Some of what is coming in Beta 5:
Well
The well is a common project, it is in the center of the village and shared by all families. It provides water for the peasants and to water the fields. All peasants are assumed to get their own water from the well themselves, so this part is not simulated in the game. However, to water fields, a lot of water is required constantly. For this reason, the well needs to be manned every day by at least one peasant. It doesn't matter who.
If the well is not manned, all fields will suffer from drought. But since there is natural rain and wetness in the ground, lack of water by itself will not destroy a field. The damage depends on how well (pun not intended) the field is. If it has the full value of 6, there is a 50% chance it will lose one. If its value is 5, there is a 25% chance of a loss, and if the value is 4, a 10% chance. Fields that are already damaged beyond that, whether by animals or lack of water, will suffer no further ill effect.
As you can see, it is vital that someone mans the well every day. How to manage this is up to the players in the game to resolve. To allow time for communication, the well has no effect on the first day.
Watchtower
The watchtower is also a common project, like the well, with similar rules. Its purpose is to look out for signs of creatures in the forest during the day, and to check where good gathering locations are.
If the tower is not manned, peasants going into the forest to gather have to be on the lookout by themselves and can spend less time gathering with no directions to good spots. As a result, there is a 33% chance for every gathering action to return with one resource less. Yes, this means those gathering stone could return empty-handed.
Clearly, same as the well, it is vital that someone mans the watchtower. How to manage this is again up to the players to organize. Like the well, the watchtower has no effect on the first day.
