Game Mechanic Discussion: Independent Peoples/City-States

[thecrazyscot]

It looks like Civ 7 has revamped the city-state system to be a sort of combination of the barbarian tribe and city-state systems from previous games. I've always enjoyed interacting with the "minor powers" in the civilization games, so I find this redesigned system of interest.

Overview

Independent Powers start as an encampment. If a civilization becomes the Suzerain for an Independent Power, they develop into a city-state.

Independent Powers are interacted with via Projects, which cost a certain amount of Influence and take a certain number of turns (both likely impacted by game speed and what age you are in).

Projects (Independent Power)

Befriend Independent Sample Cost = 85 Influence
Incite Raid

Projects (as City-State Suzerain)

Promote Growth Sample Cost = 15 Influence
Bolster Military Sample Cost = 30 Influence
Levy Unit
Incorporate City Sample Cost = 120 Influence

Once an Independent Power becomes a city-state, they also provide a unique bonus to their Suzerain, which can be chosen upon becoming Suzerain.

The available Suzerain bonuses are dependent upon the city-state type. Here are sample Militaristic and Cultural bonuses:

 

[Haig]

Thanks for a great writeup!

I too love that there are minor players in the world.

Gives also interesting possibilities, imagine Austria with a special ability towards city-state/independent faction play.

 

[Bonyduck Campersang]

Wonder if the Slavs can have more than one city, and if so, are those cities independent of one another? Like independent city-states belonging to the same culture?

 

[stealth_nsk]

Wonder if the Slavs can have more than one city, and if so, are those cities independent of one another? Like independent city-states belonging to the same culture?

Most likely, since the name of the settlement and the name of the culture were written separately. I think there will be several cultures for independent states, affecting unit and building design.

 

[E.C.H]

With the name of the City and the People being distinct, I'm guessing their identity will shift with Age perhaps? So Carantania of the Slav people, for instance, could become Carinthia then Slovenia or somesuch?

 

[Guandao]

Etelkoz (Magyar)
Carantania (Slav)
Tilantongo (Mixtec) (it was on my City-State wishlist!)
Kumbi Saleh (Soninke)

These are the Independent Peoples revealed so far.

 

[Jabberwockxeno]

Very bummed the Mixtec are a city-state/indepedent people rather then a playable civilization.

King 8 Deer or Queen 6 Monkey would have made fantastic leaders, there would have been clear bonuses and uniques with their coastal location, renown for producing fine stone mosaics and goldwork, their oracles, etc; and would have represented Oaxaca and Guerrero vs the Aztec with Central Mexico and the Maya with the Yucatan Penisula/Chiapas.

Hopefully they can get promoted in DLC down the road

 

[Zaarin]

Very bummed the Mixtec are a city-state/indepedent people rather then a playable civilization.

King 8 Deer or Queen 6 Monkey would have made fantastic leaders, there would have been clear bonuses and uniques with their coastal location, renown for producing fine stone mosaics and goldwork, their oracles, etc; and would have represented Oaxaca and Guerrero vs the Aztec with Central Mexico and the Maya with the Yucatan Penisula/Chiapas.

Hopefully they can get promoted in DLC down the road

Me, too. The good news is it's happened before.

 

[ehecatzin]

Very bummed the Mixtec are a city-state/indepedent people rather then a playable civilization.

King 8 Deer or Queen 6 Monkey would have made fantastic leaders, there would have been clear bonuses and uniques with their coastal location, renown for producing fine stone mosaics and goldwork, their oracles, etc; and would have represented Oaxaca and Guerrero vs the Aztec with Central Mexico and the Maya with the Yucatan Penisula/Chiapas.

Hopefully they can get promoted in DLC down the road

They could be upgraded to full fledged civ later, and the fact they used Tilantongo specifically and not something better known like Monte Alban, tells me they are aware of 8-Deer Jaguar Claw, so there's hope.

 

[Zaarin]

They could be upgraded to full fledged civ later, and the fact they used Tilantongo specifically and not something better known like Monte Alban, tells me they are aware of 8-Deer Jaguar Claw, so there's hope.

He does kind of have the coolest name ever.

 

[Paisley_Trees]

Awesome thank you for this! Does anyone know if you can raze them? or is it just raid?

 

[Krikkit1]

Given the separation between culture and city, it might be cool to have occasional major civ that was not chosen as an independent civ.

It would also be neat to have some them become new AI players on Era changes

 

[Olleus]

Didn't Civilization 4 have barbarians which, if you left them alone for a while, would build their own cities and infrastructure? They could be a real threat on Terra as they had a whole continent to develop... Incidentally, I think that this mechanic was (partly) the inspiration for City States in Civ5 and 6. It's nice that they're going full circle and re-integrating the two ideas together, but with extra depth.

 

[Siptah]

Didn't Civilization 4 have barbarians which, if you left them alone for a while, would build their own cities and infrastructure? They could be a real threat on Terra as they had a whole continent to develop... Incidentally, I think that this mechanic was (partly) the inspiration for City States in Civ5 and 6. It's nice that they're going full circle and re-integrating the two ideas together, but with extra depth.

It did. And the cities were named after Native American tribes, amongst others. I think "minor civs" are a natural evolution of it.

And now with 7, you can also peacefully absorb them. Which I think is a good development!

 

[Eagle Pursuit]

I hadn't heard about the annexation possibility. That's an intriguing decison point in consideration of the settlement cap and the value of the suzerain bonus.

 

[Zaarin]

I hadn't heard about the annexation possibility. That's an intriguing decison point in consideration of the settlement cap and the value of the suzerain bonus.

In Endless Space 2, you kept suzerainty bonuses if you assimilated independent people. I wonder if that's the case here or not.

 

[pokiehl]

I like that the Influence “yield” has so many different uses. It’ll be fun and challenging to manage.

 

[Siptah]

I hadn't heard about the annexation possibility. That's an intriguing decison point in consideration of the settlement cap and the value of the suzerain bonus.

German streamer Steinwallen said its Friend - Suzerain (with bonus) - Integrate (with lots of influence). He didn't mention whether you would keep the bonus.

 

[Olleus]

I like that the Influence “yield” has so many different uses. It’ll be fun and challenging to manage.

I think it's a great example of "civilization-level" complexity: something that you have to manage which isn't on the map, doesn't scale with number of cities or progression. Just what I'm looking for.

Maybe you have to spend it every time you send a trade offer? So you have to choose between accepting their first proposal, and using it to haggle back and forth to get slightly more gold for your spices. More broadly I like the idea of being able to specialise in diplomacy and having to actively invest in diplomatic potential.

 

[The_J]

Since we plan to also make this an "official" article, some more pictures:

1724186841226.png

• Laurana Kanan
• Aug 20, 2024

1724186498622.png

• Laurana Kanan
• Aug 20, 2024

magyar.png

• Giskler
• Aug 20, 2024

The full screen of the Magyar's is missing though.