26-06-2004 02:07									#1
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Which is better for actually determining how well you're doing - the score screen or the demographics screen?

	26-06-2004 02:45									#2
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The demographics screen is handy for size, population, happy people/specialists, and as a general way of gauging where you stand.
The score screen gives a more precise picture of how close (or far) you are from each specific victory.
So, in my lowly opinion, the ss gives the basics, the ds gives a general picture.
Both are handy.

	26-06-2004 03:26									#3
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i never look at the demos screen, i usually know how well i doing agaisn tthe AI by their tech status and size. But i usaly do refer to the Victory Screen display to see if i likley to achieve a lower levle victory. Lately i just turning off all other victorys except conquest so latelyt not been needing t orefer to any score at all. if an ai alive i havent won yet

	26-06-2004 04:40									#4
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quote: Originally posted by RMS The demographics screen is handy for size, population, happy people/specialists, and as a general way of gauging where you stand. The score screen gives a more precise picture of how close (or far) you are from each specific victory. So, in my lowly opinion, the ss gives the basics, the ds gives a general picture. Both are handy.

I meant the score graph, not the new victory screen.

	26-06-2004 05:28									#5
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The power graph, and tech status, are the best indicators.

	26-06-2004 05:45									#6
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The army screen is the best indicator.

	26-06-2004 07:01									#7
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Productivity, in the Demographics screen.

	26-06-2004 15:13									#8
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The score chart is basically a measure of land area and, to a lesser extent, population and happiness. The demographics screen tells you that anyway and more.

I only use the scores in the early game to determine when others build a new city.

	26-06-2004 17:02									#9
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quote: Originally posted by Kucinich I meant the score graph, not the new victory screen.

Then looking at both the scores and the demos together would give me a clear idea. Neither one, by itself, is enough.
The score screen gives me some idea of my chance of winning.
There are a few things on the demo screen to which I pay attention: Population, land size, literacy, and productivity. The 1st two for the possibility of gaining a domination victory, and the second two as indicators of how well I am managing the civ. If I'm low in rank on literacy, then I could be facing a potential loss culturally. If productivity is high, then I am managing tiles well, which should me an advantage in shield production during wars.
Really I look at everything to see how well I am doing: score, power, culture, and victory screens, the demographics, top five cities screen, and what I can see on the map.
It's difficult to choose one over another.

	26-06-2004 19:40									#10
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I'm not really sure.

But I try to go for #1 in population, manufactured goods, and productivity. Land size isn't as important to me.

My last game I stayed in only because my score behind Russia was closing. If it had been widening I would have quit.

	26-06-2004 21:58									#11
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Demographics screen - specifically: manufactured goods, GNP and productivity. Score screen can be very misleading, and the power screen is more meaningful anyway.

	27-06-2004 09:27									#12
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I go by score and power. Culture is useless to me since I'm usually tops in that every game. I just use the demo screen for comparison but it doesn't help me any in making decisions.

	28-06-2004 11:50									#13
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I usually watch both once in a few turns.
Most of all to determine which country I need to eat next.

	28-06-2004 14:25									#14
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quote: Originally posted by Dominae Productivity, in the Demographics screen.

Really Dom? Does that mean just for MP? It's a rare start/game where my producticvity doesn't outpace the AI at almost every step of the journey. I guess if your productivity is less than 1st it IS an indicator that you either aren't micromanaging enough or you don't have enough workers...

	28-06-2004 16:59									#15
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quote: Originally posted by MrWhereItsAt It's a rare start/game where my producticvity doesn't outpace the AI at almost every step of the journey.

Are you playing Monarch?

	28-06-2004 18:11									#16
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Wel usually, just started my first Emperor game though. Productivity still higher than anyone else, it's just everything else that is lower. I'm like NZ - high per capita workload, low overall effect.

	28-06-2004 21:56									#17
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What does your starting location look like?

	29-06-2004 00:29									#18
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I like the Power Graph...

	29-06-2004 04:45									#19
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quote: Originally posted by Vince278 I go by score and power. Culture is useless to me since I'm usually tops in that every game. I just use the demo screen for comparison but it doesn't help me any in making decisions.

I always have the most nationwide culture. But often, the AI has cities with more culture than mine. I haven't figured out why they can do this with ease. Even with just a couple of wonders in them.

	29-06-2004 05:45									#20
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quote: Originally posted by Aqualung71 Demographics screen - specifically: manufactured goods, GNP and productivity. Score screen can be very misleading, and the power screen is more meaningful anyway.

GNP can be misleading as well, as corrupted commerce is included. But it is a nice overall guide.

Manufactured goods doesn't include wasted shields, though, so it's a good measure of production power; and productivity doesn't include corrupted commerce or shields, so it's a good measure of your overall production of the 3 resources.

	29-06-2004 20:13									#21
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I like the demographics cuz it tells you areas that you might be weak in...but then again I hear rumors that the demographics are not that acurate, and keeping an eye on the scores is a sure way of knowing whos top dog, and I use it to pick who to ally with and who to go to war with

	29-06-2004 22:41									#22
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quote: Originally posted by Lord_Davinator I like the demographics cuz it tells you areas that you might be weak in...but then again I hear rumors that the demographics are not that acurate, and keeping an eye on the scores is a sure way of knowing whos top dog, and I use it to pick who to ally with and who to go to war with

Demographics certainly aren't the whole story, but IMO the score is a far worse indicator. It's too easily inflated by having a large territory.

	30-06-2004 06:55									#23
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IMHO score is the most misleading indicator in the whole game. If I placed any importance in it, I would have resigned from a bunch of PBEM games long ago

	30-06-2004 11:56									#24
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Isn't score used to determine a winner when time runs out?

	30-06-2004 21:30									#25
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Yes, it is.

So if you think the game is going to go to 2050, definitely try to grab territory, even if it's useless and corrupted.

	30-06-2004 22:14									#26
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quote: Originally posted by Kloreep So if you think the game is going to go to 2050, definitely try to grab territory, even if it's useless and corrupted.

....or time to start another game

	01-07-2004 03:15									#27
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quote: Originally posted by Aqualung71 ....or time to start another game

I'd be tempted to shoot off my entire nuclear wad on the last turn.

	01-07-2004 04:51									#28
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I built a nuke for the first time last game. It didn't seem to do much except lower the population by half. Which I guess is cool. I suppose it would lower the AI score.

How else is score calculated? Land area and population. But anything else?

	01-07-2004 07:56									#29
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quote: Originally posted by Dissident I built a nuke for the first time last game. It didn't seem to do much except lower the population by half.

It also damages/destroys units. Good for taking huge chunks out of SoDs.

quote: Originally posted by Dissident How else is score calculated? Land area and population. But anything else?

The happiness of the population matters. I don't remember the exact figure, but unhappy citizens = something, content or specialist = something more, and happy = something even larger.

Edit: But no, nothing else. Which is why I think it's worthless; territory figures too largely, and you have no idea how much corruption is biting in to the productivity of the population.

	01-07-2004 08:43									#30
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I believe future techs count as well.