Production chains need a readable next step
What the early eras taught me about requirements, resources and stalled production.
A retrospective on 29 August 2026. Written and published on 14 October 2026 using the project history.
A single business is easy to describe. Things get more interesting when several depend on each other. I need to see whether the missing piece is money, a resource, an upgrade or research.
At the end of August I looked closely at the transitions between the early eras. Reaching the next era depends on several businesses and upgrade levels. Those requirements need to work together without sending players elsewhere for an explanation.
That leaves two jobs: the economy needs to work mathematically, and the interface needs to explain the bottleneck. They are different jobs. A correct production chain can still feel confusing.