Thanks for all the suggestions fellas. I will keep these in mind. I think I'll keep with the isometric perspective because I think the art would be a lot easier to do (and faster to program). And for the membership goes, maybe I should change it to tribute?

What's wrong with managing a cult in a Religion Tycoon game? They're along the same lines as a regular religion. Charging membership is fine (in the game), and it'd be great to give the player the option of membership fees or tithe or whatever. Don't chuck it out just because someone calls it a cult.

Quote: Original post by LNK2001
take a look at the very fashinating history of Scientology. Or New Age, for that matter.

It seems to even find out what thay are all about you have to buy books from them.

I can't speak to the specifics of the question, but the notion of "Religion Tycoon" reminds me of Elmer Gantry. Perhaps you can glean some themes from the film, Elmer Gantry (1960) starring Burt Lancaster and Jean Simmons, or from the book, Elmer Gantry, (1927) written by Sinclair Lewis.

Yeah, I guess the game is a satire of the religions today (mostly a reflection of those in the US). But it would be sweet if one of the 'hard' campaigns would be to rectify the religion when one of your hired clergymen got caught doing something he *wasn't* suppose to do and attendance to the church starts falling...

great idea!!!
isometric view definately.
i'd buy it!

Ever read Dune? It contains a lot of tips on making your own religion.

Your idea is great! The player should be able to choose anything about the religion, from the name of the religion, to the graphical representation of the god(s), to the symbols representing various things, to the motions subjects must make when praying. As your religion gains acceptance, you should have the option to build bigger and bigger monuments and temples, maybe even design new ones by combining styles in a simple building editor. You should also be able to alter the public view of your religion (you might send a preacher at a sports event to praise the effort of the athletes, or to bemoan the waste of resources and time that goes into entertainment). If you accelerate the timescale (make a year pass in 5-10 minutes), you can also have saints, or really long construction projects like the pyramids, although you'd have to come up with a way of keeping society fairly constant through the ages (it wouldn't work too well in a modern setting).