Looking at the second set of graphics it looks like the neighbour help does not have much of an impact (if any) on the first 2 levels. So if you do not have sufficient culture to reach these levels does that mean that the neighbour help is wasted for the recipient on these first two levels?
If you choose your cultural buildings and the mix of other buildings properly then the current system works (I am constantly at 200%).
With the new changes;
1. If the changes free up space for you to have more buildings and workshops then you will need more culture to build and maintain these buildings. This will reduce the cultural bonus even more.
2. If you get less cultural bonus as a result of these changes then you will need more buildings and workshops to produce sufficient coin and supplies to progress at a reasonable pace.
3. If you need more buildings and workshops to produce the coin and supplies to progress at a reasonable pace then you will need more cultural buildings to build and support them, so you are back to the beginning of needing more cultural buildings to support the increased buildings you have as a result of this change.
If the cultural bonus is being reduced will the cultural requirements for buildings be reduced or will they remain the same?
Is it assumed that the reduction in the cultural bonus will slow down the progress due to the reduced amount of coin and supply that are available?
An alternative suggestion to the new proposal is to split the cultural bonus into 2 parts thus removing the player focus from trying to achieve the maximum cultural value (170% in the new proposal) and on the second level of 150%.
Part 1
The bonus gained by the player. This can be split into;
100% - This is the base requirement for the city to operate.
125% - First stage bonus triggered when first stage value is reached.
150% - Second stage bonus triggered when second stage value is reached.
Part 2
The bonus gained from neighbour help. This can be split into;
10% - First stage bonus triggered when additional level 1 value is reached
20% - Second stage bonus triggered when additional level 2 value is reached
It is human nature to try and get the maximum every time. So by separating the 2 bonuses the player is focused on the player second stage bonus, while the neighbour help bonus is a variable bonus which comes and goes dependant on your neighbours and is an added bonus which the player is not focused on too much. This could give the possibility of 9 values for the cultural bonus;
100% - no additional bonus from either player or neighbour.
110% - first stage neighbour bonus
120% - second stage neighbour bonus
125% - first stage player bonus
135% - first stage player bonus + first stage neighbour bonus
145% - first stage player bonus + second stage neighbour bonus
150% - second stage player bonus
160% -second stage player bonus + first stage neighbour bonus
170% - second stage player bonus + second stage neighbour bonus
The Cultural Bonus Diagram could be split into three areas. The top area would have the graphic for the total bonus. The middle area would have the graphic for the player bonus (Part 1 mentioned above) and the bottom area would have the graphic for the neighbour bonus (Part 2 mentioned above). The combination of both of these bonuses gives the cultural bonus, shown at the top of the graphic, at that time (as the neighbour bonus would only be valid for 8 Hours)
I will stop now as my head hurts.
Jimmac