pre-release info Civilization VII - Gameplay Trailer/Showcase - Tech Tree

[TheMarshmallowBear]

I can't emphasize enough how much I hate that the policy cards system seems to carry over virtually unchanged from Civ6 to Civ7. It was imo. one of the very major steps down when going from Civ5 to Civ6 and one of the things I was most hoping for being reworked. I hate the tedious micromanagement of the policy cards, not to mention the fact that it feels gimicky, kills long-term strategy and causes for repetitive gameplay if they don't manage to balance them better than in Civ6.

I do think it changed: they removed types, so now all policies are universal, so you can slot any card in any slot.

The only thing that seems to have types are Leader Attributes I think?

 

[AriochIV]

edit: I totally screwed this up. Here's the correct version. The tree for the whole Age is much shorter than I assumed.

 

[The_J]

We got some more screenshots from techs and the tree now:

15.jpg

• Laurana Kanan
• Sep 12, 2024

techs2.png

• The_J
• Sep 12, 2024

techs.png

• The_J
• Sep 12, 2024

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• Giskler
• Sep 12, 2024

techs.png

• Giskler
• Sep 12, 2024

animalhusbandry.png

• The_J
• Sep 12, 2024

agriculture.png

• The_J
• Sep 12, 2024

 

[stealth_nsk]

I can't emphasize enough how much I hate that the policy cards system seems to carry over virtually unchanged from Civ6 to Civ7. It was imo. one of the very major steps down when going from Civ5 to Civ6 and one of the things I was most hoping for being reworked. I hate the tedious micromanagement of the policy cards, not to mention the fact that it feels gimicky, kills long-term strategy and causes for repetitive gameplay if they don't manage to balance them better than in Civ6.

I hate them as well. The only good thing here is what it looks like only civ-specific cards survive age switch. So you don't have to deal with dozens of them as in Civ 6.

 

[Giskler]

 

[Trav'ling Canuck]

I hate them as well. The only good thing here is what it looks like only civ-specific cards survive age switch. So you don't have to deal with dozens of them as in Civ 6.

Unfortunately, the "research a new policy, change your policies" system is still in place. Adopt the newly researched policy would be okay, but I dislike this whole approach that you can make whatever change you want because you researched something you're not adopting.

Also, the policies look to be more of the tactical, short-term micro-management benefits from Civ 6, nothing strategic or evocative of the type of government you're running.

That's really the only gameplay thing that leapt out at me that was truly disappointing from today's livestream. The rest seemed positive to okay-ish, on first impressions. EDIT: oh, leader agendas are also back in a similar fashion as Civ 6. That's a second big disappointment

 

[Krikkit1]

Unfortunately, the "research a new policy, change your policies" system is still in place. Adopt the newly researched policy would be okay, but I dislike this whole approach that you can make whatever change you want because you researched something you're not adopting.

Also, the policies look to be more of the tactical, short-term micro-management benefits from Civ 6, nothing strategic or evocative of the type of government you're running.

That's really the only gameplay thing that leapt out at me that was truly disappointing from today's livestream. The rest seemed positive to okay-ish, on first impressions.

Yeah, they really ned to have a cost involved in either removing a policy or adding one (or both)….influence/culture/happiness/gold any would be fine
(as a matter of fact that would be a good way to make governments more diverse, what is the cost of changing a policy?….

Despotism takes X Happiness to each settlement for 10 turns
Oligarchy takes Y Gold per pop unit
Republic takes Z turns of your Empires total Culture output.

 

[greenOak]

I can't emphasize enough how much I hate that the policy cards system seems to carry over virtually unchanged from Civ6 to Civ7. It was imo. one of the very major steps down when going from Civ5 to Civ6 and one of the things I was most hoping for being reworked. I hate the tedious micromanagement of the policy cards, not to mention the fact that it feels gimicky, kills long-term strategy and causes for repetitive gameplay if they don't manage to balance them better than in Civ6.

The policy cards could feel gamey but I liked them way more than civ 5 social policies which I always felt railroaded you into a certain playstyle. IMO social policies made for far more repetitive gameplay than the policy cards.

 

[Zaarin]

Civ-specific "tradition cards" warm me considerably to the policy card system's return. I like the card system in theory; in practice there are just too many right and wrong card choices in Civ6.

