13-06-2003 21:00									#1
	Tech pricing (again) Support Apolyton, buy Civilization III: Complete

Just a suggestion on how we might go about tech pricing in future to avoid the tech-whoring problem to some extent. I know there was another proposal recently, but I'm just throwing this out as an alternative to consider, and maybe spark some better ideas.

Tech for tech trades are fine, with small cash extras to compensate for different costs.

If we are selling for cash, and are the only people with the tech, we sell it for perhaps 60-80% of the (current) beaker cost. This means we get back about 50% (or more - levels are to be determined) of the cost we put into the tech, while still making it a better deal for other civs to buy the tech rather than research it themselves.

If one or more other civs have the tech, go for a stupidly undervalued version, in the manner of GoW. Maybe 5% or so of the cost. The idea is that since it is going to be whored, we may as well undercut people and get some money back.

This, obviously, is designed to exploit and respond to the free market. If civs don't want to buy off us at high prices, they can spend more researching themselves, and then not be able to recoup losses once the tech gets whored around anyway. Or they can wait for someone else to research the tech (and get shafted) - maybe giving us a tech lead.

I suspect this would lead to more tech for tech trading. A civ can exploit it (at the expense of being a little bit behind) by waiting for two civs to research and swap different techs, and then get both at discount prices, which is the weakness in the plan. Since I've only just thought of this, I've not thought about how to try and combat it. Ideas welcome.

	13-06-2003 21:05									#2
	Help yourself to an AD-FREE life

Interesting.

Speaking of not bothering with being the civ that researches tech and then gets screwed, I would like to mention that I think our first major builds once we switch back to civilian production should be marketplaces (especially in light of a lux trade with RP).

Markets, aqueducts, harbors... then libraries, then temples.

-Arrian

	14-06-2003 05:29									#3
	Increase the size of your Attachments

vulture, my friend, you just started addressing group equilibrium theory, which is what won a Nobel for John Nash, the guy from "A Beautiful Mind." (Edit: thanks for the correction Shiber!)

Arrian's right: Marketplaces!!

Last edited by Theseus on 14-06-2003 at 17:21

	14-06-2003 14:42									#4
	Got spare money?

OT: it's "A Beautiful Mind".
I didn't see the connection, so Theseus, for noticing!