discovering specials in hills?

[Geronimo]

The in game desription of Mines says that when built on a hill tile there is a small chance of discovering a special resource on the hill.

Does this mean the special wasn't always there? that it wasn't somehow hidden but was spontaneously gnerated when the mine was built?

I've never seen an example of this happening in game but now that I have lots of idle workers I wonder if it would be worthwhile to cycle between mines and windmills on hills until a special is uncovered in each of them. This would seem like a huge exploit so I doubt it would really work.

Does anybody know how "discovery" of specials works in relation to building a mine?

[N35t0r]

I think that it's for every turn you're working a mine, or something like that.

It's rare enough that I've only seen it in less than about one out of every six games I've played.

I'm sure someone more familiar with the raw numbers can come out with a more precise answer.

[rjmatsleepers]

Re: discovering specials in hills?

Originally posted by Geronimo
The in game desription of Mines says that when built on a hill tile there is a small chance of discovering a special resource on the hill.

Does this mean the special wasn't always there? that it wasn't somehow hidden but was spontaneously gnerated when the mine was built?

I've never seen an example of this happening in game but now that I have lots of idle workers I wonder if it would be worthwhile to cycle between mines and windmills on hills until a special is uncovered in each of them. This would seem like a huge exploit so I doubt it would really work.

Does anybody know how "discovery" of specials works in relation to building a mine?

AFAIK, there is a small chance of discovering a special resource each turn that a mine is worked. I think the exact percentage is in the XML. Therefore, there is no increased probability from cycling between mines and windmill and no point in setting your workers building mines you don't work. In my experience it happens from time to time. If your addicted to the game you shouldn't have to wait too many games before it happens to you.

RJM

[Jaybe]

In my huge marathon games it happens several times each game. According to Solver these mineral deposits are only discovered where your mines are within a city radius.

I don't know if they actually have to be worked by the city. Solver told me about the city radius criterion when the game was new, so I don't know if it's been changed.

[bjsiders]

Same, I get that several times per game, and I usually play marathon games.

[MikeH]

I get it more often in Marathon, but there tend to be a lot more turns.

[Quillan]

The mine has to be currently worked to discover a new deposit, and it will never happen if there is a special on the hill that just hasn't been revealed yet. But I also play marathon and usually get 2-3 new discoveries per game. It's a reduced list, only things that can be accessed via a mine can be discovered: iron, copper, coal, gems, gold, silver, uranium and aluminum.

[Arrian]

Playing on standard settings, I usually get 1-2 per game. You have to actively work the mine.

-Arrian

[MikeH]

It does also depend on how many cities and mines you have. The chance is something like 1/10000 so if you are a conqueror who expands massively and are working 100 mines you'll get them a lot more often.

[Kuciwalker]

I have never seen this actually happen.

[Geronimo]

is there an in game message or do you just notice a special where you don't remember seeing one earlier?

[ColdPhoenix]

You get the same message that you get when you research a resource revealing tech and have that resource in your borders.

You'll get a message like:
"You have discovered a source of gold near London"

[DrSpike]

Usually followed by a "whoopee!"

[Arrian]

Originally posted by Kuciwalker
I have never seen this actually happen.

Wow, really? It's not THAT uncommon. If one plays a lot of OCC games, or short MP games (they do tend to be shorter than SP games, no?), I suppose one is less likely to see it.

-Arrian

[Nacht]

Sometimes it's annoying when such resources appear in my super hammer city, making it a bit less of a super hammer city