Known Info About Humankind

[WillowBrook]

I plan to update these initial posts with information we know so far about the upcoming Humankind game. Please post things I've missed in this thread and identify the source of your information.

Also, I'm trying to use Humankind, not Civ, terminology; please identify any terms I've missed. Also typos, improvements to descriptions, inconsistent formatting, etc.

CULTURES
You start the game as a nomadic tribe and may adopt a new culture in each of the six eras of the game. Aspects of your previous cultures remain with you all game. There are ten possible cultures available for each era. You create your own avatar to lead your civilization; the cultures do not have historical leaders.

See images for the revealed cultures here (thanks, @CivLuvah)

Ancient Era
ASSYRIANS - Expansionist

Emblematic Unit: Assyrian Raiders
Emblematic Quarter: Dunnu (border defense)​

BABYLONIANS - Scientist

Emblematic Unit: Sabu Sha Qashti (fighter)
Emblematic Quarter: Astronomy House​

EGYPTIANS - Builder

Emblematic Unit: Markabata (lightweight chariot)
Emblematic Quarter: Egyptian Pyramid​

HARAPPANS - Agrarian

Emblematic Unit: Runners
Emblematic Quarter: Canal Network
​

HITTITES - Militarist

Emblematic Unit: Sigir (war chariot)
Emblematic Quarter: Awari (outpost)​

MYCENAEANS - Militarist

Emblematic Unit: Promachoi (fighting champion)
Emblematic Quarter: Cyclopean Fortress​

NUBIANS - Merchant

Emblematic Unit: Ta-seti Archers
Emblematic Quarter: Meroe Pyramids​

OLMECS - Aesthete

Emblematic Unit: Javelin Throwers
Emblematic Quarter: Olmec Head​

PHOENICIANS - Merchant

Emblematic Unit: Bireme
Emblematic Quarter: Haven​

ZHOU - Aesthete

Emblematic Unit: Zhànche
Emblematic Quarter: Confucian School​

Classical Era
AKSUMITES - Merchant

Emblematic Unit: Shotelai (curved swords)
Emblematic Quarter: Great Obelisk
​

CARTHAGINIANS - Merchant

Emblematic Unit: War Elephant
Emblematic Quarter: Cothon
​

GOTHS - Militarist

Emblematic Unit: Gothic Cavalry
Emblematic Quarter: Tumulus (mound for the dead)
​

GREEKS - Scientist

Emblematic Unit: Phalanx
Emblematic Quarter: Amphitheatron
​

HUNS - Militaristic

Emblematic Unit: Hunnic Horde
Emblematic Quarter: Ordu​

MAURYANS - Aesthete

Emblematic unit: Samnahya
Emblematic Quarter: Stupa​

MAYANS
PERSIANS?
ROMANS

Emblematic Unit: Legion​

Medieval Era
KOREANS (era unknown)

Emblematic Unit: Hwacha and/or Turtle Ship​

VIKINGS

Renaissance Era

Industrial Era

Modern Era
GERMANS?

Emblematic unit: U-boat?​

CITIES
Quarters
See list of cultures for Emblematic Quarters
CITY CENTER


WORLD WONDERS
Great Pyramids
Hanging Gardens
Colossus of Rhodes
St. Basil's
Notre Dame
Todai-ji
Angkor Wat
Taj Mahal


UNITS
Multiple units may move together in stacks and then fight other stacks in tactical mode.

See list of cultures for Emblematic Units

 

[WillowBrook]

MAP
The maps is made of hexagonal tiles. Each tile is some type of terrain and part of a biome, and it may provide yields such as industry, food, or science.

Terrain
Each tile has an elevation, which can lead to anything from a gentle hill to a cliff between adjacent tiles of differing elevation. Rivers do not flow uphill.

The appearance of different terrain types may vary depending on the biome.

Terrain types:

forest (provides industry)
grassland (provides food)
desert
mountains​

Features
Some tiles provide additional yields or access to a resource.

Known features:

oasis (in desert)
geyser​

Biomes
Territory is part of a biome, based on temperature and humidity.

