Beyond the Sword Review by Solver

[sneaky]

Originally posted by CyberShy


Maintaing corporations isn't easy indeed.
I wouldn't say that it's impossible to sustain. One can always sell one of the corp-resources for big money (ie. a coal resource) to both easy the maintenance (at the prize of less corp bonusses) and get some extra income.

But placing corporations without a solid economical background is financial suicide indeed.

I heard that the Inflation system was changed with BTS, making Corporations even harder to sustain because you getting 200% Inflation or something in the later game making maintenance unbelievably high. Do you have experienced the effects of this game change?

[DanQ]

Originally posted by Flhaus
I only wish that APOLYTON would put that sort of detail in their manuals. It would help a noob like myself to be more proficient in the game.

To what manuals of ours are you referring? Or did you mean to say Firaxis?

[Flhaus]

Originally posted by DanQ



To what manuals of ours are you referring? Or did you mean to say Firaxis?

that is what I meant, but you already knew that probably.

[yin26]

But that's the point, Dan: How much detail is there in the Apolyton manuals? Would you dare to say "None"? And why would that be? And don't give some flimsy excuse like "...but Apolyton doesn't even have manuals." We deserve better than that kind of double talk. ( )

[Wiglaf]

DanQ's manuals are not very detailed, it's true.

[DanQ]

Hi Karol.

Originally posted by Karol
Solver, your review is as always great.

True.

Unfortunately it came few days too late. Watiggi on CFC posted many screenshots on June, 19th - and took your show.

From PR point of view you would be "God of Civ4" if your review was issued on 19th.

First off, you're not comparing apples with apples. One is, based on your description, an extensive collection of screenshots and the other is a comprehensive review with accompanying screenshots. Even if they were both comprehensive reviews, the fact that one came out first does not make the latter "too late" for its author to be considered the ""God of Civ4"". That's too 'black and white' as a basis for differentiation. Speaking of dates, did you mean the 19th of this month and not last?

In any event, to minimize the likelihood that someone will read more into the above than there is, I am not criticizing Watiggi's work -- not at all it. I'm responding to the means by which his and Solver's work is being compared.

That is true too.

[DanQ]

Originally posted by yin26
But that's the point, Dan: How much detail is there in the Apolyton manuals? Would you dare to say "None"? And why would that be? And don't give some flimsy excuse like "...but Apolyton doesn't even have manuals." We deserve better than that kind of double talk. ( )

In case anyone was taking Yin seriously , manuals are not applicable for Apolyton itself. Except for maybe an internally-kept one on how to deal with some of those more troublesome posters out there...

Originally posted by Wiglaf
DanQ's manuals are not very detailed, it's true.

Speak when you have something to say, not when you feel you have to say something.

Now, back on-topic...

[Flhaus]

Originally posted by DanQ

Speak when you have something to say, not when you feel you have to say something.

This seems personal to me. Do the rules apply to everyone? Just asking...

[Solver]

Originally posted by OzzyKP
Didn't you run the test trying to show just how overpowered corporations were and after you spread a corp to all your cities and switched to SP found that you actually made a lot more money than you had before?

I did, and it was a bug. In that build, having corporations, under State Property, provided a considerable monetary boost.

Of course, switching to SP will still tend to save you money, due to removal of corp maintenance costs.

[DanQ]

Originally posted by Flhaus
This seems personal to me. Do the rules apply to everyone? Just asking...

I responded in a clearly joking manner, prompted by his making it "personal" (if we can call it that).

Back on-topic...

[Solver]

Question: If you place a spy in your city or on an improvment, will that make it harder for foreign spies to operate on that tile?

Spies do indeed increase the chance of foreign spies being caught.

Question Solver, there is a lot of talk about Inflation making Corporations almost impossible to sustain. Did you experience anything like that and could you tell us how Corporations can be used without drowning in debt?

A very good question. If you use corporations, you will lose money in most cases. Corporations are not about gaining money. They are about receiving other benefits in exchange for money.

In my experience, the key is not to spread your corporation to every city, like you would do with religions. Consider which cities will have notable benefits, and spread there. Spreading everywhere will break your economy. And, of course, found the corporation in your main gold city (Wall Street and all).

[Alexander I]

Good work, Solver.

[Sirotnikov]

the review is good.

but why is it so buried away?

i had to click 3 links to get to the actual stuff (news item --> this thread --> review home page --> first page).

[Solver]

This thread has a direct link to the review, and blame Dan for his news items

[=DrJambo=]

Originally posted by sneaky


I heard that the Inflation system was changed with BTS, making Corporations even harder to sustain because you getting 200% Inflation or something in the later game making maintenance unbelievably high. Do you have experienced the effects of this game change?

Well, I'm not yet convinced on this (so far).

Here's the details of my current game:

I'm the HRE
Large map
Epic speed
It's 1956
I've founded Creative Corporations
It's in 7 of my 19 cities. These were selected based on where I thought I needed the and most.

Here's my finances in terms of costs:
Unit costs 99
Unit supply 3
City Maintenance 92
Civics 101
Inflation 175% x 295 = 512

Of the 92 city maintenance:
Distance to capital 27
No. of cities 36
Colony 1
Corporations 28

I have courthouses in ALL my corporation cities (-75% for HRE).

I'm able to running 50 % and the and benefits of the corporation, are to me, far outweighing the overall maintenance cost of the corporation.

Granted I probably don't need to, and indeed shouldn't, expand the corporation too much, but isn't that to be expected? The benefits are specific and as I see it, the corporation should only be placed in the most appropriate cities; not every city, and certainly not any city without a courthouse.

I also founded the corporation in my most profitable city, one with the specific religion building and all basic economic improvements (alas no Wall Street unfortunately).

So, what's the deal? Seems fine to me so far - a fine balance which can easily be lost unless you're extremely careful. As to how the AI deals with the fine balance, God only knows.