Population Growth discussion thread

from GalCiv3 Forums

So I'm not exactly thrilled with how pop growth works atm.

 

Presently, there's a 'base pop growth', which is XML defined as a flat 0.2. Then everything which effects pop growth is done as a %.

 

This has a few silly consequences. First off, as near as I can tell the game doesn't record growth or population to a second decimal place. So if you get +10% growth, that's actually nothing (which is a problem when some techs are % growth bonuses). It also makes low-level hospitals pointless, too; they have a lifespan anyway as no full-pop colony needs them. Secondly, changing the number of colonists you send to a planet has no real impact on growth either; if you send 0.5 population to a planet it growth at 20% PER WEEK. Hand waving this away with 'migration' is a bit of a con when those migrants aren't really coming from anywhere early on - later, I suppose we can more or less get away with it, since we have all these other planets growing incredibly slowly. But in the very early game when you have 3 colonies and don't know anyone it makes no sense.

 

So I guess my question is... why is it this way round? Why isn't base growth handled as a percentage in the first place, as it logically should be?  This would make sending out half-full colony ships into a genuine disadvantage, rather than a means of maximizing your growth quickly. And why does it only record population to 1 decimal place when adding any percentage modifiers actually requires it to record up to 3?

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Reply #1 from GalCiv3 Forums Top



This has a few silly consequences. First off, as near as I can tell the game doesn't record growth or population to a second decimal place.
End of quote

Do we know this for a fact? I know it doesn't visually show it, but does it actually cut it off?

Reply #2 from GalCiv3 Forums Top

I'm fairly sure it just cuts it off. I've been playing with the slow-growth malus so I only get 0.01 growth; getting to +50% modifier from there doesn't mean I gain 0.1 population on one turn and 0.2 on the next, which it should if the extra was carried over.

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Reply #3 from GalCiv3 Forums Top

I thought the base was 0.1.  I never use any slow infertile malus, and I have always had a a base growth rate of 0.1.

 

As you point out well, the biggest problem is using NO ADDITIONAL signficant digits.  So, you therefore only get boosts when you have pop % modifiers above 50%, 150%, 250%, etc.

 

However, I'm surprised with such a simplistic pop growth mechanism.  It takes no account into the size of the current pop, no account of planet  class, no account of having 'plentiful' food (meaning how much spare food you have), no malus other than -0.1 when starving (you can starve with zero food, and it still drops only -0.1).

 

Birth studies is too easy to boost pop, again not taking the above into factor.   

 

i'd be happy if they just added 1 bloody significant digit to the pop growth rate.  Then any building or any modifer has a direct effect.  Right now it doesn't.  You just have to worry about the +50%, +150%, +250% cutoffs.

Reply #4 from GalCiv3 Forums Top

Quoting naselus, reply 2

I'm fairly sure it just cuts it off. I've been playing with the slow-growth malus so I only get 0.01 growth; getting to +50% modifier from there doesn't mean I gain 0.1 population on one turn and 0.2 on the next, which it should if the extra was carried over.
End of naselus's quote

I think you are wrong in this regard, I have most definitely seen 0.1 growth on one turn and 0.2 growth on another followed by 0.1 again etc. I noticed this last night during a soak and thought I remembered a post about this.

Reply #5 from GalCiv3 Forums Top

Typo, I meant +0.1 base growth, and definitely not +0.2 base growth

Reply #6 from GalCiv3 Forums Top

No I was referring to the use of more than 1 decimal place for measuring population growth. Although we can't see it on the tooltip population values are stored to more than 1 decimal place.

I had a couple of minutes while packing and I've just double checked, new game, built colony ships to remove population down to 1. Population growth +25% from high morale. Population went 1.0, 1.1, 1.2, 1.4, 1.5

R

Reply #7 from GalCiv3 Forums Top

Hmm, I'll have to keep an eye on that.  thanks.

Reply #8 from GalCiv3 Forums Top

Quoting rspiccaver, reply 6


I had a couple of minutes while packing and I've just double checked, new game, built colony ships to remove population down to 1. Population growth +25% from high morale. Population went 1.0, 1.1, 1.2, 1.4, 1.5

End of rspiccaver's quote

Now the next question, is that 1.4 rounded for total manufacturing calculations (or does the game use the actual 1.375 value)?

If its the former, that would actually make growth stronger than we thought as you get to round up on population.

Reply #9 from GalCiv3 Forums Top

Quoting Stalker0, reply 8

Now the next question, is that 1.4 rounded for total manufacturing calculations (or does the game use the actual 1.375 value)?
If its the former, that would actually make growth stronger than we thought as you get to round up on population.
End of Stalker0's quote

I think it uses the actual value, checking will be hard, I would do it but I'm packing and about to go on a short holiday.

I only say this because some of my production calculations have been off by a couple of decimal points on occasion but are always bang on when at max population.

R

Reply #10 from GalCiv3 Forums Top

Quoting rspiccaver, reply 4

I think you are wrong in this regard, I have most definitely seen 0.1 growth on one turn and 0.2 growth on another followed by 0.1 again etc. I noticed this last night during a soak and thought I remembered a post about this.

End of rspiccaver's quote

 

That's a little better. % based bonuses are still hilariously pathetic, though.