Design your own Civ VI World Wonder

[Morningcalm]

In light of several elimination games we have had in this forum involving world wonders, I figured we could as a community collect some concrete ideas (including numbers) for world wonders we might want to add in the game (not natural wonders; though someone could make a separate thread for that).

Discussion is encouraged, and I may modify my own ideas frequently with suggestion (I particularly struggled with which amazing bonus to give the Chinese Temple of Heaven below--whether eureka/inspiration based like China's civ ability, food-focused, which makes it too similar to Angkor Wat or the Hanging Gardens, or district-planning-related due to the real-life counterpart's careful construction).

Some ideas to start (these parent post wonders are inspired by wonders from Age of Empires II), with stats in the format provided in the Civ VI Gamepedia for wonders and the Civ VI Wikia for wonders (quotes for history courtesy of Wikipedia entries as linked in the wonder titles):

Tāq Kasrā (c. 3rd-6th century AD)

Era: Classical.

Wonder Bonuses: +2 Culture, +1 Production. +1 Great Architect point per turn. Tourism output from all Ancient and Classical wonders in your empire is boosted.

Tile Requirement/Placement: Must be built adjacent to the City Center in your capital city.

Technology/Civic Requirements: Engineering (technology).

Cost: 400 Production.

History: Sometimes known as the Arch of Ctesiphon, this architectural marvel was a part of an imperial palace in Ctesiphon that survived Parthians, Sasanians, Romans and the Arab conquest alike, with each group using the palace for their own purposes. Created either by Shapur I or Khosrow I, the iconic archway in the Taq Kasra features the "largest man-made, free standing vault constructed until modern times", or put another way, "the largest single-span vault of unreinforced brickwork in the world." It inspired the medieval Persian poet Khaqani and the French painter and archaeologist Eugène Flandin. The structure is the only above-ground remnant of the Parthian/Sasanian city of Ctesiphon in existence today. It is also the Persian wonder in Age of Empires II.


Hwangnyongsa (began 553 AD, completed 644 AD)

Era: Medieval

Wonder Bonuses: +4 Faith. When constructed, removes 50% of all foreign religious influence in your empire. Religious buildings of your religion generate +1 culture and reduce war weariness in cities in which they are constructed.

Tile Requirement/Placement: Must be built on flat land in your capital city, and the player must have founded a religion.

Technology/Civic Requirements: Divine Right (civic).

Cost: 710 Production.

History: Completed during the reign of Queen Seondeok of Silla, this massive 80-meter temple was the center of state-sponsored Buddhism in Korea, built "entirely with wood with interlocking design with no iron nails." It was also the tallest structure in East Asia and the tallest wooden structure in the world at the time of its construction, designed in part to impress foreign dignitaries and also as the location where monks would pray for the welfare of the nation at large. "Hwangnyongsa" means "Golden/Yellow Dragon Temple" or "Emperor/Imperial Dragon Temple." The name is imposing, but so is the story behind why there are nine stories in this pagoda--each of the stories represents the "nine nations of East Asia and Silla's future conquest of those states". It was burned down during the Mongolian invasion of the 13th century AD, but the massive foundation stones remain in the current day. It is also the Korean wonder in Age of Empires II: The Conquerors (but represented with 5 stories for space reasons--it's already one of the largest wonders in that game).


Temple of Heaven (began 1406 AD, completed 1420 AD)

Era: Medieval

Wonder Bonuses: +2 Faith, +2 Culture. +1 Food and +1 Production in all your cities. Cities may not starve so long as you control the city where this wonder was constructed. In every era after the Medieval Era, unlocks a random eureka or inspiration.

Tile Requirement/Placement: Must be built adjacent to the capital city's City Center and two districts, one of which must be a Holy Site.

Technology/Civic Requirements: Civil Service (civic).

Cost: 710 Production.

