Difference between revisions of "Social Engineering Mod"
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Thought Control, WillPow, ---SUPPORT, ++POLICE, ++GROWTH, ++PROBE | Thought Control, WillPow, ---SUPPORT, ++POLICE, ++GROWTH, ++PROBE | ||
− | ==Effect weights== | + | ==Effect weights idea== |
− | Effect weight is a relative effect value comparing to others. Understanding effect weights allows easy social models evaluation and | + | Effect weight is a relative effect value comparing to others. Understanding effect weights allows easy social models evaluation and balancing. Keep in mind that such estimate is a very context dependent, though. Particular effect can be valued more or less depending on circumstances. Besides, I used multiple assumptions in below calculations. Feel free to correct me of propose your own. I will appreciate any input. Thank you. |
===Comparison method=== | ===Comparison method=== | ||
− | Obviously different effects have different impact on your empire. | + | Obviously different effects have different impact on your empire. Fortunately, game provides different means to achieve same result. Some examples would be: 1) using either minerals or energy reserves to complete production, 2) using either police or psych to quell drones, etc. This allows us to express impact of different effects in same units and, therefore, relate their weight numerically. |
===Historical periods and city yelds=== | ===Historical periods and city yelds=== | ||
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* Medium army, permanent conflicts | * Medium army, permanent conflicts | ||
− | + | ==Effects weight calculation== | |
− | === | + | ===Energy=== |
− | I | + | This is an artificial effect I introduce for the ease of further calculations and to establish base weight value. One step on Energy effect scale changes raw city energy yield (including commerce) by 10%. So it works simialr to other linear effects like Industry, Research, Growth. Of course, it doesn't exist in a game as described but it is convenient to use it as a base value since many other effects can be expressed through it. |
− | Weight = 1 | + | '''Weight = 1.0''' |
− | === | + | ===Industry=== |
− | + | Main energy reserves usage is production rush. Of course, you can also use it to buy technologies and subvert cities but this is just small part of what is usually spent on rushing. You can consider rushing production as a energy to production conversion channel that works both ways. Hiher Energy effect fills up your energy reserves and let you rush production more. From the other side, higher Industry effect let you produce faster -> cut on rushing -> save for buying and subverting. | |
+ | |||
+ | Formula: | ||
<br/> | <br/> | ||
− | + | Industry weight = 2 * <mineral output> / (<energy reserves income> / <economy allocation>) | |
<br/> | <br/> | ||
− | + | <mineral output> is total mineral output after multiplying by facilities. | |
+ | <br/> | ||
+ | <energy reserves income> is the total energy reserves income before subtracting maintenance. You can see this value on the F3 screen as "Total Income". | ||
+ | <br/> | ||
+ | <economy allocation> is the part of energy allocated to economy (i.e. 50% = 0.5). | ||
+ | <br/> | ||
+ | Essentially, the (<energy reserves income> / <economy allocation>) value is your would be income if you allocate 100% energy to economy without allocation penalty. | ||
− | + | Estimate: | |
<br/> | <br/> | ||
− | + | At early stage your city mineral yield is about the same as energy yield. So, assuming there are no mineral and economy boosting facilities, that translates to Industry weight = 2. At middle and late stages energy yield growths faster than mineral one due to stronger terraforming effect and due to increasing commerce. The economy boosting facilities also come into play much earlier than corresponding mineral ones. I usually see total income 2-3 times bigger in large cities at late stage. That would be about 2 times bigger faction wide. That brings Industry weight to 1 toward the end of the game. | |
+ | |||
+ | '''Weight = 2.0->1.0''' | ||
+ | |||
