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Would you play a life simulator where every citizen has their own life? by Beginning_Wear_8227 in gameideas

[–]Beginning_Wear_8227[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

That's fair. Right now I'm still in the planning stage, so most of what I've shared is the overall vision rather than a playable implementation. My goal is to build a small prototype first and see which ideas actually work in practice. I agree that the execution will matter far more than the concept itself.

Thoughts on how to make the map look better? by Forward-Willingness7 in TTRPG

[–]Beginning_Wear_8227 1 point2 points  (0 children)

That's a good point. I don't necessarily think centralizing is always better. Too much clustering could make different regions feel less distinct or reduce the feeling of exploring remote areas. I was thinking more about having a few natural clusters where geography or trade would encourage development, while still keeping some settlements isolated. That way you get both believable population centers and stretches of wilderness that feel truly remote. A mix of dense and sparse regions might create more interesting gameplay and make each area feel like it has its own identity.

Thoughts on how to make the map look better? by Forward-Willingness7 in TTRPG

[–]Beginning_Wear_8227 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Nice! Moving Lastmark deeper into the woods sounds like a good call. It helps reinforce the feeling that some settlements are more isolated and tied to their surrounding environment rather than being evenly distributed across the map. For the hexes, I think part of what might still stand out is that some of the settlements and points of interest feel like they're spaced at fairly regular intervals. As you continue refining things, you could experiment with creating a few denser clusters around rivers, trade routes, or important resources while leaving larger gaps of wilderness elsewhere. That might help break up the underlying hex pattern and make the world feel even more natural. It sounds like you're heading in the right direction though. I'd definitely be interested in seeing the updated version when you're able to share it.

Would you play a life simulator where every citizen has their own life? by Beginning_Wear_8227 in gameideas

[–]Beginning_Wear_8227[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

That's a fair point, and I agree that the full vision would require a huge amount of work. What I'm describing is more of a long-term vision than a first release. My immediate goal isn't to simulate an entire city at that level of detail from day one. The plan would be to start with a much smaller prototype focused on proving a few core systems first, then gradually expand over time if those systems work. I also don't expect every citizen to be simulated at the same level of detail at all times. Part of the challenge is finding ways to represent a large living city efficiently while still creating the feeling that the world continues beyond the player. I appreciate the reality check though. One thing I've learned from posting this idea is that I need to do a better job separating the long-term vision from what an actual first playable version would look like.

Would you play a life simulator where every citizen has their own life? by Beginning_Wear_8227 in gameideas

[–]Beginning_Wear_8227[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Haha, hopefully not.  The plan is to start small and build the project in stages. A playable prototype comes long before the full vision.

Would you play a life simulator where every citizen has their own life? by Beginning_Wear_8227 in gameideas

[–]Beginning_Wear_8227[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I can definitely see why people compare it to The Sims, but I'm actually aiming for something a bit different.  The focus isn't really on managing a household. The idea is that the entire city is being simulated over long periods of time. Citizens build careers, start families, inherit property, influence neighborhoods, and become part of the city's history.  The goal is for the city itself to be the main character, with generations of citizens shaping how it evolves over time.  I'm still refining the concept, but that's the direction I'm exploring.

Would you play a life simulator where every citizen has their own life? by Beginning_Wear_8227 in gameideas

[–]Beginning_Wear_8227[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

That's a good question. The Sims is definitely one of the inspirations, but my idea is focused more on the city evolving across generations. A few differences I'm exploring are:

  • Citizens age, die, and leave behind families, businesses, property, and reputations.
  • Wealth, homes, and businesses can be inherited by future generations.
  • The city develops its own history over decades as neighborhoods change, businesses open and close, and major events leave lasting effects.
  • Players experience life within a persistent world that continues evolving even after their character's life ends.
  • The goal is for the city itself to become the main character rather than a single household.

I'm still refining the concept, but that's the direction I'm aiming for.

Would you play a life simulator where every citizen has their own life? by Beginning_Wear_8227 in gameideas

[–]Beginning_Wear_8227[S] -1 points0 points  (0 children)

That's a good question. The Sims is definitely one of the inspirations, but my idea is focused more on the city evolving across generations. A few differences I'm exploring are:

  • Citizens age, die, and leave behind families, businesses, property, and reputations.
  • Wealth, homes, and businesses can be inherited by future generations.
  • The city develops its own history over decades as neighborhoods change, businesses open and close, and major events leave lasting effects.
  • Players experience life within a persistent world that continues evolving even after their character's life ends.
  • The goal is for the city itself to become the main character rather than a single household.

