I tried the multiplayer mode

[Boccages]

After my brother bought a Nintendo Switch for Civilization VI, we sat down and we played the local multiplayer LAN mode. For the last 3 years, we would regularly play Civilization: Revolution together. Here are my thoughts.

• I love how we both play at the same time just like in Civilization: Revolution
• My brother needs to learn how to go from Civilization: Revolution to Civilization VI. I told him rushing into a warrior war with Spain wasn’t a good idea. He didn’t listen, he lost his two warriors and the barbarian swept in, raided his farmland and stole his builder. Told you so, bro. This isn’t your 2008 Civ game anymore.
• The game is much more stable than Civilization: Revolution was on Xbox 360 although I’ve had the game freeze up on me once.
• We’ll have to experiment with the game settings to get a faster experience. Normal map is too big. I think small map is still too big, but he disn’t. The real problem was that we would start on opposite sides of the world on a continents type of map
• Speed : fast seems to work, but I’m thinking Internet speed may be more appropriate
• It took me a while to understand that the way AI civilizations contacted you was throught the news feed. I would try to erase diplomatic proposals from the news feed by pressing X, but it wouldn’t work. I first brushed it off by thinking it was a bug. It wasn’t. I just didn’t understand how it worked. It’s a great solution to AI civilizations making you lose battles against human players by just poping up at the start of your turn unexpectedly while your human opponent would attack your units while you are trying to cancel the unwanted diplomatic discussions. Now you summon AI when you see it fit to answer them.

I’ll play again with him in the next few weeks and I’ll leave more impressions then.

 

[AtlantisAuthor]

Thanks for sharing your experience, Boccages. While I realize it's remote at best, I sincerely hope 2K will consider implementing single-console hotseat multiplayer if at all possible in a future update. I frankly can't see any reason for it not to be technically feasible, and it would absolutely make it much easier for users to enjoy this version with friends and family.

 

[Boccages]

I have to say that the best way to enjoy MP games is selecting Tiny maps and Internet speed or (a lesser choice) quick speed. Anything else and the chances are high you will never really interact with the other human player.

 

[AtlantisAuthor]

I figured as much, to be honest. As much fun as more "epic"-sized matches sound, in practice often less is more simply due to the turn-time and other logistics. My friends and I in the Daisenryaku (Grand Strategy) community experienced the same realization; it's definitely something that publishers of any turn-based games must take into consideration, particularly with consoles. Unless you have a tight-knit group whose schedules can accommodate regular get-togethers, it would be difficult to ever finish a full match. Let me tell you though, if you are ever fortunate enough to have such a group to play with (I haven't in years, sadly), these types of games can make for some great, lifelong memories and some genuinely hilarious stories.

 

[Boccages]

Oh! I believe you. We sometimes play 3 players. But again, there are always more AI than humans.

I figured as much, to be honest. As much fun as more "epic"-sized matches sound, in practice often less is more simply due to the turn-time and other logistics. My friends and I in the Daisenryaku (Grand Strategy) community experienced the same realization; it's definitely something that publishers of any turn-based games must take into consideration, particularly with consoles. Unless you have a tight-knit group whose schedules can accommodate regular get-togethers, it would be difficult to ever finish a full match. Let me tell you though, if you are ever fortunate enough to have such a group to play with (I haven't in years, sadly), these types of games can make for some great, lifelong memories and some genuinely hilarious stories.

 

[Boccages]

I'm actually playing again with my brother, just picking back up where we left it off last week. He's playing the Romans and I'm playing Catherine de Médicis. He is making the CIV 6 beginner's mistakes of only investing in science and neglecting culture (I think he's making 75 beakers per turn while I'm at 50, but in the culture I'm also at 50 and he is at 25-30). We're actually at war right now and even though he has some units that are more powerful, the fact that I'm defending (with military barracks and medieval forts), sways the advantage on my side.

It all started when he moved units to attack the civilization I just ended a war with, Germany. He took a city from my neighbouring civilization and it triggered me into declaring war on him. I can't leave the Roman to just swallow all the German cities or that would mean a formidable opponent to the east I cannot possibly take on later on. So I'll let you know how it turns out.

 

[AtlantisAuthor]

Sounds fun, Boccages. Let us know how it turns out!

 

[Boccages]

Well... He finally gave up and we started a new game. I positioned my units and just started bombarding his units and destroyed his army because in Civilization 6, defense is stronger than offense. He's learning, but he's learning fast !

 

[AtlantisAuthor]

That's the thing about turn-based games; newcomers can quickly get up to speed and become genuinely competitive within a very short span, sometimes a single match. Every time a new guy would show up to play with our Daisenryaku group, the pace and repetition were more than enough to allow them to pick up the basics and hold their own during the very first match. Of course learning the finer nuances of a game like Civ VI or Daisenryaku to get the most out of your factions takes much more time, but it's not nearly as imposing a barrier to new players as it may appear at first glance. Turn-based strategy is an outstanding genre for local multiplayer...if only more publishers would pick up on that and give it a chance. I'm glad Firaxis/2K did with Civ VI, and I hope they're far from finished supporting the Switch version, because if they do keep bringing the DLC and expansions they can rest assured they'll get my support in turn. But of course they REALLY need to add in single-Switch hot seat multiplayer in order for the vast majority of owners to experience just how fun it is.