This session discusses how a small team at Firaxis Games began the process of turning the SID MEIERS CIVILIZATION series into a 3D game that would be fun as both, a single, and multiplayer experience. It also offers best practices on what the team did well, such as: the creation of a playable multiplayer game in a few months, rapid implementation of new design features, strong gameplay balance; and what was learned along the way: a realistic terrain system dead-end, missing interface widgets, and art delayed by prototype.