History: Now a UNESCO World Heritage site in Beijing and an iconic symbol of China, this temple was created by Yongle Emperor, and was personally visited by emperors of the Ming and Qing dynasties to pray for a good harvest, attended by much pomp. It is regarded as representative of either Chinese heaven worship (with folk deities like Shangdi) or Taoism. Constructed carefully with nearby structures and surroundings according to philosophical ideas of harmony, the temple itself features blue tiles representing heaven, and use of space representing Earth (typically symbolized by a square in the structure) and Heaven (typically symbolized by a circle in the structure). It had "a profound influence on architecture and planning in the Far East over many centuries". The Temple of Heaven park is itself larger than the Forbidden City, and features such colorful structures as the Palace of Abstinence or the Imperial Vault of Heaven. (The most frequent representative of the Temple, however, is the Hall of Prayer for Good Harvests, which is pictured in this post.) The Hall of Prayer for Good Harvests is often called "The Temple of Heaven" when represented in other games, namely, it appears as the Chinese wonder in Age of Empires II and Age of Empires III, and is the inspiration for the Asian architectural set wonder of Age of Empires I.

 

[AnonymousSpeed]

There was actually a thread quite like this long ago.

I actually liked that thread, because why actually play games when you could make ideas for them which will never be realized? So this thread should be cool too. I don't think there are any wonders with the reputation of being Joseph Stalin, so hopefully no one will be too upset here.

Anyway, as I said, there was a thread back then and I posted some wonder ideas there, so I'll recycle them here:

Hoover Dam (it was like the thirties or somethin' iunno)

Spoiler :

Unlocks with the Electricity technology. Costs 2800 Production to build.

Placement:

• Must be adjacent to fresh water
  
• Must be adjacent to a mountain

Effect:

• All Factories and Power Plants in your empire provide +4 Production

Mount Rushmore (it wasn't that long ago mang iunnno)

Spoiler :

Unlocks with the Conservation civic. Costs 2000 production to build.

Placement:

• Must be adjacent to a mountain
• Must be placed on a tile with charming or higher appeal

Effect:

• +8 Culture
• Government Legacy Bonuses are doubled

There were actually a lot of cool wonder ideas on that thread, I'd suggest you all check them out.

 

[TheSpaceCowboy]

Gateway Arch

(Construction commenced February 12, 1963; completed October 28, 1965)

Though the Arch itself was completed in our Atomic Era, as a Wonder in the game it'd unlock with Industrialization (due to it's proximity prior to Steam Power) in the Industrial Era, as the Arch is a dedication to the Pioneers who settled the Western Frontier prior to the advent of the Intercontinental Railroad.

Placement:

• Must be placed on a Plain adjacent to a river and a City-Center

Effect:

• +50% production to all Settlers of this Civilization in cities on the same continent as the Arch
• All Settlers of this Civilization produced on this Continent gain additional movement through Woods and over Hills and Rivers
• Gains a free Settler

The Gateway Arch is especially effective on Terra maps for swiftly settling the New World in the late game

 

[Morningcalm]

Good ideas for some modern wonders there guys. I like that Mount Rushmore's bonus ties into America's bonus in some way--I also tried to tie the Temple of Heaven to China's ability in a similar fashion. Gateway Arch having settler bonuses makes a lot of sense too, given that it celebrates expansion, and I guess with enough trade routes late-game it could be tempting to settle more cities even at that late stage of the game. Perhaps with the new Rise and Fall expansion the Gateway Arch could also give loyalty bonuses, even in a Dark Age.

Below are two new ideas for an atomic and ancient wonder respectively:

Louvre Abu Dhabi (began 2009, completed 2017)

Era: Atomic

Wonder Bonuses: +1 culture and +3 tourism for each Great Work, relic, and artifact in the city where this wonder is built, and grants 3 envoys upon completion. +2 Artifact slots and +2 Great Art slots. +3 Great Artist points per turn. Theme requires artifacts and Great Works, each from a different civilization. +10 gold if placed adjacent to Theater District.

Tile Requirement/Placement: Must be built on coast adjacent to land, or on water tile adjacent to land.

Technology/Civic Requirements: Cultural Heritage (which also unlocks the Sydney Opera House).

Cost: 3000 Production.

