Civilization II: Wonders of the World FAQ by Nikore (Max Beaumont) ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Table of Contents ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 1. Legal Information 2. Contact Information 3. Version History 4. Introduction 5. The Wonders 6. Credits ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 1. Legal Information ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- This may be not be reproduced under any circumstances except for personal, private use. It may not be placed on any web site or otherwise distributed publicly without advance written permission. Use of this guide on any other web site or as a part of any public display is strictly prohibited, and a violation of copyright. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 2. Contact Information ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- If you have any questions, comments, or want to let me know about any errors I've made, e-mail me at beaumontmax@gmail.com. If you wish to use this guide for your website, just ask me first. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 3. Version History ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Version 1.0 - Started 23 July 2008 - Submitted 26 July 2008 - All information added Version 1.1 - Started 5 October 2008 - Submitted 5 October 2008 - Changed rating of Pyramids, fixed issue with functionality of Apollo Program ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 4. Introduction ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Welcome to my Wonders of the World FAQ for one of my favorite games of all time, Civilization II. For a game that came out over ten years ago, it still remains as one of the best PC strategy games of all time, and was actually ranked the fourth best game of all time on IGN a year or so ago. The reason I'm writing this is because there exists no guide attributed specifically to the Wonders of the World, which I feel is one of the most important aspects of the game. The Wonders of the World serve many purposes: all of them have some function allocated to them (such as granting you free buildings, happy citizens, or free embassies with other civilizations) as well as improving your Civilization Score at the end of the game (which is purely aesthetic). Some wonders are better than others, so I will be commenting on each one's usefulness as I go through them all. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 5. The Wonders ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Note: The order I will list the Wonders in is the order they're listed in the game. I suspect that's based off the chronological order in which they were built historically. Format Name: Denotes the name of the Wonder. ---- Prerequisite: Denotes the technology that must be researched in order to build the Wonder. Cost: Denotes the number of shields required to build the Wonder. Expires: Denotes the technology that makes the Wonder obsolete. Function: Denotes the in-game function gained from building the Wonder. Description: Denotes the in-game historical description of the Wonder. Rating: My personal rating, from one to five stars, of the Wonder's usefulness. Comments: My personal comments regarding the Wonder, such as whether it should be built, the priority with which you should build it, etc. WONDERS OF THE ANCIENT WORLD ---------------------------- Pyramids -------- Prerequisite: Masonry Cost: 200 Expires: NONE Function: Counts as a Granary in every one of your cities. Description: Built by the fourth dynasty of Egyptian rulers, the Pyramids represent the pinnacle of ancient Egyptian cultural achievement. Constructed on the Giza plateau outside modern-day Cairo, these structures were burial tombs and monuments for the Pharaohs, and may have taken generations and tens of thousands of workers to complete. The Pyramids are the only one of the generally accepted man-made wonders of the ancient world that remain in existence today. Rating: **** Comments: The Pyramids is an above-average Wonder, for several reasons. First, Granaries are one of the most important buildings to have in any fledgling city, as it reduces the food reduction from an increase in population by half. Second, the Pyramids are cheap to build, requiring only 200 shields, tied for the least of any Wonder. And third, it never goes obsolete, so it will hold for any city you build or capture for the rest of the game. However, several problems exist with trying to build them. Generally with the Wonders of the Ancient World, and especially if you're playing with six other civilizations, you're only going to be able to build two or three of the earlier Wonders because every other civilization is going to be trying to build them as well. Thus, it is very important to prioritize which of the earlier Wonders you're going to build. It just so happens that there are a few other Wonders that I would put ahead of this one, such as the Great Library. What will often happen is that while you're rushing to complete the Great Library or something, another civilization will swoop in and start to