Civ6 Leaders' Backgrounds Inspirations

[halfhalfharp]

Yeah, if there is a hope in saving the AIs.... but apparently I see little chance of that salvation.

I also hope for the more realistic leader/world design - it's better for the peace/war theme system

Yep! I prefer the peace/war theme system too, although the progressive themes in Civ VI are impressive as well.

I don‘t know why anyone would think it is laziness. Sure, a 2D background is less work than a 3D one. But I doubt the decision to make them half black and loomy was made because of budget concerns. It‘s obviously a design choice. Now, that doesn‘t mean you have to agree with that choice.

I figure that they disliked some of the backgrounds in civ V in the end for being too colorful and taking away the focus from the leader (since I always felt like that for some of them) - and they wouldn‘t fit civ VI‘s style anyway. Civ VI Cyrus with a background like the one posted above? Please no! Not even as a 2D picture!

@Kimiimaro while I really like Morroco‘s leader screen, I consider Venice to be horrible (and Dandolo‘s Model as well). Opinions differ.

Lol I don't mind distractions from the leader anyway. When you meet another civ, you meet not only the leader, but also the country itself.
At least I can't see why we shouldn't spend a bit time studying at his palace/surroundings, if he has such a informative surrounding to look at.
But personal opinions differ, I suppose.

 

[Siptah]

Lol I don't mind distractions from the leader anyway. When you meet another civ, you meet not only the leader, but also the country itself.
At least I can't see why we shouldn't spend a bit time studying at his palace/surroundings, if he has such a informative surrounding to look at.
But personal opinions differ, I suppose.

You might not mind the distraction, but the philosophy of civ VI does. The whole game is much more focused on leaders than even civ V. Again, it‘s a design decision and you don‘t need to agree with those (I certainly don‘t and hope to have leaders reduced to civ III level or go a different way in the next game).

 

[Zaarin]

You might not mind the distraction, but the philosophy of civ VI does. The whole game is much more focused on leaders than even civ V. Again, it‘s a design decision and you don‘t need to agree with those (I certainly don‘t and hope to have leaders reduced to civ III level or go a different way in the next game).

Again, though, you don't need a blurry, abysmally dark background to keep the focus on the leader. It's all about framing and perspective, that the visual lines lead you to the leader.

 

[halfhalfharp]

You might not mind the distraction, but the philosophy of civ VI does. The whole game is much more focused on leaders than even civ V. Again, it‘s a design decision and you don‘t need to agree with those (I certainly don‘t and hope to have leaders reduced to civ III level or go a different way in the next game).

Is it a design decision... or just re-location of budgets+reduction in polishment...? We never know.
I don't want the leader models to be reduced to Civ III level too, but I hope the background + leader design can at least stick to Civ V level, if not only higher.

 

[Siptah]

Again, though, you don't need a blurry, abysmally dark background to keep the focus on the leader. It's all about framing and perspective, that the visual lines lead you to the leader.

Yes, you certainly don‘t. But I‘m sure it didn‘t happen by accident, laziness or because of a limited budget (I think it is very naïve to believe that). It was decided to do it like that on purpose. Maybe someone thought the leaders would look cool on a modern stage with Illumination focused just on them. At least that situation comes to mind to me when I see the civ VI leaders.

Is it a design decision... or just re-location of budgets+reduction in polishment...? We never know.
I don't want the leader models to be reduced to Civ III level too, but I hope the background + leader design can at least stick to Civ V level, if not only higher.

You misunderstood - I want civ III level or some innovative leader mechanics, focus and philosophy - I wasn‘t talking about the animations in that part. The animations of civ VI just reflect the philosophy of the game. And judging from opinions in threads like this, the first look videos and the suggestion forum, focusing much more on the leader was a big success. (I just don‘t like that decision, however.)

 

[halfhalfharp]

You misunderstood - I want civ III level or some innovative leader mechanics, focus and philosophy - I wasn‘t talking about the animations in that part. The animations of civ VI just reflect the philosophy of the game. And judging from opinions in threads like this, the first look videos and the suggestion forum, focusing much more on the leader was a big success. (I just don‘t like that decision, however.)

I don't like it, either, if there is such a philosophy (which, I believe, is more a commercial one rather than a artistic one). I'd like to see a more realistic depiction of the backgrounds, or at least, clear features.

 

[Siptah]

I think civ VI doesn‘t strife to create the illusion that you as a civilization leader are competing with other civilizitations and their leaders for their place in history. It is still the concept of the game series, but civ VI follows a different path: the illusion of playing a board game against other players. You choose your meeple and the others do, too. You don‘t meet mighty leaders of civilizations, but the tokens of other players. So meeting them in palaces and stuff isn‘t fitting that illusion. So it is highly unlikely to change. Maybe civ VII will be less themed about leaders, meeples and playing a game and more about creating history and there‘s a chance for different kind of backgrounds. I‘d still prefer a game without leaders at all though to open up for some creative ideas.

 

[Zaarin]

Yes, you certainly don‘t. But I‘m sure it didn‘t happen by accident, laziness or because of a limited budget (I think it is very naïve to believe that). It was decided to do it like that on purpose. Maybe someone thought the leaders would look cool on a modern stage with Illumination focused just on them. At least that situation comes to mind to me when I see the civ VI leaders.

