[GS] June 2019 Patch Details

[criZp]

Perhaps Holy Site will become the most valuable district after this patch.
This time Friaxis is clearly starting to adjust balance in earnest. This indicates they've been working on other things for years, like new expansions. So, GS may really be the last expansion of Civ6, which is a bit sad.

My opinion is it's about damn time they do some balancing, as many things have needed fixing ever since launch.

 

[Horizons]

There's a teaser at the end to watch their social media feeds for surprises, too. Any thoughts? It's too soon for an expansion and they've never done post-expansion DLC.

Maybe they have started production of Civ7 ... lol

 

[Haig]

Do you think that the 'Diplomacy is a skill' picture on the bookshelf is a clue?

Kevin/Firaxis said on reddit that they moved it for people to get a better view.

Also who is the drawing on the picture? It looks like Anton Strenger..

 

[rover6695]

Wait, I’m confused.

1. Is this a patch update for everybody or just those who bought the latest DLC because I don’t have any thing on Canada on mine

 

[Pietato]

Which, I think, isn't good. Does it really make sense to win in a dark age? The game presents dark ages as low points for your civilization. It's hard to say that conquering the world via culture, or launching an exoplanet mission, or whatever is a low point. It feels thematically wrong.

The main issue this addresses is the running out of possible era points, meaning you inevitably end the game in a Dark Age.

culture victory is about attracting tourists, diplo victory is about cooperating with others (allies, citystates, voting in blocks)

neither is about dominating other people

Oh my...a pure soul!

 

[Kwami]

The main issue this addresses is the running out of possible era points, meaning you inevitably end the game in a Dark Age.

Well, yeah. I get that. I have often ended games in a Dark Age because I ran out of easily obtainable points and kind of just stopped caring to find the points that are harder to obtain since I already knew that I would win. But, I don't see why we should make ending in a Dark Age the optimal strategy. That doesn't make any sense.

 

[PhilBowles]

I am definitely not reading this as a "farewell to Civ VI" patch. They indicated multiple times on the stream today that more patching is forthcoming, and that some of these changes are "first passes." Plus they have recently heightened their engagement with us on CFC quite a bit more.

Also, Dennis ended by saying: "We are not done. There is some really cool stuff coming up. Can't talk about it yet."

If anything, I see this patch as indicating that they've got more support planned.

Oh, I don't doubt there will be more patches, and maybe small amounts of content like the scrambled map packs at the end of Civ V's life cycle - but this seems likely to be the last big change. I don't think they'd have needed to add the disclaimer "we're not done" if they were planning anything especially substantial. It sounded to me like "we're nearly there, but we haven't finished yet" rather than "get ready for a third expansion".

 

[PhilBowles]

National parks named and labeled

National parks were already named. Adding the seas is a nice touch (don't think it applies to lakes?), but one update to the naming system I'd have liked to see is for islands to be named. The fact that they can name seas suggests this is doable for sets of similar tiles, rather than having names linked to features such as volcanoes or rivers.

 

[Pietato]

Well, yeah. I get that. I have often ended games in a Dark Age because I ran out of easily obtainable points and kind of just stopped caring to find the points that are harder to obtain since I already knew that I would win. But, I don't see why we should make ending in a Dark Age the optimal strategy. That doesn't make any sense.

Well yeah, it can be pretty lame, but at least this adds something to that final Dark Age. The alternative would be adding some repeatable era score mechanic (National Parks would be all placed by now).

 

[acluewithout]

Oh, I don't doubt there will be more patches, and maybe small amounts of content like the scrambled map packs at the end of Civ V's life cycle - but this seems likely to be the last big change. I don't think they'd have needed to add the disclaimer "we're not done" if they were planning anything especially substantial. It sounded to me like "we're nearly there, but we haven't finished yet" rather than "get ready for a third expansion".

Yeah. I agree. It really had that feel.

Honestly, I felt pretty confident we were getting a 3xp up until this patch. Now I’m really not so sure.

I’m going to be quite sad if we’re at the end of any further substantive expansion. I really feel like the game is just hitting its straps.

My hope is FXS will treat Vanilla + RnF + GS as like a base game, and then just keep bringing out dlc with a few choice mechanics or tweaks, leaders / civs etc, scenarios and flavour.

I’d love it if they turned Colonization into a massive crazy big scenario. Or even BE. Sort of mini expansions.

Well. I can hope.

 

[WillowBrook]

Wait, I’m confused.

1. Is this a patch update for everybody or just those who bought the latest DLC because I don’t have any thing on Canada on mine

This is specifically described as an update for the gathering storm expansion (which added Canada as a civ). With the previous patch, there were a few UI improvements for the base game. They haven't specifically said that any of this patch affects the base game, but it's possible that some of the UI improvements, such as the tooltip with unit info, will be added to the base game. Don't expect any gameplay adjustments to the base game.

