, expand your empire so that you may master the arcane arts.","work":"master-of-magic-manual"}],"svg":{"screen":"7Valdor3Ashfen+24+31+18+27+9Season 34Arcane ForgingNEXTTURN"}}]},{"label":"Platform","items":[{"id":"platform-pc","name":"Computer","plain":"A computer game: the program simulates the world, applies the rules and keeps the accounts.","sources":[{"label":"2K Games, Sid Meier's Civilization V Manual","url":"https://downloads.2kgames.com/civ5/site13/community/feature_manual/Civ_V_Manual_English_v1.0.pdf","kind":"maker","page":"About Civilization V","quote":"It is the longest-lived and best world history computer simulation ever published","work":"2k-civ5-manual"}]},{"id":"platform-board","name":"Board game","plain":"A tabletop 4X. Players lay out a galaxy of system tiles on the table and track their own units and technologies.","why":"A board 4X keeps the four Xs; the table only changes who does the bookkeeping.","sources":[{"label":"Fantasy Flight Games, Twilight Imperium: Fourth Edition Rules Reference","url":"https://cs.uwaterloo.ca/~dtompkin/archive/dtlib/base/Twilight%20Imperium%20(Fourth%20Edition).pdf","kind":"maker","page":"Complete Setup","quote":"Place the Mecatol Rex system tile in the center of the common play area—this is the center of the galaxy.","work":"twilight-imperium-rules"},{"label":"Fantasy Flight Games, Twilight Imperium: Fourth Edition Rules Reference","url":"https://cs.uwaterloo.ca/~dtompkin/archive/dtlib/base/Twilight%20Imperium%20(Fourth%20Edition).pdf","kind":"maker","page":"Complete Setup","quote":"Each player gains the starting technologies and starting units listed on the back of his faction sheet.","work":"twilight-imperium-rules"}],"look":{"parts":[{"slot":"stand","shape":"box","size":[0.08,0.6,0.08],"pos":[-0.85,0.3,-0.5],"material":"matte","color":"#6b4a2b"},{"slot":"stand","shape":"box","size":[0.08,0.6,0.08],"pos":[0.85,0.3,-0.5],"material":"matte","color":"#6b4a2b"},{"slot":"neck","shape":"box","size":[0.08,0.6,0.08],"pos":[-0.85,0.3,0.5],"material":"matte","color":"#6b4a2b"},{"slot":"neck","shape":"box","size":[0.08,0.6,0.08],"pos":[0.85,0.3,0.5],"material":"matte","color":"#6b4a2b"},{"slot":"bezel","shape":"box","size":[2,0.06,1.2],"pos":[0,0.63,0],"material":"matte","color":"#8a6038"},{"slot":"board","shape":"plane","size":[1.6,0.9],"pos":[0,0.665,0],"rot":[-90,0,0],"material":"matte","color":"#ffffff","svg":""},{"slot":"screen","shape":"plane","size":[0.01,0.01],"pos":[0,0.62,0],"material":"matte","color":"#8a6038","opacity":0},{"slot":"pieces","shape":"cone","radius":0.04,"height":0.1,"pos":[-0.3,0.72,0.1],"material":"gloss","color":"#d33c2f"},{"slot":"pieces","shape":"cone","radius":0.04,"height":0.1,"pos":[0.35,0.72,-0.15],"material":"gloss","color":"#3b6fd1"},{"slot":"pieces","shape":"box","size":[0.12,0.02,0.18],"pos":[0.7,0.68,0.38],"material":"matte","color":"#e8e0c8"}]}}]}],"sources":[{"label":"PC Gamer, Alan Emrich, the game designer and writer who coined the term '4X,' has died","url":"https://www.pcgamer.com/games/strategy/alan-emrich-the-game-designer-and-writer-who-coined-the-term-4x-has-died/","kind":"reference","page":"Alan Emrich, the game designer and writer who coined the term '4X,' has died","quote":"I give MOO a XXXX rating because it features the essential four Xs of any good strategic conquest game: EXplore, EXpand, EXploit, and EXterminate.","work":"pcgamer-alan-emrich-4x"}],"id":"four-x-game","look":{"parts":[{"slot":"stand","shape":"box","size":[0.7,0.04,0.36],"pos":[0,0.02,0],"material":"metal","color":"#3a3d44"},{"slot":"neck","shape":"box","size":[0.12,0.32,0.06],"pos":[0,0.2,-0.04],"material":"metal","color":"#3a3d44"},{"slot":"bezel","shape":"box","size":[1.9,1.1,0.06],"pos":[0,0.85,0],"material":"gloss","color":"#121316","radius":0.03},{"slot":"screen","shape":"plane","size":[1.8,1],"pos":[0,0.85,0.032],"material":"screen","color":"#ffffff","svg":"7Roma3Antium+24+31+18+27+91250 AD Turn 112FeudalismNEXTTURN"}]}},{"term":"Map","aka":["world map","galaxy map","the board"],"kind":"part","plain":"The playing field: tiles, regions or star systems, each with terrain and resources, mostly hidden at the start.","does":"Gives exploration its payoff and makes each empire's position different.","ask":"Does this map give each player different, readable choices about where to go?","cues":["Tiles with terrain colours and resource icons","Black or greyed fog beyond the explored area"],"children":["tile-grid","map-generation","map-size","fog-of-war","start-position","exploration-rewards"],"sources":[{"label":"2K Games, Sid Meier's Civilization IV Manual","url":"http://cdn.akamai.steamstatic.com/steam/apps/3900/manuals/manual.pdf?t=1416443468","kind":"maker","page":"The Main Screen","quote":"The Main Map displays all of your “Known World” – therein you can see your cities, terrain, improvements, resources and units, and all neutral/foreign lands that are “visible” to you.","work":"2k-civ4-manual"}],"at":[0,0.8,0.05],"id":"map","look":{"parts":[{"slot":"frame","shape":"box","size":[1.6600000000000001,0.96,0.04],"pos":[0,0,-0.025],"material":"matte","color":"#1d2026","radius":0.03},{"slot":"screen","shape":"plane","size":[1.6,0.9],"pos":[0,0,0],"material":"screen","color":"#ffffff","svg":"Seed 48213N"}]}},{"term":"Tile grid","aka":["hexes or squares","map grid"],"kind":"knob","plain":"How the map is cut into spaces where units stand and cities work land.","does":"Sets movement, adjacency and distance, so it shapes combat and the spacing of cities.","ask":"How many neighbours does each space have, and is each neighbour the same distance away?","cues":["Square, hexagon or region outlines on the map","Lanes drawn between star systems"],"range":"Squares and hexes; irregular regions; star lanes.","trouble":"A lane map with few links turns some systems into chokepoints that every fleet must cross, so a few spaces decide where wars are fought.","sources":[{"label":"2K Games, Sid Meier's Civilization V Manual","url":"https://downloads.2kgames.com/civ5/site13/community/feature_manual/Civ_V_Manual_English_v1.0.pdf","kind":"maker","page":"The World","quote":"the world is made up of hexagonally-shaped “tiles” (also occasionally referred to as hexes and spaces).","work":"2k-civ5-manual"},{"label":"Stellaris Wiki (Paradox), FTL","url":"https://stellaris.paradoxwikis.com/FTL","kind":"reference","page":"Hyperlanes","quote":"Star systems are connected to one another by hyperlanes, safe passages across interstellar space.","work":"stellaris-paradoxwikis-ftl"}],"variants":[{"label":"Grid","items":[{"id":"grid-square","name":"Squares","plain":"Square spaces that units and cities use on the map.","sources":[{"label":"2K Games, Sid Meier's Civilization IV Manual","url":"http://cdn.akamai.steamstatic.com/steam/apps/3900/manuals/manual.pdf?t=1416443468","kind":"maker","page":"Cultural Borders","quote":"At first these borders will be small, encompassing only the eight squares surrounding the city.","work":"2k-civ4-manual"}],"svg":{"grid":""}},{"id":"grid-hex","name":"Hexes","plain":"Hexagon-shaped tiles used for terrain and movement.","sources":[{"label":"2K Games, Sid Meier's Civilization V Manual","url":"https://downloads.2kgames.com/civ5/site13/community/feature_manual/Civ_V_Manual_English_v1.0.pdf","kind":"maker","page":"The World","quote":"the world is made up of hexagonally-shaped “tiles” (also occasionally referred to as hexes and spaces).","work":"2k-civ5-manual"}],"svg":{"grid":""}},{"id":"grid-region","name":"Regions","plain":"Irregular geographical areas that divide a larger map into convenient subdivisions.","sources":[{"label":"Longbow Digital Arts, Hegemony Gold: Wars of Ancient Greece Manual","url":"https://shared.akamai.steamstatic.com/store_item_assets/steam/apps/202690/manuals/Hegemony%20Manual.pdf?t=1528406223","kind":"maker","page":"Map Regions","quote":"The game map is divided into 132 geographical regions.","work":"hegemony-manual"}],"svg":{"grid":""}},{"id":"grid-lanes","name":"Star lanes","plain":"Star systems joined by fixed routes; ships move only along the lanes, so chokepoints form.","sources":[{"label":"Stellaris Wiki (Paradox), FTL","url":"https://stellaris.paradoxwikis.com/FTL","kind":"reference","page":"Hyperlanes","quote":"a system which must be traversed to access the systems on its other side.","work":"stellaris-paradoxwikis-ftl"}],"svg":{"grid":""}}]}],"at":[-0.08,0.005,0.02],"id":"tile-grid","look":{"parts":[{"slot":"frame","shape":"box","size":[1.06,1.06,0.04],"pos":[0,0,-0.025],"material":"matte","color":"#1d2026","radius":0.03},{"slot":"grid","shape":"plane","size":[1,1],"pos":[0,0,0],"material":"screen","color":"#ffffff","svg":""}]}},{"term":"Procedural map generation","aka":["random