History: Built with a general theme of "common humanity" in a collaborative effort between France and the United Arab Emirates, this magnificent museum is the most exciting modern museum release in recent memory. Constructed on Saadiyat Island in a cultural district created to attract tourism near Abu Dhabi (capital city of the UAE), the museum houses some 600 works ranging from Van Gogh to Ai Weiwei to various ancient artifacts, with the general theme seeming to be one of the shared, universal human experience (uniquely, it also features works by various major world religions side-by-side, such as a page from the Blue Koran next to Buddhist sutras and a Gothic Bible). Designed by French architect Jean Nouvel, the unique shape of the museum is designed to allow the sun to filter through the dome, to give the effect of "rays passing through date palm fronds in an oasis." Also, the museum's lagoons mean workers use inflatable boats and nets to retrieve rubbish inside the museum. The museum has attracted some controversy from artists who accused the Louvre of acting for the sake of profit in allowing the museum (but requiring the UAE to pay millions for use of the Louvre name, and to hire managers to oversee the artwork loaned to the Louvre Abu Dhabi. But adoring tourists (including one of my friends) who love to be in a much-less crowded Louvre outlet enjoy the magnificent views, inside water pools, and the diversity of the art on display.

Design Notes: This costs less production than the Sydney Opera House, but also generates less culture and Great Artist points, with fewer slots for artwork overall, even if it grants envoys and direct tourism. It does, however, come with a gold bonus upon placement next to a theater district (a nod to the Louvre Abu Dhabi's real-life placement in a cultural district), and slightly more flexible placement than the Sydney Opera House. As archaeologists typically exhaust upon completion of 3 artifacts, archaeologist charges are extended for the city where this museum is created (depending upon the number of artifact slots remaining).


Palace of Knossos (completed between 2000–1580 BC, rebuilt)

Era: Ancient

Wonder Bonuses: +1 culture, +1 faith, +1 gold for each adjacent district. +2 Housing, and +1 Housing for each age after the era in which this is completed. +1 Great Merchant point per turn and +1 Great Prophet point per turn.

Tile Requirements/Placement: Must be built adjacent to your capital city.

Technology/Civic Requirements: Mysticism

Cost: 290 Production.

History: This massive palace structure (or "Palace", though "palace structure" is more accurate) was constructed in Knossos, the capital of Minoan Crete, which has also been called Europe's oldest city and is sometimes identified as having inspired Atlantis. The massive palace structure at Knossos was the center of religious, administrative, political and cultural life in Minoan civilization, and boasts some 1,300 rooms varying in use, whether religious, commercial (storage magazines for "wheat, oil and treasure", as well as workshops), cultural (a theater). It also featured a sophisticated drainage system to provide water and hygiene for inhabitants of the palace. At its height, the town surrounding the Palace of Knossos housed some 100,000 people.

So massive and labyrinthine was the palace structure that it became associated with the Greek myth of the hero Theseus and the Minotaur, which tells of a time when Minoans ruled over Athens and required tribute to feed a monster that lay within the famous Labyrinth.

The thickness of the walls and the impressively advanced architectural style at display in the Palace have been remarked upon. The artwork and artifacts found on the interior are also impressive, with some of the original frescoes including the Minoan civilization's most iconic: images of dolphins, dancing, and jumping over bulls, as well as important artifacts, such as the iconic double-headed axe which was a religiously-connoted symbol designating a god or goddess of some sort, and the "Horns of Consecration" (used as the icon for the technology of the same name in Age of Mythology: The Titans).

Inhabited continuously from the Neolithic period through to the 5th century AD, the palace saw much history, and endured earthquakes and other natural disasters, after which it was rebuilt multiple times. Knossos was eventually taken by the Mycenaeans, who overtook the Minoan trading empire and inhabited the Palace of Knossos in turn.

The Palace has attracted some controversy due to the partial recreation by Arthur Evans (the archaeologist who also uncovered the ruins of the Palace in the 20th century). That being said, the Palace still houses several of the original structures, frescoes and artwork of Minoan times (some of the artwork is housed in nearby museums in Heraklion, Crete). The Palace is a major tourist draw today, with over 9,400 reviews on TripAdvisor.

