Civilization VI features strong visual themes of exploration, along with a new stylized design that makes it much brighter and more visually distinct from previous games. We spoke with Art Director Brian Busatti to talk about the themes and inspiration behind the art of Civilization VI.
Q: From a visual perspective, what makes Civilization VI stand out from Civilization V?
A: It was important for us to make strong use of color and form in Civilization VI, so that everything in the game world could be easily recognized on the screen from a distance and accommodate the additional art needed for the new gameplay. The new engine allowed us to make better use of silhouette, giving more form and personality to units and buildings. Districts allow the cities to sprawl across the map, allowing for a much more interesting and natural configuration. The lighting and material system brings the city alive with dynamic time of day lighting and more natural materials. My favorite addition has to be the new fog of war. The hand-drawn look we implemented for the partially and fully fogged areas of the map really drove home the Age of Exploration theme we were striving for.
Q: What themes or inspirations did you draw from when trying to create the look of Civilization VI?
A: We drew from previous iterations of Civilization, pulling ideas from each version going back to Civilization IV. For example, we returned to a more stylized representation of leaders, such as in Civilization IV. Our animators were able to use this to give the characters a real sense of personality through animation. We were also influenced by the color palette and unit readability of Civilization Revolution and we carried over the idea of cultural variations from Civilization V.
Q: Exploration and cartography are big artistic themes in Civilization VI. How did your team settle on these themes and how do they help Civilization VI establish its own visual identity?
A: Since exploration is such a key part of Civilization, cartography and exploration themes was a natural fit. Especially now in Civilization VI, the map is more important than ever. Not only are your cities broader across the landscape, but exploration has real gameplay advantages. Because the concept of exploration is so important, cartography and its elements gave us a very attractive, coherent, stylistic theme to build around.
Q: From an artistic perspective, how difficult is it to put your own stamp on something like Civilization VI while still paying respect to the game’s historical roots? Does this affect the design of everything, from individual units to leaders to cities?
A: I’ve worked on a number of previous Civilization titles so I’m familiar with how different aspects of the game’s visuals were designed and implemented. For Civilization VI, we did a lot of research on different cultures and civilizations around the world and worked hard to represent them in interesting ways. It’s a challenge to draw from so many historical and cultural sources, but it’s also a lot of fun for an artist to represent all of them within a single visual style. I always come away from every Civilization game more knowledgeable about history and cultures than when I started.
Q: In your opinion, what is the most difficult part of/phase of development for an Art Director, and why?
A: The most difficult part was identifying the style at the start of the project. We have so much happening on the map that needed to be readable at a variety of view ranges. Once we found that style, it led us to be more creative with our animations and really push the performance of the characters, more so than we’ve ever done in the past. Design and art go hand-in-hand in a game like Civilization. It’s easier to make a beautiful game on its own, but much more difficult to create a game that marries art and design together, at least at the beginning. But once you find your stride, the two parts complement each other and even inspire each other.
Q: Finally, is there anything else you want to specifically call out about the art design of Civilization VI?
A: We have an amazing group of artists here at Firaxis who are passionate about their work. Having such a talented and creative group helps push the best ideas forward and is one of the reasons we continue to keep the Civilization series alive. We’re a collaborative group and spend a lot of time brainstorming how to introduce new features while staying respectful to the game’s history. This dedication from the artists and the team as a whole is really the driving force behind the game’s visuals. We also have an amazing fan community, who take the game and mod and develop after release in interesting and inspiriing ways.
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