Theatre - most everpriced building making it practicaly useless?

It costs 1000s of cash, needs tons of turns to be builded and gives only +5% happiness. And it is not the happiness, but the population increase/decrease which is important for huge cities. So this building seems to be extremely expensive and absolutely useless.
Except there is a mistake in the description and it actually gives something more then the measly 5% happiness?

Huge Cathedral is even more expensive and doesn't really provide any more benefit than does the Theater, apart from a few brownie points with the pope and the gratification of a movie when you build the first one.

Happiness in Huge Cities is pretty important. Especially when they are getting relentlessly spammed by spies.

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Originally Posted by Alden

Huge Cathedral is even more expensive and doesn't really provide any more benefit than does the Theater, apart from a few brownie points with the pope and the gratification of a movie when you build the first one.

Happiness in Huge Cities is pretty important. Especially when they are getting relentlessly spammed by spies.

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Max out the public order and happiness in a city and you can get away with one unit garrisons on high tax settings.

Who cares about the garrisons? They are cheap to recruit and free to support.

That was my point, Mega Dux Bob - OP was complaining about the Theater being over priced for its benefit. But overpriced compared to what? I compared it to a Huge Cathedral which also is 5% happy but costs even more than a Theater.

Huge Cathedral or Theater certainly buy you less happiness/florin than does a Brothel or a Small Chapel. Buy you are building them in cities that produce quite a bit more money than does a Town.

The theatre has a number of benefits for public order. You get the 5% and in big cities, thats quite alot. But you also get actors and musician anciliaries for generals, and that adds even more to public order. It can end up helping quite alot for large and huge cities.

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Originally Posted by Handel

Who cares about the garrisons? They are cheap to recruit and free to support.

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They are not free upkeep at that point. It isn't enough with 6 units as garrison... Those 5% can come in handy.

Huge cathedrals give big health bonus, which help city growing (as I hope). In my huge cities the happines is not a problem, but the population growth. With good general my huge cities can go up to 50,000 citizens, but usually about 40,000 the population growth becomes zero or even negative. With the 6 free units you can keep the happiness at 80% (the blue icon) forever without any danger of riots. And of course, I keep a spy in every border city and castle. They are catching almost every turn an enemy spy.

Theaters and other buildings like them are overpriced since they are really important. Lets say you have a city like Constantinople which easily goes to 50,000 and you have max free garrisons in it. You'll probably be at blue or yellow mood thing without these extra buildings. One spy and the city will revolt and probably kick you out with a full stack garrison. It won't be a very fun battle taking the city back again...

Don't forget that with the brothel you get a 10% bonus in lap dances:beam:

You know, with the unpacker, you could always mod it a little bit to make it more worthwhile to your specifications.