Players can choose to play single player mode versus the AI, or multiplayer over a LAN or the Internet against a mix of human and AI opponents. Some of these random events are driven by an individual country's history, while some can apply to any country and serve generally to enhance the "flavor" of the game. These events can be either helpful or harmful. Gameplay is influenced by random events that arise every so often for the player.
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The player does so through their choices as sovereign of their nation, and through the spending of resources available to them: Prestige, Stability, Gold (Ducats), Manpower, Legitimacy for Monarchies, Republican Tradition for Republics, Devotion for Theocracies, Horde Unity for Hordes and Monarch Power (Administrative, Diplomatic, Military). The gameplay requires the player to lead a nation by finding a balance of military, diplomacy and economy. Each of these provinces contribute to their country either positively or negatively, as provinces can both provide resources to a nation and serve as a point of unrest and rebellion. The game itself is an interactive map of Earth divided into the provinces that compose nations. The game has been formed to begin historically, with real events occurring in real time.