Highlights
- Civ 7's success hinges on well-designed civilizations, leaders, and mechanics working together seamlessly.
- Quality AI in Civ 7 will be crucial for a satisfying gameplay experience, as it will impact how the game feels overall.
- More advanced AI in Civ 7 could provide a significant challenge for skilled players, which is a must if the game is going to thrive long-term.
Civilization 7's gameplay is bound to have a lot of variables, but the quality of its AI could be its deciding factor. Since Civilization games are frequently large, players will be spending a lot of time playing against AI opponents, so having good AI is a pretty important part of the overall package. While other aspects of the gameplay will of course need to be well-designed, the AI will play a significant role in how it feels to play the game. A decent amount of Civilization 7's legacy could come down to how well the game knows its own rules.
There will be some serious competition for Civilization 7 when it comes out, so there is plenty of pressure to ensure that the game launches in a great state. The selection of civilizations and leaders will be paramount, since they're the biggest driving force of the game. Likewise, any new mechanics will need to work well together to ensure that the game both flows smoothly and offers plenty of strategic options for players. All of these work together to form the vital framework of the game. However, there is one part of the package that doesn't directly affect players, and that is the AI.
Civilization 7 Could Easily Be More Than a Grand Strategy Game
While the focus of Sid Meier's Civilization 7 should be on delivering a fantastic turn-based experience, Firaxis could take it to new heights.
And Upgrade to Civilization 7's AI Could Pay Big Dividends
Civilization 7's Difficulties Should Accommodate All Types of Players
Like most games, there are several difficulty settings in Civilization that are intended to appeal to players of all skill levels. The Settler difficulty is meant for players who are just learning the game, and need an easier challenge to avoid getting overwhelmed. On the other end is Deity, which is designed to provide players with the toughest challenge possible, featuring aggressive, powerful civs that are designed to give players a hard time. The game does admittedly get harder as the difficulty goes up. However, the difficulty rising alone does not mean that the game's AI is doing an impressive job.
Civilization AI Can Still IMprove In Several Ways
Even though there are a few solid examples of Civilization leaders with fierce AI, it's far from perfect. In general, the AI knows how the various leaders should aim to achieve victory. However, it's nowhere near as creative or adaptive as a human player, so skilled players will learn how to outmaneuver it. It should say something that a big part of what makes higher Civilization difficulties harder is the fact that they get additional bonuses more than their improved AI. Of course, a civ that starts with multiple settlers will have an advantage, but it's not the same as a tactically superior opponent.
Civilization 7's AI Could Be a Lot Smarter Than Past Games
More advanced AI could be a godsend for Civilization 7. While it might require an early access period for Civilization 7 in order to make sure that it's tweaked properly, it could make the game far more exciting. A more intelligent AI at higher difficulties could provide a much more welcome challenge for skilled players. If possible, the developers could even study high-level gameplay from past Civilization titles when writing Civilization 7's AI in order to teach it more strategic options. Not only would more advanced AI be a major innovation, but it could transform the way that higher-level games are played.
...a civ that starts with multiple settlers will have an advantage, but it's not the same as a tactically superior opponent.
Creating a more sophisticated AI for the computer-controlled civs would require an impressive endeavor. However, it could turn out to be the break in tradition that Civilization 7 needs. The lower difficulties should still use relatively simple AI to ease newer players into the game, but advanced AI for higher difficulties could add a lot of excitement for veteran players. Relying on skilled play rather than artificial advantages will make AI opponents much more satisfying to face off against, so ultimately, it is a revolution in AI that could help put Civilization 7 over the top.
Sid Meier's Civilization
The original Civilization release that started the long-running franchise. This 90s strategy game set the groundwork for many of the concepts and designs that the newest Civilization games are known for today.
