Civ fans, this is being written on the eve of the gameplay showcase. As a major fan of the series with nearly 3,000 hours in Civ 5 and 6, excitement might be an understatement of the feelings for Civ 7. With that excitement comes the anticipation of what will be new and what will be improved. It was tough, but here is a Civilization 7 wishlist of the top five improvements and additions that should be included.
[Related: Civ 7 Leader Roster – All Confirmed & Leaked Leaders]
Civilization 7 Wishlist
Before diving in, please understand that your specific wish for the new game may not be on this list. If you feel strongly that something major was missed, please comment below and let us know. Otherwise, let’s move on.
5. Bring Back/Add Advancing Portraits and Models of Leaders
All the way back in Civilization 4, your leaders’ models would progress with the times. While this wasn’t necessarily the most important feature, it did add a level of immersion that later games have lost. This isn’t to say that the models in Civ 5 and 6 have been bad—many players loved Civ 5’s models—but the idea of your leader evolving alongside your civilization is something that could be reintroduced to add an extra layer of flair to the game.
4. Improved Rivers
In Civ 6, rivers are named and cause issues for your units when crossing. Oh, and you can build a Water Mill. Other than that, rivers aren’t nearly as important as they are in real life.
Imagine being able to sneak upriver to avoid enemy units or to build your civilization around river trading instead of just relying on lakes, seas, and oceans. Not only would this be more realistic, but it would also add a new layer of strategic depth to the map. In a similar way that roads received an overhaul from Civ 5 to Civ 6—though some might argue it was a flawed change—rivers could use some attention too.
3. Adding Customized Civs or a “Make Your Own Civ” Option
This one might be more of a personal preference, but being able to customize your civilization more or even create your own from scratch would be an incredible addition to the game. Sure, modders will continue to add different leaders and even modes where you can play in various fictional universes.
However, as with many games, the ability to create your own character and truly make your civilization your own would be amazing. You could play as King George Washington, who seizes the power offered to him, and build your civilization with that narrative in mind. Or perhaps you could create a ruler who looks like you and makes decisions as you would.
While you can basically do this with the leaders already in the game, having the ability to customize your in-game model and choose your own abilities, units, and agendas would really make the game something special.
2. Improved Look of Cities and Districts
Districts were hit or miss for many people. Initially, they were a bit jarring and sometimes confusing. However, once players got used to them, many seemed to settle in and even like them. The issue is that they often feel disjointed, and they all look the same.
It would be great if some of these districts were implemented into the cities themselves. While some, like farms and industrial plants, should remain outside the city, entertainment districts and even some military institutions could be integrated within the cities.
In addition, the overall look and feel of cities need to be improved. They should feel grand while still fitting appropriately on the map. This is certainly not an easy task, and this isn’t a city builder, but giving the cities more life and personality would go a long way in bringing the game to life.
1B. Improved Diplomacy and Trade
Yes, the title says only five additions or improvements, but here we are—and most players will likely agree with both of these suggestions. Also, they are both related to improved AI, but this one is more specific.
Diplomacy and trading in Civ 6 were pretty lackluster. The options were limited, and getting AI leaders to agree to deals or understand your reasons for war was practically impossible. And don’t even get started on the trading mechanics, which were as tedious as anything else. Even mods could only do so much.
An overhaul of the diplomacy and trading mechanics in this game would be greatly appreciated. It would make gameplay much more enjoyable and give you a better sense of valuing certain resources and understanding how they would actually move in terms of timing.
1A. Improved AI
As mentioned earlier, this is the broader ask for better AI. Players don’t just want AI with stat and unit advantages, though that could be an option; they want AI that makes better decisions and more logical moves.
AI has come a long way in the decade since Civ 6 was developed. There’s no doubt that it should be vastly improved, thus enhancing the overall experience. Having a leader make decisions based on their personality or remember more than just aggression would help bring Civ 7 into the current era and set it apart in a significant way.
Overall, the AI must be better for Civ 7 to feel and play better than Civ 6. The developers can make other additions and improvements, but if the AI remains similar to Civ 6, it will undoubtedly be a disappointment for many players.
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