Civilization VI is a turn-based strategy game. This means the game doesn't flow in real-time. Instead, you make all your moves, and then every other civilization makes theirs. After everyone has had a turn, a new turn begins.

Think of it like a board game. You decide what your units will do, which buildings your cities will construct, and what technology to research. Once you've given all your orders, you hit the "Next Turn" button. The world then advances, and you see the results of your decisions and the actions of others.

Your journey begins with two units: a Settler and a Warrior. The Settler is your most important unit at the start, as it's the only one that can establish a city. Where you build this first city is a critical decision.

Look at the terrain around your Settler. You'll want to found your city near tiles that provide two key resources:

• Food: This allows your city's population to grow. A larger population can work more tiles, generating more resources.
• Production: This determines how quickly your city can build units, buildings, and districts. High production gets things done faster.

Other resources like Gold, Science, and Culture are also important, but Food and Production are the bedrock of a strong early city. Access to fresh water from a river or coast also provides a significant boost to your population capacity.

Once your first city is established, you'll start interacting with the game's user interface (UI). While it might look complex, you only need to focus on a few key areas to begin.

At the top of the screen, you'll find a summary of your empire's overall yield in Science, Culture, Faith, Gold, and other strategic resources. This is a quick way to check the health of your civilization.

In the bottom right corner, you'll see information about the currently selected unit or city. This is where you'll issue commands, like telling a unit to move or telling a city what to produce. Next to it is the large "Next Turn" button that ends your turn.

The bottom left corner contains the mini-map, which gives you a strategic overview of the known world. It's essential for keeping track of your neighbors and planning long-distance exploration.

Don't worry about understanding every single button right away. For now, focus on selecting your units, moving them around the map, choosing what your city produces, and clicking "Next Turn" to see your empire grow.

With these basics, you're ready to take your first steps and begin your own civilization's journey through history.