Library Rush

[Mao Zendog]

This is a tactic that i will occasionaly use,
I research any cheap techs that i will need such as pottery, iron working, and the weel and then i go streight for literature. Then i put a library in all my citys attributing 5 or more beakers to science a turn(after corruption). By doing this i can get far ahead in tech without needing to get them from the AI.

I Just want to know if anyone has tried this and if they have had any luck with it, because i am not shure if it is all the librarys or just my city growth that is putting me ahead in tech.

 

[AutomatedTeller]

it is probably a combination. Lots of cities creates lots of science. larger cities create more commerce, creating more science. Libraries take that science and make even more.

In fact, it's not a bad tactic to just go straight for lit and trade for the other 1st level techs - you can often get those nearly as fast.

 

[Mao Zendog]

thanks, ill keep that in mind

 

[Aceman101]

It is probably not worth it though to put libs in town that produce less than 10 commerce.

 

[bryanwallace]

how much effect do libraries and scientists have on the speed of getting new techs?
how is this calculated

 

[psweetman1590]

Well, individually, that's highly dependant on the situation (that is, I can't say that one library will speed it up much, if at all).

I assume you don't know how techs are researched to make sure I cover all the bases. If you already know much of this, then forgive the long-windedness.

Each of your cities will generate commerce from the tiles that are worked by the citizens of the city. That commerce is lumped up, and divided into three categories: Luxeries (which make your people happy), Tax (which goes into your treasury), and Science. Science is accumulated over the turns, and is applied to the tech you're researching. Each tech has a cost to it. Once you accumulate enough beakers to cover the cost, you research the tech. You can change the rate each of these three categories in the domestic advisor screen, if you didn't know already (F1).

Libraries will add 50% of the science in the city they are built in. If you have twenty cities, one library won't help much. If you build a library in every city, it could increase your speed by up to 50%. It might be lower, though, due to the way the computer rounds percentages in individual cities.

A scientist, on the other hand, will contribute 3 beakers per turn, a flat rate. Generally, these are not worth it, unless the city is almost completely corrupt.

 

[nerovats]

A scientist, on the other hand, will contribute 3 beakers per turn, a flat rate. Generally, these are not worth it, unless the city is almost completely corrupt.

Scientists are great, even in less corrupted towns. Every lib will help a bit. Just make sure calculate the 1gpt maintenance cost, so every city over 5 science is very reasonable. As AT mentioned try not to spend to many turns of 1st and 2nd tier techs, AI will research those.

 

[MAS]

As for the scientist specialist. it produces 3 bpt in C3C

(cpt=commerce per turn, bpt=beakers per turn)

Your capital in republic, each citizen will produce 2 cpt (assuming no commerce bonuses on the tile) with 100% SCI, a lib will turn it into 3 bpt a uni in 4 bpt. And that is only with 100% sci and no corruption.
In monarchy, or other non representative gov, this is only half. or 2 bpt with both a lib and a uni.

One can see now the scientist thus would do better in all but the ideal situation for your capital. Of course a tile working citizen will also produce food and shields. But if you don't need those, a scientist usually out-researches a normal citizen.

Well, this would be different for coastal towns working water, but again, coast and sea don't give shields. (though they do give food) With a commercial doc, things change again. But again, mostly in very low corrupt cities.

So don't dish the scientist to easily.

 

[AutomatedTeller]

Trying to think about why the 10 commerce rule would make sense:

10 commerce @ 100% * 50% = 5 extra beakers. A scientist gets 3 beakers. A lib costs 1 gpt to maintain, so a lib vs just making a scientist helps only when there are 10 beakers from commerce. That makes sense.

one thing to be aware of is that, as far as I can tell, citizens make more 2 commerce turn in the core - usually, it's around 2.3->2.5 commerce - from rivers, commerce bonuses and coast. Usually, sites near commerce bonuses are settled early (for luxes, river growth, harbors, gold, etc) so early in the game, it might be higher.

 

[Son_Of_Dido]

Sometimes, if I'm a Scientific civ, I'll try to get literature as soon as possible, build those libraries on the cheap for the cultural benefit.

 

[alcinicia]

Libraries are a definite help. The stats posted above are correct, so the cumulative effect (thus library rush) can help a ton, without the opportunity cost of so many scientists.