Tech Boost is overpowered

[lex_kravetski]

It was my first Civ6 game. I start at Prince difficulty and I have found that 50% of tech boost is really has no meaning in this game mechanic. One problem is AI can't plan boosts, so I sky-rocketed from all of them two eras ahead. I don't like micromanagement and calculations in games, so I always play at Prince or King. And I am always slightly ahead of most AI's (yes, I could be far ahead without roleplaying and with calculations). But not two eras! It is just ridiculous.

But there is the second problem. Tech boosts make time faster. Previous games have an issue that you really have no dynamic ancient and classical eras. It was only starting. You can't see ancient wars, because everyone has enough free space and just builds cities and features around them. But in Civ6 it is not starting, it is an "opening screen"—with all of these tech boosts. My medieval age has started at 1500 BC (Epic speed). All the others were at ancient age at this turn, but under 500 BC many of them were at medieval too. Classical era remains only in that fact, that they didn't upgrade their units.

So, I changed boost in config files to 10% and game progression has become more stable.

It is really needed to balance this issue. Probably, we need two stage boosts. One of them is "easy one" (like this we have now) and it makes boost like 10%. And "hard one", that makes boost to other 40%, but it is hard to get (kill 10 units by slinger for 40% Archery boost). Or even more staged boost, like 3% to Archery for every kill by slinger.

Without that this game will be too mechanical and straight: just do some actions in some sequence, which is far more better than any one else.

 

[Browd]

Moderator Action: Less a bug report than a balance change suggestion, so thread moved to Ideas & Suggestions.

 

[Lion King]

That's great idea, however I would amend Eurekas for now to 30%. As I understand great scientists ability also tied to Eureka boosts so by decreasing the number to 10% you will make GS pointless.

I agree that 50% Eureka is possible but then the conditions for it should be much harder - i.e. instead of "building coal mine" it should be "building 3 coal mines". However, there is another issue - you will need to scale Eureka conditions to map size and speed and I am not sure this will be easy to mode (it shouldn't be too difficult in terms of coding but requires a lot of balancing). I really like your idea of staged boost (3% for every unit killed with a limit of 40%)

To my mind the easiest solution for now would be the following:
1. Decrease Eureka bonus to 25-30% of tech
2. Make some easiest conditions a bit more tougher (instead of one unit killed let it be three units killed at least)
3. Give GS one additional Eureka charge.

Btw, can you create mod file with your amendment?

 

[lex_kravetski]

That's great idea, however I would amend Eurekas for now to 30%. As I understand great scientists ability also tied to Eureka boosts so by decreasing the number to 10% you will make GS pointless.

I agree that 50% Eureka is possible but then the conditions for it should be much harder - i.e. instead of "building coal mine" it should be "building 3 coal mines". However, there is another issue - you will need to scale Eureka conditions to map size and speed and I am not sure this will be easy to mode (it shouldn't be too difficult in terms of coding but requires a lot of balancing). I really like your idea of staged boost (3% for every unit killed with a limit of 40%)

To my mind the easiest solution for now would be the following:
1. Decrease Eureka bonus to 25-30% of tech
2. Make some easiest conditions a bit more tougher (instead of one unit killed let it be three units killed at least)
3. Give GS one additional Eureka charge.

Btw, can you create mod file with your amendment?

I can, if it modable, but now we have no mod SDK.

 

[ggalindo001]

So, I changed boost in config files to 10% and game progression has become more stable.

Where did you find in the config files? Which config file? I've looked and cannot find them.

 

[Stalker0]

I think the problem is actually mainly in the early game. I agree that at that point eurekas are easy to get and really skyrocket you past your opponent. By mid game they are more difficult to get.

What if the bonus scaled per era. Starts at at 30%, eventually goes to 50% for later game techs.

 

[Dearmad]

What config file? In an XML you mean?

 

[lex_kravetski]

Where did you find in the config files? Which config file? I've looked and cannot find them.

Steam\SteamApps\common\Sid Meier's Civilization VI\Base\Assets\Gameplay\Data\Technologies.xml
Steam\SteamApps\common\Sid Meier's Civilization VI\Base\Assets\Gameplay\Data\Civics.xml

 

[TehJumpingJawa]

Agreed; I was extremely surprised at the way it's been implemented.

I expected each tech's associated boosting reward to be far smaller, but be able to fire multiple times.
e.g. each farm built gives 5% towards irrigation.

That would eliminate the gamey funneling that the current system forces upon the player("OK what actions do I need to perform to get the next X tech boosts"), and make the system behave more naturally. ("We've done a lot of farming, so our farming tech will progress faster")

Actions should be driving tech progression, not tech progression driving actions.

 

[Bodin]

I agree that the Eureka bonuses need to be toned down a bit. But instead of a fixed number, there's another option to consider: Make the Eureka bonuses random instead of a fixed amount (say 10-40%). One Eureka bonus pops for 23% where the next one might only give 18%. Thus, civilizations may suddenly jump ahead or move in a more predictable fashion.