It seemed like a good idea at first....

[Barchan]

I've had heartburn with the crippling implementation of the waste concept from the get-go.

I can live with the idea that corruption might reduce the flow of coin to the central coffers to almost nothing. I can live with the idea that distant provinces might not be as effective in managing resources (stone, wood and the like) and may take longer to build local infrastructure. But, cripes, man! 90-95% wastage? Even in Somaila and Afghanistan, some things are built here and there. It's not like everyone's just huddling together under the stars, waiting decades for a simple temple to be built!

I'd hoped that corruption and waste would have been treated differently, but it seems as though they suffer the same rates of severity depending on level of play and distance. At least the patch makes the game a bit more playable, but it still makes effective use of the FP extremely difficult. I've found it practical only if (a) I have a GL or (b) I'm adding it to the fringe of my "productive empire" to further expand in that direction.

[Jason Beaudoin]

It's a good point you've raized about Great Leaders only coming about in wars. I don't like that either because only those who are agressive are rewarded with these powerful units.

...which is why I always thought that Great Leaders should emerge when other things occur, like reaching a 75% litteracy rate, or building a certain amount of cultural buildings, etc, etc. That would balance things out.

[Fitz]

Originally posted by Jason Beaudoin
...which is why I always thought that Great Leaders should emerge when other things occur, like reaching a 75% litteracy rate, or building a certain amount of cultural buildings, etc, etc. That would balance things out.

I think if it were possible to get a "leader" this way, it should only be one capable of rushing things, not building armies.

[Zachriel]

Originally posted by Barchan
But, cripes, man! 90-95% wastage? Even in Somaila and Afghanistan, some things are built here and there.

The Afghans had temple, but it was blown up. They never had factories or much rail. They are just another third world resource fought over by great powers. In Civ3, just the one town of Kabul, a frontier crossroads, a town that changes sides frequently.

BRITANNICA
The Soviet invasion in 1979 and the subsequent civil war severely disrupted Afghanistan's economic development. Agricultural production declined, food shortages were reported, and, with the exception of natural gas production and some other industries considered essential by the Soviet Union, industrial output stagnated. Thus, Afghanistan remains economically one of the world's poorest countries.

[Chronus]

You'll be lucky to get 2 shields. It's not worth the cost of the mprovements you put into it. Let alone the maintenance costs. If you want enough productive cities in a reasonable time, you need the forbidden palace from a GL. For the unlucky cities too far from either, make them into taxman cities, at least that might make them worth something.

Dang . . . you people must be incredibly unlucky or I'm very fortunate.

I'll readily agree that using a GL is the best way to go. However, since we cannot control that in its entirety, I find building the courthouse a best 2nd place option. Getting that 2nd shield doesn't seem all that hard. I don't recall having to build a temple, cathedral, hospital, factory, etc. as was implied in the other post above (humorously, I presume).

Well, you folks know your game better than I. All the best in your search for a solution.

[DrFell]

I don't very rarely get GL, usually I get a few per game, enough to build the palace and a few other wonders. I prefer the agressive approach to the game anyway (nothing worse than sitting around from turn to turn just building improvements), but GLs are so random... I'd prefer something I had more control over.