Alpha Centauri 2

Sid Meier's Alpha Centauri & Alien Crossfire => The Theory of Everything => Topic started by: grothmag on August 01, 2013, 06:03:24 PM

Title: Sudden revolts at size 9
Post by: grothmag on August 01, 2013, 06:03:24 PM

Hi everyone, wonderful forums.

I've just started playing (Alien Crossfire) again, using Yitzi's patch 2.2b, and I'm noticing something I haven't seen before.

Cities that are content at size 8, with one or two talents and no drones, on growth to size 9 will suddenly have zero talents and 3 drones.
This is on Specialist, a huge map playing Caretakers, and I'm nearing a conquest victory so my empire is quite huge.  I have most of the secret projects.

Basically, why is there this sharp discontinuity?  Is there some drone-producing effect that kicks in at this size?

I haven't uploaded files as I suspect it's something boneheadedly stupid, but can do so of course.
Thanks!

(edited to indicate which version I'm playing)

Title: Re: Sudden revolts at size 9
Post by: Buster's Uncle on August 01, 2013, 06:08:10 PM

Welcome to the forum, wonderful new member!

I'd guess you should go ahead and post a save of the end of a turn before a size nine growth.  Yitzi will be along soon enough with the big knowledge.

Title: Re: Sudden revolts at size 9
Post by: grothmag on August 01, 2013, 06:54:09 PM

Thanks, BUncle, I'm sure you're right.  Easily done!

In this case, Port Svensgaard, Crow's Nest, and Parrot's Landing have all gone from size 8, with 1 talent and no drones, to size 9 with zero talents and 2 drones.  Apparently I exaggerated in my original post!

Still, it's quite consistent at this size change, whether or not it's a turn where I capture a new base (as this was).  I am wondering, now, whether it only happens at bases that have been captured in the not-distant past, or if it's just that these bases are where I can see the effect due to the lingering extra drones on "line 1" of the Psych display.

It seems odd to me that the talents I've earned through secret projects go away - from reading Yitzi's Drone calculation thread, I assumed they'd only be cancelled out if there were no non-specialist workers left.  That doesn't seem to be the case here, unless the Psych display is misleading.

Title: Re: Sudden revolts at size 9
Post by: Buster's Uncle on August 01, 2013, 07:02:18 PM

I wonder if this is simply that thing where whether the population is even or odd in number affects morale.  It's very noticeable in late game with cloning vats and habitation domes that bases go through long spells of being in golden age every other turn.  Possibly something to do with how the game rounds off the numbers calculating morale factors?

Title: Re: Sudden revolts at size 9
Post by: grothmag on August 03, 2013, 06:46:01 AM

Ah thanks, that could be.  I'll have to pay more attention - it's just that I didn't remember this sort of behaviour in the past.  I suppose I should try running these turns with & without the patch & see if the behaviour has changed.  I'll do so now.

Title: Re: Sudden revolts at size 9
Post by: Yitzi on August 07, 2013, 03:18:20 AM

Ok, I've checked it out and my patch is partially to blame (the fix will be in version 2.2d, which I'll be posting in a moment):
One extra drone is because you get a drone per population.  That, I think you knew.
Another extra drone is because it's a conquered base, which produces drones, and the number of drones depends on how long ago it was conquered and on the population.  On Specialist, from 8 to 9 increases the maximum conquest drones by 1, so that's another one.
And the missing talent is due to the bug I will post a fix for in a moment.

Title: Re: Sudden revolts at size 9
Post by: Buster's Uncle on August 07, 2013, 03:23:48 AM

Here it is: http://alphacentauri2.info/index.php?action=downloads;sa=view;down=141 (http://alphacentauri2.info/index.php?action=downloads;sa=view;down=141)

Title: Re: Sudden revolts at size 9
Post by: Yitzi on August 07, 2013, 03:25:52 AM

Oh, and if you want to remove the earlier versions of 2.2, that's fine.

Title: Re: Sudden revolts at size 9
Post by: Buster's Uncle on August 07, 2013, 04:16:37 AM

Done.  Good idea. ;b;

Title: Re: Sudden revolts at size 9
Post by: grothmag on August 08, 2013, 06:52:16 AM

Ah, super, super.  Thank you, both!  It's good to be back in Alpha Centauri, and with Yitzi's work, it's better than ever.