well, at first I thought it was the "divide by turns" that was too harsh.
but then I made all those simili-random calculus and came to a different conclusion:
-the cost cumulated with the casting time is very harsh.
maybe a -0.5% reduction (instead of -1%) would alleviate that for the AI...(as it would look roughly at the next 200turns, and plan based on the next 100) but if my calculus are right.. it would still mean that a foundry cost 500p, and the gain would be valued at 770 (1000 minus the 25 turns delay); so a net worth of 270.. so "only" 11p/turn.
11p/turn of GP work is not so much IMO.
(note that the "worth" of 11/turn is when you condensate prospective gains in the next 200 turns on the 25turns the GP is working : you have a value of almost "11p/turn" during 25 turns by "counting" the future production of an improvement over the next 200 turns.. that's still a small gain.
The AI might try to build foundries this way as 11p/turn is better than 10%prod in almost any other city.
However that won't change that an investment that brings fruits only in 75 turns (as perceived by the player) is still not so interesting.
And if one were to add to that the opportunity cost of not settling the GE in residence... the return on investment of the "foundry" might become even farther away depending on your initial production in the city (you "lost" -due to opportunity costs- 10% during 25 turns. so if you produced 100, the foundry "cost" you 10/turn on top of the 500p=>750p => 71 turns to pay back -the foudnry gives 10(1+10%) once the GE is taken back to residence ==> return on investment : about 96 turns).
It is really possible that the "casting time" is enough of a cost... due to the opportunity cost it involves.
However that would involve balance testing.
but then I made all those simili-random calculus and came to a different conclusion:
-the cost cumulated with the casting time is very harsh.
maybe a -0.5% reduction (instead of -1%) would alleviate that for the AI...(as it would look roughly at the next 200turns, and plan based on the next 100) but if my calculus are right.. it would still mean that a foundry cost 500p, and the gain would be valued at 770 (1000 minus the 25 turns delay); so a net worth of 270.. so "only" 11p/turn.
11p/turn of GP work is not so much IMO.
(note that the "worth" of 11/turn is when you condensate prospective gains in the next 200 turns on the 25turns the GP is working : you have a value of almost "11p/turn" during 25 turns by "counting" the future production of an improvement over the next 200 turns.. that's still a small gain.
The AI might try to build foundries this way as 11p/turn is better than 10%prod in almost any other city.
However that won't change that an investment that brings fruits only in 75 turns (as perceived by the player) is still not so interesting.
And if one were to add to that the opportunity cost of not settling the GE in residence... the return on investment of the "foundry" might become even farther away depending on your initial production in the city (you "lost" -due to opportunity costs- 10% during 25 turns. so if you produced 100, the foundry "cost" you 10/turn on top of the 500p=>750p => 71 turns to pay back -the foudnry gives 10(1+10%) once the GE is taken back to residence ==> return on investment : about 96 turns).
It is really possible that the "casting time" is enough of a cost... due to the opportunity cost it involves.
However that would involve balance testing.