pre-release info New Civ Game Guide: Inca

[Alexander's Hetaroi]

love to see Inca and Pachacuti back, but the Inca basically are EXACTLY the same from civ 6…

Besides the ability to magically transport through mountains, which I guess was the one thing that didn't really need to return.
Now that you mention it, I guess even their Unique Unit, which was a recon unit in Civ 6, split into a unique civilian scout and ranged military unit.

 

[Fummy]

I wonder if there will be an unlock requirement for Inca to do with having a certain number of mountains. You know when you start a game of civ and spawn with a bunch of mountains around you and think "this would have been a great start to play as Inca!" well in Civ 7 you could potentially become the Inca midgame to take advantage of their bonuses without relying on randomness. Yeah there is a start bias for mountains but that will only matter if you either play as Pachacuti from Antiquity or jump straight into the Exploration age as Inca. They haven't really mentioned any of the unlock requirements or "historical paths" for these exploration age civs.

 

[Txomin]

Not very excited for their abilities or uniques. Hopefully we get some more South American civs sooner rather than later so the Inca aren't alone and we can get some more interesting features.

 

[Eagle Pursuit]

I appreciate the Inca as a solid alternative to the Abbasids for the Exploration Scientific Legacy, but they are kind of a one-trick pony and finicky about terrain requirements too.

I don't expect to play them very often.

 

[Thenewwwguy]

I appreciate the Inca as a solid alternative to the Abbasids for the Exploration Scientific Legacy, but they are kind of a one-trick pony and finicky about terrain requirements too.

I don't expect to play them very often.

with no way to guarantee their preferred terrain besides playing pachacuti, and then being so terrain reliant, the design doesn’t make sense in the era of civ switching

 

[Atlas627]

I wonder if there will be an unlock requirement for Inca to do with having a certain number of mountains. You know when you start a game of civ and spawn with a bunch of mountains around you and think "this would have been a great start to play as Inca!" well in Civ 7 you could potentially become the Inca midgame to take advantage of their bonuses without relying on randomness. Yeah there is a start bias for mountains but that will only matter if you either play as Pachacuti from Antiquity or jump straight into the Exploration age as Inca. They haven't really mentioned any of the unlock requirements or "historical paths" for these exploration age civs.

Right, I think this is why this design works well with the new switching mechanic.

with no way to guarantee their preferred terrain besides playing pachacuti, and then being so terrain reliant, the design doesn’t make sense in the era of civ switching

No, the design makes the most sense with Civ switching. You only pick them if you have mountains. In fact, that might even be an unlock condition.

 

[AriochIV]

Ah, the Chasqui is carrying one of the khipu knotted message strings. Nice detail.

Right, I think this is why this design works well with the new switching mechanic.

No, the design makes the most sense with Civ switching. You only pick them if you have mountains. In fact, that might even be an unlock condition.

The problem is that you'll have to suffer the presence of mountains that you'll get no benefit from in the two Ages that you're not Inca.

Age switching works against having civilizations with really unique play styles, because it will screw up the rest of your game.

 

[Atlas627]

The problem is that you'll have to suffer the presence of mountains that you'll get no benefit from in the two Ages that you're not Inca.

Maybe; we don't know that yet. In Antiquity, you're already going to be trying to utilize the terrain as best you can, so maybe you'll take your sweet time settling next to the Mountains. Maybe you keep all Mountain Yields you've claimed as Inca in Modern, and you just can't claim new ones. Maybe when Modern comes around, you're going to need to move all those people off the Mountains, which might let you suddenly move them into the buildings as Specialists for a big headstart on tech.

 

[queenpea]

Ah, the Chasqui is carrying one of the khipu knotted message strings. Nice detail.

View attachment 709477


The problem is that you'll have to suffer the presence of mountains that you'll get no benefit from in the two Ages that you're not Inca.

Age switching works against having civilizations with really unique play styles, because it will screw up the rest of your game.

I think the design may have worked better in the Antiquity Age where mountains, and their unique scout, could be used to get an early population/exploration boost. However, then you would be stuck with mountains for the rest of the game with unclear benefits.

 

[Atlas627]

I think the design may have worked better in the Antiquity Age where mountains, and their unique scout, could be used to get an early population/exploration boost. However, then you would be stuck with mountains for the rest of the game with unclear benefits.

The unique scout can explore the new continent just fine. Remember, there's always something new to explore in Exploration.

 

[queenpea]

The unique scout can explore the new continent just fine. Remember, there's always something new to explore in Exploration.

I understand how scouts work. Scouts to me are always the most valuable in the early game. I suppose if you are starting your game in the Exploration Age, then that is the early game for you, but for me, I consider this the mid game.

 

[Atlas627]

I understand how scouts work. Scouts to me are always the most valuable in the early game. I suppose if you are starting your game in the Exploration Age, then that is the early game for you, but for me, I consider this the mid game.

They're actively trying to change that, and have not revealed all the ways they've done so. I would not assume that you will still find Scouts to be most valuable in the early game.

 

[queenpea]

They're actively trying to change that, and have not revealed all the ways they've done so. I would not assume that you will still find Scouts to be most valuable in the early game.

Right. Obviously we are in the wait and see times right now, but those are my thoughts and feelings. As of right now, I still suspect scouts will feel most valuable to me at the outset.

 

[Eagle Pursuit]

I agree that scouts are most useful at the beginning of the game in Civ 6. But I do use them a second time when I uncover new continents with my caravels, and I send them to explore the interiors.

Obviously, your mileage may vary depending on maps and gameplay styles.

 

[Boris Gudenuf]

I agree that scouts are most useful at the beginning of the game in Civ 6. But I do use them a second time when I uncover new continents with my caravels, and I send them to explore the interiors.

