Economy efficiency report: harvesters vs. command stations

[TechSY730]

I see your point on the reason Econ is more powerful than the harvesters, but bringing dual harvesters up to III is definately far too expensive for the resource seeding that currently occurs.  It's highly unbalanced.  I'd personally like to see these as 1500/3000, and perhaps brought up to 10 ea, or even 12 ea, to make them more viable without multi-homeworld.

Exactly. Even if econ stations didn't exist, harvesters would still be not worth their current knowledge costs in their current state. It takes way too many planets currently for the upgrades to pay off.

So, IMO, Econ stations should remain superior, but harvester upgrades should at least be worth considering outside a end-game or multi-homeworld situation. Right now, they don't even qualify for that.

[Kittens]

I agree that upgrading Harvesters costs slightly too much knowledge for the benefit it gives you. I don't agree that this is highly unbalanced. 1500/3000 with the current benefits should definitely be fine, maybe even 2000/3000. Don't make them so good that getting them becomes mandatory, that would be boring.

Currently they are worthwhile, but only in games where you have a massive number of planets.

[Hearteater]

Don't make them so good that getting them becomes mandatory, that would be boring.

Completely agree with this.  I'm perfectly content for them to be a rare option for late-game when your problem is economy.  They might need a small Knowledge reduction or efficiency boost, but nothing that should have me looking at them with anything less than 15 planets.

[TechSY730]

Don't make them so good that getting them becomes mandatory, that would be boring.

Completely agree with this.  I'm perfectly content for them to be a rare option for late-game when your problem is economy.  They might need a small Knowledge reduction or efficiency boost, but nothing that should have me looking at them with anything less than 15 planets.

Agreed. Mk. III becoming worthwhile only at late game (or multi homeworld start) is fine. I just think this point should come earlier than end game.

Not sure about a reasonable target for when Mk. II should start becoming worth their cost. Mid to late-mid game?