Alchemy is highly valued due to the following:
FfH Typhoid Mary (Hero)
is worth 300+ (300 +(300 if at war))(/2 if hasn't met anyone)(*2/3 if there's nothing but the capitol in this area) + (if the path length is <= 1, and the population is > 5, and she hasn't been built 0-399 (randomly) + 200 if the capitol is alone in this area)
Alchemy Lab is worth: 100, (+300 if the capitol is alone in this area).
Perhaps the better way to go about this is to describe the basic algorithm for tech evaluation:
If the tech is within its maximum path length (this seems to max out at 3),
Value = 1 + rand(0-1999) + any research progress
- Then a number of modifiers are added for special abilities. Most of them are in the range of 100-800.
- Then modifiers are added for the ability to trade new bonuses (resources). Non-water resources are worth 1000 each.
- Then a modifier is added for each improvement, where each yield change is multiplied by an AI yield weight %, and summed together (*50).
- Then a modifier is added for each new build. The minimum appears to be 200, 300 if it results in an improvement (unless the player has no workers).
- Then there's a modifier for each unit that this civilization can build. Sea escorts are worth 50-100, whereas Settlers are worth 1200.
- Then a modifier is added for each newly available building. Typically, they're worth 100 each; unlike most of the previous categories, there aren't a lot of modifiers here.
- Then a modifier is added for each project; the minimum is 1000, even if the player can't build it (!)
- Then at least 100 is added for each process (like changing production to science)
- Then 200 or 1000 is added per civic.
- Then, if the path is less than or equal to 2, there's a modifier for unfounded religions (up to 1000), and a modifier for any free great people (assuming it's not taken) of rand(200-3399) +200 if the capitol is alone in this area. And there's a positive modifier for a free tech rand(200-3399) +200 if the capitol is alone in this area.
- Then, the tech's AI weight is added (from the CIV4TechInfos.xml, field <iAIWeight>).
- Then (if non-human), any flavors of the leader (from their XML file) are multiplied by 20 times the flavor weight of that tech (from their XML file).
- Then, if this is a repeatable tech, the current sum of the value is divided by 10.
- Then, if this is a free tech, the value is increased by the number of turns it would have taken to research * 100.
- Then, if this isn't a free tech, the value (if positive) is multiplied by 1000/(the turns left to research it + 5)
- And the minimum value for a tech is always 1.
I suspect that the basic reason that flavors don't appear to be having an effect is because they're too small, and they're only used when they match the leader. If you pump them up to the range of at least 100 (when multiplied together), you should start to see some effect.
This is incredibly valuable information. It's beyond me to make use of it, but its usefulness is still very apparent.
All that happens to me when I input "game.aiplay x" is that my Civ loses all its units and cities and I take control of Abashi the Black Dragon somewhere in the polar icecaps.
