Introduction

Don't let the name fool you -- while the "Pop Demand Mod" started out as a discussion of how to improve and balance Victoria II's economy, it grew into a full mod focused on making the economy work smoothly but with comprehensive coverage of other areas. It not only adjusts the economy and migration mechanics but also introduces a host of new decisions, events and mechanics suggested by a wide variety of players in this sub-forum – thus providing the mod's unofficial second name: "People's Democratic Mod". It's become something of an unofficial expansion pack, and one that is continually growing as more and more gets added into it. The goal is not to change vanilla Vicky unnecessarily, but to smooth the rough edges that players experience and create a working world economy and a rich historical context for both historically-minded and sandbox players.

How does PDM differ from other major mods?

Some mods, like VRRP, are designed to balance the economy but otherwise keep as close to Victoria II mechanics as possible without introducing new events. Others, like Divergences, opt for an "alternate timeline" approach and present an entirely new what-if world history. PDM opts to change only those mechanics we feel are necessary-- though sometimes in fundamental ways -- as well as including a host of new events. Our goal is not to force the world down a deterministic path so it aligns with actual history, but to set up events so such a path is at least possible and to otherwise ensure we include events which are historically plausible. If the player does nothing and just watches events unfold, things will tend to follow historical paths, but with ample room for divergences. Enabling players to pursue historical goals (or not) in a rich historical context is our guiding principle.

You'll find that PDM is updated frequently. An update comes out roughly weekly - we tweak mechanics, include new events and fixes and put out a new version for players to test and give us feedback on, and then start the process all over again. This does mean that balance can vary quite a bit from one version to the next, but we like to get as much input as possible as we keep working to fine tune and improve the mod. That's just how we roll.

Major PDM Features
- Balanced and expanded economy with new and alternative production chains, including 16 new goods and over 20 additional factories
- Modified POP behavior and domestic and foreign migration – more focus on available jobs and reforms and not just the presenece of “Democracy”
- Entirely re-written promotion system, so that well-off pops promote and poor pops demote
- Research point generation modified and balanced to emphasize literacy and clergy but factor in contributions from bureaucrats, capitalists, and clerks
- Revised and rebalanced tech tree, with over 100 new inventions -- it allows viable alternative paths of development rather than favoring “super techs” and breaks technology rollouts down into smaller advances (e.g., there’s more than one way to get the minimum liferating you need after 1880)
- More important role for National Focus
- Completely reworked political system, leading to greater synergy between the Upper House and government
- Revised rebels and revolutions, including event-based subsystems and "patriots" that reclaim territory
- Revised military units (e.g., distinguishing professional regulars from colonial or mobilized reserve brigades) and military combat system, including terrain combat modifiers
- Revised Casus Belli system and infamy costs, promoting sensible AI use of wargoals and making it impractical to swallow large uncivilized countries in a single bite
- Great Wars & Infamy Wars, increasing the scope of late game wars
- New unification mechanics for many cultural unions such as Germany, Italy, Arabia and Scandinavia to make these realistically achievable
- Over 50 new countries exiting at-start or that can form during the game, including many from the New Nations Mod
- Hundreds of new events and decisions, including the Taiping Rebellion, the Congress of Berlin, the Oriental Crisis, the British Dominions and the Boer Wars among many others

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Sick of overpowered colonies outproducing their metropole? Tired of super-speed assimilation? Indignant about France on steroids outproducing the rest of the world combined and fielding multi-million man armies? Infuriated with an economy that doesn't make sense? Bored with dull and repetitive election events you don't even bother to read? Seeking more historical flavor and interesting events? Then this is the mod for you.

Age of Colonialism is not a massive overhaul of the base game. We are not trying to reinvent the wheel and bring you a whole new game. This mod is about giving you more a more interesting experience on top of the vanilla experience that you always wanted. It does not add new RGO goods, add new factories, add new pop types, or change the battle mechanics. Age of colonialism is focused on balancing the game, fixing bugs, and improving the base experience. This is accomplished through many changes which are described below.

Technology Spread

Are you finding it bizarre that when you research steam turbines it immediately applies to all your provinces? Should Bombay really be getting the same tech as London?

