Modern Era? What Modern Era?

[C Chulainn]

I'm playing at Regent, as usual. It's the 1970s, I've got a huge continent-spanning empire, rail nearly everywhere, 60% science, a few universities sprinkled about, and yet I'm still only about three quarters of the way out of the industrial era. And none of the AI civs are more than a step or two more advanced than I am - they're all in the same position, even if they've got Newton's College etc.
Am I doing something wrong, or do you have to conquer half the world to get into the modern era before the end of the 20th century?

[N. Machiavelli]

Originally posted by C Chulainn
I'm playing at Regent, as usual. It's the 1970s, I've got a huge continent-spanning empire, rail nearly everywhere, 60% science, a few universities sprinkled about, and yet I'm still only about three quarters of the way out of the industrial era. And none of the AI civs are more than a step or two more advanced than I am - they're all in the same position, even if they've got Newton's College etc.
Am I doing something wrong, or do you have to conquer half the world to get into the modern era before the end of the 20th century?

You aren't doing anything 'wrong', nor do you have to kill the rest of the planet in order to advance. I'm currently in a Emperor-level earth map with 16 civs at 680 A.D. and have just researched synthetic fibers (Modern Armour). Unfortunatly, the other remaining 10 civs are at that level so the next 1500-odd years should be rather interesting.

I take advantage of other civ's research. I choose 2 or 3 other civs that are advancing at a pace close to mine own. Then, after the initial equal trading is out of the way, I am not afraid to sell them a tech for a profit just to advance them on their way to the tech tree. The AI follows the sametech path ad nauseum and places some weird weight upon certain techs. What I have found to be most profitable is to research what they are not (by their known path) and then trade. This will allow you and your 'research buddies' to advance far ahead of the others and they will remain in good standing with you since they are about as equally advanced and have been trading with you for the entire game. It's a some-what specialized strategy, but by using it and concentrating on research, I can achieve a Space Victory by 200 AD.