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The Cost of Research Explained

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  • The Cost of Research Explained

    Hi all.

    The Key Civ discovery allowed me to run some controlled tests on the numbers of beakers
    required for researching new technology. I think I understand how the cost is calcuated now.
    Some of this stuff is already known, but I will repeat it here just to have
    the whole mechanism described in one place.

    The cost of researching a new technology (the beaker count) is the product of two factors.
    The first is the Tech Number which you are researching. This is the number
    of Acquired Techs you have +1. Acquired Techs are all techs you have received
    in gameplay from research, huts, trades, gifts, or steals.
    It does not include your starting techs.

    The second factor is a Base Tech Multiplier to which either a bonus or penalty
    can be added. The formula would look like this:

    Cost of Research = TechNumber X (Base + Penalty/Bonus)

    The Penalty/Bonus is based on how far ahead or behind your research is
    compared to your current Key Civ. That relationship is quantified by
    comparing your TechNumber to your Key Civ's TechNumber. If you are the same
    you receive the Base Tech Multiplier with no Penalty or Bonus.

    If you on a lower TechNumber than your Key Civ, then you receive the Bonus.
    The Bonus is the same no matter how far behind you are. On a medium map
    it is either a -1 or -2 depending on the TechNumber (see chart below).

    If your TechNumber is higher than your Key Civ's, you are penalized a +1
    to the Base Tech Multiplier for every 3 techs which you are ahead of him.
    In other words, if you are even or ahead by one or two, your penalty is 0.
    If you are ahead by 3,4, or 5 techs then your penalty is +1.
    Thus, the higher the TechNumber which you are researching the farther
    ahead it is possible to be. If your Key Civ is stuck in the Bronze Age
    while you are researching Space Flight, you will be paying an enormous
    penalty in beaker costs.

    Here is a chart of TechNumbers, Base Multipliers, and Bonuses for the first 20 techs.

    Tech# Base Bonus

    01 10 0
    02 11 -2
    03 11 -1
    04 12 -2
    05 12 -1
    06 12 -1
    07 12 0
    08 13 -1
    09 13 -1
    10 14 -2
    11 14 -2
    12 15 -2
    13 15 -2
    14 15 -1
    15 15 -1
    16 16 -1
    17 16 -1
    18 17 -2
    19 17 -2
    20 26 -2

    All TechNumbers above 20 have a Base of 26 and a Bonus of -2.
    The Minimum Beaker Cost for a given TechNumber can be calculated from this chart
    and that Minimum can be achieved in gameplay by lowering your TechNumber
    relative to your Key Civ through tech-gifting.

    One important consequence of the fact that the Penalty/Bonus is based on TechNumber,
    rather than total techs, is that Starting Techs are critical in determining how much
    you will pay for research in a game. If you have fewer Starting Techs than
    your Key Civ, then you can only get the Bonus when that Key Civ actually
    is ahead of you in researching. You can never reach the Bonus through tech-gifting alone.

    On the other hand, if you have more Starting Techs than your Key Civ,
    you can easily get the Bonus without even giving away all of your techs.
    Starting Techs are an enormous advantage not just at the start,
    but throughout the whole game as they determine your ability to reduce your science cost.

    If you start with NO techs, and the other civs all have them, you may be
    paying research penalties the entire game, even with aggressive tech-gifting.

    samson



    [This message has been edited by samson (edited April 23, 2001).]

  • #2
    Fabulous! Be sure to have Scouse Gits 2 enter a link to your work in the Great Library Index thread. This will be helpful material to have on hand. Keep the lab working on new discoveries...

    ------------------
    "There is no fortress impregnable to an ass laden with gold."
    -Philip of Macedon
    The first President of the first Apolyton Democracy Game (CivII, that is)

    The gift of speech is given to many,
    intelligence to few.

    Comment


    • #3
      Congrats Samson. I guess I don't have to finish my research anymore since you have a working formula along with the way to figure out the key civ. Now I can get back to playing and maybe try my hand at OCC
      "I know not how I may seem to others, but to myself I am but a small child wandering upon the vast shores of knowledge, every now and then finding a small bright pebble to content myself with"
      Plato

      Comment


      • #4
        My lab is closed and I had told myself I wouldn't post here before being back from vacation.
        But I feel compelled to say 'WoW'.
        Congrats Samson: beakers + choosing the right civ when giving techs; this is perhaps one small step for you, but IMO quite a gift to all players.
        Also thank you to you Mixam. I am fairly convinced that what you did and found out was helpful.


        ------------------
        aux bords mystérieux du monde occidental
        Aux bords mystérieux du monde occidental

        Comment


        • #5
          Mixam

          I missed a thanks to you for the work you put into resaerching this.


          samson

          Can you do all of us a favor and put off meeting Delilah until you have finished making all the remaining important discoveries about the game?

          Comment


          • #6
            Thanks, Marquis and La Fayette.
            I'm quite happy to give something back after all I've learned here.