+ | ===Research=== | ||
+ | |||
+ | Research is directly allocated from energy so the exact formula is the simple one. | ||
+ | |||
+ | Formula: | ||
<br/> | <br/> | ||
− | + | Research weight = <research allocation> | |
+ | <br/> | ||
+ | <research allocation> is the part of energy allocated to research (i.e. 50% = 0.5). | ||
− | + | Estimate: | |
+ | <br/> | ||
+ | It's about 0.5-0.7 throughout the game. | ||
− | = | + | '''Weight = 0.5''' |
− | Economy | + | ===Economy=== |
− | + | Economy effect is drastically non linear. We can try to estimate each '''type''' of Economy change separatingly and then assign combination values to each step on Economy scale. Such Economy effect change types are: 1) 1 energy per base, 2) 1 energy per square, 3) commerce rating. | |
− | + | ||
− | + | ||
− | + | ||
− | + | ||
− | + | ||
− | + | ||
− | + | ||
− | + | ||
− | + | =====Economy (energy per base)===== | |
− | + | Formula: | |
<br/> | <br/> | ||
− | + | Economy (energy per base) weight = 1 / (0.1 * <energy yield>) | |
+ | |||
+ | Estimate: | ||
<br/> | <br/> | ||
− | + | Goes from about 2 at very early stage to 0.3 at late stage. | |
+ | |||
+ | '''Weight = 2.0->0.0''' | ||
+ | |||
+ | =====Economy (energy per square)===== | ||
− | + | Formula: | |
<br/> | <br/> | ||
− | + | Economy (energy per base) weight = (<number of working tiles> + 1) / (0.1 * <energy yield>) | |
− | + | Estimate: | |
<br/> | <br/> | ||
− | + | Goes from about 10 (!!!) at early stage to 2-3 at late stage. Depends heavily on average tile energy yield. | |
− | + | '''Weight = 10.0->2.0''' | |
+ | |||
+ | =====Economy (commerce rating)===== | ||
+ | |||
+ | Commerce rating effect is very difficult to evaluate as it obviously depends on total amount of commerce you have. That is: number of contacted faction, number of treaties and pacts, global trade pact in play, etc. I would estimate zero commerce at early stages and approximately 1/4 of raw base energy yield at middle game and later. I don't even know exactly how commercial rating increases commerce. Let's say it gives 1/5 to commerce. | ||
+ | |||
+ | Estimate: | ||
<br/> | <br/> | ||
+ | Goes from 0 at early stage to 0.5 at middle and late stages. Depends heavily on total commerce. | ||
+ | |||
+ | '''Weight = 0->0.5''' | ||
+ | |||
+ | ====Economy steps weights==== | ||
+ | |||
{| class="wikitable" | {| class="wikitable" | ||
− | |||
|- | |- | ||
− | ! From !! To !! | + | ! From !! To !! Early !! Middle !! Late |
|- | |- | ||
− | | style="text-align: right; " | -3 || style="text-align: right; " | -2 || style="text-align: right; " | 1.0 | + | | style="text-align: right; " | -3 || style="text-align: right; " | -2 || style="text-align: right; " | 2.0 || style="text-align: right; " | 1.0 || style="text-align: right; " | 0.0 |
|- | |- | ||
− | | style="text-align: right; " | -2 || style="text-align: right; " | -1 || style="text-align: right; " | 1.0 | + | | style="text-align: right; " | -2 || style="text-align: right; " | -1 || style="text-align: right; " | 2.0 || style="text-align: right; " | 1.0 || style="text-align: right; " | 0.0 |
|- | |- | ||
− | | style="text-align: right; " | -1 || style="text-align: right; " | 0 || style="text-align: right; " | 0.0 | + | | style="text-align: right; " | -1 || style="text-align: right; " | 0 || style="text-align: right; " | 0.0 || style="text-align: right; " | 0.0 || style="text-align: right; " | 0.0 |
|- | |- | ||
− | | style="text-align: right; " | 0 || style="text-align: right; " | +1 || style="text-align: right; " | 1.0 | + | | style="text-align: right; " | 0 || style="text-align: right; " | +1 || style="text-align: right; " | 2.0 || style="text-align: right; " | 1.0 || style="text-align: right; " | 0.0 |
|- | |- | ||
− | | style="text-align: right; " | +1 || style="text-align: right; " | +2 || style="text-align: right; " | | + | | style="text-align: right; " | +1 || style="text-align: right; " | +2 || style="text-align: right; " | 8.0 || style="text-align: right; " | 5.0 || style="text-align: right; " | 2.0 |
|- | |- | ||
