Hi there,
I am curious about when the team plans to make modifications to the WoC Mod to restore balance to the game. I am now using the 5th Modpacks set and the cumulative impact of the new wonders, resources and buildings has been transformative in gameplay terms. The impact of all of them has been to simplify the game and make it far easier to achieve greater resource output, food production and trade. This has taken place in the absence of any change to unit production costs, unit support expenses or greater technology cost.
Let me give you an example from my recent marathon speed, Monarch level game played as America on the giant Earth map. On turn 300 I had 24 cities up and 1007 in science per turn. Usually financial problems complicate early expansion but this time the leaning tower of Pisa was there to help me out of that hole. By turn 452 I had completed the tech tree put up over 60 cities and had enormous amounts of cash. I played on until turn 600 at which point I won a cultural victory. On turn 600 I am making 4500 cash a turn and a staggering 49733 science. I am currently researching future tech 103. I now have close to 100 cities about half of which have great potential for growth left so where that science level will top out is unknown but I estimate upwards of 70k a turn. Its irrelevant anyway since each future tech costs only 50k. Superhighways and the new guilds are in large part responsible for this.
The point is that if your science rate is stratospheric aspects of the game like health and happiness become redundant. The 14 unhappiness being generated by my rivals switch to emancipation is dwarfed by the 102 happiness added by future tech or by that added by resources. War weariness would also have no impact though I have never been at war in the current game.
City size is out of control in part due to the absence of unhappiness. New York (my largest city) has a population of 68 with the capacity to grow further. Breweries and ranches combined with sids sushi co have a very large impact indeed.
As for resource production the craftsmens guild boosts that so much. I have several cities that can produce any unit in a single turn - including ICBM's which cost 1000 I believe. Most of my cities have completed all possible buildings which leaves them churning out units or culture.
I love the WoC concepts and additions to the game. I just wish that something could be done to tone down their impact so they don't corrupt the balance of the game.
Several suggestions:
1) Both kinds of guilds should be made national wonders. Otherwise their impact is too vast.
2) The Hungarian Parliament should do something other than add a little culture to your city. If that is all it bestows then there is little point in building it.
3) Breweries, Ranches, Mills and superhighways should be made significantly more expensive to construct or their benefits toned down.
4) Move to address the imbalance between the cheaper Copernicus Observatory and the more expensive statue of liberty. Currently though similar the benefit of the former is greater by far.
5) Make technology more expensive. Particularly the later ones.
6) Consider whether it is indeed beneficial to gameplay to allow so many resources to generate happiness.
Let me close by expressing my appreciation for what the WoC team have done and I hope my suggestions are not taken as criticism.
Imperium30
