Events

[Ishmael]

Fairly simple idea to spice up day to day life on Orbis: randomly generated events.

Some examples of natural events:

• Pandemics: kills x% of population in a randomly selected continent, or globally.
• Super-volcano: food production reduced by x% globally for an in-game year.
• Earthquake: Randomly destroys improvements in nations located in a particular continent / area of the world.
• Tsunami: Randomly destroys improvements in nations located in or next to the sea.
• Floods: Destroys all farms in a randomly selected area.
• Locust Plague: food production reduced to 0% for n turns.
• Fire: Destroys random building(s) in city.
• Nuclear Disaster: Destroys nuclear plant in random city, kills x% of citizens & temporarily increases nation radiation & disease.
• Power Outrage: random city looses power for n turns.
• Solar Flare: global power lost for n turns.
• Pest infestation: x% of food stockpiles in a city are destroyed.

We could also have economic events:

• Global / Continent economic boom: GDP increased by x% for n days
• Global / Continent economic recession: GDP reduced by x% for n days.
• New oil field discovered in x continent: increased oil production in that continent for n days
• New iron/coal/aluminum field discovered... same as above.
• Mass immigration: population increases by x%
• Mass emigration: population decreases by x%
• Microchip shortage: manufacturing planes & tanks becomes more expensive for n days.

Potential social / political / philosophical trends & events which could effect nations for n days:

• Spirit of entrepreneurship: GDP increased by x%
• Spirit of joie de vivre: GDP reduced by x%
• Vegetarianism: food consumption reduced by x%
• Anti-militarism: x% of military refuse to fight
• Anti-nuclear movement: productivity drops x% in any cities powered by nuclear power.
• Sustainability / anti-climate change movement: productivity drops in proportion to the amount of pollution a city or nation produces.
• Shopping season: supermarkets & shopping malls become x% more effective
• National sports events: stadiums become x% more effective
• National holidays: GDP reduces by x%

That's all I can think of for now, but I'm sure there's plenty more possibilities!