What it is
CivLive began as a valley of a few dozen lone wanderers. Nobody told them what to do. They met, paired up and formed bands, discovered fire and language, settled villages and climbed toward kingdoms and empires. Wars, famines, prophets, tyrants, revolts and bandit kings have all followed, each one grown from the rules of the world and the choices of the people in it.
The world is saved as it runs. Each daily show picks up exactly where the last one stopped, so the story carries on from day to day, generation to generation.
How it's made
- The simulation is a program that models every person in the valley: their genes, skills, family, trade, wealth, faith and reputation, along with the land, the weather, markets, armies and more. The rules of the valley explain it all.
- The rulers are AI. Every few days each people's leader is given its real options, each with its reasons, and picks one in character. If the AI is slow or unavailable, a rule-based council decides instead.
- The narrator is AI too. It tells the story as it happens, and its voice is generated on the channel owner's own computer.
- The picture is pixel art drawn by the program itself, frame by frame, and streamed straight to YouTube.
Questions
- Is any of it scripted?
- No. Storylines open and close only on real events in the simulation. When the valley goes quiet for a while, the world nudges something already in motion, and what follows plays out by the ordinary rules.
- Can I change what happens?
- A little. Chat votes on omens, names new bands and towns, and sometimes decides a ruler's choice for them. Super Chats can adopt a villager or send a small blessing. Nudges only tilt the odds; none of them can decide a war or wipe out a people. See taking part.
- When is it on?
- Every day at 2 PM Eastern, for about eight and a half hours, on the CivLive YouTube channel. Between shows the valley rests and waits.
- Does the world ever reset?
- Not on its own. Peoples rise and fall, but the valley and its history carry on.
- Who makes it?
- CivLive is an independent project run by its channel owner. You can reach them at rburns2810@gmail.com.