What's the difference between food and housing?

[zxcvbob]

I thought there was a thread here for questions not worthy of their own thread, but maybe that's a different forum. Anyway, it's probably simple but I'm confused. Can someone 'splain it to me? I'm wondering whether to take Feed the World or Religious Community for my religious belief.

 

[empresskiova]

Housing increases the maximum population a city can have, while food affects how quickly your cities can fill those houses. If you are able to develop a very large amount of Housing but can't get enough food to grow cities or prevent them from starving, then take Feed the World. Otherwise, you may be better off taking Religious Community for the extra houses.

 

[stealth_nsk]

Actually we have 3 game systems which limit individual city growth - food, housing and amenities. From classical game design standpoint, that's redundancy, but for high replayability game like Civilizaton, that's ok. Together with random factors, it makes developing optimal strategies harder.

 

[empresskiova]

Actually we have 3 game systems which limit individual city growth - food, housing and amenities. From classical game design standpoint, that's redundancy, but for high replayability game like Civilizaton, that's ok. Together with random factors, it makes developing optimal strategies harder.

Ah, but Amenities affects Growth far less then Housing/Food does. It's kinda like the Luck stat, affects many things but only in a small way.

 

[zxcvbob]

Every city is going to have a holy district with a pagoda (extra housing) So I figured take Feed the World for balance.

 

[stormerne]

I think that Feed the World gives food proportional to faith output from the tile, whereas Religious Community just gives a straight +1 housing (though I may be wrong, not being a religious expert). That all being said, I find that my cities are usually more housing limited than food limited, so if I had to choose between the two I'd go for housing (but probably take something else entirely if I could).

 

[UWHabs]

I think that Feed the World gives food proportional to faith output from the tile, whereas Religious Community just gives a straight +1 housing (though I may be wrong, not being a religious expert). That all being said, I find that my cities are usually more housing limited than food limited, so if I had to choose between the two I'd go for housing (but probably take something else entirely if I could).

To me it depends more on terrain. I've had some games where I'm plains, tundra, or desert-heavy, and in those cases, food is crucial. Or if I start in a big river valley and all my cities have full housing from fresh water, then I'll often not actually be that starved for housing.

The other thing to keep in mind is that there are policy cards to increase housing, but there are no policy cards to increase food (unless if you count extra builder charges letting you build more farms). Of course, if I'm more than fine with my housing from other sources, it's great to not have to run that policy card and to use other ones instead.

 

[Kyro]

Food is a resource earned to grow your Civilization. Totally fine and something to look forward to acquiring. It's a REWARD for right planning.

Housing is a terribly balanced concept invented to nerf tall play and force players to expand for the purpose of conflict. It's a HANDICAP that exists solely for that reason and the costs associated with acquiring more for most of the game is simply a rip-off /too much of an opportunity cost.

The handicap is strongest at most of the stages of the game when population is supposed to have the greatest advantage and is only reduced very late into the game when population is no longer as potent. Basically it's "we let you grow when it's no longer important."

 

[craney1987]

does anyone else completely ignore housing? I just build/take more cities

 

[Zuizgond]

You can't eat housing.

 

[ferenginar]

Unless it is a gingerbread house.

 

[Victoria]

I'll build a granary as a city of 7 is heaven
If you want me to build an aqueduct you can get ....

 

[onedreamer]

Housing increases the maximum population a city can have

Not exactly. Housing determines wether or not the city's growth rate receives a penalty. This is combined with food.

 

[zxcvbob]

I'll build a granary as a city of 7 is heaven
If you want me to build an aqueduct you can get ....

You must mostly play domination games. Because I don't see how you'd ever get any wonders or a spaceport built without at least one or two high-pop cities. The production would be too low.

I also think I'm worrying too much when I get a message that a city has stopped growing or is going to lose a citizen if I don't do something. As long as it's not my capitol. They don't all have to have 15 population.

 

[Victoria]

You must mostly play domination games. Because I don't see how you'd ever get any wonders or a spaceport built without at least one or two high-pop cities. The production would be too low.

Emp-deity yep but

At most I build 2-4 wonders, most are just not efficient to me. So for example when Inget to Eiffel its everybtrade route and city on production. ... that city will not be 7 pop nor will it have a useless aqueduct.
It is likely to have lots of farmland.... so a builder can get me 2.5 housing.... how much housing does a useless aqueduct give me when I am next to a river?... look at you 25 pop city... just how much of that is creating unhappiness for how much production it brings in? Just pointless to me... unless I have 15-20 hills I would not have that population thank you.

So I'm not one of those people who says I get 300,000 production from a city.... when going science I'll maybe have 15 pop city all on hills all fed by the food coming from trade routes..... normally over 100 prod and does the job... spaceport is the hardest... project I GP chop in.