− | | style="text-align: right; " | +2 || style="text-align: right; " | +3 || style="text-align: right; " | 2.5 | + | | style="text-align: right; " | +2 || style="text-align: right; " | +3 || style="text-align: right; " | 4.0 || style="text-align: right; " | 2.5 || style="text-align: right; " | 0.5 |
|- | |- | ||
− | | style="text-align: right; " | +3 || style="text-align: right; " | +4 || style="text-align: right; " | 2.5 | + | | style="text-align: right; " | +3 || style="text-align: right; " | +4 || style="text-align: right; " | 4.0 || style="text-align: right; " | 2.5 || style="text-align: right; " | 0.5 |
|- | |- | ||
− | | style="text-align: right; " | +4 || style="text-align: right; " | +5 || style="text-align: right; " | | + | | style="text-align: right; " | +4 || style="text-align: right; " | +5 || style="text-align: right; " | 0.0 || style="text-align: right; " | 0.5 || style="text-align: right; " | 0.5 |
|} | |} | ||
− | ==== | + | ====Summary==== |
+ | |||
+ | Economy effect weight highly depends on exact Economy scale level it results in. With most popular changes being: 1) 0 to +2 (FM) with weight = '''10.0->2.0''', and 2) +2 to +3 (Wealth) with weight = '''4.0->0.5'''. | ||
+ | <br/> | ||
+ | If one would like to spread pleinty of small negative and positive Economy effect values across multiple SE models, the average Economy effect value would be '''3.0->0.5''' | ||
− | |||
− | + | ===Efficiency=== | |
− | + | Efficiency effect is threefold. It descreases inefficiency, decreases number of b-drones, and decreases penalty for uneven Eco/Res allocation. Let's consider them one by one. | |
− | Efficiency | + | ====Efficiency (inefficiency)==== |
− | + | Formula: | |
<br/> | <br/> | ||
− | + | Efficiency (inefficiency) weight = (<average base distance to HQ> / 128) * 10 | |
− | + | Estimate: | |
<br/> | <br/> | ||
− | + | Average base distance to HQ varies per game. With my assumptions the weight is 0.4->1.2. | |
− | + | ====Efficiency (b-drones)==== | |
− | + | We'll calculate Efficiency weight by comparing it to the ammount of energy allocated to psych that quells same number of drones. Assuming normal size map on highest difficulty. | |
− | + | Formula: | |
+ | <br/> | ||
+ | Efficiency (b-drones) weight = (<number of bases> / 12) / <psych facilities multiplier> / (0.1 * <energy yield>) | ||
− | + | Estimate: | |
+ | <br/> | ||
+ | Again, number of bases varies per game. With my assumptions the weight of 0.8->0.2. | ||
− | + | ====Efficiency (allocation penalty)==== | |
− | Growth power lies not in immediate economical effect but in economical development acceleration instead. Roughly you'll have 10% bigger sities with 10% growth rate bonus. That gives you 10% more workers => 10% more of both | + | |
+ | Finally, the penalty for unequal economy/research allocation. Of course, the absolute effect depends on unequality percentage. Let's take a smallest unequal distribution of 60%-40%. For that distribution you loose 2% for bigger allocation + 4% for smaller allocation = 3% energy on average per Efficiency level which is equivalent of 0.3 Energy effect rate. Doesn't change with the course of the game. | ||
+ | |||
+ | ====Summary==== | ||
+ | |||
+ | Summarizing above weight values here is what we get. Interestingly, it doesn't change drastically throughout the game as other effects before. | ||
+ | |||
+ | Weight = '''1.5->1.5''' | ||
+ | |||
+ | ===Growth=== | ||
+ | |||
+ | Growth power lies not in immediate economical effect but in economical development acceleration instead. Roughly you'll have 10% bigger sities at any future point in time with 10% growth rate bonus. That gives you 10% more workers => 10% more of both mineral and energy yields. That is +1 on Industry scale and +1 on Energy scale. | ||
<br/> | <br/> | ||
− | + | I do not consider early population boom here as this breaks this effect completely and makes it invaluable. The rest of the game after popbooming would be completely dull. | |
− | Weight = 2 | + | '''Weight = 3.0->2.0''' |
− | + | ===Support=== | |
− | Support | + | Support translates to absolute minerals bonus/loss. Excluding extremal values on Support scale, traveling five steps frees four mineral per base. So I'd give each step an average coefficient of 4/5. |
