Science Slider

[foodguy]

Here's another weird one. I'm playing last night, Persians, standard map, immediately pre-industrial. I've got science set for, say 40%. But I see an opening to hydroelectric and decide to rush for it, because i've got a city at a spot where they can transition easily to the damn Dam. I've got hydro in, say, 12 turns. So I start turning up the science. Guess what? Nothing happens. So I start turning down the science. Guess what? Same thing! That's right. I can run at 0 science and get it in 12 turns or I can run at 100% and get it in the same (well, actually, it was about 10--it did cut off 2 turns ... but at a cost of about 450 a turn!). Naturally, I zeroed science out, raked in a fortune and still got hydro in time to beat everyone to the dam. But what was that all about? I did have a city with Copernicus, running a scientist. Would that make a difference?

 

[Grey Knight]

It sounds like your total science is less than 1/40th of the required beakers to learn Hydro, and that you've got 1 pop set to scientist (generating a minimum 1 beaker per turn). Since the maximum turns to learn a tech is 40 turns, you get credit for 1/40 at a minimum, and you've already spent 28 turns researching.

With 1.17f, the most effective research strategy is buy tech until you can hit the 4 turn rate, then turn into the "sell" broker. Tip - sell to the richest civ first! By doing this consistently you'll quickly bankrupt them. They were also likely the most advanced civ - by bankrupting them you can push them behind in the tech race.

Cheers,
Shawn