[GS] Gathering Storm Screenshots Discussion Thread

[Greywulf]

Looks like you're getting a Polynesian civ. There are some changes to diplomacy: there's a new influence currency related to the World Congress, and a new "grievance" currency related to the warmongering changes. There are also more kinds of things to trade.

No information on your other items.

Getting a Polynesian civ without the abilities I had in mind is getting something that I asked for, but not the way I wanted it...kinda defeats the purpose. I do have some confidence after watching the trailer however, as it does suggest that they will be giving them some wayfinder ability. I look forward to seeing what stats they have giving to the Maori!
Also waiting to get more clarification on how much they have improved upon the diplomacy. I know they have a little, but hoping that it's more than just a little.
The only hope I have for the Barbarians at this point is seeing new artwork for them, which suggests they have improved upon them in some way. I wanted a big improvement on the Barbarians, but a slight improvement would be better than nothing I guess..
And no mention of Vassalage tells me that I'm not getting this feature. That is disappointing for me, but I would completely forgive it if the improvements on diplomacy and the Barbarians is significant. Also will help if the Maori are made in a way that I would really like them. Polynesia became my favourite civ to play as in Civ V, I had the most fun with them, and found them to be the most immersive, so I really have been holding out for this one from the beginning (also I was one of the first people to advocate for Polynesia from the start, before we got them in Civ V...that felt like they were actually listening to us, and that was a good feeling!), and this has been a long time coming now.

 

[anandus]

It looks almost identical to the tsunami/hurricane barrier shown in the trailer. Whether that's the "floodgate" or not I'm not sure.

The one in the trailer is the Oosterscheldekering.
(It even mentions a nearby village, Kamperland, in the 'news ticker').

The one in the screenshot I don't know, maybe a shortened version of it, I guess?

Or maybe the Maeslantkering? As it consists of two parts. But don't think so.
Edit: No, doesn't look like the Maeslantkering.

I'm going with a very short stubby version of the Oosterscheldekering.

Good luck with pronouncing it, everybody
Maybe they just call it the "Eastern Scheldt storm surge barrier"?

 

[Tech Osen]

I'm hoping that in the released version they will have the canal graphics only for cities that connect two bodies of water, and not for every coastal city (as it seems to be in the demo). It looks quite jarring and a little silly, especially in an ancient city. And it doesn't look like it will play well at all with the Harbor district graphics.

My first thought when I saw that during the livestream: a stone dock before even researching masonry? It looks very out of place so early in the game.

 

[Tomice]

@Arioch: great to see you already created an analyst site for GS! Amazing, thank you!!! Browsing your site has always been my favorite part of the wait time for a new civ title.

One addition: I'm very sure the Cothon is a unique harbor district for Phoenicia/Carthage. It offers exactly the same adjacency bonus as harbors and RND's do. Plus it doesn't make much sense as spammable improvement IMO.

 

[Giskler]

I agree on the Cothon. Also, Pamukkale boosts culture, but not sure by how much.

 

[Myomoto]

My first thought when I saw that during the livestream: a stone dock before even researching masonry? It looks very out of place so early in the game.

Not just before inventing masonry, before inventing sailing even

 

[Giskler]

It's just a graphical update of coastal cities. It's a game, not an accurate representation of history.

 

[AriochIV]

@Arioch: great to see you already created an analyst site for GS! Amazing, thank you!!! Browsing your site has always been my favorite part of the wait time for a new civ title.

One addition: I'm very sure the Cothon is a unique harbor district for Phoenicia/Carthage. It offers exactly the same adjacency bonus as harbors and RND's do. Plus it doesn't make much sense as spammable improvement IMO.

Yeah, that makes sense. What threw me was that it specified a bonus for "each Cothon tile", but then I noticed that it also says "each Harbor tile" and "each Royal Navy Dockyard tile." So, yeah.

And thanks!

It's just a graphical update of coastal cities. It's a game, not an accurate representation of history.

I think it's best when, if possible, an expansion does not make the existing game look worse.

 

[Giskler]

I think it's best when, if possible, an expansion does not make the existing game look worse.

Sure, but in this case I don't think this is an issue at all. For people really bothered by it, I'm sure there will be a mod that ties the graphical update to sailing.

 

[Leyrann]

It looks almost identical to the tsunami/hurricane barrier shown in the trailer. Whether that's the "floodgate" or not I'm not sure.

The barrier in the trailer is very clearly the Oosterscheldekering, while the barrier in the screenshot looks completely different. Most importantly it doesn't look like it can open or close, which is what makes the Oosterscheldekering special.

I doubt we'll see any of the supervolcanoes. Yellowstone would be interesting but probably won't happen because if it blows it'll be a lot more than one or two cities affected. Likewise Toba or Tambora; too big in terms of sheer scale. Santorini would make an intriguing accompaniment to the Minoan Civilization (speaking rhetorically). Three-quarters of their main island gone later, so were the Minoans. But I doubt the game will allow any single disaster to have quite such a devastating effect on a player's entire Civilization.

I would actually want to see something like Santorini or something, a supervolcano at a place where you're unlikely to settle, (or can't even settle, being an impassable natural wonder) which has a chance of blowing up at some point in the game, throwing the world into darkness and famine for a turn or a few turns.

