When is it Benefical to Change the Percentages of Econ/Psych/Labs

[Concept]

My First thought is:

Even if you have a "Free Network Node" , don't change the percentages unless you have an Effic. Rating of +4. (Assumption: The Value of Labs = Econ @ 50/50).

Calculation (Econ/Labs) w/ Free Network Node:

Effic. = 0; 50/50; 1*(0.5) + 1.5*(0.5) = 1250/1000.
Effic. = 0; 40/60; 0.84*1*(0.4) + 0.92*1.5*(0.6) = 1164/1000.
Effic. = 0; 30/70; 0.68*1*(0.3) + 0.84*1.5*(0.7) = 1086/1000.
Effic. = 0; 20/80; 0.52*1*(0.2) + 0.76*1.5*(0.8) = 1016/1000.
Effic. = 0; 10/90; 0.36*1*(0.1) + 0.68*1.5*(0.9) = 954/1000.

Effic. = 2; 50/50; 1*(0.5) + 1.5*(0.5) = 1250/1000.
Effic. = 2; 40/60; 0.92*1*(0.4) + 0.96*1.5*(0.6) = 1223/1000.
Effic. = 2; 30/70; 0.84*1*(0.3) + 0.92*1.5*(0.7) = 1218/1000.
Effic. = 2; 20/80; 0.76*1*(0.2) + 0.88*1.5*(0.8) = 1208/1000.
Effic. = 2; 10/90; 0.68*1*(0.1) + 0.84*1.5*(0.9) = 1148/1000.


Note: This holds TRUE, only if the Value of Labs = the Value of Econ! Question: Is their ever a case, where this isn't true? And how much more valuable is Labs over Econ? And, what - about Psych?

 

[Merchantbard]

Note: This holds TRUE, only if the Value of Labs = the Value of Econ! Question: Is their ever a case, where this isn't true? And how much more valuable is Labs over Econ? And, what - about Psych?

I'll need a minute to absorb about the calculations, but you want to start putting energy into Psych when and if you've finished "The Cloning Vats". It doesn't matter if you've already got a Rec Commons *and* Hab Complex *and* Research Hospital *and* Holographic Theater at ever base; an uncontrolled Pop-Boom is underway and you'll be spending ever turn converting citizens into Specialists unless you can cool things down. I've found that putting just 20 into into will keep the Drones calmed and manageable.

This all becomes irrelevant once you get "The Telepathic Matrix", but that's a few decades away.

I'll need to think further on the Economy-vs-Labs point; its kinda like asking do you prefer being invaded by Monsters-vs-Aliens.

 

[GooglyBoogly]

The certain answer:
It depends upon the game state.

Things like, how are you in the tech race relative to others
Are you gunning for one tech in particular (Industrial Automation anyone?)
What are your econ reserves like?
What do you do with your energy credits? (bribery, mind control, unit purchase facility purchase maintainence etc.. etc..)
How 'secure' are any techs you research (are probes a problem)
etc..

Either you get enough Psych to keep your cities from going into riots, OR you have enough Psych to put your cities into pop booms. There isn't any point in setting psych for anything else.

 

[Concept]

The certain answer:
It depends upon the game state.

Provide Any Specific Examples?

I thought lots of Energy Reserves means...
1. Large Energy Reserves = Corner the Energy Market. (usually only works on medium or lessor difficulty levels)

OR, maybe there is a point @ 1/10 - i'm guessing?! between large energy and no energy where another victory condition might be better that involves more Research?

There must be a more Scientific or Mathematical way of determining this! (otherwise, I figure leaving it at 50/50 is Good enough for me!) But, then again, there isn't an "Auto Buy" feature at Bases, I'd have to check up on every one, just about every turn, and see if it is at 2 energy per mineral or higher... (I don't like making partial payments, and I believe in efficiently spending the Energy Reserves!!!)

 

[Eldramatico]

Changing the allocation of energy all depends on your strategy and the game you’re playing. Speaking for most of the games, technology is much more important than economy and psych allocation can be avoided by facilities and police units. Most of the energy credits can be gained by adding stockpile energy at the end of the building queue and thus keeping money in economy doesn’t necessary increase so much your income after you get supply crawlers and can get lots of energy. You want to race to get the projects first, and tech allocation is crucial to leave you a chance getting them, just a little before your enemies. Unless you need energy to hurry important units (supply crawlers most of the time, which cost less energy to hurry than the projects themselves), or to achieve a new government, or anything needing lots of energy the fastest as possible, allocation in tech is the best. Even a few turns might be crucial in SMACX, to attack sooner than your enemy with a military tech, or get the projects before them. Changing the allocation really depends on your bases. The idea is to waste the less energy as possible while putting most of the money in tech (most of the time). You just have to check on the social engineering table and try to put the best allocation possible. Sometimes, I don’t research an important tech so I prefer wasting the less energy as possible and put 50/50 if I get 0 efficiency.

There is a way to put some allocation in psych to get more money in psych at the beginning if you have 0 in efficiency. With 5 energy credits harvested by turn, you can allocate 1 energy credit in economy and 4 in tech without any energy wasted by allocation penalties. To do it you just have to put 30% economy, 10% in psych and 60% in research, and you get all your energy perfectly allocated in tech.

I hope this helps

 

[Concept]

yes, that helps up to the Point of "Secrets of the Human Brain" and while cities are size 2 and under!

 

[GooglyBoogly]

But, then again, there isn't an "Auto Buy" feature at Bases, I'd have to check up on every one, just about every turn, and see if it is at 2 energy per mineral or higher... (I don't like making partial payments, and I believe in efficiently spending the Energy Reserves!!!)

I have added an entry in the comprehensive datalinks (see sig), which lists how to calculate exactly the hurry costs for units, facilities or secret projects.

To elaborate on my earlier, general examples:

Are you gunning for one tech in particular (Industrial Automation anyone?)

Then it's probably a good idea to have deficit spending (i.E income =< Expenses) so you get the tech as fast as possible - screw the inefficiency.

What do you do with your energy credits? (bribery, mind control, unit purchase facility purchase maintainence etc.. etc..)

If another civ has military techs, you can bribe one of their units, then reverse-engineer out the required weapon/armour/special, without the need to actually research it yourself.

Sometimes, it is better to have less research, so you can afford to spend those credits on rush buying growth based facilities/colony pods, so you'll have a bigger empire faster, and thus more beakers later.

If a faction has a city nearby, it may actually be viable to just mind control it outright, with the increased energy it provides offsetting the cost of stealing it - if you play with spoils of war on, you can get a tech too. So in this case credits are more important than beakers.

How 'secure' are any techs you research (are probes a problem)

There is no point in rushing to a military tech, if another faction is going to steal it, then share it with all of your enemies, in this cast you are better off getting more energy credits first, so you can get some military to deal with them directly, or to buy some probes first - to protect your discoveries.

Either you get enough Psych to keep your cities from going into riots, OR you have enough Psych to put your cities into pop booms. There isn't any point in setting psych for anything else.

I thought this was pretty clear. Keep psych as low as possible without your cities going into drone riots, or as low as possible to put your cities that have not yet reached the pop cap into a golden age, so the increased GROWTH results in a Population Boom.