Downscaling of Science and Culture for Empires

[historix69]

1. Science and Culture output of an empire and the resulting progress in techs and civics scale to a large part with the size of the empire, number and size of cities, number of libraries, universities, population, etc. A small empire of 10 average cities will advance in tech-tree about 10 times faster than a civ with only one average city on a small remote island. An empire with 100 average cities will advance about 10 times faster than a civ with a small empire of 10 average cities and 100 times faster than a civ with only one average city. When playing Civ on bigger maps like Giant Earth, there are always civs which have a bad start and stick with 1-5 cities while others expand quickly and build/conquer small empires with 10 or more cities.

2. There are mods to slow down ingame progress by increasing tech / civic costs by a factor 5-10 or even 20 to ensure that each era lasts 100 or more turns. One of the side effects is that the 100 or more turns allow to build an adequate military force, conquer neighbouring cities and so build an empire of 20, 50 or 100 cities (depending on map and continent size), which then progresses 2, 5 or 10 times faster than a small 10-cities-empire, so canceling the initial raise in costs by a factor 5 or 10. The result is that only ancient and classical era are extended while the later eras have a rather normal length for a 100-cities-empire while the progress of other civs with small empires is stalled.

3. The following mod tries to reduce the effect of early empire size on progress in techs and civics by increasing the science and culture rate in capital from 100% to 250% by strengthening the Palace and by reducing the science and culture rate in all other cities to 25% / 50% via a modification of the city center district. The capital so has a value of 10 or more average cities and the difference in early progress between a single city and a small empire should be neglectible. (Maybe early growth in capital is even better than early expansion?)

Science and Culture rate are still modified by happiness, so a non-capital city with lack of amenities can drop from 25% (content) down to 20% (displeased, -5%) or 15% (unhappy, -10%) or even 0% (unrest -30%, revolt, -60%). Surplus of amenities instead raises the science rate from 25% (content) to 30% (happy, +5%) and 35% (ecstatic, +10%).

Note :
The mod is still experimental. I checked the values by starting a new game, but I have not done a full game with the mod yet.

-- Buff Capital via Palace

-- Science +225 -75 = +150%
insert into BuildingModifiers (BuildingType, ModifierId)
values ("BUILDING_PALACE", "PALACE_SCIENCE_BUFF");

insert into Modifiers (ModifierId, ModifierType)
values ("PALACE_SCIENCE_BUFF", "MODIFIER_SINGLE_CITY_ADJUST_CITY_YIELD_MODIFIER");

insert into ModifierArguments (ModifierId, Name, Value)
values ("PALACE_SCIENCE_BUFF", "Amount", "225");

insert into ModifierArguments (ModifierId, Name, Value)
values ("PALACE_SCIENCE_BUFF", "YieldType", "YIELD_SCIENCE");

-- Culture +200 -50 = +150%
insert into BuildingModifiers (BuildingType, ModifierId)
values ("BUILDING_PALACE", "PALACE_CULTURE_BUFF");

insert into Modifiers (ModifierId, ModifierType)
values ("PALACE_CULTURE_BUFF", "MODIFIER_SINGLE_CITY_ADJUST_CITY_YIELD_MODIFIER");

insert into ModifierArguments (ModifierId, Name, Value)
values ("PALACE_CULTURE_BUFF", "Amount", "200");

insert into ModifierArguments (ModifierId, Name, Value)
values ("PALACE_CULTURE_BUFF", "YieldType", "YIELD_CULTURE");



-- Debuff all Cities via City Center

-- Science -75%
insert into DistrictModifiers (DistrictType, ModifierId)
values ("DISTRICT_CITY_CENTER", "CITY_SCIENCE_DEBUFF");

insert into Modifiers (ModifierId, ModifierType)
values ("CITY_SCIENCE_DEBUFF", "MODIFIER_SINGLE_CITY_ADJUST_CITY_YIELD_MODIFIER");

insert into ModifierArguments (ModifierId, Name, Value)
values ("CITY_SCIENCE_DEBUFF", "Amount", "-75");

insert into ModifierArguments (ModifierId, Name, Value)
values ("CITY_SCIENCE_DEBUFF", "YieldType", "YIELD_SCIENCE");

-- Culture -50%
insert into DistrictModifiers (DistrictType, ModifierId)
values ("DISTRICT_CITY_CENTER", "CITY_CULTURE_DEBUFF");

insert into Modifiers (ModifierId, ModifierType)
values ("CITY_CULTURE_DEBUFF", "MODIFIER_SINGLE_CITY_ADJUST_CITY_YIELD_MODIFIER");

insert into ModifierArguments (ModifierId, Name, Value)
values ("CITY_CULTURE_DEBUFF", "Amount", "-50");

insert into ModifierArguments (ModifierId, Name, Value)
values ("CITY_CULTURE_DEBUFF", "YieldType", "YIELD_CULTURE");

 

[heinous_hat]

Interesting idea.

I played a few partial games (emperor @ epic), so I can't speak as to how well it pans out later. However, early tech progression is too rapid with the 250% palace increase. It flattens out as costs increase, maybe achieving something closer to your intention. I'll try reducing that a little, but it may be necessary to re-balance tech costs relative to what is essentially like starting out at the top of a steep hill.