Resources, workers and upkeep

Five resources

The bar at the top of the screen shows your stockpile of each resource and whether it is rising or falling.

• Food

  Every resident eats it. Made by Town Center, Forager's Camp, Fishing Hut, Wheat Farm, Windmill, Glasshouse Farm, Vertical Farm.

• Wood

  Clearing forest for a building also yields a little. Made by Town Center, Woodcutter's Lodge, Forester's Lodge.

• Stone

  Most buildings beyond the first few need it. Made by Stone Pit.

• Gold

  Residents pay taxes in it, and upkeep is paid in it. Made by Market, Bronze Smithy, Guild Hall, Bank, Factory, Office Tower.

• Knowledge

  Every wonder from the Colossus on needs it. Made by Library, Scriptorium, University, Research Lab, Quantum Institute.

Workers

Workers come from your homes: a share of everyone living in your city works. Food buildings are staffed first, then services, then industry and knowledge. A building with only part of its workers works at part strength, and a service building only covers homes while at least half of its workers are in place. When jobs outnumber workers, or the granaries run empty, an alert says what to build.

Food

Every resident eats. If food runs out, people go hungry, grow unhappy and begin to leave, and the alert tells you. Feed a growing city with better farms in every age.

Gold, taxes and upkeep

Residents pay taxes in gold, and happy residents pay more. Many buildings cost gold upkeep while they work; while the treasury is empty, they run at half strength. Some workshops also use resources to make theirs: the Bronze Smithy turns wood and stone into gold, for example, and slows down if its inputs run out.