Population growth technology

[TMaekler (OP)]

When starting conventional it is almost impossible to build as many installations to keep up with the population growth rate. Though starting TN it feels quite ok. Maybe Steve can add some kind of technology line which increases general population growth - and when you start TN that line is already researched up to the 25.000 RP tech (or whatever level makes sense, but basically the actual reproduction rate as of 1.9.5). When starting conventional you have to begin with the 1.000 RP tech which is like 1/10th of the actual growth rate.

Your experience with growth rate the same?

[UberWaffe]

My experience with pop growth is along the same lines, yes.

It is also rather noticable if you go on a colony drive.
(In my current game I am aiming to colonize all planets that allow 500M or more.)
And some of the larger planets (max possible pops in the billions) it can take a very very long time to fill up.

[Jorgen_CAB]

When starting conventional it is almost impossible to build as many installations to keep up with the population growth rate. Though starting TN it feels quite ok. Maybe Steve can add some kind of technology line which increases general population growth - and when you start TN that line is already researched up to the 25.000 RP tech (or whatever level makes sense, but basically the actual reproduction rate as of 1.9.5). When starting conventional you have to begin with the 1.000 RP tech which is like 1/10th of the actual growth rate.

Your experience with growth rate the same?

It should not be a problem filling up population with jobs if you spam mines and factories as fast as you can. It will take some time to catch up, but you eventually will. In my current game I was forced to build allot of auto-mines early to place on Venus that was my only really good Corundum site... but once I got the mining there going properly I could start spamming mining colonies with my population and build more and more factories and other installations faster and faster.

I know that it sometimes is hard to keep your fleet on the low burner... but the more you put into your economy the more you get out of everything down the road.

[Noriad]

New technologies may be one possible way to invest in population growth. Health infrastructure like hospitals may be another.

[Jorgen_CAB]

New technologies may be one possible way to invest in population growth. Health infrastructure like hospitals may be another.

Although health and child mortality actually have had a declining population growth rate in our world... the numbers just take a few generations to show up... it will initially make population grow... usually older people that don't die young for example. But higher health and longer life and less child mortality make humans have less babies. 

Population control should probably be more like political willpower to increase it or something. But to be honest I don't think we should go that way at all and have it work as it does for game balance reasons. Population is an important rather limiting factor on total expansion in the game.

[Father Tim]

When starting conventional it is almost impossible to build as many installations to keep up with the population growth rate.

Good; it shouldn't be possible.  If conventional tech could efficiently exploit a planet, what would be the point in TN?

Though starting TN it feels quite ok. Maybe Steve can add some kind of technology line which increases general population growth - and when you start TN that line is already researched up to the 25.000 RP tech (or whatever level makes sense, but basically the actual reproduction rate as of 1.9.5). When starting conventional you have to begin with the 1.000 RP tech which is like 1/10th of the actual growth rate.

I wouldn't want him to.  'Conventional' should be, say, 10% as good as high-tech.

Your experience with growth rate the same?

I'm not sure I'd notice if pop growth double across the board, or halved.  It's always been comfortably in the 'enough' range for me.

[liveware]

Population control should probably be more like political willpower to increase it or something. But to be honest I don't think we should go that way at all and have it work as it does for game balance reasons. Population is an important rather limiting factor on total expansion in the game.

That is essentially the current system, where some administrators have a population growth bonus.

[vorpal+5]

Then if you don't have more population, you could have more automation. Fully automated production facility e.g.

Well I guess you can name a construction unit "Self-replicating 3D Printer" ;-)

[Borealis4x]

I'd add in technology that expands the natural lives of your guys as well. Biology needs more useful tech imo.

[Jorgen_CAB]

Population control should probably be more like political willpower to increase it or something. But to be honest I don't think we should go that way at all and have it work as it does for game balance reasons. Population is an important rather limiting factor on total expansion in the game.

That is essentially the current system, where some administrators have a population growth bonus.

Yes... you are correct and that is probably a decently good mechanic to use as it is. Make sure that large colonies have good administrators that provide a high population growth bonus.

[Jorgen_CAB]

I'd add in technology that expands the natural lives of your guys as well. Biology needs more useful tech imo.

The problem with this is that it does not have to lead to higher population growth at all except some spike in total population. Population growth is a very complex issue in real life.

It should probably stay as a limiting factor to be one encouraging factor to spread out your population in many small places.

[consiefe]

While we are at it, it would also be nice to block pop growth for orbital habitats instead of shipping people out every time they get crowded. Maybe a special law restricting children? Also do you know what would happen if we move one habitat to elsewhere? Does pops come with us or they stay and sufficate? I suspect second option.

[SpikeTheHobbitMage]

While we are at it, it would also be nice to block pop growth for orbital habitats instead of shipping people out every time they get crowded. Maybe a special law restricting children? Also do you know what would happen if we move one habitat to elsewhere? Does pops come with us or they stay and sufficate? I suspect second option.

I disagree with extra limits on habitat population growth.  It should be handled exactly the same as planet population limits.  Habitats don't take any people with them when moved, which I consider a bug.

[consiefe]

While we are at it, it would also be nice to block pop growth for orbital habitats instead of shipping people out every time they get crowded. Maybe a special law restricting children? Also do you know what would happen if we move one habitat to elsewhere? Does pops come with us or they stay and sufficate? I suspect second option.

I disagree with extra limits on habitat population growth.  It should be handled exactly the same as planet population limits.  Habitats don't take any people with them when moved, which I consider a bug.

Yeah, fair enough. But what should be the strategy stabilizing them then? Adding more habitats, shipping out people consistently? Because of their size, their movement is not so practical and they have the special case which they don't respect upper limit when growing. Maybe just before pop cap is reached, growth can go down to zero?

[Father Tim]

Yeah, fair enough. But what should be the strategy stabilizing them then? Adding more habitats, shipping out people consistently? Because of their size, their movement is not so practical and they have the special case which they don't respect upper limit when growing. Maybe just before pop cap is reached, growth can go down to zero?

Ignore it, and let the population stabilize itself when it goes over infrastructure limits.