Civilization VII: Interview with Dennis Shirk gamescom 2024

Summary

In this Gamescom 2024 interview, Dennis Sher, executive producer at Fexus, discusses the development of the new Civilization game. He highlights the game's innovative features, such as evolving civilizations and the ability to select leaders independently from civilizations. Sher also addresses the game's simultaneous release on all platforms, the introduction of verticality and navigable rivers, and the enhanced UI scalability. Additionally, he talks about the integrated tutorial and crisis system, designed to challenge players and keep the game engaging.

Takeaways

• 🎮 Dennis Sher, the executive producer at Fexus, has been with the company for 19 years and has played a pivotal role in the development of Civilization games.
• 🌟 The new Civilization game aims to break the predictable pattern of previous versions by introducing new concepts and changes, keeping the core game loop intact.
• 🛠️ Sher acts as Ed Beach's right-hand man, ensuring that the development team has all the necessary resources to complete the game.
• 📈 The game has been in development since just before the pandemic and is described as the biggest release in the Civilization series in terms of scale.
• 🗣️ Players are beginning to understand the new mechanics of civilization evolution and merging cultures, as opposed to a binary switch between civilizations.
• 🔄 A new feature allows players to select leaders independently from civilizations, although there is only one leader per playthrough.
• 🏛️ The game includes historical recommendations for civilization and leader pairings to enhance role-playing experiences.
• 🌐 The game world becomes larger as players progress through the ages, simulating the historical discovery of new lands and civilizations.
• 🎉 The game is released on all platforms simultaneously, which required the development team to optimize the game for a wide range of hardware capabilities.
• 📊 The game introduces a crisis system at the end of each age, challenging players to manage unexpected events that can affect their civilization.
• 🖥️ The UI has been improved to be scalable, ensuring that important information is displayed without cluttering the game's beautiful maps.

Q & A

What is Dennis Sher's role at Fexus in the development of the new Civilization game?

Dennis Sher is the executive producer at Fexus and has been with the company for 19 years, working on Civilization games for almost the entire time. He is Ed Beach's right-hand man, ensuring that the team has everything they need to complete the game, acting as a facilitator for the production process and removing any roadblocks.

What was Ed Beach's vision for Civilization 7 compared to previous iterations?

Ed Beach wanted to introduce a new concept that would be unpredictable for the fans, unlike Civ 4, 5, and 6 which were iterative. He aimed to keep the same foundation and core game loop but change the approach to surprise and engage the players.

How does the new Civilization game handle the evolution and merging of civilizations?

The game allows civilizations to evolve and merge based on the player's actions and how their people are changing. It's not a binary switch but a cultural merging, which is a new way of experiencing civilization progression.

Can players select leaders independently from civilizations in Civilization 7?

Yes, players can select leaders independently from civilizations, but there are historical recommendations to guide players who prefer role-playing. However, each player can only have one leader throughout the game.

What is the significance of the Peabody library in Baltimore in the context of the game?

The Peabody library in Baltimore was used as a shooting location for the game's promotional material due to its stunning appearance, as suggested by the art director Jason Johnson.

What is Dennis Sher's favorite civilization and leader combination in Civilization 7?

Dennis Sher's favorite combination in Civilization 7 is Hatshepsut with Egypt, as he enjoys playing as a culture builder.

How does the game's length compare to previous Civilization games?

The length of a Civilization 7 game is similar to that of Civilization 6, with each age having a cap on the number of turns, such as 200 turns for the Antiquity age.

What is the maximum number of players supported in Civilization 7, and does it vary with the game's ages?

The maximum number of players in Civilization 7 varies not only between platforms but also between ages of the game. The number of players can increase as the game progresses and new civilizations are discovered.

How does the simultaneous release on all platforms affect the game's development?

The simultaneous release on all platforms required the development team to ensure high-quality graphics and performance across all platforms, including the less powerful ones like the Nintendo Switch. This influenced the game's art asset creation and engine capabilities.

What new features have been added to the map generation in Civilization 7?