Biome types:

Arctic
Badlands
Desert
Grassland
Mediterranean
Savanna
Taiga
Temperate
Tropical
Tundra
​

Landmarks
Prominent features on the map such as a long river or deep forest may be designated a landmark and the first to discover it may name it.

Natural Wonders
Danakil Depression
Mt. Vesuvius
Vinicunca

Regions
There are pre-set regions on the map (you can adjust the size when setting up the game). Only one city may be settled in each region.

TECHNOLOGY TREE
(initial analysis of Febuary 6 dev diary by @Giskler )
Classic Era:

Hunnic Horde

Medieval era:

Mongol Horde

Taxing?:
??? (blue)
??? (green)
Project: Culture Festival (white black border)
Administrator +1 (white)

Seafaring Mastery:
Great Fishmarket (grey)
Cog (light red)
Longship (dark red) Valknut

Chivalry:
Village Center (white black border)
Tourney Fields (light red)
Capetian Knights (dark red) Fleur de-lis
Knights (dark red)
Teutonic Knights (dark red) Prussian Eagle
Camel Cavalry (dark red)
Al-A??? (dark red) Star and Crescent (Ayyubid dynasty, Mamluk Sultanate, Rashidun Caliphate ???)

Alchemy:
Apothecary (purple)
Alchemist's Workshop (blue)

Guilds:
Community Exchange (yellow)
Trade Insurance (yellow)
Alliances (white perforated border)
Reforestation (white perforated border)
Spies (red)

Renaissance:

Three Masted Ships:
Administrator +1 (white)
Cabinet of Curiosities (blue)
Transport Caravel (light red)
Fluyt (dark red) Flag of Netherlands
Settlers (light red)

Naval Artillery:
??? Cap +1 (white)
Carrack (light red)
Galleas (dark red) Venetian Lion
Turtle Ship (dark red)

VICTORY
You acquire fame in each era for a variety of achievements; the player with the most fame at the end wins.

GAMEPLAY
Turns will take place simultaneously as in other Amplitude games.

 

[WillowBrook]

Reserved in case needed

 

[Siptah]

Rome, Greece, Netherlands & Korea are confirmed as we spotted the UUs (Legion, Phalanx, Fluyt & Hwacha).

vikings are also confirmed.

World wonders:
Kremlin
Notre Dame
Todai-ji
Hanging Gardens

 

[Giskler]

Rome, Greece, Netherlands & Korea are confirmed as we spotted the UUs (Legion, Phalanx, Fluyt & Hwacha).

Also Turtle Ship

 

[WillowBrook]

Also Turtle Ship

Is that also Korean? Does that imply that they are in two different eras?

 

[Matthias Corvinus]

Is that also Korean? Does that imply that they are in two different eras?

The turtle ship was a korean unique unit in 5. Civilizations in later eras may have more units/quarters than in previous eras, or Korea has 2 military units and no quarter.

 

[CivLuvah]

@WillowBrook Thanks for linking my Imgur album!

 

[Catoninetales_Amplitude]

CIVILIZATIONS

Small remark to prevent any future confusion: We refer to them as Cultures. When we say "Civilization," we are referring to the whole succession of Cultures a player has picked so far.

HITTITES - Warmonger
MYCENAEANS - Warmonger

You'll see as we move forward with the Culture Cards, but we have renamed Warmonger to Militarist. "Warmonger" came on a bit too strong.

WORLD WONDERS
Hanging Gardens
Kremlin (or St. Basil's?)
Notre Dame
Todai-ji

It's St Basil's rather than the Kremlin. However, you're missing at least one we've already shown.

Terrain
Has elevation, rivers do not flow uphill

Now, now, don't forget about the cliffs. Our artists are really proud of how those look.


Nice summary, though.

 

[Giskler]

However, you're missing at least one we've already shown.

The Colossus of Rhodes, right?

 

[Catoninetales_Amplitude]

I actually forgot we had already shown that one, so one more is missing.

 

[Eagle Pursuit]

I actually forgot we had already shown that one, so one more is missing.

