Highlights
- Civilization 7 should bring back the Shuffle map from Civilization 6 to create more unpredictable and exciting gameplay.
- The addition of districts and the threat of climate change in Civilization 6 had a significant impact on strategy and gameplay.
- The variety of map types in Civilization 6, particularly the Shuffle map, made the game more replayable and added unpredictability. Civilization 7 should improve upon this concept by randomizing other elements as well.
There is one options that Civilization 7 should bring back from Civilization 6 for the sake of more exciting matches in the future. While the Civilivation games regularly reinvent both units and game mechanics, there are a few things that get carried over from game to game. After all, every civilization that debuted in the first game has become a mainstay of the series. There's sure to be a few more reworked concepts once Civilization 7 comes out. At the same time, at least one feature from Civilization 6 deserves a return for the next entry.
There are many potential leaders that could return in Civilization 7, and they are all worth discussing. After all, the leaders and their civilizations make up the backbone of the game. However, there are many other aspects that should be debated as well. For example, the addition of districts warranted major changes to the game's strategy, and the threat of climate change and natural disasters in the Gathering Storm expansion had the potential to reshape the map. While it's unlikely that they all will return, some will get a second chance. Hopefully, the more interesting among Civilization 6's features will be the ones to return.
Civilization 7 Would Benefit From Civ 6's Shuffle Map Type
One important decision to make when starting a game in Civilization 6 is choosing a map. While the player's chosen civilization determines their likely strategy and method of victory, the map can shape the game in a major way. For example, there could be a map type primarily made up of islands, a player on a True Start Eart map could find themselves either surrounded from the start, or someone can have a continent all to themselves depending on their opponents. The variety of map types help to make Civilization 6 even more replayable, and that's particularly true in regard to the Shuffle map.
Shuffle is the most random map option in the game, as unlike using map seeds in Civilization 6, there's little way for players to prepare for what's in store. When Shuffle is chosen, the game will generate a map based on one of the other basic map types chosen at random. The resulting map could primarily consist of one large continent, or have a world spread out over small continents and large islands. Since it pulls from a variety of map types, players will likely not have an idea of the map for upwards of a hundred turns, adding a lot of unpredictability to the game.
Shuffle is already a fun map setting to play with, but a big step forward for Civilization 7 could be to improve Shuffle's random nature. In addition to randomizing the map type, other elements could follow suit. In particular, a more unpredictable environment could add to the appeal of Shuffle maps. Instead of always having tundra and snow at the top or bottom of the map, it could appear somewhere in the middle of a continent. Islands made of desert inhabited by cows could appear off the coasts of rainforests. Shuffle maps are already random, so Civilization 7 could make the most out of the concept.
Civilization 7 is still far away, so there's plenty of time to speculate on its features. While the list of things to hope for in Civilization 7 is long, the Shuffle map feels like it should be high on that list. It's the random map feature that feels essential, but it could be expanded into something greater. In a game with as heavy a strategic focus as Civilization, a little unpredictability can really test players' ability to improvise. For that reason, the Shuffle map should be a necessity for Civilization 7.