Design Notes: Designed as an alternative to the Oracle, this wonder has religious ties, but is also flexible for any capital city where you need housing (the housing bonus is a nod to the massive size of the palace, with its 1300 rooms, and its importance as a cultural congregation spot for the Minoans). It nods to the mercantile trade of the Minoan civilization (and the numerous commercial, cultural and religious rooms of the palace) with its bonuses.

 

[Xandinho]

Royal Palace of Palenque

Construction: 250-800 AD (approximately)

Era: Medieval

Wonder Bonuses: + 1 culture, +1 amenity and +1 housing in this city. It has 2 slots for sculptures. You receives two envoys. Cities within up to 7 tiles away from this wonder receive a 15% higher growth rate. + 1 point for Great Engineer

Requirements: (available in Civil Service) Must be built on a flat land adjacent to the center of the city of your capital.

Cost: 710 production

History: Royal residence of the rulers of Palenque, like Pakal the Great, this palace is without doubts one of the best examples of Maya architecture. The Palace was also used to receive foreign visitors, functioning as an administrative center. It was also used for entertainment and ritual ceremonies.

 

[Guandao]

I wish I can come up with abilities for wonders, but I'm bad at that.

 

[Morningcalm]

I wish I can come up with abilities for wonders, but I'm bad at that.

You can just make general notes about ideas for bonuses as well! The way I see it, all our drafted wonder ideas are subject to change anyway, particularly in light of the upcoming expansion.

 

[Guandao]

You can just make general notes about ideas for bonuses as well! The way I see it, all our drafted wonder ideas are subject to change anyway, particularly in light of the upcoming expansion.

I have a peculiar taste in wonders. Other posters here might not accept them as World Wonders, especially the Pre-Columbian North American ones.

 

[Morningcalm]

I have a peculiar taste in wonders. Other posters here might not accept them as World Wonders, especially the Pre-Columbian North American ones.

No one would (or at least, no one should) find pre-Colombian sites unwelcome, even if we may debate whether they should be in the game, etc. In the Design-your-own-Civ, we've had joke civs before as well with no issue (i.e. overcrowding the more historical civ ideas). It's always good to learn new things, and there are many pre-Columbian sites I don't know (but would like to know about) as well.

 

[Phrozen]

Newport News Shipbuilding (Founded 1886. Still currently in operation. Pictured is the north end of facility with its famous big blue crane)

Wonder bonuses: Ships in this city are built in half time and require no strategic resources. +1 production for every unit of housing in the city.
Placement: Must be built on a coast tile adjacent to a river.
Era: Industrial

History: Founded in 1886 Newport News Shipbuilding has built over 200 ships both military and commercial. Since the early 1900s the facility has been a major builder of US navy vessels. The site is over 550 acres and is the only facility in the world able to build, retrofit, refuel, and decommission non-sloped deck aircraft carriers. The shipyard was expanded during WWI and WWII to meet the increasing wartime production needs. As Newport News Shipbuilding grew so did the city of Newport News. Afterwards due to the skill of its workers, proximity to Washington DC, and size of facility it was chosen to produce the first nuclear powered aircraft carriers. Many famous ships were built in the facilities dry docks including the USS Texas, USS Hornet, and USS Nimitz. Since 1990 the facility produces ships only for the US military.

 

[TheSpaceCowboy]

The Pantheon

Era:

• Classical. Unlocks with Theology; must have founded a Pantheon belief

Placement:

• Must be built adjacent to a Theater District

Effect:

• This city receives the Pantheon beliefs selected by every Civilization in the game which the owner has met.

 

[Guandao]

The Pantheon

Era:

• Classical. Unlocks with Theology; must have founded a Pantheon belief

Placement:

• Must be built adjacent to a Theater District

Effect:

• This city receives the Pantheon beliefs selected by every Civilization in the game which the owner has met.

Why did you post that picture? That's not the Pantheon. Unless you are talking about the Parthenon?

 

[TheSpaceCowboy]

Why did you post that picture? That's not the Pantheon. Unless you are talking about the Parthenon?

I did think it was the Pantheon in Rome. My mistake. Is it indeed the Parthenon?

