Frankly, it’s about time someone took the expansionist nations of Sid Meier’s Civilization VI down a peg. This month’s free update for the hegaxonal society generator adds the Pirates multiplayer scenario, daring you to wear in those sea legs by becoming the most feared fleet commander on the high seas. Plunder trade routes, inspire fear, flee the forces of burgeoning imperial powers… hang on, Sid, haven’t we been here before?
Gather ’round and take a seat, Steam have now kicked off their first Digital Tabletop Fest, an event of panels, announcements, and demos for games that “run across the lines between digital and physical games”. From now until next Monday you can catch panels from the likes of developers adapting tabletop RPGs, building digital deck-builders, and other such table to screen fare.
“Just one more turn.” For all that the phrase is most commonly attributed to the Civilization franchise, I’ve never really experienced that feeling with the games. Whenever I’ve wanted to pack the game in and continue another day, I’m able to do so. If the phrase were instead “Just one more game,” then that would much more accurately capture the influence Civilization VI in particular exerts over me. I’ve probably played through as many early-games in Civ VI as I’ve played turns in any single game of Civ. I’m utterly and eternally in love with those first few dozen turns.
Sid Meier, that legendary game dev whose name sits before the names of Civilization games, had a lovely chat with our very own Nate Crowley this weekend, as part of PAX Online X EGX Digital. The pair talked all about some of the most notable parts of Meier’s career – including, Railroad Tycoon, Pirates!, and Civilization – as well as chat about his upcoming book, Sid Meier’s Memoir!: A Life In Computer Games. And thanks to computers, you can watch their whole chat in full below.