map","map script","map seed"],"kind":"process","plain":"A map template generates a different world each game from a chosen type.","does":"Makes each game a new map problem.","ask":"Are the maps new each time and still fair and playable?","cues":["A map type and size picker before the game","A seed number in the setup screen"],"trouble":"A player is stranded on a small island, or every map looks the same after a few games.","sources":[{"label":"2K Games, Sid Meier's Civilization IV Manual","url":"http://cdn.akamai.steamstatic.com/steam/apps/3900/manuals/manual.pdf?t=1416443468","kind":"maker","page":"Starting a Game","quote":"each individual world created will be different from game to game.","work":"2k-civ4-manual"}],"variants":[{"label":"Map type","items":[{"id":"map-continents","name":"Continents","plain":"A few large land masses split by ocean, so contact between some players waits for ships.","sources":[{"label":"2K Games, Sid Meier's Civilization V Manual","url":"https://downloads.2kgames.com/civ5/site13/community/feature_manual/Civ_V_Manual_English_v1.0.pdf","kind":"maker","page":"Map Type","quote":"This creates an Earth-like world with several big continents and some smaller islands.","work":"2k-civ5-manual"}],"svg":{"preview":""}},{"id":"map-pangaea","name":"Pangaea","plain":"One large land mass: every empire can reach every other by land, so contact comes early.","sources":[{"label":"2K Games, Sid Meier's Civilization V Manual","url":"https://downloads.2kgames.com/civ5/site13/community/feature_manual/Civ_V_Manual_English_v1.0.pdf","kind":"maker","page":"Map Type","quote":"This creates a world with one huge continent and possibly some smaller islands.","work":"2k-civ5-manual"}],"svg":{"preview":""}},{"id":"map-archipelago","name":"Archipelago","plain":"Many small islands: expansion and war both depend on ships.","sources":[{"label":"2K Games, Sid Meier's Civilization V Manual","url":"https://downloads.2kgames.com/civ5/site13/community/feature_manual/Civ_V_Manual_English_v1.0.pdf","kind":"maker","page":"Map Type","quote":"This creates a world with many large and small islands, but no full continents.","work":"2k-civ5-manual"}],"svg":{"preview":""}},{"id":"map-galaxy","name":"Galaxy","plain":"A space map of star systems joined by hyperlanes, the main routes between stars. Lane density is set before the game and decides how many chokepoints the map has.","sources":[{"label":"Stellaris Wiki (Paradox), FTL","url":"https://stellaris.paradoxwikis.com/FTL","kind":"reference","page":"Hyperlanes","quote":"Star systems are connected to one another by hyperlanes, safe passages across interstellar space.","work":"stellaris-paradoxwikis-ftl"},{"label":"Stellaris Wiki (Paradox), FTL","url":"https://stellaris.paradoxwikis.com/FTL","kind":"reference","page":"Hyperlanes","quote":"Hyperlane density, how interconnected star systems are, can be adjusted at game start, from 0.5× to 2.75× or Full. Higher density reduces the number of chokepoint systems and vice versa","work":"stellaris-paradoxwikis-ftl"}],"svg":{"preview":""}}]}],"at":[-0.62,0.4,0.02],"id":"map-generation","look":{"parts":[{"slot":"frame","shape":"box","size":[1.6600000000000001,0.96,0.04],"pos":[0,0,-0.025],"material":"matte","color":"#1d2026","radius":0.03},{"slot":"screen","shape":"plane","size":[1.6,0.9],"pos":[0,0,0],"material":"screen","color":"#ffffff","svg":"NEW GAMEMap typeContinentsMap sizeStandardPlayers8Seed48213"},{"slot":"preview","shape":"plane","size":[0.64,0.384],"pos":[0.32,0.085,0.005],"material":"screen","color":"#ffffff","svg":""}]}},{"term":"Map size","aka":["world size","number of players"],"kind":"knob","plain":"How many tiles or systems the map holds, usually set with the number of players.","does":"Sets how long the land grab lasts and when empires first meet.","ask":"When does free land run out, and when do rivals first meet?","range":"From duel maps for two players to huge maps for a dozen or more.","trouble":"Too much land per player: no contact for a long time. Too little: war before there is an economy to fight it.","sources":[{"label":"2K Games, Sid Meier's Civilization V Manual","url":"https://downloads.2kgames.com/civ5/site13/community/feature_manual/Civ_V_Manual_English_v1.0.pdf","kind":"maker","page":"Map Size","quote":"The size of the map you choose will also determine the number of civilizations and city-states in the game.","work":"2k-civ5-manual"}],"at":[0.65,-0.35,0.02],"id":"map-size","look":{"parts":[{"slot":"frame","shape":"box","size":[1.6600000000000001,0.56,0.04],"pos":[0,0,-0.025],"material":"matte","color":"#1d2026","radius":0.03},{"slot":"screen","shape":"plane","size":[1.6,0.5],"pos":[0,0,0],"material":"screen","color":"#ffffff","svg":"Map sizeDuelTinySmallStandardLargeHuge8 players"}]}},{"term":"Fog of war","aka":["black map","unexplored territory","shroud"],"kind":"part","plain":"The parts of the map a player has never seen, and the parts no unit of theirs can see now.","does":"Turns the map into something to discover and hides rival moves.","ask":"What does the player know now, and what is a guess from old information?","cues":["Black areas that were never explored","Greyed tiles that show what was last seen"],"sources":[{"label":"2K Games, Sid Meier's Civilization V Manual","url":"https://downloads.2kgames.com/civ5/site13/community/feature_manual/Civ_V_Manual_English_v1.0.pdf","kind":"maker","page":"The World","quote":"until you explore the world, it’s hidden in the “fog of war.”","work":"2k-civ5-manual"},{"label":"Longbow Digital Arts, Hegemony Gold: Wars of Ancient Greece Manual","url":"https://shared.akamai.steamstatic.com/store_item_assets/steam/apps/202690/manuals/Hegemony%20Manual.pdf?t=1528406223","kind":"maker","page":"Fog of War","quote":"obscures the current state of anything which is not within view of a friendly unit or building.","work":"hegemony-manual"}],"at":[0.51,0.05,0.02],"id":"fog-of-war","look":{"parts":[{"slot":"frame","shape":"box","size":[1.6600000000000001,0.96,0.04],"pos":[0,0,-0.025],"material":"matte","color":"#1d2026","radius":0.03},{"slot":"screen","shape":"plane","size":[1.6,0.9],"pos":[0,0,0],"material":"screen","color":"#ffffff","svg":"last seen"}]}},{"term":"Start position balance","aka":["fair starts","start bias"],"kind":"measure","plain":"How much useful food, production, commerce and resources a player's starting site offers, plus its position near friends and enemies.","does":"Makes the opening stronger or weaker because city location strongly affects success.","ask":"Would a strong player accept any of these starts?","trouble":"One player starts on rich river land, another in tundra, and the game is decided before anyone meets.","sources":[{"label":"2K Games, Sid Meier's Civilization IV 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villages","ruins","anomalies"],"kind":"part","plain":"Sites on the map that give a reward to whoever reaches them first: gold, a map, a unit, a technology.","does":"Pays for early scouting, so a scout competes with building at home.","ask":"Is a scout worth more now than another building?","cues":["Hut or ruin icons on unexplored land","A reward message when a unit enters one"],"sources":[{"label":"2K Games, Sid Meier's Civilization V Manual","url":"https://downloads.2kgames.com/civ5/site13/community/feature_manual/Civ_V_Manual_English_v1.0.pdf","kind":"maker","page":"Ancient Ruins","quote":"Ruins provide a random benefit to the civilization of the unit that first enters their tile.","work":"2k-civ5-manual"},{"label":"2K Games, Sid Meier's Civilization V Manual","url":"https://downloads.2kgames.com/civ5/site13/community/feature_manual/Civ_V_Manual_English_v1.0.pdf","kind":"maker","page":"Ancient Ruins","quote":"The ruin provides a map of the surrounding area (lifting the fog of war 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city.","work":"2k-civ4-manual"}],"at":[-0.35,0.86,0.05],"id":"expansion","look":{"parts":[{"slot":"frame","shape":"box","size":[1.6600000000000001,0.96,0.04],"pos":[0,0,-0.025],"material":"matte","color":"#1d2026","radius":0.03},{"slot":"screen","shape":"plane","size":[1.6,0.9],"pos":[0,0,0],"material":"screen","color":"#ffffff","svg":"7Roma3AntiumCities 4Upkeep -6"}]}},{"term":"Settler","aka":["colony ship","settling unit"],"kind":"part","plain":"A unit that founds a new city or colony where it stops.","does":"Is the price of expansion: what the empire gives up now for a city later.","ask":"What else could this production or population have bought?","cues":["A unit with a Found City action","A cost in production, food or population"],"trouble":"Settlers so cheap that sprawl always wins, or so dear that the map stays empty.","sources":[{"label":"2K Games, Sid