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Re: Re: Long explanation and thread reference
I divide strategies and tactics that give experienced players an advantage into four groups:
(1) Game features that affect the human player and AI equally. An example is research cost.
(2) Game features intended by the game designers but poorly used by the AI or creates a best strategy in multi-player games. An example is the use of crawlers (Industrial Automation). Crawlers was a distinct change from Civ II and a deliberate part of the game design.
(3) Exploits which were not intended by the designers but hard to avoid. An examples is the increase in the safe mineral production. It is not mention in the documentation and there is something illogical that a pop in pollution at one base or construction of a good facility at one base would allow a base on another continent to produce an additional mineral unit without risk of pollution.
(4) Exploits which take advantage of a flaw in the programming. Using the energy stockpile bug to get extra energy after the production of a unit is an example.
Understanding the first group helps in the enjoyment of the game. If you understand that each tech you have increases the time it takes to research a new tech, you might choose not to acquire a tech through trade. Trade-offs give a game strategic dimensions.
The second group is part of the game. It is a shame that the AI can't use these features, but I prefer a game with interesting features to dumbing down a game for the sake of the AI.
The third group is the result of poor programming. I think it diminishes the challenge of the game when you have 20+ bases able to produce 50+ minerals per turn without pollution. You no longer have to balance off the risk of pollution with production. However, there is little you can do about it.
The fourth group are also the result of poor programming. It also diminishes the enjoyment of the game. The extra energy gives an unfair advantage over the AI (or a human player in a multiplayer game who isn't using the stockpile bug). It is something to avoid.
I think new players enhance their enjoyment of the game by learning how to use the first group. (Otherwise, it is just pushing units around the map.)
The second group is something that more experienced players will want to understand. (It is what the game designers intended.)
The third group is something you might want to learn as the game does something puzzling. (I remember wondering why my pollution problems had disappeared late in the game.)
The fourth group is something you don't need to know. I don't have any problems with posts about bugs and exploits. (Maybe someday the game will be updated and these bugs can be removed.)
I believe the missing research options falls into the third group. From the manual and Prima's strategy guide, I think the designers wanted the tech choices that were not available to be random.
Originally posted by Kadrian
That's some excellent information, vyeh. Got any more formulas us newbies (or even old pros) should know about?
That's some excellent information, vyeh. Got any more formulas us newbies (or even old pros) should know about?
(1) Game features that affect the human player and AI equally. An example is research cost.
(2) Game features intended by the game designers but poorly used by the AI or creates a best strategy in multi-player games. An example is the use of crawlers (Industrial Automation). Crawlers was a distinct change from Civ II and a deliberate part of the game design.
(3) Exploits which were not intended by the designers but hard to avoid. An examples is the increase in the safe mineral production. It is not mention in the documentation and there is something illogical that a pop in pollution at one base or construction of a good facility at one base would allow a base on another continent to produce an additional mineral unit without risk of pollution.
(4) Exploits which take advantage of a flaw in the programming. Using the energy stockpile bug to get extra energy after the production of a unit is an example.
Understanding the first group helps in the enjoyment of the game. If you understand that each tech you have increases the time it takes to research a new tech, you might choose not to acquire a tech through trade. Trade-offs give a game strategic dimensions.
The second group is part of the game. It is a shame that the AI can't use these features, but I prefer a game with interesting features to dumbing down a game for the sake of the AI.
The third group is the result of poor programming. I think it diminishes the challenge of the game when you have 20+ bases able to produce 50+ minerals per turn without pollution. You no longer have to balance off the risk of pollution with production. However, there is little you can do about it.
The fourth group are also the result of poor programming. It also diminishes the enjoyment of the game. The extra energy gives an unfair advantage over the AI (or a human player in a multiplayer game who isn't using the stockpile bug). It is something to avoid.
I think new players enhance their enjoyment of the game by learning how to use the first group. (Otherwise, it is just pushing units around the map.)
The second group is something that more experienced players will want to understand. (It is what the game designers intended.)
The third group is something you might want to learn as the game does something puzzling. (I remember wondering why my pollution problems had disappeared late in the game.)
The fourth group is something you don't need to know. I don't have any problems with posts about bugs and exploits. (Maybe someday the game will be updated and these bugs can be removed.)
I believe the missing research options falls into the third group. From the manual and Prima's strategy guide, I think the designers wanted the tech choices that were not available to be random.
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