Civilization VII: Exploring the New Age Mechanic
The standout feature of Civilization VII is undoubtedly the Age mechanic, which segments the game into three distinct acts that reflect major historical periods. These ages are:
- Antiquity Age: The foundation of civilization where players build their early empires.
- Exploration Age: An exciting era of maritime adventures and the pursuit of new lands.
- Modern Age: The culmination of technological advancements and complex diplomatic relations.
This structured progression not only enriches gameplay by offering unique civilizations and mechanics for each age but also prompts players to strategize how to advance through these phases.
Understanding the Purpose of Ages in Civ VII
According to insights shared in a developer diary by Firaxis, the introduction of Ages serves to tackle three significant challenges:
- Mitigating players from gaining overwhelming advantages over their opponents.
- Streamlining micromanagement issues common in 4X strategy games.
- Creating equitable balance among the diverse civilizations available in each age.
Each age introduces unique units, buildings, and research opportunities, providing a rich gameplay experience. Once an age concludes, players have the chance to adopt a different culture and prepare their empire for the next phase of history.
Advancing Through an Age in Civilization VII
The duration of an Age in Civilization VII can vary but is typically estimated to last between 150 to 200 turns, which roughly corresponds to three to four hours of gameplay. Players can accelerate this timeline through various in-game actions.
Completing research tracks or quests associated with the Legacy Paths can facilitate a quicker transition between Ages. For instance, during the Antiquity Age, pursuing the Culture Legacy Path may involve constructing Wonders.Successful completion of these tasks rewards players with advantages applicable in the subsequent Age.
Players have the flexibility to engage with multiple Legacy Paths focusing on different objectives such as Culture, Military, Science, and Economics, allowing for varied playstyles and strategies throughout their progress.
The Transition: What Occurs at the End of an Age
As an Age nears its conclusion, players will encounter a Crisis that introduces a sense of urgency and tension. This aspect of gameplay not only provides new opportunities through Crisis Policies but also imposes certain challenges.
By this stage, it is likely that players have maximized one of their research trees, whether in Science or Civics. If this is the case, they can then move on to researching Future Tech, thus enabling a faster transition into the next Age.
Following the Age’s conclusion, players enter a reset phase where they can shift gears and approach the upcoming age with a fresh perspective. For a deeper understanding of transitions in Civilization VII, you can explore additional resources.
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