Cost per research point calculator

[Chris Byler]

The research formula:

Research = Sum of all mage levels + 2 + Experience bonus +/- Sage bonus/Witchdoctor penalty +/- Scale adjustment + Item bonuses

Mage levels are all magic paths except divine and unholy. Commanders without any mage levels can't research at all. Includes bonuses from path boosting items (e.g. Earth Boots).

Experience bonus is +1 rp per star.

Sage bonus - various units have this including sages, loremasters, the Great Sage pretender, adepts of the metal orders. I think it's +3 for most of those units, but I'm not sure of the exact value. There's also a heroic research bonus, I think - I assume this works like the sage bonus, I don't know if it's cumulative with a sage's natural bonus if a sage gets the heroic research ability.

Witchdoctor penalty - I've heard that they are bad at research now but haven't played Machaka recently.

Scale adjustment - +1 RP/magic scale, -1 RP/drain scale. Ulm Master Smiths ignore drain but do benefit from magic (but Ulm pretenders are affected normally).

Item bonuses - various items give RP bonuses of different sizes.

Research can't be reduced below 0 but can be reduced to 0 (non-experienced level 1 mage in drain-3).

[Graeme Dice]

Originally posted by Chris Byler:
Commanders without any mage levels can't research at all.

Commanders that don't list a research ability can't research. Arco Golden era philosophers have no magic ability, but can still research.

Witchdoctor penalty - I've heard that they are bad at research now but haven't played Machaka recently.

Witchdoctor's now research at a base level of 3, instead of the 5 they would normally have with three magic skills.

Research can't be reduced below 0 but can be reduced to 0 (non-experienced level 1 mage in drain-3).

I take it you've never played a drain 3 nation. The minimum research value is 1, and never lower than that.

[ April 13, 2004, 18:24: Message edited by: Graeme Dice ]

[Chris Byler]

Thanks for the corrections - I quickly learned not to play Drain 3 except with standard Ulm, and I forgot about the Philosophers - and for the data on Witch Doctors (who must therefore have a "sage bonus" of -2).

[guybrush threepwood]

Hi,

Just wanted to mention that I believe that the calculator (here) really does every calculation in agreement with the discussions in this thread.

Also, I added a few more independents.

Cheers,
Thomas

[Arryn]

Originally posted by guybrush threepwood:
Just wanted to mention that I believe that the calculator (here) really does every calculation in agreement with the discussions in this thread.

Thomas, I added a link to your page from my website to make it easier for folks to find. You've done a great job on this calculator. Kudos!

[Johan K]

Originally posted by Graeme Dice:
It's in the wish list thread that no rounding occurs till the very end.

You can cross that off then, because it works just like you want it to.

[guybrush threepwood]

Originally posted by Arryn:
Thomas, I added a link to your page from my website to make it easier for folks to find. You've done a great job on this calculator. Kudos!

Cheers!