GDC 2025 Session Viewer
Reimagining Leaders for 'Civilization VII'
Chandrahas Tanguturi (Animator, Firaxis Games)
Finn Taylor (Narrative Designer, Firaxis Games)
Location: Room 3004, West Hall
Date: Wednesday, March 19
Time: 3:30 pm - 4:30 pm
Pass Type: All Access Pass, Core Pass - Get your pass now!
Track: Design, Visual Arts
Format: Lecture
Vault Recording: TBD
Audience Level: Intermediate
Leaders have always been a core element of the Civilization series. They are the faces of history who engage with, and react to, the stories players create as they build new empires one turn at a time.
In this session, an interdisciplinary panel will walk through the process by which leaders were created for Sid Meier's Civilization VII. From concept to completion, each stage required close collaboration and communication across many teams in order to strike a consistent balance between history and historically-informed creativity. This talk will explore the unique challenges and triumphs encountered by disciplines while working with historical material, as well as methods of interdepartmental cooperation leveraged to bring Civilization's leaders to life.
Takeaway
This talk will offer insight into practices for successful interdisciplinary work and lessons learned throughout the development process. Additionally, methods will be shared for balancing historical integrity with creative design and gameplay that are relevant not only in the 4X space, but for any game drawing inspiration from history.
Intended Audience
The target audience is mid- to senior level developers in disciplines including art, animation, narrative, design, and outsourcing. The talk is also intended for anyone interested in incorporating history into games.