Building a city inoverhauls to certain gameplay systems introduce new ways to strategize and plan, as well as adapt and build over certain buildings from previous Ages. Further, Civ 7 makes dense urban planning a viable option, enabling a return to "tall play."
The major changes to city-building and development in Civ 7 include the introduction of Towns, new District mechanics, Warehouse buildings and bonuses, Quarters, Specialists, and a new mechanic called Overbuilding. All of these major changes enable more adaptable cities, meaning they can be updated and reorganized depending on players' priorities. Done strategically, the novel Overbuilding mechanic can produce unique rewards or Artifacts and can maximize the potential of each tile in a player's city. Players will need experience and know-how to optimize city development in Civ 7, along with a good understanding of how the new mechanics work.
Towns Vs. Cities In Civilization 7
Not All Settlements Have To Be Cities In Civ 7
The most fundamental change to Settlements in Civ 7 is the introduction of Towns. Aside from the starting Founder unit (which creates a Capital City), all Settlements start as a Town and require Gold to a City. Towns are developed similarly to cities, but with less maintenance, and all Production is converted to Gold, making Towns an essential part of Civilization development. After reaching a population of seven, Towns can be given a Focus, such as a Farming/Fishing Town or an Urban Center. There are also Age-specific Focus options available, like the Religious Site in Civ 7's Exploration Age.
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One key difference between Towns and Cities is that Specialists are not usable in Towns, and only buildings that cannot slot Specialists can be built in Towns, with a few exceptions depending on specific Leader or Civilization features. Converting Towns to Cities becomes incrementally more expensive each time, and players will need to take into consideration how to utilize Towns to bolster Gold yields and maintain development of their cities. For this reason, Town and City management are equally important in developing a strong civilization. The Civilopedia recommends maintaining a balance of a one-to-one ratio between cities and towns.
Districts, Ageless Buildings & Warehouses In Civ 7
Warehouse Buildings Are Ageless And Persist Through Age Transitions
Tiles in a Settlement in Population drives growth for cities, triggering Growth Events that allow players to expand their borders and create a rural tile with an improvement, such as a Plantation or Mine. Rural tiles that do not have Resources on them can then be upgraded to Urban Districts by placing a building there. The City Center is automatically established as an Urban District with a City Hall building (or a Palace in the Capital). Each District is capable of holding two buildings, and there are two building types: Age-specific and Ageless.
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Each Urban District's two building slots can be filled with a number of different building types, either Age-specific or Ageless. Age-specific buildings, like the Military Barracks in the Ancient Age, have diminished effects and yields once in a new Age. Ageless buildings persist across all Ages, can be built during any Age, and do not lose their yield bonuses or effects throughout a campaign. Examples of Ageless buildings are the Granary, the Fishing Quay, or any Wonder within the City limits. A specific category of Ageless building is referred to as a Warehouse building with unique mechanics.
All Unique Buildings for a Civ, such as Egypt's Mortuary Temple and Mastaba that make up the Necropolis Unique District, are considered Ageless buildings.
Warehouses are a unique Ageless building type in Civ 7 that calculate bonuses based on the number of corresponding Improvement types within a given Settlement. Warehouse buildings can be placed in Cities and Towns and will maximize yields if utilized properly. For example, the Granary is a Warehouse building that gives +1 Food for each Farm, Pasture, and Plantation in the Settlement, while the Saw Pit is an Ageless Warehouse building that gives +1 Production to Camps and Woodcutters. When two qualifying buildings are placed in an Urban District, that tile then becomes a Quarter, providing even further bonuses.
Quarters, Specialists & Overbuilding In Civ 7
Civs Can Construct Unique Quarters With Special Effects
A Quarter is formed when two buildings (that aren't Walls) from the same Age or Ageless category are built in an Urban District. Quarters are boosted through various in-game features, such as Social Policies or leader abilities. Some buildings that take up an entire tile, such as the Aerodome, also count as a Quarter. Quarters can be walled off to boost city defenses, and invading civilizations will have to conquer each one to capture a Settlement. Certain civilizations can place their Unique Buildings into the same tile to create a Unique Quarter, such as Egypt's Necropolis.
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Placing a Population into an Urban tile will assign it a Specialist and boost the yields on that tile even further. Specialists are an integral part of Civ 7's city development and are the key feature enabling "tall play," a Civilization strategy emphasizing dense Urban development. Specialists increase Science, Culture, and adjacency bonuses on Urban Tiles, but cost Happiness and Food. Placing a Specialist on a Quarter with two buildings that provide adjacency bonuses will boost the yields from both of these buildings, for example. Specialists are only available in cities and can only be placed on Urban tiles.
The last major change to city development is Overbuilding. This system is designed to allow players to update their Districts across the Ages, placing new-Age buildings atop older ones and acquiring unique bonuses or awards for doing so strategically. For example, the Altar from the Antiquity Age can be built over by any Exploration Age building, but placing the Temple over it triggers a Narrative Event and potentially awards a Relic. Ageless buildings cannot be built over, and buildings from previous Ages that are not Ageless have diminished yields, making Overbuilding an essential city development tool in Civilization 7.
Sid Meier's Civilization VII
- Released
- February 11, 2025
- ESRB
- Everyone 10+ // Alcohol and Tobacco Reference, Mild Language, Mild Violence, Suggestive Themes
- Developer(s)
- Firaxis Games
- Publisher(s)
- 2K
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