build the Pyramids - and there's really nothing you can do about it. But if another civilization DOES build it, you can always go capture their city and gain the benefits of the Pyramids for however long you hold that city for. In conclusion, the Pyramids are nice to have, but not particularly essential, and they'll often end up built by another civilization because you were prioritizing something else. Hanging Gardens --------------- Prerequisite: Pottery Cost: 200 Expires: Railroad Function: One extra happy citizen in every city. Description: The Hanging Gardens were a distinctive feature of ancient Babylon. They were a great source of pride to the people, and were often described in accounts written by visitors to the city. Possibly built by King Nebuchadnezzar II in 600 BC, the gardens are believed to have been a remarkable feat of engineering: an ascending series of tiered gardens containing all manners of trees, shrubs, and vines. The gardens were said to have looked like a large green mountain constructed of mud bricks, rising from the center of the city. Rating: **** Comments: One of my favorite of the early Wonders to build. Civil disorder is a constant annoyance, especially on the harder difficulties, and this Wonder will help to mitigate it somewhat. Its biggest flaw is that it goes obsolete rather quickly (Railroad is an important technology that is a prerequisite to Industrialization, and thus tends to be researched early), but while you have it, it will be immensely useful in keeping civil disorder to a minimum. Its cheap cost will allow for a quick build by any city with a good number of shields. Colossus -------- Prerequisite: Bronze Working Cost: 200 Expires: Flight Function: City produces one extra trade arrow in each square that already produces one. Description: The Colossus of Rhodes was a bronze statue of Helios, the Greek God of the Sun, erected near the mouth of the city harbor. It stood over 100 feet high, about two-thirds the height of the Statue of Liberty. Unfortunately, it was toppled by an earthquake only 56 years after its construction. Taking the counsel of an oracle, the city elected to leave the statue where it lay. For over 900 years, people from all over the ancient world came to Rhodes to see the Colossus. It remained where it was until 654 AD when the Muslims who plundered the city sold the statue for scrap. Rating: * Comments: Pretty mediocre. It only affects one city, and even then it only gives you an extra trade in each square that ALREADY produces one - which is not the same as giving you an extra trade for every square. Trade is useful in the beginning of the game, but there are other early Wonders that you would want to build before this one, as its effects are much less beneficial than, say, the Great Library's. Lighthouse ---------- Prerequisite: Map Making Cost: 200 Expires: Magnetism Function: Triremes can move across oceans w/o danger, and all other types of ship have their movement rate increased by one. Also, all new ships you produce receive veteran status. Description: The Pharos was a marble watch tower and lighthouse built in 280 BC on an island in the harbor of Alexandria, Egypt. Estimated to have been 300 feet high, the primary function of the lighthouse was to guide approaching ships to the harbor on an otherwise unmarked coast. Historians debate whether fires were burned on the top of the tower, or whether mirrors were used to reflect sunlight. Since ships rarely sailed along coasts at night, there was probably little need for the lighthouse after dark. The Pharos was destroyed in the 14th century, after having been damaged by several earthquakes. Rating: * Comments: Not particularly useful. Triremes are a pretty awful form of sea transportation, and most good players will be upgrading to Caravels as fast as possible, making the Lighthouse's first function useless. Making all new ships receive veteran status is also fairly useless, as the only two ships you can create before the Lighthouse goes obsolete is the Trireme and Caravel, neither of which you should be attacking with. Finally, the one extra movement rate IS a good upgrade, but it's not good enough to warrant building the Lighthouse, especially since it will go obsolete about midway through the game. Great Library ------------- Prerequisite: Literacy Cost: 300 Expires: Electricity Function: Civilization receives any civilization advance already discovered by two other civilizations. Description: The Great Library of Alexandria was one of the two most important libraries of the ancient world. It was founded around 300 BC by Ptolemy I, and was enhanced and expanded by his successors. The library attempted to obtain copies of all scrolls of any consequence, and eventually contained over 700,000 volumes. The library was destroyed by religious fanatics in 391 AD, after nearly 700 years of operation. During this period, Alexandria served as the cultural center of the Hellenistic world. Today, only part of the catalog remains, providing us with a mere hint of what treasures the library contained. Rating: ** to ***** Comments: The