| Re: Why are resources allocated to research when the planets can use all available resources ? |
Sun, 17 June 2012 01:02   |
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 Marduk |
 | Ensign |
Messages: 345
Registered: January 2003
Location: Dayton, OH | |
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What about fractional resources from partially-completed production? When you build something across multiple turns, it can cost more than the listed build cost. I have seen this happen frequently; I used to count on my production costs being completely accurate, but would often be off a little for things that weren't completed in a single turn.
My theory is that the amount spent is saved, but that the amount still required to complete an item is calculated from the % complete value with rounding errors leading to occasional excess resources dedicated. When the item is moved from the queue to a fleet or planet, the cost of the item is deducted from the amount spent and excess resources go to research.
Similarly for base upgrades the actual cost seems to be based on a truncated value for the credit from the current base (not giving you credit for any fractional resources or minerals), and the estimated cost on a rounded value. So even if an upgrade is done in a single turn it can still fail to complete if you have exactly enough to pay the estimated cost. Do an upgrade over multiple turns and it just gets worse.
To make matters even more ugly, when tech levels change costs it seems that the amounts already spent get recalculated based on % complete compared to the new cost and you can lose credit for resources spent due to rounding errors or truncated values.
Unfortunately I never bothered to test my theory; I came up with it, it matched what I was seeing, and I got a good feel for how much of a safety margin I needed, which was enough for me at the time. If someone does want to test it, I recommend a 1/1000 race using a red world with no mines or factories, and population in orbit to keep the system topped up to whatever consistent amount of pop. No mines means no worries about tracking mineral production; just put a nice even amount of each mineral on the surface.
And if you do decide to test, you might see if there is such a thing as fractional resources from population (like 1.7 resources from 1700 pop for a 1/1000). I am pretty sure the resources get truncated, but I haven't checked. Can 20,900 people build a 41 resource item in two turns, or will it take three? OCD MMers demand to know!
One out of five dentists recommends occasional random executions to keep the peasants cowed and servile.Report message to a moderator
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