Production overflow wasted

I just closely scrutinized what happens at the end of Production project. Unlike other games where the excess at the end of a project gets passed onto the next project in the queue, in Civ V it appears that the excess simply gets thrown away. That means if a city is pumping out 100 PPs, but the project is finished after just 2 PPs more, those other 98 PPs just get wasted.

I can see a certain logic that says, "If you check and see that there will be overflow, just reassign workers to other things, like Food growing or Research Specialists!" But that suggestion means that players MUST micro-manage EVERY city, or suffer the consequences of failing to do so -- which I think is bogus.

At a minimum option, excess PPs should be converted to cash, just like when you are informed that someone else completed a Wonder you've been working on. But what I believe really should be done is just do like everyone else and rollover excess PPs into the next project in the queue. After all, the Project Manager has years to see The End Is Near and shift those excess resources to the next job on his work order.

So then what's the explanation for differing build times on the same unit?
I consistently have cities that flop back and forth between x and x+1 turns to build a unit, even when I'm building them one after another.

There's a variety of factors that are on again/off again. For example, if you exceed your empire's unit Support quota by just 1 unit, then suddenly your Capital's Production output is reduced by 10%, increasing the production time.

I'm pretty sure Productions do get carried to your next project.

Whenever I get stuck with a poor production start, (No hill, no surrounding Stone, Wheat, or Deer hexes) my first scout will take 7 turns to produce. Right after finishing that one, my second scout will only take 6 turns.

I guarantee there's production overflow, for the sheer reason that I always see overflow hammers when I start a new building project. Also, the Support quota is the only on/off production factor that would vary on a per-unit basis, and most people never hit it.

I think you carry over 85% of the hammers, or something like that. Someone else can clarify.

There is definitely production overflow. Like what Furret mentioned, my units can take 5 turns this turn while on the next turn, it takes 6. And no, i was hardly exceeding my unit cap since that was my 2nd military unit with 3 cities up. If i am not wrong, that is how the hammers overflow trick from piety opener works.

Aaron90495 said:

I guarantee there's production overflow, for the sheer reason that I always see overflow hammers when I start a new building project. Also, the Support quota is the only on/off production factor that would vary on a per-unit basis, and most people never hit it.

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Then I must have a defective copy of the game. I specifically looked at a Wonder that was being built. The Production meter showed that it required just 2 PPs to complete. My Production /turn rate was 55. Next turn, the Wonder completed and the next one clicked into place. I looked at the meter for the new project and it read "0 of _____ complete." It also indicated (by the grayed color on the meter), that next turn was going to be 55 PPs.

So where did the extra 53 PPs go if not into the trash?

I would have checked the production meter the next turn to see how many hammers were actually added.

CaptainPatch said:

Then I must have a defective copy of the game. I specifically looked at a Wonder that was being built. The Production meter showed that it required just 2 PPs to complete. My Production /turn rate was 55. Next turn, the Wonder completed and the next one clicked into place. I looked at the meter for the new project and it read "0 of _____ complete." It also indicated (by the grayed color on the meter), that next turn was going to be 55 PPs.

So where did the extra 53 PPs go if not into the trash?

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I am not 100% on this but I think that hammers don't overflow either into or out of world wonders, but they do overflow with regular units and buildings. Hopefully someone can confirm this for me.

Gamewizard said:

I would have checked the production meter the next turn to see how many hammers were actually added.

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This. The overflow is applied on the turn after the first build completes.

Pretty annoying UI issue, Civ4 simply let you know immediately how many was overflowed from the end of the previous build item.

Dralix said:

This. The overflow is applied on the turn after the first build completes.

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You guys take all the fun out of getting a righteous mad going.

I was wrapping up Hagia Sophia with one turn to go. PPs = 46, and I'd completed 867.85 of 900 (diff 32.15, overflow 13.85)
End turn, HS completes, Chitchen Itza starts, and meter shows "0 of 900". Still 46 PPs.
End turn. CI shows "59.85 of 900".

So where do I find the crow entree and humble pie dessert?

BTW, what Nick said.