usefulness of this Wonder really varies on two factors: first, the difficulty you're playing on, and second, the number of other civilizations you're playing with. Basically, the harder the difficulty and the more civilizations, the more useful this Wonder becomes. The reason for this is that, as the difficulty gets harder, the other civilizations become better at keeping up with you technologically (as opposed to slaughtering your opponents' Horsemen with your Armor on Chieftain difficulty). And obviously, the more civilizations you play with, the greater the chance that two will have an advance you don't have. Anyway, when you're playing on harder difficulties with lots of civilizations, this is an absolutely essential Wonder to build. One particular strategy with technological advances is rushing for a certain one while ignoring basic, less important ones (such as rushing Gunpowder), which obviously contains the flaw of not having the more basic technologies. However, with the Great Library, rushing more advanced technologies at the cost of more basic technologies is a great strategy, as the others civilizations will provide you with those more basic technologies anyway. Despite this, if you're playing on one of the easier difficulties, the Great Library will probably only grant you one or two free advances. However, it's probably still worth building anyway. I'd definitely suggest building this as soon as possible. Oracle ------ Prerequisite: Mysticism Cost: 300 Expires: Theology Function: Doubles the effect of all your temples. Description: In ancient Greek religion, an oracle was a priest or priestess through whom the gods spoke in response to questions. The oracle interpreted dreams, the actions of entranced persons, and physical signs found in the entrails of sacrificed animals. The most famous oracle resided in the shrine of Apollo at Delphi, located on the slopes of Mount Parnassus. This oracle was consulted for centuries by Greeks, Romans, and others about public policy and private matters. A priestess called the Pythia would, for a fee, make public predictions for the future. These ecstatic pronouncements became famous for their ambiguity. Rating: ** Comments: Not one of my favorites. The function is vague and it's hard to concretely judge its effect on your civilization. It's also relatively expensive to build and tends to go obsolete quickly. I rather prefer the Hanging Gardens for keeping your citizens happy, and thus tend to build that Wonder first. Great Wall ---------- Prerequisite: Masonry Cost: 300 Expires: Metallurgy Function: Enemy civilizations must offer cease-fire/peace in negotiations. Combat strength doubled against barbarians. Description: The Great Wall of China, a huge stone structure stretching from the Yellow Sea to the Asian deserts, was built over a period of approximately 1,800 years. The wall is 25 feet high and 12 feet thick, and runs nearly 1,500 miles across northern China. The purpose of the Great Wall was to make it difficult for raiders to escape with their booty, and thereby discourage invasion. Despite its overwhelming size, the wall was not intended to keep invaders out, since manning such a defensive structure would have been prohibitively expensive. Rating: ** Comments: One added effect of having this Wonder is that each of your cities at least APPEAR to get City Walls, though this is not listed. I need to test this to be 100% sure. Anyway, even with this added feature this Wonder isn't too great. Regarding cease fires or peace treaties, other civilizations tend to break them quite liberally, and I've never found being at peace too useful anyway. And the added strength against barbarians is far too situational. Finally, Metallurgy is an early and important advance, so the Great Wall tends to go obsolete quickly. I wouldn't recommend building it. WONDERS OF THE RENAISSANCE Sun Tzu's War Academy --------------------- Prerequisite: Feudalism Cost: 300 Expires: Mobile Warfare Function: All new ground units produced gain Veteran status. Any unit which wins a combat gains Veteran status. Description: One of the earliest pieces of military literature is "The Art of War", written by Chinese general Sun Tzu in the 6th century BC. This book contained a detailed explanation and analysis of the Chinese military, from weapons and strategy to rank and discipline. Sun Tzu also stressed the important of intelligence operatives and espionage to the war effort. Because Sun Tzu has long been considered to be one of history's finest military tacticians and analysts, his teachings and strategies formed the basis of advanced military training for centuries to come. Rating: **** Comments: A great Wonder, especially for those of us who are too lazy to build Barracks. Veteran status really improves the strength of your army, and being able to make any unit a veteran just by winning a combat means your entire army can be upgraded in just a few turns after building this. Its biggest flaw is that it's made obsolete by Mobile Warfare, an advance that is likely to be prioritized by good players, but despite that it is very