Meier's Civilization V 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If the Settler is in a location where a city can be constructed, the “Found City” action button will appear.","work":"2k-civ5-manual"}],"at":[0.075,-0.06,0.02],"id":"settler","look":{"parts":[{"shape":"box","size":[0.7,0.14,0.36],"pos":[0,0.22,0],"material":"matte","color":"#8a5a2a"},{"shape":"cylinder","radiusTop":0.2,"radiusBottom":0.2,"height":0.62,"pos":[0,0.3,0],"rot":[0,0,90],"material":"matte","color":"#efe4c4","cut":180},{"shape":"torus","radius":0.11,"tube":0.025,"pos":[-0.24,0.12,0.2],"material":"matte","color":"#4a2f16"},{"shape":"torus","radius":0.11,"tube":0.025,"pos":[0.24,0.12,0.2],"material":"matte","color":"#4a2f16"},{"shape":"torus","radius":0.11,"tube":0.025,"pos":[-0.24,0.12,-0.2],"material":"matte","color":"#4a2f16"},{"shape":"torus","radius":0.11,"tube":0.025,"pos":[0.24,0.12,-0.2],"material":"matte","color":"#4a2f16"},{"shape":"box","size":[0.4,0.03,0.03],"pos":[0.52,0.18,0],"material":"matte","color":"#4a2f16"}]}},{"term":"City site selection","aka":["where to settle","city placement"],"kind":"process","plain":"Choosing where to found a city: the tiles it will work, fresh water, coast, resources and the distance to other cities.","does":"Fixes what a city can ever produce, since a city cannot move.","ask":"What will this city's tiles make over the game, and how much does it overlap its neighbours?","cues":["Suggested-site markers on the map","The work radius shown before founding"],"sources":[{"label":"2K Games, Sid Meier's Civilization IV Manual","url":"http://cdn.akamai.steamstatic.com/steam/apps/3900/manuals/manual.pdf?t=1416443468","kind":"maker","page":"Choosing a City Site","quote":"A city’s ultimate success or failure will depend greatly upon where it is constructed.","work":"2k-civ4-manual"},{"label":"2K Games, Sid Meier's Civilization V Manual","url":"https://downloads.2kgames.com/civ5/site13/community/feature_manual/Civ_V_Manual_English_v1.0.pdf","kind":"maker","page":"Founding a City","quote":"Cities should be constructed in locations with plenty of food and production and with access to resources.","work":"2k-civ5-manual"}],"at":[0.08,-0.01,0.02],"id":"city-site","look":{"parts":[{"slot":"frame","shape":"box","size":[1.6600000000000001,0.96,0.04],"pos":[0,0,-0.025],"material":"matte","color":"#1d2026","radius":0.03},{"slot":"screen","shape":"plane","size":[1.6,0.9],"pos":[0,0,0],"material":"screen","color":"#ffffff","svg":"Site yield+3+2+1river, coast"}]}},{"term":"Territory and borders","aka":["borders","culture borders","claimed land"],"kind":"part","plain":"The land an empire owns, marked by a coloured border that grows out from its cities.","does":"Shows who owns what and where rivals press against each other.","ask":"Where do borders meet, and who can claim the land between them?","cues":["Coloured border lines around cities","Borders that push outward over the turns"],"sources":[{"label":"2K Games, Sid Meier's Civilization IV Manual","url":"http://cdn.akamai.steamstatic.com/steam/apps/3900/manuals/manual.pdf?t=1416443468","kind":"maker","page":"Cultural Borders","quote":"Within these borders lies the territory dominated by your cities.","work":"2k-civ4-manual"},{"label":"2K Games, Sid Meier's Civilization V Manual","url":"https://downloads.2kgames.com/civ5/site13/community/feature_manual/Civ_V_Manual_English_v1.0.pdf","kind":"maker","page":"Culture and Borders","quote":"As a city gains culture, it will acquire additional tiles in the surrounding unclaimed territory.","work":"2k-civ5-manual"}],"at":[-0.6,0.05,0.02],"id":"territory","look":{"parts":[{"slot":"frame","shape":"box","size":[1.6600000000000001,0.96,0.04],"pos":[0,0,-0.025],"material":"matte","color":"#1d2026","radius":0.03},{"slot":"screen","shape":"plane","size":[1.6,0.9],"pos":[0,0,0],"material":"screen","color":"#ffffff","svg":"7Roma6Kyoto"}]}},{"term":"Expansion brake","aka":["empire size penalty","city maintenance","sprawl","unhappiness from cities"],"kind":"knob","plain":"A cost that grows with the number or spread of cities: upkeep, unhappiness or an empire-size penalty.","does":"Stops \"more cities is always better\", so the player must weigh each new city.","ask":"At what empire size does one more city stop paying for itself?","trouble":"No brake: many small cities win every game. Too strong: one large city is the only good play.","pattern":"pattern-braking-engine","sources":[{"label":"Soren Johnson, GD Column 17: Water Finds a Crack","url":"https://www.designer-notes.com/game-developer-column-17-water-finds-a-crack/","kind":"practitioner","page":"Water Finds a Crack","quote":"Thus, building too many cities too early crippled a player’s economy, killing ICS at long last.","work":"soren-johnson-water-finds-a-crack"}],"variants":[{"label":"Brake","items":[{"id":"brake-maintenance","name":"City maintenance","plain":"Each city costs gold per turn, and the cost scales with the total number of cities.","sources":[{"label":"Soren Johnson, GD Column 17: Water Finds a Crack","url":"https://www.designer-notes.com/game-developer-column-17-water-finds-a-crack/","kind":"practitioner","page":"Water Finds a Crack","quote":"by adding a per-city maintenance cost that scaled with the total number of cities.","work":"soren-johnson-water-finds-a-crack"}],"svg":{"meter":"City maintenanceRoma 0Antium -2Cumae -3Ostia -4Capua -5"}},{"id":"brake-happiness","name":"Empire-wide unhappiness","plain":"More cities add unhappiness to one empire-wide pool, which slows growth when it goes negative.","sources":[{"label":"2K Games, Sid Meier's Civilization V Manual","url":"https://downloads.2kgames.com/civ5/site13/community/feature_manual/Civ_V_Manual_English_v1.0.pdf","kind":"maker","page":"Happiness","quote":"As the number of cities in your civ grows, so does your unhappiness.","work":"2k-civ5-manual"},{"label":"2K Games, Sid Meier's Civilization V Manual","url":"https://downloads.2kgames.com/civ5/site13/community/feature_manual/Civ_V_Manual_English_v1.0.pdf","kind":"maker","page":"Happiness","quote":"An unhappy population’s growth rate is significantly slowed, but there are no other ill effects.","work":"2k-civ5-manual"}],"svg":{"meter":"Empire happiness:):):):):):):(:(:(:(+12 luxuries -16 cities = -4"}},{"id":"brake-sprawl","name":"Empire size","plain":"An empire-size score; empire size above 100 raises the cost of technology and traditions.","sources":[{"label":"Stellaris Wiki (Paradox), Beginner's guide","url":"https://stellaris.paradoxwikis.com/Beginner%27s_guide","kind":"reference","page":"Expansion","quote":"empire size above 100 adds increasing costs to technology and traditions, which represents the difficulty of spreading new ideas across a larger empire.","work":"stellaris-paradoxwikis-beginners-guide"}],"svg":{"meter":"Empire size / admin limitlimit 3036Over the limit: research and policies cost more"}},{"id":"brake-disapproval","name":"Expansion disapproval","plain":"Each additional city creates expansion disapproval, so approval limits how many cities the empire can control efficiently.","sources":[{"label":"Endless Legend Wiki, Approval","url":"https://endlesslegend.wiki.gg/wiki/Approval","kind":"reference","page":"Expansion Disapproval","quote":"Managing approval is thus a top priority for most empires, since it effectively limits how many cities the empire can efficiently control.","flag":"site refuses automated fetch; 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it can move anywhere in the empire.","sources":[{"label":"2K Games, Sid Meier's Civilization IV Manual","url":"http://cdn.akamai.steamstatic.com/steam/apps/3900/manuals/manual.pdf?t=1416443468","kind":"maker","page":"City Commerce","quote":"You expend your income in a variety of ways: to support military units, to hurry production of units (under certain civics), to purchase items from other civilizations and so forth","work":"2k-civ4-manual"}],"svg":{"icon":"$"}},{"id":"yield-science","name":"Science","plain":"Pays for research in the technology tree.","sources":[{"label":"2K Games, Sid Meier's Civilization V Manual","url":"https://downloads.2kgames.com/civ5/site13/community/feature_manual/Civ_V_Manual_English_v1.0.pdf","kind":"maker","page":"Research","quote":"Every turn your civilization gets a number of beakers added to its science pool.","work":"2k-civ5-manual"}],"svg":{"icon":""}},{"id":"yield-culture","name":"Culture","plain":"Grows borders and buys social policies or civics.","sources":[{"label":"2K Games, Sid Meier's Civilization V Manual","url":"https://downloads.2kgames.com/civ5/site13/community/feature_manual/Civ_V_Manual_English_v1.0.pdf","kind":"maker","page":"Culture","quote":"In the game culture has two