pre-release info Civilization VII - Content Spreadsheet Thread - Civ overview!

[Bast]

I wonder then if they're going to have Holy Roman Empire in the Exploration age. So you can lead Charlemagne from Rome to Holy Roman Empire to French Empire.

 

[chaosprophet]

A few things have been discovered since the last time they mentioned the name:

1. Spain is just Spain, and in comparison it seems strange that they named the civ specifically French Empire instead of just France.

2. The civ design takes elements from both the French Empire and its periods of time as the Republic (maybe even moreso the latter). Feels odd, almost like if they added Russia as the Russian Empire, but its design had elements of USSR.

But it wasn't just a mention, it was the name used in the graphics for an example of civ switching way back from the history built in layers stream:

And then also on the Antiquity Age stream, at the end when they show the end of an age and show Norman as an example to pick for the next age we also got to see the French Empire name on there:

 

[Sagax]

But it wasn't just a mention, it was the name used in the graphics for an example of civ switching way back from the history built in layers stream:
View attachment 714636
And then also on the Antiquity Age stream, at the end when they show the end of an age and show Norman as an example to pick for the next age we also got to see the French Empire name on there:
View attachment 714637

That...doesn't really address my explanation? The name has been long confirmed, but by itself it says nothing about the civ's design. People got to see the civ's uniques for the first time today, and that's why they're only now assessing whether the name fits the design. And it also fuels speculation about what FXS are planning for beyond 1950.
(To clarify, I have no horse in this race - just sharing observations from related threads)

 

[sTAPler27]

This naming convention seems really specific. At one point the US was listed as Colonial America but I think since they went more for a 19th century century path for the country they scrapped that name. It seems like they're really trying to leave room for a 4th age expansion so they're coming up with ways to distinguish them.

 

[pokiehl]

This naming convention seems really specific. At one point the US was listed as Colonial America

The US was never referred to or listed as Colonial America in any gameplay context.

That comes from the music upload, which I wouldn’t put a ton of stock into. There are wording errors, typos, and inaccuracies across so many of the pre-release materials, and I think that’s just one of them.

 

[sTAPler27]

The US was never referred to or listed as Colonial America in any gameplay context.

That comes from the music upload, which I wouldn’t put a ton of stock into. There are wording errors, typos, and inaccuracies across so many of the pre-release materials, and I think that’s just one of them.

I can get how someone mistypes a word or bad grammar slip through but "colonial" is a very intentional thing by comparison. And given the background doesn't depict a more 19th/early 20th century scene but instead one seemingly from the revolution it seems like at one point the design for america was shifted to fit a more 18th century design similar to Civ 5 but was eventually changed to fit an industrial guilded age one that gave the devs a larger frame of time to work with that worked in more elements from the modern age while still being distinguishable from a more modern version of the country.

 

[pokiehl]

I can get how someone mistypes a word or bad grammar slip through but "colonial" is a very intentional thing by comparison. And given the background doesn't depict a more 19th/early 20th century scene but instead one seemingly from the revolution it seems like at one point the design for america was shifted to fit a more 18th century design similar to Civ 5 but was eventually changed to fit an industrial guilded age one that gave the devs a larger frame of time to work with that worked in more elements from the modern age while still being distinguishable from a more modern version of the country.

It could easily be something like the direction the musician was given, or the vibe the musician felt the piece had, or any number of things that don’t relate to anything at all about the game. Or maybe it does refer to an earlier concept of the civ. Either way, I don’t think it has any relevance in terms of prognosticating the future of the game or implying a fourth age or anything.

 

[chaosprophet]

That...doesn't really address my explanation? The name has been long confirmed, but by itself it says nothing about the civ's design. People got to see the civ's uniques for the first time today, and that's why they're only now assessing whether the name fits the design. And it also fuels speculation about what FXS are planning for beyond 1950.
(To clarify, I have no horse in this race - just sharing observations from related threads)

I believe I misunderstood what you said. I'm wondering why some seems to be surprised by the name itself when we knew the name sfor a while. But what you mean is people who don't think the name fits the design we got, which is something separate.

 

[ButtBillionaire]

That comes from the music upload, which I wouldn’t put a ton of stock into. There are wording errors, typos, and inaccuracies across so many of the pre-release materials, and I think that’s just one of them.

Also, Hawai'i is referred to as "Ancient Hawai'i" in the description of its soundtrack video. Does that mean another Hawai'i is coming down the line? I don't think so, personally.

 

[Aristotle Kzin]

I've gone back a forth quite a bit thinking about it. At first, Prussia seemed unlikely to me compared to Germany or the German Empire being the name. My reasoning was that the German Empire was already quite Prussian, at least in its government and diplomacy. So naming it the German Empire wouldn't change the flavor of Germany too much and would allow them to include more cities and geography like Hamburg and the Danube. But we've also seen rather specific civ choices that Prussia would be right at home with.

