Low Cost Tech broken in Gold?

[Elmo]

I started a Low Cost Tech game in Gold and the initial costs are all the same as Medium. High Tech initial costs are mostly double Medium. Is Low Cost Tech broken in Gold?

Elmo

[PvK]

No, I believe it was always that way. That is, the tech cost setting affects the rate of progression between levels, particularly above level 2, and at Low starting tech, almost all the tech levels are at 0 to begin with.

PvK

[Krsqk]

IIRC, cost formulas are as follows:
Low cost: cost*level
Med cost: cost*(level^2)/2
High cost: cost*(level^2)

Since most things start at either level 0 or 1 (already researched), they work out to the same amount at low and medium tech cost:

Propulsion--research level 2
Low cost: 10000 * 2 = 20000
Med cost: 10000 * (2^2) / 2 = 20000
High cost: 10000 * (2^2) = 40000

By level 3, the difference shows up:

Low cost: 10000 * 3 = 30000
Med cost: 10000 * (3^2) / 2 = 45000
High cost: 10000 * (3^2) = 90000

Level 9 Stellar Manipulation will cost you either 900K, 4.05M, or 8.1M! Gets pretty pricey there. Anyway, hope that ramble explains/answers your question. [/ramble]

[PvK]

The formulae I derived from looking at Version 1.5something wasn't geometric (no ^2). It added a linear amount to the increment at each step:

Low - each level adds Cost x 1.
(5000, 10000, 15000, 20000, ...)

Medium - level 2 cost twice level 1, then each level thereafter costs (Level - 0.5) x Cost.
(5000, 10000, 22500, 40000, ...)

High - each level adds (Level - 0.5) x Cost x 2.
(5000, 20000, 45000, 80000, ...)

In other words, Low is linear increase, Medium increases at each level by a linear amount, and High costs twice as much for each level (after the first) as Medium.

At least, that's what it looked like to me.

PvK

[PvK]

Oh, never mind, that is geometric, and almost exactly as you say... just another way of expressing it.

Although, your medium formula doesn't give the right value for level 1.

PvK

[Elmo]

OK, thanks for the answers.

Elmo