main effects: it increases the size of your cities’ territories (and therefore your overall borders) and it allows you to purchase new “Social Policies.”","work":"2k-civ5-manual"}],"svg":{"icon":""}}]}],"at":[-0.65,0.1,0.02],"id":"yields","look":{"parts":[{"slot":"frame","shape":"box","size":[1.06,1.06,0.04],"pos":[0,0,-0.025],"material":"matte","color":"#1d2026","radius":0.03},{"slot":"icon","shape":"plane","size":[1,1],"pos":[0,0,0],"material":"screen","color":"#ffffff","svg":""}]}},{"term":"City growth","aka":["population growth","food surplus"],"kind":"process","plain":"A city stores its surplus food until it gains a citizen, and each citizen works one more tile.","does":"Is the city-level growth engine: more citizens work more tiles and make more yields.","ask":"How many turns until the next citizen, and which tile will that citizen work?","cues":["Turns-to-grow on the city banner","A food bar filling toward the next citizen"],"pattern":"pattern-boosting-engine","sources":[{"label":"2K Games, Sid Meier's Civilization V Manual","url":"https://downloads.2kgames.com/civ5/site13/community/feature_manual/Civ_V_Manual_English_v1.0.pdf","kind":"maker","page":"City Growth","quote":"Any food left over is put into the poetically-named “City Growth Bucket.”","work":"2k-civ5-manual"},{"label":"2K Games, Sid Meier's Civilization V Manual","url":"https://downloads.2kgames.com/civ5/site13/community/feature_manual/Civ_V_Manual_English_v1.0.pdf","kind":"maker","page":"City Growth","quote":"When the quantity of food reaches a specific amount, the city’s population (citizens) will increase by 1","work":"2k-civ5-manual"}],"at":[-0.65,-0.06,0.02],"id":"city-growth","look":{"parts":[{"slot":"frame","shape":"box","size":[1.6600000000000001,0.6599999999999999,0.04],"pos":[0,0,-0.025],"material":"matte","color":"#1d2026","radius":0.03},{"slot":"screen","shape":"plane","size":[1.6,0.6],"pos":[0,0,0],"material":"screen","color":"#ffffff","svg":"7Romagrows in 3Food 36 / 50 +5 per turn"}]}},{"term":"Tile improvements","aka":["farms and mines","workers","builders"],"kind":"part","plain":"Changes to tiles, such as farms, mines and roads, usually made by worker units.","does":"Raise a tile's yields, so the player invests now for output later.","ask":"Which improvement does this tile need, and would the worker do more good elsewhere?","cues":["Farms, mines and roads drawn on tiles","Worker units in the field"],"sources":[{"label":"2K Games, Sid Meier's Civilization V Manual","url":"https://downloads.2kgames.com/civ5/site13/community/feature_manual/Civ_V_Manual_English_v1.0.pdf","kind":"maker","page":"Workers and Improvements","quote":"Improvements increase the production, gold, and/or food output of tiles.","work":"2k-civ5-manual"}],"at":[-0.34,0.1,0.02],"id":"tile-improvement","look":{"parts":[{"slot":"frame","shape":"box","size":[1.6600000000000001,0.96,0.04],"pos":[0,0,-0.025],"material":"matte","color":"#1d2026","radius":0.03},{"slot":"screen","shape":"plane","size":[1.6,0.9],"pos":[0,0,0],"material":"screen","color":"#ffffff","svg":""}]}},{"term":"Production queue","aka":["build queue","what to build"],"kind":"process","plain":"The list of things a city is making (units, buildings, wonders or settlers), paid for with production.","does":"Is where many turn decisions land: each item built is another item not built.","ask":"Which item pays back soonest, and which is urgent?","cues":["A city build menu with turns to complete","Items queued after the current one"],"sources":[{"label":"2K Games, Sid Meier's Civilization V Manual","url":"https://downloads.2kgames.com/civ5/site13/community/feature_manual/Civ_V_Manual_English_v1.0.pdf","kind":"maker","page":"The City Screen","quote":"Only one can be constructed at a time. When construction is complete the “CHOOSE PRODUCTION” alert message will appear; click on this to access the “City Build Menu” and choose the next item to construct.","work":"2k-civ5-manual"}],"at":[-0.34,-0.06,0.02],"id":"build-queue","look":{"parts":[{"slot":"frame","shape":"box","size":[1.26,0.96,0.04],"pos":[0,0,-0.025],"material":"matte","color":"#1d2026","radius":0.03},{"slot":"screen","shape":"plane","size":[1.2,0.9],"pos":[0,0,0],"material":"screen","color":"#ffffff","svg":"PRODUCTIONSettler4 turnsGranary6 turnsSpearman3 turnsLibrary9 turnsWonder: Great Library22 turns"}]}},{"term":"Strategic resources","aka":["iron, horses and oil","luxury resources","special resources"],"kind":"part","plain":"Scarce resources on certain tiles that some units and buildings need, or that keep citizens content.","does":"Make land unequal, so players trade for resources or fight over them.","ask":"Who controls the resource that the next units need?","cues":["Resource icons on map tiles","Units greyed out in the build menu for lack of a resource"],"sources":[{"label":"2K Games, Sid Meier's Civilization V Manual","url":"https://downloads.2kgames.com/civ5/site13/community/feature_manual/Civ_V_Manual_English_v1.0.pdf","kind":"maker","page":"Strategic Resources","quote":"Strategic resources are not visible at the start of the game: they require knowledge of a particular technology before they appear on a map.","work":"2k-civ5-manual"},{"label":"2K Games, Sid Meier's Civilization V Manual","url":"https://downloads.2kgames.com/civ5/site13/community/feature_manual/Civ_V_Manual_English_v1.0.pdf","kind":"maker","page":"Strategic Resources","quote":"Strategic resources allow you to build certain units and buildings.","work":"2k-civ5-manual"}],"at":[-0.03,0.1,0.02],"id":"strategic-resources","look":{"parts":[{"shape":"cylinder","radiusTop":0.34,"radiusBottom":0.36,"height":0.06,"pos":[-0.55,0.03,0],"material":"matte","color":"#8c7b4c"},{"shape":"cone","radius":0.22,"height":0.22,"pos":[-0.55,0.17,0],"material":"metal","color":"#7a7f88"},{"shape":"cylinder","radiusTop":0.34,"radiusBottom":0.36,"height":0.06,"pos":[0,0.03,0],"material":"matte","color":"#6f9e3e"},{"shape":"box","size":[0.3,0.12,0.1],"pos":[0,0.16,0],"material":"matte","color":"#7a4a24"},{"shape":"box","size":[0.06,0.12,0.08],"pos":[0.12,0.27,0],"material":"matte","color":"#7a4a24"},{"shape":"cylinder","radiusTop":0.34,"radiusBottom":0.36,"height":0.06,"pos":[0.55,0.03,0],"material":"matte","color":"#dcc47e"},{"shape":"lathe","smooth":true,"profile":[[0,0],[0.14,0.03],[0.2,0.12],[0.19,0.22],[0.12,0.33],[0.04,0.43],[0,0.47]],"pos":[0.55,0.06,0],"material":"gloss","color":"#14110e"}]}},{"term":"Upkeep","aka":["maintenance","unit support"],"kind":"knob","plain":"A per-turn cost for keeping units, buildings or cities.","does":"Is a drain that stops the player from keeping everything they have ever built.","ask":"What share of income goes to upkeep, and does it rise faster than income?","trouble":"Too low: huge standing armies. Too high: the player cannot afford to build.","pattern":"pattern-braking-engine","sources":[{"label":"2K Games, Sid Meier's Civilization IV Manual","url":"http://cdn.akamai.steamstatic.com/steam/apps/3900/manuals/manual.pdf?t=1416443468","kind":"maker","page":"Unit Maintenance","quote":"Depending upon the size of your civilization and the civics you are employing, you may have to pay “maintenance costs” each turn to support some or all of your units.","work":"2k-civ4-manual"},{"label":"MuHa Games, Master of Magic Game Manual","url":"https://shared.fastly.steamstatic.com/store_item_assets/steam/apps/1623070/manuals/Master_of_Magic_Manual_Patch_March_24.pdf?t=1726823439","kind":"maker","page":"Buildings","quote":"Buildings also may have maintenance costs, which are automatically paid from your income every turn.","work":"master-of-magic-manual"}],"at":[-0.5,-0.225,0.02],"id":"upkeep","look":{"parts":[{"slot":"frame","shape":"box","size":[1.26,0.8600000000000001,0.04],"pos":[0,0,-0.025],"material":"matte","color":"#1d2026","radius":0.03},{"slot":"screen","shape":"plane","size":[1.2,0.8],"pos":[0,0,0],"material":"screen","color":"#ffffff","svg":"GOLD PER TURNCities and trade+46Unit upkeep-21Building upkeep-14City maintenance-6Net+5"}]}},{"term":"Snowball","aka":["compounding growth","runaway growth","exponential growth"],"kind":"loop","plain":"More output creates citizens, buildings, units and research, so an early lead can compound into more capability.","does":"Is the genre's engine: it makes growth satisfying and makes an early lead grow.","ask":"How fast does a lead compound, and what brakes it?","pattern":"pattern-boosting-engine","loop":{"type":"reinforcing","through":["settler","city-growth","yields","build-queue"]},"sources":[{"label":"Soren Johnson, GD Column 17: Water Finds a Crack","url":"https://www.designer-notes.com/game-developer-column-17-water-finds-a-crack/","kind":"practitioner","page":"Water Finds a Crack","quote":"Every turn, cities produce food, hammers, and beakers, filling up various boxes. 