A quick cottage question

[Riveraxis]

I read recently that cottages do not grow unless you're focusing on them. Is that true? Or does the difficulty level have a part in this?

 

[lymond]

Cottages only develop if worked by a citizen. Difficulty plays no role at all or anything else for that matter. Well, except the Emancipation Civic, which speeds development.

 

[capnvonbaron]

If you mouse over the cottage improvement, it will tell you in the info corner 1) the status of the cottage (cottage/hamlet/village/town) and 2) the amount of turns it will take to turn into the next level. It will also say "must be worked to grow" if there is not currently a citizen "working" in it. Obviously you can assign citizens in the city screen.

 

[Funky]

It will also say "must be worked to grow" if there is not currently a citizen "working" in it.

Just a slight correction, it will only say must be worked to grow if it's a cottage which hasn't been worked at all yet. If you have say a hamlet which needs 9 turns to grow into a village, the mouseover will always say it needs 9 more turns, regardless of wether it's currently being worked or not.