End of winter: An in-game animation

Hi there, friends and foes of democracy,

I write today to share a little piece of art I am making for the game: an animation showing the passage of time. I have only made a small part of this animation, the equivalent of 40 days between January and early march.

Socratic Democracy uses the passage of time, the coming and going of seasons, as a narrative element. First, seasons are directly related to the main political cycle. Elections are held in summer, when large sects of the population are free to participate in debates and vote. Fall is the time to organize the rest of the year. The ecclesia (assembly of male citizens) meets again and makes a budget decision, such as raising taxes or reducing expenses, before the cold of winter makes public gatherings impossible. After the long winter, politics is revived in spring, when the ecclesia implements a social policy, such as financing theater or improving education.

The yearly cycle has some basis in history. In the ancient Athens, archon positions were held for a single year. This stands in contrast with political mandates of today, which tend to be held for 4-5 years in the majority of western democracies.

Seasons will also be used to clarify what options are available at different moments in the game. Winter is time for indoor private meetings, and it is also when Leonidas (the player´s character) and his sister will visit the tomb of their deceased father. Spring is the best time to gain popular support, either by talking with the people, or by supporting a Dionysus party held in the city. Early summer is the time for colloquiums, private parties typically held by the upper middle class., while late summer is the time of debates and campaigns in the agora. To close the overview, fall is the time of big political decisions, such as beginning a war or expropriating oligarchs. In short, each season has its own character, and I hope this will help players understand how the narrative will evolve.

I actually don´t remember a game where the seasons are as present as they will be in Socratic Democracy. I have played Crusader Kings 2 a lot, and seasons can be consequential there. However, I remember spending most of the time in CK2 focusing on other things. My map was usually showing political divisions, risk of rebellion, or religious affiliations. Only in a handful of hard conflicts would I have to take seasons into account when making my plans. 

What do you think of using seasons as a narrative device? Do you know of other games where seasons matter? How do you like the art in this animation? I would love to hear your thoughts.

Cheers,

Pedro