Civilization 7 introduces verticality to the map with sea cliffs and navigable rivers that flow downhill, adding strategic depth to movement and military positioning.

Are there plans to release a demo of Civilization 7 after Gamescom?

As of the interview, there were no confirmed plans to release a demo of Civilization 7 after Gamescom.

How does Civilization 7 handle the display of information without cluttering the game's maps?

Civilization 7 features a scalable UI that allows players to adjust the size and visibility of the interface elements to their preference, ensuring the game's maps remain uncluttered.

What improvements have been made in Civilization 7 to assist new or casual players?

Civilization 7 integrates an interactive tutorial into the game and allows advisers to interact with the UI to guide players. It also introduces natural breaking points with the age system to help new players manage the game's complexity.

What is the Crisis System in Civilization 7, and how does it affect gameplay?

The Crisis System in Civilization 7 is a feature where, at the end of each age, players must deal with crisis policy cards that can lead to worldwide catastrophes if not managed properly. This system adds an extra layer of strategy and preparation for players.

Outlines

00:00

🎮 Development Insights on Civilization 7

Dennis Sher, the executive producer at Fexus, discusses his role in developing Civilization 7. He has been with the company for 19 years and has been pivotal in the game's evolution. The new game aims to surprise long-time fans by changing the predictable pattern of previous installments. Sher's role is to facilitate the production team, ensuring the game's development progresses smoothly. The game has been in development since before the pandemic and is now the biggest release for the franchise. The interview also touches on the game's new features, such as the ability to evolve civilizations and select leaders independently, and the excitement within the team to see players' reactions and discussions.

05:01

🌟 Exploring New Combinations in Civilization 7

The conversation continues with Dennis Sher elaborating on the new mechanics that allow players to combine different civilizations and leaders, offering a fresh experience. Historical recommendations guide player choices, but the game encourages experimentation. Sher shares his personal favorite combinations and the strategic depth they offer. The discussion also covers the game's setting, with the Peabody library in Baltimore serving as a backdrop for promotional materials. Additionally, the interview delves into the game's pacing, player count variations, and the design philosophy behind the game's ages system, which aims to keep the decision-making engaging throughout.

10:02

🌐 Simultaneous Release Strategy and Map Design

Dennis Sher talks about the decision to release Civilization 7 on all platforms simultaneously, which influenced the game's development. The team had to ensure high-quality graphics and performance across all platforms, from PC to Switch. The game's map design is highlighted, with the introduction of sea cliffs and verticality to enhance strategic gameplay. The interview also addresses the game's scalability in terms of player count and the importance of exploration and discovery, reflecting historical realities. Sher emphasizes the game's accessibility, with adjustable UI elements to cater to both new and experienced players.

15:03

📚 Tutorial Integration and Crisis System in Civilization 7

The final part of the interview focuses on the game's tutorial and user interface design, which have been integrated and improved for better accessibility. The new crisis system adds an element of unpredictability, challenging players to prepare for and manage age-ending crises. Sher explains how these crises can disrupt gameplay and require strategic planning. The interview concludes with a look at some of the game's unseen features, such as the crisis system, which adds depth and replayability to the Civilization experience.

Keywords

💡Fexus

Fexus is the game development studio behind the Civilization game series. In the script, Dennis Sher is identified as an executive producer at Fexus, which indicates his role in overseeing the development of the new Civilization game. The studio's focus on innovation and player experience is evident in their approach to game design, as they aim to surprise and engage their audience.

💡Civilization 7

Civilization 7 is the latest installment in the Civilization series, a turn-based strategy game where players build and manage their own civilization throughout the ages. The script discusses the development of this game, highlighting new features and changes from previous versions, such as the ability to evolve civilizations and select leaders independently.

💡Ed Beach

Ed Beach is mentioned as a key figure in the development of Civilization 7. He is credited with introducing a new concept to the game, aiming to surprise and engage long-time fans of the series by breaking away from the predictable patterns of previous games. His influence is seen in the game's innovative mechanics and the emphasis on cultural evolution.

