This is Civilization Democracy! A game where we the giantbomb community democratically decide the affairs of a civilization! Read the introductory post here. Follow the PresidentoftheBomb on twitter to get updates whenever a new update occurs!

Baba Yetu, Motherf******

Our nomadic people have long trekked the vast and arid sands of the great Vjurnalsim desert. A great time, however, has come upon us. We have come together under a single identity, a single tribe, the Gerstmenn.

Our tribal elders speak in hushed whispers as the cruel winds of the desert brush across their ancient faces. A word parts their dusty lips: "Gerstland"

A fabled land where our people shall prosper, where we shall find endless wealth and glory. Our pigs shall grow fat and we shall grow fatter off them. We shall weave into the very fabric of the Earth the story of our people, such that were a man to walk upon this hallowed ground he shall know the awesome deeds that transpired here.

Gerstland.

One of the village elders, awaking with a fright one night, gathered the tribe together. In a dream, he cried, he saw a great cataclysm. Nightmarish and horrible, he hissed in terror the words "Gerstmanngate"

Our eyes widened with fear, but the elder told us not to be so. For from this destruction, from this maelstrom of chaos and disorder our universe came into existence, and we were its inheritors. The time had come, that very night, for us to let loose the first raindrop of the coming storm. We were to settle, to lay down our straw and wood. We were to find a home.

Gerstmannhatten. A beginning for our people. Snugly tucked beside the water of the Snide River.

The elders of our people gathered together to decide on the future of Gerstland and its people. Several major decisions were necessary at so early a junction of these proud people.

1. Current construction options are: Worker or Settler. I, the village elder, propose we make a settler first. We have plenty of food in Gerstmanhatten but not much production (hammers). We need to expand quickly to secure a strong economy.
2. Research: We already understand Agriculture, The Wheel and Fishing. I believe we should begin researching Pottery, but Mining is also a very valuable and wise choice. Since we don't have any hills in the area but ample farmland, perhaps mining should come second.
3. In addition to those two decisions, we need to start staking out some longterm goals. Are we warlike, cultural or economic?

Important notes! We are Dutch in this game. That's just how the dice rolled, I set the nation to random. Warrior is set to auto-explore. Pigs are nearby, so animal husbandry will be an important item to research. The pigs aren't in our cultural borders yet though (the orange line around our city), so we can't capitalize on them just yet. There's also silk beneath us, but it'll be awhile before we figure that shit out.

If anyone has any questions as to game mechanics feel free to ask, I happen to know a lot about Civ IV! (200 hours or so worth of knowledge)

The Elders of Gerstland:

1. I say Settler, and this new town should be called "Silent Hill" and should produce nothing but Settlers.
2. I say get to Archery as soon as you can and then get like 20 or so archers, because they are never out of style.
3. I say go for the Cultural Win.

1. I agree, settler first. We must expand this great nation of Gerstland.

2. Again, I agree, pottery first. Food is key!

3. I usually play warlike, but maybe we should go cultural? I am not sure on this one yet.

1. I second the illustrious Senator Dagbiker wholeheartedly.

2. I agree with el Presidente that Pottery is the way to go. I hear good things about these dark rocks that come out of hills though, and I reckon we should probably get onto this whole mining thing soon after.

3. Truly, we of Gerstland are a kind and noble people, given over to bringing others into the fold and giving them the same beatific quality of life we so enjoy. As such, I believe the only way to progress is by LETTING THE RIVERS RUN RED WITH THE BLOOD OF OUR ENEMIES!

FIGHT! WIN! PREVAIL!

FIGHT! WIN! PREVAIL!

BLOOD FOR THE BLOOD GOD!

SKULLS FOR THE SKULL THRONE OF GERSTMANN!

Intro thread's broken. What in the blazes is going on here?

@Muttinus_Rump said:

Intro thread's broken. What in the blazes is going on here?

Whoops!

http://www.giantbomb.com/sid-meiers-civilization-iv/61-16457/democracy-a-giantbomb-community-collaborative-clusterf-/35-544269/

1. I vote to outlaw the french, if we ever encounter them, wreck their shit (Nothing against actual french people)

Warlike is too easy, May I introduce the option of a technological society with hearts and minds that beat for the future? However a defence force that can keep invaders outside our gates is a must, and if a nation tries to fuck with us then they will have unleashed the hounds of hell!

