Too little cost difference between civics

[Strategist83]

The difference in gold cost between high/low upkeep civics is so small - even in a large empire with many big cities - that one really does not need to pay any attention to it at all. This, I think, is a pity since it essentially takes what could have been something that would force the player to take a difficult strategic decision out of the game.

To provide an example, in my current empire which holds 16 cities of sizes 3 to 17 the difference between 'police state' (high upkeep = 96 gold) and 'representation' (low upkeep = 85 gold) is only 11 gold.

[djpsychonaut]

What level of difficulty are you planning on?

[ghen]

Religious civics specifically must be cared for well.. if you don't have your state religion in many of your cities it can be definitely unwise to pick organized for example. The other civics use upkeep as a balancing factor. Its not supposed to be a civic feature like +prod or +happy.. just a way to balance out the slight differences and ages.

[xxFlukexx]

I agree a little bit, the difference between low to medium and medium to high should be a bit higher. But you still need to pay attention, 11 gpt modified by inflation can easily be 16-18 gpt and that's nothing to sneeze at. It does sound like you are on a really low difficulty(or maybe Organized?) or a extremely huge map, my civic upkeep is much higher than that, heck on Emperor you start with -2 civic upkeep and make 2 cities and it increases to -4 and -5 upkeep lightning quick.

[Bill3000]

I've found civic cost to be extremely significant myself, up to the point where it can make or break the zero line for gold.

[player1]

Hmm...
I'm found that difference between None and Low is pretty great after 1.52 patch. Higher then between other civic levels.

[Cort Haus]

Originally posted by player1
Hmm...
I'm found that difference between None and Low is pretty great after 1.52 patch. Higher then between other civic levels.

Yes, me too. I don't understand people complaining about this.

[Strategist83]

'None' is the only one that stands out from the pack with its very low upkeep. It is the rest that are problematic.

[Diadem]

In my current game, switching from Organized Religion to Pacifism brought me down from 27 gpt to 16 gpt.

If that's not a major difference, I don't know what is! And my empire is currently still quite small, I expect it to rise as time progresses.

[player1]

And with 1.52, I used Slavery until I was forced to empancipate.
That extra cash for None upkeep was worth to me more then faster feudal workers of caste system.