[Simon Moon]

2 base resources. You get more through trade, which makes it important to trade. I would say you can only trade X resources, and then get bonuses through buildings, maybe technologies, that allow you to trade more. If you can over time have all resources "natively" by conquering or other upgrades, then interaction betwene players would become superflous for trading at least.

Research time was a basic idea, i think it will not be really in the game. Rather you will have to buy each technology and it costs, depending on the tech level and how many "levels" it takes to research that one thing.

Health, criminal activity and pollution could become factors depending on certain things you do in the game. What and how I have no idea yet, so just assume they do not exist until they are introduced. Or come up with an idea how to use them properly, like what depends on what and incluences which thing.