Discworld theology: The gods exist. The people KNOW the gods exist. The gods have a mountain right smack in the middle of the Disc, which exists and has been visited by mortals, and is pretty obviously their mountain. The gods talk to their priests &c. &c. Lightning bolts happen. Theoretically, more worshippers is a good thing. If you get down to nuts and bolts, though, the gods are powered by the belief of their worshippers in the gods, not by the formulaic temple worship. Rules and forms tend to actually build a shell of a god where once the god was, which almost killed a god that, by your rules, would probably have been thriving. If you want to read the relevant actual Discworld book, get Small Gods from Amazon or something.
Sounds like it would make an interesting story, but a boring game, in my opinion. I am not interested in reading the books right now.
If belief is an opinion, then why would that power Gods? You think that "Having an opinion on a certain God" would make for a better mechanic then actively worshiping them?
((As for why I haven't introduced myself yet: I'm thinking of something suitably appropriate, plus I have no clue what the [EXPLETIVE DELETED] is happening, plus I would like a price check.))
That is logical. I have no clue what is happening either. , but you are going to be waiting at least days for that price check. Sloooowly moving.
But seriously, it really shouldn't be a straight relationship of Number Of Temples == Power Increase, in my opinion. It should be a measure of Relevance To People * Fervency of Belief * Overtness (middling level is better, just enough to be present, not enough to be too factual) == Power Increase. But this isn't my game, I really shouldn't be trying to change a core mechanic.
It isn't Number Of Temples==Income Increase. Most of the actual numbers I calculate are number of worshipers, Worship Quality, and more secret hidden factors. More temples helps get more worshipers, and lets people actually worship (raising Worship Quality), but building a million temples won't automatically make you the strongest God.
*groan* And THIS is why I think the Worship mechanic is kind of awkward. Sailors don't really build temples to the sea, at least in this day and age, but wouldn't you say that the superstitions count? Even if they spring up organically, vary from person to person, ship to ship, time to time...Power should be more organic than formulaic. But I should really stop bashing the system, because I need to work with it. Heck, it might just be word choice. But all the same.
Why should a Sailor on the sea give as much Worship as an anointed Priest? You seem to be mislead that it is the Temples themselves that grant Worship. It is the act of Worshiping that generates essence, Temples are typically more of a result of that rather than a cause.
Oh. I get it now.
We're using different words for the same things. Or, very nearly the same things.
Eh, the word 'opinion' was more in use to indicate 'not factual knowledge'. Belief is....Well, belief, and I was trying to avoid a recursive definition but I really can't find the words. But yeah, you're actually doing what I was thinking should be done so we're god. ((Typo intentionally left in.))
As for why a sailor might be worth more worship than a Priest, sailors
live and
breathe the sea. A priest of a sea god, unless they themselves sail, simply doesn't have that kind of immersion in the sphere, to have the same
fervency of belief that the sailor would. Granted, priests of other gods might very well be more immersed in the sphere than an average worshipper, but it
really does vary. Mother Teresa, for instance, would have that same fervency, while Random Middle-Class Priest might or might not. It all depends on the person. Of course, that is ENTIRELY too many variables, but if I was making a god game, I'd consider who the people are, who would be devoted in their worship.
Also: Do YOU have to build each temple, or can there be such things as people (gasp) actually doing things without divine intervention?
Little shrines in back corners, slowly spreading...