            Mixam,

            There's still some unexplored questions, if you're interested.
            Like what happens if you start with less than 7 civs? Does the missing Power rating
            always correspond to the absent color? Or will there be deadzones where
            you are unable to gift the missing Key Civ?
            This could be especially troubling for those who play on a small map when the 7th civ
            will sometimes fail to start. In gameplay, Minimum beaker tables are easier to use
            than the formula, so I wouldn't throw out your work. By creating a test case,
            where the human civ is locked into its own Key Civ position, you can augment
            your MIN and MAX data with the NOMINAL beaker cost data.

            samson

            Comment


            • #7
              Great and brilliant work!!! Serious patience was unquestionably required to extract 14 vs 15 vs 16 as well as -1 and -2. Programming note: How did the Microprose folks decide 4 @ 12, 2 @ 13, 2 @ 14, 4 @ 15, etc.?

              Of course other questions remain. For example, how is the table affected by the choice of a large map or a level other than Deity?
              No matter where you go, there you are. - Buckaroo Banzai
              "I played it [Civilization] for three months and then realised I hadn't done any work. In the end, I had to delete all the saved files and smash the CD." Iain Banks, author

              Comment


              • #8
                Now in GL - thanks samson
                _______________
                The SGs in red ...
                "Our words are backed by empty wine bottles! - SG(2)
                "One of our Scouse Gits is missing." - -Jrabbit

                Comment


                • #9
                  Samson: Excellent work by both you and Mr. Firefly.

                  (Seems unfair that the rotton Mongols can get Future Techs at average cost while my Romans wound up paying the maximum 32,000! And I'm the Greeks my current game)

                  One clarification on "Power Rankings" versus the "PowerGraph." The Power Rankings that your formula relies upon (i.e., those that may be accessed via F3,send emissary) appear to be recalibrated every other year; the "PowerGraph" represents changes every fourth year, the oedo year. This may explain some inconsistencies in terms of the timing of changes in the amount of research required.

                  (Since my original experiments were designed to determine what the power graph measures as opposed to what it did not, I was already thinking of the PowerGraph in terms of "snapshots" taken of the game every four years. Your formula, however, required rechecking my assumption; and thus, apparently, Power Rankings are recalibrated every other year, but illustrated on the PowerGraph every fourth year.)

                  Once again. Congratulations on some great work done.
                  (I'm post a link on the other forum.)
                  Once again, very good work!

                  Comment


                  • #10
                    {advances}
                    {beakers count}
                    {}{SlowThinker}

                    ------------------------------
                    This is a post with keywords. See The Great Library: a hierarchical structure" thread.
                    Civ2 "Great Library Index": direct download, Apolyton attachment

                    Comment


                    • #11
                      Re: The Cost of Research Explained

                      Originally posted by samson
                      Here is a chart of TechNumbers, Base Multipliers, and Bonuses for the first 20 techs.

                      Tech# Base Bonus

                      01 10 0
                      02 11 -2
                      03 11 -1
                      04 12 -2
                      05 12 -1
                      If I understand well, then the minimums are
                      10, 18, 30, 40, 55

                      But in my "Campo" game I have
                      10, 18, 27, 36, 45...

                      Civ2 "Great Library Index": direct download, Apolyton attachment

                      Comment


                      • #12
                        Are you playing a small map? Map size matters (if you read carefully you'll notice that Samson's numbers were for mid size maps).

                        Comment


                        • #13
                          Originally posted by Xin Yu
                          Are you playing a small map? Map size matters (if you read carefully you'll notice that Samson's numbers were for mid size maps).
                          not carefully ... yes, small map...
                          Thank you
                          Civ2 "Great Library Index": direct download, Apolyton attachment

                          Comment


                          • #14
                            It looks there are many basic questions unanswered (or did I miss answers?):
                            Originally posted by samson
                            There's still some unexplored questions, if you're interested.
                            Like what happens if you start with less than 7 civs? Does the missing Power rating always correspond to the absent color? Or will there be deadzones where you are unable to gift the missing Key Civ?
                            Originally posted by Posted by Bloody Monk on 27-02-2003 23:01 in Early Landing Comparison Game #1
                            2) Does Samson's formula in the thread "The Cost of Research Explained"--in the Great Library--apply to medium maps?? What about other map sizes??
                            Originally posted by solo
                            I believe small map tech costs are 4/5 that of medium maps and that large map tech costs are the reciprocal of that. Samson's "Cost of research ..." thread applies to medium maps...
                            And my question:
                            What happens if I destroy my key civ and the 'don't restart eliminated players' option is off?
                            Civ2 "Great Library Index": direct download, Apolyton attachment

                            Comment


                            • #15
                              ST ... this was a very good bump!

                              I don't know the answer to your question.

                              -----------------

                              SG(2)
                              "Our words are backed by empty wine bottles! - SG(2)
                              "One of our Scouse Gits is missing." - -Jrabbit

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