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IronMine a hill tile: 40% of the cost paid"}}]}],"sources":[{"label":"2K Games, Sid Meier's Civilization IV Manual","url":"http://cdn.akamai.steamstatic.com/steam/apps/3900/manuals/manual.pdf?t=1416443468","kind":"maker","page":"The Tech Tree","quote":"Many techs have “prerequisite technologies” that you must know before you can learn the new technology … The extremely useful Technology Tree displays all of the technologies in the game and how they are interrelated.","work":"2k-civ4-manual"},{"label":"Stellaris Wiki (Paradox), Technology","url":"https://stellaris.paradoxwikis.com/Technology","kind":"reference","page":"The card system","quote":"The user interaction aspect utilizes a card shuffle approach rather than a traditional tech tree presentation, thereby introducing an element of semi-randomness into the system.","work":"stellaris-paradoxwikis-technology"},{"label":"2K Games, Sid Meier's Civilization VI 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III).","does":"Groups research into stages, so reaching a new era is a milestone that opens the next set of choices.","ask":"Does each era change what the player does, or only the art?","sources":[{"label":"Amplitude Studios, Endless Legend User’s Manual","url":"https://cdn.steamstatic.com/steam/apps/289130/manuals/User%27sManual.pdf?t=1611254251","kind":"maker","page":"Research","quote":"Research is divided into disks that represent eras","work":"endless-legend-manual"},{"label":"Amplitude Studios, Endless Legend User’s Manual","url":"https://cdn.steamstatic.com/steam/apps/289130/manuals/User%27sManual.pdf?t=1611254251","kind":"maker","page":"Eras","quote":"To unlock the next Era, you must research a minimum number of discoveries of the preceding Era","work":"endless-legend-manual"},{"label":"2K Games, Sid Meier's Civilization VI Manual","url":"https://downloads.2kgames.com/civilization/vi/manuals/eu/CIV_VI_25TH_ONLINE_MANUAL_ENG.pdf","kind":"maker","page":"Technology and Science","quote":"A number of wonders will greatly enhance your civ’s technology. The Great Library wonder will award +2 Science per turn, and you receive fee boosts to all Ancient and Classical era technologies.","work":"2k-civ6-manual"}],"at":[-0.675,0.44,0.02],"id":"eras","look":{"parts":[{"slot":"frame","shape":"box","size":[1.86,0.56,0.04],"pos":[0,0,-0.025],"material":"matte","color":"#1d2026","radius":0.03},{"slot":"screen","shape":"plane","size":[1.8,0.5],"pos":[0,0,0],"material":"screen","color":"#ffffff","svg":"AncientClassicalMedievalRenaissanceIndustrialModern"}]}},{"term":"Unlocks","aka":["what a tech gives"],"kind":"part","plain":"What a technology makes available: units, buildings, improvements, wonders, resources or other benefits.","does":"Turn research into concrete options.","ask":"Does each technology give something the player will want to use?","cues":["Icons of units and buildings on each tech box","A tech that turns a greyed build option active"],"sources":[{"label":"2K Games, Sid Meier's Civilization VI Manual","url":"https://downloads.2kgames.com/civilization/vi/manuals/eu/CIV_VI_25TH_ONLINE_MANUAL_ENG.pdf","kind":"maker","page":"Technology and Science","quote":"In Civilization VI, each technology you acquire gives your civilization access to an advanced unit, building, resource, or wonder, as well as other tangible benefits, making your civilization that much more powerful.","work":"2k-civ6-manual"}],"at":[-0.105,0.245,0.02],"id":"unlocks","look":{"parts":[{"slot":"frame","shape":"box","size":[1.46,0.6599999999999999,0.04],"pos":[0,0,-0.025],"material":"matte","color":"#1d2026","radius":0.03},{"slot":"screen","shape":"plane","size":[1.4,0.6],"pos":[0,0,0],"material":"screen","color":"#ffffff","svg":"Iron WorkingUnitBuildingMine +1"}]}},{"term":"Beelining","aka":["tech rush","rushing a tech"],"kind":"process","plain":"Researching toward one target technology as quickly as possible, taking only its prerequisites and postponing other options.","does":"Makes the path to a target the main research decision.","ask":"What is skipped on the way, and how exposed does that leave the empire?","sources":[{"label":"2K Games, Sid Meier's Civilization VI Manual","url":"https://downloads.2kgames.com/civilization/vi/manuals/eu/CIV_VI_25TH_ONLINE_MANUAL_ENG.pdf","kind":"maker","page":"The Mighty Technology Tree","quote":"The Tech Tree will plot the quickest route to the requested tech, and you will research the necessary precursors in the order it displays","work":"2k-civ6-manual"}],"at":[0.7,-0.055,0.02],"id":"beeline","look":{"parts":[{"slot":"frame","shape":"box","size":[1.86,1.06,0.04],"pos":[0,0,-0.025],"material":"matte","color":"#1d2026","radius":0.03},{"slot":"screen","shape":"plane","size":[1.8,1],"pos":[0,0,0],"material":"screen","color":"#ffffff","svg":"AncientClassicalMedievalRenaissancePotteryBronzeHorsesWritingIronWheelPhilosophyFeudalismPrintingGunpowderGunpowder in 31 turns"}]}},{"term":"Warfare","aka":["exterminate","combat","war"],"kind":"part","plain":"The use of units to fight for cities and territory.","does":"Makes borders contested and gives expansion a military path.","ask":"When is war worth more than building, and can the player tell?","cues":["Armies and fleets on the map","An attack preview before combat"],"children":["units","combat-model","combat-odds","supply","war-weariness"],"sources":[{"label":"2K Games, Sid Meier's Civilization VI Manual","url":"https://downloads.2kgames.com/civilization/vi/manuals/eu/CIV_VI_25TH_ONLINE_MANUAL_ENG.pdf","kind":"maker","page":"Unit Combat","quote":"Military units can engage in combat against other units or against cities.","work":"2k-civ6-manual"},{"label":"2K Games, Sid Meier's Civilization IV Manual","url":"http://cdn.akamai.steamstatic.com/steam/apps/3900/manuals/manual.pdf?t=1416443468","kind":"maker","page":"Moving Your Units","quote":"You’ll send military units off to conquer enemy cities; 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It also displays the leader’s “trait” (special ability) and the civilization’s unique units and buildings.","work":"2k-civ5-manual"}]},{"id":"asym-mechanics","name":"Unique mechanics","plain":"Each faction changes a core rule or resource, so it plays very differently.","sources":[{"label":"Amplitude Studios, Endless Legend User’s Manual","url":"https://cdn.steamstatic.com/steam/apps/289130/manuals/User%27sManual.pdf?t=1611254251","kind":"maker","page":"Faction selection","quote":"Others, such as the Broken Lords who consume Dust instead of Food, will require you to play very differently.","work":"endless-legend-manual"}]},{"id":"asym-custom","name":"Custom faction","plain":"The player builds a faction from a list of traits with point costs.","sources":[{"label":"MOO2MOD, Master of Orion II: Battle at Antares Game Manual","url":"https://moo2mod.com/patch/GAME_MANUAL.PDF","kind":"reference","page":"Custom","quote":"You have 10 picks that you can use to develop your race. 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have accumulated enough Diplomatic Points in the great game of world diplomacy, you become the dominant political force of Auriga.","work":"endless-legend-manual"}],"svg":{"icon":""}},{"id":"win-score","name":"Score","plain":"When the turn limit is reached, the empire with the highest score wins.","sources":[{"label":"Amplitude Studios, Endless Legend User’s Manual","url":"https://cdn.steamstatic.com/steam/apps/289130/manuals/User%27sManual.pdf?t=1611254251","kind":"maker","page":"Winning conditions","quote":"This victory will be given to the faction with the highest score after a fixed number of turns.","work":"endless-legend-manual"}],"svg":{"icon":""}}]}],"at":[-0.68,0.26,0.02],"id":"victory-conditions","look":{"parts":[{"slot":"frame","shape":"box","size":[0.96,0.96,0.04],"pos":[0,0,-0.025],"material":"matte","color":"#1d2026","radius":0.03},{"slot":"icon","shape":"plane","size":[0.9,0.9],"pos":[0,0,0],"material":"screen","color":"#ffffff","svg":""}]}},{"term":"Late-game 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Exploring comes first and expanding soon after; by the late game the map is explored and fighting finishes the game. All four can overlap.","does":"Defines the genre and its arc: an unknown map early, a known map and mopping-up wars late.","ask":"Does each X stay relevant, or does one phase end and leave the player with only the others?","loop":{"type":"s-curve","through":["map","expansion","economy","military"]},"sources":[{"label":"PC Gamer, Alan Emrich, the game designer and writer who coined the term '4X,' has