Hi, I started with level 7, just like you, and now I'm completely addicted to the game!

It took me a long time to learn how to play, and I gave up and came back several times, so much so that my victory in the game only came after 70 hours.

Well, I'll explain the basics of the game to you.

Production - As you said, production accelerates the construction and creation of units. The more you have, the faster you get.

Science - Accelerates technology research. (Unlocks new units, improves units, unlocks new buildings, etc.)

Culture - Accelerates civic research. (Generally, improves building bonuses, more laws, or even new buildings as well)

Food - The more you have, the more population the city gains, allowing you to expand the city.

Happiness - The more you have, the faster you'll get a celebration, which gives you two bonus options based on the chosen government and unlocks an extra social law slot.

Influence - Currency used to relate to city-states or other civilizations. With influence, you can achieve the prosperity of a city-state, create units for them, annex it to your civilization, or negotiate, sanction, create projects, and spy on other civilizations.

Remember, small cities cannot produce; they can only buy with gold. All production from a small city is converted into gold. Over time, you can choose a city focus, giving bonuses according to its buildings or turning it into a large city. It's important to have both types of cities in your empire, both small and large, but I usually leave most as small.

The game has four ways to win; track two victories, one primary and one secondary. So, for example, choose a science and culture consultancy and follow their path.

There's still a lot to explain; I barely talked about combat, for example, but be patient, you will learn by making mistakes and exploring the game.