@WillowBrook I think it's the Great Pyramid from the screenshot with that weird desert lagoon natural wonder.

 

[Siptah]

@WillowBrook I think it's the Great Pyramid from the screenshot with that weird desert lagoon natural wonder.

So Humandkind features Egyptian Pyramids, Meroe Pyramids and the Great Pyramid?

 

[Eagle Pursuit]

So Humandkind features Egyptian Pyramids, Meroe Pyramids and the Great Pyramid?

And what if the Mayans and Aztecs are in the game with pyramids too?

The one from that screenshot certainly looked wonderous.

https://twitter.com/humankindgame/status/1220375713322323971?s=19

 

[Matthias Corvinus]

So Humandkind features Egyptian Pyramids, Meroe Pyramids and the Great Pyramid?

You’re a pyramid, he’s a pyramid, she’s a pyramid. Are there any more pyramids I should know about?

 

[Siptah]

And what if the Mayans and Aztecs are in the game with pyramids too?

The one from that screenshot certainly looked wonderous.

https://twitter.com/humankindgame/status/1220375713322323971?s=19

It does. And even more so since it is not adjacent to the city.
I guess that the system works similar to endless legend, and the walled quarters have to be built on tiles that are next to an already existing part of the city which in turn transforms all adjacent tiles to worked tiles. Wonders seem to be an exception to that.

I'm sure we'll see Mesoamerican pyramids as well. The screenshot with the mesoamerican city already showed a city center and a smaller quarter with a pyramid. And Ziggurats are also kind pyramidal shaped...

@WillowBrook Mount Vesuvius is also a natural wonder that was already shown.

 

[Giskler]

@WillowBrook I think it's the Great Pyramid from the screenshot with that weird desert lagoon natural wonder.

Egyptian Pyramid.


Great Pyramid.

Looks like you are correct.

 

[CivLuvah]

You’re a pyramid, he’s a pyramid, she’s a pyramid. Are there any more pyramids I should know about?

You get a pyramid! You get a pyramid! Everyone gets a pyramid!

 

[Krajzen]

@WillowBrook
please add gameplay features, maybe even on the very top of the OP (although my memory is imperfect so I may have confused something)
I also think list of civilizations should be hidden behind six spoiler tags (one for each era), because otherwise 3/4 of the main post will be messy list of civs and their bonuses and uniques...

Anyway, major features I remember:

60 civilizations over 6 eras, 10 per each. Every era you can embrace new culture or keep your old one (so 10^6 - one million combinations). I don't remember more details but there were more details about this. Every new culture to the mix adds some of its cultural elements in architectural style. I don't remember how civ abilities interacted in a mix and what edge has "keeping very old culture" over changing into new forms but there was one. Some massive civs (such as China) have several iterations over different eras, to portray different periods of their history.

Armies travel in stacks of max 8, when two stacks meet they fight in tactical mode (of just three turns IIRC!) on regular map of the world (the stack splits into eight units).

There are no conventional Victory Conditions, instead you get Fame every era for spectacular achievements - even if they are temporary. For example, crazy conquest which takes over half of the world but relatively quickly collapses into chaos - think about Alexander the Great or Mongols - is a source of a lot of Fame

There are no "historical leaders and their personalities" in Humankind. Instead, each civ is represented by an avatar (ofc customizable for humans) who has clothes particular to that culture, which change with every passing era. Sounds controversial, but it solves a lot of problems with civ style leaders, such as "awesome civs with no well know leaders", no rebellions allowed because who will represent them etc.

There is no free settling everywhere, there are Territories instead, pre-set areas of the map, and you choose city location within area of Territory (if it works exactly as in Endless Legend). Sounds controversial but solves a lot of problems with AI, balance and bordergore, though too much writing to put my reasoning here.

You actually start out as a nomadic people and can’t settle cities until you unlock some tech or ability. Also, you actually start as "noname nobodies" and even your first civ, from Ancient Era, is chosen some time after beginning the game.

 

[ehecatzin]

I think we can confirm Mayans, the city center in one screeshot is straight up the Palenque palace.