Rounding. Say you are generating 15What's the advantage of keeping it there rather than striking a balance?








Usually, no. Though with theIs it worth it to build Castles for the sake of trade routes

Rounding. Say you are generating 15What's the advantage of keeping it there rather than striking a balance?
Usually, no. Though with theIs it worth it to build Castles for the sake of trade routes
I'd add to sampsa's comment, that there are some other not readily noticeable reasons to run 0% slider, especially early game. It gets more complex to think about these things or track them, but things to note are that you are maxxing your income at a time before you generally have research multipliers in place (library). Also, you are usually expanding fast early on one way or another, so you are funding that expansion. Meanwhile, some techs you eventually tech will be teched by more AIs, and/or you will meet more AIs, which provides a bonus on techs. Rather than having to think about too much of this now, just go with the 0% or 100% option once you settle your first city (other than cap) as you will hit deficit research. Bank enough money until you have enough to fully tech it at 100% research. Later on, you will have more options for gold to keep your research slider at 100%Huh. What's the advantage of keeping it there rather than striking a balance?
Castles are generally never worth it as they become obsolete very fast. Better to use that gold on units.Also, I have another question: Is it worth it to build Castles for the sake of trade routes even though you have no reason to worry about the city coming under siege? An extra trade route sounds very appealing but they become obsolete very early with Economics, which is a tech that I find I don't normally want to delay, plus it takes 150 hammers, or 75 with Stone, which seems like quite a steep cost.
Is that really relevant outside of the very early game though? Obviously, if you have 15 commerce, like in this example, your effective commerce is 14, which is a ~7% loss and very relevant. But once I have 100 commerce, I'd consider 1 commerce an acceptable price for not having to keep close track of the slider, let alone when I have 500 or 1000 commerce.Rounding. Say you are generating 15. Now 100%
-slider generates 15
, 0%
-slider generates 15
, but 50%
-slider generates 7
7
.
I'll admit, I usually play with espionage off. The system is kinda clunky and while I can accept some suboptimal decisions from the AI that handles citizen assignment in cities in exchange for less micromanagement, the priority it puts on Spy specialists is too much for me.Usually, no. Though with the-bonus they might be good in some situations, especially with PRO, especially on deity where tech stealing is a thing. On lower levels AIs tech way too slow to make stealing worthwhile.
Interesting. I tend to go for buildings by default, but you're saying it's better to go for wealth than, say, a Bank? The production required for a Bank could become 200 gold, but if you're averaging a 30% gold rate on your commerce, and you have something like 40 commerce, which seems like a reasonable number for a mid-game city in my experience, then a Bank would generate 6 gold per turn, meaning it'd accumulate 200 gold in just 33 turns, after which it'd turn a profit.Can't remember last time I actually built a castle. Key building is granary for growth. Maybe lighthouse and library in places. Most other builds a waste unless you play late game. Sometimes a market/forge in capital for happiness. Better to build wealth/research than most buildings.
I play on Noble but based on how easily I outpace the AI I'd estimate I can probably go 2-3 difficulty levels higher before getting into trouble.Where is your play level at with Civ 4? Noble? Higher?
Ah, that's something I wasn't aware of.Meanwhile, some techs you eventually tech will be teched by more AIs, and/or you will meet more AIs, which provides a bonus on techs.
Yes, it is most relevant early, when you can indeed lose +5% of yourIs that really relevant outside of the very early game though? Obviously, if you have 15 commerce, like in this example, your effective commerce is 14, which is a ~7% loss and very relevant. But once I have 100 commerce, I'd consider 1 commerce an acceptable price for not having to keep close track of the slider, let alone when I have 500 or 1000 commerce.
Or is the rounding city-based? I assumed it was empire-wide, and I do remember seeing things that seemed to back that up, but I'll admit I haven't crunched the numbers.
The thing is that turningI'll admit, I usually play with espionage off. The system is kinda clunky and while I can accept some suboptimal decisions from the AI that handles citizen assignment in cities in exchange for less micromanagement, the priority it puts on Spy specialists is too much for me.
Most buildings are simply bad, because something else (I always kind of assumed that building wealth and research (and culture I guess but there aren't a lot of situations where that's actually relevant as far as I can tell) was a production sink for if there was nothing left to built.
Rounding isn't city-based as far as I know, but later when 1 commerce is significantly less of your total you also have better tools for keeping your slider high - selling techs, selling resources, etc. - so keeping the slider at 100% is also easier.Is that really relevant outside of the very early game though? Obviously, if you have 15 commerce, like in this example, your effective commerce is 14, which is a ~7% loss and very relevant. But once I have 100 commerce, I'd consider 1 commerce an acceptable price for not having to keep close track of the slider, let alone when I have 500 or 1000 commerce.
Or is the rounding city-based? I assumed it was empire-wide, and I do remember seeing things that seemed to back that up, but I'll admit I haven't crunched the numbers.
Wealth/Research is better than building a bank in most cases. The caveat is that buildings like market/grocer/bank only increase your city'sInteresting. I tend to go for buildings by default, but you're saying it's better to go for wealth than, say, a Bank? The production required for a Bank could become 200 gold, but if you're averaging a 30% gold rate on your commerce, and you have something like 40 commerce, which seems like a reasonable number for a mid-game city in my experience, then a Bank would generate 6 gold per turn, meaning it'd accumulate 200 gold in just 33 turns, after which it'd turn a profit.
