Why Does Approval Rating REALLY Matter?

from GalCiv2 Forums
Ok... The title of this post was sort of like bait, but now that your here, here's my question:

I understand that with a low approval rating, your planets may revolt, defect, etc... I also know that they have some niffty options coming up in the V1.1 that will make approval ratings more interesting. What I would like to know is what else does approval rating effect? Does it have an effect on the productivity of a planet (like mentioned in V1.1 notes)? Does it effect the quality/quantity of research from that planet? Does it effect population growth? Thanks for spelling it out for me.
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Reply #1 from GalCiv2 Forums Top
Only effect I know of is population growth of a planet doubles at 100% approval. Not that it matters when you're at the limit. Personally, I like to make sure no one planet is below 70%. No reason, other than I'd like to keep my 'peeps' happy.
Ashes of the Singularity II
Reply #3 from GalCiv2 Forums Top
Well it depends on your goverment type really. If you research any of the democracies you have elections. The bonuses are 25, 50, and 75 % increase in all three areas of production (military, social, and research) if you hold the majority. Now with an Imperalistic system it doesn't matter, you're the boss. But when the colonies have a say, it can really hurt not to have the majority, since you loose the bonus of democracy in addition to (usually) loosing the bonuses provided by your political party.

To give you an example: I usually choose my party as the Technologists. Now with the default imperalistic system I get the bonuses provided with my party. +20 % research and +1 sensor range. Now if I research the next available form of goverment I get a democractic system. If my party wins the election I get +25 % military, social, and research production, in addition to the +20% and +1 sensor range from my party. If I loose the election, I do not get the bonuses offered by that type of democracy, and in addition I get -20% research and -1 sensor range.

Now you asked my approval matters. Simple. If you have low approval you're not going to win any elections, thus you get penalties instead of bonuses, and that can be devestating. With a high approval rating, however, you'll win the election and get bonuses and keep your political party bonuses.
Reply #4 from GalCiv2 Forums Top
Another factor that I haven't seen mentioned yet is that population growth drops to 0 on planets with approval rating less than or equal to 35% (red).

Also, I think the advanced government bonuses (25% / 50% / 75%) apply whether your party is in the majority or not.
Reply #5 from GalCiv2 Forums Top
If an opponent invades one of your worlds with low approval rating and goes for Information War more people will defect to his side.
Reply #6 from GalCiv2 Forums Top
Yeah from what I've seen it sure seems like with a very low approval rating your population flees your worlds (I guess to alien worlds or something).
Reply #7 from GalCiv2 Forums Top
Blah, you all forget that the most important bonus approval gives is population growth, and faster population growth equals more money. That's why on the very beginning of the game i like to keep approval at 100%. That way is most effective in the long term, because planets will quickly achieve their population cap, and then i can let the approval to be lower (just not too low, as to not loose the elections)
Reply #8 from GalCiv2 Forums Top
SideLabel (and others), please check your facts before posting.

First of all, you do NOT get 25/50/75% bonus in military, research and social, you only get an economic bonus. I know, it's in the tech descriptions, but it's simply wrong.
Secondly, you get this no matter whether your party is in power or not.
And finally, elections are twice a year, so you can easily adjust the tax rate the turn before the election and you get a nice result... no need to keep approval up.
Reply #9 from GalCiv2 Forums Top
And finally, elections are twice a year, so you can easily adjust the tax rate the turn before the election and you get a nice result... no need to keep approval up.


True, but very, very sad. This is more of a bug than a feature.
Reply #10 from GalCiv2 Forums Top
And finally, elections are twice a year, so you can easily adjust the tax rate the turn before the election and you get a nice result... no need to keep approval up.



True, but very, very sad. This is more of a bug than a feature.


It would make sense if the morale rating had some 'weight' to it (i.e. the longer you have the morale rating under/over X%, the less/more likely that changes in tax rate will effect it) , so as to avoid the situation as described.

However, it isn't unusual to have a political party make grand promises before an election (i.e. lower taxes) and then get swept back into power.
Reply #11 from GalCiv2 Forums Top
Yeah, it happens all the time in real life so why shouldn't we copy our lovable politicians when we are playing galactic dictator.

But it would be nice if the citicens had some memory. For example, it could be easy to fool them once. Alot harder if you did the same thing two or more elections in a row.
Reply #12 from GalCiv2 Forums Top
I run my approval rating around 60% total from beginning of game till end. I did a test and it increases population around +200 people per turn at 100% and +100 to +130 at 60%, while more people equals more money sure, but, in the beginning of the game more money isn't from the population of the "future" as it is in taxing what you already have. And fast colonizing. Playing Huge game now with 7 intelligent AI and after 50 turns I'm 1st in economy and 1st in research and 3rd in population. Certainly shows what popularity is good for in the "early" game, absolutely nothing. Only time I make changes is when one colony goes below 45%, other than that I could care less about popularity. But, I take +10 morale bonus to start and also go for xeno entertainment early and get another +10% morale bonus and the first thing I build on every colony is an entertainment center after a stardock. My strategy continues to work even as I move up 2 levels of difficulty, I thought this "intelligent" AI level was suppose to be "hard"? lol I've already got 14 planets, most of all the races and have 6 speed colony ships on the way to two more prospects (nice to find those anomolies with +1 to ship speed)

I also run at near 59% taxes and 100% production from the very start. Adjusting only when a colony goes below 45%. Once i get all the colonies I'm going to get established I will start producing Economic and Influence Starbases and fly ahead just as I have always before. Already the AI's are showing warm tendencys toward me that are on my borders and I'm in a corner so I got this one in the bag as well. Ion drive is the key to victory in the early game from your tech choices. If you don't take that, you're gonna be slow getting the colonies, then fall behind on everything.
Reply #13 from GalCiv2 Forums Top
Should be easy to calculate an "average approval"

just create a variable that += approval every turn. at the election, divide that variable by the amount of turns. use that variable in the elections.

If you had high taxes for most of the turns, the turns in which you had low taxes would be negligeable and it would prevent user exploit.