database Civilizations

Civilizations Database Schema

This document describes the database tables used to define civilizations in Civilization VII.

Overview

Civilizations in Civ VII are age-specific. Each age has its own set of civilizations defined in its module:

• age-antiquity/data/civilizations.xml
• age-exploration/data/civilizations.xml
• age-modern/data/civilizations.xml

Types Table

Register civilizations in the Types table:

<Types>
    <Row Type="CIVILIZATION_MY_CIV" Kind="KIND_CIVILIZATION"/>
    <Row Type="TRAIT_MY_CIV_ABILITY" Kind="KIND_TRAIT"/>
</Types>

Civilizations Table

The main civilization definition table:

<Civilizations>
    <Row
        CivilizationType="CIVILIZATION_EGYPT"
        Name="LOC_CIVILIZATION_EGYPT_NAME"
        FullName="LOC_CIVILIZATION_EGYPT_FULLNAME"
        Description="LOC_CIVILIZATION_EGYPT_DESCRIPTION"
        Adjective="LOC_CIVILIZATION_EGYPT_ADJECTIVE"
        StartingCivilizationLevelType="CIVILIZATION_LEVEL_FULL_CIV"
        UniqueCultureProgressionTree="TREE_CIVICS_AQ_EGYPT"
        CapitalName="LOC_CITY_NAME_EGYPT1"
        RandomCityNameDepth="10"
    />
</Civilizations>

Civilizations Table Columns

Column	Type	Description
CivilizationType	TEXT	Primary key (e.g., CIVILIZATION_EGYPT)
Name	TEXT	Short name localization key
FullName	TEXT	Full name localization key
Description	TEXT	Description localization key
Adjective	TEXT	Adjective form (e.g., "Egyptian")
StartingCivilizationLevelType	TEXT	Starting civ level
UniqueCultureProgressionTree	TEXT	Unique civic tree for traditions
CapitalName	TEXT	Default capital city name
RandomCityNameDepth	INTEGER	Number of city names available
AITargetCityPercentage	INTEGER	AI city targeting preference

CivilizationLevelType Values

Level	Description
CIVILIZATION_LEVEL_FULL_CIV	Full playable civilization
CIVILIZATION_LEVEL_CITY_STATE	City-state
CIVILIZATION_LEVEL_INDEPENDENT	Independent peoples
CIVILIZATION_LEVEL_NONE	Background/system entities

Traits System

Civilizations gain abilities through traits:

Traits Table

<Traits>
    <Row
        TraitType="TRAIT_EGYPT_ABILITY"
        Name="LOC_TRAIT_EGYPT_ABILITY_NAME"
        Description="LOC_TRAIT_EGYPT_ABILITY_DESCRIPTION"
        InternalOnly="true"
    />
</Traits>

Column	Type	Description
TraitType	TEXT	Primary key
Name	TEXT	Display name
Description	TEXT	Description
InternalOnly	BOOLEAN	Hidden from UI if true

CivilizationTraits Table

Links civilizations to their traits:

<CivilizationTraits>
    <Row CivilizationType="CIVILIZATION_EGYPT" TraitType="TRAIT_ANTIQUITY_CIV"/>
    <Row CivilizationType="CIVILIZATION_EGYPT" TraitType="TRAIT_EGYPT"/>
    <Row CivilizationType="CIVILIZATION_EGYPT" TraitType="TRAIT_EGYPT_ABILITY"/>
    <Row CivilizationType="CIVILIZATION_EGYPT" TraitType="TRAIT_ATTRIBUTE_CULTURAL"/>
    <Row CivilizationType="CIVILIZATION_EGYPT" TraitType="TRAIT_ATTRIBUTE_ECONOMIC"/>
</CivilizationTraits>

Common Trait Types

Trait	Purpose
TRAIT_ANTIQUITY_CIV	Shared by all Antiquity civs
TRAIT_[CIV]	Internal civ identifier
TRAIT_[CIV]_ABILITY	Unique civ ability
TRAIT_ATTRIBUTE_*	Attribute bonuses

Attribute Traits

Trait	Description
TRAIT_ATTRIBUTE_CULTURAL	Cultural bonuses
TRAIT_ATTRIBUTE_ECONOMIC	Economic bonuses
TRAIT_ATTRIBUTE_EXPANSIONIST	Expansion bonuses
TRAIT_ATTRIBUTE_MILITARISTIC	Military bonuses
TRAIT_ATTRIBUTE_POLITICAL	Diplomacy bonuses
TRAIT_ATTRIBUTE_SCIENTIFIC	Science bonuses