died","url":"https://www.pcgamer.com/games/strategy/alan-emrich-the-game-designer-and-writer-who-coined-the-term-4x-has-died/","kind":"reference","page":"Alan Emrich, the game designer and writer who coined the term '4X,' has died","quote":"I give MOO a XXXX rating because it features the essential four Xs of any good strategic conquest game: EXplore, EXpand, EXploit, and EXterminate.","work":"pcgamer-alan-emrich-4x"},{"label":"eXplorminate, The End Game and Its Follies","url":"https://explorminate.org/the-end-game-and-its-follies/","kind":"reference","page":"The End Game and Its Follies","quote":"The eXpansion phase comes shortly after the eXploration phase really starts to unfold.","work":"explorminate-end-game-follies"},{"label":"eXplorminate, The End Game and Its Follies","url":"https://explorminate.org/the-end-game-and-its-follies/","kind":"reference","page":"The End Game and Its Follies","quote":"The exploration phase has long ended and, as such, nothing truly new awaits the player … In most 4X games, you’re in the “mopping up” phase.","work":"explorminate-end-game-follies"},{"label":"eXplorminate, The End Game and Its Follies","url":"https://explorminate.org/the-end-game-and-its-follies/","kind":"reference","page":"The End Game and Its Follies","quote":"Finally, eXtermination can occur at any point in the game.","work":"explorminate-end-game-follies"}],"at":[0.375,0.95,0.05],"id":"four-x-arc"},{"term":"Boosting engine","aka":["positive feedback","engine building"],"kind":"pattern","plain":"Part of a resource is invested to increase the future flow of the same resource.","ask":"What is the payback time of one investment?","sources":[{"label":"Ernest Adams / Joris Dormans, The Designer's Notebook: Machinations, a new way to design game mechanics","url":"https://www.gamedeveloper.com/design/the-designer-s-notebook-machinations-a-new-way-to-design-game-mechanics","kind":"practitioner","page":"A Couple of Examples","quote":"This is the classic upgrade process for everything from Monopoly to StarCraft: investing in production facilities consumes stored resources but increases production of new ones.","work":"adams-dormans-machinations-article"}],"id":"pattern-boosting-engine","feel":{"shape":0.4,"energy":0.8,"weight":-0.7,"warmth":0.85,"grain":0.2,"motion":"rise","why":"Warm and rising faster: output reinvested makes more output."}},{"term":"Braking engine","aka":["negative feedback","drain"],"kind":"pattern","plain":"A balancing feedback loop pushes back harder as success grows, slowing a snowball.","ask":"Where does the brake balance the engine?","sources":[{"label":"Machinations.io, Game systems: Feedback loops and how they help craft player experiences","url":"https://machinations.io/articles/game-systems-feedback-loops-and-how-they-help-craft-player-experiences","kind":"practitioner","page":"Positive and negative feedback loops: what are they?","quote":"They are the E=MC2 of game design, the harder you push, the more the negative feedback loop pushes back. This stops the player from snowballing success to the point where the game becomes unenjoyably easy.","work":"machinations-feedback-loops"},{"label":"Ian Schreiber, Level 5: Mechanics and Dynamics","url":"https://gamedesignconcepts.wordpress.com/2009/07/13/level-5-mechanics-and-dynamics/","kind":"practitioner","page":"Feedback Loops","quote":"A negative feedback loop is a balancing relationship.","work":"schreiber-game-design-concepts-feedback"},{"label":"Ernest Adams and Joris Dormans, Game Mechanics: Advanced Game Design","url":"https://www.informit.com/content/images/9780321820273/samplepages/0321820274.pdf","kind":"book","isbn":"9780132946704","page":"ch. 4, p. 66","quote":"Negative feedback makes a system resistant to changes.","work":"adams-dormans-game-mechanics"},{"label":"Ian Schreiber and Brenda Romero, Game Balance","url":"https://api.pageplace.de/preview/DT0400.9781498799584_A38640931/preview-9781498799584_A38640931.pdf","kind":"book","isbn":"9781498799577","page":"ch. 2, p. 75","quote":"Negative (dampening) feedback loops: A feedback loop is negative when systems dampen their own effect and stabilize the game. In a multiplayer game, this gives an advantage to players who are losing, or a disadvantage to players who are winning.","work":"schreiber-romero-game-balance"}],"id":"pattern-braking-engine","feel":{"shape":0.5,"energy":0.3,"weight":0.6,"warmth":0.2,"grain":0.4,"motion":"settle","why":"Cool and sinking: a drain that grows with what it limits pulls growth back to rest."}},{"term":"Catch-up mechanism","aka":["rubber banding","negative feedback for the leader"],"kind":"pattern","plain":"A negative feedback rule helps players behind or holds back the leader, so the game stays close.","ask":"Does it close the gap without making being ahead pointless?","sources":[{"label":"Ian Schreiber, Level 5: Mechanics and Dynamics","url":"https://gamedesignconcepts.wordpress.com/2009/07/13/level-5-mechanics-and-dynamics/","kind":"practitioner","page":"Feedback Loops","quote":"This particular feedback loop is sometimes referred to as “rubber-banding” because the cars behave as if they are connected by rubber bands, pulling the leaders and losers back to the center of the pack.","work":"schreiber-game-design-concepts-feedback"},{"label":"Machinations.io, Game systems: Feedback loops and how they help craft player experiences","url":"https://machinations.io/articles/game-systems-feedback-loops-and-how-they-help-craft-player-experiences","kind":"practitioner","page":"Mario Kart","quote":"The addition of these mechanics gives everyone a chance to participate in the race, no matter their skill level.","work":"machinations-feedback-loops"},{"label":"Ian Schreiber and Brenda Romero, Game Balance","url":"https://api.pageplace.de/preview/DT0400.9781498799584_A38640931/preview-9781498799584_A38640931.pdf","kind":"book","isbn":"9781498799577","page":"ch. 2, p. 76","quote":"Negative feedback loops bring all players together in standing, making sure that no one gets too far ahead or behind… Used well, negative feedback loops stop the game from ending too early, and keep all players feeling like they still have a chance…","work":"schreiber-romero-game-balance"}],"id":"pattern-catch-up","feel":{"shape":0.2,"energy":0.5,"weight":0,"warmth":0.5,"grain":0.2,"motion":"orbit","why":"Bodies held in orbit around each other: no one flies off alone."}}],"assembly":[{"title":"Lay out the map","text":"Choose the grid, the map size and the generator, then hide it under fog. Place starts fairly and scatter rewards for scouts.","adds":["tile-grid","map-size","map-generation","fog-of-war","start-position","exploration-rewards"],"makes":"map"},{"title":"Price expansion","text":"Make a settler that costs something real, rules for city sites and borders, and a brake that grows with empire size.","adds":["settler","city-site","territory","expansion-brake","tall-vs-wide","empire-size-loop"],"makes":"expansion"},{"title":"Wire the economy","text":"Give tiles yields, let cities grow and build, add improvements, scarce resources and upkeep, and check how fast the snowball rolls.","adds":["yields","city-growth","tile-improvement","build-queue","strategic-resources","upkeep","snowball"],"makes":"economy"},{"title":"Draw the tech tree","text":"Lay out technologies in eras, attach unlocks, set costs and choose how research is offered.","adds":["tech-cost","research-model","eras","unlocks","beeline"],"makes":"tech-tree"},{"title":"Add war","text":"Define units, the combat model and its preview, then movement, supply and war weariness.","adds":["units","combat-model","combat-odds","supply","war-weariness"],"makes":"military"},{"title":"Build an AI opponent","text":"Give each AI leader a personality, then set the bonuses each difficulty level adds.","adds":["ai-personality","ai-difficulty"],"makes":"ai-opponent"},{"title":"Open diplomacy","text":"Add a trade screen and show the reasons each rival likes or dislikes the player.","adds":["relation-modifiers","deal-table"],"makes":"diplomacy"},{"title":"Seat the rivals","text":"Put AI and human rivals on the map with diplomacy between them.","adds":["ai-opponent","diplomacy"],"makes":"rivals"},{"title":"Make factions differ","text":"Give each faction traits, then hunt for dominant strategies and read the win rates.","adds":["faction-traits","dominant-strategy","faction-win-rate"],"makes":"factions"},{"title":"Stagger the goals","text":"Give projects different lengths so something always finishes soon.","adds":["overlapping-goals"],"makes":"one-more-turn"},{"title":"Shape the turn","text":"Fill each turn with interesting decisions, choose the turn order, add events and cut the