A Few Tips on the Science System

Hello everyone!

Well, the new game feature has just been implemented today and since this is so new and there's likely to be little out there discussing it already. As such I have decided to write up a few things that you may find useful to consider.

BOOKBINDER
The first thing to be said is that the most important building of this whole bookmaking chain is the Bookbinder. This is the building that will allow you to build the Manuscript, Tome and Codex. These can already be assigned to our Geologists but, in later stages, will also be able to be assigned to Explorers, Generals and Production Buildings.

The Bookbinder takes lots of time to build books. At level 3 it takes 20h to build a Manuscript, 24h to build a Tome and 28h to build a Codex.
Up to level 3 the Bookbinder is cheap to level up - it's after level 3 that you start using gold, followed by granite (and lots of both!).

So, first advice is: if you're going to start building books, level the Bookbinder up to 3 if you can, since it will pay itself off...

Also, since the Bookbinder's times are FIXED, you can pretty much place it anywhere on the map - it doesn't need to be close to a storehouse.

Another note in regards to the books is: you will not be able to purchase them from the TO. Each player will have to build their own books...


PAPERMILLS and NIBSMITHS
The paper chain uses the 3 types of wood (pine, hardwood and exotic) PLUS water to make the paper. This means you will need to have surplus for these in order to run your chain effectively - so please account for that.

The nibs chain uses 3 types of ores (copper, iron and titanium) PLUS COAL to make the nibs. So... make sure you are producing enough coal for this! It will use up a lot!

Also, and because of this, it is also to expect that - at least for a while - the prices of pine logs, hardwood logs, exotic wood logs, copper ore, iron ore, titanium ore, water and coal, to rise somewhat. And, because their demand will continue for a while, perhaps their prices will remain somewhat higher than they are now. So, if you have excess of any of these, you may want to consider put up a few trades... ;)


MARKET and RE-SALE of PAPER and NIBS
The next tip, as Ned wisely pointed out, is: all paper and nibs buildings AT LEVEL 1 already produce enough materials for you to more or less build a book of each type a day.

But we already saw that we will only be able to produce (give or take...) ONE BOOK a day with the level 3 Bookbinder.

So what does this mean?

This means that you may not want to invest heavily on this chain right now and simply generate enough raw materials to build your daily book.
OR
You may want to invest on this chain and build up lots of stock for re-sale. I suspect some high level players will not bother building papermills and nibsmiths (as their islands are full of high level buildings already, thus making space a premium) and, as such, there will always be a (perhaps small?) market for the re-sale of these goods.

Right now (today, 13th of June 2013) the market is crazy because no one really knows how much these new goods are really worth.

In my opinion they aren't worth a lot - the overinflated prices we're seeing at simply the direct result of novelty... they will wear down - big time.

So if you want to make a quick buck, today (and perhaps the next few) is the day...


BOOK CHAINS
The other thing you may want to do is to start stocking up Manuscripts. I'll say it again: you won't be able to trade books in the Trade Office (just the raw materials)
BUT!
you will need to use 1 Manuscript to build a Tome
AND!
you will need to use 1 Tome to build a Codex

In my opinion it is pointless to build the Codex chain right now. It is VERY expensive (lots of granite from the start!).

Best to stick with the Manuscript one (I have mine levelled at 3 but that's because I want to see if I can trade some of the raw materials on TO) AND MAYBE the Tome chain.
For the Tome chain I left both paper and nib buildings at level 1 - and I think I will let them stay that way. Unbuffed even, since I won't be making that many Tomes from the start anyway (need to build Manuscripts first, remember?). Because of this I will have surplus of intermediate paper and nibs and, as such, will be able to trade some of these goods on TO. Besides to level the Tome chain you need a lot of gold coins from the start...


BOOK BUFFS and some SPECULATION
The next thing I want to say (and this is pure speculation as I write this so please don't take it as gospel) is that this is the way things are NOW.

And I think they are likely to change.

HOW?

Well, the first thing is something we will be getting soon as a present: the Bookbinder Glue. This will accelerate the book production.

So, I suspect we will be seeing such buffs for sale at the Merchant's quite soon... probably for gems (remember we got a weekly increase? well, probably because we're going to have nice new things to spend them on...)

The second thing is more long term.

Remember that at a later stage we will be able to assign books to production buildings, right?
So, maybe the Bookbinder will be one such case. Which means that assigning books to it may reduced book building time, less usage of input resources, increased output, more than one book at a time production, etc.

We don't know exactly how things will evolve - but we can try and foresee a few scenarios and pick a strategy for ourselves.

Main thing is: be ready to adapt when things change making your strategy not as efficient!


Anyway, I hope you have found these notes interesting and useful.

Feel free to comment, make suggestions or ask questions on chat/email. I'll try and post here the new content emerging from said suggestions, comments and chats!

Happy Settlering!