Ludopolis: Product Details

Requirements: Browser

Firefox, Google Chrome, and Internet Explorer 8 work well.

Playing time: 1 hour

The turn system used in Ludopolis guarantees that all games will finish in one hour.

Players: 1-18

A game starts starts when the first player enters the game.

If you do not fill up a game with people that you invite, games will still be open to the public.

Recommended age: 18 and up

Some aspects of Ludopolis, such as city design and immigration, may be fun for ages 14 and up. However, all Ludopolis games are online and public, and there is no moderation system to keep discussions age-appropriate.

Complexity: high

Not only is Ludopolis composed of several levels or "sub-games," each level can interact with others in surprising ways. Playing with a more experienced friend can help you become familiar with the dynamic factors that influence the rise and fall of cities.

Strategy: high

Tactical skills dominate at the city level, but at the inter-city level, long-term thinking is crucial.

Language: English

Communication with other players in the game is important, and there are no separate games for non-English-speakers. Also, the instructions and interface are in English.

Price: Free

All game types currently offered are free and require no registration.

Mechanics

• Action points: (shown as gems) are distributed every turn and can be used up to four minutes later. The primary uses of action points are making cities, moving your pawn, and designing your cities.
• Point to point movement: the movement and position of each player's pawn determines where they gather information and act
• Route building: each new city placed adds another point to the route network. Routes are used by immigrants and traders. Short routes can also be used for moving pawns.
• Tiles: cities are placed on a game board made up of square tiles

Themes

• City building: place your cities, determine their boundaries, and change the terrain
• Civilization: each player's country begins at the hunting and gathering stage and develops the ability to build more advanced industries
• Exploration: balance your actions between building up your cities, founding new cities near to unexplored territory, or exploring other players' countries to gather information about their strategies
• Farming: the production and distribution of food plays an important role in a successful nation
• Manufacturing: larger cities can build workshops to produce durable goods and luxuries, but too much production can lower prices
• Medieval: Ludopolis is placed in a vaguely medieval era
• Negotiation: cooperation is important in competitive games: direct conflict with your neighbours will place both of you at a disadvantage