What are cottages (from a simulation pov) ?

[morchuflex]

Hello everyone.

The question may sound dumb... But what do you think cottages are?
I'm not asking about game mechanics but simulation. What do they represent?

I know what the word means (at least, I think I do). I just don't see what kind of (real world) structure would qualify as the equivalent of a Civ4 "cottage". Is it rural housing? Some kind of agricultural exploitation I'm not aware of?

Cottages are an interesting game mechanics, I just wish I could look for some RL equivalent when I travel across the countryside.

 

[Lennier]

I think of them as suburbs.

 

[Windsor]

Are you talking specifically about the cottage or also the developed versions (hamlets, villages and towns)? Either way I think the developed versions hints that cottages are just some suburbs that provide economic activity. All the versions of the cottage also have graphics that just looks like the basic city center buildings.

 

[elmurcis]

Now that is actually interesting question. Also might change a lot in different countries (as what one thing is Town (in game view), other would see as just hamlet etc.
If I look to my country and its history. Cottages looks like are places (more like area is covered with multiple things like that) that had some government paid living houses done (can connect with Communism part of history) with some area around them to make living and workplace for some (most common 100-200 for example here) people. Something that is not yet self-supporting (not enough amount of local tax to pay for everything it needs) but could have potential to grow if things go right. Some of cottages have some resources around that make it more possible to expand, grow and do stuff in "free market way" but that has to kind of supported by government for some time to mature. If its atleast "hamlet" size already - chance that it will continue to develop by itself, is much higher.
Maybe its different in other countries but that is how I can see them here

 

[civfanchambers]

In civ4 cottages represent pre industrialism manufacturing. Before the industrial revolution societies relied on cottage industry. Need further explanation google it. This information should have been covered in history class.

 

[lymond]

I think cottage industry is one aspect of it, but the mechanic as a whole I think is a reflection of urbanization and development. US is probably a base model for this mechanic as we are newer. In the old world, names have changed, but many areas have been inhabited for millennia.

I don't think the mechanic directly correlates to suburbs. Suburbs or exurbs can be anything from bedroom communities to full fledge towns. Many are just "areas" with no formal jurisdiction. I live in an "area" just outside DC with more office space than Miami, and in a larger corridor that rivals Silicon in the tech industry. There are "areas" around here that are primarily residential - I grew up in one. However, I think the cottage-towns in game reflect the State as a whole. The towns that have grown throughout a state, province, district, or however a country subdivides, that are not necessarily directly tied to a larger city. Yet still have some economic ties to the larger entity.

One could look at it this way as well. A cottage - one or more families living in an area that is primarily agrarian. More families move in making it a hamlet or village (in some places those terms are almost synonymous) Eventually this village relies less on agriculture has industries establish satellites - or an industry may very well have simply been started there - here drawing more families. Eventually it becomes a town. Towns and villages also die. Some attract population, but over time can lose population as industries move out or abandon the location. Some even become ghost towns.

Cities are obviously major hubs of economic activity and growth, but outlying towns are a part of the full economic picture as well.

 

[floydmcw]

In civ4 cottages represent pre industrialism manufacturing. Before the industrial revolution societies relied on cottage industry. Need further explanation google it. This information should have been covered in history class.

Cottages don't boost hammers. I think of workshops as pre-industrialism manufacturing.

 

[civfanchambers]

Cottages don't boost hammers. I think of workshops as pre-industrialism manufacturing.

You clearly missed the point. Cottages in the pre industrial era wasn't about production (hammers). It was about providing non agricultural goods to the local populace, and boosting local commerce. Three examples would be book making, pottery, and textiles. The industrial revolution coincided with the birth of modern cities where cottage industry and a local agrarian economy switched to a production economy.

 

[Lexicus]

I think of them as suburbs.

I think of them as towns not significant enough to qualify as cities, until some arbitrary point in the game where cities have grown large enough to have suburbs. Even then I still think of isolated cottages as towns or small cities not important enough to be actual cities.

 

[ArchGhost]

Aside from the literal "cottage" level (which seems something of a misnomer), I view them pretty much exactly like Lexicus. They are individual settlements trading with the larger city center, hence the commerce. Sorta (but obviously not the same) like fiefs.

I don't really see crossing the lines to suburbs of the urban center until much later, when cities are very large and dominate the entire landscape. I feel that they qualify as suburbs when you have cities linked to cities via contiguous cottages, which is something like how Chicago and surrounding cities like Schaumburg/Aurora all run into each other with all these smaller incorporated villages/townships in-between. The urban sprawl.

 

[Imaus]

Cottages and Hamlets are the cutest things; though I have foregone them many times to just farm spam as my cities often make enough gold by trade and every hill is already a mine.... A fossil from my civ I days.

 

[MAvL]

Since they give money, I think these represent area where the tertiary/service sector is dominant. As opposed to farms which are food related primary and secondary sector, mine and workshop which are everything else related primary and secondary, and mills which provide food boost in the medieval era, then production in the industrial era, and gold with the advent of electricity (which can be seen as a service).

 

[Chinese American]

Some (many? most?) ancient cities were surrounded by walls. (Note how city walls in the game only cover the center tile.) Naturally when population inflates, excess population must move and settle outside the walls (long before high rises, so building upwards was not feasible.)

They also represent communities ruled by local elites or wealthy families outside the jurisdiction of the city. Such that they can exercise the full extent Of their authority and wealth with few restraints. They most likely still trade with the city proper, and possibly pay taxes to city government. (For military protection, land tax, etc.)

 

[Orion Pax]

I think y’all have covered this pretty well. One add that may help further clarify from the game’s civics:

Historically, the emancipation of serfs in Europe in the 1800s led dramatically to the populating of towns and cities. Hence the Emancipation civic doubling their cottage/hamlet/village growth rate.

And Free Speech seems to reflect individual rights having the greatest impact where there are more individuals (towns vs. smaller forms).

Universal Suffrage likewise I guess reflects broad productivity resulting from rights broadly given.

Some of this is more debatable of course. I think Emancipation has the most linear historical connection. But each of the town-related civics I think are pretty well-conceived.

 

[Timoteo]

For me this quote that is sometimes attributed to Napoleon about Britain being a nation of shopkeepers sums up my thinking about cottages:

"I meant that you were a nation of merchants, and that all your great riches, and your grand resources arose from commerce, which is true. What else constitutes the riches of England. It is not extent of territory, or a numerous population. It is not mines of gold, silver, or diamonds."