intutama
Warlord
- Joined
- Dec 8, 2012
- Messages
- 109
I spend quite some time on this so I thought I'd share what I learned, even if it's no game-breaker (still waiting for @WastinTime pre-1AD next update btw 
).
This topic is naturally open to discussion.
In short
How beaker overflow works
On turn end, your empire's beaker production (visible in the financial advisor) is multiplied by a "prerequisite tech bonus" of +20% per prerequisite tech.
For example, when your indicated science output (your base beakers) is 100 beakers and you are researching a tech you have 2 prerequisite for, you will put 140 beakers per turn in it, as you have a +40% prerequisite tech bonus. Note: this bonus is not directly visible anywhere.
When completing a tech, the beaker overflow is converted back to base beakers by dividing the number of beakers by the prerequisite bonus for the completed tech.
Continuing the previous example, if 10 beakers are needed to complete the tech, the overflow will not be (100*1.4 - 10) = 130 beakers, but instead (100*1.4 - 10)/1.4 = 92.8 beakers.
When beaker overflow is available at the beginning of the turn, it is multiplied only by the tech prerequisite bonus for the current tech (the one which is selected when you click end turn). All others bonuses are city-related (from libraries to civics bonuses) and therefore do not impact the beaker overflow input. For example, our previous overflow of 92.8 beakers, when used for a tech for which we have 1 prerequisite, will effectively add (92.8 * 1.2) = 111 beakers.
From the 3 preceding paragraphs, it results that you cannot optimize the beaker overflow, as you cannot improve the multipliers by any means.
What else can be optimized
Since the overflow cannot be multiplied, it might be advantageous to limit the overflow to a minimum in order to accumulate as much money as possible on the turn the technology is completed. If your civilization can improve it's city-based tech bonuses (for example by building libraries), the gold accumulated by limiting the overflow can be used to sustain research at a more efficient rate.
For example, let's imagine a civ having 100 gold in the bank that can output either
Method 1 - full overflow
Turn 1 - the city produces 100 beakers which become 120 after the prerequisite bonus (x1.2), 10 beakers are put in the tech, the resting 110 are converted back (/1.2), 91.6 overflow to the second tech
Turn 2 - the city completes the library, and produces 125 beakers, which become 150 after the prerequisite bonus. Additionally, the overflow is multiplied by the prerequisite bonus (but not the library bonus) -> 91.6x1,2=110. The total beakers amount is 150+110 = 260.
Turn 3 to 10 - the tech gets 150 beakers per turn
Turn 11 - science has to be lowered as there is no more gold. Typically the slider is set to 0% for a turn.
The civ has now 0 gold and 1460 beakers (90 gold and 1460 beakers next turn)
Method 2 - min overflow
Turn 1 - the city produces 10 beakers at 10% science, which become 12 after the prerequisite bonus (x1.2), 10 beakers are put in the tech, the resting 2 are converted back (/1.2), 1.6 overflow to the second tech. Additionally the city makes 80 gold.
Turn 2 - the city completes the library, and produces 125 beakers at 100% science, which become 150 after the prerequisite bonus. The total beakers amount is 150+2 = 152.
Turn 3 to 10 - the tech gets 150 beakers per turn
Turn 11 - the tech gets 150 beakers.
The civ has now 70 gold and 1502 beakers (60 gold and 1652 beakers next turn)
Conclusion
While the first method (full overflow) could potentially reach the second tech a turn earlier, the second method (no overflow) is overall more effective as we end up with more beakers and money.
However as we see the gain is not due to gaming the beaker overflow (as it is not possible), but simply because we tech at 100% with a library, instead of teching earlier at a slightly worst rate.
).This topic is naturally open to discussion.
In short
- It is not possible to "game" the beaker overflow, so it doesn't matter if you complete a tech with huge overflow or no overflow.
- As a rule of thumb, it is often better to complete a tech with no overflow, as it allows you to build up your treasury until your tech rate increases (completion of science buildings, civics switches).
How beaker overflow works
On turn end, your empire's beaker production (visible in the financial advisor) is multiplied by a "prerequisite tech bonus" of +20% per prerequisite tech.
For example, when your indicated science output (your base beakers) is 100 beakers and you are researching a tech you have 2 prerequisite for, you will put 140 beakers per turn in it, as you have a +40% prerequisite tech bonus. Note: this bonus is not directly visible anywhere.
When completing a tech, the beaker overflow is converted back to base beakers by dividing the number of beakers by the prerequisite bonus for the completed tech.
Continuing the previous example, if 10 beakers are needed to complete the tech, the overflow will not be (100*1.4 - 10) = 130 beakers, but instead (100*1.4 - 10)/1.4 = 92.8 beakers.
When beaker overflow is available at the beginning of the turn, it is multiplied only by the tech prerequisite bonus for the current tech (the one which is selected when you click end turn). All others bonuses are city-related (from libraries to civics bonuses) and therefore do not impact the beaker overflow input. For example, our previous overflow of 92.8 beakers, when used for a tech for which we have 1 prerequisite, will effectively add (92.8 * 1.2) = 111 beakers.
From the 3 preceding paragraphs, it results that you cannot optimize the beaker overflow, as you cannot improve the multipliers by any means.
What else can be optimized
Since the overflow cannot be multiplied, it might be advantageous to limit the overflow to a minimum in order to accumulate as much money as possible on the turn the technology is completed. If your civilization can improve it's city-based tech bonuses (for example by building libraries), the gold accumulated by limiting the overflow can be used to sustain research at a more efficient rate.
For example, let's imagine a civ having 100 gold in the bank that can output either
- 100 beakers and -10 gold at 100% science
or - 0 beakers and 90 gold at 0% science
Method 1 - full overflow
Turn 1 - the city produces 100 beakers which become 120 after the prerequisite bonus (x1.2), 10 beakers are put in the tech, the resting 110 are converted back (/1.2), 91.6 overflow to the second tech
Turn 2 - the city completes the library, and produces 125 beakers, which become 150 after the prerequisite bonus. Additionally, the overflow is multiplied by the prerequisite bonus (but not the library bonus) -> 91.6x1,2=110. The total beakers amount is 150+110 = 260.
Turn 3 to 10 - the tech gets 150 beakers per turn
Turn 11 - science has to be lowered as there is no more gold. Typically the slider is set to 0% for a turn.
The civ has now 0 gold and 1460 beakers (90 gold and 1460 beakers next turn)
Method 2 - min overflow
Turn 1 - the city produces 10 beakers at 10% science, which become 12 after the prerequisite bonus (x1.2), 10 beakers are put in the tech, the resting 2 are converted back (/1.2), 1.6 overflow to the second tech. Additionally the city makes 80 gold.
Turn 2 - the city completes the library, and produces 125 beakers at 100% science, which become 150 after the prerequisite bonus. The total beakers amount is 150+2 = 152.
Turn 3 to 10 - the tech gets 150 beakers per turn
Turn 11 - the tech gets 150 beakers.
The civ has now 70 gold and 1502 beakers (60 gold and 1652 beakers next turn)
Conclusion
While the first method (full overflow) could potentially reach the second tech a turn earlier, the second method (no overflow) is overall more effective as we end up with more beakers and money.
However as we see the gain is not due to gaming the beaker overflow (as it is not possible), but simply because we tech at 100% with a library, instead of teching earlier at a slightly worst rate.
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