+ | |||
+ | Formula: | ||
<br/> | <br/> | ||
− | + | Support weight = <Industry weight> * (1 / (0.1 * <mineral output>)) * 4/5 | |
+ | |||
+ | Estimate: | ||
<br/> | <br/> | ||
− | + | Per historical periods: 2.5->0.0. | |
− | Weight = | + | Weight = '''2.5->0.0''' |
− | + | ===Police=== | |
Police effect is simialr to Efficiency b-drones effect and to Phych energy allocation effect. They all reduce number of drones. Let's convert Police rating to Economy rating using Efficiency b-drones calculation approach. | Police effect is simialr to Efficiency b-drones effect and to Phych energy allocation effect. They all reduce number of drones. Let's convert Police rating to Economy rating using Efficiency b-drones calculation approach. | ||
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Weight = 0.5 | Weight = 0.5 | ||
− | + | ===Morale=== | |
This one is difficult to compare with others as it manifests itself only at war time and only when fighting tough opponents. That is when your fighting odds are around 50% so slightest morale boost really matters. That 1-2 moral boost significantly cuts your casualties and saves you production. Now the proportion of minerals spent on army and the moral effect is highly dependent on game situation and playing style. In my experience the Morale effect is invaluable at early game stages when armies are small and winning or losing single tactical combat turns the tide of whole war. It dissolves to the end of the game when you have plenty of morale enhacement facilities and winning is based on empire productive strength rather then tactical one. | This one is difficult to compare with others as it manifests itself only at war time and only when fighting tough opponents. That is when your fighting odds are around 50% so slightest morale boost really matters. That 1-2 moral boost significantly cuts your casualties and saves you production. Now the proportion of minerals spent on army and the moral effect is highly dependent on game situation and playing style. In my experience the Morale effect is invaluable at early game stages when armies are small and winning or losing single tactical combat turns the tide of whole war. It dissolves to the end of the game when you have plenty of morale enhacement facilities and winning is based on empire productive strength rather then tactical one. | ||
Line 242: | Line 293: | ||
Weight = 0.5 (subject for discussion) | Weight = 0.5 (subject for discussion) | ||
− | + | ===Planet=== | |
One of the most usefult Planet effects is an ability to capture worms and slight battle odds improvement. For starter, +1 Planet lets you amassing huge worm army at the early game. Again, same as Morale it dissolves with Centaury Empathy which lets you producing worms at higher rate. | One of the most usefult Planet effects is an ability to capture worms and slight battle odds improvement. For starter, +1 Planet lets you amassing huge worm army at the early game. Again, same as Morale it dissolves with Centaury Empathy which lets you producing worms at higher rate. | ||
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Weight = 0.5 (subject for discussion) | Weight = 0.5 (subject for discussion) | ||
− | + | ===Probe=== | |
This is IMHO the least usefult effect of them all. Mostly because it works so rarely in the game that doesn't have major impact on outcome. The only exclusion is +3 Probe that makes your cities and units immune. And even then it makes no difference. | This is IMHO the least usefult effect of them all. Mostly because it works so rarely in the game that doesn't have major impact on outcome. The only exclusion is +3 Probe that makes your cities and units immune. And even then it makes no difference. | ||
Line 254: | Line 305: | ||
Weight = 0 (subject for discussion) | Weight = 0 (subject for discussion) | ||
− | + | ==Effects weight table== | |
Sorted by weight | Sorted by weight |
Revision as of 00:56, 31 January 2017
Contents |
Preface
This is an attempt to enhance and balance social engineering choices. Thanks to all contributors on many other forums for expressing their opinions and sharing ideas.
