Future Era(s) in CiV?

[Chimera1804]

I'm a big sci-fi nut myself and always wished they would have the genetic and diamond eras in Civ, just like CTP...I think it would be great to have one or two eras tacked on to the end, but also a way to control it, i.e. as suggested have an option to "stop" the tech tree and just make it the same "future tech" thing in Civ IV, except at whatever era you chose...i mean, a space victory would be a bit empty if the tech tree went beyond that, no?

 

[cf_nz]

I'm okay with it as long as it doesn't stretch too far - as in, it still keeps within reason.

I'm of the same opinion. So long as it's believable for the near future, it's fine, if it's blatant Sci-fi, I'm not interested.

 

[MethanalCHO]

I'm a big sci-fi nut myself and always wished they would have the genetic and diamond eras in Civ, just like CTP...I think it would be great to have one or two eras tacked on to the end, but also a way to control it, i.e. as suggested have an option to "stop" the tech tree and just make it the same "future tech" thing in Civ IV, except at whatever era you chose...i mean, a space victory would be a bit empty if the tech tree went beyond that, no?

I never played CTP, but it seems interesting!

Yeah, the idea of "goes on two more eras or so, but you get to choose when to cut it short" would work for me.

 

[Seventh Child]

I think it's better to stick to what they know. People sometimes complain about historical accuracy and this is difficult when you're trying to predict future technologies.

I do think it's okay to go off into proposed techs from the future that seem plausible though. There are patents and funding going into "Cyberkinesis" (Controlling machines/computers with your brain). There's the somewhat well known "Pain beam" and other similar techs. Basically techs that are being investigated now but won't be practical or viable for some time.

Other than that it should remain fairly modern. I do want to see crazy futuristic techs, but I would rather see them in a mod (Or even an expansion) rather than in the main game.

 

[Chimera1804]

I think it's better to stick to what they know. People sometimes complain about historical accuracy and this is difficult when you're trying to predict future technologies.

I do think it's okay to go off into proposed techs from the future that seem plausible though. There are patents and funding going into "Cyberkinesis" (Controlling machines/computers with your brain). There's the somewhat well known "Pain beam" and other similar techs. Basically techs that are being investigated now but won't be practical or viable for some time.

Other than that it should remain fairly modern. I do want to see crazy futuristic techs, but I would rather see them in a mod (Or even an expansion) rather than in the main game.

Yeah...maybe a "future" expansion (no pun intended) that would add a massive leap into the future...I could like that. [Moderately off-topic] Maybe an expansion somewhat like ToT...I'd really love to see something like that...been wanting one ever since civ 3...[/moderately off-topic]

 

[NA00]

Given how a new installment comes out approximately every 5 years, Civ CIV wouldn't come out until around 2505. The series would have to become a major franchise zombie, becoming a shell of its former self due to centuries of the rights being passed from developer to developer. Well, either that, or Sid's head would have to be preserved a la Futurama.

Maybe Civ CIV can be represented in CivV as either a remote future tech providing happiness or some other benefit, or it could be in the form of a Future Era World Wonder.


Seriously, back on topic, I would rather them focus on the 're-creation' of history than working on futuristic things.

 

[Souron]

I think that it is right to go a little bit into the future, but certainly not so far as to warrant a future age. Just have a few techs that push the limits of what we currently have and will have shortly. Such techs could lead to spaceship parts.

For the most part, this is what Civ has done in the past. From Civ II's Fusion Power, who's description implied cold fusion, to Integrated Defense in Civ III, to the Cure for Cancer in most Versions of the game.

 

[Intellectus]

I was just wondering:

Do you want a future era in CiV? In prior versions of Civilization, the game stopped at the Modern Era, having a single technology "Future Tech" beyond it, and its limited benefits (+1 happy, +1 health). I was thinking, after the Modern Era there should be a few (at least one or two) more eras. Technologies from Alpha Centauri might be used. Here are some of my ideas, based off of CIV's tech tree:

Nanotechnology
Requires: Fiber Optics, Genetics, Composites
Leads To: Artificial Intelligence
Buildings: Nanodesigning Plant (no Waste within the city)
First to discover recieves Great Engineer

Desalination
Requires: Ecology
Leads To: Sea Colonization
Improvement: Kelp Farm (built by Work Boat, +1 food)

Virtual Reality
Requires: Nanotechnology, Robotics
Wonders: Alternate Reality (+1 Happy for all Cities)
+1 Happy for all Cities

Artificial Intelligence
Requires: Nanotechnology, Robotics
Wonders: Citizen Factory (food needs automatically accomodated, no pop growth)
No more problems regarding Unhealthiness after discovery
Obseletes Recycling Center

Sea Colonization
Requires: Desalination
Units: Colony Boat (sea settler)
Improvements: Aquatic Mine (+1 Production), Sea Cottage (+1 Commerce)

Retroviral Engineering
Requires: Genetics
Wonders: Longevity

Post your own ideas for future technologies here, also!

But do you want any Future Eras in CiV?

(Oh, and by the way, in CiV, the Modern Era would be renamed Information Era.)

100 % Yes! The future is part of history as well as the past.

 

[Double A]

Laser tanks, anyone?