 

[Guandao]

I did think it was the Pantheon in Rome. My mistake. Is it indeed the Parthenon?

No, the Pantheon looks different from the typical Greek temple, with a dome roof. This wonder is either the Temple of Artemis, Statue of Zeus, or perhaps the Parthenon.

 

[TheSpaceCowboy]

No, the Pantheon looks different from the typical Greek temple, with a dome roof. This wonder is either the Temple of Artemis, Statue of Zeus, or perhaps the Parthenon.

Gotcha. Well in that case...

Temple of Artemis / Statue of Zeus

• At the start of the next Era, enter a Heroic Age, irrespective of Era Score

I've also got more ideas based off the screenshots for the Statue of Liberty and St. Basil's Cathedral/the Kremlin for three particularly powerful Wonders all associated with the final three ideologies, which would pause production on each if the civilization constructing such were to change to a different government.

Statue of Liberty

Unlocks with Suffrage
Requires the Democracy government during construction
Must be built on a coastal tile

• Every time this city increases to a new population threshold for the first time, select a free Great Person
• Selection limited based on the city’s districts (e.g. Great Scientists require a Campus)

Kremlin

Unlocked with Class Struggle
Requires the Communism government during construction

• +50% chance of capturing enemy spies in this city
• +50% production toward spies in this city
• Newly trained spies start with a free promotion
• Gain one free spy upon completion

Reichstag

(Yes, despite the fact that this was not where the Nazi parliament met)
Unlocks with Totalitarianism
Requires the Fascism government during construction

• Governors stationed in a city founded by this civilization increase production of Modern Era or later military units by 50%
• Governors stationed in a captured city remove all penalties due to occupation and greatly increase Loyalty

 

[Amrunril]

• +50% production to all Settlers of this Civilization in cities on the same continent as the Arch
• All Settlers of this Civilization produced on this Continent gain additional movement through Woods and over Hills and Rivers
• Gains a free Settler

I really like the settler bonus mechanically, but even the industrial era seems a bit late for it to be useful. At that point, a lot of settling has already happened, and for any available land, the production cost of settlers is less of a consideration than the investment needed to develop the city in a timely manner. I wonder if there's an earlier game wonder that effect would make sense for.

 

[AnonymousSpeed]

Gateway Arch

I really like the settler bonus mechanically, but even the industrial era seems a bit late for it to be useful. At that point, a lot of settling has already happened, and for any available land, the production cost of settlers is less of a consideration than the investment needed to develop the city in a timely manner. I wonder if there's an earlier game wonder that effect would make sense for.

I agree. It's a great idea but pretty weak. I feel like such a wonder should also provide a bunch of settlers, rather than just one, but maybe that's just me.

I've also got more ideas based off the screenshots for the Statue of Liberty and St. Basil's Cathedral/the Kremlin for three particularly powerful Wonders all associated with the final three ideologies, which would pause production on each if the civilization constructing such were to change to a different government.

I don't really like the idea of government-specific wonders, just because of how flexible governments are in Civ6, but if they were to be implemented, how about them having no effect while in a different government?

 

[altayrneto]

San Marco District

Era: Renaissance

Wonder Bonuses: Grants +1 Housing, 1 relic slot and 2 great works slots. Each trade route that passes through this city gives +1 culture and +1 gold.

Requirements: (available in Mercantilism) Must be built on coastal tile adjacent to the city center.


Red Fort

Era: Renaissance

Wonder Bonuses: Acts as a fort and also has a ranged attack. Walls are 100% stronger and gives + 1 culture, and after research Natural History, gives tourism and gold.

Requirements: (available in Siege Tatics) Must be built on plain tiles .

Churchs of Lalibela

Era: Medieval

Wonder Bonuses: Cities are stronger against conversion to foreign religions. Every district in this city gives +1 faith.

Requirements: (available at Divine Right) Must be built on hill tiles .


Las Vegas

Era: Medieval

Wonder Bonuses: Receive 1 gold for each tourism produced by this city. All the cities connected with this city by roads receive +2 amenities. Gives +2 housing.

Requirements: (available at Capitalism) Must be built on desert tiles adjacent to an aqueduct.