Ideas for Civ VII - (semi) Reimagining of the Franchise

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Hey! This is my first post on this forum, I just wanted to share what I want for Civ 7!

1. Climates and Soil Types. Currently, Civilization has no concept of climate other than terrain- which I think doesn't have enough nuance. There could be several climates- hopefully not as much as Koppen's, but more than what Civ has.

Hot Desert (Arabia)- dry, warm winters and hot summers. Needs direct water source (river or lake) for agriculture

Cold Desert (Central Asia)- dry, cold winters and hot summers.

Humid Subtropical (South China)- wet, cool winters and hot summers

Tropical (Brazil)- wet, warm winters and hot summers

Oceanic (British Isles)- wet, cool winters and warm summers.

Warm Continental (Crimea)- wet, cold winters and hot summers

Cold Continental (Mongolia)- dry, cold winters and warm summers

Subarctic (Finland)- dry, cold winters and warm summers

Tundra (Greenland)- dry, cold winters, and cool summers

These would coexist side by side with terrain types- forest, grassland, steppe (in Cold continental climates, since they are too dry for trees), mountains, hills

In addition, two soil types- sandy, and clay. Sandy is easier to work, and so for a while (until you invent the heavy plow in the Medieval Era) you can only use agriculture on that soil type, which means if you start on a clay soil tile you're stuck to herding animals.

The intention is to replicate real life history- players that start on cold climates with clay based soils will find their cities limited in size, thus leaving them in a primitive state. Players who spawn on hot places with sandy soil will find themselves forming civilizations very quickly. It means they can relive the Gauls sacking Rome, or Rome conquering the barbarians. Being a barbarian tribe means you can mobilize more of your population (build more military units), and much more easily migrate (to places like Egypt, Sumeria, or India, if one has horses)

2. Culture and Sliders

Culture is now a dynamic process- it lies on many spectrums, such as Individualistic to Communal, Militaristic to Pacifistic, etc. Depending on your environment and events, the culture would slide to one end. If you farm rice instead of wheat, and are often at war with other civilizations, your culture will drift towards Communal and Militaristic. You can manually move the slider, but the more you move it the higher the chance of rebels. If, in modern day America, you wanted to change the slider from medium Freedom to high Authority, expect a massive rebel uprising that would make the Civil War look like a playground squabble. This incentives gradual movings of the slider

3. Less strict ways to play

In normal civ, if all of your cities are taken by a rebel uprising, you lose the game. However, in my version, you can continue playing as long as the factions that rise up share some of your culture.

4. Better Wars

If you declare a war against another nation, the turn speed slows down to where individual seasons of each year become full turns. Units depend on Manpower and Production (both produced by citizens and Culture), and can be built instantly whether its war or not. 1UPT is removed, the maximum stack of units being 25. Turn speed goes back to normal when a war ends.

Units stacked this way form an Army. Armies cost Manpower, and running out of Manpower ensures you can't recruit more soldiers.

Battles take both Armies to a tactical map representing the surrounding area that varies based on the season. The tactical map will represent armies at a 1:10 ratio of men. Whether if it is turn based or real-time (ala Total War) relies on the player's choice

I am open to critique, because again, this is my first post. I've been playing civ for a while- civs i through vi
 
I like a lot of your ideas, however, I almost think you're suggesting a level of detail not typically seen in Civ. Are you familiar with Europa Universalis? I feel like a lot of your ideas are similar to concepts in that game
 
I like a lot of your ideas, however, I almost think you're suggesting a level of detail not typically seen in Civ. Are you familiar with Europa Universalis? I feel like a lot of your ideas are similar to concepts in that game
I tried playing EU4, it was very complex but i got a bit into it. I could learn more if I spent more time + watched some guides
 
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Anyone else? I'm trying to think of an intermediate soil, because I don't know if China or India had clay based soil. If they did, they would have to start civilization much later than they did IRL.
 
If, in modern day America, you wanted to change the slider from medium Freedom to high Authority, expect a massive rebel uprising that would make the Civil War look like a playground squabble. This incentives gradual movings of the slider

Are you sure about that, given the current state of affairs? :mischief:;)

If you declare a war against another nation, the turn speed slows down to where individual seasons of each year become full turns.

What happens to the other players in the game? Especially on multiplayer.

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More generally, I like the direction you are thinking in. The details might have to be smoothed out a bit to make it playable. But there's not chance anyways that your idea will be implemented exactly, so I just want to agree on the principal points, which I hope I condensed correctly here:
  • The geography of the map needs to be finer and make distinctions beyond "grassland = food". (I'd add that ideally, it would also be dynamic, changing over the game).
  • The civilizations should differ in their gameplay, due to geography and also other factors: City builders versus nomadic tribes. (I'd add that this should be reflected in gameplay as well).
  • The Inner-Workings of a civilization matters, in that your citizen have expectations, i.e. for freedom.
  • Wars should not be played during the "normal" turns, but differently.
I can sign all of these.
 
