Mid-term planning: Modern Wonders

[vondrack]

Last time we sort of neglected mid-term wonder planning and it ended up with others snatching all the (three) industrial era great wonders. I don't think it was a major mistake... most probably, it only helps us in the long run that GS stayed well ahead of GoW & ND - makes GoW/ND less likely to fully trust GS.

But anyway, we should make sure that whatever happens in the modern era is "planned for".

Here is a quick list of the modern great wonders:

United Nations (1000S) - while it's unlikely this game would end with someone being elected the Secretary General, I'd certainly not object getting this wonder.

Manhattan Project (800S) - allows nuclear weapons to be built; opens a can of worms; I am not sure about this one at all... nuclear weapons seem to be more of a threat to us than to others... the longer they are unavailable, the better... or not?

SETI Project (1000S) - +100% research in the city where it is built; if we have a spare city and can afford to build it, why not... but generally, I would easily waive this one, I guess...

Internet (1000S) - free research lab in every city. I would personally consider this the most valuable great wonder of the modern era. A 200S research lab in every city of ours, that would be worth 27*200=5400S... and that's ignoring the fact that many cities (e.g. Castlea, Port Hammer, Sandonorico, Invoice...) would not be able to build a 200S research lab in a reasonable timeframe at all, while still having a decent commercial/scientific potential. The dowside here is one has to research a tech which is basically "optional" (you do not need it to launch a spaceship, which is what we're aiming at, right?).

Cure for Cancer (1000S) - makes 1 unhappy face content in every city; well, not a bad thing for our luxury strained empire, but it's two optional techs to be able to build it... besides, the effect is not that big and we may very well not even need it. As shown by the happiness analysis I did some time ago, our pop 20 cities should be fine with 10% luxury slider even without any luxury imports at all. CfC would be, IMHO, too much of a luxury.

Longevity (1000S) - city grows by 2 instead of 1; by the time it becomes available, it's completely useless. All our cities will be at maximum useful population anyway.

Well, that's it... more on the topic later. I need to put the modern era tech-cost chart together first.

[redstar1]

I agree with your analysis, certainly the Internet is by far the omost useful for us. Ideally I would like to get the Internet, MP and the UN. MP because someone WILL build it, so why not us, also allowing us a possible head start in the nuclear arms race. UN for obvious reasons as it allows us to keep our fate in our own hands.

[Tiberius]

I'd prefer them in the following order:
- Internet. There is one thing I don't know: do you get the benefits of a research lab in all your cities even if you don't have a university? Anyway, this wonder is a must for us.
- SETI (we could prebuild it in Red Bricks; would help us in fighting against the tech embargo)
- UN - better to have it than not
- Cure for Cancer - not bad
- MP - someone will build it eventually, so if we decide to build it then we'd rather prebuild some nukes.
- Longevity - it'd allow Farmerville to build one worker/turn, while growing in size Otherwise, completely useless

[Kloreep]

The Internet may be a must if we want to stay in the tech game.

SETI and the UN would both be nice, but I don't think they're all that necessary, especially the UN.

CfC would be nice, but researching the tech required would be a waste. Don't bother with it.

Nukes don't do much for us. Don't be the one to unleash them; it'll be a waste of 800 shields.

Originally posted by Tiberius
- Internet. There is one thing I don't know: do you get the benefits of a research lab in all your cities even if you don't have a university?

I think you do.

Even if it doesn't give anything without a Uni, I think it's still well worth it.

[Tiberius]

If GS's goal is to race ahead in the tech race to build the space ship, then there is a strong possibility that they are already prebuilding SETI (in Hurricane or Tempest) and the Internet.