nickytootricky
Warlord
- Joined
- Nov 12, 2013
- Messages
- 132
I've come to this conclusion after doing some experiments. Even HG. Even Petra.
Discuss.
Discuss.
Apologies for not replying sooner, and for the short original post. By "discuss" I meant, "I've thrown this out there, see what they think". Yes it's a bit contraversial. But I think I'm right in most situations.
I don't have any "evidence", but I spent a few evenings playing the same games over and over and comparing results (plus I've played thousands of hours of Deity ) The (subjective) results were overwhelmingly that the opportunity cost of going for wonders outweighs the opportunity of expanding and building infrastructure. This was even the case when there was a great Petra city and I managed to get that and Hanging Gardens. I believe that the initial part of the game is the most important and you are seriously crippling yourself going into the mid-game if you waste time on wonders.
It must be noted that I find win % more important than turn time.
There are of course exceptions to the rule. For example you've gone Tradition and you realise noone is going to build the Hanging Gardens, so you get it after NC. Same with Petra if no capitals appear to be on desert. Collosus if there are no coastal capitals, etc. Or you are going OCC and you have run out of things to build.
Oracle might be an exception but I honestly don't think it's game breaking.
What I am incredibly sure of is that Temple of Artemis, Stonehenge, etc aren't worth building. The drawbacks vastly outweigh the disadvantages.
Pyramids is by far the one with the lowest opportunity cost (if you are sure to get it), you spend 185 hammers to get 140 hammers back in the form of two workers, and faster workers (to stack with Citizenship for very fast tile improvement). In some situations you may find yourself to have too many workers because of lucky worker steals, but even then the bonus for tile improving is well worth it.
Yes, if you are going Liberty, and that is catastrophic unless going for early domination.
So HG is CONSIDERABLY easier to get now.
If you can see that no one has opened it, go for it, if you're playing a peaceful game and have put out your settlers.