Currently, a total of 1350 points of culture are given out on the basis of library size, with 300 going to the largest library and 300 each for the largest literary/scholary, 150 for the next biggest in each category and 75 each for the third biggest. This naturally favours older organizations, as they have a lead which, if both organizations are of equal size and produce equally good books, cannot be overcome by the younger organizations. We not only have to compete with the older organizations while having less established members, but we also have to make up for a 10 year lead in library contributions if we want to try to claim the library size bonuses. I seriously doubt that could be done, even if Lusternia lasts till 2100 and maintains an equally large playerbase all around.

In addition to being a significant contributing factor to deciding the cultural centre, this gives 27K power a month to Magnagora based on work done by their previous librarians over 5 years ago, as well as making it impossible for Gaudiguch, the next biggest organization in terms of culture, to beat them out without winning both prestige contests and putting out an above average play all in the same year. Our library is about 1/10th their size, as Gaudiguch has been around for about 1/6th as long in absolute terms and has had an active librarian for only the last 20. Hallifax, having a better string of librarians has a bigger library and managed to claim cultural centre for a while, but even then it was only by a narrow margin and without having to compete with the 500 point culture bonus from the largest family. Now days, it is essentially impossible.

In order to correct for these imbalances, I propose a reletively simple measure: Only count books published in the last 50 ingame years for the purposes of library size. Everything prior is considered "historical" and not important for the purposes of who has the "biggest" library as far as scholars are concerned. It has been just about 50 ingame years since Hallifax and Gaudiguch have been released, so doing this will immediately put Hallifax and Gaudiguch on essentially equal terms with everyone else.

The other alternative would be to give both Hallifax and Gaudiguch's library size a significant boost (on the order of 6000 weight or so) to bring it up to par with that of the smallest "old" organization's library, which is currently Serenwilde's at my last check.

I'm all for counting only the last 50 IG years of library stuff for the largest library culture score (and most scholarly/literary). This would do a lot for Hallifax and Gaudiguch to be able to compete in culture. 50 years is still a huge amount of time for the older orgs but also makes it fair for the new ones.

Sounds reasonable.

50 Lusternian years is over a year and half IRL, right? Sounds totally fair. APPROVED.

As of August 12th or so, it'll be the length of time Hallifax and Gaudiguch have been around.

Is there any chance of this proposal being considered? It would really even the playing field. Our theatre scores have been through the roof, but there is just no competing with that 900 points Magnagora gets every cycle for Most Scholarly, Most Literary, and Largest Library.

Write moaaaaar.

Celest's library is like 40 rooms! We aren't winning yet? Needs more rooms, maybe... someone call Eventru, he's good at this sort of thing.

Be careful what you wish for.

It's embarrassing getting lost in your own library. So no, don't go for the large build!

But yes, I 100% agree that the new cities need a bit of love. The 50 IG years sounds pretty nice...It keeps things even....

Now would be the perfect time to consider it, since the new cities have been around for just over 50 IG years now...

Much as bias wants me to say no, I suppose the other cities deserve some love too. A little competition is good, keeps people from getting too complacent.

I would love more library rooms, I need to stay ahead of Kelly on explorer rankings. But first, the Aqua guildhall, I might try and design some rooms since I don't have much else to do.

...bump for awesome idea? Iosai? :)

EDIT: Of course, here I'm using 'bump' as a euphemism for 'necro'.

Pretty please?