I think Gagan is at GDC but he’s clearly not getting the good meetings. Firaxis is showing off Civ V and Kotaku has a nice run down, including a few new features. For starters, your opponents have definite AI based on their strengths and weakness. Ranged weapons can fire from further away – one space for archers – and cities can fight back. Cities also have “health bars,” which is a big change. Usually you’d just keep pounding the city until all of its protectors died.

I totally want to play this new game. This looks more like a simulation than the boardgame that the old game was and it seems like you’ll be able to actually feel like you’re playing with others even while playing alone. Take a look at this:

The developers said great civilizations can now agree to commence a research agreement, instead of just establishing trade or declaring war. The game will now allow easy access to a catalogue of user-uploaded mods. And, as a tease, the developers said there will be surprises as to how non-military ways of winning the game, the standard cultural and technological victories, for example, will be designed.

Drool.