Louis XXIV
Le Roi Soleil
Does making them more expensive actually resolve anything or is it more of a bandaid? I feel people will adapt to saving up even more money to use on research agreements. Unless they get to the point where they aren't useful in which case those who only use them to supplement your research if they have nothing better to do with their gold will be penalized as well.
I've suggested in the past (odds are, in this thread) to unbalance the cost requirements depending on the number of agreements active. Say one costs 250. A second would cost 300 (or 350, whatever works). A third would cost 350 or 450, etc. That would mean five research agreements would cost between 1750 and 2250 (just for the middle of the game, more towards the end). Right now they're 1250. The best part would be your partner would not pay the same amount. If they have the one, they'll pay 250 for it, not the 650 you might be paying.
I've suggested in the past (odds are, in this thread) to unbalance the cost requirements depending on the number of agreements active. Say one costs 250. A second would cost 300 (or 350, whatever works). A third would cost 350 or 450, etc. That would mean five research agreements would cost between 1750 and 2250 (just for the middle of the game, more towards the end). Right now they're 1250. The best part would be your partner would not pay the same amount. If they have the one, they'll pay 250 for it, not the 650 you might be paying.