Goals
Adjust efects range usage
In vanila version some combinations of models bring effect values beyond allowed range thus wasting it and diminishing model value in general. The opposite is also true. Some effect values are unreachable by any means. Adjusting this alone will bring more variety to the game.
Adjust models appeal
I agree with multiple posters that some models are inferior by all means and never used. This too cripples game variety. I'd like to adjust their value to let it be chosen not necessarily often but at least sometimes when time is ripe. Thus bringing additional twist into the game by using means already encorporated into game mechanics.
Adjust extra sharp effects
Some effects of social engineering could be so good that it brakes the game. I am specifically talking about population boom. With democracy + planned + CC it comes too early in the game ruining the rest of the game experience.
Resulting configuration
Here is my resulting configuration. The rest of the article is just a rationalization for those interested in academics.
Frontier, None,
Police State, DocLoy, -EFFIC, ++SUPPORT, -MORALE, ++POLICE
Democratic, EthCalc, +EFFIC, --SUPPORT, -POLICE, +GROWTH
Fundamentalist, Brain, ++MORALE, ++PROBE, +INDUSTRY, --RESEARCH
Simple, None,
Free Market, IndEcon, ++ECONOMY, -----POLICE, ---PLANET
Planned, PlaNets, -ECONOMY, -EFFIC, +GROWTH, ++INDUSTRY
Green, CentEmp, ++EFFIC, --GROWTH, ++PLANET, ++RESEARCH
Survival, None,
Power, MilAlg, ++SUPPORT, +MORALE, +POLICE, --INDUSTRY
Knowledge, Cyber, -ECONOMY, -EFFICIENCY, --PROBE, ++RESEARCH
Wealth, IndAuto, +ECONOMY, ----MORALE, -POLICE, +INDUSTRY
None, None,
Cybernetic, DigSent, -ECONOMY, +EFFIC, ++PLANET, ++RESEARCH
Eudaimonic, Eudaim, +ECONOMY, ---MORALE, +INDUSTRY
Thought Control, WillPow, ---SUPPORT, ++POLICE, ++GROWTH, ++PROBE
Effect weights idea
Effect weight is a relative effect value comparing to others. Understanding effect weights allows easy social models evaluation and balancing. Keep in mind that such estimate is a very context dependent, though. Particular effect can be valued more or less depending on circumstances. Besides, I used multiple assumptions in below calculations. Feel free to correct me of propose your own. I will appreciate any input. Thank you.
Comparison method
Obviously different effects have different impact on your empire. Fortunately, game provides different means to achieve same result. Some examples would be: 1) using either minerals or energy reserves to complete production, 2) using either police or psych to quell drones, etc. This allows us to express impact of different effects in same units and, therefore, relate their weight numerically.
Historical periods and city yelds
I consider three historical periods for purpose of averaging. Latest part of the game is excluded as at that point game is either won or lost and no social engineering can help it.
Early game
- Technology: restrictions are not lifted
- Number of cities: 6
- Distance to HQ: 5
- City size: 3
- Terraforming: minimal
- City yield: 8-6-6
- Production bonus: none
- Eco/Phy/Res bonus: none
- Small army, occasional conflicts
Middle game
- Technology: restriction are lifted
- Number of cities: 12
- Distance to HQ: 10
- City size: 5
- Terraforming: partial heavy terraforming
- City yield 14-12-16
- Production bonus: none
- Eco/Phy/Res bonus: +50%
- Medium army, occasional conflicts
Late game
- Technology: Advanced Ecological Engineering
- Number of cities: 18
- Distance to HQ: 15
- City size: 7
- Terraforming: heavy terraforming
- City yield: 20-20-30
- Production bonus: +50%
- Eco/Phy/Res bonus: +100%
- Medium army, permanent conflicts
Effects weight calculation
Energy
This is an artificial effect I introduce for the ease of further calculations and to establish base weight value. One step on Energy effect scale changes raw city energy yield (including commerce) by 10%. So it works simialr to other linear effects like Industry, Research, Growth. Of course, it doesn't exist in a game as described but it is convenient to use it as a base value since many other effects can be expressed through it.
