I'm not that optimistic, nor do I think it's even desirable to incorporate all of them (zombies can stay unincorporated, thanks
), but if they wanted to incorporate Barbarian Clans, Corporations, and honestly even Secret Societies into the game better I won't say no. Maybe they could start by better incorporating things like Tourism and religion, though.
Yeah I'm about halfway on the issue myself. I feel like secret societies, apocalypse, zombies, heroes
should be toggleable mechanics. Extra nonsense you can sprinkle on, exactly as the devs described it.
But barbarians, corporations should not only be fully integrated in the game, but fleshed out about twice as much as they currently are. And I still think dramatic ages features some clear improvements on the mechanic that should be integrated into the R&F gameplay, which could maybe be split apart from dramatic ages itself.
I still get the overwhelming impression that these may have been loosely planned for a third expansion pack, but there were competing interests with all of these fantasy ideas and those ended up dominating the final release plan. I'm not unhappy with the idea of fantasy/sci-fi game modes at all; I'm just disappointed that they got all mixed up in some things that really should have been more fundamental additions.
Well I'm hoping they take the lessons from these modes (and other aspects of 6) and use it to make a better, tighter 7.
Eh, I love so much of VI from a roster choice, music, and art design perspective, that I don't want them to start all over. I would prefer they keep polishing VI and ultimately make it into what VII could be. They could even call the new product VII, I don't really care, but there has been so much care put into VI, it's always only a few patches from being CIV: Ultimate Edition that I don't want to dismiss it yet.
But to talk more specifically, I would love to see a system similar to secret societies replace or fuse with the religion system. I do think there are a lot of positive game ideas to be taken out of these modes. But that has always been an issue with 6 - a lot of interesting ideas, but doesn't add up into a cohesive strategy game whole.
Again, I'm okay with these DLC being "proving grounds" for ideas that will be polished out in later expansions/patches. Yes, things have been coming out really rough, but many major franchises have been leaning into the legacy, seasonal content model and VI is still in a really good position for it. Plus, I want to keep all these cinnamon rolls employed, even if it's just constantly retooling things.
Also, I'm still waiting on citizens to be able to have
no religion, Firaxis...just because they get deconverted doesn't mean they revert to tribal pantheons...secularism exists.