Civilization VII Dev Diary #6: Diplomacy, Influence, & Trade

[Isengardtom]

You no longer sell specific resources. When you establish a trade route with a city, you acquire whatever resources it produces; same for other players.


Since they are tied to victory conditions and there is no evidence for theming returning (thank heavens), I would guess you cannot trade Codices, Relics, or Artifacts.

Perhaps you can steal Artifacts in Modern via espionage.

Great Dev Diary. The diplomacy system looks very robust and a lot more meaningful and strategic thanks to the influence yield. So glad to see the “faith” gone and this in its place.

 

[Mr Jon of Cheam]

All of this sounds like such a massive improvement. I'm tempted to pair Machiavelli with Greece for my first game and get properly stuck into diplomacy.

 

[thecrazyscot]

All of this sounds like such a massive improvement. I'm tempted to pair Machiavelli with Greece for my first game and get properly stuck into diplomacy.

I'm the opposite - I kind of want to first play as one of the simpler leaders who doesn't shake up any single mechanic too much so I get used to how they "normally" feel. Then I can play as Machiavelli + Greece and enjoy how much better it is

 

[Isengardtom]

I'm the opposite - I kind of want to first play as one of the simpler leaders who doesn't shake up any single mechanic too much so I get used to how they "normally" feel. Then I can play as Machiavelli + Greece and enjoy how much better it is

As tempted as I am, I think I agree with you.

I’ll probably start my game as Hatshepsut leading Egypt and focus on the new economy legacy paths and wonder building off course.

But Machiavelli will be following soon after

 

[Mr Jon of Cheam]

I'm the opposite - I kind of want to first play as one of the simpler leaders who doesn't shake up any single mechanic too much so I get used to how they "normally" feel. Then I can play as Machiavelli + Greece and enjoy how much better it is

Fair! My thinking is simply that I'm a bit lost with all the new stuff, and it might be easier to get to grips with it if I focus on specific things.

 

[Isengardtom]

One thing I may try even in my first game is going for 1 city supported by 4 towns and see where that gets me. A tall play. Trying to get goden age in culture and economy and dark age in Military at the end of Antiquity

 

[Hawke9]

I think my favorite part to read was how trade routes are now started with a merchant unit travelling to a foreign city, and then when a trade route is established, caravan or ship units continuously spawn to being home the goods. It creates a really cool narrative of exploring foreign lands and bringing home new goods, and I'm gonna love seeing trade units on the map travel to my lands and back

 

[Hawke9]

The diplomacy overhaul looks amazing as well!! I'm very excited to see how it will evolve in future expansions, as stated in the last bit of the dev diary.

 

[chaosprophet]

Sounds like Machiavelli may end up a really popular leader now with revamp diplomacy.

Now that leaders are separated from civs, Would be nice if like in a year or so they release data like which leaders people use the most, and the like. Would be fun to now.

 

[Uberfrog]

All of these changes sound good on paper, I can’t wait to try them out.

Accessing resources through merchants and trade routes just makes sense. The diplomacy screen bartering always felt a bit silly and disjointed ever since trade routes came onto the map with Civ 5.

 

[The_goggles_do_nothing]

I didn't see why you had to pay to have a Hostile greeting until now. You are trying to buy your way out a surprise war which can have some penalties. This means as a player your agenda can help you avoid surprise wars as well.

 

[Lord Lakely]

I liked that Dev diary. It's written in very clear, plain language that explains the improvements made to a piss poor system (diplomacy) and to a functional if underdeveloped system (trade & resources). It's definitely one of the aspects that make me believe I'll enjoy the game when I eventually get it.

 

[gdr_willter]

I am particularly intrigued by the revamp of the Trade system to make it more of a 'build trade networks' than a 'establish each individual Trade Route and Maintain it". It potentially makes for a possible Play As A Tycoon game experience in Exploration and Modern Ages. Color me Cornelius van der Bilt (the original spelling of his name: like so many entrepreneurs, he re-invented himself in the process!)

It reminds me the city connection by road in Civ 5. Its gold output was a brilliant simplification of the general internal trade. I see the new trade system of Civ 7 is the great extension of that idea from Civ 5.

 

[Boris Gudenuf]

It reminds me the city connection by road in Civ 5. Its gold output was a brilliant simplification of the general internal trade. I see the new trade system of Civ 7 is the great extension of that idea from Civ 5.

But what I failed to mention in my first post is that this system also finally removes the 'double system' in trade in which one set of resources is traded magically by diplomatic action regardless of contact or distance while another requires Trade Routes. That aspect of Civ VI has bugged the buckles off me ever since the game was released, and I am very, very glad to see it appears to be dead and buried.

 

[AriochIV]

I was looking at the resource screenshot, and thinking, "what sort of resource is a polar bear supposed to be?"
Then realizing: "Oh, it's supposed to be a sheep."

 

[Zaarin]

I was looking at the resource screenshot, and thinking, "what sort of resource is a polar bear supposed to be?"
Then realizing: "Oh, it's supposed to be a sheep."

The poor shearer who makes the reverse mistake...

 

[Boris Gudenuf]

I was looking at the resource screenshot, and thinking, "what sort of resource is a polar bear supposed to be?"
Then realizing: "Oh, it's supposed to be a sheep."

Sheep on Steroids . . .​

 

[Acid.Crash]

Speaking about the resources.
At first, I was under the impression that background color has some meaning behind it, like distinguishing resource type.
And to be honest, it sounded quite right: Empire Resources> Red BG, City Resources > Brown, Bonus Resources > Blue, etc
But now (firs screen from Trade section) I am quite lost.
Did someone have other ideas, how the background color is selected?

 

[evonannoredars]

Did someone have other ideas, how the background color is selected?

Aesthetics presumably, resource type is indicated by the icon in the bottom left so can't think of anything background colour could mean.

 

[civfanatic4sure]

Maybe I missed it somewhere earlier in an info drop, but my eyes got glued on: "You can levy their Units, which are permanently yours afterward"