Which means, at the least, Civ VII will by the nature of its planned scope give all Scouts a new 'lease on life' at the beginning of the Exploration Age when Distant Lands open up.

And I would not be surprised to find another, probably lesser, opening of new territories at the beginning of the Modern Age - like a Tech-derived ability to explore Ice and Tundra, Mountains and Jungles more thoroughly than before - the 19th century and early 20th century 'Race for the (North and South) Poles', summiting of the highest mountains like Everest, and exploration of the African Interior spring to mind.

I'm very excited about this, because I love the Exploration part of the game, and am always sad, no matter how well I am doing otherwise, when the last tile of reachable terrain is revealed in earlier Civs. Extending this part of the game alone is a great change.

 

[Eagle Pursuit]

Which means, at the least, Civ VII will by the nature of its planned scope give all Scouts a new 'lease on life' at the beginning of the Exploration Age when Distant Lands open up.

And I would not be surprised to find another, probably lesser, opening of new territories at the beginning of the Modern Age - like a Tech-derived ability to explore Ice and Tundra, Mountains and Jungles more thoroughly than before - the 19th century and early 20th century 'Race for the (North and South) Poles', summiting of the highest mountains like Everest, and exploration of the African Interior spring to mind.

I'm very excited about this, because I love the Exploration part of the game, and am always sad, no matter how well I am doing otherwise, when the last tile of reachable terrain is revealed in earlier Civs. Extending this part of the game alone is a great change.

I'm skeptical that there's going to be New Distant Lands to explore at the beginning of the Modern Age. Ed had noted in the recent livestream that his rival Ashoka had reached the Distant Lands by going the Wrong Way around the map cylinder, so circumnavigation is absolutely possible in the Exploration Age.

But I do expect a fresh set of Discoverables to be laid out for players to find. And there will apparently be new Independent Powers that will need to be fostered into City-state-hood. So, I expect there will still be reasons to keep poking around.

 

[queenpea]

Which means, at the least, Civ VII will by the nature of its planned scope give all Scouts a new 'lease on life' at the beginning of the Exploration Age when Distant Lands open up.

And I would not be surprised to find another, probably lesser, opening of new territories at the beginning of the Modern Age - like a Tech-derived ability to explore Ice and Tundra, Mountains and Jungles more thoroughly than before - the 19th century and early 20th century 'Race for the (North and South) Poles', summiting of the highest mountains like Everest, and exploration of the African Interior spring to mind.

I'm very excited about this, because I love the Exploration part of the game, and am always sad, no matter how well I am doing otherwise, when the last tile of reachable terrain is revealed in earlier Civs. Extending this part of the game alone is a great change.

Yes, but this depends on the map type, map size, and the number of the players in the game as distant lands will have civilizations on them already.

Further, with the settlement cap, which seemingly encourages players to play tall, placing core settlements in the home lands will most likely be more important than ever. I also don't see anything in the Inca civ guide that increases the settlement cap and am struggling to see them as an expansionist civ generally.

 

[Boris Gudenuf]

Yes, but this depends on the map type, map size, and the number of the players in the game as distant lands will have civilizations on them already.

Further, with the settlement cap, which seemingly encourages players to play tall, placing core settlements in the home lands will most likely be more important than ever. I also don't see anything in the Inca civ guide that increases the settlement cap and am struggling to see them as an expansionist civ generally.

Virtually every 'exploration' in history was only exploring something that was new to the explorers - in every case, the locals already knew all about it.

As long as the Distant Lands are new to me it does not matter how many other in-game entities are there, the opportunities for Exploration are also there.

I'm skeptical that there's going to be New Distant Lands to explore at the beginning of the Modern Age. Ed had noted in the recent livestream that his rival Ashoka had reached the Distant Lands by going the Wrong Way around the map cylinder, so circumnavigation is absolutely possible in the Exploration Age.

But I do expect a fresh set of Discoverables to be laid out for players to find. And there will apparently be new Independent Powers that will need to be fostered into City-state-hood. So, I expect there will still be reasons to keep poking around.

Note that none of the IRL examples I gave required new continents, oceans, or circumnavigation: the 19th - 20th century 'explorations' were all filling in odd corners of the map which, as stated above, were almost all already known to 'native' people living there or near there.

I had forgotten about the general feature Discoverables, and you may be right: that system could be used to offer all the late-game (Modern Age) Exploration opportunities mentioned: a High Mountain to send a Scout over, the 'source of the Nile' however that is measured/indicated to be 'found'.

We still know so very, very little about the Modern Age, except that they repeat that it will be 'different' in some ways from the other two Ages. Too much room for Speculation . . .

 

[queenpea]

Virtually every 'exploration' in history was only exploring something that was new to the explorers - in every case, the locals already knew all about it.

As long as the Distant Lands are new to me it does not matter how many other in-game entities are there, the opportunities for Exploration are also there.

If you are exploring for exploration’s sake then go off! Do your thing!

It’s just a little harder to explore when you find densely inhabited continents and you don’t have open borders with your new neighbors/rivals.

And if there’s no room to settle, or the options make for poor city locations, then this is not optimal in my opinion.

 

[Alexander's Hetaroi]

I'm skeptical that there's going to be New Distant Lands to explore at the beginning of the Modern Age. Ed had noted in the recent livestream that his rival Ashoka had reached the Distant Lands by going the Wrong Way around the map cylinder, so circumnavigation is absolutely possible in the Exploration Age.

But I do expect a fresh set of Discoverables to be laid out for players to find. And there will apparently be new Independent Powers that will need to be fostered into City-state-hood. So, I expect there will still be reasons to keep poking around.

I'm pretty sure we've seen a unit that looks similar to the Ranger unit from Civ 6 ion the gameplay reveal trailer. Assuming that this is a Modern Age equivalent of a scout they do have to serve some sort of purpose