Civilization: Beyond Earth - Rising Tide

**Civilization: Beyond Earth - Rising Tide** is the first expansion pack for Civilization: Beyond Earth.

## Summary

After the first wave of great colony ships departed Earth, the jubilation of humanity was short-lived. Those left behind fell into a violent struggle over the quickly-diminishing resources on their barren home world. From this tumultuous time, four new factions arose. These newcomers were grounded not in the idealism of their predecessors, but on opportunism, resilience, ruthlessness, and above all a commitment to their own survival.

Now, many decades after their first landfall on a new planet, the proud survivors of the first expeditions beyond Earth look up to see the skies darkened by a new breed of pioneers.

Beyond Earth extended the Civilization franchise from its historical setting into the possible futures of science fiction. Rising Tide extends Beyond Earth to new frontiers on the planet’s surface and beneath its seas, adding even more choices and diplomatic options as you continue to build “just one more turn” toward a new vision for the future of humanity.

## Features Overview

Rising Tide adds a bevvy of new features

* Colonize the Ocean: Build floating settlements and access natural resources hidden beneath the seas of the alien planet. Alien beasts with unique abilities inhabit the water and challenge the player in new ways. The ocean provides a fully replayable map, new gameplay mechanics and strategic possibilities for players to reign supreme on their new world.
* Dynamic Leader Traits: Players and AI Leaders alike unlock new Traits through gameplay and activate different combinations to respond to the changing world. These dynamic sets of Traits also provide benefits and add to the new Diplomacy system, governed by the new Fear and Respect attributes.
* New, Enhanced Diplomatic Options: Shape the diplomatic landscape by using political capital to upgrade your traits, change diplomatic relationships, and leverage the benefits of your allies’ traits.
* New Sponsors: Four new factions have been added to the game including Al Falah, nomad explorers descended from wealthy and resilient Middle Eastern states that possess a rich cultural and commercial heritage.
* New Artifact System: Collect and combine powerful relics to unlock new perks, unit upgrades, and buildings for your faction on the new world.
* New Hybrid Units: Affinities are competing visions for the future of humanity. By investing in multiple Affinities, rather than specializing in just one, players can unlock special hybrid Affinity units and upgrades.
* New Biomes: Two new world types have been added. Primordial worlds are rife in volcanic activity and the chaotic landscape of a world still forming. Frigid worlds have cooled in their great age, their surfaces covered with icy oceans and frozen tundra.

## Sponsors

Four new sponsors have joined the space race to settle the colonies.

### New Sponsors

* Al Falah - led by Arshia Kishk from the capital of Ard.
* INTEGR - led by Lena Ebner from the capital of Weltgeist.
* North Sea Alliance - led by Duncan Hughes from the capital city of Deepcastle.
* Chungsu - led by Han Jae Moon from the capital city of Jeongsang.

## Hybrid Affinities

Affinities are now dealt with in a hybrid approach. When different affinity points are earned, they have an amplifying effect, and certain units now require points from multiple affinities. Standard units now also have affinity variations that make them more powerful.

### Harmony/Supremacy Hybrid Units

* Aquilon - high altitude floating aircraft carrier.
* Geliopod - quick land-based stealth unit.
* Nanohive - Ranged assault weapon.

### Purity/Supremacy Hybrid Units

* Autosled - automated workhorse.
* Drone Cage - healing unit.
* Golem - defensive unit that prevents units from firing at range.

### Harmony/Purity Hybrid Units

* Architect - directly increases combat strength for friendly units, decrease strength of hostile units.
* Immortal - high power shock troop.
* Throne - related to the architect.

## Diplomacy

The diplomacy system in Rising Tide has been completely rebuilt, and is more geared towards effective trade. Players can now trade for traits that improve their civilization, and the new diplomatic capital system is designed specifically to facilitate this trade. AI will establish deals that benefit them with greater transparency, and the near fear and respect system will make these relationships more clear than they have been thus far. A new war score system finishes the diplomacy overhaul by establishing the current progress of conflicts with other civilizations.

## Structures

A wide range of structures have been modified and added in Rising Tide. These changes make the buildings more dynamic, and adapt their use-cases to more strict scenarios.

### Changes to Existing Structures

* Ultrasonic Fence - changed to only discourage aliens from entering owned territory; no longer affects your enemy's territory.

### Artifact Structures

* Frontier Stadium - adds +10 City Defense. Grants a free promotion to military units created in the city.
* Pan-Spectral Observatory - reduces the cost of orbital units, and increases the orbital strike range.
* Xenomass Bath House - increases culture, and heals units after 1 turn when in city limits.

### Naval Structures

* Drydock - increases production for naval-based units.
* Thermohaline Rudder - increases the movement speed of your city, and generates additional  Science.
* Tidal Turbine - produces additional  Energy.
* Torpedo Battery - increases the attack rating of your city.

## Wonders

Additional wonders are added by the expansion.

### New Wonders

* Abysmal Mirror
* Benthic Auger
* The Akkorokamui - reduces unhealthiness in aquatic cities.
* Faraday Gyre - reduces  Energy maintenance for buildings in aquatic cities.
* Guo Pu Yaolan - reduces culture cost by city population.

## Naval Gameplay

The naval system has been overhauled for Rising Tide. New submarine units have been added, and a new floating city concept has been implemented. Land-based resources like Firaxite can now be found in the waters, and resource pods can be found throughout the oceans. Expeditions have also been added to the game, allowing for enhanced exploration.

### New Naval Units

* Patrol Boat - basic naval unit designed for close-ranged patrolling and security.
* Submarine - deep water stealth ship.

## Alien Life

New alien lifeforms have been added to the game to facilitate the expansion of the universe.

### New Alien Lifeforms

* Hydracoral - a sentient form of life that also acts as terrain.
* Makara - hybrid water/land lifeform.
* Ripper - aquatic-based and aggressive.
* Scarab - land alien, fast and small.