Firaxis Games has released update 1.5.0 for Civilization 7, bringing significant changes to the game's map offerings and diplomatic system. The update, available today, September 15th, introduces a new iteration of the True Start Location Earth map, alongside adjustments designed to give players more control over their involvement in allied conflicts.
The revamped True Start Location Earth map aims to provide a more engaging experience by more accurately reflecting real-world geography while also optimizing gameplay space. Senior game designer Taymoor Rehman noted that previous Earth maps often featured large, underutilized areas of tundra or open ocean. In this new version, the map has been truncated at the top and bottom to maximize usable space in central regions, particularly around Europe, Persia, China, and North America. New twists specific to Civilization 7 include magnified areas like Japan and Hawaii to better accommodate multiple civilizations. Additionally, the map now features navigable rivers.
Beyond the True Start Earth map, update 1.5.0 also updates the Terra Incognita and Shuffle map types to utilize the studio's Voronoi map generation algorithm, intended to increase map variety.
Diplomacy has seen notable adjustments, with players now able to spend influence points to avoid being drawn into wars declared by their allies. This system requires ongoing investment of influence points to maintain neutrality, as allies may repeatedly attempt to recruit the player into their conflicts. If two allied civilizations go to war with each other, players will be forced to choose a side, rather than remaining neutral observers. Firaxis has indicated that features such as liberation, which allows for the return of settlements to their original owners, are planned for future updates.
Interface enhancements include the addition of a "radial ruler" overlay. This tool assists players in visualizing distances between tiles, which is crucial for understanding bonuses derived from specific locations, buildings, or wonders.
Accompanying the update is the Hall of History collection, a new paid DLC. This collection introduces two new leaders: Queen Elizabeth I of Tudor England and the first U.S. President George Washington. It also adds three new civilizations: England, Babylon, and the Gauls.
These additions come as Firaxis prepares for future content, including the Arc of Tomorrow update next year, which aims to make the threat of nuclear apocalypse more dynamic, and the paid Earthrise expansion, which will introduce lunar colonization.