If they doubled down on that and made it more explicit, I'd actually love that concept.

I‘d still prefer a game without leaders at all though to open up for some creative ideas.

Personally, I'd hate that. I love Civ6's leader-centric design, because it's much more interesting to hate Dom Pedro of Brazil than to simply hate faceless Brazil. Then again, strategy games are merely an ancillary interest for me; my chief gaming interests are narrative-focused, character-focused games like RPGs, walking simulators, and adventure games. If the Civ franchise backgrounded or cut the leaders, it would lose a great deal of its charm for me.

 

[anonxanemone]

Can anyone provide some insight to the New Frontier Pass leaders' backgrounds? Me am history dumb...

 

[8housesofelixir]

Can anyone provide some insight to the New Frontier Pass leaders' backgrounds? Me am history dumb...

The 2 cases I know of:

Confirmed: The background of Menelik II is Fasil Ghebbi, a royal castle of Ethiopia.
Unconfirmed: The background of Chinese Kublai is presumably a building in Lake Taiyechi, a palace complex built by Kublai, in today's Beihai Park. However none of the Yuan buildings of the palace exist today.

 

[fy00sh]

Rough Rider Teddy's background features some small houses, a dirt road, and some sort of palm tree. The palm tree makes me remember how the historical Rough Riders were mostly selected from hot climates so that they would already be used to the kind of climate they'd face in Cuba, where they were to be sent. Maybe that's the reference? Just throwin it out there

 

[Zaarin]

Rough Rider Teddy's background features some small houses, a dirt road, and some sort of palm tree. The palm tree makes me remember how the historical Rough Riders were mostly selected from hot climates so that they would already be used to the kind of climate they'd face in Cuba, where they were to be sent. Maybe that's the reference? Just throwin it out there

Based on the thatched huts, I'd say he's definitely supposed to be in Cuba.

 

[notNamed]

Ba Trieu's village with stilt houses in the backrgound is inadvertedly pointing at the non-Viet elements of Vietnam duing her time.
Viets/Kings don't built stilt houses, but the numerous minorities do. Likewise, the houses feature a gable roof that doesn't fit Dong Son, nor the Austronesian minorities of modern Vietnam. Leaving you with Tai and Mường (a sister group to the Viets who developed under Tai rather than Sinitic influence) as the two possible candidates for the inspiration of that place. And missy here was from a province that is to this day a home to both of those.

 

[Guandao]

Since you guys revived this thread, I've no choice but to update it. Looks like I forgot about it during the Gathering Storm expansion release, so I'll start with those backgrounds first.

Matthias Corvinus (Hungary)

Spoiler Matthias Corvinus' Background :

Visegrad Castle (according to Civ wiki)

Kupe (Maori)

Spoiler Kupe's Background :

I believed someone has identified this specific stretch of New Zealand's coast before. Civ wiki isn't helpful, claiming it's a "Lagoon on a tropical island". I think it's definitely in New Zealand as opposed to another island in Polynesia.

Wilfrid Laurier (Canada)

Spoiler Wilfrid Laurier's Background :

frozen over Rideau Canal underneath a bridge near the Parliament Hill. There's a historical inaccuracy with regards to the look of the building. @God of Kings

Pachacuti (Inca)

Spoiler Pachacuti's Background :

Civ wiki claims it's a village and terrace farm in front of the Andes Mountains, but I believe it's heavily based off of Machu Picchu, which is now believed to have been an estate of Pachacuti.

Mansa Musa (Mali)

Spoiler Mansa Musa's Background :

Great Mosque at Djenne, according to the Civ wiki

Kristina (Sweden)

Spoiler Kristina's Background :

There's a fireplace in a room surrounded by bookshelves. Presumably in the palace Kristina stayed in during her brief reign. I love how she and her father Gustavus Adolphus both have a fireplace in their backgrounds.

Suleiman (Ottomans)

Spoiler Suleiman's Background :

garden overlooking the Hagia Sophia, according to the Civ wiki. Is that why Basil II's background doesn't have the Hagia Sophia, because Suleiman already has?

Dido (Phoenicia)

Spoiler Dido's Background :

Phoenician ship at a dock, near an arched rock formation that actually exists off the Lebanese coast. I need to do more research to find out it's name.

Eleanor of Aquitaine (England)

Spoiler Eleanor's Background (England) :

Fontevraud Abbey (according to Civ wiki). But I think that's wrong. I think they chose a place in England. There's a river with some boats, and a city surrounding a Cathedral on the other bank. (Could it be London?)

Eleanor of Aquitaine (France)

Spoiler Eleanor's Background (France) :

Palace of Poitiers (according to wiki). This one seems correct.

 

[Zaarin]

I love how she and her father Gustavus Adolphus both have a fireplace in their backgrounds.

I'd be standing in front of a fireplace, too, if I were in Sweden.

 

[AsH2]

I'd be standing in front of a fireplace, too, if I were in Sweden.

You know the main reason of fireplaces here is to scare off polar bears - it's 100% effective..