Weight = 1.0
Industry
Main energy reserves usage is production rush. Of course, you can also use it to buy technologies and subvert cities but this is just small part of what is usually spent on rushing. You can consider rushing production as a energy to production conversion channel that works both ways. Hiher Energy effect fills up your energy reserves and let you rush production more. From the other side, higher Industry effect let you produce faster -> cut on rushing -> save for buying and subverting.
Formula:
Industry weight = 2 * <mineral output> / (<energy reserves income> / <economy allocation>)
<mineral output> is total mineral output after multiplying by facilities.
<energy reserves income> is the total energy reserves income before subtracting maintenance. You can see this value on the F3 screen as "Total Income".
<economy allocation> is the part of energy allocated to economy (i.e. 50% = 0.5).
Essentially, the (<energy reserves income> / <economy allocation>) value is your would be income if you allocate 100% energy to economy without allocation penalty.
Estimate:
At early stage your city mineral yield is about the same as energy yield. So, assuming there are no mineral and economy boosting facilities, that translates to Industry weight = 2. At middle and late stages energy yield growths faster than mineral one due to stronger terraforming effect and due to increasing commerce. The economy boosting facilities also come into play much earlier than corresponding mineral ones. I usually see total income 2-3 times bigger in large cities at late stage. That would be about 2 times bigger faction wide. That brings Industry weight to 1 toward the end of the game.
Weight = 2.0->1.0
Research
Research is directly allocated from energy so the exact formula is the simple one.
Formula:
Research weight = <research allocation>
<research allocation> is the part of energy allocated to research (i.e. 50% = 0.5).
Estimate:
It's about 0.5-0.7 throughout the game.
Weight = 0.5
Economy
Economy effect is drastically non linear. We can try to estimate each type of Economy change separatingly and then assign combination values to each step on Economy scale. Such Economy effect change types are: 1) 1 energy per base, 2) 1 energy per square, 3) commerce rating.
Economy (energy per base)
Formula:
Economy (energy per base) weight = 1 / (0.1 * <energy yield>)
Estimate:
Goes from about 2 at very early stage to 0.3 at late stage.
Weight = 2.0->0.0
Economy (energy per square)
Formula:
Economy (energy per base) weight = (<number of working tiles> + 1) / (0.1 * <energy yield>)
Estimate:
Goes from about 10 (!!!) at early stage to 2-3 at late stage. Depends heavily on average tile energy yield.
Weight = 10.0->2.0
Economy (commerce rating)
Commerce rating effect is very difficult to evaluate as it obviously depends on total amount of commerce you have. That is: number of contacted faction, number of treaties and pacts, global trade pact in play, etc. I would estimate zero commerce at early stages and approximately 1/4 of raw base energy yield at middle game and later. I don't even know exactly how commercial rating increases commerce. Let's say it gives 1/5 to commerce.
Estimate:
Goes from 0 at early stage to 0.5 at middle and late stages. Depends heavily on total commerce.
Weight = 0->0.5
Economy steps weights
From | To | Early | Middle | Late |
---|---|---|---|---|
-3 | -2 | 2.0 | 1.0 | 0.0 |
-2 | -1 | 2.0 | 1.0 | 0.0 |
-1 | 0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
0 | +1 | 2.0 | 1.0 | 0.0 |
+1 | +2 | 8.0 | 5.0 | 2.0 |
+2 | +3 | 4.0 | 2.5 | 0.5 |
+3 | +4 | 4.0 | 2.5 | 0.5 |
+4 | +5 | 0.0 | 0.5 | 0.5 |
Summary
Economy effect weight highly depends on exact Economy scale level it results in. With most popular changes being: 1) 0 to +2 (FM) with weight = 10.0->2.0, and 2) +2 to +3 (Wealth) with weight = 4.0->0.5.