💡Game Loop

The core game loop refers to the repeating sequence of actions that players perform in a game. In the context of the script, it is mentioned that while Civilization 7 introduces new concepts, it maintains the foundational game loop that fans are familiar with, ensuring a balance between innovation and familiarity.

💡Production Team

The production team is responsible for the logistical aspects of game development, ensuring that the development process runs smoothly. Dennis Sher describes his role as Ed's right-hand man, making sure the team has the resources and support needed to complete the game, which is crucial for the successful creation of a complex game like Civilization 7.

💡Cultural Evolution

Cultural evolution in the game refers to the merging of different cultures as players progress through the game. This concept is a significant departure from previous games, where civilizations were static. The script explains how players can start as one civilization and merge with others, reflecting the dynamic nature of cultures in history.

💡Leaders and Civilizations

The script discusses the new feature that allows players to select leaders independently from civilizations. This adds a layer of strategy and customization to the game, as players can now choose a leader that best fits their playstyle, regardless of the civilization they are playing.

💡Historical Recommendations

Historical recommendations guide players towards choosing civilizations and leaders that are historically accurate or thematically fitting. The script mentions that while players have the freedom to choose any combination, the game suggests certain pairings for a more authentic historical experience.

💡Ages in the Game

The concept of 'ages' in Civilization 7 is a new mechanic that structures the game into distinct periods, each with its own set of challenges and decisions. The script explains how this mechanic helps maintain a consistent decision space for players, keeping the game engaging and strategic throughout.

💡Multiplayer Experience

The script touches on the multiplayer aspect of Civilization 7, highlighting how the game has been designed to accommodate shorter play sessions. Players can choose to play through a single age, allowing for quicker matches and a more accessible multiplayer experience.

💡Simultaneous Release

The decision to release Civilization 7 on all platforms simultaneously is mentioned in the script. This approach required the development team to ensure that the game performs well across different platforms, from high-end PCs to the Nintendo Switch, which influenced the game's design and optimization.

💡UI Scalability

UI scalability refers to the ability of the game's user interface to adapt to different screen sizes and resolutions. The script discusses how the game's UI has been designed to scale, ensuring that it does not obstruct the game's visuals while still providing necessary information to the player.

💡Onboarding and Accessibility

Onboarding and accessibility features are crucial for introducing new players to the game and making it more inclusive. The script explains how Civilization 7 integrates tutorials and adviser interactions to guide players, making the complex strategy game more approachable.

💡Crisis System

The crisis system is a new feature in Civilization 7 that introduces challenges or crises at the end of each age. This mechanic adds an element of unpredictability and requires players to adapt their strategies, as discussed in the script, enhancing the game's depth and replayability.

Highlights

Dennis Sher, executive producer at Fexus, discusses his role in developing the new Civilization game.

Ed Beach, lead designer, introduced a new concept for Civilization 7 to surprise fans and break the predictability of previous iterations.

Sher's role is to ensure the production team has everything needed to progress the game's development.

The game has been in development since just before the pandemic, marking a significant effort for the team.

Civilization 7 is expected to be the biggest release in the franchise's history.

Players are excitedly hypothesizing about the game, with discussions focusing on the separation of leaders and civilizations.

The game allows for civilizations to evolve and change, not just switch between binary options.

Players can select leaders independently from civilizations, with historical recommendations to guide choices.

The game introduces a new system where players can experience different historical possibilities.

The Peabody library in Baltimore was used as a shooting location due to its impressive appearance.

Sher's favorite leader combination in Civilization 7 is Hatshepsut with Egypt, reflecting his playstyle as a builder and culture player.

The average length of a Civilization 7 game is similar to that of Civilization 6, with each age having a cap on turns.

The game introduces 'ages' to keep the decision space interesting and avoid the late-game bloat of previous titles.

Multiplayer games can now be limited to a single age, allowing for shorter play sessions.

The maximum number of players varies between platforms and ages, reflecting the historical accuracy of the game world.

Civilization 7 is released on all platforms simultaneously, a first for the series, impacting the development process.

