Takiconomy a set of three modules Hopefully these blue skies ideas for three economic modules Will help

to create debate over the possibilities of expansion for MSO that could bring new features and levels of immersion in to the mission framework on a level not seen in a game of this kind (basic SimCity/tycoon game style economic simulation)

Population centres module LEVEL (designation) Qualification: What makes it that level of area? Signifier: Object in area that defines level of area (created upon definition) Occupancy: Amount of people local to that area Vehicles: Vehicles available for travel in area Professionals: Any special units possible in area Travel: Where occupants will go

L1 (hamlet) Qualification: 1 to 4 houses in adjacent area Signifier: gas/water tank Occupancy: 4-5 Vehicles: 1 or 2 vehicles max (possibly cars or pickup), more likely bikes and motorbikes Professionals: possibly shepherds flocks, farmers Travel: Nearest L2+ location with heavy path preference, close L1 locations with heavy path preference L2 (Village) Qualification: 5-8 houses in adjacent area Signifier: shed/tin shed Occupancy: 5-8 Vehicles: 3-4 vehicles may have vans or cars, at least one pickup Professionals: Likely shepherds flocks Travel: Nearest two L3+ locations with middling path preference, close L2 locations with heavy path preference L2A (Factory) Qualification: Oil field or factory area Signifier: generator or cargo containers Occupancy: 5-8 factory workers Vehicles: 3-4 vehicles, vans or trucks Professionals: Factory workers Travel: Nearest two L5+ locations, heavy path preference, nearest factory, middling path preference L3 (Small town) Qualification: Named town, 8-10 houses in adjacent area Signifier: Well/Fuel tank Occupancy: 9-11 Vehicles: 5-7 vehicles, mix of cars, motorbikes, vans, bikes, pickups, possibly a truck Professionals: Possibly a doctor Travel: Nearest two L4+ locations with middling path preference, close L3 locations with middling path preference

L4 (Town) Qualification: Named town, 10-15 houses in adjacent area (including shop like structures) Signifier: Market stall (could already exist) Occupancy: 13-15 Vehicles: 8-9 vehicles, mix of cars, motorbikes, bikes, vans, pickups, at least one truck Professionals: Possibly doctor, market area Travel: Nearest two L5+ locations with little path preference, nearest two L4 locations with little path preference L5 (Larger town) Qualification: Named town, 15+ houses in adjacent area Signifier: Flag or radio mast Occupancy: 16+ (depending on houses) Vehicles: 10-12 vehicles, mix of everything (including busses) Professionals: Doctor, local police, market area Travel: Nearest L6 Location and nearest three L5 locations with middling path preference L6 (Major towns/capital) Qualification: Named town, decided by mission maker (small amount-two or three max) Signifier: Statue or rubbish heap Occupancy: 16+ (depending on houses) Vehicles: 10-12 vehicles, mix of everything (including busses) Professionals: Doctor, ambulance, local militia/peacekeeping force, police, market area Travel: Other L6 Locations with middling path preference

Base economy Module: All pop centres start off with a base economic score, Level x 100 L1 = 100 L2 = 200 L3 = 300 Etc. Over time, economic score slowly decreases by some value (maybe 10 every hour) When a vehicle travels from one population centre to another and returns again (a transaction), the economic score of both places increases by a certain amount depending on the level of population center of each: Lower pop centre to higher score = Level of lower + level of higher * 10: (L1 + L2) *10 = 30 points gained This would create a scenario where lower income villages and hamlets turn in to insurgency friendly tribal areas compared to more economically successful, blufor friendly major towns. If economic projects are brought into the area (e.g. a generator brought in to town, a water tower) then the economic score gains a multiplier i.e. When trade is done, more points are gained per transaction, like so: ((Level of lower + level of higher) *10) *multiplier, in this case 1.5 for a generator: ((L1+L2) *10) *1.5 = 45 points gained If buildings in the area are damaged or destroyed the economic score takes a very big hit in terms of score and multiplier i.e. more buildings destroyed, fewer points are gained per transaction and less points overall Points lost per building lost = Base economic score * 1/ (total buildings in pop centre, in this example 4): 100 *(1/4) = 100 * 0.25 = 25 points lost Multiplier lost per building lost= 1/ (total buildings in pop centre): 1/ = 0.25 multiplier loss The idea for this would be that there would be some kind of rebuilding supplies that could be dropped off that would with time make the repair of buildings in an area The transactions or even professionals in a town could be targeted by insurgent or enemy forces, and destroying the truck or killing the driver or even taking the goods (signified by driving through a VCP or similar) could sap the local economy Economic score would directly affect town morale, such that if a town is stuffed economically because you bombed the shit out of it to get some terrorists and theres no trade because their supply lines keep getting interrupted by fire fights or ambushes then even if you patrol through it, it will be difficult to get them on side.

Path preference Module: Path confidence = Successful Journeys on route to pop centre / Total journeys between two pop centres On the first journey between any two population centres, the AI will take the first most obvious point to point route along local roads, setting the path confidence for that path at 1 On the next journey the AI will attempt to take a different route (through different nearby towns) if there is one available that is within +50% of the distance of the first journey that does not pass through the destination, if they make it successfully the confidence for both paths will become (1/2) This process is repeated for all routes that are within +50% distance until most likely journeys are worked out. From here the next journey will take place at a biased random choice of any of these routes. If we only have two routes available and there have been two successful journeys on one route (route A), one successful journey on the other (route B), we will have: 1/3 path confidence for route A = 0.3 2/3 path confidence for route B = 0.6 The path can then be chosen using a simple random choice: If Random number between 0 and 10 <= 3 then go route A, if >3, go route B If a route has been travelled and was unsuccessful (for ambush or obstacles or whatever) the next 2-4 journeys will not take place on that route if possible (or not take place on that route for X amount of time again could be a factor of the path confidence) On top of this, further bias may be set up via a coefficient Path following, whereby the population centre may be more likely just to use one path over others to get to another pop. centre. This would mean that certain population centres need a safer, better defended supply route to function Over time this should mean that MSRs start to get setup between towns and villages along safe routes, either by luck or security from your men

Conclusions and other possibilities These three modules would give the map a living, breathing feeling in a way that were only just beginning to start to approach in-game, with ambient traffic and civvies replaced by real people doing real things, and the mission changes from simply defeating terrorists to rebuilding a country and trying to win hearts and minds. It starts to make the blufor more accountable for their actions (or in the case of a PvP MSO scenario would become a power struggle to see who could win over the people) and brings a new immersion and opportunities for on the fly mission planning and operations in ways that werent possible before From here there are other developments that could be made out of the system: -What if town population depended on economic score? Some places would turn into ghost towns as their population left to the nearby bigger town or city (or left the map refugee style?) -What if the player played as a governor of the island and had to ensure his economy was strong as well as his military through balancing taxes and spending on military and local economic projects? -What if the player played as a delivery business and had to buy vehicles and drivers and setup routes al transport tycoon deluxe? -What if the player side was a PMC force that could get contracts for escorting or delivering important transactions/professionals?