Research snowballing mitigation
Posted: Thu Apr 27, 2017 5:18 pm
Another balancing suggestion to mitigate snowballing effect on research.
If it is welcome I could do something similar for the production techs/buildings.
I usually check Game Graphs to see how I'm going againts AIs. Unfortunately, this let me know if I've already won and makes me lose interest on the current game.
I've seen a pattern: unless I began with bad planets to colonise around homeworld, once I reach Distributed Thought Computing I can claim victory. See the attached image (it is turn 77). I'm the dark blue one (Trith). I got two desert planets to colonise early on and a few tundras so that I could keep on par with the best industry-focused AI and beat all of them on research easy peasy. The first big bump on the graph, a bit before the third quartile, corresponds with the discovery of Distributed Thought Computing. The last sharp bump is due to the confluence of a new Trith Colony and Quantum Networking. At turn 77 current RP is 96 and target is 144, so 50% of the spike is still to be shown once the target RP is reached. Once in there I'm the badass of the universe and AIs are just my puppets. Boring.
This is all about snowballing. We agree it isn't good, right?
I've reviewed the different techs and buildings that increase RP:
Algorithmic Elegance
Research focused planets get +0.1 per pop.
This means an increase of 50% over base pop-dependant RP.
Fine.
Nascent Artificial Intelligence
All planets get +2
Compared with the base pop-dep. RP of planets with 20 pop (i.e. 4 RP), this means +50% RP.
Fine.
Distributed Thought Computing
All planets get +0.1 per pop.
This means a +50% pop-dep research if all planets were research focused, more otherwise.
I guess it's fine, but dunno why AIs don't get this earlier, given that this tech is the one that tend to give me the unsurmountable advantage.
Quantum Networking
Research focused planets get +0.5 per pop.
This means +250% pop-dep research.
Brutal. It is 5 times bigger than the previous increases. I find it totally unbalanced. I would try to set it as 0.15 (+75%) or 0.2 (+100%).
Pure-Energy Metabolism
Research focused planets get +0.5 per pop.
Another +250% pop-dep research.
Again, brutal. Again, 0.2 could be better.
Collective Thought Network (BLD)
Research focused planets get +0.5 per pop.
Another +250% pop-dep research.
Can be disrupted and does not get easy to keep that planet quiet until you already have some map control, so I think it is not as unbalanced as the Pure-Energy Met. and Quantum Net., but still I think some nerfing could be good. I'd give it 0.2 or 0.25 (+150%) tops.
Enclave of the Void (BLD)
Research focused planets get +0.75 per pop.
+375% pop-dep research.
Brutalisch. 0.2 should be enough, it's not disruptable.
Computronium Moon (special)
Research focused planets get +0.2 per pop.
+100% pop-dep research.
Getting one of those could be either the necessary bump for your battered RPs or the final blow to decide who wins. I hope they are well guarded.
Stellar Tomography
Assuming expected distribution of star types for each galaxy age, research focused planets get +0.44 per pop. (0.45 for ancient galaxies)
This means a +220% pop-dep research. Also a bit excesive. I would change the current multipliers like this:
Blue and White: 0.2
Yellow, Orange and Red: 0.1
Neutron: 0.3
Black: 0.5
Thus the average increase for expected star distribution would be +0.195 for young, +0.197 for mature and +0.205 for ancient (i.e. around a +100% pop-dep. research).
If you devs are interested in this kind of balancing, I could try this changes on my own machine and report back my experience for your consideration. However, if you think it is not the moment nor the way to tackle this snowballing problem, or if there is no consensus on it being a problem, I will leave it be.
If it is welcome I could do something similar for the production techs/buildings.
I usually check Game Graphs to see how I'm going againts AIs. Unfortunately, this let me know if I've already won and makes me lose interest on the current game.
I've seen a pattern: unless I began with bad planets to colonise around homeworld, once I reach Distributed Thought Computing I can claim victory. See the attached image (it is turn 77). I'm the dark blue one (Trith). I got two desert planets to colonise early on and a few tundras so that I could keep on par with the best industry-focused AI and beat all of them on research easy peasy. The first big bump on the graph, a bit before the third quartile, corresponds with the discovery of Distributed Thought Computing. The last sharp bump is due to the confluence of a new Trith Colony and Quantum Networking. At turn 77 current RP is 96 and target is 144, so 50% of the spike is still to be shown once the target RP is reached. Once in there I'm the badass of the universe and AIs are just my puppets. Boring.
This is all about snowballing. We agree it isn't good, right?
I've reviewed the different techs and buildings that increase RP:
Algorithmic Elegance
Research focused planets get +0.1 per pop.
This means an increase of 50% over base pop-dependant RP.
Fine.
Nascent Artificial Intelligence
All planets get +2
Compared with the base pop-dep. RP of planets with 20 pop (i.e. 4 RP), this means +50% RP.
Fine.
Distributed Thought Computing
All planets get +0.1 per pop.
This means a +50% pop-dep research if all planets were research focused, more otherwise.
I guess it's fine, but dunno why AIs don't get this earlier, given that this tech is the one that tend to give me the unsurmountable advantage.
Quantum Networking
Research focused planets get +0.5 per pop.
This means +250% pop-dep research.
Brutal. It is 5 times bigger than the previous increases. I find it totally unbalanced. I would try to set it as 0.15 (+75%) or 0.2 (+100%).
Pure-Energy Metabolism
Research focused planets get +0.5 per pop.
Another +250% pop-dep research.
Again, brutal. Again, 0.2 could be better.
Collective Thought Network (BLD)
Research focused planets get +0.5 per pop.
Another +250% pop-dep research.
Can be disrupted and does not get easy to keep that planet quiet until you already have some map control, so I think it is not as unbalanced as the Pure-Energy Met. and Quantum Net., but still I think some nerfing could be good. I'd give it 0.2 or 0.25 (+150%) tops.
Enclave of the Void (BLD)
Research focused planets get +0.75 per pop.
+375% pop-dep research.
Brutalisch. 0.2 should be enough, it's not disruptable.
Computronium Moon (special)
Research focused planets get +0.2 per pop.
+100% pop-dep research.
Getting one of those could be either the necessary bump for your battered RPs or the final blow to decide who wins. I hope they are well guarded.
Stellar Tomography
Assuming expected distribution of star types for each galaxy age, research focused planets get +0.44 per pop. (0.45 for ancient galaxies)
This means a +220% pop-dep research. Also a bit excesive. I would change the current multipliers like this:
Blue and White: 0.2
Yellow, Orange and Red: 0.1
Neutron: 0.3
Black: 0.5
Thus the average increase for expected star distribution would be +0.195 for young, +0.197 for mature and +0.205 for ancient (i.e. around a +100% pop-dep. research).
If you devs are interested in this kind of balancing, I could try this changes on my own machine and report back my experience for your consideration. However, if you think it is not the moment nor the way to tackle this snowballing problem, or if there is no consensus on it being a problem, I will leave it be.