 

[Stilgar08]

Maybe they have started production of Civ7 ... lol

*Boooh*
Seriously usually I tend to wait and see what's going to get thrown at me by FXS and see what I can get but since it's becoming this kind of discussion...
I really doubt there won't be a third expansion To me many of the tweaks and works in this (and the antarctic) patch looks like laying down the groundwork for further development. In CiVI that is, of course! I personally dream of a 3rd xp not introducing tons of new stuff (because there already is a lot) but focusing on fleshing out existing mechanics. With more production at hand you still could add more stuff, too. To force players to choose Since they will need new stuff to push the
XP Marketingwise my guess will be an economic victory and maybe health stuff based on the plague scenario..

 

[Deggial]

Yeah. I agree. It really had that feel.

Honestly, I felt pretty confident we were getting a 3xp up until this patch. Now I’m really not so sure. ...

Why that?

What happened to "Fix your current game before you add new content, for heaven's sake!"?

Firaxis fixes their current game and ... all of a sudden exactly this is a sign that there will be no new content!

For heaven's sake!

(Not saying there will be, mind you. Just that it can't be concluded due to this patch. The "blank space where a fourth banner might fit" is actually an interesting hint, though. But maybe it's just a blank space ...)

 

[acluewithout]

Why that?

What happened to "Fix your current game before you add new content, for heaven's sake!"?

Firaxis fixes there current game and ... all of a sudden exactly this is a sign that there will be no new content!

For heaven's sake!

(Not saying there will be, mind you. Just that it can't be concluded due to this patch. The "blank space where a fourth banner might fit" is actually an interesting hint, though. But maybe it's just a blank space ...)

Ha! Fair call!

I don’t know. It’s just the way it kinda felt?

I think it was just the constant “were not done!” that feels like something you say when you’re totally done and you’re trying not to upset everybody...

 

[TheBlueKing]

The Mac and Linux sent-for-final-approval branches were both updated a few hours before the livestream. So they need to get through whatever final checks 2K requires. But the fact that those branches have been updated means that aspyr thinks they are ready for release. If 2K agrees, I expect the patch will come for all three platforms SOON.

Last time live stream was on 29th March (Friday) and update got published on 2nd April after the weekend. I do not expect them to publish anything before Monday.

 

[RohirrimElf]

Last time live stream was on 29th March (Friday) and update got published on 2nd April after the weekend. I do not expect them to publish anything before Monday.

I would not put much faith on monday as well. Probably on tuesday or thursday next week if all things go as planned.

 

[PhilBowles]

Yeah. I agree. It really had that feel.

Honestly, I felt pretty confident we were getting a 3xp up until this patch. Now I’m really not so sure.

I’m going to be quite sad if we’re at the end of any further substantive expansion. I really feel like the game is just hitting its straps.

I really don't think the game can sustain a third expansion - it's pretty feature-bloated by this point. The GS take on diplo victory in particular seems to be a case of having extra clicks for the sake of having extra clicks; the one thing I dislike about the patch is that it seems to make this even fiddlier and makes the make-work votes you could previously happily ignore require active management.

I'm happy if this is the final polish to the game and it doesn't get any more bloated, and fixes to things like surplus GP points/policies, Holy Sites and later-game walls were more than I was expecting - religious gameplay is the only area that has never been effectively addressed, but that's because the religious victory system is fundamentally misconceived.

As to the comments that they were making a 'first pass' at some of these changes, I read that as saying they haven't finished adjusting this patch yet, not that this was a promise of future support.

Why that?

What happened to "Fix your current game before you add new content, for heaven's sake!"?

Nothing happened to it. It was a fan desire that has never reflected the reality of the way game design has worked in computer games. Big fixes generally come at the end of a product's life cycle, and at least partially for good reason - why fix something only to add a whole bunch of new content that will likely end up breaking part of it all over again?

 

[kcbb]

I wonder when it will be available on Linux?

 

[SammyKhalifa]

And Amiga?

Moderator Action: Please do not troll the forums. leif

 

[Victoria]

Do you think that the 'Diplomacy is a skill' picture on the bookshelf is a clue?

I hope so. Always been underrated. Be nice if it was more important.

They have certainly nerfed choppiong by upping tile yields and removing harvest. I personally think any pantheon that helps chopping is just a superbuff.
I think the removal of the great writer strength was a very good balance as a pure rush at them did make fast CV's a bit dull. It will nerf SV a bit also as there is a touch of reliance on them.

It will be interesting to see all the new pantheons laid out to drool over, nice they are more balanced.

The knight nerf as well means they are just toning the extremes making good play a more reliant thing. Lets hope they have toned down hurricanes as well.

sub 200 vic comments, gimme a break. Can't they share the forum in peace? What have SP players who like the challenge of fast victories done against anyone else. And if the claim is abusing the rules to their benefit, try MP.