I always kind of assumed that building wealth and research (and culture I guess but there aren't a lot of situations where that's actually relevant as far as I can tell) was a production sink for if there was nothing left to built.
Very old thread on this (like, literally from a month or two after the base game came out). I believe none of the patches or expansions made major changes though, other than some tweaks to how partial values rounded off.Does anyone know the numbers on these things (and any other tech cost modifiers that might exist) or alternatively a link to where that information can be found?
The thing is that turningoff screws the game up, because all
is turned into
. It's much better to keep
on and mostly ignore it. Only direct the
-points towards your future trading partner (Mansa is optimal) to see his research and that's all you need to do in most games, especially on low levels.
Turn on emphasize, so that the governor won't run specialists. Also, courthouse is far from a necessary building.
Yeah, I found that annoying as well, the culture is completely out of whack even with the doubled thresholds. If 'ignore it' is a valid strategy, I might just do that.
What's the benefit of having one specific trading partner?
It isn't about one specific trading partner, as much as identifying the usual best techers like Mansa in your game. Focus eps passively on a leader like Mansa will let you eventually see what he is teching. This can help with tech choices so that you can set up good trades. You'll still trade with other leaders. (EDIT: Also, note that while Mansa is the best teching AI he is also the one leader that will trade just about anything with you. Ofc, you won't always have him in your game but you will start to learn what the better AI techers are as you gain more experience. Usually FIN leaders and often IMP leaders are good as well as India)What's the benefit of having one specific trading partner?
Yeah, it depends a good deal on what you are trying to accomplish. Space games you will usually start growing cities at some point working tiles and specialists. More military focus games you will usually only focus growth on your core to sustain research needs, while whipping units in most other cities. Some cities like HE city can grow too as you generally won't whip that city.Another question: In the lategame, what size is optimal for cities to cap out at? Enough population to work all tiles? A few pop above that so that they can have some specialists? Are there different strategies with their own advantages?
Extremely. Great People are a very important part of high level play and know what folks are best when and why. Early game you are generally gonna focus on Great Scientists while later Great Merchants have great value.Speaking of, how useful are specialists in the first place? And how useful are strategies revolving around them, e.g. Representation civic, building the specialist-boosting wonders, then growing your cities to huge sizes?
Early game focus is generally on food first and then grow cottages (especially in your cap usually). Late game workshops really gain in value if you get to that point. Late game hammer economy is very strong. Early game though you are usually gonna whip a lot or run specialists so food is very important (well always but yeah). Keep in mind that FOOD=PRODUCTIONOh, and yet another question: Are some tile improvements clearly better than others, and are there configurations that are simply better or worse (e.g. farms and mines vs cottages and windmills), or does it only depend on which tiles you have available and whether you're running a specific strategy with your civics such as Caste System + State Property? And should you aim for one specific balance between food, hammers and commerce, or do you let the terrain guide what you go for?
For me, specialists themselves are not that great, but theSpeaking of, how useful are specialists in the first place? And how useful are strategies revolving around them, e.g. Representation civic, building the specialist-boosting wonders, then growing your cities to huge sizes?
And should you aim for one specific balance between food, hammers and commerce, or do you let the terrain guide what you go for?
Indeed. A lot depends on yourKeep in mind that FOOD=PRODUCTION
So what I'm gathering from this is cottages all the way?Try to avoid regular farms (withoutresources) until Biology.
Rivers are generally made for cottages. "Dry" cities should look at running some specialists (usually scientists early), always a good example are seafood cities.
Mines would be much much better if slavery doesn't exist, their main use is usually wonders (but even then the important source ofare forests). With IMP some can be good for settlers.
Workshops are pretty bad without State Property, but with it they are really good. Windmills are weak overall.
As a general rule, yes. Cottages are good because they don't cost youSo what I'm gathering from this is cottages all the way?
So,Regarding Slavery: Is it really strong enough to take care of the build queue by itself? Because that's the impression I get here, but I find that not using it more than once per ten turns actually limits how much I can get done with it quite a bit. Sure, sometimes you can whip 4 pop for a building or something, but e.g. a unit isn't going to cost more than 2 pop at most, which tends to mean that the city grows faster than I can whip unless I'm willing to let the unhappiness penalties stack, which seems like a bad idea to me. And at that point, doesn't that just mean that more food doesn't actually help you produce more stuff (beyond worked tiles from pop), making production better?
1. Build a worker first
Yes. Lower level players tend to be very greedy in scouting, though the lower level barbs also somewhat allow more greed. On deity you just can't afford to let your starting unit wander far away and it's much more important to secure a good spot to fog bust.2. Explore just beyond your borders first.
3. Cottageable tiles
Yes, especially settlers/workers are good whips even before granary. After granary they are excellent whips, if4. Don’t be afraid to use the whip.
I think this is an excellent observation! IMO even many deity players build too many buildings in games that they aim to win by war.5. Focus your efforts on rapid expansion.
You should be pumping out workers, units, and settlers. Don’t do what I did and make a bunch of buildings that won’t give much immediate benefit. I’m still trying to break this bad habit.
Food, food, food.6. Is there anything I missed? These were the main things I noticed.