7 Features to Improve the Late Game

[HoorayForSiam]

I think we’ve all experienced late game drag, and so to counter that, here’s a few ideas to help fix that…

1) World Congress (UN)
2) Corporations
3) Pop Culture and Celebrities
4) Immigration
5) Dynamic Barbarians
6) Political Blocs and Elections
7) Natural Disasters and Pollution

1. This one is a given, as it appeared in Civ V and will be very surprised if it does not return in some form in VI. It would work very much the same as in the last installation, with resolutions being proposed and voted on, and perhaps the re-introduction of a Diplomatic Victory. Obviously, this would have a very big impact on the way civilizations interact with each other based on opinions about certain world issues.
2. This is another obvious one, having been introduced in Civ IV but absent in V and so far in VI. Corporations and private businesses have such a monolothic impact on the real world that it is difficult to justify their omission from the game. I see this being implemented in the conversion of raw resources (i.e. cotton, diamonds, sugar) into refined goods (i.e. dresses, jewelry, candy). This could work similar to religion in that civilizations compete to ‘charter a corporation’ found a religion) in their ‘Headquarters’ (Holy City).
3. This idea has been flirted with in similar games, but I think would add enormous benefit to Civ VI. Here we actually see the “buying your blue jeans and listening to your pop music” aspect of tourism. Celebrities would effectively inhabit the “Great Prophet” slot vacated after reaching the Industrial Era. They could either create a “Great Performance” for additional tourism, or be immortalized in the “Hall of Fame”, a pantheon of celebrities that each provide their one unique bonus.
4. I would personally love to see this mechanic implemented as its been an extremely impactful phenomenon throughout world history. The idea is that if a city has insufficient housing, amenities, or loyalty, the city would lose 1 Citizen in X Turns, they will defect to the civilization that is most influential over them. It would also be cool to see civilizations with bonuses geared toward this (i.e. America gets a bonus for attracting immigrants or a “Diaspora” bonus for having immigrants in other civilizations). And perhaps this could help make growing the population a fun minigame rather than just a number. However, this may need to be countered by a health and disease mechanic to prevent population from getting out of control.
5. As civilization evolves, so does its enemies. From pagans to pirates to radical terrorists, barbarians have long been a scourge on civilized society. However, aren’t they people as well, with agendas of their own? To reflect this, I think the entire game concept should be revamped. Instead of steamrolling them into extinction, there are a number of ways we could interact with them. For example, paying tribute to certain camps to leave you alone while you develop, or bribing them to attack rival civs. Maybe even recruiting them into your military or annexing their camps similar to the “join or die” campaigns of Rome or Mongolia.
6. Another great addition to the series would be ideologies and realpolitik. For example, the addition of certain blocs based on governments that encourage cooperation amongst each other and competition with rival blocs. Also, the addition of internal issues to be decided that affects your civ like a small scale World Congress. For example: Arts Funding (+10% Culture) vs Sciences Funding (+10% Science), or Volunteerism (increased loyalty) vs. Conscription (6 free units), or Labor Unions (+1 Amenities in Industrial Zones) vs. Human Capital (+2 production in every city).
7. Finally, now, more than ever, the environment is at the center of global discussion. While the Civilization series is no stranger to Natural Disasters or Pollution, it would be a welcome feature in Civ VI, expanding on the introduction of Naturalists and the National Park mechanic. This could also tie in with the previously mentioned health mechanic.

 

[Jkchart]

I think we’ve all experienced late game drag, and so to counter that, here’s a few ideas to help fix that…

1) World Congress (UN)
2) Corporations
3) Pop Culture and Celebrities
4) Immigration
5) Dynamic Barbarians
6) Political Blocs and Elections
7) Natural Disasters and Pollution