The game includes new map features like sea cliffs and verticality to add strategic depth.

Rivers in the game now have navigable sections, influencing military and trade strategies.

The game's UI is scalable to avoid cluttering the map and to accommodate different player preferences.

Onboarding and accessibility have been improved, with an integrated tutorial and dynamic adviser interactions.

The game introduces a Crisis System where players must manage age-ending challenges.

Transcripts

[Music]

so we're here at Gamescom 2024 with

Dennis Sher executive producer at fexus

for the new civilization game thank you

so much for being here with me maybe you

can start by telling us a little bit

about your role in the development of

the game sure um I've been at fraxis for

19 years working on Civilization games

almost the entire time nice and on uh Ed

came to us at the beginning of

civilization 7 this is when he was

working on the Prototype before the

pandemic started and uh said I've Got a

New Concept he had always talked about

that um Civ four five and six were all

iterative and he wanted to try something

new because our fans always were able to

predict exactly what we're going to do

with every civilization being the order

that the content came out the systems

that were going to be in the game and he

wanted to turn that on its head a little

bit still keeping the same foundation

and that core game Loop but turn on its

head so um I'm basically Ed's right-hand

man when it comes to making sure that

his team has everything they need to get

the game done so the production team

just exists to grease the wheels of

production and make sure that that

everything is progressing forward

removing the roadblocks the whole nine

yards so um yeah we've uh we've been at

this since just before the pandemic and

um it's been exciting it's it's been a

lift because it was a we made a very

very big game it's probably our biggest

release that now I'm pretty sure it's

our biggest release that we've ever done

in terms of a civilization game and uh

really excited to actually be here

showing it to everybody 's in the Next

Room doing interviews now and

um yeah we can't wait for our fans to

actually try it yeah there's a lot of

like just conjecture and hypothesizing

online we love reading that when we go

back to our rooms at night we're like

looking at all the debates going on or

trying to imagine how things are working

super exciting so our play predicting

something already that wasn't actually

shown in the gameplay showcase but that

is actually true oh yeah some stuff

they're actually like figuring out like

what the biggest conversation going on

right now is the separation of leaders

and civs and how you change

civilizations yes and players are

starting to understand that it's it's

not at first when we first announced it

they were like what do you mean you're

just changing civilizations now I'm this

now I'm that and they're starting as

they see more and more of the Articles

and the streamers coming out that it's

not a binary switch it's cultures

merging with each other so now you start

as Egypt and now you've merged with

something else based on the way that

you're playing the game and based on the

way that your people are changing we

talk about it like uh Rome and the way

that there are Roman seeds throughout

the world particularly in Europe woven

into everybody's people everybody has a

little bit throughout their history can

trace it back and find something that

originated back in history that ties

back to Rome and in a lot of places of

the world and that's how he approached

making this game so we see players

starting to Dawn that okay I'm starting

to see what they're thinking here here

but I really have to play it I really

have to see what that feels like and

we're in the same boat we want them to

play it and want them to see what it

feels like so yeah awesome you mentioned

that actually compared to the

predecessors that civilizations can

evolve um and can change one other

feature that was also announced is that

you can now select leaders independently

from civilizations so are there any

limitations except for uh for the

resources and the uh objectives that you

have to fulfill to select leaders so

there's you only have one leader

throughout the game you pick a leader

the AI leaders only have the same leader

throughout the game because that's who

you have the relationship with that's

who you love and hate when you in C six

you start next to manzuma you know

that's going to be a problem the whole

game because he's really aggressive and

that's who you love hate the whole way

through the game it's the same thing

with seven so you have a common foe

that's how you identify each other the

um the limitations that come into place

there's not really limitations starting

out so if I'm chit I can PI from

Antiquity any arange that I want because

we want to give players the idea of role

different historical possibilities

however the game has historical

recommendations when you come in so in

other words if you come in you select

hup suit when it comes to selecting a

civilization you're going to see her

portrait on two of them it says Egypt is