Settler and pottery are sound ideas, but as soon as we are able we should mine the land for it's riches and start construction of a great wall to aide in our nations security!

1. I concur with everyone on the matter.

2. I'm at odds with one. On one hand we do need pottery, but on the other I agree with Dagbiker that we will need archers in due time. I choose to defer my vote on this one to your choosing.

3. It would be nice to just rampage through everyone, but that would mean constant war and I'm not sure it would be best for our nation to be in constant struggles. I say cultural.

We should be Peace Keepers, but not like the UN that cant do any thing, more like in Farscape, where they enslave people, and everyone who is not them is inferior. That or go, for the harder route and make everyone see the light by asking them politely ( Cultural )

I read your whole post singing Baba Yetu in my ahead, Baba yetu yetu uliye mbiguni yetu yetu amina....

I like the premise of these posts, I can't wait to see what happens.

I agree with the choices of Settler and Pottery. Policy wise, I'll need to know about any neighbours we have before I can decide.

Elder Jake out!

The Gertsmenn people know only one thing, War!

So a race to nuclear arms essentially is my vote.

As the Representative for Gerstland Pop Culture, I propose we shall become a cultural society.
In regards to short term goals, I agree with the proposition for a Settler, though I feel we should put precedence on Mining before Pottery. We must teach the good citizens to get used to the dust in their lungs as quickly as possible!

1. Settler

2. Pottery

3. Cultural win

I will not hear these hooligans calling for war prematurely! They seem to be completely satisfied keeping us in caves bashing our neighbors heads in with clubs!

I concur that a settler must be produced, lest we become complacent and stagnate. Expansion is an imperative. Gerst-MANIFEST DESTINY!

Similarly, I believe that pottery is the way to go and we should make every effort to ensure that the culture of Gerstland is the very pinnacle of sophistication. That said, I would also support the recommendations of the honorable Red12b, and encourage examination of a technology-centered approach. We must not allow ourselves to be eclipsed.

Long Live Gerstland!

Someone needs to Photoshop Jeff's head onto Lincoln's in that screenshot.

Also I retract my last statement. I'd happily agree with the consensus for a Cultural win.

The village elders seem to be reaching a consensus that we should shoot for a cultural victory. In that case, Mysticism is another technology that we may want to focus on first before pottery. It allows us to begin construction on stonehenge, as well as open up other research for other religions.

We shall be the shining beacon of sophisticated and benevolent culture among the drag, unexplored wasteland! And we shall crush our enemies who dare encroach upon our beautiful land!

On topic, though:

1 - Settlers.

2 - Pottery.

3 - Benevolent, but not pusillanimous.

Mysticism? But how are we to honor the gods if we have no ceremonial pots to draw pretty pictures upon?

@GeneralGrey How are we to draw pretty pictures upon ceremonial pots if we have no gods to honor upon them?

1. Settlers are a necessity.

2. Pottery

3. Cultural or warlike, not sure.

Glad to see both of my name suggestions were used (Gerstland and Gerstmannhatten).

Do we know how many other civilizations there are?

1. I say we must expand and spread our word of Gerstmannship and with that I agree with the settler idea!

2. As we will grow, we will need to feed our people. Pots, I say! Pots for everyone! Pots filled with food and hope!

3.Let the barbaric tribes fight and slaughter. The Gerstmenn must be above all that and have a strong culture, that will spread the mighty and holy word of The Bomb.

P.S. Nice job on the early fiction.

It seems the elders prefer a numbered list to voice their opinions. I, too, will comply.

1. If the choice is between a settler and a worker, I choose settler. Normally when playing Civ IV I'd actually build a worker first to let my city grow to "2" before building my first worker, in order to get some more of those sweet, sweet hammers. But I also might be total garbage at Civ IV.
2. Mysticism. I don't think we can capitalize on Pottery without a worker, which we won't have for some time.
3. I always like to play as a science-focused nation. Whether to go to war or not depends on the strength of our neighbors.

Civ 4,
Settler first.

This had potential, but if that's the first decision, this is not going to end well.