busywork.","adds":["interesting-decisions","turn-order","micromanagement","events","one-more-turn"],"makes":"turn"},{"title":"Show the empire","text":"Add notifications, tooltips, an overview screen and map overlays.","adds":["notifications","tooltips","empire-overview","map-overlays"],"makes":"interface"},{"title":"Close the game","text":"Set the victory conditions, then test the last third: catch-up rules, a crisis, and the game's length.","adds":["victory-conditions","late-game","catch-up","endgame-crisis","game-length"],"makes":"victory"},{"title":"Play the whole game","text":"Explore, expand, exploit and exterminate, turn by turn, until one empire wins.","adds":["map","expansion","economy","tech-tree","military","rivals","factions","turn","interface","victory","four-x-arc"],"makes":"four-x-game"}],"survey":{"lists":[{"id":"mit-cms608-syllabus","label":"MIT OpenCourseWare CMS.608 Game Design syllabus","url":"https://ocw.mit.edu/courses/cms-608-game-design-spring-2014/pages/syllabus/","kind":"course"},{"id":"uppsala-gd3-system","label":"Uppsala Game Design 3: System Design reading list","url":"https://www.uu.se/en/study/reading-list?query=36378","kind":"course"},{"id":"ian-game-design-concepts","label":"Ian Schreiber, Game Design Concepts course notes","url":"https://gamedesignconcepts.pbworks.com/f/Game+Design+Concepts+0-5.pdf","kind":"course"},{"id":"gatech-cs6457-syllabus","label":"Georgia Tech CS4455/CS6457 Video Game Design syllabus","url":"https://omscs.gatech.edu/sites/default/files/documents/2023/Syllabi-CS%206457%202022-2.pdf","kind":"course"},{"id":"gamedev-7-books","label":"Game Developer, 7 Must-read Books for Game Designers","url":"https://www.gamedeveloper.com/design/7-must-read-books-for-game-designers","kind":"practitioner"},{"id":"gamedesigning-10-books","label":"GameDesigning.org, Our 10 Favorite Game Design Books","url":"https://gamedesigning.org/game-design-books/","kind":"practitioner"},{"id":"devtodev-20-books","label":"devtodev, 20 Best Books for Game Designers","url":"https://www.devtodev.com/resources/articles/20-best-books-for-game-designers","kind":"practitioner"},{"id":"meretzky-designer-bookshelf","label":"Steve Meretzky, Game Designer's Bookshelf","url":"https://boffo.us/gdw/BookshelfByTopic.html","kind":"practitioner"},{"id":"level-design-book-resources","label":"The Level Design Book, recommended books","url":"https://book.leveldesignbook.com/appendix/resources/books","kind":"community"},{"id":"roobyx-awesome-game-design","label":"Roobyx, Awesome Game Design","url":"https://raw.githubusercontent.com/Roobyx/awesome-game-design/master/README.md","kind":"community"},{"id":"ludogogy-narrative-reading","label":"Ludogogy, Narrative Design for Games reading list","url":"https://ludogogy.professorgame.com/reading_list/narrative-design-for-games/","kind":"community"},{"id":"koveras-game-ai-reading-list","label":"Mikhail Aristov, Video Game AI Reading List","url":"https://koveras.net/index.php/en/video-game-ai-reading-list","kind":"community"},{"id":"explorminate-4x-board-guide","label":"Explorminate, A Brief 4X Gamer's Guide to Modern Board Games","url":"https://explorminate.org/a-brief-4x-gamers-guide-to-modern-board-games-an-exposition/","kind":"community"},{"id":"wvu-game-design-bibliography","label":"West Virginia University, Game Design Research Guide","url":"https://libguides.wvu.edu/c.php?g=1149608%26p=8837368","kind":"bibliography"},{"id":"wrexham-com647-multiplayer-design","label":"Wrexham University COM647, Multiplayer Design and Optimisation syllabus","url":"https://wrexham.ac.uk/modules/Computing/COM647%20Multiplayer%20Design%20%26%20Optimisation%20Sept%2019.pdf","kind":"course"},{"id":"unibz-game-design-syllabus","label":"Free University of Bozen-Bolzano, Game Design syllabus 2025-2026","url":"https://lllguide.unibz.it/assets/studium-generale/2025/Game-Design-Guerra-Syllabus-2025-2026_.pdf","kind":"course"},{"id":"tharlevfx-reading-list","label":"tharle VFX, Reading List","url":"https://www.tharlevfx.com/reading-list","kind":"practitioner"},{"id":"narrative-reading-list-kaitlin","label":"Kaitlin Tremblay, narrative design reading and watching list","url":"https://thatmonstergames.com/2021/06/17/3273/","kind":"bibliography"},{"id":"gdc-design-talks-2023","label":"Game Developer, The best design talks of GDC","url":"https://www.gamedeveloper.com/design/the-best-design-talks-of-gdc","kind":"conference"},{"id":"gamedeveloper-game-urbanism-bibliography","label":"Game Developer, A Game Urbanism Bibliography","url":"https://www.gamedeveloper.com/design/a-game-urbanism-bibliography","kind":"practitioner"},{"id":"gamedesigngg-simulation-game-design","label":"GameDesign.gg, Simulation Game Design: Modeling Worlds Players Love to Manage","url":"https://gamedesign.gg/articles/simulation-game-design/","kind":"practitioner"},{"id":"gamedesignskills-worldbuilding-books","label":"Game Design Skills, 11 Worldbuilding Books for Game Designers","url":"https://gamedesignskills.com/game-design/worldbuilding-books/","kind":"practitioner"},{"id":"escape-studios-exuix7001-reading","label":"Escape Studios EXUIX7001, Graphic and Interaction Design Fundamentals indicative reading list","url":"https://a.storyblok.com/f/181110/x/508ccb3832/exuix7001-graphic-and-interaction-design-fundamentals.pdf","kind":"course"},{"id":"escape-studios-exgd5002-reading","label":"Escape Studios EXGD5002, Applied Games Design indicative reading list","url":"https://a.storyblok.com/f/181110/x/216d741c57/exgd5002-applied-games-design.pdf","kind":"course"}],"canon":[{"label":"Jesse Schell, The Art of Game Design: A Book of Lenses","url":"https://www.routledge.com/The-Art-of-Game-Design-A-Book-of-Lenses-Third-Edition/Schell/p/book/9781138632059","kind":"book","isbn":"9781138632059","why":"A practical lens set for turning player experience, rules, feedback, and iteration into deliberate design choices. Not cited: its reachable excerpt speaks of choices in all games and did not support a 4X node.","named":["gamedev-7-books","gamedesigning-10-books","devtodev-20-books","meretzky-designer-bookshelf","wvu-game-design-bibliography","roobyx-awesome-game-design","ludogogy-narrative-reading"],"work":"schell-art-of-game-design"},{"label":"Raph Koster, A Theory of Fun for Game Design","url":"https://openlibrary.org/isbn/9781449363215","kind":"book","isbn":"9781449363215","why":"A theory of learning, pattern recognition, and challenge that helps designers make strategy decisions legible yet demanding. Not cited: its reachable excerpt is about challenge and learning in general and did not support a 4X node.","named":["uppsala-gd3-system","ian-game-design-concepts","gamedev-7-books","gamedesigning-10-books","devtodev-20-books","meretzky-designer-bookshelf","wvu-game-design-bibliography"],"work":"koster-theory-of-fun"},{"label":"Tracy Fullerton, Game Design Workshop: A Playcentric Approach to Creating Innovative Games","url":"https://openlibrary.org/isbn/9781138098770","kind":"book","isbn":"9781138098770","why":"An exercise-driven process for prototyping, playtesting, revising, and balancing systems around a target player experience.","named":["mit-cms608-syllabus","uppsala-gd3-system","gatech-cs6457-syllabus","gamedev-7-books","gamedesigning-10-books","devtodev-20-books","meretzky-designer-bookshelf"],"work":"fullerton-game-design-workshop"},{"label":"Brenda Brathwaite and Ian Schreiber, Challenges for Game Designers: Non-Digital Exercises for Video Game Designers","url":"https://openlibrary.org/isbn/9781584505808","kind":"book","isbn":"9781584505808","why":"Short non-digital exercises expose core loops, tradeoffs, balance problems, and design iteration before implementation hides them. No reachable publisher or author-hosted excerpt supports an existing 4X node yet.","named":["mit-cms608-syllabus","ian-game-design-concepts","gamedesigning-10-books","devtodev-20-books","meretzky-designer-bookshelf"],"work":"brathwaite-challenges-game-designers"},{"label":"Katie Salen and Eric Zimmerman, Rules of Play: Game Design Fundamentals","url":"https://openlibrary.org/isbn/9780262240451","kind":"book","isbn":"9780262240451","why":"A formal vocabulary for rules, emergence, information, play, narrative, and culture that supports systems analysis. No reachable publisher excerpt supports an existing 4X node yet.","named":["mit-cms608-syllabus","gamedesigning-10-books","devtodev-20-books","meretzky-designer-bookshelf","ludogogy-narrative-reading"],"work":"salen-zimmerman-rules-of-play"},{"label":"Steve Swink, Game Feel: A Game Designer's Guide to Virtual Sensation","url":"https://www.routledge.com/Game-Feel-A-Game-Designers-Guide-to-Virtual-Sensation/Swink/p/book/9780123743282","kind":"book","isbn":"9780123743282","why":"A model of input, response, motion, and