Input/Ideas needed for Multiplayer Browser Based Game

[Tiberius]

For those who can't remember back to April last year, I'm currently writing this: https://atheistforums.org/thread-32868.html

The basic idea is you create a religion, and use various techniques / strategies to gain followers, generate money, and of course, destroy as many rival religions as you possibly can.

I've been working on and off since that thread, and I'm nearing a point where I want to start alpha testing. Most of the game mechanics are in place, however the "content" of the game is currently pretty sparse, especially in one of the core mechanics: Doctrines.

As your religion grows, you will be required to make decisions on certain doctrinal issues, which range from the very basic "How many Gods exist?" to the more complex "Does your religion support the marriage between humans and dogs?" (for example).

How you decide these issues will very much shape how your religion grows, and will also unlock other issues for you to decide. What I really need at the moment are a bunch of creative ideas for doctrine issues, along with possible positions, which is why I created this thread.

So please have a think, and post as many multiple choice issues as you can think of. You can be as sensible or as bizarre as you like, and remember that issues might only apply to certain types of religion (for instance, if you make an "atheistic" religion, no doctrines about "God" or "Gods" will ever show up, but rather there should be plenty of philosophical and ethical questions.

The positions available don't have to be simple either (although "Yes" / "No" is fine in some circumstances), so if you want to be creative with the positions as well as the issues themselves, feel free.

Anyone who contributes doctrines which make it into the game will be compensated with in-game credit when it is released, and are also welcome to join the alpha testing when that happens (hopefully soon).

Thanks!

[bennyboy]

So what do you have so far?

[Tiberius]

So what do you have so far?

Pretty much the basic stuff, I've only been populating them for testing purposes since I'm trying to focus more on functionality at the moment.

So for instance, I have:

How many Gods exist?
- None
- One
- Many

Does God / Do the Gods interfere with the universe?
- Yes
- No

Does Heaven exist?
- Yes
- No

Does Hell exist?
- Yes
- No

etc.

[Joods]

This sounds fascinating. I'll try to come up with some ideas over the weekend. I don't go back to school until Monday, so this should be a fun project to work on!

[Joods]

Oh, do you want us to PM our ideas to you?

[Tiberius]

PM or in the thread, I don't mind

[SteelCurtain]

How do your followers pay homage to your god?
-Animal Sacrifice
-Human Sacrifice
-Tithing/Offering---> Sub: Crops/Money/children to the institution
-Build Monuments
- Ritual--->Sub: Dance/Prayer/Songs/etc

Is/Are your gods benevolent/malevolent?
-Benevolent
-Malevolent
-Depends on whether it is pleased

Is your religion intimately intertwined in your government?
-Yes ---> Sub: Is the religion state sponsored?, Is participation mandatory?
-No

Does your god regularly interact with his people?

Does your god prevent evil?

Does your god allow free will?

Also, each of these factors can have an effect on gaining followers and retaining them. For instance, if followers are kept poor, they will be more likely to stay in the religion, but it might be harder to acquire them.

You might have to force certain options. If a user were to create a nebulous, deistic god that doesn't interact with the universe, what would the gameplay be like?

[Tiberius]

Also, each of these factors can have an effect on gaining followers and retaining them. For instance, if followers are kept poor, they will be more likely to stay in the religion, but it might be harder to acquire them.

This is already implemented. Each position has a number of different effects, which are applied per region. So choosing a position might mean you gain 20% less followers in one region, but 30% more in another. Part of game strategy is to choose whether to balance the effects or focus on one region and maximizing the effects there.

You might have to force certain options. If a user were to create a nebulous, deistic god that doesn't interact with the universe, what would the gameplay be like?

Again, already implemented.

Most doctrines have sets of requirements in order for a user to see them / make decisions on them. So once I have a big set of doctrines I'll put all the requirements in, in a logical order.

[Joods]

I have one...

Is your god a jealous god?
- yes - Sub: What does he do to the people as punishment? Make blood (animal/human) sacrifices, Send them to hell, inflict them with a disease, send plagues etc.
- no

[Aoi Magi]

Should the religion be proselytising or non-proselytising?
- proselytising (spreads fast, but internal conflicts rise in numbers)
- non-proselytising (spreads slow, but less internal conflicts among followers and resistant to conversions)


Should the followers be from a certain race?
- Yes (spreads slow, but less internal conflicts among followers and resistant to conversions)
- No, all are allowed (spreads fast, but internal conflicts rise in numbers)



Should the religion be spread through force or knowledge, resource-bribes?
- Force
- Knowledge
- Resource sharing/trading



How should gender equality be handled?
- Males are dominant over females (Female population declines, Advantage when spreading through wars)
- Females are dominant over male (Male population declines, Advantage when spreading through knowledge/resource-bribes)
- They are equal (Rapid progression through skill trees, no added advantage while spreading)