Narcisse
Prince
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Humankind - Egyptians discussion thread
- Thread starter Narcisse
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TreVor_ish
Prince
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Archeological Dig.....hmmmm
I did not expect aesthete here tbh, and also not any references to the (indeed very influential) Egyptian film industry. The unit has the aura of controversy, which isn‘t too bad. But overall, as a someone who digs 20th Century Egyptian culture, it feels not quite to the point. I also wonder if this means the Era I Egyptians are renamed to Kemetians, a word that felt wrong to my ears since I first heard it, and is afaik also not free of controversy …
FinalDoomsday
Prince
The culture card seems to be a film set if that counts?
Archelogical dig should be quite a visually distinctive quarter and might have an interesting bonus like from being built next to old quarters or something.
KrikkitTwo
Immortal
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I could see a science/ influence/ money bonus for adjacency to EQs...with the bonus depending on the era of the EQ.
Elhoim
Iron Tower Studio Dev
I think he meant he didn't expect the reference, not that there is no reference (I got confused as well
)Yes, exactly. And it makes some sense, but I intended to convey that I did not except any references to that.
That said, I understand the aesthete choice, as Egyptian literature (Naguib Mahfouz), music (Umm Kalthoum), and its TV/cinema productions are highly influential for 20th century Arabic culture. But I still think that Agrarian would have been the better fit. It's a fast growing country, with a large agrarian society, and it actively turns huge strips of desert into farmland (whether that is a good idea is another question).
But maybe @Catoninetales_Amplitude can enlighten us what the Ancient Egyptians are called now?
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8housesofelixir
Emperor
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Film industry for Egyptians is another interesting take on Contemporary affinities. I'm begin to afraid that the devs might run out of interesting and unique takes in the future.
And speaking of "run out unique takes" we encountered the "Archaeological Dig". As someone who agreed with the "generic" designs of many EQs, this still looks too generic. It is not like archaeological findings or rich historical remains are uniquely emblematic to modern Egypt - Modern Greece, a country that can reveal artifacts in nearly every construction site in every city, would like to have a word here; same goes for Central Italy, Guanzhong region in China, Nara Basin in Japan, etc.
(In addition, an archaeologist friend once told me their circle doesn't really like people using "dig" to refer to "site", sounds quite unprofessional.)
Nevertheless, it would be interesting to see how "archaeology" works in the game. An IRL archaeological site always happens in a region with huge historical remains, and I wonder how that can be translated into the game since there are no current indication of such a mechanic.
One thing I can think of is Archaeological Dig can receive adjacency from earlier EQs and Wonders, as these are the only two things in the game that speaks "historical"; another possibility is the Archaeological Dig can produce an "Artifact" luxury unique to Egyptians that cannot be sold, making good use of the Lux bonus mechanics.
And speaking of "run out unique takes" we encountered the "Archaeological Dig". As someone who agreed with the "generic" designs of many EQs, this still looks too generic. It is not like archaeological findings or rich historical remains are uniquely emblematic to modern Egypt - Modern Greece, a country that can reveal artifacts in nearly every construction site in every city, would like to have a word here; same goes for Central Italy, Guanzhong region in China, Nara Basin in Japan, etc.
(In addition, an archaeologist friend once told me their circle doesn't really like people using "dig" to refer to "site", sounds quite unprofessional.)
Nevertheless, it would be interesting to see how "archaeology" works in the game. An IRL archaeological site always happens in a region with huge historical remains, and I wonder how that can be translated into the game since there are no current indication of such a mechanic.
One thing I can think of is Archaeological Dig can receive adjacency from earlier EQs and Wonders, as these are the only two things in the game that speaks "historical"; another possibility is the Archaeological Dig can produce an "Artifact" luxury unique to Egyptians that cannot be sold, making good use of the Lux bonus mechanics.
FinalDoomsday
Prince
Ah I understand now, sorry. The culture card was not displaying when I first saw the post so I thought you might have missed it.
mitsho
Deity
I love the culture card. Very pretty.
But then we seem to swinging through the decades, if I compare the released culture cards...
The very general emblematic quarters are actually quite nice, since they imply that they can't stuff the game full with new systems the other game did.
And I agree with the rest posted in this thread
But then we seem to swinging through the decades, if I compare the released culture cards...
The very general emblematic quarters are actually quite nice, since they imply that they can't stuff the game full with new systems the other game did.
