I agree with you glacierimi. A lot of the wonders feel very useless, especially their base benefits. The first couple wonders seem pretty good with decent with the base benefits and other effects. Gene Vault for 205
gives +10% growth, Panopticon for 250
allows +1 sight. Master control 225
gives +1 move to workers and free network building. And etc. early wonders seem alright to me.
However, the mid-late game wonders are rarely worth it besides denying the cpu to have a slight advantage. For instance: New Terran Myth 750
and Xeno Drome 750
only provide 4
. (though xenodrome does provide a free xeno sanctuary). Holon Chamber 1050
only provides +5
. By the time you can build these wonders, I'm pretty sure you've already researched other comparable stuff like: terraforming and can build a terrascape which will give you +2
, +2
, and +2
. Or comparable buildings: Holosuite with +2
, and 2 artist slots, CEL crade giving 4 artist slots, xeno sanctuary for 550
itself giving +4
. I mean just look at the numbers if I made two xeno sanctuaries in two separate cities that would cost 1100
and give me +8
If I made the xenodrome it would cost 750
and also give me +8
(including the free xeno santuary). It is a 30% reduction in production cost, but that doesn't help you in the long run. And when compared any of these, trade routes totally eclipse any of the above.
Markov Eclipse, okay that seems decent military 50% exp faster,
Nanothermite for 1050
gives +4
(energy). Really? that's literally one generator or if you don't have correct bonuses than maybe another building. And perhaps a half/third of a trade route. It does gives +30 city defense which is alright? I guess.
Holon Chamber at 1050
only 5
. Not sure why you would make this. its a third of trade route (or half) at this point or just one academy tile.
Archimedes Leve at 837
gives 4
and 1
. (also +50 city defense, but not that important) Again overshadowed by trade routes and a slim benefit over other buildings. Also costs 5 geothermal making this building doubly useless.
Daedalus Ladder for 1550
gives a paltry 2
and 3 health. Which I guess the health is alright, but plenty of other regular buildings give +1,2,3 health already. Especially if you're this high in the tech tree. (I mean you could beline for augmentation, though I don't see why one would do so for this wonder)
Xenonova for 1150
gives 7
and 2 health. Again, overshadowed by trade routes.
Some other late wonders which I think have decent instead of paltry benefits: Resurrection Device +8 health, which you cannot get from trade routes LOL. Tectonic anvil +9
, which is somewhat offset by manufactories and other trade routes, but I liked the description of how it worked.
Anyways the main point is Wonders are boring because:
- Overshadowed by trade routes
- Slim benefits against comparable buildings
- Many wonders don't have a unique abilities (like +1 movement, farm +1 food)
I really don't know why so many of the wonders don't give any "ability" to the civ. I would like some more wonders that modify one's gamestyle a lot more. For instance (these are examples and can obviously be adjusted for balance) why not have the Holon Chamber increase academy science by 1 or 2. Or perhaps tectonic anvil/ archimedes Lever let you create a strategic resource. Or when attaining New Terran Myth lets you skip one purchasing virtue and just let you purchase the next one.
I hope they will give more wonders "abilities" or at the very least increase the base benefits from building them.