I'm wondering if anyone's been able to nail down the maximum value of a great person for the use of adding to the learning of a knowledge, or the building of a wonder (in the case of an engineer.)

I know in the later game these are not instant items, and there's an idea of how many test tubes or hammers. I'd like to use that information earlier in the game to be able to best judge the use of Great Prophets, Great Scientists and the like. For example, while it might seem beneficial to use a Great Prophet to instantly give Theology in the mid game, over the long term it might be more beneficial to add him to the population and get the wealth bonus, etc.

Any insight or guidance, but especially numbers, would be greatly appreciated.

Law

I personally am a great person lover!

When I first started the game, I constantly used great people of all sorts to get techs and finish wonders, but now, I rarely use them for that.  My favourite great people are the great engineers, prophets, and scientists.  These people I will always turn into great people in a city.  The great prophet provides 2 hammers in ur city adn +5 gold.  The engineer provides +3 hammers and +3 science (i think), and the scientist provides +1 hammer and + something science.  My style of play is a builder's style, so I catch a lot of early wonders.  These great people are a huge bonus when absorbed into cities.  Those extra hammers can get you that settler, army, or more wonders faster.  The gold allows you to expand quicker and easier without economic depression and also build larger armies.  The extra beakers give you faster tech research.  I an early game, these bonuses are huge and added up over the period of the game it beats any other option.  I never use prophets, enginneers, or priests for anything esle and my capiltol is often a super city with dozens of these great people.  The other great people (which I rarely get) I use for golden ages.  Getting the tech is just a quick fix, and no real bonus in the long run - especially when these great people are added to your cities in the early game.

Hope this helps and welcome to 1BC!

Then again - this is my strategy and does not necessarily work for everyone....so try it out and see what others have to say and edit these strategies up to suit your playing style!

I was a big time believer in adding all my great people to cities, but I've recently started to wonder the other way around. Basically, what I'd like to do is have a look at their throughput and have a good idea when it makes more and less sense to use for other purposes.

Obviously, I always use Great Prophets initially (at least one) for a shrine in any religion I've created. I've never really used any Great People for techs, but I've started to wonder if I'm not being balanced with the approach I've taken from the beginning.

Law

It is a wierd strategy, but it works.  I have one a few games at the level that's one higher, but have moved back to manarch to fine edit my strategies...

Recently I find I have the most fun playing on a Huge map in Marathon game mode. I really like the pace, I find for some reason it keeps things more in tune with "real world" timelines, although I still see a lot of ancient wonders (especially Colossus), which I can never get in B.C. Also, a marathon game makes me feel less foolish about the amount of unit naming, and other time consuming practices, I sometimes engage in.

You are right, religion does cause a lot of conflict with other nations. This is especially true on a huge map. The catch is, without it, I find I stiffle too early. Without temples and the like. Also, I find one good shrine will let me expand quickly to my favourite and optimal early- to mid-game number of cities (which is eight or nine.) I like eight cities because it allows me to build the Forbidden Palace, and nine cities will allow me to build enough temples (3*3) to ultimately have "cathedrals" in each of my three main cities... in case I need to go for (or protect agains) a cultural victory.

Also, I just personally really like religions. I find it an interesting and exciting element of the game. I've been a Civ player since the original game, and it's one of the most interesting aspects. This is clear because you find them harmful to your strategy, and I find them helpful. A good element, like that, should create compromises and options.

That said, I tend to go for Judaism or Confucionism, since I am really specifically trying to get (1) Organized Religion civic, or (2) courthouses.