useful to have in the early to midgame stages. King Richard's Crusade ---------------------- Prerequisite: Engineering Cost: 300 Expires: Industrialization Function: Every square in the city's radius produces an extra resource "shield". Description: The Crusades were a series of military expeditions by European Christians between 1095 and 1270 AD intended to recapture the Christian Holy Land from Muslim control. The most successful was the Third Crusade, in which a tremendous force led by King Richard I and Philip Augustus managed to regain control over a number of cities along the Mediterranean coast and reconstitute the Latin Kingdom in Palestine. In addition to their more altruistic goals, the Crusades also served to extend the political and religious power of the Pope over a larger area of the world. This great burst of territorial expansion led to an increase in both the population and the productivity of Europe. The ongoing wars provided lucrative business for Western European traders and merchants. Rating: ***** Comments: One of my favorite Wonders, this will make one of your cities into a powerhouse. As opposed to the Colossus, this will simply add a shield to every square you're utilizing, regardless of whether that square was already producing a shield. So basically, the best strategy is to build this in one of your biggest cities, as they will get the biggest benefit. The best thing to do with this city is to start churning out as many Wonders as you can before it goes obsolete (which, unfortunately, it does rather quickly). It's a great way to ensure that you build all the best Wonders first (like Leonardo's Workshop, for example). Note that having so many shields tends to make your city pollute, and since you have no city improvements to counteract that, you'll probably want a Settler hanging around the city to clean up any pollution you may produce. Marco Polo's Embassy -------------------- Prerequisite: Trade Cost: 200 Expires: Communism Function: You receive a free embassy with every rival Civilization (so your intelligence report will always be complete and you will receive updates when other civilizations discover technologies). Description: Marco Polo was a trader, writer, and world traveler who lived in the late 13th and early 14th century. Starting as a young boy, he began traveling with his father and uncle, who were merchants and traders in Venice, along a route that would take him throughout Europe, the Middle East, and Asia. Throughout his life, he visited many places bringing back detailed information concerning lands that no European before him had visited. Polo's book, "The Travels of Marco Polo", was the only existing source of reliable information on such exotic locales as Siam, Japan, Java, Tibet, and India that existed in medieval Europe. Rating: *** Comments: I rather like this Wonder, as it's cheap to build and having embassies with other civilizations is useful, especially when you're at war with them. Embassies allow you to check how many cities the other civilization has, what technologies they know, how many units they have, how much money they have, what their relationship to other civilizations is, etc. Though not essential to have, this Wonder is still worth building due to its low cost. Michelangelo's Chapel --------------------- Prerequisite: Monotheism Cost: 400 Expires: NONE Function: Counts as a Cathedral in each of your cities. Description: The beauty of Rome's Sistine Chapel has long served as a testament to the mixture of strong religious beliefs and the love of art shared by the people of Renaissance Europe. Michelangelo devoted four years to painting the mural that adorns the ceiling, a work depicting events in the book of Genesis and other Biblical stories. Few visitors to the Sistine Chapel have failed to be moved by the artist's dedication to his subject, or his feeling for the nature of human struggle, suffering, and spiritual triumph. Rating: **** Comments: A great Wonder that really helps quell civil disorder. Cathedrals each cost 120 shields to produce, so obviously building this Wonder is a much cheaper and easier way to provide a Cathedral to every city. Furthermore, it never goes obsolete, so once this is built you never have to worry about wasting shields on a Cathedral. Definitely worth building. Copernicus' Observatory ----------------------- Prerequisite: Astronomy Cost: 300 Expires: NONE Function: Increases science output of city by 50%. Description: Ancient astronomers originally put forth the theory that the Sun was the center of our solar system, and that the planets revolved around it. This knowledge was lost during the Dark Ages, but was re-introduced in the early 16th Century by Nicholas Copernicus. Copernicus' research and theories form the foundation for modern astronomy. Copernicus collected his data from his observatory, a small room in the spire of an East Prussian cathedral. His research methods and observations also marked the rebirth of the scientific method, and were an important step in the advance of knowledge. Rating: * Comments: Pretty useless. A 