Silly wonder placement requirements

[Gilgameshuggah]

On a hill, next to a university by a mountain. By the river next to a bank. Next to a market, also next to cattle. And so on.

I don't see the point in requirements that feel like kind of random in the real world. It just happened to be that way but the terrain features have no real function. Sometimes they make sense, Statue of Liberty is on a small coastal island and hill is kind of part of Cristo Redentor statue. Venetian arsenal needs water. Others just screw up your chance of building them later if you remove a resource at some point or place a district to get good adjacency bonuses.

I wonder if there are mods to address this?

Also, I've never built Panama Canal. It seems to have strange placing and takes two spaces that I need for other things usually. Golden Gate is kind of easy and looks nice. Rarely makes sense though as land units move better when embarked.

 

[Sostratus]

Wonders have requirements that can be changed pretty easily via mod; although one must take care to consider the game balance this has on the AI’s proclivity to build wonders whenever it can.
I personally like most requirements as is.

The Panama Canal exists to allow your navy to move around. I personally try to abuse it for extra IZ adjacency because it enables canals where otherwise impossible. It also can open up sea routes but the way the game is currently set up, in practice the trader issue is moot. The GG bridge likewise helps keep units moving on land instead of wasting a turn to embark. Imagine a rail line etc being cut by water.

 

[Gilgameshuggah]

How is it by the way, that even on King AI seems to get really, really early wonders nearly every time. They do also expand right? It seems that wonders start popping by the time I have two cities and maybe a settler out. If I was focusing on a wonder that early, it'd be all I have.

 

[Victoria]

even on King AI seems to get really, really early wonders nearly every time.

Well I have seen in the logs 3 civs going after the baths and all 3 civs struggling after that. Even on king that little difference does make a difference but if I want baths I can get them if I chop... sometimes. But not something I would try on harder difficulties.
The AI does seem to struggle with some wonder placement requirements.