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1. Big Picture Gameplay Tips

1.1 Decide what the core experience is

Right now, Commerce is trying to do everything:

  • 4X-style expansion
  • Heavy economic simulation
  • Negotiation & free trading
  • Dice-based combat
  • Tech race
  • Global events

That’s not bad, but it is risky.

Tip: Ask yourself:

“If players remember one thing about this game, what should it be?”

If the answer is trade, then:

  • Trade rules should be the cleanest
  • Combat and events should support trade, not overshadow it

1.2 Expect long playtime

With:

  • 6 eras
  • Global tech thresholds
  • Negotiation every turn
  • Dice rolling for everyone every resource phase

This is likely a 3–6 hour game with experienced players.

Tip:

  • Put an estimated playtime in the rulebook
  • Consider a “short game” variant (fewer eras or lower tech thresholds)

2. Rules Clarity & Streamlining

2.1 Resource phase is very powerful

“All players collect all eligible resources.”

This is huge and easy to miss. It means:

  • Worker placement timing is everything
  • The current player may accidentally help others

Tip: Add a bold reminder or example showing this interaction, or new players will misplay badly.

2.2 Dice are doing a lot of work

Dice are used for:

  • Resource production
  • Combat
  • Road usage
  • Trading without network
  • Global events
  • Social events

Tip: Too many dice checks can feel chaotic. Consider:

  • Removing dice from one of these areas (maybe road usage or trade bandits)
  • Or adding ways to mitigate randomness (rerolls, modifiers, tech bonuses)

2.3 Combat math is clever but hard to parse

The combat formula works, but it’s not intuitive mid-game.

Tip: Add a quick-reference table, e.g.:

Level Difference (Attacker – Defender) Attacker Needs
+2 or more Same or higher
+1 +1
0 +2
-1 +3
-2 +4

This speeds play a lot.

3. Balance Concerns (Important)

3.1 Free trading can break the game

Because:

  • Trades are unlimited
  • Everything can be traded (even workers, cities, settlements)
  • No binding enforcement except “agreement”

Risks:

  • Kingmaking
  • One player feeding another to victory
  • Two-player alliances dominating others

Tips:

  • Consider non-transferable items (e.g. workers, cities)
  • Or add trade limits per turn
  • Or introduce reputation / trust penalties for extreme trades

3.2 Maintenance costs are brutal (maybe too brutal)

Worker cost:

Worker Level + Distance + Roads

This can snowball into:

  • Players being forced to delete workers
  • Rich-get-richer via cities

Tip:

  • Cap distance cost (e.g. max +3)
  • Or let roads reduce maintenance, not increase it

3.3 Domination victory seems rare

“All enemy workers have been destroyed.”

Given:

  • Workers downgrade instead of dying
  • Combat is costly to attacker
  • Workers are limited but valuable

Tip: This victory condition may almost never happen.

  • Either add alternative military victory
  • Or allow capturing instead of only downgrading

4. Tech & Era Progression

4.1 Global tech threshold is interesting but risky

Advancing eras depends on total tech points of all players.

Pros:

  • Encourages interaction
  • Prevents runaway leaders

Cons:

  • Players can stall intentionally
  • One player can rush others into eras they’re unprepared for

Tip: Add:

  • A minimum round count per era
  • Or a vote/consensus trigger for era advancement

4.2 Some tech costs are funny (in a good way)

Antimatter costs 50 Bananas 🍌

That’s memorable and fun, but:

  • It will confuse new players
  • It might be exploited with Liberty Statue doubling

Tip: Keep jokes, but clearly label them as intentional design choices.

5. Events System Feedback

5.1 Global events are very swingy

“Every player loses half its resources”

That can undo hours of play instantly.

Tip: Consider:

  • Capping losses
  • Or scaling effects by era
  • Or letting players spend money/resources to mitigate events

5.2 Player 1 controls events a lot

Player 1:

  • Always rolls for global events
  • Can repeatedly benefit from social events

Tip: Rotate the event roller each round or era.

6. Presentation & Usability Tips

6.1 Add examples everywhere

You already do this well in combat. Do it also for:

  • Trade with bandits
  • Maintenance calculation
  • Era advancement
  • Monopoly victory

6.2 Create player aids

Highly recommended:

  • Resource type cheat sheet
  • Maintenance formula card
  • Tech tree overview
  • Era thresholds card

This will massively reduce downtime.

7. Final Overall Advice

You’ve designed something closer to:

A heavy economic sandbox game than a traditional Euro or family game.

That’s okay — just embrace it.

Next steps I strongly recommend:

  1. Playtest with 3–4 players max

  2. Track:

    • Game length
    • How often each victory condition happens
    • Who controls trade

  3. Simplify one major system, not all

If you want, I can:

  • Help you trim this into a tighter version
  • Design a starter/intro variant
  • Balance victory conditions
  • Or rewrite parts for clarity without changing mechanics