50% increase in one city will hardly make any difference in the rate at which you gain technological advances, as those are defined by small integers (usually around 4-6 turns) and thus need a large increase in scientific output in order to decrease that rate. Which this Wonder cannot supply. Build it only if you have nothing better to do; otherwise, skip it. Magellan's Expedition --------------------- Prerequisites: Navigation Cost: 400 Expires: NONE Function: Movement rate of all ships is increased by two. Description: In 1519, Ferdinand Magellan sailed from Spain with the intention to reach the spice-rich Malouccas Islands of Indonesia by sailing west, instead of east. Although Magellan himself was killed by natives in the Philippines, his expedition went on to prove conclusively that the world was round. More importantly, it proved that the Americas were indeed a New World. Magellan's expedition was one of the great sea voyages in history, and it inspired further expeditions by other explorers. The discoveries made along the way reduced the dangers to all the sea expeditions that followed. Rating: ***** Comments: Pretty much essential if you plan on engaging in sea warfare. An extra two moves is a great upgrade for all sea units, and when you start getting to the more advanced ones like the Battleship or Cruiser is when this Wonder really shines. Having extra mobility is great, but being able to attack one or two more times per ship is really the best aspect of this Wonder. For most wars late in the game I tend to use Battleships to soften up the enemy's coastal cities, and being able to attack more times is incredibly advantageous. Definitely build this wonder when you get the chance. Shakespeare's Theatre --------------------- Prerequisite: Medicine Cost: 300 Expires: NONE Function: All unhappy citizens in city are content. Description: Most of the plays of William Shakespeare were first performed on the stage of London's Globe Theatre during the 1600s. Theater offered people a diversion from their everyday lives by allowing them to enjoy comedies, tragedies, and triumphs acted out on stage. Similar theaters, such as the Comedie Francaise in Paris, and La Scala in Milan, fulfilled similar roles by offering entertainment to the citizens of their cities. Although the original Globe Theatre burned down, Shakespeare's plays are still performed in a new theater bearing his name, and in other theaters throughout the world. Rating: * Comments: Almost completely useless. It only affects one city, and civil disorder becomes less and less of a problem as you get better governments. If you do build it, make sure to build it in your biggest city that produces military units (if you're in a democracy) in order to counteract citizens becoming discontent through large population or because units are away from home. WONDERS OF THE INDUSTRIAL AGE Leonardo's Workshop ------------------- Prerequisite: Invention Cost: 400 Expires: Automobile Function: Whenever one of your units becomes obsolete because of a new technology you have discovered, it is immediately replaced by an equivalent modern unit. Description: Leonardo da Vinci was one of the most celebrated painters of the Italian Renaissance. His most famous works include the "Mona Lisa" and "The Last Supper". Although best known for his art, da Vinci was also an accomplished observer and designer. Preserved in his sketch books are ideas for dozens of inventions, many of them centuries ahead of their time. These include designs for such devices as draw bridges, construction equipment, parachutes, and even helicopters. His scientific and technical drawings became the basis for the development of many of these modern devices. Rating: ***** Comments: One of the best Wonders available to be built. When you research the ability to make a new unit, all of your more primitive units get upgraded to this new unit (like Phalanx -> Musketeer). It's pretty much essential to winning, as it alleviates the burden of having to build new military units to keep up with your technological strength. It also won't go obsolete for a long time, meaning you'll get quite a lot of use out of it. Build it as soon as you can. J.S. Bach's Cathedral --------------------- Prerequisite: Theology Cost: 400 Expires: NONE Function: Decreases unhappy citizens on same continent by 2 per city. Description: Few composers were more prolific or beloved than Johann Sebastian Bach. Bach, the most well-known member of a gifted family of German musicians, was perhaps the finest composer of the baroque style of music. In his time, he wrote numerous choral and orchestral pieces. During his lifetime, he was renowned as an organist and music director of St. Thomas' Church in Leipzig, and many of his compositions were religious in nature. After his death, Bach's music gained worldwide appreciation. Rating: **** Comments: Great to build on your home continent, as it will make civil disorder virtually extinct in your biggest cities. Civil disorder is an annoyance that we could really all live without, especially when you're in a democracy, so this Wonder is