sensory feedback that makes strategy interfaces readable and satisfying at every decision scale. No reachable publisher or author-hosted excerpt supports an existing 4X node yet.","named":["gatech-cs6457-syllabus","gamedev-7-books","gamedesigning-10-books","devtodev-20-books","meretzky-designer-bookshelf"],"work":"swink-game-feel"},{"label":"Ernest Adams and Joris Dormans, Game Mechanics: Advanced Game Design","url":"https://www.peachpit.com/store/game-mechanics-advanced-game-design-9780132946704","kind":"book","isbn":"9780132946704","why":"A systems-focused treatment of resource economies, feedback, emergence, and Machinations-style reasoning for designing strategic choices.","named":["gamedev-7-books","devtodev-20-books","meretzky-designer-bookshelf"],"work":"adams-dormans-game-mechanics"},{"label":"Scott Rogers, Level Up! The Guide to Great Video Game Design","url":"https://openlibrary.org/isbn/9781118877166","kind":"book","isbn":"9781118877166","why":"A concrete guide to pacing, challenges, levels, controls, enemies, and production decisions that shape a strategy game's moment-to-moment usability. Not cited: its reachable excerpt defines strategy games in one line and supports no claim a node makes.","named":["gamedev-7-books","gamedesigning-10-books","devtodev-20-books"],"work":"rogers-level-up"},{"label":"Celia Hodent, The Gamer's Brain: How Neuroscience and UX Can Impact Video Game Design","url":"https://www.routledge.com/The-Gamers-Brain-How-Neuroscience-and-UX-Can-Impact-Video-Game-Design/Hodent/p/book/9780367638184","kind":"book","isbn":"9780367638184","why":"A cognitive-science and UX framework for making game information clear, usable, and engaging. Its home in this tree is Empire interface; not cited because its reachable sample chapter speaks of UX in general and supports no claim a node makes.","named":["escape-studios-exuix7001-reading","escape-studios-exgd5002-reading"],"specialism":"game UX/UI design","work":"hodent-gamers-brain"},{"label":"Evan Skolnick, Video Game Storytelling: What Every Developer Needs to Know about Narrative Techniques","url":"https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/226115/video-game-storytelling-by-evan-skolnick/","kind":"book","isbn":"9780385345828","why":"A team-wide narrative toolkit for characters, arcs, and story structure that can turn strategy systems into legible campaign drama. Its home in this tree is Events; not cited because its reachable excerpt covers character arcs, not events.","named":["devtodev-20-books","ludogogy-narrative-reading"],"specialism":"narrative/event writing for strategy games","work":"skolnick-video-game-storytelling"},{"label":"Ian Schreiber and Brenda Romero, Game Balance","url":"https://www.routledge.com/Game-Balance/Schreiber-Romero/p/book/9781498799577","kind":"book","isbn":"9781498799577","why":"A reference for economies, cost curves, randomness, progression, analytics and payoff matrices: the numerical levers behind fair strategic competition.","named":["wrexham-com647-multiplayer-design","unibz-game-design-syllabus"],"specialism":"game balance","work":"schreiber-romero-game-balance"},{"label":"Jon Yablonski, Laws of UX","url":"https://www.oreilly.com/library/view/laws-of-ux/9781098146955/","kind":"book","isbn":"9781098146962","why":"A practical set of psychology and interaction-design laws for clearer game interfaces, menus, and feedback. No reachable excerpt supports a 4X node.","named":["escape-studios-exuix7001-reading","escape-studios-exgd5002-reading"],"specialism":"game UX/UI design","work":"yablonski-laws-of-ux"},{"label":"Kevin Dill, What Is Game AI?","url":"http://www.gameaipro.com/GameAIPro/GameAIPro_Chapter01_What_is_Game_AI.pdf","kind":"reference","why":"A practitioner framing of AI as authored player experience, with explicit tradeoffs between reactivity, believability, cheating, and control.","named":["koveras-game-ai-reading-list","tharlevfx-reading-list"],"specialism":"game AI programming","work":"dill-what-is-game-ai"},{"label":"Michael Dawe, Steve Gargolinski, Luke Dicken, Troy Humphreys, and Dave Mark, Behavior Selection Algorithms: An Overview","url":"http://www.gameaipro.com/GameAIPro/GameAIPro_Chapter04_Behavior_Selection_Algorithms.pdf","kind":"reference","why":"A compact map of FSMs, behavior trees, utility systems, planners and task networks, the architectures behind computer opponents. Not cited: the chapter covers game AI in general, and no passage speaks to 4X opponents directly.","named":["koveras-game-ai-reading-list","tharlevfx-reading-list"],"specialism":"game AI programming","work":"dawe-behavior-selection-algorithms"},{"label":"Michael Sellers, Advanced Game Design: A Systems Approach","url":"https://www.pearson.com/en-us/subject-catalog/p/advanced-game-design-a-systems-approach/P200000009594/9780134667607","kind":"book","isbn":"9780134667607","why":"A systems-thinking framework for loops, parts, interdependence, and practical balance work in large strategy games.","named":["uppsala-gd3-system","meretzky-designer-bookshelf"],"specialism":"systems/economy design & balance","work":"sellers-advanced-game-design"},{"label":"Tobias Heussner, Toiya Kristen Finley, Jennifer Brandes Hepler, and Ann Lemay, The Game Narrative Toolbox","url":"https://openlibrary.org/isbn/9781138787087","kind":"book","isbn":"9781138787087","why":"A production-oriented narrative reference for integrating writing, characters, quests, and systemic story with game mechanics. Its home in this tree is Events; not cited because its reachable excerpt describes the narrative designer's job, not events.","named":["ludogogy-narrative-reading","narrative-reading-list-kaitlin"],"specialism":"narrative/event writing for strategy games","work":"heussner-game-narrative-toolbox"}],"voices":[{"name":"Soren Johnson","known":"Lead designer on Civilization IV and designer of Offworld Trading Company and Old World; he writes and interviews strategy designers about decisions, economies, and AI.","links":[{"label":"Designer Notes","url":"https://www.designer-notes.com/","kind":"podcast"},{"label":"Seven Deadly Sins of Strategy Game Design","url":"https://www.gamedeveloper.com/business/seven-deadly-sins-of-strategy-game-design","kind":"blog"}]},{"name":"Jon Shafer","known":"Lead designer on Civilization V and creator of At the Gates and 10 Crowns; he publishes practical design writing and discusses 4X systems.","links":[{"label":"Jon Shafer on Design","url":"https://jonshaferondesign.com/","kind":"blog"},{"label":"The Game Design Round Table","url":"https://thegamedesignroundtable.com/","kind":"podcast"}]},{"name":"Amit Patel","known":"Creator of Red Blob Games' technical design guides; his shipped tools and examples make hex maps, pathfinding, and procedural terrain concrete for strategy designers.","links":[{"label":"Hexagonal Grids","url":"https://www.redblobgames.com/grids/hexagons/","kind":"blog"},{"label":"Introduction to A*","url":"https://www.redblobgames.com/pathfinding/a-star/introduction.html","kind":"blog"}]},{"name":"Ian Schreiber","known":"Game designer and educator, co-author of Game Balance with Brenda Romero; he teaches balance, economies and iteration in free public course notes.","links":[{"label":"Game Balance Concepts","url":"https://gamebalanceconcepts.wordpress.com/","kind":"blog"},{"label":"Game Design Concepts","url":"https://gamedesignconcepts.pbworks.com/f/Game+Design+Concepts+0-5.pdf","kind":"site"}]},{"name":"Tynan Sylvester","known":"Designer of RimWorld; he writes about systemic simulation, player stories, and designing for emergent behavior.","links":[{"label":"Tynan Sylvester","url":"https://tynansylvester.com/","kind":"site"}]},{"name":"Emily Short","known":"Interactive-fiction and narrative-systems designer; her public writing is a practical reference for event logic, procedural narrative, and player agency.","links":[{"label":"Emily Short's Interactive Storytelling","url":"https://emshort.blog/","kind":"blog"}]},{"name":"Ed Beach","known":"Lead designer of Civilization VI and of the Civilization V expansions Gods & Kings and Brave New World; he presents strategy-game design at GDC.","links":[{"label":"Absolutely No Pressure: Continuing a Successful Game Series with Civilization VI (GDC 2017)","url":"https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QUl_3DydD7U","kind":"video"}]},{"name":"Sid Meier","known":"Designer of Civilization, Railroad Tycoon and Colonization; his GDC 2012 talk set out the interesting-decision test that strategy designers quote.","links":[{"label":"Interesting Decisions","url":"https://www.gamedeveloper.com/design/gdc-2012-sid-meier-on-how-to-see-games-as-sets-of-interesting-decisions","kind":"talk"}]}]}}