Planting Great People

What is the generally accepted way of handling planting vs bulbing great people?

For great scientists, I sort of 'feel out' where my science generation is for that point in the game, and if it is lacking I will plant even somewhat later than normal. Generally though I plant early of course, and stop planting no matter what around the industrial era. I am sure there is a more efficient way of handling this. There has to be a point in time where the potential gain from planting a GS is less than for bulbing. Also, if you intend to bulb a GS, do you prefer to save them for points of proportionally high science generation and/or for specific techs?

For great engineers, I rarely if ever plant them as rushing wonders is just too much better imo. Correct me if I am wrong.

For great writers, musicians, and artists I am really not sure. Making Great Works is fun, and probably the best thing to do throughout the game in a CV other than a GM zerg after internet, but in other CV's it is less clear to me what to do and when.

As far as GS go, I think the general (non- exploitive) way is to plant them up until Public Schools, and then save them till you max out your beakers per turn, as in all public schools/university/research labs/observatories are built and each one with a citizen in all possible spots. Then wait at least 8 (I think for standard speed ) turns.
Then bulb, that should max out your beaker return. You might want to also put all or some of your cities on science generation for those 8 turns if not already.

I think it works the same way for culture. The beakers/culture you get is an average of the last 8? turns.

Their is a current exploit that has whole treads devoted to it.

For Artists and Writers, I always pop for Great Ages and Culture.

Assuming you have Secularism, you should work every specialist slot during the 8 turns before bulbing your GSs. If you also have Free Thought, work every trading post.

Browd said:

Assuming you have Secularism, you should work every specialist slot during the 8 turns before bulbing your GSs. If you also have Free Thought, work every trading post.

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Does having cities set to build research count against that as well? I often have my cities set to build research during the latter part of the space race. There's usually not much to build at the end once research labs and spaceship factories are in.

Also, is it the last 8 turns for bulbing artists as well?

Yes, set each city to "build" research (but I never remember to do it ).

Bulbing Artists just kicks in a Golden Age, so you can time that whenever you like.

If you are using the GA to create a Great Work of Art, the "era" of the great work will be the era in which the GA is bulbed, not the era in which it spawned.

Browd said:

Yes, set each city to "build" research (but I never remember to do it ).

Bulbing Artists just kicks in a Golden Age, so you can time that whenever you like.

If you are using the GA to create a Great Work of Art, the "era" of the great work will be the era in which the GA is bulbed, not the era in which it spawned.

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Oops, I meant bulbing writers for culture. Do people usually save them for 8 turns into a Golden Age?

I do. Even better is to save them to bulb 8 turns after you win the Worlds Fair and begin a Golden Age.

Browd said:

I do. Even better is to save them to bulb 8 turns after you win the Worlds Fair and begin a Golden Age.

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Golden age is counted separately, no bonus there.