certainly worth it. Isaac Newton's College ---------------------- Prerequisite: Theory of Gravity Cost: 400 Obsolete: NONE Function: Doubles science output of city. Description: Sir Isaac Newton, a mathematician and physicist, is considered to be one of the greatest scientists of all time. He is credited with many important discoveries including the laws of gravity, the color spectrum of light, calculus, fluid dynamics, and an understanding of ocean tides. He also built the world's first reflecting telescope. For 32 years, he held an important teaching post at Cambridge University, where he continued his own research while instructing a generation of students. Rating: ** Comments: I have the same problems with this as I do with Copernicus' Observatory, though this is obviously better as it doubles the science output instead of just adding 50%. If you're going to build it, build it in the city that has the most trade. Adam Smith's Trading Co. ------------------------ Prerequisite: Economics Cost: 400 Expires: NONE Function: Pays the maintenance for all city improvements which ordinarily cost 1 gold per turn. City improvements requiring more than 1 gold per turn maintenance are not affected. Description: Adam Smith is generally regarded as the father of modern economics. In his book "The Wealth of Nations", he analyzed the economic processes of supply and demand, and discussed how free trade and individual ambition would lead to both economic and social growth. Smith favored a political environment where the government would only become involved in business and trade to preserve justice and order. Smith's ideas of economics and the lack of government involvement form the basis of modern economic liberalism. Rating: ***** Comments: Another essential Wonder, this one will cut your total costs by around 50%. Aside from the obvious benefits, this will allow you to focus more of your taxes on science, thus resulting in your civilization really surging ahead of the others in technology. There's no question about it: build this Wonder. Darwin's Voyage --------------- Prerequisite: Railroad Cost: 400 Expires: NONE Function: Two free civilization advances. Description: Charles Darwin, the main proponent of the theory of evolution based on natural selection, built up much of his evidence for this theory during a five-year voyage around the world. His voyage aboard the H.M.S. Beagle was instrumental not only in the establishment of his theory, but also in the application of the scientific method to the study of nature. Darwin published his theory of evolution in his book "The Origin of Species". His studies were so thorough that the scientific world never challenged his findings. However, his findings were, and continue to be, challenged on philosophical and religious grounds. Darwin's research opened many new lines of inquiry, and inspired a wave of new biological research. Rating: *** Comments: Two free advances really aren't that many - maybe eight turns worth of time. But every opportunity to get ahead of the other civilizations in terms of technology should be seized. That said, it's a pretty average Wonder that need not really be prioritized. Statue of Liberty ----------------- Prerequisite: Democracy Cost: 400 Expires: NONE Function: Eliminates the period of unrest between governments. Also allows any form of government to be chosen, even if the proper advance has not been discovered. Description: The Statue of Liberty is one of the largest statues in the world. Measuring over 300 feet tall from the base of her pedestal, the statue was originally constructed of copper plating over an iron framework and weighs over 250 metric tons. Designed by French sculptor Frederic Bartholdi, the statue with her upraised torch and the broken chains of tyranny at her feet, was presented to the United States by the French government in 1886 to commemorate 100 years of American independence. The statue itself, Liberty Island, and nearby Ellis Island became a national monument in 1924. For more than a century, the Statue of Liberty has stood at the mouth of the New York harbor. Often the first sight seen by immigrants arriving in America, Lady Liberty symbolizes the ideals of freedom upon which the United States was founded. Rating: *** Comments: The usefulness of this Wonder really depends on which government you're going for. If you want a democracy and plan on staying in it for the rest of the game, then obviously this Wonder is useless. Personally, I prefer Communism, and generally it's faster to build the Statue of Liberty than research Communism. Also, the elimination of the period of unrest when you change governments is pretty useful, as anarchy is extremely wasteful, even if it only lasts 2 or 3 turns. Eiffel Tower ------------ Prerequisite: Steam Engine Cost: 300 Expires: NONE Function: When you first obtain control of the Eiffel Tower, every civilization's attitude toward you is immediately shifted 25 points in your favor (on a hundred point scale). Attitudes continue to improve gradually over time. Other civilizations are also quicker to forget your