how to sitesearch effective ?

[Saxon]

Has anyone done a cost benefit analysis on site searching with ashasatic record? At different settings of site frequency? At different turns in the game? Why did Saber Cherry get a life and leave us without such wonderful modeling skills?

My thought is that it is an expensive spell, 50 gems worth. You need to get a common currency to determine value, so I am suggesting two for one astral. It could be adjusted to take into account the frequency of astral sites, modified by clams, but that would make my head hurt.

How long does it take for this to pay for itself? Late in the game, if you find a site with 2 gems a turn, the game will be over before the 25 turns elapse and you have paid for it. At what point is it better to spend the gems on summons and items, rather than on the spell?

This would be determined by the site frequency. The higher the frequency, the faster you are likely to get your investment repaid. Has anyone looked at the code to see how the site frequency figure translates into actual sites? Also, does anyone know how the different terrain types effect the site frequency? In specific numbers? That would help determine where to start your searching.

It will also be determined by how long you think the game will Last. Map size will be important in this decision. Generally speaking, the earlier you cast the spell, the more valuable what you find will be to you.

If you can not model all of the above, which I can not, then just bear those ideas in mind as you search.