In the Ground Pounder thread, several players were discussing how the game calculates the cost of new factories and upgrades once a new level of Robotic Controls is discovered. . If you haven't read it, the Strategy Guide claims that the game only charges you the base tech price for your first Pop*2 factories, then charges the refit cost, then the full 1.5*base cost for the remaining factories until you reach Pop*3. However, Sirian has mentioned that in fact you pay the increased cost immediately. I had noticed that it didn't work quite how I expected, but wasn't sure why. I discussed my 'theory' in
This Post.. I thought it had something to do with the game starting the refits when factories hit CurrentPop*2, not after they max out the planet at MaxPop*2, and the costs wouldn't kick in until then.
Since we are at the point of transition now in our SG, I just looked through several planets in the save, and adjusted sliders to determine what is going on. It turns out Sirian is right (no suprise), and that my CurrentPop*2 is also partially right. Once a new level of robotics is discovered, ALL new factories from that point forward cost 1.5*Base Cost (or 2*Base for level IV, etc). So, in fact, new colonies are buying even their initial factories at a 50% premium. In our case, Industrial Tech 8 means we are paying 1.2BC/factory. The odd thing is that it stops building factories at CurrentPop*2, and everything else goes into refitting existing factories, rather than letting you at least build out to the normal MaxPop*2 and then refit. For growing colonies, that means they will hit an early wall, at which time new factories beyond 2*CurrentPop will not be built until existing factories are refitted. Because their pop is still growing, however, each turn some will go back into building a few factories for new growth, then the rest into refit, but it will not 'build ahead' so there are factories waiting to be used by next turn's new growth.
Hopefully that didn't confuse anyone. The main thing to take away is to emphasize Sirian's earlier point, that if you get Robotics too early, it can actually cripple your growth curve. Maxed out colonies can increase their potential production, but growing ones have just had their growth cut by 50%, PLUS a pause while they upgrade what factories they have built once they hit CurrentPop*2. If most of your colonies are still in the growth cycle, avoid Robotics! If a majority of your colonies are maxed out, then it will result in a net increase in productivity, although you must take into account the stunting of newer colonies, and if they are critical border areas, you may want to use some reserves to at least help them over the Refit Hump. If you have a mix of Maxed and growing colonies, it's a judgement call, but hey, that's why they call it a strategy game!
This Post.. I thought it had something to do with the game starting the refits when factories hit CurrentPop*2, not after they max out the planet at MaxPop*2, and the costs wouldn't kick in until then.
Since we are at the point of transition now in our SG, I just looked through several planets in the save, and adjusted sliders to determine what is going on. It turns out Sirian is right (no suprise), and that my CurrentPop*2 is also partially right. Once a new level of robotics is discovered, ALL new factories from that point forward cost 1.5*Base Cost (or 2*Base for level IV, etc). So, in fact, new colonies are buying even their initial factories at a 50% premium. In our case, Industrial Tech 8 means we are paying 1.2BC/factory. The odd thing is that it stops building factories at CurrentPop*2, and everything else goes into refitting existing factories, rather than letting you at least build out to the normal MaxPop*2 and then refit. For growing colonies, that means they will hit an early wall, at which time new factories beyond 2*CurrentPop will not be built until existing factories are refitted. Because their pop is still growing, however, each turn some will go back into building a few factories for new growth, then the rest into refit, but it will not 'build ahead' so there are factories waiting to be used by next turn's new growth.
Hopefully that didn't confuse anyone. The main thing to take away is to emphasize Sirian's earlier point, that if you get Robotics too early, it can actually cripple your growth curve. Maxed out colonies can increase their potential production, but growing ones have just had their growth cut by 50%, PLUS a pause while they upgrade what factories they have built once they hit CurrentPop*2. If most of your colonies are still in the growth cycle, avoid Robotics! If a majority of your colonies are maxed out, then it will result in a net increase in productivity, although you must take into account the stunting of newer colonies, and if they are critical border areas, you may want to use some reserves to at least help them over the Refit Hump. If you have a mix of Maxed and growing colonies, it's a judgement call, but hey, that's why they call it a strategy game!
Hope this helps.