Development Update #011 news - The Ancients

And I'm back in the saddle, once again! My apologies for the late news piece. I write it up on Sunday Night, only to find that Firefox hadn't sent it - when I thought it had. Oops. Now I have to rewrite it again! Here goes!

Last week, I mentioned how that a few of the buildings I had made were in fact, not as they are in-game right now, as they were back in time, right then. That is to say, they look wrong. So, I'll have to go over a couple of them later at some point.
Meanwhile, I have begun works on the Basilica Aemilia area, ie Tabernae Argentariae, the banks, as evident in the Latest Screens / Images section, here. As opposed to building the entrance to the inner market facing west, as apparently correct according to a single source (I find single sources unreliable, at best), I've simply placed it facing south, for easier access for players.

Looks prettier, too.

Wouldn't it be neat to make it so that you can get hooked on drugs, if you abuse them? ie, use them too often?

If you use a drug, you would gain an improved mood.
If you use a drug too much, you gain a new "Needs bar" alongside hunger, thirst and so forth, called "Addiction".

The higher this Bar is, the better you feel. The lower it is, the worse you feel.
Taking the drug will replenish the need bar and give you an increased mood, and probably corrupt your statistics in one way or another - not to mention the hole it could eventually burn in your pocket.
As you begin to feel really, really dumbed down, though, "Cold Turkey" moodlet could appear. As the lack-of-drugness continues, the Cold Turkey gets worse and worse to the point where there's a chance you may need to require aid of a doctor (% chance?).
Eventually though, you get unhooked and earn a memory that you can reflect on, giving you a feeling of accomplishment, pride and/or shame.

This would be a pretty good simulation, if levelled out properly, of the affects of drugs - sneak a little re-Neducation in there for the kids whos parents let them play 16+ games (Or, whatever Age Rating Project Earth earns, heh).

==

Sex is a thing to be enjoyed. Protection purchasable.
Found a pretty little whorehole in the dark corners of a city's slums? Cough up the money, and have a good time. Don't have protection? Risk an STD.
Or maybe you've been forming a relationship with a girl (or guy), and want to take the next step - or simply are in the mood for a one-night-stand with a nobody. Same situation, with the added risk of pregnancy with a partner (covered in Feature: Family).

This Week's Q&A

doom3607 says: Ooh, so we can torture the NPCs? Can we blackmail them? IE, I kidnap a Senator's kid and threaten to torture him to death unless I get paid, say, ten talents. Can I do that?
Azkanan replied: It's more likely to be handled via a quest situation, but it would be nice to get somebody to follow you somewhere, knock them out, torture them, and 18+ gore from there on ;).

doom3607 replied: Can I yell 'Blood for the Blood God!' while doing it for bonus points? :D
Azkanan replied: Sure :D Actually, I wonder if there were any occults for human sacrifices? We'll see...

doom3607 replied: Well, as long as I can acquire vast sums of cash with extreme brutality and use it to become Bandit-King or whatever of a large area. Or I might become the Black Company, as long as the AI nations can and will hire mercenaries.
Azkanan replied:
1. Extreme Cash: Possible.
2. Extreme Brutality: Possible.
3. Bandit-King: Possible.
4. Foundation of "Companies": Unconfirmed, but hopefully possible!
5. AI Nations able to hire Mercenaries: Questionable, but will be looked into!