Colossus - From Hearth to Heritage: How Families Shape Your Village
Today, we’re excited to dive deeper into some of the most important mechanics that shape life in our village: the Family System
Let’s start by taking a closer look at the foundation of village life — the family.
In the beginning, your starting villagers are individuals without ties. However, once two villagers marry, they form a new family. From that point on, they can move into a shared home, starting their life together under one roof. Marriage is more than a simple bond — it lays the groundwork for the future of your settlement.
But not every married couple will immediately start a family. Certain conditions must be met before a new generation can be born:
- 🏠 A dedicated family house with enough room for a child
- 🔨 At least one parent must be employed
- ❤️ Their needs must be fulfilled (more on that in an upcoming post)
If all these conditions are met and maintained over a specific period of days, there is a chance for the family to grow. When a child is born, they live at home under the care of their parents. In their early years, children share the same basic needs as their parents, but as they grow, they will develop unique needs of their own — shaping them into future members of your society.
Once children reach adulthood, they are ready to take the next steps in life. They can seek employment, contribute to the village economy, and, eventually, marry and form families of their own. When they marry, they officially leave their original family and establish a new household, continuing the cycle.
However, there’s more to the story than just families. Above the individual families exists a larger, more influential structure: the Dynasty. 👑
A dynasty represents a shared bloodline across generations. Every family belongs to one, and over time, dynasties grow in size and presence within the village. They hold potential for influence, shaping village politics, social standing, and economic power.
⚠️ Important Note: While the foundation for the dynasty system is already in place, its influence mechanics are not yet fully implemented. Currently, dynasties are mostly symbolic, representing bloodlines and generational heritage. However, future updates will bring dynasties to life — allowing them to exert real influence over village life, form alliances, compete for prestige, and shift the balance of power.
Managing the growth of families and planning for the long-term evolution of dynasties will eventually add a rich strategic layer to your village management. For now, they serve as a preview of the deeper social simulation to come.
In our next post, we’ll take a closer look at Villager Needs — what they are, how to fulfill them, and how they impact villager happiness and productivity.
