[R&F] PC Games N interview with Anton Strenger

[Eagle Pursuit]

https://pcgamesn.com/civilization-vi/civ-6-rise-and-fall-anton-strenger-interview

This was already on Reddit, but I thought maybe some here haven't seen it.

There are some new details here.

Governors are like spies; not on the map.
Examples of bonuses from Dark Ages and Golden Ages
a female leader will have unique interaction with the Ages system
Governor titles (which buy and upgrade governors) are earned through the Civics tree
examples of rewards for winning emergencies
somewhat excessive optimism about the AI and bugginess

Warning: there are several older screenshots mixed in. Don't get excited

 

[Rosty K]

I like that loyalty is supposed to reduce forward settling. Though it probably won't work as usual

 

[Eagle Pursuit]

I like that loyalty is supposed to reduce forward settling. Though it probably won't work as usual

I don't think it will stop forward settling, but it means the AI's forward settled city will eventually flip to you. Or at least, become a free city that you can conquer or raze as needed.

 

[DJ_Tanner]

One item I am a little disappointed with is it seems like you must be in an age, dark, golden, or heroic. I would hope that falling into a dark age requires some significant inabilty keep pace with the era, a golden age was over achieving, but most of the game you still reside in "normal age".

I will be very interested to read more about this system, as this was such a small question it could have been lost in translation a bit.

 

[Cerilis]

One item I am a little disappointed with is it seems like you must be in an age, dark, golden, or heroic. I would hope that falling into a dark age requires some significant inabilty keep pace with the era, a golden age was over achieving, but most of the game you still reside in "normal age".

I will be very interested to read more about this system, as this was such a small question it could have been lost in translation a bit.

There actually was a "normal age" mentioned somewhere in the interview, so it might still be a thing.

Spoiler :

How do Golden, Heroic, and Dark Ages each affect your civ?

AS: All the Ages allow the player to make a Dedication - a sort of strategic direction you choose for your civ to follow in the new game era. For Dark and Normal Ages, this Dedication opens up an additional source of Era Score that you can use to earn a better Age in the future.[...]

Tbf, the way it is worded. I wouldnt be surprised if it's just the "first age".

 

[Hakan-i Cihan]

I am quite curious what determines when an era ends and another begins. Normally it is not to be expected that everyone will be in the same era. Will it be like it was for the votes for the world congress system of civ 5?

 

[WillowBrook]

One item I am a little disappointed with is it seems like you must be in an age, dark, golden, or heroic. I would hope that falling into a dark age requires some significant inabilty keep pace with the era, a golden age was over achieving, but most of the game you still reside in "normal age".

I will be very interested to read more about this system, as this was such a small question it could have been lost in translation a bit.

I'm pretty sure they said elsewhere that the era score has two different thresholds - if you are above the higher one when the game era changes, you get a golden age; if you're below the lower one, you get a dark age. Presumably if you're in between, your next age is simply normal.

 

[Scaramanga]

The whole Age/Dedication thing sounds like a bidding/wagering mechanism. I bet I'm going to get this many "tricks" this round that I'll enter a Dark Age but then I'll get enough tricks during that round that it'll trigger a big payout in the form of a Heroic Age.

 

[SupremacyKing2]

I like the tidbit that cities don't flip directly to another civ when their loyalty drops, but rather become "independent cities" first. I like that. Flipping directly to another civ can be too powerful. I do imagine scenarios where a civ might invade these independent cities in order to take them from the other civ that just lost them. Cool!

 

[DJ_Tanner]

There actually was a "normal age" mentioned somewhere in the interview, so it might still be a thing.

Spoiler :

How do Golden, Heroic, and Dark Ages each affect your civ?

AS: All the Ages allow the player to make a Dedication - a sort of strategic direction you choose for your civ to follow in the new game era. For Dark and Normal Ages, this Dedication opens up an additional source of Era Score that you can use to earn a better Age in the future.[...]

Tbf, the way it is worded. I wouldnt be surprised if it's just the "first age".

Right the way its worded it could go that way, I can't tell if it is as poorly implemented as I read it or just due to the nature of the article, which is why I am very eager to see more on the topic as this was far too little to really understand it. Just how I read it has me a little nervous on the approach. Hopefully it has more stratification or at least something that could be adjusted if it makes for uninteresting choices later. I mean the system itself sounds great, the implementation is what concerns me.

I like the tidbit that cities don't flip directly to another civ when their loyalty drops, but rather become "independent cities" first. I like that. Flipping directly to another civ can be too powerful. I do imagine scenarios where a civ might invade these independent cities in order to take them from the other civ that just lost them. Cool!

I do like that as well, but was wondering can you then flip a free city (I don't remember seeing a that) so it goes enemy civ --> free city --> my city or must you flip it then go to war (free of waring the original civ) and then take it (which I would be far less excited about).

 

[Eagle Pursuit]

I do like that as well, but was wondering can you then flip a free city (I don't remember seeing a that) so it goes enemy civ --> free city --> my city or must you flip it then go to war (free of waring the original civ) and then take it (which I would be far less excited about).

Both. You can either wait for the free city to join your civ, or take it by force.

 

[DJ_Tanner]

Both. You can either wait for the free city to join your civ, or take it by force.

Awesome, I assumed there would be a no war option just don't remember seeing it. But I love that there is a mid point and its not just a immediate flip, should lend to a little more interesting choice.

Would be interesting to see how it works if your city flips free and you take it back by force, I wonder how long it would be until it flips again.

Gah, is it Feb yet?

 

[SupremacyKing2]

Would be interesting to see how it works if your city flips free and you take it back by force, I wonder how long it would be until it flips again.

I wonder if military units in or near a city can raise loyalty. If so, you could garrison a unit in the city to try to prevent it from flipping again.

 

[Eagle Pursuit]

I wonder if military units in or near a city can raise loyalty. If so, you could garrison a unit in the city to try to prevent it from flipping again.

I bet there's a policy for that. Maybe they added it to Police State.

 

[darkace77450]

I like that loyalty is supposed to reduce forward settling. Though it probably won't work as usual

I hope it does, but I'm also worried if the AI is going to be adjusted accordingly.

 

[SupremacyKing2]

Anton Strenger: With the Dark Age Policies and the potential to rise into a Heroic Age, however, it is well worth the risk!

I get the impression that the designers actually want Dark Ages to be a viable alternative strategy to Golden Ages where both strategies will be good if played right. You can aim for golden ages to keep your civ strong and prosperous or you can risk a dark age and maybe lose cities but get huge bonuses with which to overcome the other civs. There is a nice risk-reward dynamic. And it makes sense to give players some rewards for leaving a dark age so that dark ages don't become game ending events.

 

[DJ_Tanner]

I hope it does, but I'm also worried if the AI is going to be adjusted accordingly.

Per the article they stated the AI has been adjusted to take that into account as it settles.

 

[Cerilis]

Per the article they stated the AI has been adjusted to take that into account as it settles.

I'm sure ways will be found to complain about it anyway.

 

[darkace77450]

Per the article they stated the AI has been adjusted to take that into account as it settles.

You'll forgive me for taking anything they say about the AI with a massive grain of salt.

 

[ferretbacon]

I wonder if cities that convert to independent cities will keep their unique improvements. If you conquer an Egyptian city, Sphinxes are destroyed. But an independent Egyptian city might still be reincorporated into Egypt. It would be quite annoying to lose control of a city for 5 turns and then reconquer them and have to rebuild your civ unique improvements.