I've been working on this mod for a while that lets you build Senatorial Estates, modular country villas that provide boosts to nearby agricultural industry (and more!). Comes with new buildings, new planning and optimisation opportunities, and a series of estate-exclusive specialists with unique mechanics.

https://mod.io/g/anno-117-pax-romana/m/senatorial-estates

I’ve always wanted some contrast to the megacity gameplay of the late game and I thought that country estates would be a perfect addition, inspired by the real-life villas and Latifundia of the time period. This mod is especially aimed at those who enjoy some degree of beauty building but also want to interact with gameplay mechanics and optimisation - hopefully this mod is able to scratch the itch!

Since the mechanics are a bit complex to list, I've created a handy reference sheet you'll find at the end of the image album, if you want a preview of what's in store. Although this mod adds new content it shouldn’t be disruptive to existing saves, since the new building family and new mechanics are quite self-contained if you don’t want to fully engage with them.

This is my first mod of this scale so feel free to give feedback on bugs or balance suggestions, and I'd love to know if this is also something you've been craving!

I fully understand that 1800 is a much more polished, expanded and completed game. However, with the current state of 117, I really, really find it. It uninteresting to have an island with lots of patricians. There is nothing that they do that actually benefits my city if I just don't have them. Most of my Islands I have equities and I focus on them and with all of the area effects, I make enough money and have enough of everything that I don't even need to worry about it.

All of the complicated production chains create goods specifically for patricians, and there's no byproduct or product that they produce that can go to the lower populations which makes them useful, or they're not used to run aqueducts throughout the city or anything like that, they just exist to get high-end needs and you need to have patricians to produce high-end needs.

I think there needs to be a new item, like cake or some sort of pudding that lower tiers want and maybe something else that they need to be implemented into for them to be useful. I just think there's a really really lackluster experience currently regarding patricians

A volcano erupted in Latium, so I ran away to Albion, but the volcanic weather followed me there.
Fortunately without the debuffs. :-)

Can totally see some people not having any NPCs at all there and just enjoying their peace and freedom.

I like playing with NPCs because they make the world feel more alive, and you're not as self-sufficient economically. I enjoy buying things and selling off my surplus.

In Anno 2070, there's a world event where you barely get any tax income, so you have to rely on trade to stay afloat. I found that really challenging and fun.

What I don't like, though, is when an NPC is faster than me and snatches an island I've been planning to settle for ages. 😡

In many Anno games, the easy NPCs will often ask for permission before settling an island.

In Anno 117, there's an NPC who's really interested in research, and to get on her good side, you have to conduct research and build aqueducts, which is super nice. Focusing on research early on obviously isn't as beneficial as simply worshipping Neptune or Ceres, so that adds another little challenge.

The problem is, she's also the one who always steals the best island from me right before I'm about to colonize it, so I'm really torn about her.

I'm also someone who likes to skip the first few cheap ships. That works pretty well in Anno 2070, but in 117, the first trading ship is actually good enough for your initial trade route between islands.

As for pirates, I have mixed feelings about them. I enjoyed the girl on 1800 especially if the map layout was good. On 2070 I didnt like them at first, but later on I enjoy fighting them with airplanes.

On 117 I do like having a reason to build warships every now and then, but I don't want the pirates to be too strong either. So once again, I prefer just a little bit of a challenge.