1. This one is a given, as it appeared in Civ V and will be very surprised if it does not return in some form in VI. It would work very much the same as in the last installation, with resolutions being proposed and voted on, and perhaps the re-introduction of a Diplomatic Victory. Obviously, this would have a very big impact on the way civilizations interact with each other based on opinions about certain world issues.
2. This is another obvious one, having been introduced in Civ IV but absent in V and so far in VI. Corporations and private businesses have such a monolothic impact on the real world that it is difficult to justify their omission from the game. I see this being implemented in the conversion of raw resources (i.e. cotton, diamonds, sugar) into refined goods (i.e. dresses, jewelry, candy). This could work similar to religion in that civilizations compete to ‘charter a corporation’ found a religion) in their ‘Headquarters’ (Holy City).
3. This idea has been flirted with in similar games, but I think would add enormous benefit to Civ VI. Here we actually see the “buying your blue jeans and listening to your pop music” aspect of tourism. Celebrities would effectively inhabit the “Great Prophet” slot vacated after reaching the Industrial Era. They could either create a “Great Performance” for additional tourism, or be immortalized in the “Hall of Fame”, a pantheon of celebrities that each provide their one unique bonus.
4. I would personally love to see this mechanic implemented as its been an extremely impactful phenomenon throughout world history. The idea is that if a city has insufficient housing, amenities, or loyalty, the city would lose 1 Citizen in X Turns, they will defect to the civilization that is most influential over them. It would also be cool to see civilizations with bonuses geared toward this (i.e. America gets a bonus for attracting immigrants or a “Diaspora” bonus for having immigrants in other civilizations). And perhaps this could help make growing the population a fun minigame rather than just a number. However, this may need to be countered by a health and disease mechanic to prevent population from getting out of control.
5. As civilization evolves, so does its enemies. From pagans to pirates to radical terrorists, barbarians have long been a scourge on civilized society. However, aren’t they people as well, with agendas of their own? To reflect this, I think the entire game concept should be revamped. Instead of steamrolling them into extinction, there are a number of ways we could interact with them. For example, paying tribute to certain camps to leave you alone while you develop, or bribing them to attack rival civs. Maybe even recruiting them into your military or annexing their camps similar to the “join or die” campaigns of Rome or Mongolia.
6. Another great addition to the series would be ideologies and realpolitik. For example, the addition of certain blocs based on governments that encourage cooperation amongst each other and competition with rival blocs. Also, the addition of internal issues to be decided that affects your civ like a small scale World Congress. For example: Arts Funding (+10% Culture) vs Sciences Funding (+10% Science), or Volunteerism (increased loyalty) vs. Conscription (6 free units), or Labor Unions (+1 Amenities in Industrial Zones) vs. Human Capital (+2 production in every city).
7. Finally, now, more than ever, the environment is at the center of global discussion. While the Civilization series is no stranger to Natural Disasters or Pollution, it would be a welcome feature in Civ VI, expanding on the introduction of Naturalists and the National Park mechanic. This could also tie in with the previously mentioned health mechanic.

1. If they can make the world congress more integrated and less of a nuisance, I’m all for it. In V, the AI would do silly things constantly like want to ban salt (which we all know is VERY SINFUL) but that’s beside the point. I liked a lot of the interactions, so I’d be down to see it back in some form. The diplomatic victory would be more difficult now since you can’t buy City states, and that’s okay with me, but they will probably have to revamp that condition to fit into VI.
2. This could work - as an example, a corporation could be a steel company that grants additional production from iron, but a rival construction company that uses, say, Stone could be set up. Idk how it would work exactly, but corporations would be an interesting new way to make money.
3. Eh...it could work? But that’s what the “tourism” already really is. We would need a more xpansive culture and trade goods overhaul, such as being able to establish a resource that can be traded to other civs, and in exchange for their massive happiness, you get a tourism boost against them or something.
4. Yep, all for immigration
5. Yep, all for a barbarian overhaul
6. The government system would need a big overhaul to allow for elections, and political blocs would be interesting, and easier to implement (a massive late-game alliance between like minded governments with Cold War civic).
7. Yes but I doubt this will make it in as a full feature sadly. It KIND OF exists (placing industrial zones and improvements will reduce the appeal of tiles) in the most limited form, but we need better pollution mechanics, and Firaxis has decided to avoid that “controversial” issue with VI. It should be in, no doubt, and would make the late game far more interesting, with pollution ruining food production, Killing the appeal of tiles and reducing houses, and even providing a malus to city amenities. Hopefull it returns, especially global warming, due to Civ’s emphasis on playing the map in Vi.

 

[Bechhold]

Pretty much all the features minus stacks that were in Civ IV need to brought over to VI.

 

[acluewithout]

What would help the late game is a way to wage war in later eras without crippling warmonger penalties.

For example:

- I’d be fine with a world congress. I’m hoping there will also be some way to make regional and or ideological alliances and more complex emergencies (perhaps the world congress could trigger them). Hopefully, that could lead to some late game world wide conflicts (although hopefully not every game).

- Vassals and free cities. Vassals so you can war with a civ and have an option to annex its cities without actually conquering them (and triggering warmonger penalties).

- More ‘free cities’ you can fight for influence over, so you can have proxy wars and spheres of influence.

- Okay. So contrary to the other three suggestions, I don’t really want to spend every late game knee deep in world wars. There needs to be more ways to push other civs without actually using war. Something more than spies. Maybe embargoes. Dunno.