Are you sure about that, given the current state of affairs? :mischief:;)
Yeah. Moving from one extreme to another at rapid speeds is just begging for a second civil war
What happens to the other players in the game? Especially on multiplayer.
A.I on A.I, it would just go through the normal turn speeds. A.I vs Player or Player vs Player, then the turns would be slowed down.
More generally, I like the direction you are thinking in. The details might have to be smoothed out a bit to make it playable. But there's not chance anyways that your idea will be implemented exactly, so I just want to agree on the principal points, which I hope I condensed correctly here:
  • The geography of the map needs to be finer and make distinctions beyond "grassland = food". (I'd add that ideally, it would also be dynamic, changing over the game).
  • The civilizations should differ in their gameplay, due to geography and also other factors: City builders versus nomadic tribes. (I'd add that this should be reflected in gameplay as well).
  • The Inner-Workings of a civilization matters, in that your citizen have expectations, i.e. for freedom.
  • Wars should not be played during the "normal" turns, but differently.
Thanks.
 
Contracts would be cool. Like you make a deal with another Civ to do this or not to do that for maybe 20 turns, then you can renew or edit it.

Always bothered me how little you can interact with the AI, but they can tell you what to do.
 
I'm with @João III on this. I like a lot of your ideas, but they're too granular for Civ. They'd be a much better fit for a grand strategy game like the Paradox games; 4X games like Civ are predicated on much more abstraction. In a toned down version, though, a lot of them would be interesting.
 
I'm with @João III on this. I like a lot of your ideas, but they're too granular for Civ. They'd be a much better fit for a grand strategy game like the Paradox games; 4X games like Civ are predicated on much more abstraction. In a toned down version, though, a lot of them would be interesting.
a game as granular as my ideas would be the grandest strategy- from 4000 BC to 2500 AD

of course, for something like Civ- something as simple as needing tech to farm in cold climates (that are marked by distance from equator), being able to play as tribes, environment determining building style and clothing style (of units) as well as civics is fine enough. I've heard on this forum that Civ is the entry point of 4Xs. I think that the entry point should better try to simulate reality.

Of course this is speaking as a guy who hates having to go through a bigger struggle as Rome in TSL earth because there are too many organized civilizations in Europe.

I mean, I don't agree with you that it's too granular, but you have different tastes that's ok.
 
I tried playing EU4, it was very complex but i got a bit into it. I could learn more if I spent more time + watched some guides
For what it's worth, I'm not sure anyone ever truly masters a Paradox game, especially EU4. I'd certainly recommend reading some guides, they may even give you some insight on the ideas that you'd like for Civ
 
a game as granular as my ideas would be the grandest strategy- from 4000 BC to 2500 AD
Yes, that's my point. Civ is not a grand strategy game, and something that detailed and complicated isn't really a good fit for it.

of course, for something like Civ- something as simple as needing tech to farm in cold climates (that are marked by distance from equator), being able to play as tribes, environment determining building style and clothing style (of units) as well as civics is fine enough. I've heard on this forum that Civ is the entry point of 4Xs. I think that the entry point should better try to simulate reality.
Yes, but within limits. For instance, while I'd love to see more varied climates and biomes, in Civ's level of abstraction, we don't need the whole Köppen classification.
 
i know a few people who would like the grandest strategy game, namely me and the people who enjoy C2C

Yes, but within limits. For instance, while I'd love to see more varied climates and biomes, in Civ's level of abstraction, we don't need the whole Köppen classification.
Oh no, the Koppen classification is way too much. Managing that many climates in game balance and as the player is extremely unfun.
 
Yes, that's my point. Civ is not a grand strategy game, and something that detailed and complicated isn't really a good fit for it.


Yes, but within limits. For instance, while I'd love to see more varied climates and biomes, in Civ's level of abstraction, we don't need the whole Köppen classification.

Alpha Centauri had rainfall patterns that you could manipulate eventually.
 
5. Colonial Nations

Colonial Nations can be formed by anyone who puts 3 cities on another continent, reducing their maintenance (representing an empire overstretching itself. This is what Spain did IRL). Colonial Nations can then declare independence (allowing the player the opportunity to play as them if they so wish). So, in this way, America/Brazil/Other colonial nations can be formed by absolutely anyone

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Just something I thought I would add.
 
i know a few people who would like the grandest strategy game, namely me and the people who enjoy C2C
You seem to be under the mistaken impression that I dislike grand strategy games, which I don't. CK3 and Stellaris are both excellent games. But the point is that Civ isn't a grand strategy game, nor do I think Firaxis should try shouldering into another market when they already have their own market, the historical 4X market, very well dominated.
 
You seem to be under the mistaken impression that I dislike grand strategy games, which I don't. CK3 and Stellaris are both excellent games. But the point is that Civ isn't a grand strategy game, nor do I think Firaxis should try shouldering into another market when they already have their own market, the historical 4X market, very well dominated.
i apologize. but i am trying to get into eu4, which i have heard has the sort of ideas i like
I'd love to make a mod based on my ideas- but the problem is that I cannot code
 
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