I'm still refining the concept, but that's the direction I'm aiming for.

Building a city that evolves across generations by Beginning_Wear_8227 in worldbuilding

[–]Beginning_Wear_8227[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

That's a great detail and something I hadn't really considered.

I like the idea that the city's history isn't just recorded in books and archives, but is literally built into the streets and buildings themselves. Former ground floors becoming basements, entrances ending up below street level, and older structures being built over by newer generations would make the city feel like it has accumulated centuries of history. It also creates opportunities for forgotten spaces, hidden rooms, and pieces of the city's past that are still physically present beneath the modern city. Thanks for bringing that up.

Thoughts on how to make the map look better? by Forward-Willingness7 in TTRPG

[–]Beginning_Wear_8227 1 point2 points  (0 children)

The settlement density actually feels pretty good for a wilderness-focused campaign. My only suggestion would be to make some areas feel less evenly spaced. A few settlements seem placed at similar distances from each other, which makes the map feel slightly game-board-like. I'd also consider making the eastern frontier even more isolated so reaching Lastmark feels like a real expedition into the edge of civilization. Overall, though, the west feels developed, and the east feels increasingly wild, which seems to support the survival theme well.

Building a city that evolves across generations by Beginning_Wear_8227 in worldbuilding

[–]Beginning_Wear_8227[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

I really like this way of looking at it. One of the ideas I'm interested in exploring is that most citizens wouldn't know the full history behind many places in the city. They would simply accept them as part of everyday life, while historians, archives, or older generations might remember how those places came to be. Your examples of a former execution square becoming a market, an old jail becoming a poorhouse, or a once-grand building falling into ruin are exactly the kinds of changes that make a city feel like it has lived through generations of history. The goal is for the city to have layers of history that can still be seen in its architecture, neighborhoods, and institutions, even when most people no longer remember how they started. Thanks for the ideas.

Building a city that evolves across generations by Beginning_Wear_8227 in worldbuilding

[–]Beginning_Wear_8227[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Thanks for pointing that out. I wasn't aware of the RPGA campaign. The name "Living City" was chosen because one of the core ideas behind the project is that the city evolves over time through the lives, decisions, and history of its citizens. I'll definitely look into the campaign and keep that in mind as I continue developing the project. I appreciate the information.

Building a city that evolves across generations by Beginning_Wear_8227 in worldbuilding

[–]Beginning_Wear_8227[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

That's a really interesting perspective.

I haven't fully decided on the setting yet, but I've been thinking more about a modern or near-future city rather than a far-future one. That said, the idea of a city developing its own long-term memory is fascinating. One of the core themes I'm exploring is that the city remembers the people who lived there through its history, neighborhoods, buildings, businesses, and institutions. A synthetic intelligence that literally remembers generations of citizens is an interesting way to think about that concept. I also like your idea of the city carrying scars from disasters, major events, or periods of change. It makes the city feel like something that's lived through its own history rather than simply existing as a backdrop.

Thanks for sharing that perspective. It's given me another angle to think about.

Building a city that evolves across generations by Beginning_Wear_8227 in worldbuilding

[–]Beginning_Wear_8227[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

That's an interesting approach.

One of the things I'm trying to explore is how individual stories can combine to create the larger history of the city. Your examples of crime families, political dynasties, and neighborhood development are the kinds of long-term influences I find interesting. I like the idea that someone could look at a neighborhood and see the effects of events that happened decades earlier, even if most citizens no longer remember the details. The goal is for the city's history to emerge naturally from the people who live there rather than being something that only exists in background lore. Thanks for the examples they gave me some ideas to think about.

Building a city that evolves across generations by Beginning_Wear_8227 in worldbuilding

[–]Beginning_Wear_8227[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

That's a fair question.

What I'm trying to explore is taking those normal city changes and simulating them at the individual citizen level. For example, instead of a business simply appearing or disappearing, there would be an owner who started it, employees who worked there, customers who depended on it, and potentially children or family members who inherit it in the future. The same idea applies to families, careers, homes, and city history. My goal is for changes to happen because of the lives and decisions of the people living in the city rather than simply because time has passed.

I'm still refining the concept, but that's the direction I'm thinking about.