Technology catch-up discounts

[headcase]

Here's a thread for discussing two things:

1. Should there be a discount for techs already discovered for other civs?

2. What is the best formula for this?

So to get the ball rolling:

1. Yes. I did start the thread after all

Two reasons:
- Gameplay Balance (while still rewarding tech leaders duly)
- Realism (which is arguable)

2. Something that gives more discount if more civs have it, and more discount according to how long each civ has had it for.

Example implementation:
Instead of a discount, it actually awards free beakers toward every tech a civ doesn't have that at least on other civ has (even locked ones). I would simply award the beakers but if for some reason the bonus should be "hidden", the beaker cost could decrease (turn-by-turn) instead.

b = # of beakers required for tech
t = number of civs in the game, including you but not CSs
n = number of civs that have learned the tech

each turn, each civ that doesn't have the tech gets this many beakers towards it:

(n * b)
-----
(t * 50)

(on normal pace)

The bonus runs whether you are currently researching that tech or not, but in either case stops after the tech is 75% completed.

Under that system, a tech that is known by half the civs would give a bonus of 1% of the total beakers per turn.

If the 50 were a bigger number, you would learn less, and a number smaller than 50 would give more.

That's what I've got so far. Please share your ideas and opinions

 

[KrikkitTwo]

Here's a thread for discussing two things:

1. Should there be a discount for techs already discovered for other civs?

Yes, and it is already present in the game

 

[headcase]

Wow, it is? They should make it more transparent and part of the game then! Players should be encouraged to play into the strategy of letting techs "slow cook" this way if they don't need them right away. Instead it's another "guide dang it" :/

 

[wobuffet]

Yeah, a small bonus for tech-behind civs is already there, but it's too weak. Tech runaway civs make for a lame gameplay experience, so either the bonus needs to be beefed up and made transparent, or something else needs to be changed, like my idea here.