The other half of the world is the New World, which must be explored by ships and explorers. Unlike in Imperialism I, only part of the world is visible at the start and this part is the Old World. The main novelty in Imperialism II compared to its predecessor, is the addition of the New World, which is unknown and has to be explored.
Control of the New World is not relevant for the victory condition. Control over other countries can be achieved by conquest or by diplomatic means (influencing "minor nations" Denmark, Germany, Ireland, Italy, Scotland, Switzerland and even the "great powers", so they would finally join the player's empire), or most often a combination of the two. The game is won when any of the "great powers" (France, Holland, Spain, England, Portugal or Sweden) controls more than one-half of the Old World. Overseas profits is income generated by the export of raw-material collected from foreign lands bought by the Empire. The treasury has as sources of income the mining of precious material, the exporting of goods and overseas profits. On the Diplomatic arena the treasury finances grants to foreign nations and trade subsidies.
It also pays for the creation of civilian units and for the upgrade of the work force. That's because the Empire's treasury finances scientific research, military invasions and the importing of goods. The TreasuryĪvoiding bankruptcy and keeping the Empire solvent is also a challenge. This element of the game allows the player to increase total production without enlarging the labor force which would require raising the food supply. Each higher level of productivity requires a unique type of luxury. Labor has 4 different levels of productivity. Increasing the food supply demands semi-finished materials in order to improve farms or expand the merchant marine which can transport fish. Because of this necessity, enlarging the labor force depends on the increase of the food supply.
The game presents the player with an economic problem that is composed of three allocative dilemmas plus the necessity to supply food for workers and military units plus the necessity to finance scientific research.
The game however focus on the economic aspect by introducing the concepts of variable worker productivity, variable terrain productivity, labor allocation, resource allocation and logistics. Imperialism II is a turn based 4X game, where you have to "eXplore, eXpand, eXploit, and eXterminate" in order to achieve victory.