 

[moysturfurmer]

I do think there’s something to the idea of having to pay a certain amount of influence to change policy cards. Could help to make them feel more like official legislation that you’re formally passing, instead of just shuffling around on a whim. Could theoretically open up new gameplay space where playing a certain leader or building a certain wonder reduces that cost or whatever. But then again the devs have played the game, we haven’t, so who’s to say for sure. But I do like the idea in theory.

 

[Trav'ling Canuck]

I do think there’s something to the idea of having to pay a certain amount of influence to change policy cards.

This could be a good compromise. Not as nice to my mind as fewer, more impactful and multi-faceted policies that are a major deal to change, but better than freely choosing what mini-bonuses you want for the next 3 turns before you complete your next Civic.

 

[DJ_Tanner]

I am a little worried about the game getting a little too scripted, with the additional narrative trees, victory trees, etc. Tech tree feels like it is the same, it was "cleaned" to make it hit a more historical feel, and I don't know how much vareity this can offer outside of near water - sailing, not near water don't.

Tech tree shuffle is one of my favorite options in Civ, and I worried their, possible overemphasis, in making it historical will interfere here as well as the other scripted portions.

 

[kaspergm]

The policy cards could feel gamey but I liked them way more than civ 5 social policies which I always felt railroaded you into a certain playstyle. IMO social policies made for far more repetitive gameplay than the policy cards.

The Civ5 Social Policies were extremely poorly balanced in unmodded game, that's for sure. I made my own personal mod that made a serious rebalancing of them, and for my play style, that meant that each tree was a viable option depending on what overall strategy and game direction I had for that specific game. For me that made them super fun, because it meant I could build my game around the policy trees and have the game feel notably different depending on which path I went: Did I start with Honor and go conquest? Did I start with Liberty and go wide? Would I focus into Piety and develop my religion? Or would I go Aesthetics and focus on culture? Etc.

I acknowledge that what was balanced for me my not have been balanced for every player, so it might not be possible to make something that's universally balanced, but this problem also applies to the policy cards: At least half of them I literally never use, and there's a dozen of them that's so powerful that I gravitate towards those every game. Not to mention the fact that Economic policies are by far the best and Military policies generally the worst, so you'll almost always want a religion that prioritizes economic slots over military slots. This made the games in Civ6 feel extremely repetitive and "same" to me.

 

[Mr Jon of Cheam]

I like the flexibility of the system in VI but it was so lacking from a storytelling perspective. Hooray, I've adopted serfdom! Famously there are no negatives to serfdom, only jolly good blokes adopt serfdom. Look at all those lovely builder charges I now have.

I've said it in other threads, but if there isn't going to be a gameplay negative or trade off for adopting something like serfdom, then at least give me some text about the impact on my empire. Change my title or something - make me feel like a villain for adopting it!

 

[Ornen]

bring it back

 

[Mr Jon of Cheam]

bring it back

View attachment 703262

Also far from perfect... But it definitely had some good points! I don't think they've ever got it quite right.

 

[Ornen]

it's perfect to me

certainly the best they've done with civics in any Civ game imo... most of these options are super broad in what they can do (no distance maintenance? +100% culture in all cities? no state religion?). it leaves players plenty of options, with a lot of ways to mix and match. the penalty for switching is small, but significant enough you won't do it lightly (unless you're a spiritual dude)

 

[kaspergm]

I like the flexibility of the system in VI but it was so lacking from a storytelling perspective. Hooray, I've adopted serfdom! Famously there are no negatives to serfdom, only jolly good blokes adopt serfdom. Look at all those lovely builder charges I now have.

I've said it in other threads, but if there isn't going to be a gameplay negative or trade off for adopting something like serfdom, then at least give me some text about the impact on my empire. Change my title or something - make me feel like a villain for adopting it!

Yeah, not to mention Triangular Trade. Yay, super much money and faith for everyone, what could possibly be a problem here?

 

[Zaarin]

Yeah, not to mention Triangular Trade. Yay, super much money and faith for everyone, what could possibly be a problem here?

Who's to say my civ isn't trading Truffles to Georgia, who trades Spices to France, who trades Incense to me in this version of Triangular Trade?

 

[AriochIV]

I just realized that I'd totally had a brain aneurysm when making the tech tree collage... it's much shorter than I had imagined, only 6 tiers.

I guess the Ages are much shorter than I thought.