If one would like to spread pleinty of small negative and positive Economy effect values across multiple SESocial Engineering models, the average Economy effect value would be 3.0->0.5
Efficiency
Efficiency effect is threefold. It descreases inefficiency, decreases number of b-drones, and decreases penalty for uneven Eco/Res allocation. Let's consider them one by one.
Efficiency (inefficiency)
Formula:
Efficiency (inefficiency) weight = (<average base distance to HQ> / 128) * 10
Estimate:
Average base distance to HQ varies per game. With my assumptions the weight is 0.4->1.2.
Efficiency (b-drones)
We'll calculate Efficiency weight by comparing it to the ammount of energy allocated to psych that quells same number of drones. Assuming normal size map on highest difficulty.
Formula:
Efficiency (b-drones) weight = (<number of bases> / 12) / <psych facilities multiplier> / (0.1 * <energy yield>)
Estimate:
Again, number of bases varies per game. With my assumptions the weight of 0.8->0.2.
Efficiency (allocation penalty)
Finally, the penalty for unequal economy/research allocation. Of course, the absolute effect depends on unequality percentage. Let's take a smallest unequal distribution of 60%-40%. For that distribution you loose 2% for bigger allocation + 4% for smaller allocation = 3% energy on average per Efficiency level which is equivalent of 0.3 Energy effect rate. Doesn't change with the course of the game.
Summary
Summarizing above weight values here is what we get. Interestingly, it doesn't change drastically throughout the game as other effects before.
Weight = 1.5->1.5
Growth
Growth power lies not in immediate economical effect but in economical development acceleration instead. Roughly you'll have 10% bigger sities at any future point in time with 10% growth rate bonus. That gives you 10% more workers => 10% more of both mineral and energy yields. That is +1 on Industry scale and +1 on Energy scale.
I do not consider early population boom here as this breaks this effect completely and makes it invaluable. The rest of the game after popbooming would be completely dull.
Weight = 3.0->2.0
Support
Support translates to absolute minerals bonus/loss. Excluding extremal values on Support scale, traveling five steps frees four mineral per base. So I'd give each step an average coefficient of 4/5.
Formula:
Support weight = <Industry weight> * (1 / (0.1 * <mineral output>)) * 4/5
Estimate:
Per historical periods: 2.5->0.0.
Weight = 2.5->0.0
Police
Police effect is simialr to Efficiency b-drones effect and to Phych energy allocation effect. They all reduce number of drones. Let's convert Police rating to Economy rating using Efficiency b-drones calculation approach.
Police to Economy:
Police scale between values -2 to +2 is more or less linear one. Values below are also linear but only when base has units outside of borders.
+1 Police => roughly -1 drone => equivalent of phych allocation or pacifying facility cost + maintenance (whichever is cheaper). At early game stages and in smaller bases it is cheaper to build pacifying facility. Recreation commons, for example, quells 2 drones and uses 1 energy/turn maintenance. Roughly it is about 0.5 energy/drone ratio.
By historical periods: 8%, 8%, 3% = 6% average energy allocation which is equivalent of 0.6 Energy effect rate.
Weight = 0.5
Morale
This one is difficult to compare with others as it manifests itself only at war time and only when fighting tough opponents. That is when your fighting odds are around 50% so slightest morale boost really matters. That 1-2 moral boost significantly cuts your casualties and saves you production. Now the proportion of minerals spent on army and the moral effect is highly dependent on game situation and playing style. In my experience the Morale effect is invaluable at early game stages when armies are small and winning or losing single tactical combat turns the tide of whole war. It dissolves to the end of the game when you have plenty of morale enhacement facilities and winning is based on empire productive strength rather then tactical one.
