[GS] Is Ed Beach the lead designer of Gathering Storm?

[Leathaface]

PC Games N had an interview with Ed Beach and Dennis Shirk. They refer to Ed Beach as the lead designer and Dennis Shirk as lead producer.

However i'm wondering whether they misinterpreted Ed Beach being the lead designer of vanilla Civ VI, Anton Strenger was the lead designer of R&F so Ed wasn't. I'm thinking it would be unusual to bring Ed back as lead designer for the second expansion after him not being lead designer for R&F.

We’ve got a rundown of all of Gathering Storm’s new systems here, but if you’re thirsty for yet more news in the meantime, we had a chat with lead designer Ed Beach and lead producer Dennis Shirk of developer Firaxis Games. Read on as we go into depth on how natural disasters will work, powering your cities, the new World Congress, diplomatic victory, and much more.

 

[Elhoim]

Probably while Anton was working on the first expansion, Ed was designing the second one (pre-production). And hopefully, someone else is designing the third one.

 

[TheMarshmallowBear]

It's not uncommon for designers to be shifted around ,it is a fairly big company with many different gears working. I doesn't mean Anton didn't do anything, he probably had much of an impact, but it was more of Ed's vision rather than Antons.

 

[Leathaface]

Probably while Anton was working on the first expansion, Ed was designing the second one (pre-production). And hopefully, someone else is designing the third one.

Ed mentioned in the GS reveal that work on GS was being done a year ago, which would be almost 3 months before R&F came out. I say you're right.

 

[Giskler]

So Anton is probably working on the third expansion as we speak

 

[Meluhhan]

I remember Ed Beach traveling to a certain canal I don't remember the name of and explicitly tweeting about it around an year ago. When asked whether it was a Civ-related visit (Which, now it is clear, it pretty much was), he had given a very teasing reply. So yes, it does look like he has been working on GS even before the release of R and F.

 

[Eagle Pursuit]

I remember Ed Beach traveling to a certain canal I don't remember the name of and explicitly tweeting about it around an year ago. When asked whether it was a Civ-related visit (Which, now it is clear, it pretty much was), he had given a very teasing reply. So yes, it does look like he has been working on GS even before the release of R and F.

He also teased canals during the very beginning of vanilla marketing. It seems he had this intention all along.

 

[warpyg]

Speaking of coastal cities canals, I hope this is just a placeholder for the ancient era because it sticks out like a sore thumb. I mean the city is just grass huts and it has has a stone and wood canal that look way ahead of its time. It's just not right, should be a little less "advanced" looking in the ancient era, something like sand or rough stones. Is anyone else bothered by it?

Civ Vi GS Canal City Graphic

• warpyg
• Nov 25, 2018

Civ VI Gatthering Storm, Coastal City with Canal

 

[UWHabs]

Yeah, I gather that GS was Ed's child - Anton wasn't there for the first gameplay demo, so presumably he was less involved. Wouldn't shock me to see him be the lead again on a 3rd expansion, or on a spin-off if they go that route. He did a good job with R+F.

 

[Haig]

Firaxis Games' Sid Meier's Ed Beach's Civilization VI Gathering Storm by Ed Beach Firaxis Games

 

[DWilson]

Wasn't Ed Beach promoted to Lead on Civilization (the series as a whole), after his Lead position on the base game?

 

[AriochIV]

Ed is introduced in the announcement video as "Franchise Lead Designer for Civilization VI." I haven't seen an official reference to who the GS Lead Designer is, but it could be Ed. I think they mentioned Anton at some point, so I think he's involved in the project, and if so he could also be the formal lead designer.

Ed could have a role with Civilization like Jake Solomon seems to with XCOM; he seems to be closely involved with the development, but the formal lead designer on each project is someone else.

 

[Lord Lakely]

Yeah, I gather that GS was Ed's child - Anton wasn't there for the first gameplay demo, so presumably he was less involved. Wouldn't shock me to see him be the lead again on a 3rd expansion, or on a spin-off if they go that route. He did a good job with R+F.

That doesn't inspire me with much confidence, tbh. Don't want to rag on him, but Anton is a man of "many small bonuses" which works in simple games, but in a game such as Civ6 this type of additions are insipid and have barely any impact (see: Emergencies, Loyalty). I'm more trusting of the content Ed can put forth instead (even if Ed has an even bigger boner for Sweden than the average Eurovision juror)

 

[Leathaface]

Firaxis Games' Sid Meier's Ed Beach's Civilization VI Gathering Storm by Ed Beach Firaxis Games

Where did you read this? I've look up Gathering Storm's steam page and couldn't find anything.

 

[Browd]

Sarcasm

 

[SammyKhalifa]

Speaking of coastal cities canals, I hope this is just a placeholder for the ancient era because it sticks out like a sore thumb. I mean the city is just grass huts and it has has a stone and wood canal that look way ahead of its time. It's just not right, should be a little less "advanced" looking in the ancient era, something like sand or rough stones. Is anyone else bothered by it?

Civ Vi GS Canal City Graphic

• warpyg
• Nov 25, 2018

Civ VI Gatthering Storm, Coastal City with Canal

I think the new graphic with the canal going through the middle of cities looks strange altogether.

 

[Liksomkatt]

Ed could have a role with Civilization like Jake Solomon seems to with XCOM; he seems to be closely involved with the development, but the formal lead designer on each project is someone else.

Jake has been the lead designer on everything XCOM, except Enemy Within and the latest small expansion. You might be thinking about Garth DeAngelis?

 

[SupremacyKing2]

So Anton is probably working on the third expansion as we speak

What is all this talk of a 3rd expansion?!? I find it rather amusing that the 2nd expansion is not even out yet and a bunch of folks here are assuming that a 3rd expansion in in the works even though Firaxis does not do 3rd expansions on civ games.

 

[AriochIV]

Jake has been the lead designer on everything XCOM, except Enemy Within and the latest small expansion. You might be thinking about Garth DeAngelis?

If I recall correctly from the videos, on all of the expansions and DLC, Jake is "Creative Director", but the lead designer is someone else.

What is all this talk of a 3rd expansion?!? I find it rather amusing that the 2nd expansion is not even out yet and a bunch of folks here are assuming that a 3rd expansion in in the works even though Firaxis does not do 3rd expansions on civ games.

This happens every time. People believe what they want to believe.

 

[chazzycat]

It's slightly more credible this time, given the leaks.

And also let's not forget they are making a lot more money on Civ 6 due to porting to mobile & consoles. This gives them more incentive to develop expansion packs rather than develop a new engine for Civ 7.