past transgressions. Description: The Eiffel Tower is one of the world's most famous landmarks. Built for the Universal Exposition of 1889, the tower rises 984 feet above Paris' Champ de Mars, near the Seine River. Structural engineer Alexandre Gustave Eiffel built the tower at a cost of more than $1 million to demonstrate how steel and iron could be utilized in the construction of extremely tall buildings. The tallest building in the world when it was originally built, the Eiffel Tower drew crowds of awestruck observers from around the world. Today, it remains one of Paris' leading tourist attractions. Rating: *** Comments: Not a bad Wonder, as it's fairly cheap to build. It rectifies any "mistakes" you may have made earlier in the game, like breaking any treaties. Also, the more civilizations like you, the more likely they'll be to do things like share their map knowledge or offer you money in exchange for a treaty. It's not essential, but it's a quick and easy build with good payoffs. WONDERS OF THE MODERN WORLD Women's Suffrage ---------------- Prerequisite: Industrialization Cost: 600 Expires: NONE Function: Counts as a Police Station in every one of your cities (Decreases unhappiness caused by troops away from city by 1). Description: After decades of struggle, women in the United States won the right to vote in 1920 with the passage of the 19th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution. The achievement of women's suffrage was accelerated by the excellent record of women working in jobs traditionally held by men during World War I. Full voting rights were granted to women in Great Britain in 1928. Since that time, women have gained the right to vote in most countries in the developed world. Rating: * to **** Comments: Usefulness varies depending on what government you're using. If you're using Communism or Fundamentalism, this Wonder is completely useless, as there are no "away-from-home" penalties under those governments. But for a democracy this Wonder is great to have, as Police Stations are effective means of blunting the away-from-home effect. And it's certainly easier to simply build Women's Suffrage rather than build a Police Station in every city you have. Hoover Dam ---------- Prerequisite: Electronics Cost: 600 Expires: NONE Function: Provides Hydro power to every city on every continent. Description: For centuries, mankind has been harnessing the power of rivers to move waterwheels for various purposes. With the advent of electrical power, it was found the rivers were also very useful for generating electricity. Hydroelectric power plants derive power from rivers by constructing dams to ensure a dependable supply of water. The overflow is then released through special chambers where the moving water turns giant turbines, generating electricity. When planned and engineered properly, this system provides an excellent power source with very limited environmental impact. The Hoover Dam, constructed on the Colorado River near Las Vegas, was one of the earliest hydroelectric power plants. Rating: ***** Comments: One of the best Wonders to have. Hydro power is really good for your cities to have, as it's much cleaner than Power plants and safer than Nuclear plants. Also, since each Hydro plant costs 240 shields to build, it's much more efficient to simply build the Hoover Dam - it'll save you tons of shields down the road. This is definitely a Wonder you should prioritize. Manhattan Project ----------------- Prerequisite: Nuclear Fission Cost: 600 Expires: NONE Function: Allows nuclear weapons to be built. Description: The Manhattan Project was the code name for an intensive and costly research effort during World War II that resulted in the development of atomic weapons. The first two such weapons, the bombs dropped on Nagasaki and Hiroshima in 1945, brought an end to the second World War. For a short time, the United States held a monopoly on atomic weapons. However, by 1949 the Soviet Union had also developed similar technology, based in part on Manhattan Project information obtained through espionage. The nuclear standoff that has resulted from this balance of power may be largely responsible for the absence of major wars since World War II. Rating: ** Comments: I almost never use nuclear weapons, so for me this Wonder isn't worth it. Nuclear weapons, while powerful, are messy and tend to get the entire world pissed off at you. They're really more of a last resort kind of weapon, and none of my games have ever come to that point. But if you like using nuclear weapons, then this is a necessary Wonder to build. United Nations -------------- Prerequisite: Communism Cost: 600 Expires: NONE Function: Free embassy with every other civilization. Enemy civ's cannot refuse your peace treaties. As a democracy, you can declare war 50% of the time (peacekeeping missions). Description: Established following World War II, the United Nations is an international organization dedicated to promoting world peace and security. The U.N. also attempts to achieve international cooperation in solving world problems concerning the