And I agree with the rest posted in this thread
Maximus_Prince
Chieftain
I like it. It’s different than what I expected. Just don’t tell me amplitude wasn’t doing their research on various cultures to add in a little diversity. I wouldn’t doubt even if they took inspiration from civ mods like civ 4 rise of mankind. (The mod had a modern variant civ of Egypt. Arabian Egypt)
Surely they would just be called “Ancient Egyptians”?
I wonder if the archaeological dig has interesting interplay with older specialty districts. I love the archaeology in Cub 5 and 6 and wonder if there’s scope for something similar. Ancient artifacts are a huge part of modern Egyptian cultural identity and tourism, as shown by the huge ceremony marking the opening of the new Grand Egyptian Museum in Cairo a few weeks ago, with ancient mummies paraded through the streets!
I think this is a really cool inclusion for the contemporary era.
j51
Blue Star Cadet
I hope not. I think the modern Egyptians should be called Egyptian Arabs.
Very unique, interesting choice. I'm happy to see here many cultures we are unlikely to get in the Civ series - this one, or archeological ones like Harappa, or Austro - Hungary, or separate dynasties such as Umayyads or Ming.
Eh, even that sounds very awkward to my ears. I'm not sure modern Egyptian people would like such description, it seems to suggest they are just a local spinoff of some other culture, not a separate culture. It also seems to exclude Copts.
Here I have an idea. Let's just call ancient culture Egyptians, and modern one... also Egyptians. If both somehow happen to exist in the same time, then let's automatically rename them for example Old Egypt/New Egypt. Like we have a cities of York and New York, or New Zealand, and no one has a problem with that
The confusing situation when both of those cultures are on the map in the same time is unlikely anyway. How likely it is that the player who chose Egyptians in the ancient era survives all the way until the modern era and never changes culture?
Eh, even that sounds very awkward to my ears. I'm not sure modern Egyptian people would like such description, it seems to suggest they are just a local spinoff of some other culture, not a separate culture. It also seems to exclude Copts.
Here I have an idea. Let's just call ancient culture Egyptians, and modern one... also Egyptians. If both somehow happen to exist in the same time, then let's automatically rename them for example Old Egypt/New Egypt. Like we have a cities of York and New York, or New Zealand, and no one has a problem with that
The confusing situation when both of those cultures are on the map in the same time is unlikely anyway. How likely it is that the player who chose Egyptians in the ancient era survives all the way until the modern era and never changes culture?
j51
Blue Star Cadet
Good points.
Boris Gudenuf
Deity
My sister has her PhD in Archeology and always referred to a Site, not a 'Dig' - for one thing, the only archeological work I ever helped out on, in New Mexico, didn't involve any digging at all, just marking artifacts uncovered by the shifting of sand dunes in the semi-desert Tularosa Basin.
In Humankind, when a Minor Faction goes into decline and disappears, it leaves behind tiles full of 'ruins' wherever it had a Quarter or District. I think you actually have to remove them to build something new on them. That could provide a mechanic for 'uncovering' older 'archeological' findings on the map, but a pretty limited one, since it would only involve archeology that excluded all the Major Factions in the game. I suspect that the Archeological Dig will be just another Emblematic District, with Influence (which is related to Asthete Factions) and possibly Money from Tourism or some kind.
I feel like the Archaeological Dig could be a multiplier for past fame as a catchup mechanic, good for people that sorta fell off at some point and are making a comeback, especially paired with the Free Officers which the wiki says has a combat bonus against stronger units. So if you snagged early wonders or something but then someone took territory or whatever you won't be totally doomed. Also, I think one of the devs said that pillaged Emblematic Quarters from past eras can't be repaired, which I haven't seen myself but if that is still true maybe you could build an Archaeological Dig on them to make them useful again somehow? I also like the idea of building them on ruins from Independent People. I'm not sure how viable a catchup mechanic would be though unless they try to put snowballing in check.
Another option, instead of for catchup, could maybe be a bonus from adjacent quarters built in the early game? Sorta like the Greek Amphitheater which gives influence per era, but its influence per era of adjacent tiles. So if you had an early wave of expansion and now have a bunch of cities from the first era or two could be extra helpful.
Another option, instead of for catchup, could maybe be a bonus from adjacent quarters built in the early game? Sorta like the Greek Amphitheater which gives influence per era, but its influence per era of adjacent tiles. So if you had an early wave of expansion and now have a bunch of cities from the first era or two could be extra helpful.
This is a very nice idea, I hope Amplitude had a similar one!
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