Game Design, Programming and running a one-man games business…


7 thoughts on New democracy 3 developer blog video

  1. Looking good! :)
    Would it be possible to implement more than just two parties? The reason I ask is it might make things more interesting in terms of voting and it could even lead to coalitions where you have to make some changes to laws that the opposition wants or the opposition can control some seats in the cabinet.
    If you really wanted to give yourself a headache you could make a system where parties are automatically formed if there is a high enough percentage of voters who feel that their interests are not being served by any of the existing parties.

  2. Multiple parties is definitely something people ask for a lot, but it adds a metric ton of complexity, not just to the game and its GUI but to the balancing. You suddenly have to think about coalitions, and thus policies of the other parties, and then it becomes more of a game of politicking, and less of politics.
    I am attracted to the idea, it’s just a potential nightmare :D

  3. Add “Public spending to GDP ratio” ((and maybe “Gini-Coefficient”)) as an indicator please.

    Aside from the GDP I think it would also be interesting to have he “public spending to gdp ratio” as an additional indicator (- I don’t know if there is a word for it in english – in german it is called “Staatsquote”):
    http://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Staatsquote

    It is a measurement of how much of the gdp goes through the hands of the public sector (- it accounts not only for the federal level but adds up also the communal/local and state/regional-level. In German: Bund, Länder und Gemeinden = öffentliche Hand)

    In reality european welfare states seem to run a “Staatsquote” of around 50% (as you can see in the wikipedia link) – while the USA and Japan and Suisse tend to be at least 10% lower…

    Game mechanics could be:
    – below 40% could give a bonus to productivity; above 55% could give a malus
    – below 40% for an extended period (a few years) could lead to a new postive event / effect on GDP (- instream of foreign investments);above 55% vice versa
    (maybe call it “Globalisation bonus” (green) or malus (red)
    – below 40% could make liberals, captitalists, selfemployed happy // socialists, poor, retired unhappy; above 55% vice
    versa

    ((Add “Gini-coefficient”:
    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gini_coefficient

    OK forget about it – you already have “equality” – which probably works a little different in your model – it seems to include more than just wealth / income – which is probably better anyway))

    P.S.:Do you know the game “Fate of the world”? It’s about saving the world from global warming etc. – and besides achieving temperatur goals, you also have to achieve “HDI” = “Human Development Index” goals… – nice game – well I guess the average voter (and game player) doesn’t know shit about HDI and Gini Coefficient etc… – but does have a feeling for “equality” and “big government”…

    1. I just wanted to add:

      To attract foreign investment is different from just being a tax haven… – so a “foreign investment boom” event (- as proposed above to be triggered by a low public sector ratio) should have different effects than just introducing a “tax haven” policy.

    2. I just read the link I gave above: and it says it is not even proven yet, that a low public spending ratio leads to GDP growth… – maybe I should educate myself more before proposing stuff…

  4. Hello there Cliff,

    Loved democracy 2 a lot, would like to suggest some possibilities for democracy 3.

    – At the beginning of each game voting intentions are always near zero, but surely this would not be the case after just being elected.

    – It is very beneficial to end maternity leave and make Labour Laws Pro – Employer in the Economy sector, I would suggest finding something to balance that.

    – I like the idea of privatizing some things, perhaps there could be a preset/uncancellable policy for business with a slider that sits between absolute government and absolute private control of business? It could be default neutral for everybody but absolute government control would provide income but eliminate tax income whereas absolute business control would do the opposite but, for instance, increase inequality? Business here would refer to retail, nat. resources anything not already covered by dem 3.

    – Perhaps you could have such sliders for other things, such as indoctrination oriented vs learning oriented schools with benefits various positives and negatives.

    Just some suggestions, if you’re interested I could go into more depth on these.

    1. Also…

      Also I think having the death penalty for everything should carry much greater consequences.

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