obviously a historical recommendation so

if you're a role player like me I'm

probably going to take Egypt that's

actually my favorite combination when

I'm at the studio not playing a

restricted build I still play hups at

Egypt because I'm a culture Builder and

the Synergy that you have in a

historical pairing is really good nice

um another one example is the other

historical uh in this case geographical

link is AUM because they're just a

little bit further down the Red Sea so

it says well technically you can play as

Egypt but you know let's see if you can

play with this too so that's not a limit

though that's a suggestion to the player

they can try it as some other

combination if they won maybe they've

exhausted playing hat upsuit Egypt after

their you know 10th playr and they're

going to a different combination you

know what I mean um Carl recommended to

me the other day you know you've got

Augustus and you've got you know Rome

but he said you should try Ben Franklin

Rome it's a really powerful combination

so if you're a hardcore player not as

much of a role player but you're looking

at how the Synergy of numbers how the

math comes together the Franklin ability

combined with Rome he said is a lot of

fun and I'm like all right I'll have to

try that um just to see what happens so

it just depends what kind of game a

player wants to play okay so they have

kind of broadening the uh

different types of gameplay that you

allow

okay one other question I that I just

have to ask so in the gameplay showcase

uh we saw this huge library is that

actually part of your office or is that

somewhere outside that would be the most

amazing office ever now that's the

Peabody library in Baltimore um we were

looking for a place to to shoot that and

our art director Jason Johnson suggested

it because he said it's the most amazing

looking Library yeah uh in the area and

um when we saw pictures of it were like

okay yeah that's the place we need to

shoot this yeah it's it's local to us

okay really amazing place to visit yeah

yeah cool you already mentioned this a

little bit but uh yeah a bit of a

personal question maybe uh so what is

your favorite leader in any civilization

game

um right now it actually is still

playing that Hut suit combination in

Civilization 7 my jam in Civilization 6

has been chinchi Wang in China okay um

because I'm a builder and I'm a Wonder

guy I'm a culture player um that was

naturally suited as an AI player they

want all the Wonders as a piece as a

person as a as a human player you want

all the Wonders and he's particularly

Adept at doing that so that's my

favorite play uh games of six if you ask

me to go the whole way back to Civ

5 these all start munging together in my

head I would probably be sitting on Rome

because still good at building yeah

still good at Waring um they have

cultural Pathways with all the roads

they can build if I remembering right I

apologize to the fans if I'm crossing

wires here but after you work on cives

for so many years you start to get your

wires crossed yeah I can imagine but

chinchi hang is burned into my head

because I played so many games as

chinchi Wong in Civilization 6

so yeah what would you say is like the

average length of a civilization 7 round

uh is it similar to previous games and

are there different modes and uh turn

limits um compared to the other games

it's similar in length to civ6 for the

whole campaign all three ages yeah um

each age caps out like Antiquity the

what we just showed you it caps out at

200 turns if nobody's doing anything

right it will go a little bit faster if

people are big accomplishments cuz that

makes the timer go just a little bit

faster for the end of the age but

generally it's about the same length the

cool thing about ages and it's one of

the reasons that Ed decided to go with

an age situation if you remember in civ6

the decision space just gets wider and

wider and wider in a triangle and that

doesn't mean that all the decisions are

interesting so by the late game in C6

you're doing a lot of just like clicking

and benign interesting un interesting

decisions so ages allow us to keep the

decision space about the same because we

have we take some systems out we add

some systems in with each age and we

want to keep the decision space about

the same in each age except there's new

and interesting decisions each time so

like Discovery we feel that in Civ six

as you get to the middle and E game

discover is no longer is interesting in

this one Antiquity you're discovering

your continent in Exploration we unlock

the oceans and you discover other

continents and then modern it's a

different experience so we always want

those decision spaces to be cool

multiplayer

we feel we've opened up because not

everybody has eight hours to play a

multiplayer game inste six um so now you

can play just an age if you want to play

just a modern age experience in

multiplayer you can do that and have a

game wrapped up in anywhere like an hour

and a half to three hours or so playing

on that online speed so you can have

Micro experiences in just playing age

play and multiplayer so that's a a

really cool side effect of that nice one

piece of information that really stuck