 

[Fluroscent]

The future is part of history as well as the past.

Oh come on now... that is too ridiculous

A few extra techs that are not a stretch compared to current technological advance would be fine, but lets keep the sci-fi content for the mods (which should be plentiful)

 

[Sinist4r]

I think they should at least expand the Modern era if they aren't adding new future era stuff. Civ IV's last modern era techs are Fiber optics, Stealth, Robotics and Genetics and all those were originally invented 1960's-80's so we're missing new technologies from half century ie. from 1960's to present day.

Of course if they don't add future techs or expand modern era we modders can do it, just like I did it for Civ 4 in my modpack - see the mod's modern and transhuman era techs. I doubt they would add this many techs but perhaps there's some ideas that could be used...

Can't wait to see your modpack in CiV..

 

[MethanalCHO]

Oh come on now... that is too ridiculous

I think he means by that is that the future is simply history yet to be written, and should be acknowledged with due respect.

 

[Fluroscent]

Indeed, the "history of the future" is yet to be written, thus it is not history, and thus it is pure fiction. Fiction has no place in a non-fiction setting.
One could also argue that mankind has been pretty bad at predicting the specifics of the future. Just look at any "outdated" sci-fi book/film etc..
My take on "due respect" for the future is thus to avoid rampant speculation.

 

[babbittlane]

I love Sea Colonization and build underwater tunnels connecting continents

 

[Lillefix]

It would be hilarious if Perfection got his wish after all.

 

[Danielos]

Indeed, the "history of the future" is yet to be written, thus it is not history, and thus it is pure fiction. Fiction has no place in a non-fiction setting.
One could also argue that mankind has been pretty bad at predicting the specifics of the future. Just look at any "outdated" sci-fi book/film etc..
My take on "due respect" for the future is thus to avoid rampant speculation.

Agree, just put in techs and discoveries that is likely in the next decades. I really want an extended space-race with missions to mars, lunar colonies and asteroid mining.

 

[Tomice]

I totally miss near-future techs in civ, but don't want it to turn into Star Trek. I'll just copy another post:

I never played next war, although I was so eager to see it when BtS came out! But the overly sci-fi cliche setting (battlemechs, mindless clones, force-fields around cities, nukes make the earth crack like a egg) kept me from trying it.

Not that I want to say anything against the author, it's skillfully done and I respect his work, but it's more a caricature of the future, so not what I prefer.

Check out those:

http://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Expeditionary_Fighting_Vehicle
http://www.cnn.com/video/#/video/tech/2007/11/27/yeates.ut.robo.soldier.ksl
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Iron_Fist_active_protection_system
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tactical_high_energy_laser
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Airbornelaserturret.jpg
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Unmanned_aerial_vehicle

A very nice civilian building resembling a kind of real-life arcology:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gasometer,_Vienna

Admittedly, many technologies in prototype stage today won't make it into production. But I guess the fact that serious prototypes exist justifies usage in a realistic video game like civ.

So as long as a technology is in prototype stage today (e.g. Railgun, Scramjet, laser CIWS/AA guns) or is considered plausible (lab-grown replacement tissue for victims of accidents/cancer patients), I'm fine.

Teleporters, force fields around cities, humans changing their body, antigravity, lasers of mass destruction, telepathic control are better left to Starcraft/C&C.

Battlemechs would be fine if plausibly explained:

-> heavy armor would make the ground pressure of their feet way too high, and make their knees/joints either very bulky or very vulnerable!
they are easy to spot, have limited speed (2 steps per second, 5m each = 10m/s = only 36km/h !!!!), and so on...

So a C&C "Titan" style mech is nothing for me.

But I would be totally fine with a walking robot that's not much bigger or heavier than a T-rex or mammoth, rather smaller and relies on stealth and mobility in difficult terrain rather than heavy armor. It could support infantry with heavier firepower than a man could carry (HMG, stingers,...) while following them through forests or mountainous area unsuitable for any wheeled/tracked vehicle.

gameplaywise, this unit would fit better if tanks actually had a disadvantage in forests or hills, like they have in real life. In Civ4 it's not really the case...

 

[croxis]

I would rather have a SMAC II (or spiritual successor) instead

 

[Auncien]

IMO the tech tree should end where it does now, but the Future Tech should be split in a couple of repeatable future techs like:
Future entertainment: +1 happiness each time you research it
Future medicine: +1 health each time you research it
Future missliles: nukes have a +10% chance to evade enemy SDI for each time you research it and you SDI gets +10% chance to intercept enemy nukes each time you reseacrh it
Future tanks: Your modern armours get +10% strength each time you research it
Future infantry: Your mech infantry get +10% strength each time you research it
Future artillery: Your SAM get +10% strength and do +5% bombardment each time you research it
etc.

I like this idea alot.

 

[bob rulz]

Ugh I can't believe there's so much support for continuing past the modern era. I'm a big fan of science fiction myself, but Civilization is a HISTORICAL sim. Nobody knows what the future is going to be like - it would be difficult to avoid it being horribly inaccurate, uninformed, and cheesy, and if there were ever a future era, the debates about whether what is in the game is actually accurate or believable would be endless. Future eras should be saved for the mods.