It is not needed to have a
decadence "meter", the ideological changes of your civilization comes from your actions but not directly and without any reason as currently is, they come from the management of your
denizens.
The general concept from its basis:
>
DENIZEN, population unit that represent an abstract amount of inhabitants. Each of these units would have three identity parameters;
Heritage (ethnocultural),
Belief (religion) and
Class (social caste). These denizens occupy
Districts and
Villages (improvements) from both
Empires (playable main civs) and
Nations (non-playable minor civs), they can be relocated and migrate.
- Heritages are also related to exclusive
Traditions that provide bonuses and uniques when those denizens integrate into your empire (X% of your population limited to Y number of slots).
Of course the diplomatic relations with other civs leaders, their and your populations would be greatly related to denizens Heritage and Belief, so for example persecute religions from other civs would generate animosity.
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Classes represent a few basic groups:
* Laborers; work in farms, plantations, mines, quarries, etc. Later can also work in factories.
Help to gain Great Engeneers.
* Artisans; work in workshops that produce manufactured luxury resources with cultural value like Textiles, Ceramics, Jewelry, etc. Later can also work in studios. Help to gain Great Artists.
* Traders, work in trade and commerce buildings.
Help to gaun Great Merchants.
* Clergics; work in religion related buildings.
Help to gain Great Prophets.
* Scholars; work in science related buildings.
Help to gain Great Scientists.
* Warriors; work in army related buildings.
Help to gain Great Generals.
All these identity variables are essentials as populations sectors that can be benefited or harmed by your actions, decisions and of course your chosen ideologies.
Obviously basic necesities and amenities would help to keep happy everybody but also some specific buildings can appeal to certain groups.
>
DECISION EVENTS that are linked to the whole ideologies mechanic. Similar to Beyond Earth
missions and CIV6s inspiration, social and ideological changes (civics/goverment) could come from decision events like this:
When you defeat an enemy faction (either BC/CS/Civ) for the first time instead of get a militar oriented "Honor" branch you get a decision event like this:
"My leader our heroic warriors have emerged victorious, bringing glory to all our nation. Now only remains the question of how to retribute our troops"
a) "The blood of our heroes was shed for this land, the less we can do is to honor their legacy with titles and riches" > HONOR
b) "This victory is without question a divine blessing. Call the warriors and all the people to reverence at the shrines." > DEVOTION
c) "They have served well their leader. Organize some celebrations and then redistribute the troops wherever are needed." > AUTHORITY
So from a kind of easy way to trigger events (a militar victory) you can select the decision that customize your society in the way you want. Still with some pros and cons, for example more privileges for Warrior class in a) and Clergics in b) and temporal global happinest boost from c). Turning civics/policies/ideologies to be more organic based on an
action>event>decision system that provide different orientations with their own pros and cons.
These also add a lot to the
narrative development of your civ, the ballance of diffent ways to victory and break the status quo in late game.