Don't forget Mt. Fuji, which is visible from street level with the naked eye in Tokyo and Tokyo for the longest time is the most populous city in the world.

I'm more afraid for Naples to be honest. The Vesuvius has a history of exploding violently (more than Mt Fiji), and beyond that there's also Campi Flegrei, which is located directly under Naples and it's suburbs (the Vesuvius at least has a circle around it's flanks that isn't populated, even though there's urbanization all around it) and is actually suspected to be capable of supervolcano level eruptions.

Also, it seems to have been picking up activity the last two decades or so.

 

[anandus]

The barrier in the trailer is very clearly the Oosterscheldekering, while the barrier in the screenshot looks completely different. Most importantly it doesn't look like it can open or close, which is what makes the Oosterscheldekering special.

I think it is, though.
Just short and stubby.

Also, I just thought about it and I think it might just be called "Delta Works", instead of Oosterscheldekering. Just like the Zollverein mine is called "Ruhr Valley".

 

[AriochIV]

Well, it's not the Oosterscheldekering literally, but I think the graphic is based on it. The tops of the towers have the dual pistons sticking up (which, ironically, must be for opening and closing it in the real version).

Also, I just thought about it and I think it might just be called "Delta Works", instead of Oosterscheldekering. Just like the Zollverein mine is called "Ruhr Valley".

It will need a generic name because it's not a wonder, but more likely an improvement or district. There are two in the screenshot (one at upper right, and one at upper left) in different cities.

 

[Leyrann]

I think it is, though.
Just short and stubby.

Also, I just thought about it and I think it might just be called "Delta Works", instead of Oosterscheldekering. Just like the Zollverein mine is called "Ruhr Valley".

Delta Works is definitely a better name than Oosterscheldekering, but it makes sense that it's used as the image as it's definitely the most impressive of the Delta Works (except arguably the Maeslantkering).

The Oosterscheldekering is special because it can be opened and closed (normally it's open, of course) to allow (saline) maritime life in the Oosterschelde to continue despite the dam, while other dams just closed the water off from the sea. The Maeslantkering on the other hand is special because it's completely movable; it protects Rotterdam, but does so on the main waterway of the harbor of Rotterdam. (it also can't be closed if the Rhine is at a high water level, because the Rhine normally flows out through there; if it would close at such a moment the land behind it would flood anyway, just from the Rhine rather than the sea)

Anyway, after that little tangent, this is also why I don't think the thing in the screenshot is the Oosterscheldekering, as the screenshot quite clearly looks like it can't be moved:

It's just a concrete wall.

Compare the actual Oosterscheldekering, which you can quite literally look through if it's open:

In addition, the dam in the screenshot has multiple sections between the towers. If you were to create a dam in a game based on the Oosterscheldekering, not putting as many towers as possible in next to one another is a weird decision if I'm generious, considering how recognizable doing so makes it:

I feel like, if we were looking at the Oosterscheldekering, there wouldn't be any doubt. If it is the Oosterscheldekering I hope Firaxis sees this post and copies those towers a few more times, if nothing else.

 

[anandus]

It will need a generic name because it's not a wonder, but more likely an improvement or district. There are two in the screenshot (one at upper right, and one at upper left) in different cities.

You are absolutely correct!

Ah, shame, I had hoped for a Delta-Works wonder

 

[Leyrann]

Crazy Absolutely batshit insane prediction time?

The Polder UI is reworked to only be usable on flood plains (preventing floods, giving more yields), and the Netherlands now get this special dam as a second UI, preventing floods in their areas.

 

[anandus]

Crazy Absolutely bat**** insane prediction time?

The Polder UI is reworked to only be usable on flood plains (preventing floods, giving more yields), and the Netherlands now get this special dam as a second UI, preventing floods in their areas.

I'll one-up you in the crazy department: The improvement prevents tiles to become victim to sea level rise.
(I believe the dam already prevents floods)

Or maybe generate tidal energy?

 

[criZp]

Not sure if this has been mentioned, which I think is game-changing: now it looks like that every tile provides at least 1 production.

the rice farm has 4 food 0 production

 

[criZp]

Perhaps Capitalist, Environmentalist, and Technologist?

libertarian corporatism, digital democracy, technocracy. according to some leak.

 

[Leyrann]

I'll one-up you in the crazy department: The improvement prevents tiles to become victim to sea level rise.

I mean that one, actually.

 

[Canterbury]

Getting a Polynesian civ without the abilities I had in mind is getting something that I asked for, but not the way I wanted it...kinda defeats the purpose. I do have some confidence after watching the trailer however, as it does suggest that they will be giving them some wayfinder ability. I look forward to seeing what stats they have giving to the Maori!

If the second leak is true and Kupe is the Māori leader, then that would suggest some kind of wayfinding leader ability. He's mostly known in Māori traditions as the person who journeyed across the ocean from Hawaiki and first discovered New Zealand (it was his voyage that gave rise to the name "Aotearoa").

Personally, I'm really chuffed about a possible Māori leader, or even a Polynesian leader speaking Māori. What music might they use for him? Maybe "Pōkarekare Ana"? Hopefully they use actual city names this time: I remember in Civ 5 the Polynesian city names were actually the names of islands, except for Honolulu.