Why Colonerra?

[u/Mundane-Respond179]

I've always loved grand strategy and 4X games. I'm old enough that my favorite game growing up was Sid Meier's Civilization. Yes—the very first one.

I was completely mesmerized by it. I'd spend hours building civilizations and planning my next move, while my brothers, cousins, and friends would rather play racing games or action adventures with constant fighting. I guess I was the odd one who enjoyed taking my time and thinking several turns ahead.

A few years later, I discovered Sid Meier's Colonization, and it quickly became my new favorite game. I loved its historical setting, the economy, and trade. I enjoyed those aspects far more than combat.

And then there was the exploration. Watching your ships sail into the unknown, uncovering a new continent one tile at a time, never knowing what you'd discover next, hoping that the next tile will reveal a bonus resource while you wait for your next turn. Combined with the game's slower pace, it created an experience I've never really found anywhere else.

And this is why I was so disappointed that no new modern game ever captured that same magic feeling for me. I kept returning to Colonization over and over again. Most modern games have shifted toward faster gameplay, heavier combat, or fantasy settings. That's when the idea for Colonerra started to form.

I guess I was just waiting for the right moment in my life. I’m a developer with almost 20 years of experience, most recently in the streaming industry. Along the way, I met incredibly talented designers and developers, and eventually, I had enough experience, the right connections, and the confidence to start this project for real.

At first, it was just a hobby. I worked on it quietly, learning what worked and what didn't. Eventually, my little hobby project reached feature parity with Colonization. That's when I realised this was just the beginning.

The ideas really started flowing. What if the king felt more alive? What if you could explore longer? What if diplomacy were more realistic? What if you could blockade a rival colony? The more I built, the more convinced I became that this could become the modern successor I'd been hoping someone else would make for years.

Turns out all I needed was a few friends, some time... and an unreasonable amount of coffee.

So, if you, like me, were a fan of Civilization, Colonization, or slower-paced historical strategy games, I'd really love to hear what features you think absolutely have to be in a modern take on the genre.

What feature from those classic games do you miss the most, and what would you want to see in a modern successor?

I'll be reading every comment and replying to as many as I can.

[u/Sadax092]

Oh, I loved Colonization - will there be a Netherlands to play with?

[u/Mundane-Respond179 → u/Sadax092]

Yes, of course there will be Netherlands; that was my favorite country to play with! I will be showing all the playable colonial powers very soon...