Why the nerf to bioreactors?

[Chthon]

Is there something going on with them that I didn't see?

As far as I could tell, for pure machine empires you could produce energy credits directly by just using a region, or you could produce them indirectly by using multiple regions, a bioreactor building, and possibly more buildings to assist in food production.

It didn't seem to make sense to devote one or more buildings towards producing energy through bioreactors when you could just devote one building to make your energy districts more effective.

The only way I can see the bioreactor becoming better is if machine empires were able to use the galactic market to trade for food when it was cheap, but they can't.

 

[Sirbab]

Is there something going on with them that I didn't see?

As far as I could tell, for pure machine empires you could produce energy credits directly by just using a region, or you could produce them indirectly by using multiple regions, a bioreactor building, and possibly more buildings to assist in food production.

It didn't seem to make sense to devote one or more buildings towards producing energy through bioreactors when you could just devote one building to make your energy districts more effective.

The only way I can see the bioreactor becoming better is if machine empires were able to use the galactic market to trade for food when it was cheap, but they can't.

Huh? You can totally buy food from the market as a ME, and you can even set the price limit you're willing to buy/sell at.

 

[Chthon]

Sir, that is the Internal market, not galactic market. Though has that been changed? I swear that both the internal markets and galactic markets were off limits to machine civs in a previous patch.

Edit: Also, it doesn't really change my confusion too. What would have been changed is an edge case where the universe is totally producing more food than it needs, and the machine race profiting off the imbalance, rather than actually a real balance issue.

 

[Bobylein]

All machine empires except Exterminators can access the galactic market.

Also I guess the bioreactor was changed because the production of food is generally higher than the one of energy.

 

[Chthon]

All machine empires except Exterminators can access the galactic market.

Also I guess the bioreactor was changed because the production of food is generally higher than the one of energy.

I swear that when I tried robots after the patch I couldn't access the market at all, but ok, I will admit at least now you can.

Still, the lack of jobs attached to the building is annoying for me. Employing my workforce is a concern that I use buildings to fill.

 

[wundergoat]

Baseline production for a farmer is 6 food vs. 4 energy for a technician. Even with the reactor nerf from 1:1 to 4:3 food:energy, you get about 4.5 energy per farmer baseline by converting. However, higher base food production means % production bonuses yield more numeric bonus per worker when compared to energy, so conversion might be even better.

 

[Chthon]

I thought that Gestalt Consciousness ethics get bonuses to production of energy.

 

[opath]

Huh? You can totally buy food from the market as a ME, and you can even set the price limit you're willing to buy/sell at.
View attachment 433068

Sir, that is the Internal market, not galactic market. Though has that been changed?

If the picture above is the internal market how can I access the galactic market? Is it not possible to access it by clicking on market in the sidebar? I am a bit confused

 

[elitesix]

Is there something going on with them that I didn't see?

As far as I could tell, for pure machine empires you could produce energy credits directly by just using a region, or you could produce them indirectly by using multiple regions, a bioreactor building, and possibly more buildings to assist in food production.

It didn't seem to make sense to devote one or more buildings towards producing energy through bioreactors when you could just devote one building to make your energy districts more effective.

The only way I can see the bioreactor becoming better is if machine empires were able to use the galactic market to trade for food when it was cheap, but they can't.

Pops produce way more food at base agriculture districts than they produce energy at generator districts, even for ME. That's what you were missing. Between the market and larger food production per pop, food was actually more energy efficient than energy jobs in the older patch.

 

[Ludek]

I think food is superior to energy for all empires.
Sturplus can be exchanged by market if rate is over 1 (in favor of energy) or by refineries if it's bellow 1. In my current game food to enegy price is over 2 so market is great converter.. not sure if it indicative for most games but as i said fallback are refineries with added mineral cost.

 

[Badesumofu]

Food still is more efficient than energy up to a point - if you dump too much on the market it drops quite low, but I can often be running a regular monthly sale of 100 food into the galactic market and have the price stay above 1E. That's a lot better value than running generator districts, but you can't entirely rely on the market for energy because prices will tank if you sell too much.

I think there's a nice balance in there.

 

[Chthon]

If the picture above is the internal market how can I access the galactic market? Is it not possible to access it by clicking on market in the sidebar? I am a bit confused

I think you messed up the quotes there. The galactic market is accessible once around half of the races in the galaxy gain a common contact. At this point an event is started where all races in contact with this person can nominate a planet for a galactic market location which if selected gives you -10% market fee. Once the event is over, one planet from those nominated is selected, weighted towards those who have stronger economies, and now you trade with the galactic market.

Note that if you don't have contact with someone during this event, you will continue with the internal market until you gain a contact that knows the galactic market. At this point, even if you don't know the galactic market owner civ, you will trade with everyone else in the universe.

Please note that if person B buys a lot of metal, your price of metal at this point will similarly rise. You as a player can play the galactic market, customizing your economy to serve those resources which are in high demand to get more credits to buy what you need. You can also buy and sell like in a stock exchange.