Here’s an idea for a birth mechanic.
Two Hearthlings can decide to have a child (or maybe a way for us to force this action?) which will join the community in time. This action is an investment in your population, but costs you in the short term.
The mother of the child experiences lower work and speed efficiency due to the child. Here is how she preforms at different pregnancy stages.
Complex version:
-Conception to day 1 = 25% lowered efficiency, eats 10% more
-day 2 = 50% lowered efficiency, eats 20% more
-day 3 = 75% lowered efficiency, eats 30% more
-day 4 = 100% lowered efficiency, cannot preform duties, eats 40% more
-day 5 = baby arrives, mother is full time taking care of baby.
-day 6 = baby becomes a child and follows mother or father helping them at 25% efficiency.
-day 7 = child becomes a teen and works at 50% efficiency
-day 8 = teen becomes a young adult and works at 75% efficiency
-day 9 = young adult becomes adult and works at 100% efficiency
-day 10 = can mate with other Hearthlings
Simple version:
Conception to day 4 = mother at 50% efficiency
day 5 = baby arrives (as child), can preform at 50% efficiency, mother at 100%.
day 9 = child becomes adult, works at 100% efficiency, can mate
All days the child consumes as much as an adult. The child’s properties are based off their parent’s.
So, babies = more population, but requires the right setup lest you have too many hands not on work and too many resources going into the children themselves.
Thoughts?