We must progress to video games as fast as possible, the only things that can keep the people of Gerstland happy. Well also Kanye West, clean asses, and wizards.

I wish to become an elder for the mighty nation of Gerstland.

1. Worker, we must first strengthen our capitol of Gerstmanahatten if we wish to get anywhere.
2. Pottery, take advantage of the farmland and have a scout find a mountain for the second town in the future.

3. I always go for a blend of all three, econ first. War second and then cultural victory at the end.

@Paul_Is_Drunk: Well isn't someone high and mighty about his Civ IV knowledge. We're playing on chieftain. There is no mineable land, only two forest tiles, and no improvements beyond farms to be made in the starting square, so omitting a worker won't be that devastating, plus a settler can actually turn out to be pretty favorable. Yeah, worker-worker-settler is "optimal" but what kind of fun would this be if everyone just looked up on the faq what is the best order to build in?

@Irvandus said:

1. I vote to outlaw the french, if we ever encounter them, wreck their shit (Nothing against actual french people)

I second this notion

@Paul_Is_Drunk said:

Civ 4, Settler first. This had potential, but if that's the first decision, this is not going to end well.

Yes because that's the most entertaining way to play. Completely by the book and without fault. Wait, no. That's not true.

I would like being a member of the renowned Gerstland Senate.

1. Settler, we need to expand as far as possible.
2. Mysticism
3. Cultural or Economic victory, but we will need a strong standing army to defend off the French

@Capt_Ventris said:

@Irvandus said:

1. I vote to outlaw the french, if we ever encounter them, wreck their shit (Nothing against actual french people)

I second this notion

Thirdedededededededed

1. Settler
2. Mysticism
3. Cultural

When I look up at the night sky and see all those bright lights the thought that comes to me is exploration the second thought is 'space catapaults'

settler, pottery, economic

@Red12b: Amen, brother. We need a Civ modder in here now!

@ThatFrood said:

@Paul_Is_Drunk: Well isn't someone high and mighty about his Civ IV knowledge. We're playing on chieftain. There is no mineable land, only two forest tiles, and no improvements beyond farms to be made in the starting square, so omitting a worker won't be that devastating, plus a settler can actually turn out to be pretty favorable. Yeah, worker-worker-settler is "optimal" but what kind of fun would this be if everyone just looked up on the faq what is the best order to build in?

Who said worker had to be first? On Monarch or above that would be suicide here. Simply that settler first is... often less than ideal. Let's go with that.

But, hey, this is chieftain. Have fun. I guess I'm just used to the Let's Plays on the CivFanatics forums. Mea culpa.

1. Settler is the way to go, but you gotta go and know that building a city costs something, which can bankrupt you and stifle scientific progress.

2. Pot it up duder. (and animal husbandry should happen soon too, as our borders will envelop those pigs in no time, and pigs are great)

3. KILL THE WORLD (with science)

I would also offer my opinion that we shouldn't try teching up to a religion super fast, as beating other civs to them isn't all that worth it, and adopting a neighbors religion is super good for diplomacy.

1. We must create a settler, the only path to victory is through expansion!

2. We need more pot in our city. It's the only way. But I am also hungry, so animal husbandry should be soon.

3. I feel as though we are a very cultural people, but if anyone tries to take our culture away from us, we must obliterate them.

@ThatFrood:

So this has been thrown to the wayside, Right?

@Red12b said:

@ThatFrood:

So this has been thrown to the wayside, Right?

Sorry. I should have made a post when it happened, but I was in a motorcycle accident where my laptop was in my backpack. That laptop being the one I kept the game saves on.

I've remade a map that is identical to the old one, but now I'm just waiting for E3 to be over and I can finish that community list thing. Now that school's over I can give the civ democracy game my full attention.

Sorry for the lack of info there, I was just a bit flustered and out of it after the accident happened, but I've been meaning to get back to this since.

...So E3's been over for, ah, quite a while now, el presidente, what happened? :o

@Deusoma: *sigh*, yes, I've been awful. That motorcycle accident really threw me for a loop and when I didn't get to this right away it almost felt like too much time had passed already. The file sits there and haunts me. Tell ya what, I'll take the suggestions here and post again friday. I needed a kick in the ass to get going on this again.