In 2010 I entered indie gamedev having a dream to make my own Civilization, which will be better than Sid Meyer's. Now I have 25 games released (among them there are 3 turn-based strategies) and I feel ready to fulfil my dream.
Here's how the early gameplay looks like now:
I must've created the devlog here earlier, so, now together with feature list I'll post their completion status
Game features
Focus your attention on really strategic issues. No need to issue orders to every warrior or a worker. Actually, there will be no individual units. Everything: see superiority, recon missions, building, wars are defined by numbers and formulas. They are defined by the primary directions, which are set by you.
Implemented: projects system for recon, expansion, city and terrain improvement, colonization.
Needed: war system, current projects rebalansing
Flexible technology tree. Your technological advance will be defined by what your people are doing and its environment Coastal nations will sooner advance in seafaring, while the steppes dwellers will be likely to become a major land conquering power. This will be more interesting than "Let's learn alphabet to open a way to catapults"
Implemented: initial development of sea technology
Needed: other technology branches: agriculture, war, construction, politics, philosiophy
Achieve your aim using hard- and soft-power. You can influence your neighbours, get them into your alliance, establish a puppet government or initiate a rebellion in their provinces.
Implemented: getting the colonies in your zone of influence or (if colony AI task) working to declare independence.
Needed: acquiring independent states into your zone of influence. Inspiring rebellions in the other player's colonies
Even if your country is captured, you can stay in the game as a rebellion leader. Gather enough resistance points to revolt and declare independence!
not iplemented yet
And if you expanded too much, neglecting other development sides, get ready to fight the separatism at your empire's suburbs.
Implemented: this comes naturally in the current gameplay system as the capital won't have enough soft-power produced to keep the growing provinces under its power
Needed: coefficients ballansing
As you progress you'll see the chapters from the future history textbooks telling about your glorious deeds and giving slight hints on your future development.
not iplemented yet
New civilizations will appear in the unoccupied territories during the game. They will receive a bonus for quicker expansion.
not iplemented yet
Map generator creates realistically looking planet with continents, archipelagos with climatic zones, rives, highlands.
Implemented
Unique names for the map objects and countries are generated.
Implemented
Game will be available both for mobile and desktop
Implemented
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I think, mobile devices lack these type of games now. My personal best are a series of EasyPlay (but they are more Risk, than Civ) and "Musket Smoke" (this is an ingenious game, but it's a wargame).
So, on the 17th of September I'll share the pre-alpha to play on Android and in Web.