Finish turn 211. End science 2834 =). I had beautiful late game population from floating gardens, ToA and going for penicillin directly after statue.
https://www.dropbox.com/s/ek5lxyqmhc6nr4y/2015-12-11_00001.jpg?dl=0
https://www.dropbox.com/s/o9jtlimo1tez5s5/Montezuma_ScienceVictory.Civ5Save?dl=0
Totally overshot culture when I started to focus on it, ended up 2000 culture a turn and 8 policies too many =). I should probably just have skipped all amphitheaters, operas, archaeologists et cetera for earlier grand temple and working research. I timed everything around getting 5000 faith turn 209 but it turned out that I had precisely enough without that scientist =(.
The AI were much less competitive in science this game than in my last game (on demi-god),I had a science lead from late medieval. It might have to do with the fact that no one went tradition and there were a lot of warmonger.
Regarding science games:
+ I like the fact that conquest augmented science victory works really well, I feel like I could have gone for 12 cities instead of "just" 10.
+ I like the fixed value at creation as it makes scientists less of a bother and the timing more smooth. You can't just hoard scientists and skip the last two eras anymore.
- Freedom feels weaker than order for science victory with the nerf to specialists from secularism. Even with freedom you can just as well work trading post as merchants and engineers, only the scientist slots are crucial. With order you get the 25% and the extra scientist. Add a +1 science from specialists in freedom, at free expression.
- The current research labs are way too strong, with 2 scientist slots they are by far the most important building in the late game which means that the tech order becomes formulaic, a beeline for plastics. I suggest you move it to libraries, that would make them tempting early now that NC is nerfed. If you end up with too many scientist you could nerf them to 6 turns of science + 200.
I would like to add to this a little. Since it seems not many people have attempted Acken Deity so far, I'll share some of my sentiments.
On the higher levels, DemiGod and Deity, Science changes completely and in unexpected ways. Some of the following happen:
1) Spies are now actually useful and will give you tons of techs, even in the Info era, since you will always be behind in tech
2) You are breezing through the tech tree faster because every technology you research will have been researched by at least five or six AIs already (assuming standard of 8 players)
3) Planting a lot more Scientists than in the unmodded game makes for much higher endgame bulb values
4) After Research Labs you will be producing Great Scientists much faster
5) Since the Science Penalty for cities has been nerfed,
6) Wide play in generally has been buffed, which in turn
7) Has made lategame bulb values completely explode
(Also see Chumchu's post about making 2000 science per turn, my experiences are similiar)
When you started with this mod you were saying that you really want to slow down the last two eras, because they went past in very few turns due to Great Scientist readjusting their bulb values in the base game. This had the effect that late-game units were barely ever used, which is really sad, because it is arguably the most fun part of the entire game.
Now on DemiGod and Deity the thing is that - due to all the factors named above - the last two eras go by almost as fast as they do in the unmodded game and that is a complete shame in my opinion.
There are only very few turns between the AI getting Research Labs and the AI fielding Modern Armor and Rocket Artillery, at least on DemiGod and Deity. Some games end as early as turn 200. The same goes for the player.
Now I love chumchu's suggestion since I think the Great Scientist specialist slot comes way too late, but including one more specialist slot that early in the game would make the late game even shorter, since obviously, the earlier the Great Scientists get planted the better.
I think the most elegant and practical solution for this dilemma would be to slightly nerf Research Labs and give the Library the Scientist Slot it always deserved. Even if you think it's a horrible idea maybe it would be worth a try for the next experimental version.
Proposed Changes:
Library receives a Great Scientist slot
Research Labs now give +33% Science instead of +50% (Alternatively: Research Labs give +40% Science, but lose their second Specialist Slot)
, 6 cities by turn 44. I also managed a worker steal from Mongolia, peaced out, and built enough spearmen in my new cities to defend their counterattack.
