It seems Babylon has been greatly nerfed...

[prince_caspian]

While Korea has gotten much stronger.

The Great Scientist special ability allows you to gain a lump sum of Science equal to the average science output of your civilization for the previous six turns. As before, Great Scientists can also create an Academy, which is a science generating tile improvement

So what Babylon gets is upon Writing, its free GS must be settled (bpt is too low to even get half a tech), the cost of its 2nd immediately goes up 100 points, while it can no longer save up for free bulbs unless it has very high bpt which is more likely with academy spam.

But Korea still gets the usual self-RA bonuses in the beginning and the UA definitely allows for higher bpt than Babylon. Beakers are not limited to academies and science specialists. And I believe that Hubble Space Telescope is another world wonder that should grant beakers just like GL.

Discuss.

 

[Hyper Nova]

I settled my first GS when playing Babylon anyway because it came so early the long term amount of Science you got was better than 1 tech.

But I agree the GS is a significant nerf. The nerf was needed but I wish it the boost was equal to the average sciences cost of your current researchable techs.
In effect you would get the equivalent of 1 tech all be it the average one.
Therefore you wouldn't be able to pick the most expensive one but instead complete the one you are one and get part of the next one done as well. Similar to how RAs were originally nerfed in vanilla.

 

[spider1]

I always settle that first GS anyway. Besides, I've gotten used to playing with the Echos of Ages mod which disallows spending GS's for tech advances anyway. With Echos of Ages you either plant the GS or waste it on a golden age.

This changes does not affect the way I play. But I haven't downloaded G&K yet, so I have yet to find those things I might not like yet.

 

[BobDole]

I would say that everyone was nerfed, not just Babylon. I mean, at a high difficulty level, who wasn't running tons of scientist specialists and bulbing techs constantly? This had to be done.

 

[A Rabid Dopsis]

The Great Consensus has been 'settle it' for quite some time so that's not much of a difference.

And since free GP are nerfed for everyone, Babylon still gets a benefit over other civs.

Maybe a touch of nerfitude.

 

[thadian]

the cost of its 2nd immediately goes up 100 points,

Then the wording of its ability should be changed from "Receive Free Great Scientist" to "Recieve first great scientist at writing"

FREE means FREE not pay more for the second one. And free means FREE, meaning "THIS ONE" does not count against my limits.

This would be like the oracle free policy increasing the cost of future policies.

 

[prince_caspian]

People, your points are all valid. The only thing that I would advance across is that you can't really call Babylon OP anymore, and that Korea is the probably the science civ now.

Then the wording of its ability should be changed from "Receive Free Great Scientist" to "Recieve first great scientist at writing"

FREE means FREE not pay more for the second one. And free means FREE, meaning "THIS ONE" does not count against my limits.

This would be like the oracle free policy increasing the cost of future policies.

Apparently Firaxis saw it fit to insert a catch to the FREE. Some of the existing and new wonders still have that FREE (and misleading) wording.