[Alneyan]

Originally posted by oleg:
I think maintenance numbers are fine - if you spend 500 points, upkeep of 1K ship goes from 100 to 95 -> reduction by 5% -> your economy is better of by 5% in minerals, radio and organics. To get the same effect by raising production bonuses, you should spend points to buy 5% in all 3 categories.

It only works when you are under threshold though. (That is, before 108) After that, you will need 1500 points to have a relative reduction of 5% of the upkeep. So here are the numbers for and after threshold:
* 800 points for a reduction of 0,8% of upkeep, you would need 1000 points for a reduction of 1,0% of the upkeep. A ship costing 100 mineral every turn would then cost 90 mineral.
* 1500 points for a reduction of 0,5% of the upkeep, and you would need 3000 points to have a reduction of 1%. Your ship costing 90 mineral would then need 80 mineral every turn.
You would therefore need 4400 points for having a relative reduction of 20% of the upkeep. (8X100 for 108 and then 12X300 after 108)

On the other hand, you only need 500 points to have a +20% in mineral, organics or radioactives. 1500 points for a global improvement of +20% then, although organics are usually not that useful. These figures are still before threshold, which is at 120. An increase of 1% requires 25 points.

At this moment, you have virtually the same effect for almost 3000 less points.

Now after threshold, at 120:
* You need 60 points to increase your mineral production by 1% => 1200 points for an increase of 20%
* You need 50 points to increase your organics/radioactives production by 1% => 1000 points for an increase of 20%
* 3200 points then for a global increase of 20%, although once again, organics aren't that useful.

So for 4700 points, you have an increase of +40% of your production, while on the other hand, your maintenance costs may be reduced by 20% for 4400 points.

However, I have yet to take into account the cultures. Although it seems like the Worker culture helps more production than maintenance, and so won't change much. Before I digress even more, are my calculations credible for you JLS or am I forgetting something essential? I mean, there may be a flaw in the reasoning. (Silly maths)

EDIT: About your example Oleg, you need 500 points to reduce upkeep by 5% (100 => 95), but you only need 375 points to increase resource production by 5%. So even there, increasing resource production is cheaper. (For instance, in one case, you pay 95 mineral upkeep and produce 100 mineral, in the other case, you pay 100 mineral upkeep and produce 105 mineral)

[ October 24, 2003, 13:02: Message edited by: Alneyan ]