After several thousand hours of game play on Nintendo Switch and then on PC I have the following critique of the game and suggested fixes on the following topics:
1. Wonders (Human)
2. Great People
3. Barbarians
4. World Congress
5. Diplomacy
6. Age Progression
7. Inflation
Wonders
Problem: The idea that spending dozens of game turns to construct a wonder that could prove futile due another CIV half way across the world completing the same type of wonder in their country first is ahistorical and absurd. Hey everyone, stop production! A CIV we dont even know exists just built the same thing! Rats! Tear it down!
Stupid... The problem lies with the devs superficial desire to embrace civilizational equality at the expense of gameplay and quality immersion. The game departs from the Historical every time you turn it on so it should be expanded upon within that understanding. Historical wonders should be restricted to the civilization that created them. Equviliant Generic Wonders with cultural flair of the building civ should be available to every civilization, not just the first to create it.
Great People
Again, the idea that Great People are born into the Ether, then look around and say "Hey! Im going to join this civ!" is stupid and born from a desire to embrace civilizational equality in an open ended historical rewriting game. Leave the great people to the civilizations they belonged. Make fictional equivalents for each civilization. It should not be a race to get the great person before a different civ then have that perk be locked and gone for everyone else. Great People is a good game play idea, but each civilization should have their own great people recruitable and tailored with their own civilizational perks.
Barbarians
Mostly fun and good implementation. Problem, mid & late game spawning of barbarian camps creating instant advanced and modern weaponry is beyond absurd. A simple solution would be to have an option at the setup screen to disable barbarians after X Era. Also, an option to limit barbarian weaponry to the current World Age. An exception to this could be if a civ with later era technology pays a particular barbarian camp to attack an enemy, an option to provide that camp with advanced armaments could be instated. Adds depth and realism.
World Congress
The idea of a 12th Century world meeting and dictating to all nations on a majority vote is beyond unrealistic. The items voted on equally unrealistic. An option to turn off this mechanic or delay its implementation should be on the setup screen. This mechanic should be utilized instead for diplomatic discussions within leagues and confederacies of which their should be the ability to be several within a game. Create those instead. Civ X is conquering our continent. Concerned Civs should be able to form a league to fight Civ X. Their warfare plans agreed upon within the World Congress mechanic. Civ Y & Z have been allies for 200 turns, give the ability to form and direct a confederation utilizing world Congress Mechanic.
Diplomacy
Overall pretty good but should have the ability to use full range of diplomatic options with development of Early Empire. Alliances should not need to be researched mid game.
Age Progression
Not enough customization available at startup. Even on Marathon game speed Eras advance too fast for in depth game immersion. Add option for a buffer Civic and Tech between each game Era on the Tech and Civic Trees with an adjustable turn slider on the Startup Screen. This functions on turns, irrelevant of Science and Culture. Example, after researching all Ancient Era technologies the next tech would be named Classical Era and take one hundred turns to research thus unlocking Classical Era technologies after that time. Personally, I would set this to 300 turns as I enjoy wars and expansion with early units. Immersion. Additionally, a startup option to end age progression after X Era. I typically turn off my game and start a new one after the industrial age as I lose interest in that time period even when I am conquering the world.
Inflation
District and Unit inflation should have an uncheck box available in advanced options after you have beaten the game once. Boring, time consuming, absurd. (period)
Solutions, Limit the number of setters recruitable based on a civlizations Empire population size allowing for civilizational distinctions in that number. Example, Less than 10 Empire population, Civs x,y,& z may recruit a total of 3 settlers. Civ b however, may recruit 4 with a 10 Empire population. If a settler is capture it is destroyed, and your number refunded. Realistically cities are not created in the way this game represents. Far flung settlements should be severely punished before proper advancements in government, medicine, transportation, communications, etc. Civilizational Exceptions or perks permitted. Same concept with military and religion. If your religion only has two followers you should not be able to recruit 8 apostles whether or not you have enough faith. Military recruitment should not inflate. It should be restricted by monetary and food upkeep. Armies should starve if you venture too far from home (tech based distance).
