Science Slider question

[Webb]

I just read a post that said science overproduction carries over to the next tech researched, same as hammer production carries over to next item built. I did not know this. The way I've been playing is I've been adjusting the slider each turn. For example:

I like to have science at 100% if possible but lately I've needed to run at 90. I would see how long a tech would take to research and leave the slider at 90%. So if at turn 1 of research it says 9 more turns needed, I would check at say turn 6 and see if I could reduce the slider and still maintain the current pace while bringing in more gold. Usually when only 1 turn remains I could reduce the slider to 60% and still have the discovery in the next round. After reading the post about carry over I wonder if this is even needed (or a good idea) and wondered if others do what I do.

 

[Monado]

In civ 3 when I had only 1 turn left to discover a tech, I would lower the science slider to get the most money, and still discover the tech on that turn. In civ 4 however, when you turn down the science slider on the last turn, you will gain the extra money, but will lose all the extra research that is added into the next tech you go after. Thus I do not lower the science slider on the last turn of a tech anymore.


Unless I really Need the extra money.

 

[Sir Janus]

Research now carries over so there is not much point reducing the rate at the end.

If you are into micro-management then there are advantages to always running at 0% or 100% rather than at e.g. 60% because bonuses (from libraries etc) round down. For example, if you are earning 12 commerce and have a library which gives 25% bonus then if you run at 50% research for 10 turns you will only get a bonus of 1 per turn for 10 turns (50% of 12 is 6 and 25% of 6, rounded down is only 1). If you run at 0% for 5 turns to save up enough money to run at 100% for 5 turns then you get a total bonus of 15 because 12/4(=3) * 5.

There are a number of other advantages:
- There is a chance that somebody else will research the tech in the meantime which will reduce the cost for you.
- You are not committed to researching a tech until later so have time to change your mind.
- You might be able to trade for the tech in the meantime.
- Also you have extra cash on hand for a few turns to handle emergencies.

On the other hand somebody might come along and demand the money - that is what normally happens to me

 

[Zombie69]

For more info about what Sir Janus describes, follow the link in my sig.

 

[Clownfish]

There's a point in doing what you're doing if the tech you're researching is extremely important, and you don't care too much about the next one. Maybe you're ahead, and the tech makes an even greater difference, but after that, you need the money...

pretty obvious, perhaps...

 

[Bushface]

There are a number of other advantages:
- There is a chance that somebody else will research the tech in the meantime which will reduce the cost for you.
- You are not committed to researching a tech until later so have time to change your mind.
- You might be able to trade for the tech in the meantime.
- Also you have extra cash on hand for a few turns to handle emergencies.

1. I have not, repeat not, found any reduction in the cost of a tech. however many other civs have developed it and regardless of whether it is one I am currently researching or not.
2. It is possible to switch research in mid-tech, without losing the work already done (you can go back to it later, just as you can with production). But such switching probably means that you made a poor choice initially.
3. Why start researching a tech which you have reason to suppose might become available in trade from another civ before you can finish the research ? The only ways this could occur are (a) the other civ finishes first (and is unlikely to offer a trade) and (b) the other civ progresses further ahead and offers the tech you're researching as being outdated. In either case, you are obviously behind.
4. True. Cash never hurts !

 

[Zombie69]

1. I have not, repeat not, found any reduction in the cost of a tech. however many other civs have developed it and regardless of whether it is one I am currently researching or not.

It doesn't show up anywhere on screen. But it's very well documented and known that you get a bonus on your research for every civ that knows the tech. Your bar will increase slightly, but all the numbers shown on screen will not include the bonus so you can't really see it. But it's there.

2. It is possible to switch research in mid-tech, without losing the work already done (you can go back to it later, just as you can with production).

What if you don't want to go back to it, and want to trade for it instead? Even if that's not the case, assigning beakers to a tech you won't research soon has certainly slowed down your research of other techs, compared to buidling up gold instead.

But such switching probably means that you made a poor choice initially.

Or that the situation changed in the meantime. Hey, it's a rare occurance, but it's better to have the option than not to have it.

3. Why start researching a tech which you have reason to suppose might become available in trade from another civ before you can finish the research ? The only ways this could occur are (a) the other civ finishes first (and is unlikely to offer a trade) and (b) the other civ progresses further ahead and offers the tech you're researching as being outdated. In either case, you are obviously behind.

You're supposed to be behind when you play at high difficulty level. Try Deity, you'll find yourself behind for a large part of the game, even with all the micromanagement in the world.

In the case of (a), it's simply not true that the civ is unlikely to offer a trade.

You also forgot case (c), which is playing with "no tech trading" turned on.

 

[Bushface]

So you can't see a cost change, can't access it, don't know what it is, or how large it is, and thus don't know what benefit it may bring nor how best to utilise it. Sounds as vague to me as a third-hand rumour. Ptui !

 

[Zombie69]

You can find the exact numbers if you look at the XML files. It's just that the game doesn't display it to you. But i assure you, it's been 100% confirmed, and the exact numbers provided.

 

[NFIH]

There are a number of other advantages:
- There is a chance that somebody else will research the tech in the meantime which will reduce the cost for you.

What?!?!? The first person (player or AI) to research a tech causes the cost of that tech to be lowered for everyone else?

Really? Why would that be?

 

[Zombie69]

For balance purposes. So that the game remains more competitive for everyone involved. To keep it challenging and fun past the ancient age.

And it's not just the first person. The second person gives some more bonus to research, the third person some more, etc.