Poll: For Civ VII, which art direction style do you prefer?

[queenpea]

Now that we, more of less, have confirmation that Civ VII is coming, I have a question for you:

If you were leading the art direction for VII, which style would you lean into? Your answer applies to leader portraits and animation, map design, buildings, wonders, units, governor portraits (if we have governors), everything!

Would you choose continuity with Civ VI (heavily stylized, with leaders portrayed as caricatures), or something more realistic (closer to what was delivered with Civ V), or would you go for the hyper realistic? Or, do you have something completely separate in mind (and if so, please tell us about it ).

 

[queenpea]

I went with "Stylized" -- mostly because I love to complain about the leader costumes when they aren't to my liking.

 

[Nikolai II]

I would be game for both civ5 and 6 type of graphics, but my dream would be somewhere in the middle.

 

[pokiehl]

I think this poll is missing a general “stylized” option. Not all stylization has to have a caricaturized look to it.

 

[Alexander's Hetaroi]

I voted for other.
I want the map to be stylized like it is now, but I would rather the leaders and their background be more realistic.

 

[TheMarshmallowBear]

I think this poll is missing a general “stylized” option. Not all stylization has to have a caricaturized look to it.

I need 7 to have a "readble" but "realisitic" approach.

I don't think it needs to be like Humankind, I think it worked against it (can't read the map), same can be saida bout BERT and Civ 5, 6 is good, in that it is readable, the style never bothered me that much, but I can see why people were against it.

 

[queenpea]

I think this poll is missing a general “stylized” option. Not all stylization has to have a caricaturized look to it.

I could have listed limitless options, for sure, but for brevity's sake, I wanted to keep the options to a minimum.

In my view, Civ V was stylized, and Civ VI took it to another level, approaching a Pixar level.

 

[Eagle Pursuit]

I would be game for both civ5 and 6 type of graphics, but my dream would be somewhere in the middle.

I would also prefer something in between realism and stylized.

Photorealism is a bad idea. Done poorly, it comes off as unnerving.

 

[fy00sh]

i think right around poundmaker and kupe is the exact level of stylization i'd prefer for civ 7, those models look great imo. not much more "realistic" than that i'd say would be best

 

[Zaarin]

Stylized. Realism ages poorly, and too many people actually mean "edgy, grimy, murky" when they say "realistic."

I'd personally like to see a painterly style, a sort of Pre-Raphaelite/Romantic look.

 

[TheMarshmallowBear]

Honestly if they did 2d non-animated leaders in the style of those Leader Pass Card Portraits they did I'd be happy.

 

[fy00sh]

Honestly if they did 2d non-animated leaders in the style of those Leader Pass Card Portraits they did I'd be happy.

oooh actually i was only thinking in 3d, but depending on the art style i for sure wouldnt mind 2d leaders, tho i think i lean more towards wanting them to still be animated
would possibly make it easier to make modded leaders that look in-line with official ones if it weren't animated tho

 

[Zaarin]

Honestly if they did 2d non-animated leaders in the style of those Leader Pass Card Portraits they did I'd be happy.

I'd be appalled; it's not 1996 anymore. If they did 2D animated leaders, however, I'd be delighted. Pentiment was the best game I've played in nearly twenty years, and its gorgeous art style contributed significantly. Alas, both games and films have moved away from taking traditional animation seriously.

 

[Thormodr]

In a game where you can wipe out other civs, raze huge cities and nuke people, keeping it more cartoonish is best, IMHO.

Civ IV or VI style is fine, IMHO

 

[queenpea]

In a game where you can wipe out other civs, raze huge cities and nuke people, keeping it more cartoonish is best, IMHO.

Civ IV or VI style is fine, IMHO

Yes, very fair point! Let's keep the nuclear weapons fun!

 

[SecretWeapon]

Stylized. Doesn't have to be like in Civ6 but it does help the game age better.

 

[DeutschDachs]

Definitely realism. Though I don't hate it, Civ VI still comes off as a phone game to me (which is funny since it was eventually brought to mobile and I happily own it). I'd definitely prefer something that seems a bit more historically accurate in textures and presentation. I still love the various backgrounds that Civ 5 had, it really helped lend to the atmosphere of whatever Civs you were playing against. They don't feel dated at all to me. I barely even notice the dark still frames behind the leaders in VI. I would really really like if there was a lot more detail upon zoom in on the map as well or a City View as in previous Civs although I doubt that will be a priority.

 

[AntSou]

Why not both?

Realism in regards to proportions:
- in unit bodies (units have exaggerated features in Civ 6);
- in Leader bodies (there's no consistency in Civ 6, but generally, I agree with @fy00sh's comment. More Poundmaker, less Gandhi or Gilgamesh and for the love of God no Julius Caesars);
- in architecture (some buildings in Civ 6 have exaggerated curvatures, though it's a bit inconsistent);
- in flora, geological features and other natural elements.

All this accomplished in a graphical style that does not attempt to achieve photorealism.

 

[TheCleanerDragon]

I would like to see something less cartoony than Civ6 but definitely not as grungy and "realistic" as Civ5, so basically Civ4's style but more modern.

 

[Thormodr]

Yes, very fair point! Let's keep the nuclear weapons fun!

No need to be sarcastic if that was your intent.

I was perfectly serious about what I said.