 

[8housesofelixir]

Fontevraud Abbey (according to Civ wiki). But I think that's wrong. I think they chose a place in England. There's a river with some boats, and a city surrounding a Cathedral on the other bank. (Could it be London?)

Looks Westminster Abbey to me. Westminster Abbey has an extension extended from the back of its apse - which is Henry VII's Chapel - and you can see that particular extension in Eleanor's background.

This is what that extension looks like IRL:

Spoiler :

(Although both the Abbey and the Chapel were built after Eleanor's death.)

 

[Guandao]

Now onto the New Frontier Leaders!

Teddy Roosevelt (Rough Rider)

Spoiler Rough Rider Teddy's Background :

3 wooden houses in a grassland behind a wooden fence. Civ wiki suggests it could be Roosevelt's Elkhorn Ranch in North Dakota, but I doubt it. The tall palm tree suggests this is elsewhere, likely meant to be in Cuba, like Zaarin suggested. A strange choice for an American leader's background, but it fits with Rough Rider Teddy.

Catherine de Medici (Magnificence)

Spoiler Cathy's Background (Magnificence) :

A Gazebo structure surrounded by a Garden. Not sure if it's based on a real location.

Lady Six Sky (Maya)

Spoiler Lady Six Sky's Background :

Two Mayan stepped Pyramids (one further in the distance). Probably meant to be in her capital. I love how the Pyramid has some painted colors on it.

Simon Bolivar (Gran Colombia)

Spoiler Simon Bolivar's Background :

untitledjuan:
I don't quite think Bolívar's background is in the Llanos (plains) regions of Colombia. The plant that appears at the right side of his background is called frailejón in Spanish and is part of the Espeletia genus, which is a group of plants that are only native to really high altitude and very cold Andean areas of Colombia, Ecuador and parts of Venezuela. On the other hand, the Llanos (plains) region has a warmer and more tropical climate, in which this kind of plants wouldn't be capable of growing.

I'd argue that the background is actually in a high-altitude Andean tundra (or Páramo in Spanish) and the appearance of a cow in the background might be more related to the fact that Bolívar and his army (perhaps including resources such as cattle, due to the large amount of Llaneros that were part of the army) famously crossed the Andes through harsh environments such as this one in order to conduct surprise attacks against the Spanish. This happened before the Battle of Boyacá, which allowed him to conquer Bogotá and establish it as his capital. With this in mind, I would say that the precise location of Bolívar's background is the Páramo de Pisba in Boyacá, Colombia.

The cow could also be explained by the fact that nowadays some of these lands are being used for cattle raising, however I doubt that happened in Bolívar's time and it is something that currently is prohibited to avoid damaging the ecosystem of the area. Maybe the cow is just added in there because the artist thought it looked cool (or maybe as a hint to the Spanish Civ symbol in the game )

Menelik II (Ethiopia)

Spoiler Menelik's Background :

Fasilides Castle (in Fasil Ghebbi complex).

Basil II (Byzantines)

Spoiler Basil's Background :

Some Byzantine church??

Ambiorix (Gaul)

Spoiler Ambiorix's Background :

large menhir in a forest clearing....

Hammurabi (Babylon)

Spoiler Hammurabi's Background :

A large Ziggurat (which reminds of the Sumerian one at Ur), next to a river with some sailboats. Likely meant to be in Babylon during Hammurabi's time.

Ba Trieu (Vietnam)

Spoiler Ba Trieu's Background :

3 Houses on Stilts near a river bank. Probably just represents ancient Vietnam during Trieu's time. I imagine a later Vietnamese leader would have a more grander background (ex: imperial Hue).

Kublai Khan (China)

Spoiler Kublai Khan's Background (China) :

Taiye Lake in Khanbaliq

 

[Alexander's Hetaroi]

garden overlooking the Hagia Sophia, according to the Civ wiki. Is that why Basil II's background doesn't have the Hagia Sophia, because Suleiman already has?

Some Byzantine church??

Wish they would have done the Hippodrome considering Suleiman took the Hagia Sofia. It is most likely a church but one that nobody, to my knowledge, has figured out.

I'd be standing in front of a fireplace, too, if I were in Sweden.

Have you looked at the weather across the U.S.? I'm sure everybody is standing in front of a fireplace now.

3 wooden houses in a grassland behind a wooden fence. Civ wiki suggests it could be Roosevelt's Elkhorn Ranch in North Dakota, but I doubt it. The tall palm tree suggests this is elsewhere, likely meant to be in Cuba, like Zaarin suggested. A strange choice for an American leader's background, but it fits with Rough Rider Teddy.

I've been assuming it was his ranch. I've never noticed the palm tree until now.

 

[Zaarin]

A Gazebo structure surrounded by a Garden. Not sure if it's based on a real location.

First thought: "If there's a prize for rotten judgment..."

large menhir in a forest clearing....

We finally got the Gauls, but Boudicca and her stereotypes still got the last laugh.

Have you looked at the weather across the U.S.? I'm sure everybody is standing in front of a fireplace now.

Yeah, my professor is out of power. But I'm in Florida so it's still hot here.