Does the Civ V tech tree even make sense?

Judge for yourself- Turn 270 save.

Okay, I'm going to breakdown why I feel this is save is not a representative case for an argument that production and science levels are equivalent, or however it is you want to phrase the argument:

1) You're in the future era and have access to every +:c5production: building in the game.
-The difference between tech and production speeds is really noticeable early and midgame, especially before you can get multiple factories and rails online.

2) You have 4 cities built on large rivers working a combined 36 tiles with hydroplants. You also have 2 solar plants.
-an extension of point 1, these buildings are only available in the modern era and you are clearly getting a huge benefit from these buildings because...

3) You're in a golden age.
-obviously this increases your production a huge amount.

I figured out how much the top 4 cities would yield without hydroplants or the GA you were in:
Shanghai: 133.3 -> 83.85
Beijing: 120 -> 66
Nanjing: 109.65 -> 70.95
Guangzhou: 100.8 -> 43.74 (with solar plant)

That's a drastic difference. Clearly a large portion of your hammers are coming from your eras buildings and your GA. Since my issue is with earlier production times, the save you've posted it is unfortunately not really applicable.

Now, to address tech speed:

You have 14 completed RAs by turn 271 (1 free tech every 19.4 turns) with 61 completed techs (1 more in 1 turn). This means you've averaged 1 tech per 5.67 turns from the beginning of the game, not including RAs. Obviously I can't determine how many GSs you popped, but that is also part of the concept that tech goes by too quickly.

How long is the average build time of a unit? I believe it's over 5.67 turns.
 
I recently saw a great film about WWII and realized very quickly and tech in civ (in general) is nothing close to the amount of units. I read somewhere that over 100,000 planes were built during the period of WWII... nothing in the game even brings a civ close to the number.. (assuming units represented squadrons.. which is what I assume they are)

The tech tree is a little wonky.. some of the stuff really doesn't make sense or add up.. has anyone gotten to a point where they discover a new tech for a new military unit and then looked at their tech tree.. and be like "well wait.. how could I have this unit if I don't have this very basic (necessary even?) tech?"

I can't remember the specifics for the life of me, but I know for a fact that I've played a few games where having modern units on the field but missing some really basic techs.
 
Would you say Civ4 tech tree was more "realistic"?

I'm not quite sure we can look for historical realism there, it's like writing books about alternative history. It will always be in the "science fiction" category, so we may as well accept them and understand them as symbolic. They need to be like that for game design purposes.
 
Should be it more historically accurate? The tech trees and evolutions of social policies and civics reflect our own history, but these shouldn't necessarily come about from the interactions in game. What I mean is - is it feasible for a civ to have an economy that doesn't have a monetary system? Could not a national education system evolve without a theocratic origin (looking at the piety vs rationalism thread) or would piety conflict with rationalism if the dominant religion or ideology never contradicts scientific discoveries?
 
How long is the average build time of a unit? I believe it's over 5.67 turns.

Yes. In fact, I managed to save a T240 save (just discovered Flight). Indeed fighers take 12 turns to complete, while infantry takes around 7 turns to complete. Clearly a sign of weak research design. *cough*
 
Yes. In fact, I managed to save a T240 save (just discovered Flight). Indeed fighers take 12 turns to complete, while infantry takes around 7 turns to complete. Clearly a sign of weak research design. *cough*

agreed
 
I kinda like that. I feel it simulates the actual path of nations, rather than being able to make massive leaps of logic and common sense (no, Hunting isn't strictly -necessary- to understand Nuclear Fission, but really, are you going to be able to understand the latter without being able to understand the former?). Plus, each tech is now useful-ish, so you don't have the Archery or Theology miss-outs like you did in CivIV.

Civ 5 simulates the "actual path of nations"...but the whole fun of Civ is to explore alternative paths, which is mostly impossible in Civ 5's tech tree.
 
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