with me was that the maximum number of

players uh not only uh differs between

platforms but also between ages I you

already mentioned that um yeah you can

only you can also only play one age if

you want to instead of the whole

campaign y as so was the thought process

maybe also technical limitations between

that kind of led to this de decision

sure um Ed wanted to simulate what the

real world was like at the time um the

new world was undiscovered until the

exploration age that kind of thing and

um there's already going to be civs when

you discover it cuz they get added into

the game they're they're actually

playing the game in the background but

you can't interact with them until you

actually find the common exploration for

example um so when we start I believe

we're supporting eight or 10 I'd have to

clarify that with head I don't remember

off the top of my head because I usually

don't play big games I'm a smaller game

guy that's how I play but um the world

gets bigger you meet more civilizations

as you go through the game and you play

that way so um there's not really any

limitations to that other than map setup

this is a this is an important point

because of the way the game works and

because of the way the oceans are locked

the only thing that we don't have in Civ

6 right now unless you do it in a single

age is the concept of penia yeah because

we want the exploration to go out the

the the idea of finding the new world is

very important to us and and important

to Ed so there always has to be those

core two areas on the map for you to

find you can have you know scattered

Islands you can have different kind of

shapes and really cool stuff but there's

always got to be at least two so there

is some differences there in terms of

how the game

progresses one other thing that is new

uh this time is that you actually

release the game on all platform

simultaneously yes um so how did that

change the development process of the

game it it changes it quite a bit

because before uh when you're dealing

with PC the sky the limit right um this

is the first time that as a team we had

to create you know 1 billion lods levels

of detail on all of our art assets

because we knew that the game also had

to play well on switch you know what I

mean you have to go the whole way down

that rabbit hole to make sure everything

works everywhere so it has changed to

that that hasn't changed the top uh you

can see that in the game we've gone as

high as we can on PC it just changes our

preparation for making sure that we can

go in the other direction our Graphics

team was actually really excited about

this because it gave them the

opportunity and challenge them to create

renders on every single platform because

ctech is a custom engine we're not using

Unreal or something like that we're

using our own Tech so it allowed them to

really dive in and expand what the

engine can actually do so they're

excited about that I also narrated some

uh kind of radicality yeah in the

trailer y the first question was can you

confirm this yeah we uh we introduced

just the uh the concept of sea cliffs

six and we like what that did because it

it created some interesting movement

puzzles and in seven we wanted to

simulate a little more Rivers always

have to flow outward or flow downhill so

we added verticality to the map so that

we can also have a little bit more of

those strategic points that you have to

worry about moving your armies around

Inland as well so you actually have that

where River where where when we do map

generation it's not just this flat

abstract of where rivers go they all

flow downhill we have navigable Rivers

now so we have to actually calculate

that because navigable early nearer the

coast and then they become normal Rivers

further up um so that was all heavily

thought into what we were doing for M

generation though yeah I love that cuz

like rivers are really important history

right and especially now that you're

navigable you bring boats up not just uh

embarking you're actually going to be

able to bring fighting ships up so if

you're looking to penetrate deeper into

a continent and you have support ships

that are coming up it's very cool

awesome do you plan to release a demo

maybe the same one that is showing here

at Gamescom um after Gamescom as well I

don't think we're talking about that yet

okay yeah so civilization is a very

information heavy game so how do you

manage to um keep all of the important

information on the stream without

burying these beautiful stunning Maps

under it um UI was a big lift for us

this time uh we have scalable UI in the

game uh this time before we only had

limited scalling in six for example um

because we have to think through how

console controllers work we have to keep

that in mind that doesn't limit what the

PC has we still have tool tips

everywhere on the map um but at the same

token we only want the UI to be shown

that needs to be shown on the map so

we're not crowding in the the screen at

all times of lots of UI we want to make

sure that that world is there for you to

see so you can scale the UI out and the

tech size out as much as you want as

your tolerance level allows um I wasn't

sure if you got a chance to play the

