Official Post 5

Technology, the Environment, Spiritual Life and Moral Codes

Environment really ended up playing a minor role overall in Civ 5. Other than the fact that were you started could either be a grassland, desert, tundra, etc. Environment really didn't play a big role,which the game does fail on this point. As we have seen throughout history the environment has always played a big role. For example there are no diseases or natural disasters in the game which in real life has weakened or even destroyed entire civilizations. The Black Plague would be one example of disease weakening a civilization or Mt. Vesuvius destroying the city of Pompeii would to two good examples of when the environment had a big effect on civilizations.

Technology is important in the game in terms of advancing civilization through the ages and in getting better units. However, it mostly serves as a way to gain an edge over over civilizations. Especially in war. Needless to say at this point I focused a lot on technology for the sake of war. However, one thing I think the game failed to account for when it came to technology was the fact that with advances of major social changes have tended to occur. One real life example that comes to mind is the advent of the printing press, which helped Martin Luther spread his message and kicked off the Protestant Reformation. Such major changes to not occur in the game, rather your civilization simply advanced to the next historical age.

Finally religion and spiritually did play a big role in the game. As I felt the game did a good job in accounting for missionary activity and the spread of religion. Of which later became important because you could gain influence with the city-states and other civs through the use of your civilization's religion. However, despite this being said my civilization never developed a religion. I still don't know how this happened. My civilization never got past the worshiping of the God of War. Which actually worked out for me. However, I was unable to do missionary activity or influence city-states or others civs through religion. Which later became a concern when I noticed that Russia had brought Eastern Orthodoxy to several city-states close to me, which is what led to the policy change mentioned in an earlier post in an effort to stop Russia from gaining influence over the city-states.

Germanic god of war Teiwaz or Tyr to the Norse