the only way I really have to tell me “how good is this abstract number?” is to compare myself to other players, and that naturally puts me into somewhat of a competitive mindset.
This would be ameliorated by the presence of obvious and interesting power asymmetries. A nice opening would be the power imbalance between steppe people and serfs. The serfs and their lord might be stronger in some sense, the future might be theirs, but they can’t get rid of the steppe people, they can’t extend their rule so far from their center, or even really interfere with them very much. So they have to coexist well for the time being.
Or, for instance, making one character a utility monster. No particular reason, just crank up all of their score cards, depict them always smiling. Let players realize they cannot “beat” Lucky Felix and that they do not need to.
This would be ameliorated by the presence of obvious and interesting power asymmetries. A nice opening would be the power imbalance between steppe people and serfs. The serfs and their lord might be stronger in some sense, the future might be theirs, but they can’t get rid of the steppe people, they can’t extend their rule so far from their center, or even really interfere with them very much. So they have to coexist well for the time being.
Or, for instance, making one character a utility monster. No particular reason, just crank up all of their score cards, depict them always smiling. Let players realize they cannot “beat” Lucky Felix and that they do not need to.