Update: They actually released it early—enjoy! See the bottom for any extra info.
Aspyr Media have confirmed to us today that Sid Meier's Civilization VI: Rise and Fall [Steam] expansion will officially add Linux support tomorrow.
Released for Windows back in February, there's been a bit of a gap in getting this hefty expansion supported on Linux. As always though, Aspyr Media haven't let us down and it's finally coming! Get ready to keep telling yourself "just one more turn!", to realize it's 4am and you have to be up at 7am—which has happened to me.
Direct Link
So what does this new expansion include? Here's the rundown:
GREAT AGES: As your civilization ebbs and flows, and you reach milestone Historic Moments, you will experience Dark Ages or Golden Ages, each providing specific challenges or bonuses based on your actions in-game. Rise triumphantly from a Dark Age, and your next Golden Age will be even stronger – a Heroic Age.
LOYALTY: Cities now have individual Loyalty to your leadership – let it fall too low, and face the potential to lose your city to its own independence. One civilization’s loss can be your gain as you inspire Loyalty among Free Cities throughout the map and further expand your borders.
GOVERNORS: Recruit, appoint, and upgrade powerful characters with unique specialization bonuses and promotion trees to customize your cities, and reinforce Loyalty.
ENHANCED ALLIANCES: An enhanced alliances system allows players to form different types of alliances and build bonuses over time.
EMERGENCIES: When a civilization grows too powerful, other civilizations can join a pact against the threatening civilization and earn rewards, or penalties, when the Emergency ends.
TIMELINE: Review your civilization’s history at any time with the new Timeline feature, a visual journey through the Historic Moments that you encountered on your path to victory.
NEW LEADERS AND CIVS: Nine leaders and eight new civilizations are introduced. Each brings unique bonuses and gameplay, as well as a total of eight unique units, two unique buildings, four unique improvements, and two unique districts.
NEW GLOBAL CONTENT: Eight new world wonders, seven natural wonders, four new units, two new tile improvements, two new districts, fourteen new buildings, and three new resources have been added.
IMPROVED GAMEPLAY SYSTEMS: The Government system has been enhanced with new Policies and additional improvements have been made to existing systems.
It's really great that Aspyr Media continue to bring out Linux games and keep them updated, hopefully we will see more from them in future.
We've asked for some additional information on what's happening in regards to cross-platform multiplayer and how up to date the release will be with patches, will update the article when we hear back.
Update: Firstly, it's not up to date yet patch wise. It's using the February patch, not the March patch. So we're still a little behind here in terms of bug fixes, UI updates and balance updates.
In regards to getting an update on cross-platform multiplayer, it seems they didn't quite understand my question since they told me it was between Mac and Linux, which we already knew. I've asked them to further clarify the progress on getting multiplayer working with Windows.
Update #2: Here's what they said about cross-platform multiplayer—"No update at this time on Windows cross-platform."
BTRE will also be doing a review of the expansion now it's on Linux, once he's had enough time. With thanks to Aspyr for providing his key.
Looking forward to this! Wonder if we'll see a sale tomorrow...
Quoting: liamdaweLooks like it may have been pushed early, as it now has a SteamOS icon.This is terrible news! How dare they release it early! Who do they think they are huh?
Releasing early is a disgrace to Linux users worldwide! We need it released on release dates, not early!
/kidding of course.
In contrast to even Civ 5, the UI is horrible (mostly just wasted space, just look at the diplomacy screen), the AI is horrible, too (even on harder difficulties the AI doesn't seem to know what it is doing) and the graphics just look like mobile-for-kids.
Hell, I was playing on ... what was it? Immortal? ... and by mid-game I was at the top and just started clicking next turn and do only what advisors suggested - still ended up winning. The game basically played itself.
The whole game seems to be aiming to be a "baby's first 4X".
Maybe it would be some fun online with friends, but playing solo I felt totally underwhelmed, uninstalled and just moved back to play Endless Space 2 and Stellaris.
Quoting: GuestCiv6 graphics are worse than Civ5 or just bad graphics? Let's take a look.Looks fine, you can make out everything for what it is, even without knowing the game.
Quoting: GuestHere I'm completely incapable of telling what is what without knowing the game.
What in that screen is a forest? What is just a bunch of trees? Is that a burning farm or some mudlands?
Where is one tile ending and another one beginning? Is that one cavalry unit or two or four?
Everything just has its saturation turned up to 11. That is the opposite of contrast. Making everything bright and colorful as hell does not improve anything.
Quoting: Guestbut people wanted a Gears of War palette like Civ5, so realistic and mature, well, i'm playing a videogame where George Washington is leading an army of archers and iron sword warriors, that's realism for you.You know your argument completely falls apart if you're trying to somehow tie graphical design quality, art style and readability together with setting realism.
Quoting: GuestAbout wasted space on UI, there are mods for that.That's all fine and dandy, but doesn't change the fact that the base game has terrible UI design.
Mods shouldn't be required to have a well-designed UI.
Stellaris, Endless Legends & Space, or so many other 4X games got this right (or at least better).
But some incapable designer thought it was a better idea to waste half the diplomancy screen on those caricature abominations instead of using it for something useful. This is the same level of nonsense as those Mass Effect: Andromeda weapon screens that use over 50% of the screen to just show a 3D model while you have to navigate around to get some actual data.
Last edited by TheSHEEEP on 22 March 2018 at 8:59 am UTC
Quoting: GuestCiv6 graphics are worse than Civ5 or just bad graphics? Let's take a look.
Obviously, the CivVI graphics are centered on one simple thing, they used contrast so we can identify things better, but people wanted a Gears of War palette like Civ5, so realistic and mature, well, i'm playing a videogame where George Washington is leading an army of archers and iron sword warriors, that's realism for you.
About wasted space on UI, there are mods for that.
Improved Deal Screen
Better Espionage Screen
Sukritact's Policy Manager
Simplified Gossip
On the note of realism. I always thought in Civ that they should have had either basically you being a 'god' nudging mankind along, or make yor leaders grow old and require offspring to continue on the line and game. Then I saw Crusader Kings 2! And while I haven't had time to actually learn how to play the game... I can't help but think it would epic to have that style of game start from the Stone Age and go all the way up to future era. Could you imagine the challenge of keeping a family line alive for that long? And how much fun it would be? Of course I can't help but think if Enemy Mine where he recites the lineage....
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