From now until the time [i]Twilight of Modernity[/i] is ready to be released, I will be making a showcase of the features and content you can expect in the game each week on [b]Saturday[/b]. For this showcase I will be discussing the [b]vision [/b]behind the game. [h2]TIMESPAN[/h2] Originally, [i]Twilight of Modernity[/i] was meant to be set in the present day, and span into the near future with the colonization of space. However, I noticed that this did not make proper use of one of the game's most important features: we have the whole [b]Solar System[/b] available for colonization, and yet if the game were set in the present there would be a significant amount of time where the rest of the planets would be totally irrelevant to gameplay. In order to rectify this I decided to move the clock forward ~70 years, to give humanity the opportunity to build civilizations on other worlds, while also ensuring these civilizations are by no means mature, ensuring there are still adventures of space colonization to be had, while also allowing players to get right into the extraplanetary action. [h2]STRATEGIC FOCUS[/h2] My focus in the systems design of [i]Twilight of Modernity[/i] has been to emphasize politics and interconnectivity, I wanted to emphasize how politics and worldview drives the course of history in a way that both ensures politics is fun and offers variety of gameplay through ideology. This does not mean, however, that the military and economic side of things has been neglected. As these features are connected to politics intrinsically, they have been designed to ensure that they are mechanically interesting while also remaining dependent on the political system for various elements. For example, Units and Regions both have political loyalties, and may not operate according to your desires if you neglect their interests. [h2]WORLDBUILDING AND TONE[/h2] One advantage of being set in the near future is that I have the opportunity to get creative and modify the world to be more interesting both from a gameplay and worldbuilding perspective. The general idea I have gone with in creating the world of [i]Twilight of Modernity[/i] is that of casual realism, that is, I try to be realistic where possible, but I do not wish for realism to come at the cost of creativity or gameplay. You will notice, for example, that the United States has been destroyed and is deadlocked between many warring factions, this, I do not think is particularly likely to happen in the next 70 years, but it does make North America an altogether more vibrant place. In addition, this perspective allows the gameplay to be structured around the conflict of belief systems, represented in-game as alignment, without getting into the quagmire that is current events. I seek to ensure that every ideology is both represented and viable as a gameplay option, while also being unique in the sense that each one has its own playstyle. Communism, for example, emphasizes subversion and manipulation of foreign powers through subterfuge and ideological warfare, while Fascism seeks a more [i]overt [/i]approach to conquest. [img]{STEAM_CLAN_IMAGE}/43760976/55fe2463b1dad603e3a76f3455c0bd10ce6defae.png[/img] [i]This represents a non-aligned nation leaning towards national socialism and communism.[/i] [h2]NEXT TIME[/h2] I know no one likes reading, but I need to explain some of the ideas behind the project in a way that gives context to my future writings and decisions. Next week I will be explaining the politics system in detail, with screenshots. Thanks for reading! There will not be this many paragraphs next time, I promise.