I tried 2 GEM play throughs and noticed the major difference from VEM was that it is so cheap to buy a building. I bought a boat for mill for under 200 gold and a granary for 120 and a monument for 60. In Vanilla GK, a monument costs well over 360 gold and the mill was near 600.
This should cause a major shift in strategy. Any policy, improvement, or negotiation needs to be about gold. Thinking of a trading post vs. production is a no-brainer. Farms are still powerful because the specialists in GEM are way more powerful from several policies.
I would argue that the building costs should rise to make the strategy more of a challenge. I believe that production should be the main sources of building up to the early modern time. It seems that that matches reality more than gold buying.
For ex. one could hoard money or resources, then build a wall, castle and barracks in the cities being attacked. Making production key makes it essential to test the motives of each neighbor and to guard all sides. Making money so primary makes it easy to counter sudden threats. Selling off all of one's resources for survival should still be possible, but it should come at a high price.
What is the best way to increase the cost of buying buildings in the GEM mod?
I think that quickly buying boats or units is right in the name of realism, but that buildings should not be so easily built.
I would ultimately favor a two-tier purchase system as in total war, for armies are certainly not cheap to a civilization's productivity, but they are quick to form.
This should cause a major shift in strategy. Any policy, improvement, or negotiation needs to be about gold. Thinking of a trading post vs. production is a no-brainer. Farms are still powerful because the specialists in GEM are way more powerful from several policies.
I would argue that the building costs should rise to make the strategy more of a challenge. I believe that production should be the main sources of building up to the early modern time. It seems that that matches reality more than gold buying.
For ex. one could hoard money or resources, then build a wall, castle and barracks in the cities being attacked. Making production key makes it essential to test the motives of each neighbor and to guard all sides. Making money so primary makes it easy to counter sudden threats. Selling off all of one's resources for survival should still be possible, but it should come at a high price.
What is the best way to increase the cost of buying buildings in the GEM mod?
I think that quickly buying boats or units is right in the name of realism, but that buildings should not be so easily built.
I would ultimately favor a two-tier purchase system as in total war, for armies are certainly not cheap to a civilization's productivity, but they are quick to form.