What is a perfect science city?

[ChicagoCubs]

My play style is more of a peaceful builder. With that said, I want to start gearing my cities to be science centers.

I already build the appropriate structures, micro manage the specialists, and use great scientists to build acadamies.

1. What is the ideal location, coast or landlocked on a river?
2. What special resources (gold, gems, etc.) increase science?
3. What type of terrain and improvements?

My basic understanding of the game is that commerce is linked to science. Based on this, I would guess that a coast city with lots of rivers and cottage spam the area and mine a couple hills that have gold in them would be the best science city.

 

[AL_DA_GREAT]

I would say a river plains and a few hills is good. In terms of recourses things that give mooney. You want a large population and high production. Try cottages and farms

 

[Palantir30]

Lots of rivers is key. One of those 9-planet-alignment rare finds is several gems on floodplains. Those can be mined in the early game and cottaged over once the techs come that make the cottages faster and better than gem mines. Add an average amount of productive hills (with rivers if possible) and you're set.

 

[Zanmato]

The ideal location is landlocked with rivers on floodplains as they provide the most food plus one extra gold for rivers. 9 times out of 10 it's where you start that can serve best for a Science City. Cottage those floodplains, mine any hills with gold, silver, etc. Get a Library in there, then the Great Library, Oxford University, Academy from a Great Scientist and a Granary to grow faster. Any other building that produces beakers build first the rest can wait until the health/happiness starts becoming a problem. In which case you could always whip the population to speed up building.

 

[sand]

perfect would be in the fat cross all tiles are grass land with rivers next to them or floodplains if you have enough health. then coattage spam all tiles and have as many scientists as possible.

 

[Zombie69]

perfect would be in the fat cross all tiles are grass land with rivers next to them or floodplains if you have enough health. then coattage spam all tiles and have as many scientists as possible.

Exactly. Concise but complete description. I love it!

 

[seelk]

Lots of rivers is key. One of those 9-planet-alignment rare finds is several gems on floodplains. Those can be mined in the early game and cottaged over once the techs come that make the cottages faster and better than gem mines. Add an average amount of productive hills (with rivers if possible) and you're set.

Wait a second, I thought building an improvement ontop of another would negate the resource bonus!?!

 

[.Shane.]

The ideal location is landlocked with rivers on floodplains as they provide the most food plus one extra gold for rivers. 9 times out of 10 it's where you start that can serve best for a Science City. Cottage those floodplains, mine any hills with gold, silver, etc. Get a Library in there, then the Great Library, Oxford University, Academy from a Great Scientist and a Granary to grow faster. Any other building that produces beakers build first the rest can wait until the health/happiness starts becoming a problem. In which case you could always whip the population to speed up building.

How would you build anything w/ next to no hammers? Slavery?

 

[Palantir30]

Wait a second, I thought building an improvement ontop of another would negate the resource bonus!?!

It will. If you mine a Gems on a Floodplain, you'll get 3 food, 2 hammers and 7 commerce, and access to Gems luxury in your trade network. That's quite a lot of commerce. There's no point building a Cottage on that square until after you have Printing Press and Democracy. At that point a Town on that same square will net you 3 food, 1 hammer and 11 commerce (assuming all applicable civics). Build the cottage to replace the mine sometime shortly before getting Democracy, use your Civics to grow the town twice as fast and you will be back up to where you started soon enough, and grow some more from there.

But you're right, if you cottage ALL of your gems, you wont have the luxury. If you're lucky enough to get some gems on floodplains, you probably also have some on Hills. Leave one or two as mines and you're good.

 

[Danicela]

Cottages are the best for gold.
(or if you are lucky, gold mines etc.)

 

[Sisiutil]

How would you build anything w/ next to no hammers? Slavery?

Slavery and chopping will help, but it will likely be necessary to have at least some production tiles--either a resource like iron or copper, and/or a hill or two at least.

Mines on grassland hills can later be cottaged over, remember.