Factory and Plantations from Age of Empires III
Renewable Resources is a term for any resource that can be resupplied without the use of hacks, cheats, or exploits.
Age of Empires
In the original Age of Empires, it is not entirely possible to have renewable resources, however in theory, food would be infinite (in the long run) but is barred by the finite amount of wood generated or placed by the scenario creator. Gold through trading is also in theory, infinite (in the long run) but is barred by the lack of other resources.
Age of Empires II
In Age of Empires II, the exchange feature was added. It allows players to be able to exchange gold (from mining, trading, or Relics) into any other desired resource at the Market. Also, any other resource can be sold for gold there. So in essence, if players are able to trade or hold Relics, they have access to every resource.
Still, it must be noted that the exchange rate changes with every exchange made. So if for example 100 food cost 58 gold at one point and are exchanged, the exchange rate changes to 61, increasing the required amount of gold (for the same amount of food) and making the exchange less lucrative every time. If on the other hand food is sold for gold, the exchange rate changed in the other direction. The exchange rates are global (affect all players) and often reflect the availability and importance of the single resources on the map.
Farms and Fish Traps are also renewable and reliably provide food, but they both cost wood. Malay Fish Traps produce unlimited food, as they do not have to be rebuilt.
The Portuguese Feitoria can also be used to slowly generate all resources, similarly to the Plenty Vault from Age of Mythology. Unlike the Plenty Vault however, it is buildable and consumes 20 population.
Age of Mythology
Age of Mythology still uses the exchange feature from Age of Empires II, which allows the player to exchange gold for food and wood and vice versa. Along with the continuation of Land-based Trade. See Trade Caravans for information. Also, unlike in Age of Empires II, food gathering from Farms is infinite.
Favor a new system introduced allows the player to infinitely gather favor:
- Greek Villagers pray at Temples (with the Golden Apples technology they gather 15% faster).
- Egyptians can build Monuments, which slowly generate favor.
- Norse can train Hersirs that slowly regenerate favor, along with the ability to gain favor as a bounty from killing enemies (as long as there is an infinite amount of enemies).
- The Atlanteans can generate favor by building Town Centers, which slowly generate favor.
- Chinese can build Gardens which automatically generate a resource of the player's choice, including favor.
- Relics
- Ankh of Ra: Produces a trickle of 2.4 Favor per minute. Useful for all, but especially for the Norse early on.
- Ring of the Nibelung: Produces a trickle of 18 Gold per minute. A small bonus, but of some use.
- Ship of Fingernails : Produces a trickle of 24 Food per minute. A slightly larger bonus, but of some use.
Technologies
- Vaults of Erebus: Produces a trickle of 45 Gold per minute.
- Flood of the Nile: Produces a trickle of 45 Food per minute.
God Powers
- The Plenty God Power, available to followers of Hephaestus (who in turn is available to all three Greek Major Gods) generates 15 food, gold and wood every five seconds (180 of all resources, sans faith). The vault is indestructable but can be captured by enemy units as it is controlled by whoever has the most military units in the area.
Age of Empires III
Like Age of Empires II and Age of Mythology, the exchange feature returns, along with the ability to farm food from Mills, for European civilizations, and Farms, for Native American civilizations (introduced with the WarChiefs expansion). Likewise, a new building called the Plantation, allows Settlers and Villager to gather infinite gold, but at a slower pace than when mining.
The Chinese, Indians and Japanese, all introduced by the Asian Dynasties expansion, have access to the Rice Paddy, a structure that combines the features of Plantations and Farms; Villagers can gather either Gold or Food, but not at the same time. Also, the Japanese have access to the Shrine, a House-like structure (it provides 10 population) that also provides a trickle of resources or experience, that is proportional to the amount of animals it has attracted (a feature that is similar to the Lure from Age of Mythology). Two Wonder structures, the Toshogu Shrine and the Porcelain Tower also provide trickles of resources of the player's choice, like the Factory. Whales also provide an infinite amount of gold (although only 4 Fishing Boats can gather at a single Whale).
In addition, there are some Home City Cards providing a trickle of resources, while resource Cards who can be sent infinity times could in theory yield infinite resources as well.
Building Trading Posts and researching "Stagecoach" allows you to switch between resources. The new Experience system allows people to infinitely gain experience by training units, building, and killing enemies.
Generally, finite resources is seldom a problem in Age of Empires III.
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