So under 1.09n beta, population is a resource.

I get the idea conceptually, I fail to see the point as executed.

Presumably, I have X citizens available, able to work on building stuff.  If they are building, they can't be drafted.  Gotcha.

Every building takes a certain number of citizens to create.  Gotcha.

Why is it that buildings queued up, which aren't being built, tie up citizens?  That's nonsense.  Citizens are standing around looking at a vacant lot thinking "Hut goes here" but claiming "I can't build yet until those guys over there finish building theirs.  It's just not our turn yet."

Think about it.  Wherever you live, wherever you are, are buildings built one at a time, sequentially, when you have multiple work crews available?  I'd agree if there were only ONE construction company and ONE set of construction equipment.  But in that case, you wouldn't be tying up more people.  If people are tied up to the construction of a structure, it should be progressing - it's a separate structure whose construction in no way depends upon any other. That is what makes sense.  Buildings should be constructed simultaneously under this system, rather than in a queue.

If you are diehard about queues (which don't make sense in a real world fashion, but that's ok) and population as a resource, then a better implementation would be for a player to designate citizenry to construction - the more he designate, the faster a building gets built.  More complex buildings will have longer build times naturally, and so the player must choose between soldiers or carpenters.

there are multiple ways to implement this design:

1) basic work crew is 5/10 citizens.  each additional 1/2/5/10 citizens assigned to construction decreases build time by X%

2) Buildings have a Build point cost (25/50/150 etc).  Each citizen working on that building reduces the point cost by one per turn.  Building completes when cost is paid.

and so forth.  But, like my other recommendations and ideas, probably wont be given the time of day by frog & crew.  It's why i stopped posting (and caring/playing) for the past few months.  But something for the rest of you to think about.