Dev Blog #6 Class System, Approval & Taxes

A City Is Not Just Buildings. It’s a Social Structure

Hello everyone!

Today we’re diving into one of the most important pillars of Age After Age - the Class System, and how it connects to Approval and Taxation.

Our goal was simple in theory, but complex in execution: a city should not function as a flat population number. It should behave like a layered society. In Age After Age, citizens are not interchangeable. Each class plays a distinct economic, social, and political role. Remove one and the entire system begins to collapse.

Three Classes. One Interdependent System.

We designed the society around three core classes, each with unique responsibilities, expectations, and economic impact.

Lower Class - The Backbone

The Lower Class handles all fundamental labor work.

They:

• Produce raw materials

• Work in farms, woodcutting, mining, and early industry

• Form the foundation of the production chain

They are:

• The cheapest in terms of salary and supply cost

• The most critical to city survival

Without the Lower Class:

• Production stops

• Food runs out

• The city collapses

They may not generate the most wealth individually, but they generate the resources that make wealth possible. Steam post image

Middle Class - The Engine of Stability

The Middle Class represents a more developed working layer.

They:

• Operate city services

• Staff fire stations, tax offices, taverns, administration buildings

• Maintain order and public infrastructure

They are:

• More expensive than the Lower Class

• More demanding in terms of housing and comfort

• The most reliable source of taxes

If the Lower Class feeds the city, the Middle Class stabilizes and monetizes it.

Without them:

• Services collapse

• Tax income becomes unstable

• Social balance begins to erode

Steam post image Upper Class - Wealth & Power

The Upper Class is the most demanding and the most profitable.

They:

• Provide major financial contribution

• Enable endgame economic systems

• Are required for global trade infrastructure

They staff buildings such as:

• Customs

• Banks

• High-level trade institutions

They:

• Generate large amounts of money

• Consume large amounts of resources

• They do not produce basic goods.

• They convert societal stability into financial power.

Without them:

• Late-game systems stagnate

• Global trade weakens

• Financial scaling becomes limited

Steam post image Interdependence

Each class depends on the others.

Lower Class provides food and raw production

Middle Class provides services and social infrastructure

Upper Class provides capital and trade leverage

Remove one and the system destabilizes. It is not a linear upgrade path, it is a social ecosystem.

Approval - More Than Happiness

Approval in Age After Age serves two critical functions:

• Indicator of citizen satisfaction

• Political resource used to enact laws

Approval is generated from the average satisfaction level across the city.

High Approval means:

• Citizens support your decisions

• You can introduce new laws

• Society evolves under your direction

Low Approval means:

• Reform becomes difficult

• Political stagnation begins

• Instability increases

You cannot simply raise taxes and ignore social balance. Political power comes from citizen support.

Needs - Different Classes, Different Priorities

Each class values different things.

Lower Class

• Work is critical

• Housing matters less

• Basic survival needs dominate

If there are no jobs dissatisfaction rises fast.

Middle Class

• Will not settle without proper housing

• Requires services

• Seeks stability and comfort

• They are sensitive to social structure

Upper Class

• Always demands entertainment

• Luxury is essential

• Financial activity must justify their presence

If there are no leisure options or high-tier services, they remain dissatisfied even if everything else functions. Steam post image

Social Balance as Gameplay

The system is intentionally interconnected. Lower Class produces food -> Middle Class provides services and leisure -> Upper Class provides capital.

Needs cascade across classes:

No Lower Class → no food

No Middle Class → no services

No Upper Class → no capital

You are not just building infrastructure. You are maintaining social equilibrium.

Taxes - A Reflection of Stability

Taxes are not static numbers.

They scale with:

• Class distribution

• Approval

• Economic health

The Middle Class is the most stable tax source. The Upper Class generates high income but requires high maintenance. The Lower Class sustains volume but not revenue. Balancing taxation without destroying Approval becomes a strategic challenge.

Push too hard society destabilizes.

Be too generous development slows. Steam post image

As always, thank you for following development.

More deep dives coming soon.

Cya guys next time!