environment, economics, and cultural issues. Although its peace keeping role is not always entirely successful, it has remained an effective forum for debate where all nations can voice their concerns on matters of worldwide importance. Rating: *** Comments: A good replacement for Marco Polo's Embassy, along with a few bonuses. Enemy civilizations never refusing your peace treaties is not as useful as it may sound, as enemy civilizations tend to break treaties quite liberally anyway. But if you're playing as a democracy the last function of the UN is very nice. The Senate tends to be annoying in forging peace treaties behind your back, but this way you can undo that half of the time, a very handy tool to have. If you're in a democracy, I'd definitely suggest building this Wonder; if not, it's nice to have but not essential. Apollo Program -------------- Prerequisite: Space Flight Cost: 600 Expires: NONE Function: Allows construction of spaceship improvements. Description: The Apollo Program was begun by the United States in the late 1960s. Following the success of the manned orbital missions of the Mercury and Gemini programs, the destination of the Apollo programs was the moon. The early Apollo flights concentrated on orbital observations of the moon, and testing the docking systems of the Apollo craft. The ultimate goal of the Apollo Program was accomplished by Apollo 11 on July 20, 1969, when Neil Armstrong became the first human to walk on the moon. Several other landings followed, the last being Apollo 17 in December, 1972. The Apollo program truly represented a "giant leap of mankind". The U.S. manned lunar missions are unparalleled feats in space exploration, and the technology originally developed for the Apollo Program was later found to be invaluable in designing future space vehicles and orbital platforms. Rating: *** to ***** Comments: Building a spaceship is one way to win the game, and if you're planning on doing so then this Wonder is a necessity. If not, then there's not much point to building it. Personally, I don't like building a spaceship to win, as that takes a lot of the fun out of the game. But if you want to, then you should probably rush the technology needed for this Wonder and build it as fast as you can. Note that building the Apollo Program reveals the entire map, though this is not listed in the functionality, so the Apollo Program may be worth building even if you decide not to build a spaceship. SETI Program ------------ Prerequisite: Computers Cost: 600 Expires: NONE Function: Counts as a research lab in every one of your cities; effectively doubles your science output. Description: The Search for Extraterrestrial Intelligence (SETI) was officially initiated by the United States in the latter half of the 20th Century. The purpose of the program was to find some sort of conclusive evidence that intelligent life existed beyond the confines of our planet. Employing banks of radio-telescopes and other detection equipment, SETI scans the skies hoping to find proof of extraterrestrial life in the form of radio transmissions and other activity. Although the program has yet to find such proof, the effort has produced many useful benefits to astronomy, telecommunications, and other high-tech fields. Rating: ***** Comments: It DOUBLES your science output for your entire civilization. I really don't need to explain why this is essential to build. Some of the latest technologies are some of the most important, so being able to research them quickly will really give you an advantage over the other civilizations. This is one of the best Wonders you can build. Cure for Cancer --------------- Prerequisite: Genetic Engineering Cost: 600 Expires: NONE Function: One extra happy citizen in each city. Description: Despite the huge outlays of cash for research and study, cancer still looms as a terrifying and deadly plague on the human race. Although scientists and doctors have discovered many different forms of cancer, and have identified some of the factors that can trigger the disease, a true cure still eludes modern medical science. A cure for cancer would put an end to the source of much suffering and anguish, and allow millions of people, who would otherwise be doomed, to lead happy and productive lives. Rating: **** Comments: Exactly the same as the Hanging Gardens, except it never expires. Civil disorder is as annoying as ever, and this Wonder will really help to reduce it to manageable levels (especially if you're in a democracy). If you're not having trouble with civil disorder, then this one can be skipped, but in most games I like building this as a luxury. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 6. Credits ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- MPS Labs, for developing such a great game. CJayC, for letting us copy the disclaimer at the top... about not copying material. Hey, doesn't that defeat the purpose? SBAllen, for his continued excellent administration of the site following CJayC's retirement. Coke Zero. The soda. I love that stuff. Thanks for reading! Copyright 2008 by Max Beaumont