Open borders tech boost

[madmaxxam]

If you have open borders with another civilization, and they have a technology that you are researching, I think that you should get a boost to researching that tech. Either that or a city having trade routes with a foreign city that has a tech currently being researched should give such a boost. I think this would both make sense in terms of gameplay and reality.

Assuming that open borders means that citizens are able to pass between the countries it would make sense that people visiting a foreign land would bring back some ideas from that area. It would also balance gameplay in terms of helping civs catch up from a research lag. I dunno, this just seems to make sense to me. Anyone else?

[Axxaer]

My guess is that this would just boost the AIs even more.

[Dauphin]

If the Civ3 method of reducing tech costs as more civs discover a tech was in place, then I would agree open borders would be a better method for making that reduction - If you close your borders that information won't get in or out as easily.

Some techs aren't dependent on open borders though. Nuclear technology is not readily available open borders or not, allies or not, whereas the concept of railways was deliberately exported.

[dearmad]

You do get a boost in more coins = more to put into beakers.

Also I think civ4 has it built in that techs get cheaper if you are way behind in the tech race.

[Dauphin]

You do get a boost in more coins = more to put into beakers.

I agree, but that boost is independent of whether you are ahead or behing in techs - which is what I understand the OP to be addressing.

[madmaxxam]

Yeah, if you have open borders you get better trade routes and a boost to all tech. But if you have open borders with an ally and you're have the options to research a tech that he has vs. a tech that he doesn't have you should realistically get a boost to the tech that he has over the one that he doesn't. I think it would be an interesting addition to the game. Maybe when the SDK comes out...

[xxFlukexx]

Originally posted by Dauphin
If the Civ3 method of reducing tech costs as more civs discover a tech was in place, then I would agree open borders would be a better method for making that reduction - If you close your borders that information won't get in or out as easily.

Some techs aren't dependent on open borders though. Nuclear technology is not readily available open borders or not, allies or not, whereas the concept of railways was deliberately exported.

Such a system IS in place.

[Dauphin]

Cool then. So this thread is completely pointless

[DrSpike]

No, because it doesn't operate as the OP wants.

[Dauphin]

How does it operate?

[DrSpike]

Open borders increases trade generally, and tech costs are reduced depending on who has the tech in question. You dont need open borders - you can even be at war.

[Dauphin]

Oh, I thought he was talking about my second statement. (If you close your borders that information won't get in or out as easily.)

/me must remember not to write in conditionals or hypotheticals when something is true.

[Dauphin]

Do you have the relevent formula, or link to formula?

[DrSpike]

The tech costs modifiers are not fully known.

[Dauphin]

At least let me know where it is discussed then. I wasn't sure if it was employed or not as I've never observed it (looked tooclosely enough at it).