Worker automation

[martix]

Hellooooo to all...
Now I got this bone to pick with my workers, or at least how the AI automates them. As in - how exactly does it decide what to build on free tiles and moreover - why do my workers build over already finished improvements occasionally?

 

[Dr.Null]

Welcome to the forums!

I never automate my workers.
I do frequently group them into stacks of 2-6 (depending on map speed).

 

[bakshi]

You have to open up options and check the workers leave old improvements. I end up putting them on automate after I get what I need built.

 

[martix]

Hm... So I guess there's an option for everything
I automate quite a lot since I'm kind of a worker's man and like to get like tons of them so I can expand faster than Genghis Khan on Deity! And I'm not that into micromanagement anyway.

 

[vicawoo]

So if you send out a settler, you hope that a worker will make it to a new city on its own?

What if your city runs out of things to improve, what would the worker do?

Finally, if you get a new tech like iron working or calendar, how do you account for that?

 

[mariogreymist]

What they build depends on which city has the tile in its working screen, and what that city needs, based on what its priorities are. IF YOU MUST AUTOMATE: Make sure to assign your cities priorities! If you have a city that you want to emphasize in, but don't have that button selected in the city, then your automated workers will build just any old thing, including cottages. If you do have that button selected, workers will build farms/workshops/mines as are appropriate. If you choose "emphasize " then they will build cottages.

I am far too anal to let the game make those choices for me...but that's my problem.

 

[Schmieds]

Yeah, like the others said I generally learned not to automate workers, because they'll possibly delete improvements you have in a place for a reason. I only use worker automation out of laziness in the late game when I can't be bothered to manually order workers myself.

 

[RD-BH]

LOL

I stopped automating workers when I saw a stack of workers replace my only iron mine with a windmill, then alternated turn after turn ... mine ... windmill ... mine ... windmill - most annoying.

 

[smackthewise]

Definitely make sure each city has the appropriate "emphasise" option enabled. I usually use a combination on these for a lot of cities. I.e. If I want a city to work all food tiles before hammer tiles, I use emphasise food and hammers. I usually disable the governor form changing which tiles are worked, but as long as 'emphasise' buttons are used, the correct tiles will be worked when the city grows.

*Enable Workers leave old improvements and Workers leave Forests! Otherwise they cut them all down so no lumber-mills!
*Set a few workers to build trade-network. This way if you forget to hook-up up a resource they'll do it. They also make some efficient roads between cities. Although late game they build roads everywhere, which is not very aesthetic.

 

[capnvonbaron]

On worker automation --

No.

That is all.

 

[Willem]

I stopped automating workers when I saw a stack of workers replace my only iron mine with a windmill, then alternated turn after turn ... mine ... windmill ... mine ... windmill - most annoying.

You need to go into your options and choose the one that forces your Workers to leave existing improvements alone. That will put a stop to that kind of behaviour.

 

[Willem]

Although late game they build roads everywhere, which is not very aesthetic.

Maybe not, but it is practical. It gives your units full movement in every direction.

 

[SS-18 ICBM]

On worker automation --

No.

That is all.

Large map turns must be so long for you.

 

[Willem]

Large map turns must be so long for you.

It doesn't take that much time to deal with your Workers if you're organized. I play Huge maps with no automation except for the odd Build Trade Route and it's not that much of a chore at all. Granted it could be better, but it's not as bad as you seem to think.

 

[SS-18 ICBM]

I already get bored being a worker taskmaster on a Standard world. But then, I'm compelled to do it.

 

[RD-BH]

You need to go into your options and choose the one that forces your Workers to leave existing improvements alone. That will put a stop to that kind of behaviour.

Watching them for a few turns, I noticed some things ...
... you have to reset the build queues when your only iron goes away.
... automated workers know when you need a resource they just destroyed.
... windmills can outproduce an iron mine.
... automated workers improve a tile.
... ... (ie if total output of new improvement is greater than old improvement, then auto worker is on the job)
... auto workers ain't the sharpest tool in the shed, but they are the most persistent.
... I have a tendency to overuse bold text for emphasis.

 

[kivanc]

i want to admit 2 issues:
* i have never used city governors since 93
* i have never used worker automation since 93

i dont trust them

 

[ruff_hi]

I automate some workers in the mid game, typically after my cities are up and running and road networks are connected. Guess what! They sometimes find resources that I have missed (resource balloon is always off) that are outside of BFCs but in my territory and slap a fort down on them - giving me access to them - and I say THANK YOU AUTO WORKER.

I always de-automate just before I land railroads so that I can control which tile gets railed and in what order.

 

[Nothingontv]

I suppose there isn't an option to exclude a city from all automated worker actions?

 

[martix]

So basically all this thread establishes is that civ players are a paranoid, micro-crazed bunch with just too much time on their hands.
Excluding early game and critical periods, worker automation and city governors are one of my best buddies.