Three Ages. Behind the Scene

[Lonecat Nekophrodite]

Do you all have any behind the scenes concepts or discussions regarding to Three Ages concepts that being used here in this game ?

What and when did Firaxis intended each Ages to end?
and WHY Age of Exploration begins at 400 AD? (Around the time Western Roman Empire fell), what do Firaxis takes to define that exactly a millenium (and maybe additional Two Centuries) and covers the entirety of European Middle Ages well into Hundread Years War, and even Early 'Gunpowder Era' ? there are intensive 'exploration' activities ? did Crusades and Holy Grail Quests (as well as Dragonslaying Quests) counts amongs 'Exploration'? and did 'Exploration' activites included peoples from the ruined Roman Empire formed smaller kingdoms and even ventured North and East inland beyond what Roman Exploratores and Merchants did in the Imperial peak?

 

[stealth_nsk]

There are some hints here and where, but I think the idea is pretty clear:

1. Ages are based on gameplay features not particular timeframe. Exploration, for example, is based around access to distant lands and religion. There are some civilizations, which don't fit timeframe of their age, but fit their gameplay.
2. Thus dates are totally arbitrary and fall of Western Roman Empire is just as good starting point as any. This doesn't put any events happening afterwards automatically in exploration, see above. Khmer are a good example of civilization which is deep into Exploration if you count timeframe, but was put into Antiquity for gameplay reasons.
3. Another thing is that Civilization is alternative history with fantastic elements. Real-world history events don't transfer automatically to the game. So, for example, "peoples from the ruined Roman Empire formed smaller kingdoms and even ventured North and East inland beyond what Roman Exploratores and Merchants did in the Imperial peak" just don't exist in Civ7. On the other hand, Crusade is a religious belief in Civ7 and yes, it's in Exploration.

 

[Gori the Grey]

You should watch the opening of Paisley Tree's interview with Andrew Johnson. He confirms much of what @stealth_nsk says. He says there are certain kinds of things that certain polities tend to be doing in the (RL) antiquity period, and that if a particular RL polity did those things at a different RL time period than RL antiquity, the game still treats them as an "antiquity" civ. It's a vibe, in other words, rather than any strict chronological schema. The "exploration" vibe we most strongly associate with the European "voyages of discovery" to the "new world," and so that is where they put it in their threefold timeline.

Then, as stealth also partly suggests, these became defined as much by the game-activities that the game gives you to do in those phases as by anything having to do with RL chronology. Go explore a new portion of the globe. Go establish new colonies. Go import new luxuries.

 

[Lonecat Nekophrodite]

You should watch the opening of Paisley Tree's interview with Andrew Johnson. He confirms much of what @stealth_nsk says. He says there are certain kinds of things that certain polities tend to be doing in the (RL) antiquity period, and that if a particular RL polity did those things at a different RL time period than RL antiquity, the game still treats them as an "antiquity" civ. It's a vibe, in other words, rather than any strict chronological schema. The "exploration" vibe we most strongly associate with the European "voyages of discovery" to the "new world," and so that is where they put it in their threefold timeline.

Do you have a link regarding to design discussions and WIP regarding to Three Ages model and even how to name it, or even an in team heated debate whether to use 'Middle Ages' (as per 'Three Ages' original History Model) or 'Exploration Age' (With Carracks and Caravels can be made before 1000 AD!!!!! i've did this in every play).

And Civ7 'Modern' age began in 1750. well 'Modern' as standard history begins at 1500 (with gunpowder weapons proliferations).

 

[Sagax]

Do you have a link regarding to design discussions and WIP regarding to Three Ages model and even how to name it, or even an in team heated debate whether to use 'Middle Ages' (as per 'Three Ages' original History Model) or 'Exploration Age' (With Carracks and Caravels can be made before 1000 AD!!!!! i've did this in every play).

Nothing directly addressing your question. The best peek into the team’s rationale was Andrew’s comment explaining why they put Khmer in Antiquity:

https://forums.civfanatics.com/thre...-civilization-discussion.692335/post-16685354

You could also go to his profile and dig through previous posts to find relevant information.