Citizen Management

[jkillips16]

I have generally let the governor's basically control things in my games in the past. But, I'm seeing more on the site about management (or micro-management) of the cities manually. How do you play (and on what level)? How often do you review each city? How often do you change a citizen's location? When do you convert citizens to specialists? I'd basically like to start learning about this aspect of the game.

 

[AutomatedTeller]

the short answer is: when it makes sense.

part of it depends on play style - if all you want to do is have fun, you may not need to micromanage at all. If you want to get the absolute most out of your civ, then every turn is not uncommon.

generally, there are several places where I micromanage:

A settler factory, when it grows in size, to make sure food and shields are correct.

The first city, to balance food, shields and commerce.

When cities get to size 6/12 and are blocked,to maximize shields and commerce.

Specialists are quite another story - as a general rule, I try to keep my core working tiles, so I start using taxmen/scientists if I have excess food and are about to riot and don't want to up the lux level.

Highly corrupt cities get specialists as soon as they get unhappy.

 

[jkillips16]

Do you usually "specialize" a city, such as a settler factory? If so, how do you choose that city?

 

[Aabraxan]

The short answer: choose the city according to your empire's needs. (To echo ATM, "when it makes sense.") Early game, if you can build a settler factory, that speeds expansion. Late game, you probably won't need one. I usually build tons of science farms in my corrupted cities, then switch them to tax farms when I need gold more than I need beakers. For me, generally, core cities build expensive military units, semi-core cities build cheap units, the outer rim generates science and cash. That's generally. If you haven't looked into the War Academy, there are some great articles there.

 

[Apollo XI]

A settler factory, when it grows in size, to make sure food and shields are correct.

The first city, to balance food, shields and commerce.

When cities get to size 6/12 and are blocked,to maximize shields and commerce.

Specialists are quite another story - as a general rule, I try to keep my core working tiles, so I start using taxmen/scientists if I have excess food and are about to riot and don't want to up the lux level.

Highly corrupt cities get specialists as soon as they get unhappy.

This is generally how I micromanage. Lately, I've just been using governors to manage the citizen's happiness, since it gets annoying to have to micromanage every time civil unrest spontaneously erupts without any warning. I hate how the game doesn't WARN you whenever your city is in danger of rioting (where it would riot the next turn if you don't quickly fix it), and instead lets the riot erupt out of nowhere to smacks you in the face from left field. Also, I find it tedious to keep checking on cities just to make sure this isn't about to happen, so, unless it's the early game or unless I'm working toward a specific goal or building project, I'll just let the governors handle the moods.

I'm not sure if this is more or less efficient overall, but it saves me tedious work. Should I just suck it up and micromanage or is this fine for me to do?

 

[Aabraxan]

I'd basically like to start learning about this aspect of the game.

@jkillips16 -- By the way, there's a training day game with a focus on micromanagement & you're welcome to come lurk. It's down in Sucession Games.

. . . I hate how the game doesn't WARN you whenever your city is in danger of rioting (where it would riot the next turn if you don't quickly fix it), and instead lets the riot erupt out of nowhere to smacks you in the face from left field. . . . Should I just suck it up and micromanage or is this fine for me to do?

Do you have CivAssist II? The alerts in that utility will warn you if a city is about to riot.

 

[TimBentley]

CivAssist II and CRpMapStat both tell you when a city is about to riot, among other things.

 

[Aabraxan]

I always forget about CRpMapStat, because I haven't used it much.

 

[Apollo XI]

Do you have CivAssist II? The alerts in that utility will warn you if a city is about to riot.

Ooooh. I haven't heard of that. Excellent. I must look into that.

Thanks. ^_^

 

[Aabraxan]

Check the links in TimBentley's post.

 

[gmaharriet]

Also, I find it tedious to keep checking on cities just to make sure this isn't about to happen,

I use MapStat (love it!!!), but even within just the game itself, you can check all of your cities in the F1 screen, rather than going to each city individually to take a look.

 

[Tone]

I always forget about CRpMapStat, because I haven't used it much.

I use both MapStat and CivAssistII in tandem. The main thing I like about MapStat is that it enables me to keep track of AI tech progress when I have a tech lead. Maybe I've got it set up incorrectly but CAII only tells me when new tech trades are available but an AI discovering a tech I already have doesn't always lead to a new trade. It does mean that I want to consider selling it to other AIs though.

 

[Aabraxan]

The main thing I like about MapStat is that it enables me to keep track of AI tech progress when I have a tech lead. Maybe I've got it set up incorrectly but CAII only tells me when new tech trades are available but an AI discovering a tech I already have doesn't always lead to a new trade. It does mean that I want to consider selling it to other AIs though.

Maybe I just don't understand what you mean. Here's a screen of my trade options from my current game. Do you get anything like this? This is what I use to track AI techs. OTOH, maybe I need to work with MapStat some more.

 

[Tone]

I meant using the alert option. Maybe I should have said that CAII will only alert me if a new trade is available whereas MapStat will alert me if there is any change in the tech situation.

I don't open up either every turn and often rely on the various alerts.

 

[TimBentley]

MapStat pops up every time anybody learns a tech. CAII only shows an alert when a new tech is learned. That's the main reason I use both of them as well.

 

[gmaharriet]

I use both also. CAII is wonderful for "what iffing" things like changing governments before you do so, extracting world settings, opening a map without actually opening the game, and so much more that I rarely need...but it's there when I DO need it.

MapStat is a quick summary in easy-to-read format, uses fewer resources while running, and (as has already been pointed out) alerts automatically when another civ gets a tech that you already have. The only thing I frequently miss having available in MapStat is knowing how many turns are left on a Golden Age.

I wouldn't want to give up either utility. Thanks Dianthus and Ainwood!!!