The various techs and inventions that were linked to farming output increases (the six levels of power generation techs, the inventions under the mechanical production etc) no longer give instantaneous bonuses to all provinces under your control. Farming technology spreads gradually, state by state, based on a number of factors:

Factors that increase chance for farming advancement:
+high literacy
+high plurality
+high consciousness
+having a province nearby that already has the advancement

Factors that decrease chance for farming advancement:
-colonial state (very significant)
-high militancy
-low literacy

For example, once water-wheel power generation is researched all of your provinces have a chance to advance their farming technology to water-wheel power generation based on those factors.

With these changes you will see a much more realistic spread of technologies. Distant colonial farmers now produce less goods, make less income, and provide less taxes. The starving masses of Bombay will no longer live in luxury equaling or surpassing that of Oxford.

Realistic Industrialization

Now you can see industrialization be driven by by the agricultural revolution of the 19th century! With improved farming technology you will realistically need fewer and fewer farmers per acre. See your farming land run out as your technology improves and the unemployed farmers flood into your cities eager to work in your factories!

Those countries that can improve and spread their agricultural technology will be the best suited to industrialize, just as in reality!

Assimilation and Racial Prejudice

Tired of seeing absurd amounts of assimilation from cultures who would never be accepted by your country in reality? How could millions of Indians magically become British by 1880?

The assimilation mechanic is massively improved and now based on the prevailing racial prejudice of the game's time period.

Only Europeans (this includes Latin Americans & Yankee/Dixie/Texan) can assimilate to other European cultures. Members of the Turko-Semitic and Persian-Turanian culture groups can assimilate to each other (Persians, Misri, Berbers, and Turks for example). Members of the south east Asian and east Asian culture groups can assimilate to each other. Members of African culture groups may assimilate to each other (this includes African diaspora). All other culture groups, native Americans (Zapotec etc), central Asians (Mongol, Tibetan etc), south Asians (Indians), may only assimilate within their own culture group.

Are you also distraught by hordes of unaccepted pops swelling your soldiers ranks despite having a moralistic anti-foreigner society?

Now pops will consider their position in your society before wanting to fight for you. That Native-American won't want to fight for your bigoted moralism/residency USA!

Balanced Colonization and Emigration

Finding it absurd that France can easily turn African colonies into states? Hitting your head against the wall at the unstoppable French behemoth super-charged with an African utopia?

Now colonization makes sense! Pops will only seriously consider migrating to the colonies when they are hungry and unemployed. Pops now only migrate to their country's colonies when they are desperate!

On the other hand, pops that feel persecuted in your society, the Irish in the UK for example, will be inclined to pack up and move to a country where they can be more free (off to the land of liberty!).

Bureaucratic Bloat That Makes Sense

Finding it ridiculous that putting your administration slider to minimal levels does nothing to stop your ever expanding bureaucrat population? Now bureaucrats will realistically leave their jobs when you don't pay them enough.

Be prepared for HARD decisions regarding your bureaucratic salaries. You want to turn that African colony into a state? Then you will have to raise your bureaucratic spending to entice pops in the colonies to become bureaucrats, but by doing so you risk bloating your bureaucracy back at home!

Will you leave your colonies backwards and inefficiently administered in order to maintain a balanced administration at home or will you bloat your bureaucracy at home to turn those colonies into efficient states!

More Interesting Historical Flavor and Critical World Events

AoC adds many new events, decisions and even some countries. See world shaking events like the Taiping Rebellion take place, watch Britain consider the costs of holding onto restive colonies like Canada versus letting them go free. Get involved with important events like the Berlin Congress and Opium Wars.

Realistic Standing Armies and Mobilisation

Standing army sizes and mobilization pools will now be much more realistic. Expect to see mobilization pools exceed the standing army sizes by quite a bit.

Improved AI

Great pains have been taken to direct the AI along the best routes of tech progress. Expect the AI to be deviously good at picking the right technologies for its situation!

Watch as the AI properly maintains its army only recruiting new soldiers when it can support more brigades!

Election Events Overhaul

Growing tired of the same boring election events spammed every four years? One doesn't even need to read the text as they are almost all 5%-30%, just select 5% for every issue you don't want and 30% for every issue you do want. Dreadful and dull.

Now election events have flavor, character, and real consequences! Political assassinations, pedophile priests, minority violence, and much much more! Watch as the different parts of your society clash over the issues that mean so much to them.