FALLEN FLAGS DESIGNER'S NOTES

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Fallen Flags is a term used to describe old railroad companies that no longer exist, at least as independent entities. This game is about the economics of those railroads and related industries, and the sociopolitical situation of the era. Fallen Flags was originally going to be much more detailed. I planned on including management of various industries, Amerinds, multiple currencies, banking, and combat. However, the game quickly grew to be too complicated for a tabletop game. At that point I decided to begin planning a video game of the same name that will include all of those features.

PLUTOCRACY

The plutocracy is an offshoot of the public idea, as well as the moneylenders NPC in the 2018 tabletop game Merchant Adventurer. The general concept is having an NPC that fulfills background socioeconomic roles dynamically. The plutocracy represents the wealthiest class of Americans and Britains, as much of the early American railroads were financed by British, mostly English, investors.

GOVERNMENT

Along with companies, this is a standard entity I like to put into games. This allows players who are able to gain political power to try and manipulate the game with an entity that has its own separate advantages and issues to deal with. Just like in the times of the old railways, the government will be regulating labour unions and keeping the mob in check, or working with them. The governor is also in control of tax rates and welfare payments. This leaves much room for economic experimentation, and a balancing or domination of market versus command economies. Especially because the government can control their own companies.

PUBLIC

The public is an NPC entity that is descended from the entity of the same name in the 2019 tabletop game Monopolization. The public represents the general population, and in this game is a bigger factor. Settlement of new villages and maintenance of existing municipalities is done with public the public's own funds, therefore an impoversished population can severely stunt economic growth. Shares can also be traded with the public, just as in Monopolization.

UNION AND MOB

These are 2 more minor entities added to generate strategic friction. Like in most of my previous games, with entities such as governments and companies, these 2 can be controlled by players and change player hands. The union symbolizes labour unions in general. Players can utilize this entity to harass rival companies. Likewise, the mob can be utilized to harass both rival companies or the union. This addresses both historical realities of the potential for crime and labour movements to work with or against each other.

DEVELOPMENT

2019

~development begins

2022

~first edition published

~development of computer version begins with 2dengine

~2engine is replaced by Nenad Nikolic

2023

~computer version is released