Slater Mill

[chicorbeef]

How does everyone feel regarding Slater Mill? It offers a Factory a little cheaper than you can build a Factory, theoretically, but it often costs more than the Factory in practice because you have other wonders increasing its cost and it doesn't have any other bonuses (not to mention as a late wonder it increases the cost of other important wonders like Statue of Liberty, Motherland Calls, Corporations, etc.) . Tying two free coal to a wonder is a bit of an awkward idea, especially when one coal is used up on the factory, but I don't mind the add-on, might give you a monopoly or something.


The only time I've ever built this was as Arabia going for a Historical Event. I thought the "large bonus to production" would justify it, I was disappointed when I found out there was no such bonus (tooltip should be adjusted). Maybe it should offer a large instant yield of production, maybe 200 production scaling with era, to set you up for another future wonder, and the two free coal should stay?

 

[andersw]

I guess you get a factory a few techs before that otherwise would be available also, not sure how much that is worth.

 

[DarkZero]

Slater mill is easily on the top five best wonders in vp right now, no idea how you think otherwise...

 

[chicorbeef]

Slater mill is easily on the top five best wonders in vp right now, no idea how you think otherwise...

Care to explain why?

 

[Enginseer]

Gives you free 2 coal that can grant you 2 factory in other cities. Especially on a map where you had a bad start and can literally find no coal. This wonder is a must-get.

 

[chicorbeef]

Gives you free 2 coal that can grant you 2 factory in other cities. Especially on a map where you had a bad start and can literally find no coal. This wonder is a must-get.

That's fair, but what about when you do have coal? Is the free factory that valuable?

 

[Gazebo]

That's fair, but what about when you do have coal? Is the free factory that valuable?

Honestly, that's like saying the Pyramids are useless because I have all of these settlers just sitting around doing nothing. If you have the thing that an object is designed to provide, then yes, it is not worth it.

G

 

[BiteInTheMark]

I admit, its a kinda underwhelming wonder. The factory isnt as strong as it was, in my opinion, much underwhelming in comparision to train station or sea port.
The 2 coal is for me the main reason to build it. You save 1 coal for one factory and can build 2 more coal related buildings. But it isnt that much, in comparison to the output of the coal refinery. Able to create up to 15 coal in 5 cities.

 

[Randomsheep]

The game has improved with the emphasis towards tile improvements being more important.

Please don't start buffing city improvements and wonders again.

 

[DarkZero]

I admit, its a kinda underwhelming wonder. The factory isnt as strong as it was, in my opinion, much underwhelming in comparision to train station or sea port.
The 2 coal is for me the main reason to build it. You save 1 coal for one factory and can build 2 more coal related buildings. But it isnt that much, in comparison to the output of the coal refinery. Able to create up to 15 coal in 5 cities.

You speak as if you cant build train stations and factories on the same city, just because the factory is not the strongest building in the game like it was before it does not mean its weak right now, you're just so used to it being op anything weaker is sub par, you can easily see right now what wonders are strong and what are weak just by observing how fast the ai builds them, some wonders are literally ignored for dozens if not hundreds of turns while other get build a few turns after they are first discovered, Slater mill is 100% among the latter, and sometimes even if I have the coal I try my best to build it just to deny someone else it.

 

[chicorbeef]

Honestly, that's like saying the Pyramids are useless because I have all of these settlers just sitting around doing nothing. If you have the thing that an object is designed to provide, then yes, it is not worth it.

G

I guess what I was trying to get at is that it should offer some sort of unique benefit, like how the Pyramids allows you to build a settler without stopping growth and has the worker buff. The free factory part is kinda meh, that's what I want to see changed.

 

[Deadstarre]

doesnt the slater mill also give an instant boost of production?

 

[chicorbeef]

doesnt the slater mill also give an instant boost of production?

That's what I thought, but when I tried it, it wasn't noticeable. Someone might feel free to correct me on that, though.

 

[Deadstarre]

That's what I thought, but when I tried it, it wasn't noticeable. Someone might feel free to correct me on that, though.

I hadnt noticed before myself but i actually read the desc. the other day and thats what it said, granted a boost of production- made me think it gave an instant yield. im looking in the files now though, and i dont see any instant yield given at all, so either the description is off or written strangely, or the bonus yield just wasnt implemented

lets see...

"City must be built next to a River. Grants a free Factory in the city, and a large boost to Production. Also grants two free Coal."

 

[Deadstarre]

I'm also just now noticing the blatant favoritism for Rhode Island on display that the Slater Mill ever even made it into the game as a world wonder haha. There it is, in the industrial era along with the Eiffel Tower, the Louvre, Neuschwanstein Castle and the Brandenburg Gate- the Slater Mill! a privately owned cotton factory that was salvaged into a museum, has a 5 paragraph wikipedia page and is today the #2 thing to do when in Pawtucket, Rhode Island according to TripAdvisor.com. Well played lmao i respect this =)

 

[Gazebo]

I'm also just now noticing the blatant favoritism for Rhode Island on display that the Slater Mill ever even made it into the game as a world wonder haha. There it is, in the industrial era along with the Eiffel Tower, the Louvre, Neuschwanstein Castle and the Brandenburg Gate- the Slater Mill! a privately owned cotton factory that was salvaged into a museum, has a 5 paragraph wikipedia page and is today the #2 thing to do when in Pawtucket, Rhode Island according to TripAdvisor.com. Well played lmao i respect this =)

To be fair, it was the first steam mill in the United States and is considered the spark of american industrialism...also it's from my state!

G

 

[Owlbebach]

I also feel like Slater Mill is not worth building, there are too many things that you need. I'd be okay if Slater Mill provides more free Coal. How about Slater Mill providing free source with 7 Coal (Indonesia-like)?

 

[De_Genius]

I almost never build it since it only serves to increase the later wonders which are often much more impactful and expensive to get.
The 2 extra coal is often easier stolen by citadel or acquired through trade which is not too expensive.

 

[Moi Magnus]

I used to build it a lot before the existence of a building producing coal.
Now it is far less unique.

 

[ElliotS]

especially when one coal is used up on the factory

Just as an FYI: Free buildings (Like the factory) don't cost resources or GPT. That means you're basically getting 3 coal from the wonder.

It also allows you to skip workshop if you want.

Honestly I don't value it highly, but it's not without use. If I was going tall and getting short-changed on coal this would be a very tempting wonder.