1. Wonders (Human)
2. Great People
3. Barbarians
4. World Congress
5. Diplomacy
6. Age Progression
7. Inflation
Wonders
Problem: The idea that spending dozens of game turns to construct a wonder that could prove futile due another CIV half way across the world completing the same type of wonder in their country first is ahistorical and absurd. Hey everyone, stop production! A CIV we dont even know exists just built the same thing! Rats! Tear it down!
Stupid... The problem lies with the devs superficial desire to embrace civilizational equality at the expense of gameplay and quality immersion. The game departs from the Historical every time you turn it on so it should be expanded upon within that understanding. Historical wonders should be restricted to the civilization that created them. Equviliant Generic Wonders with cultural flair of the building civ should be available to every civilization, not just the first to create it.
Great People
Again, the idea that Great People are born into the Ether, then look around and say "Hey! Im going to join this civ!" is stupid and born from a desire to embrace civilizational equality in an open ended historical rewriting game. Leave the great people to the civilizations they belonged. Make fictional equivalents for each civilization. It should not be a race to get the great person before a different civ then have that perk be locked and gone for everyone else. Great People is a good game play idea, but each civilization should have their own great people recruitable and tailored with their own civilizational perks.
Barbarians
Mostly fun and good implementation. Problem, mid & late game spawning of barbarian camps creating instant advanced and modern weaponry is beyond absurd. A simple solution would be to have an option at the setup screen to disable barbarians after X Era. Also, an option to limit barbarian weaponry to the current World Age. An exception to this could be if a civ with later era technology pays a particular barbarian camp to attack an enemy, an option to provide that camp with advanced armaments could be instated. Adds depth and realism.
World Congress
The idea of a 12th Century world meeting and dictating to all nations on a majority vote is beyond unrealistic. The items voted on equally unrealistic. An option to turn off this mechanic or delay its implementation should be on the setup screen. This mechanic should be utilized instead for diplomatic discussions within leagues and confederacies of which their should be the ability to be several within a game. Create those instead. Civ X is conquering our continent. Concerned Civs should be able to form a league to fight Civ X. Their warfare plans agreed upon within the World Congress mechanic. Civ Y & Z have been allies for 200 turns, give the ability to form and direct a confederation utilizing world Congress Mechanic.
Diplomacy
Overall pretty good but should have the ability to use full range of diplomatic options with development of Early Empire. Alliances should not need to be researched mid game.
Age Progression
Not enough customization available at startup. Even on Marathon game speed Eras advance too fast for in depth game immersion. Add option for a buffer Civic and Tech between each game Era on the Tech and Civic Trees with an adjustable turn slider on the Startup Screen. This functions on turns, irrelevant of Science and Culture. Example, after researching all Ancient Era technologies the next tech would be named Classical Era and take one hundred turns to research thus unlocking Classical Era technologies after that time. Personally, I would set this to 300 turns as I enjoy wars and expansion with early units. Immersion. Additionally, a startup option to end age progression after X Era. I typically turn off my game and start a new one after the industrial age as I lose interest in that time period even when I am conquering the world.
Inflation
District and Unit inflation should have an uncheck box available in advanced options after you have beaten the game once. Boring, time consuming, absurd. (period)
Solutions, Limit the number of setters recruitable based on a civlizations Empire population size allowing for civilizational distinctions in that number. Example, Less than 10 Empire population, Civs x,y,& z may recruit a total of 3 settlers. Civ b however, may recruit 4 with a 10 Empire population. If a settler is capture it is destroyed, and your number refunded. Realistically cities are not created in the way this game represents. Far flung settlements should be severely punished before proper advancements in government, medicine, transportation, communications, etc. Civilizational Exceptions or perks permitted. Same concept with military and religion. If your religion only has two followers you should not be able to recruit 8 apostles whether or not you have enough faith. Military recruitment should not inflate. It should be restricted by monetary and food upkeep. Armies should starve if you venture too far from home (tech based distance).
