Stealing Technology

[Jabutron]

Originally posted by Urban Ranger


Beakers could be good.

What a great idea! That way it's the equivalent of finding research notes that haven't been burned enough, and applying it towards your own research.

"You captured [city] and pillaged 150 gold and 150 beakers!" [Burn, baby, burn!!!]

150 (or whatever) wouldn't help much in the later game, but when you're dealing with ancient or classical techs it would come in handy.

[Adagio]

The number of beakers you find could depend on the city (how technolical it is) and how far you are in techs. In the later game you get more beakers for the same conquest than in the earlier game. And if you conquer a city with a low tech-rate you will only get few beakers, while taking over a city with a high tech-rate you get more beakers

[VetLegion]

Originally posted by johnmcd
The more people that have a tech the cheaper it will be for you

Wait, are you absolutely sure? It was like that in some other versions of civilization, but I was under the impression that in this iteration the cost of particular tech in a game session is constant?

[johnmcd]

If that were to happen I think the degree of bombardment that had taken place would need to be factored in too. You wouldn't have got much of use out of Stalingrad, Dresden or Hiroshoma. Also, razing a city should make it impossible to get anything.

I'd also say that cultural tilt to your civ should have an impact. It might mean for example that taking a large developed town by cultural swing would yield an armful of beakers.

[GeoModder]

I have seen my tech cost jump up after getting allied with an AI civ. So there is some fluctuation in tech cost at least for that.

[VetLegion]

Any threads about dynamics of tech cost around? Now you've got me confused. It would alter my strategy significantly if tech cost chan be altered during the session.

[Robert]

I had the same problem in the beginning, I couldn't keep up with the AI's on research. But I've tweaked my strategy, played a lot of games. Yesterday I lost a Monarch game on a Huge map with 11 civs. Space race victory (loss) and I was only 4 turns before winning myself!

It was as close as I've ever been on winning civ4
(Monarch, Huge map, 11 civs, continents)

Thus it is possible to keep up with the AI, you just have to try and try and learn and learn. It's not as if it's Doom 3 and you can win after your 3rd game quiet easily.

[johnmcd]

If it's a permanent alliance your research is pooled, so you'd better see it jump!

[Jabutron]

Originally posted by CyberShy
I had the same problem in the beginning, I couldn't keep up with the AI's on research. But I've tweaked my strategy, played a lot of games. Yesterday I lost a Monarch game on a Huge map with 11 civs. Space race victory (loss) and I was only 4 turns before winning myself!

It was as close as I've ever been on winning civ4
(Monarch, Huge map, 11 civs, continents)

Thus it is possible to keep up with the AI, you just have to try and try and learn and learn. It's not as if it's Doom 3 and you can win after your 3rd game quiet easily.

Don't leave us in suspense! I'm constantly falling behind (compare Europe and Dar al-Islam at 1000AD; I'm Europe). Sometimes I stay even if I beeline advanced techs and trade, but come the industrial era I start falling behind rapidly, even with buku gold. Any pointers for us low-wattage lights of enlightenment?

[Robert]

Create science cities. Cities with a lot of sea tiles ie. And make them grow and build all research buildings in it.
Don't build useless cities, they'll cost you a lot of money.
Research techs that nobody has, trade them only for other techs.
Build wonders of the world. The Oracle ie. gives you one free tech. Be sure you're ready to take the alphabet, don't trade it immediately though but use it to stay ahead for a little time.
Use great persons to discover techs. Make a great persons city. Flood plains are good for that! Make sure they're becoming huge with a lot of leftover food. Build much wonders in this city as well. (Best is a city with 5/6 flood plains and 5/6 plain-hills with forests / mines.
Take the same religion as your neighbours, or spread yours among them. Make sure they're all happy with you and won't attack you. Missionairies.

And most important: ballance.
Don't overexpand, don't underexpand. And keep your economy alive so you can keep your research on 100%.
If your rivals give big money for an old or less important tech: let them pay and use the money to fund your negative income.

good luck!

[Urban Ranger]

Money tips:

Keep exploring and sell maps for $$$
Sell your surplus resources for $$$
Extort money

[Silbeg]

Originally posted by Jabutron


Don't leave us in suspense! I'm constantly falling behind (compare Europe and Dar al-Islam at 1000AD; I'm Europe). Sometimes I stay even if I beeline advanced techs and trade, but come the industrial era I start falling behind rapidly, even with buku gold. Any pointers for us low-wattage lights of enlightenment?

Never ignore cottages. You need to make sure of two things...[list=1][*]Keep your income up lest your science slider drop to 0[*]More money == more science[/list=1]

Ok, so they are one and the same... However, it did take me a few times seeing my science production drop to incredibly low levels to learn it. If you manage your income well, you shouldn't see your science drop below 60% (at least until you start cranking your culture!)

Also, be careful about over-expanding. Remember that many small cities can cost far more than they can produce. You are often better served (at least with a non-military victory goal) growing your cities so that they can produce more income...

Also remember that certain techs (Paper, Printing Press) and Civics (Emancipation, Universal Suffrage) have positive effects on Towns (such as increased coins, or even hammers!), so a good town can be producing 7 (or more) coins!!!


To help with late game issues, I have definately taken a liking to keeping forests around (I don't do too much chopping) so that I can use 'em for lumbermills.