Is it better to delay Scientific Thinking for as long as possible?

[cabert]

That leads to the question, which is worse: researching Scientific Method and knowing where the oil is (but not being able to use it) or being able to use oil having researched Combustion but not having any oil?

if i can build an oil well, i already have bonus. Even if i can't i already have a bonus

 

[Uiler]

That leads to the question, which is worse: researching Scientific Method and knowing where the oil is (but not being able to use it) or being able to use oil having researched Combustion but not having any oil?

Knowing where the oil is early is useful because you know if you don't have any and that it's time to build up an army to get some

 

[Wodan]

You have to research Astronomy first so your observatories should be up and running by the time Sci Meth is finished so it's not too bad a loss, unless you have TGL.

Observatories work both before and after Scientific Method. Any loss due to getting SM is a loss no matter how many Observatories you have.

Wodan

 

[cabert]

Observatories work both before and after Scientific Method. Any loss due to getting SM is a loss no matter how many Observatories you have.

Wodan

well, with sankore university, the loss is even bigger when you have observatories...

 

[Wodan]

well, with sankore university, the loss is even bigger when you have observatories...

Right. Just the same as all the following:

-- if you turn off a scientist specialist, the loss is even bigger if you have an observatory
-- if you click off the "commerce" button on that city so that your peeps stop working cottages, the loss is even bigger if you have an observatory,
-- if you drop your research slider, the loss is even bigger if you have an observatory

Wodan

 

[dutchfire]

You could always trade for oil

 

[Bierp]

That leads to the question, which is worse: researching Scientific Method and knowing where the oil is (but not being able to use it) or being able to use oil having researched Combustion but not having any oil?

My thinking exactly. I've had several games where I've held off on SM as long as possible just by doing a heavy religion spread and popping a lot of science from my monasteries.

My game strats are changing these days and I'm getting better, but I can say that holding off on SM isn't always the worst thing. You will definitely see a short term drop if you're running a heavy monastery system.

B

 

[Pantastic]

I think it's a bit silly that discovering the scientific method hinders your research, but that's the way it goes.

 

[uberfish]

It makes perfect sense. Scientific method represents a change in world-view so drastic that the old institutions of learning are no longer useful.

 

[Antilogic]

I've never noticed that--does having the +2 science from Sankore go obsolete at Scientific Method? I though just the +10% science went obsolete...

It would be nice if the Scientific Method increased the library or university research rate to compensate for the lack of "religious" researching.

 

[UncleJJ]

I've never noticed that--does having the +2 science from Sankore go obsolete at Scientific Method? I though just the +10% science went obsolete...

It would be nice if the Scientific Method increased the library or university research rate to compensate for the lack of "religious" researching.

Scientific Method means you can't build more monastries, the 10% research bonus is lost and they no longre count for Sankore Uni or Spiral Minaret.

However, existing monastries do retain the ability to make missionaries regardless of the civics and culture is still produced after they are obsoleted. So another reason for delaying Scietific Method would be that you wanted to build a few more monastries for either of these 2 effects that are retained... I like to be able to build missionaries of my state religion in a good number of cities.

 

[cabert]

You could always trade for oil

Or capture an oil well
But I don't want to wait for my opponents to have oil before i crush them!

 

[Pantastic]

It makes perfect sense. Scientific method represents a change in world-view so drastic that the old institutions of learning are no longer useful.

It represents such an amazing step forward in science that it's slower to research after getting it than before. For example, if I don't have Assembly Line or Scientific method, it will take me longer to finish both if I research SM first. That doesn't really make sense to me. There should be some other benefit to it IMO so that you don't say 'I'll wait to research this until I've gotten these expensive techs out of the way.'

 

[Meatbuster]

It represents such an amazing step forward in science that it's slower to research after getting it than before.... There should be some other benefit to it IMO so that you don't say 'I'll wait to research this until I've gotten these expensive techs out of the way.'

Think of SciMeth as an "unlocker" that comes with a cost. That is, it will kill your research but unlocks powerful modern era techs.

Yes, it's still 'I'll wait to research this until I've gotten these expensive techs out of the way', but what can you do? But then again, once you get, say, Physics or Biology soon, the effects may balance out.