Boris Gudenuf
Deity
IF one were to propose any religious Unique or focus for a Civ, there are, IMHO, several basic considerations:
1. You have to know how the proposed game system will handle Religion (we can assume it WILL handle it, because it has been a part of the last few Civ-renditions). Not knowing that, any proposed religious mechanic is so much (to quote my mentor Pogo) Bald-R-Dash.
2. Unless going for a complete fantasy, the religiousity will have to be based on some actual religion. That opens up an huge can of worms, and each of the worms has saber teeth and a hunger for Idiot Game Designers. You are not asking, you are down on your knees begging for trouble.
3. Finally, most 'religious' groups and civilizations in history are marked by specific structures, practices, units, social and civic policy elements. Those elements are a far better basis for a 'religious' Civ than trying to model the entire package of a specific religion. That, essentially, is what Civ VI did with its collection of miscellaneous Pantheon, Follower, Founder, Worship 'beliefs' which can be shuffled to provide a less provocative 'Religion' in each game. It is far from perfect, but a lot safer than trying to model an actual religion in all its details and not expect incoming Critical Fire from all directions.
Some religious details, frankly, are better left out of any game or subject that wants to appeal to a broad audience. Like it or not, some practices and subjects are certain to enrage a percentage of your proposed customer base. If there is a First Rule of Commercial Practice, it is: Thou Shalt Not P*** Off Thy Customers. I suspect Firaxis knows that, having been in business for more than a week.
1. You have to know how the proposed game system will handle Religion (we can assume it WILL handle it, because it has been a part of the last few Civ-renditions). Not knowing that, any proposed religious mechanic is so much (to quote my mentor Pogo) Bald-R-Dash.
2. Unless going for a complete fantasy, the religiousity will have to be based on some actual religion. That opens up an huge can of worms, and each of the worms has saber teeth and a hunger for Idiot Game Designers. You are not asking, you are down on your knees begging for trouble.
3. Finally, most 'religious' groups and civilizations in history are marked by specific structures, practices, units, social and civic policy elements. Those elements are a far better basis for a 'religious' Civ than trying to model the entire package of a specific religion. That, essentially, is what Civ VI did with its collection of miscellaneous Pantheon, Follower, Founder, Worship 'beliefs' which can be shuffled to provide a less provocative 'Religion' in each game. It is far from perfect, but a lot safer than trying to model an actual religion in all its details and not expect incoming Critical Fire from all directions.
Some religious details, frankly, are better left out of any game or subject that wants to appeal to a broad audience. Like it or not, some practices and subjects are certain to enrage a percentage of your proposed customer base. If there is a First Rule of Commercial Practice, it is: Thou Shalt Not P*** Off Thy Customers. I suspect Firaxis knows that, having been in business for more than a week.
