I’m currently playing Going Medieval on Steam (fab wee game btw) and the way they structure your colonists is that they have their actual skillset, and then they have the skills they are passionate about rated by little stars on their icon. And sometimes those two things align. Sometimes the dude that’s loves sewing is also a master tailor, or the person who loves to cook is also a good chef. And if they’re good at these things, you get to keep the resources. If, however, you use someone who is not good at the task you assign them too, there’s a more than likely chance it will blow up in their face and you lose valuable resources.
And then there’s Caldwell.
Caldwell is a simple lad, he’s good with animals, chopping wood and has a general aura of good natured helpfulness that makes you worry about strangers down the pub taking advantage of him. He also adores books, like three stars on the passion meter for books and wanting to perform research tasks that help advance the technology of the settlement. Which would be great, if he also didn’t have the intellectual depth of a teaspoon.
Meanwhile, my actual researcher Baldric (a name I did not give him) who is both cunning and crafty with ridiculous intellect stats, hates books. Dude wants nothing more than to be out in the fields or digging a hole, but no. The Gods of AI gave him a big brain, so he’s shackled to the desk in the library, ensuring the survival of the settlement by researching. And he’s fucking miserable.
Every now and then I let them switch jobs, though. Just to watch the green smiley faces appear over their heads. And sometimes I’ll hear the little bell notification that lets me know someone has levelled up. Usually it’s Baldric powering his way towards becoming a master of whatever he turns his hand to. But this time, this time it was Caldwell, who not only levelled up one whole intellect point after months of destroying valuable research points, but who also completed his very own book to be kept in the library for all of time.
Or at least until I start a new save game.
But either way I’m proud of my pixelated son!
And also Baldric, who finally got to dig his giant hole. Not sure how he’s going to get out, but he’s clever. I’m sure he’ll figure it out.
