Workers, do they know what they're doing?

[Clownfish]

Ok, so we already know that automated workers are crap. But still, I wonder if that's so just because they have different priorities than the player, or if they're even really stupid! The reason I ask is that, when I occationally put them on auto, to see what they'll do, they build farms etc OUTSIDE the big fat cross, and NOT on a special resource. WHY? Is this some kind of bug, or is there any use in having farms on plains etc that noone can use? Maybe it spreads irrigation or something?

 

[Lars_Domus]

Maybe it spreads irrigation or something?

They do indeed. But only with the discovery of Civil Service.

 

[The Tyrant]

Since I never automate workers I've never noticed this myself, but there could be a reason for farms outside the fat cross -- irrigation chain. If they need to irrigate to another tile inside the fat cross, but there are valuable improvements in the way, it would make sense to chain the irrigation around the other improvements. I'm not so sure they've been programmed with that level of foresight, though, considering how they will replace towns with farms, then cottage those same farms.

Other than working resources inside the cultural boundaries, there is only one reason to work a tile outside a fat cross. If you've got nothing else for your workers to do, building cottages/mines on the edges of your cultural boundaries will give invading units something to pillage, slowing them down before reaching your fat cross. I specify cottages and mines simply because they take less time to build than other improvements, such as farms, mills, etc. If you've noticed them building farms outside the fat cross, not on a food resource, then it is unlikely this is the reason, as it would be more time efficient to build cottages or mines.

 

[Older than Dirt]

We have automated workers here in the "govment" and you'd better watch out what you say about 'em. Civ 4 automated workers are unrealistically efficient, responsive, and productive. But then again, they have brilliant management.

 

[AL_DA_GREAT]

Automated workers = crap

 

[Older than Dirt]

How can you call us loyal gumint workers such a derogatory term? We might just get depressed and work slower and make more mistakes now.

 

[Albatoonoe]

They need some sort of macro management options. That way, you can give auto workers priorities so they aren't so useless.

 

[caitlinm]

Wait, are auto workers really imcompetent? Because, with the new and improvements, I haven't figured out what is best to build where. So I make my workers automated from the moment they are created. Is this not right?

 

[Pantastic]

Building farms spreads irrigation, it makes perfect sense to fill in all of the 'in between' spaces with farms if there's nothing else for workers to do. It's odd, everyone always seems to go crazy that automated workers build improvements that may or may not be useful but don't cost anything and don't interfere with anything, instead of just going to sleep in a city. I've seen at least half a dozen posts like this, where someome gets all agitated that automated workers are building irrigation-spreading farms when there's nothing else to do.

 

[Brave Jay]

Here's what I do: First, I manually direct my workers to prioritize what I want them to do, Mainly linking up resources to my empire and then to build mines, cottages, and farms where I want them. when I have done my main priorities and don't want to fool with them anymore, i start automating them. But only AFTER making sure i have checked the box in the options menu that says for "workers to leave old improvements" , otherwise, those stupid suckers will go around tearing down my hamlets villages and towns so that they can build farms.

 

[AL_DA_GREAT]

How can you call us loyal gumint workers such a derogatory term? We might just get depressed and work slower and make more mistakes now.

They are good and loyal but not very smart. You need to control them to make sure they are doing something usefull