Best use of The Great Library

[Catt]

Originally posted by Yahweh Sabaoth
I don't understand why anyone would prioritize the colossus or the pyramids above the Great Library.

The Colossus is a much lower investment of shields, is often obtainable easily, and continues to give benefits through virtually the entire game. It also corresponds to three different civ traits making a GA via wonder building easily obtainable.

The Pyramids offer super-charged growth early, provide continued enhanced growth throughout the game, and relieve an empire of substantial ongoing maintenance costs.

The Great Library is a large investment of shields when shields are most valuable - in the early game. On the higher levels, the GL is often not even completed until one nears the end of the ancient age -- the free techs are very nice, but the accumulated cash afforded by the GL has limited uses -- prncipally on unit upgrades. Again on the higher level, maintaining a hoard of cash invites demands and tribute, and, while the GL helps maintain early tech parity, it doesn;t contribute to the longer term objective of building an empire to dominate (militarily, econmically, scientifically) the way the Pyramids do. The benefit is short-lived. I think the GL is more prized by those who are uncomfortable lagging in techs early in the game -- if you come to accept a tech lag early and/or research and trade shrewedly enough to stay close, the GL looses a lot of its mystique.

Don't get me wrong, I like the GL and welcome it, but I'd take the Pyramids over the GL just about any day.

Catt

[Yahweh Sabaoth]

Hmmm. Well, you play on higher levels than I do, so I bow to your judgment re: pyramids vs. GL.

Still, I have doubts about a wonder - even the cheapest of which is still an investment that ties down a productive city for a good long time - that increases, potentially, the amount of unhappy people in your empire.

If the luxuries are connected and you've got traits that allow you to slaughter your people for profit, well then, I see it's value... I guess I'll know better when I step up and begin to play Monarch and higher frequently.

[Catt]

Originally posted by Yahweh Sabaoth
Hmmm. Well, you play on higher levels than I do, so I bow to your judgment re: pyramids vs. GL.

Difficultly level doesn't necessarily correspond to better judgment on the game or its strategies / tactics, so no need to bow to me or anyone else on that basis.

Still, I have doubts about a wonder - even the cheapest of which is still an investment that ties down a productive city for a good long time - that increases, potentially, the amount of unhappy people in your empire.

But the Pyramids will never increase the amount of unhappy people unless you let it. You can always turn a citizen or citizens into entertainers, taxmen, or scientists if you want to slow or stop growth. With or without the Pyramids, your cities are going to grow to the unhappiness point unless you manage them -- the Pyramids just let you get there faster, reaping the benefits of enhanced production and gold more quickly -- they also facilitate the rapid regrowth of cities following a settler or worker build.

Remember, the Pyramids give you the opportunity to grow more quickly, but they don't demand it. In just about every case I imagine I would use the opportunity, but I can always ignore it if I want to.

Catt

[Yahweh Sabaoth]

Well, I do find that when I come to acquire the pyramids, it's easier than ever for me to become a powerhouse...

[Jon Shafer]

Mmmmm... Cavalry...

[Cort Haus]

Originally posted by Yahweh Sabaoth
I don't understand why anyone would prioritize the colossus or the pyramids above the Great Library.

Just to add to Catt's remarks- beelining for ancient techs like Monarchy, Currency or Construction can leave Literature a long way off the beaten track, and the AI's sometimes ignore it too. Colossus and Pyramids are available from 1st-level techs, and are both very powerful if exploited.