A way to model what the public thinks (as opposed to culture, which has long term affects). The discourse slots are unlocked in society stage and used in industrial and space stages.
The most important discourse is in the top, as time passes they are forgotten and replaced by newer discourses. I think there can be five slots.
Controlling discourse: If the communication is centralized, it is possible to censor bad news to increase public support for the regime, but the elites would also use it to their advantage and corruption would increase. It is circumvented when wiki leaks is discovered.
Distraction: Filling all the discourse slots with other news to reduce the effects of scandals.
Scandals: Events that reduce legitimacy. There is also the opposite of scandal.
The prime minister was caught worshipping the old gods (-30 support from moderate believers, -90 support from zealots, +90 support from crypto pagans)
[1]Charlemagne crowned the king by the pope (+30 religious legitimacy)
Byzantine emperor gave you the title rex (+30 secular legitimacy, less as the years pass and legitimacy stop coming from being roman)
Filler discourse: These are like the news headlines in plauge.inc. They don’t have any affect, but keep the discourse slots full.
It is thought that Michael jackson is still alive
Redditor claims to have come from future
Beyonce called Lady gaga ugly
If the player keeps playing and refuses to move to the next stage, after some time old discourses are recycled.
Citizen number 5665677 called citizen number 5668371 ugly
Most common type of discourse is the things that happen in the game
Caesar crossed the rubicon (-20 belief in the sanctity of the empire)
Our army was slain at totenberg forest (-50 volunteers for conscription, -60 public support to expanding the empire, +30 xenophobia)
Our missionary has won a religious debate against a missionary of a rival religion (+50 faith, +50 morale)
We have made contact with aliens. They will kill us all (+80 panic)
We celebrated the yearly rum festival (-30 rum stocks)
Different countries may have the different and common discourses at the same time.
I think this would also be useful to set a realistic timescale of technological advancement. Imagine if a techno/scientificophobic cult takes over much like christianism. It would slow down scientific and technological progress.
Gotta disagree that Christianity is anti-science/technology - maybe some branches of it, but I’m Christian and am here, aren’t I?
But anyway I do agree that varying parties gaining difference influences based on what they are could be quite interesting gameplay wise - almost like a new creature in your environment you have to adapt to or get rid of to survive
I don’t know why this place is filled with religion in real life.
I thought of this idea while I was writing achievements. Should I write them here too?
A sumerian dog walked into a tavern: Make archeology and discover a joke. Affects: temporary increase in happiness
I thought “how could there be a “temporary” increase in happiness?”. Then I came up with discourse slots.
Waking up to an upside down world: Make your civilisation go into hibernation, and wake up with all your discourse reasons turning opposite (example: you still have “our missionary has won a debate” active but the other religion is stronger now)
Gossip diversity: Have every type of discourse at least once
Time to talk, no time to settle: Unlock discourse slots before your first city
No, I mean like during medieval times and what preceded it.
I’m sorry; I didn’t want to cause an argument like this. All I was trying to suggest is that this system might help bring more realism by adding the fact that there are events outside the player’s control, which can effectively change their gameplay.