TraitModifiers Table

Links traits to modifiers for abilities:

<TraitModifiers>
    <Row TraitType="TRAIT_EGYPT_ABILITY" ModifierId="TRAIT_MOD_GIFTS_OF_OSIRIS_NAVIGABLE_RIVER"/>
    <Row TraitType="TRAIT_EGYPT_ABILITY" ModifierId="MOD_CIV_WONDER_PRODUCTION_EGYPT"/>
</TraitModifiers>

CivilizationFavoredWonders Table

Defines wonders each civ prefers:

<CivilizationFavoredWonders>
    <Row
        CivilizationType="CIVILIZATION_EGYPT"
        FavoredWonderType="WONDER_PYRAMIDS"
        FavoredWonderName="LOC_WONDER_PYRAMIDS_NAME"
    />
</CivilizationFavoredWonders>

LeaderCivPriorities Table

Defines which leaders prefer which civs (AI behavior):

<LeaderCivPriorities>
    <Row Leader="LEADER_HATSHEPSUT" Civilization="CIVILIZATION_EGYPT" Priority="4"/>
    <Row Leader="LEADER_HATSHEPSUT" Civilization="CIVILIZATION_AKSUM" Priority="1"/>
</LeaderCivPriorities>

Higher priority = stronger preference.

Antiquity Civilizations

Civilization	Attributes	Unique Ability
Aksum	Cultural, Economic	Trade and resource bonuses
Egypt	Cultural, Economic	Navigable river bonuses
Greece	Cultural, Political	Democracy and city-state bonuses
Han	Political, Scientific	Settlement bonuses
Khmer	Expansionist, Scientific	River bonuses
Maurya	Militaristic, Scientific	Pantheon and happiness
Maya	Political, Scientific	Palace bonuses
Mississippian	Economic, Expansionist	Town bonuses
Persia	Economic, Militaristic	Council bonuses
Rome	Cultural, Militaristic	Settlement bonuses

Example: Creating a New Civilization

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>
<Database>
    <!-- Register types -->
    <Types>
        <Row Type="CIVILIZATION_MY_CIV" Kind="KIND_CIVILIZATION"/>
        <Row Type="TRAIT_MY_CIV_ABILITY" Kind="KIND_TRAIT"/>
    </Types>

    <!-- Define the civilization -->
    <Civilizations>
        <Row
            CivilizationType="CIVILIZATION_MY_CIV"
            Name="LOC_CIVILIZATION_MY_CIV_NAME"
            FullName="LOC_CIVILIZATION_MY_CIV_FULLNAME"
            Description="LOC_CIVILIZATION_MY_CIV_DESCRIPTION"
            Adjective="LOC_CIVILIZATION_MY_CIV_ADJECTIVE"
            StartingCivilizationLevelType="CIVILIZATION_LEVEL_FULL_CIV"
            UniqueCultureProgressionTree="TREE_CIVICS_AQ_MY_CIV"
            CapitalName="LOC_CITY_NAME_MY_CIV1"
            RandomCityNameDepth="10"
        />
    </Civilizations>

    <!-- Define traits -->
    <Traits>
        <Row
            TraitType="TRAIT_MY_CIV_ABILITY"
            Name="LOC_TRAIT_MY_CIV_ABILITY_NAME"
            Description="LOC_TRAIT_MY_CIV_ABILITY_DESCRIPTION"
            InternalOnly="true"
        />
    </Traits>

    <!-- Link traits to civilization -->
    <CivilizationTraits>
        <Row CivilizationType="CIVILIZATION_MY_CIV" TraitType="TRAIT_ANTIQUITY_CIV"/>
        <Row CivilizationType="CIVILIZATION_MY_CIV" TraitType="TRAIT_MY_CIV_ABILITY"/>
        <Row CivilizationType="CIVILIZATION_MY_CIV" TraitType="TRAIT_ATTRIBUTE_CULTURAL"/>
        <Row CivilizationType="CIVILIZATION_MY_CIV" TraitType="TRAIT_ATTRIBUTE_SCIENTIFIC"/>
    </CivilizationTraits>

    <!-- Link traits to modifiers (defined in GameEffects) -->
    <TraitModifiers>
        <Row TraitType="TRAIT_MY_CIV_ABILITY" ModifierId="MY_CIV_ABILITY_MODIFIER"/>
    </TraitModifiers>
</Database>

Related Tables

• CivilizationCityNames - Available city names
• StartingTraits - Game start conditions
• CivilizationLeaders - Leader assignments
• Age transition tables