I think my main point against Prussia is their lack of a good, iconic UU. Germany as it existed in the years set by the modern age in game was defined by its military. Having an iconic military unit is arguably the most important thing to get right as far as generating hype and appeasing the wider fanbase. There's no way a Napoleonic era unit would be chosen over stormtroopers, u-boats, or one of the big cat tanks, none of which would be accurate to Prussia.

Isn't the Jaeger (sp.? Jager?) infantry fairly iconic for Prussia in the Napoleonic era? With Bismarck as leader, they would have a very strong identity in the Modern Age for Civ 7....

 

[AriochIV]

I'm curious why many seems to be surprised it is French Empire, when I believe that name already was officially used when they mentioned it quite a while ago.

It's not surprise, it's confusion. It doesn't make sense despite us having known about it for months.

 

[Eagle Pursuit]

It's not surprise, it's confusion. It doesn't make sense despite us having known about it for months.

And then, the only thing specifically from the empire is the Garde Imperiale.

 

[Ronaldo_]

Hey fellas. I made a survey to see which civs not included in the base-game people are most interested in seeing for the DLC. Feel free to share on discord/reddit etc.

Civ 7 DLC Civs poll

Built using the most common Civ suggestions on the Civ forums For reference, the following civs have been confirmed alread: Antiquity: Han China, Maurya India, Greece, Rome, Khmer, Mississipi, Maya, Egypt, Persia, Axum Exploration: Ming China, Chola India, Normans, Spain, Mongolia, Inca...

docs.google.com

 

[Wohlauf]

Isn't the Jaeger (sp.? Jager?) infantry fairly iconic for Prussia in the Napoleonic era? With Bismarck as leader, they would have a very strong identity in the Modern Age for Civ 7....

Jägers wouldn't be a bad choice on their own, but with France revealed with their Garde Imperiale, having another similarly styled line infantry UU I feel would diminish the "unique" part of both units.

 

[8housesofelixir]

Jägers wouldn't be a bad choice on their own, but with France revealed with their Garde Imperiale, having another similarly styled line infantry UU I feel would diminish the "unique" part of both units.

Jagers were not usual line infantry, though - they were light infantry units specifically for reconnaissance and skirmishing roles. In Civ 6 terms, Garde Imperiale are infantry units, and Jagers would be scouts.

 

[8housesofelixir]

I could easily be something like the direction the musician was given, or the vibe the musician felt the piece had, or any number of things that don’t relate to anything at all about the game. Or maybe it does refer to an earlier concept of the civ. Either way, I don’t think it has any relevance in terms of prognosticating the future of the game or implying a fourth age or anything.

Personally, I feel like the "colonial" description is due to the soundtrack heavily featuring fifes and drums, which dominated the colonial-era music, and featured heavily in the common patriot songs during the War of Independence. As you said, the name is for the vibe of the piece rather than some underlying design concept.

If people have ever heard the Yankee Doodle or Chester (the song that the American soundtrack is directly based on), you will know what I meant by "War of Independence Vibe."

Not to say that an American design with a War of Independence patriot song does not necessarily mean that the design only features the late 18th century and early 19th century - modern US bands would still proudly play these songs. It is like saying that if a British civ has Scarborough Fair as their soundtrack, then the design must feature the late 1600s northern England countryside rather than anything later.

 

[sTAPler27]

Also, Hawai'i is referred to as "Ancient Hawai'i" in the description of its soundtrack video. Does that mean another Hawai'i is coming down the line? I don't think so, personally.

Maybe it's to separate it from America, which in Civ 5 at least would use some of Polynesia's city names which are a part of Modern Hawai'i. And while 'Ancient' is a very vague descriptor 'Colonial' is a bit more narrow.

 

[Wohlauf]

Jagers were not usual line infantry, though - they were light infantry units specifically for reconnaissance and skirmishing roles. In Civ 6 terms, Garde Imperiale are infantry units, and Jagers would be scouts.

Then would they not be better suited as a unique scout replacement as opposed to an infantry replacement? In Civ 7, scouts are a civilian unit, so jägers can exist alongside a unique military unit.

 

[Potworny]

Isn't the Jaeger (sp.? Jager?) infantry fairly iconic for Prussia in the Napoleonic era? With Bismarck as leader, they would have a very strong identity in the Modern Age for Civ 7....

We know that if we've actually seen Prussia in the screenshot with the Hohenzollern commander, then it has generic line infantry styled kind of Seven Years' War-ish, same as America.

 

[Wohlauf]

We know that if we've actually seen Prussia in the screenshot with the Hohenzollern commander, then it has generic line infantry styled kind of Seven Years' War-ish, same as America.

I'm now wondering if we've seen independant powers use commanders. If they can, I would default towards those units we saw belonging to an ip.
What the art team has done for Civ 7 might be one of my favorite parts of the game. Most civs have unique and striking city and unit visuals in antiquity and exploration, and the same is true to an extent from what we've seen of modern. If what we saw was Prussia, using the Hohenzollern coat of arms instead of a Prussian flag or any of their ornate regiment battle standards, I would feel a bit disappointed.

That being said, I'll temper my expectations. What we saw could very well not be Prussia, and even if it is, it could be as small low point or unfinished part.