A Living Village: Economy, Society, and Social Progression

Today we want to give you a deeper look into the economic and social systems of our villages. One of our core goals is to make your settlement feel alive, not just functional, but socially evolving. To achieve this, we are reworking the current villager “level” system into a clear social hierarchy that better reflects how a medieval village grows over time.

Each social class represents new ambitions, new needs, and new ways your village can flourish.

Social Classes

Labourers

Labourers represent the most basic and humble social class. They are primarily workers in search of employment and shelter. Their housing needs are simple shared barracks.

To survive and eventually advance, they require only food and water. Labourers form the backbone of your early economy, working in physically demanding resource jobs such as:

• Lumberjacks
• Miners
• Hunters

They are essential, numerous, and inexpensive, but their ambitions are modest.

Settlers

Settlers are villagers who want more than mere survival. Their goal is to settle down, form partnerships, and start families. They will actively seek a partner, move into a house, and have children.

In addition to the basic needs of Labourers, Settlers require:

• Firewood to keep their homes warm and cozy
• Leather to present simple clothing

To support their social life, we are introducing a new building: the Tavern. Taverns provide space for after-work gatherings, fulfilling the villagers’ need for leisure and social interaction, because even medieval villagers deserve an evening beer after a long day.

Citizens

Citizens represent a turning point in your settlement’s development. They no longer focus solely on survival or family life; instead, they aim to build wealth and contribute to the long-term prosperity of the city.

Their needs become more complex and include:

• Clothing
• Faith

To satisfy the latter, you will need to construct a Church, allowing Citizens to practice their faith. This marks the transition from a simple village to a structured society with culture, belief, and ambition.

Higher Citizens

Higher Citizens are an advanced social class that expects refined living conditions and contributes significantly to your town’s efficiency and prestige. They demand more sophisticated goods and infrastructure, pushing your economy toward specialization and advanced production chains.

This class represents the bridge between a growing town and a true medieval city.

Clergy

The Clergy is a unique, non-upgradable class. Villagers cannot be promoted into or demoted out of this role.

Clergy members are unlocked by reaching specific milestones and can be attracted through migration attraction mechanics. They are considered an endgame social class:

• You can meet their needs to attract more Clergy
• But they cannot be created through social upgrades

Their presence reflects your settlement’s religious and cultural significance.

Nobles

Nobles represent the highest social class in the game and will become available as your settlement grows in prestige and importance.

They embody political power, wealth, and influence. In the future of Colossus they will play a key role in late-game systems.

Village Ranks and Progression

As your settlement grows, it will quietly change its status within the world. Village Ranks are shaped by how many villagers you house and how far they rise socially.

Each new rank opens the door to something greater: new possibilities, hidden technologies, and deeper systems waiting to be uncovered.

We’ll explore the secrets behind village ranks and technological progression in a future blog post. For now, consider this just the first glimpse of what lies ahead.

With these changes, we aim to create a stronger sense of identity and progression for your village, transforming it from a small worker settlement into a thriving medieval society.