Capitalism 2 and Capitalism Lab Forum

We would like to get your feedback on some of the concepts that we have been contemplating with:

Here is one of them: complex productions of video game consoles:

Example: PS4 console hardware teardown:
http://epsnews.com/wp-content/uploads/2 ... ylarge.jpg
http://epsnews.com/wp-content/uploads/2 ... ylarge.jpg

There will be a dozen to a couple dozens of components for building a video game console.

The productions will still be using the pattern of having a maximum 3 inputs. So there will be various intermediate products required for assembling the final console products.

The same can apply to PC computers and mobile phones as well.

This will make the production chain more complex and challenging.

Note that this will not be part of the Digital Age DLC because the Digital Age DLC focuses on software and Internet and is not compatible with the gameplay style presented here.

At this stage, we just want to see if this idea merits further consideration by looking at the result of this poll. If there are enough interests, we will try to come up with a more concrete plan for getting this materialized.

I think that the more advanced product, the more advanced the manufacturing process should be. Sort of correlating to a risk / reward mechanic. This would also tie in really well with the latest giga-factory idea!

I think that would be great, that's actually exactly what I've been working on for my mod. So far I've developed the electronics industry, the chemical industry (incl plastics), the automotive industry and (in part) bakery goods.

As an example, my current desktop computer looks like this:

Desktop Computer = computer tower + input devices + monitor
Computer tower = aluminium + disc drive + base unit
Base unit = Motherboard + PSU + hardware plugins
Motherboard = microprocessor + internal memory + fibreglass
Microprocessor = semiconductor wafer + silver + copper
Semiconductor Wafer = Silicon + Industrial minerals + Fine Chemicals

...and of course that's just one leg of that product chain. Obviously I have added a lot of products to really get to the core of the production cycles. However, I have tried to dumb this down on additional products for differentiation purposes (I'm not a fan of product customisation), so for example my Gaming PC is simply = Desktop computer + graphics card + microprocessor, which is a corner cut to simulate the higher cost of production of that system versus the desktop version. Essentially my gaming PC consumes 3 "units" of graphics card rather than just the 1 for example.
Further differentiation is also possible by using components from further down the individual chains, so for example a Netbook becomes Base unit + Keyboard + LCD screen and is consequently a lot cheaper to build than a laptop that uses Laptop shell + Input devices + LED screen. My video game console will also use the same "base units" as all my computers and this actually makes the system quite adaptable for manufacturers.
All of the chains are built to feed into higher cost/lower volume elements. So for example the amount of semiconductor wafers consumed globally is far higher than say the amount of motherboards. I still need to tweak a lot of price components to improve the playability of the mod (and add graphics), but the core concepts are ready. It's hard to work with only 3 inputs and you definitely have to corner cut sometimes, but its doable.

Is this the kind of direction you are looking at ? If so, then I think its a great idea - despite the fact that in part you'd make my (not even yet released) mod obsolete

Desktop Computer = computer tower + input devices + monitor
Computer tower = aluminium + disc drive + base unit
Base unit = Motherboard + PSU + hardware plugins
Motherboard = microprocessor + internal memory + fibreglass
Microprocessor = semiconductor wafer + silver + copper
Semiconductor Wafer = Silicon + Industrial minerals + Fine Chemicals

This is a very interesting design!

Since there are so many different components required for making desktop computers, it will be very expensive to do R&D on all the components if the only type of consumer products that player is producing is desktop computer.

Thus, the player will have to find ways to produce more types of consumer products (e.g. Netbook, Notebook and etc) spread the R&D cost of all these components over them.

Is this the kind of direction you are looking at ?

Yes.

If so, then I think its a great idea - despite the fact that in part you'd make my (not even yet released) mod obsolete

The dev team is currently busy working on the Digital Age DLC and it will take a while to finish it. So the dev work on a new DLC won't start until then. Right now, we are just discussing which DLC idea will be the best for the next dev effort.

So I do look forward to playing your mod.

I wonder if it will inflate video game consoles market to unrealistic numbers? I always remember that citizens get only 2000 per month.

megapolis wrote:I wonder if it will inflate video game consoles market to unrealistic numbers? I always remember that citizens get only 2000 per month.

That's a good question. The complex production mechanism has to be coupled with a new export feature - exporting your video game consoles overseas in large quantities.

David wrote:

megapolis wrote:I wonder if it will inflate video game consoles market to unrealistic numbers? I always remember that citizens get only 2000 per month.

That's a good question. The complex production mechanism has to be coupled with a new export feature - exporting your video game consoles overseas in large quantities.

Won't this export thing cause inflation? in my current games with export driven by University research inflation reaches 6%. Also unlimited supply of money makes the game boring and inflation makes it a bit frustrating because you are losing money and you are unable to fight it.

The programmer can assign an economic modifier to export so that it won't not spur inflation, for gameplay balance purpose.

I like this idea and have even attempted to develop something like it in my mod (i.e. build Aircraft). Cars are a good example too.

In my games, the challenge becomes that inflation gets out of hand and this drives up the price of components to the point that the finished goods are not at a price point that is competitive. I think the developers would need to lift the $100k max price for some instances.

Isn't it a idea to work with patents and royalty's on them.. that I can start up a patent focused company and sell them out as royalty's or sell the patent for say 10 year for a x amount.