Weight = 0.5 (subject for discussion)
Planet
One of the most usefult Planet effects is an ability to capture worms and slight battle odds improvement. For starter, +1 Planet lets you amassing huge worm army at the early game. Again, same as Morale it dissolves with Centaury Empathy which lets you producing worms at higher rate.
Weight = 0.5 (subject for discussion)
Probe
This is IMHO the least usefult effect of them all. Mostly because it works so rarely in the game that doesn't have major impact on outcome. The only exclusion is +3 Probe that makes your cities and units immune. And even then it makes no difference.
Weight = 0 (subject for discussion)
Effects weight table
Sorted by weight
Effect | Weight |
---|---|
Energy (artificial effect not existing in game) | 1.0 |
Economy (perfect average) | 1.5 |
Economy (vanila version) | 2.5 |
Growth | 2.0 |
Efficiency | 1.5 |
Support | 1.0 |
Industry | 1.0 |
Police | 0.5 |
Morale | 0.5 |
Planet | 0.5 |
Research | 0.5 |
Probe | 0.0 |
Effect range usage analyzis
Analyzing how effect is used and whether its usage need to be adjusted. I.e. add more negative/positive modificators or use more rare/often.
Economy
Values below 0 are not reachable by common means. Values -1, -2 are reachable by Hive only.
Proposition: add some negative values somewhere.
Efficiency
Effect continues to work above value +4 even though manual describes value range -4 to +4 only. This is because all effects are calculated by formula that can accept any value.
Strongly unlinear toward -4 value. Stepping from -3 to -4 takes away 50% of your energy yield and makes all citizens drones! Whereas stepping from +3 to +4 changes same values by about 1%. Other than that works fine.
Proposition: disperse -2 modificators from PS and Planned to other models so they still can be used in large empires.
Support
Can go below and above value range which has no effect. No issue.
Morale
Can go above value range which has no effect. No biggie.
Worse thing is that besides SE models morale is also boosted by facilities and by promotion. As a result war oriented factions soon run swarms of elite units.
Proposition: decrease Morale modifier and give more negative Morale value across models so many combinations would push Morale down.
Police
Can go waaay below and above value range which has no effect. No issue.
Growth
Generally skewed toward higher values which allows early pop boom.
Proposition: decrease positive modificators, add more negative modificators.
Planet
Can go up to +4 which still has effect on combat odds. No issue.
Probe
Can go up to +6 which has no effect. No issue.
Proposition: use more rare and use more negative values.
Industry
A little skewed toward higher values. No issue.
Proposition: add more negative values.
Research
A little skewed toward higher values. No issue.
Proposition: add more negative values.
models analyzis
Analyze models popularity and discuss fix.
Police State
Slightly unpopular due to big Efficiency penalty.
Proposition: decrease Efficiency penalty, increase Police bonus
Democratic
Overpowered due to big Efficiency and Growth bonuses combination.
Proposition: decrease Efficiency and/or Growth bonuses, maybe add some lightweight effect like Research
Fundamentalist
Unpopular due to lack of good bonuses.
Proposition: add hefty Production bonus and/or morale
Free Market
No major issues since Economy is balanced by Police making it usable during peace time only. Plus you need extended worm protection for cities.
Planned
No major issues.
Green
Apparently slightly weakeash model judging by other people feedback.
Proposition: add Police bonus
Power
Another slightly weakeash model judging by other people feedback. Lack of serious values.
Proposition: add Probe and/or Research
Knowledge
No issues.
Wealth
No issues in general except that -2 Morale is not always a major flaw.
Proposition: add another -2 Morale and/or hinder Research
Cybernetic
No issues.
Eudaimonic
Insanely overpowered. Each bonus is a huge boost by itself and Morale in later game means nothing.
Proposition: decrease or remove bonuses, cut on Research
Thought Control
Too weak comparing to Eudamonic. Police is the only valuable bonus.
Proposition: actually maybe swap some bonuses with Eudamonic? That would fix them both. Need to think.