demo yet not yet but it's all running in

4k so the world is amazing the UI is set

to small text to large so that it keeps

it out of the way you can enjoy the

world it's basically whatever your

tolerance as a player is if you want to

be screen filling and like that that

switch experience where the UI is there

and actually readable you can do that if

you want to push it out of the way you

can do that too okay civilization is a

long game and it's for some new players

it might be a little difficult getting

into it yeah so did that change um

somehow in Civilization 7 are there any

like onboarding things going on

accessibility and onboarding ing was a

huge uh lift for this we uh we did a

version of it in six we had like a

separate tutorial plus we had some

advisers the advisers didn't know how to

communicate directly with the UI in game

so it couldn't point you at buttons or

anything in six so we had limitations we

also found out through Telemetry that

very few people played the Standalone

tutorial because nobody wants to play a

tutorial they want to play the game so

this time around we integrated the

tutorial dynamically into the game

itself and we wrote a system where the

advisers and the UI interact together

and point to this and do this and click

that so we did a big lift for that um so

so far that's been working really great

in terms of handholding yeah the uh the

other nice thing is we have some natural

breaking points um because ages and the

way they're set up they have breathers

so you have a little bit of a shorter

span you don't just have to play blindly

Until you realize oh I lost you know you

have no idea if you're doing well we're

communicating to the player how to do

well if they're doing well and if you

don't care you can ignore it and then

you get to an age at the end of an age

you have a natural breaking point take a

breath regroup come back and go for the

next push so

um it's always critical in a Civ game

that we allow players that are new or

casuals or emotional players to stay up

here not interact with all the complex

death down here they can stay up here

they can build Warriors they can go hit

somebody with sticks until they win or

they lose we want to make sure that's

simple and accessible but when they're

ready all of this depth lives down here

for to Super what they're doing so they

different kinds of lers awesome yeah I

have one last question are there any

other specific features that maybe

weren't shown in the gameplay showcase

that you want to talk

about the CIS system was not shown in

the green play showcase when this went

in earlier this year it was my favorite

thing and I don't know why because it's

a little punishing but it's there for on

a purpose it was Ed's last piece that he

had added to the game ated Beach um

we're modeling as an example Rome you

know the pancake of Rome Rome grows gets

huge new technologies you know

philosophy Golden Age internal crisis um

it can be corruption it can be economic

plague um Barbarians at the gates in

Rome's case split it scattered it to the

wind and um he wanted to model a crisis

system for each age in the game each age

that you're going through is going to

culminate everybody's doing well the a

is doing their thing you're doing your

thing but at the end of the age when

that age ticket ticker ticks down

towards the end those last few turns the

game's going to ask you to slot in a

crisis policy card you have to yeah and

these policy cards represent all

different play Styles usually the first

one is the one that players don't care

about I'm not playing an economic game

so I'm going to take the gold hit and do

that you know minus this much gold for

every city state in your suinos but then

a few turns after that it's going to say

well now you have to do a second one a

few turns after that it's ramping up now

you have to do a third one so you put

that in two off to the side of that is a

worldwide catastrophe that's going to

happen in this case and as an example in

Antiquity Rome's case yeah you're going

to have hostile independent PO is

spawning in the empty space and lashing

out of whoever's closest to them so if

you're not prepared for that if you're

playing a culture game and ignored

military completely you might lose a

couple cities before the age transition

actually happens and you finally get to

breathe having gotten through the crisis

so you always have to be aware of that

as a player that as as you're watching

the age counter turn down that towards

the end of age this is going to happen

and you might have to repare and fortify

for that the first time I played through

it it was a surprise cuz I had read the

design documents but until you play it

and feel it you're like this is really

cool cuz you actually have to be

prepared you and your enemies are

suddenly distracted by something else

you can't just be fighting each other

there's other things that are now

happening so that's a really nice

culmination of the age and like bringing

it all together yes okay perfect well

thank you so much for answering my

questions today absolutely and yeah have

a lot of the games come awesome you too

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