neccessary city improvements

[Qualic]

Originally posted by Smash
One could argue(successfully) that no improvements at all are needed for any level.
I think a "mistake" players make is trying to make every city a super fat metropolis.Better to concentrate on a few cities and make those the core of your economic/science/militaristic empire.
Certain cities should have specific purposes.Like this one spits settlers,this one build barracks and veteran units,this one builds wonders...etc.

Diversify.

It is interesting to see the perspective of someone who's been playing for a long time. For me, building and managing a Civ of big, "fat" cities is what I enjoy most about the game...I'm kinda dissappointed when my reasearch tree hits Future Technologies...

Q

ps- can anyone point me towards a good comparison between CivII vs CivIII?

 

[Qualic]

Originally posted by Qualic


ps- can anyone point me towards a good comparison between CivII vs CivIII?

nevermind...I found a thread right under my nose...

 

[harperbruce]

Originally posted by rponton
...Which of the city improvements do people generally reccomend as neccessary, which do you figure are less necessary, and which are generally unneeded?...

I recommended this on another thread, but Fisher's paper on "Making War in Civ2" (out in the main Fanatics site) gives excellent advice, IMO, on what to build. I liked the paper so much, I copied it into iSilo format, and keep it on my padd to read wherever.

What order is up to you, but it's mainly a tactical decision, from what I see; what works for the current situation. The dynamics of a given game will help determine what you build when.

 

[Ace]

Originally posted by harperbruce
....
What order is up to you, but it's mainly a tactical decision, from what I see; what works for the current situation. The dynamics of a given game will help determine what you build when.

Quite right! You need a general plan to guide your development, but you have to be flexible. There is not much point in building marketplaces in your frontier cities when the mongols are coming over the hill. Barracks and vet troops are much more important at that moment. Than once the threat is past, revert to the general plan.

 

[harperbruce]

Originally posted by Ace

Quite right! You need a general plan to guide your development, but you have to be flexible. There is not much point in building marketplaces in your frontier cities when the mongols are coming over the hill....

Definitely not with the Mongols coming over the hill at you! I hate both them and the Carthaginians; overagressive *$(@$#&*!

 

[ElephantU]

Be nice to them and give them Republic: they can be "pacified" (losing a short war or two helps too...).

 

[Gigi Dag]

Well I for my part would recommend the happy-improvements, temples, cathedrals and all this stuff. Because if people get unhappy everything will go down: production, income,...and it's very annoying to put productive people away from their work only to be a very bad I might add copy of Elvis. The entertainer does nothing else but keep people at bay and therefore valuable shield income get lost so-->less production, you can't produce the soldiers fast enough, enemy get the upper hand and history you are

I think the income the marketplace, Stock Exchanges and other income enhancing stuff produce is not enough to build them. Keep in mind you have to pay upkeep for them and what you get in return isn't worth building them unless the city is big enough and they produce alot trade. So these things I would recommend later.

What become very important in late games are the production improvements:
Factory, Manufacturing....
Because things get very expensive in modern times and you would have to wait 200 turns and more for things to complete with the Factory thingies they complete in no time

So stick with the Gigi Dag guide to win and you will never ever loose again

 

[rponton]

it's not that I ever lose, I'm just opening up discussion, and looking for any "one-up's" as it were.

 

[Terrapin]

Because things get very expensive in modern times and you would have to wait 200 turns and more for things to complete with the Factory thingies they complete in no time

Remember that you can supplement production with money. In fact, later in the game, when you have fast transport ships and the earth is covered with big cities, it is easier to generate cash through trade than shields with factories! A single 1000g delivery can pay for rushing two battleships, no waiting...Plus 'replace' the caravan you cashed in. (Even if my rush buy math is off, I think the point is valid.)

 

[ElephantU]

Originally posted by Terrapin
A single 1000g delivery can pay for rushing two battleships, no waiting...Plus 'replace' the caravan you cashed in. (Even if my rush buy math is off, I think the point is valid.)

Hmm- BB is 160 shields, in late game with no Warriors cheapest starter is 210 gold for Dip/Spy/Explorer, which leaves 130 shields to rush. Assuming you can find a unit to rush each row individually (I know you can't; I just dont know how many double rows you need), each row is 25 gold so that comes to 13x25g=325g+210g=535g (rushing double rows costs 30 gold each). This does not allow for the city production finishing out the rows (ie, if the city is producing 20 shields stop at 140 and save 50 gold). Looks like you might squeak out the two battleships, but not be able to replace the caravan/freight (probably wouldnt get such a good payoff with a caravan anyway - dont think I've ever seen a Uranium caravan...).

 

[HughMungus]

Originally posted by Ace

There is not much point in building marketplaces in your frontier cities when the mongols are coming over the hill.

But that's what the game does?!?!

 

[Lieni]

First build Factories, then Mass Transit and at least Solar Plants! You will never have any pollution anymore! You dont need to build Recycling Centers this way.

 

[Ace]

Originally posted by ElephantU


Hmm- BB is 160 shields, in late game with no Warriors cheapest starter is 210 gold for Dip/Spy/Explorer, which leaves 130 shields to rush. Assuming you can find a unit to rush each row individually (I know you can't; I just dont know how many double rows you need), each row is 25 gold so that comes to 13x25g=325g+210g=535g (rushing double rows costs 30 gold each). This does not allow for the city production finishing out the rows (ie, if the city is producing 20 shields stop at 140 and save 50 gold). Looks like you might squeak out the two battleships, but not be able to replace the caravan/freight (probably wouldnt get such a good payoff with a caravan anyway - dont think I've ever seen a Uranium caravan...).

Have never seen a Uranium caravan, but here are pics of a couple of good Uranium freight payoffs::

 

[funxus]

I don't understand what you mean with not having seen a uranium caravan? Surely, you must have seen one near the end sometime.

 

[Old n Slow]

The joke is on "caravan" -- You're looking at Uranium laden TRUCKS.

 

[Ace]

Right on!! I have never seen Uranium available before The Corporation and freight units, and I do not know what triggers the availablity of Uranium. Anyone have any idea just what does trigger the supply of Uranium?

 

[ElephantU]

Here's the "killer thread" on that:

Samson's How Supply and Demand Lists Are Determined:
http://apolyton.net/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=67754

 

[funxus]

Originally posted by Old n Slow
The joke is on "caravan" -- You're looking at Uranium laden TRUCKS.

D'oh

 

[la fayette]

Always keep in mind that many games can be won without building a single improvement in any city, when you choose early conquest (and also without building any improvement in any city except your SSC, when you choose early landing).
Building too many unnecessary improvements is a typical 'mistake' of beginners...

 

[ElephantU]

Another ICSer! Help - they are taking over CFC!

Rule of Thumb: Build ONLY the City Improvements you need NOW to make that particular city grow and contribute substantially more to the general picture. Otherwise, build caravans/freights or diplomats/spies!