In the interest of fostering some interesting, informative, and stimulating conversation, I'm putting this thread forward (rather than the slew of Civ3 rocks/sucks/is buggy/is not buggy/stfu fanboy threads that are all over the place right now)
The basic concept is simple - Ask questions, recieve answers. Give information, recieve information in return. This won't exactly be using any form of scientific method, but any time you're pointing something out, always try to use an in game example. If you don't have one, you should be asking a question, not stating a fact.
Try to keep your questions thoughts focused on the mechanics of Civ3, rather than general gameplay questions or strategic advice. Obviosly, there's going to be some bleed over here, but if you've got a question about the interface, this probably isn't the thread
A fairly simple layout may help keeping it focused, so here's the proposition: Present a thought or question on something in Civ3, then if relevant; an example of it happening to you IN A GAME YOU PLAYED, and also very important, the SETTINGS of the game you played.
Finally, ask some questions, or state some opinions that you have about the issue. By using this simple method, we should be able to nail down some of the unanswered questions about the game, and spread some very useful knowledge in a concentrated area.
When answering, snip the quote of the question (and the example etc if it's useful) and present your thoughts on the question (particularly important for clarity if you're responding to something much earlier in the thread).
Here's to some enlightening and fun conversation
For me:
Games played on Monarch/Restless/Standard Size/Continents with normal planet settings, unless otherwise stated.
Idea:
Research spending may be averaged over many turns.
Example:
In my last game, I had a fantastic starting spot by the coast, and next to a river. Using this early commerce boost, I was able to get a much greater starting science output than I usually have. For my first few techs, I got them more quickly than I normally do.
A short while later, I had to drop science spending a bit, but I noticed something odd - the number of turns for the next tech didn't change. At all. From 90% to 10%, it remained the same, the faster than normal rate due to my higher science spending so early in the game. So I dropped it to 10%. When my next tech showed up, I tried to raise spending before choosing it to get it faster - and it wouldn't budge.
Opinion:
My first thought was, hmm, bug. But then I considered it for a moment, and it would make good sense to prevent exactly the sort of min/max adjustment from turn to turn that I was trying to use (pity, that game was an experiment in exactly that
), by averaging the % of scientific spending, either since your last tech, or some other method.
Anyone else noticed similar behavior? Or am I on crack and this is something obvious?
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Idea:
Many more factors than simply government may affect corruption.
Example:
I know for certain than map size affects the distance formula - a few spaces away on a tiny map is brutal corruption. Much less on a huge map.
Thoughts:
I *think* Culture affects this. I also think having foreign nationals in your city (any number of ways to achieve this) may affect this. What else? Courthouses and Forbidden Palace or Palace proximity for sure, but Roads? Age of city? The culture of your Palace? City size? Happiness of citizens?
What are the breakpoints on a given map size with a given government as far as distance from Palace/Forbidden Palace are concerned? (does a FP do less? or does the culture of the palace affect this?)
Many variables on this one
But certainly worth knowing. I've had *some* problems with corruption in my games, but not the rampant (90% etc) corruption I've seen some people on usenet/here complain about.
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I know I had a bunch of others when I started, but they've been jarred out of my head just thinking about that second one
Once some people respond with their own, I'm sure I'll come up with some other questions for the true number crunching fact checking grognards out there
Have at it civ fiends
